Core Insights - The convergence of quantum computing and defense sectors presents a unique investment opportunity, particularly with companies like IonQ expanding their presence in defense through contracts and acquisitions [2][12] Company Overview - IonQ specializes in quantum computing, utilizing trapped ions for data processing, which allows for smaller and more scalable systems compared to traditional electron-based quantum computers [6][7] - The company currently offers three quantum systems: Aria, Forte, and Forte Enterprise, with plans to launch a fourth system, Tempo, by the end of the year [8] Financial Projections - Analysts predict IonQ's revenue will increase from $43 million in 2024 to $315 million by 2027, marking a more than sevenfold surge, although the company is not expected to achieve profitability soon [9] Defense Sector Expansion - IonQ has secured three significant defense contracts, including a $54.5 million contract with the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, a $21.1 million project for secure quantum networking, and a $5.7 million contract for a new networked quantum computing system [10][13] - The company has also acquired Oxford Ionics for $1.08 billion and is in the process of acquiring Vector Atomic, which has over $200 million in defense-related contracts [10] Strategic Developments - IonQ launched a new division, IonQ Federal, to manage its defense contracts, aiming to enhance resources for government customers and strengthen national security through quantum computing solutions [11]

Core Insights - Alphabet, the parent company of Google, has significant growth opportunities ahead, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI), self-driving technology, healthcare, and quantum computing [10][11][12] Company History and Growth - Google was founded in 1998 by Sergey Brin and Larry Page, quickly becoming a dominant player in internet search and generating substantial advertising revenue, which still constitutes nearly 75% of Alphabet's total revenue [4][5] - The company has successfully developed or acquired several key products, including Android, Chrome, Gmail, Google Maps, and YouTube, enhancing its market position [6] Revenue Streams - Google Cloud, launched in 2008, is now the fastest-growing major cloud services provider, contributing 14% to Alphabet's total revenue [7] - Advertising remains the primary revenue source, with a strong foundation established since the company's IPO in 2004 [5] Future Opportunities - Alphabet is exploring new markets, particularly in AI, with a focus on agentic AI and artificial general intelligence (AGI), which could revolutionize technology [10] - The Waymo unit is a leader in self-driving car technology, currently operating autonomous ride-hailing services in five cities [10] - In healthcare, Alphabet's initiatives like AlphaFold and Calico aim to advance drug discovery and extend human lifespan, while Verily focuses on precision health [11] - Google Quantum AI is making strides in quantum computing, with ambitions to develop a large-scale quantum computer by the end of the decade [12] Investment Potential - Alphabet's current market cap is approximately $3 trillion, and for a $10,000 investment to grow to $1 million, the company would need to reach a market cap of $300 trillion, which is considered improbable [13] - However, a larger initial investment, such as $100,000, could yield millionaire status over the next 20 years, driven by advancements in AI, robotaxis, and quantum computing [14]

Market Overview - The stock market experienced a downturn, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq closing lower, and the Dow Jones declining over 170 points [1] - Major U.S. indices saw the Dow Jones Industrial Average down nearly 0.4% to 45,947.32, the S&P 500 off 0.5% to 6,604.72, and the Nasdaq lower by 0.5% at 22,384.69 [1] Costco Wholesale Corporation - Costco reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter results, with revenue rising 8% year-over-year to $86.16 billion and adjusted earnings at $5.87 per share [2] - Comparable sales increased by 5.7%, and membership fee revenue rose to $1.72 billion following the first fee hike since 2017 [2] - Costco shares dipped 0.88% to $935.04 in after-hours trading [2] Oracle Corporation - Oracle's stock fell by 5.55% to close at $291.33, with a high of $298.75 and a low of $288.55 [3] - The stock rose 0.44% to $292.60 in after-hours trading [3] - An executive order by President Trump approved a $14 billion deal for Oracle to manage TikTok's U.S. security operations and provide cloud services [4] International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) - IBM shares surged 5.20% to $281.44, with an intraday peak at $284.23 and a low of $271.15 [5] - The rise followed IBM's announcement of a quantum computing breakthrough in collaboration with HSBC, enhancing bond trading predictions [5] CarMax Inc - CarMax shares plummeted 20.07% to $45.60, marking a new 52-week low [6] - The decline followed disappointing second-quarter results, with EPS falling to $0.64 versus expectations of $1.09, and sales dropping 6% year-over-year to $6.59 billion [6] BlackBerry Limited - BlackBerry's stock rose 8.90% to $4.65, reaching a high of $4.66 and a low of $4.19 [7] - The company reported strong second-quarter results, with earnings of $0.04 per share, surpassing the consensus estimate of $0.01, and revenue rose 3% year-over-year to $129.6 million [8]

IBM just helped HSBC achieve a milestone in financial markets. IBM's trial with the bank demonstrated the applications of quantum tech in algorithmic bond trading. The move: IBM stock jumped as much as 5% on Thursday, extending a week of solid gains. Shares of the tech company have risen steadily in 2025, and are up 22% year-to-date. Why: On Thursday, HSBC revealed the results of its quantum computing-enabled algorithmic bond trading trial, powered by IBM's technology. The bank reported a 34% improv ...

Market Overview - U.S. stocks experienced a third consecutive loss, with the S&P 500 falling 0.5%, marking its longest losing streak in over a month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 173 points (0.4%), and the Nasdaq composite also sank 0.5% [1][13] Economic Indicators - Reports indicated that the U.S. economy may be stronger than previously anticipated, which could reduce the likelihood of the Federal Reserve cutting interest rates multiple times in the coming months [2][4] - A stronger economy could diminish the Fed's urgency to cut rates, especially given the risk of exacerbating already high inflation [4][5] - Recent economic data showed fewer unemployment claims, suggesting a slowdown in layoffs, and the economy grew faster than earlier estimates during the spring [6][7] Company Performance - CarMax's stock plummeted 20.1% after reporting weaker-than-expected profits and a decline in vehicle sales compared to the previous year [8] - Jabil's stock fell 6.7% despite reporting stronger profits driven by AI demand, as it had already seen a significant gain of 56.6% for the year [9] - Oracle's stock decreased by 5.6% after a significant rise earlier in the month due to AI-related contracts [10] - IBM's stock rose 5.2% following a successful quantum computing trial with HSBC, which improved trade prediction accuracy by up to 34% [11] - KB Home's stock fluctuated but ultimately dipped 0.6% after reporting stronger-than-expected profits, with the CEO noting easing mortgage rates could attract more buyers [12][13]

Core Insights - Quantum computing is gaining traction in the tech industry, significantly impacting IBM's stock performance, which rose over 5% in one day, outperforming the S&P 500, which fell by 0.5% [1][2]. Group 1: Quantum Computing Demonstration - HSBC successfully conducted a trial using a combination of traditional and quantum computing for algorithmic bond trading analysis, showcasing IBM's quantum technology [2]. - The trial revealed a 34% improvement in prediction capabilities over classical methods, specifically in assessing the likelihood of bond trades being filled at quoted prices [3]. Group 2: Strategic Positioning - IBM's involvement in HSBC's technological advancements positions the company as a valuable partner for well-capitalized clients in a competitive market [4]. - Despite the positive developments, IBM is not currently viewed as a top investment choice in the quantum computing sector, indicating potential challenges in attracting investor interest [5].

What interests me so much is within your podcast. You've just been speaking to a founder. You've backed Logical all about the future of Quantum.You've been deep diving on this. So when you see these sorts of iterations and breakthroughs, what do you make of it. Where is the opportunity for you in the Seed in the series.First of all, great question. And as you know, I'm a long term early stage investor and I like to look for companies that can be worth ten, 20, $30 billion. There's very few of those in the w ...

The quantum computing market is seeing a strong increase in investments from both the government and private sectors, with significant money being poured into making the technology practical and expanding its real-world uses. Experts expect the market for quantum technology to reach about $4.24 billion by 2030, growing steadily at a rate of about 20.5% annually from 2025 to 2030. This growth follows a series of important advancements in the field, from better qubit stability to new partnerships focused on ...

MATT: FUTURES DOWN AGAIN TODAY, THIRD DAY IN A ROW OF LOSSES. I MATT MILLER. >> BLOOMBERG OPEN INTEREST STARTS RIGHT NOW. MATT: COMING UP, FED GOVERNOR STEPHEN MIRON SOUNDS THE ALARM ON U.S. VULNERABILITY WHEN FRESH DATA POINTS TO RESILIENT ECONOMIC GROWTH. DANI: A BID FOR A COMEBACK. INTEL SEEKS AN INVESTMENT FOR APPLE AS THEY FEEL THEY CAN WORK MORE CLOSELY TOGETHER. MATT: STARBUCKS CLOSING STORES AND CUTTING JOBS WHILE THE WHITE HOUSE ORDERS FEDERAL AGENCIES TO PREPARE FOR MASS FIRINGS. DANI: THOSE HEADL ...

Market Overview - U.S. stocks traded lower, with the Nasdaq Composite falling more than 1% on Thursday, Dow down 0.64% to 45,824.16, NASDAQ down 1.19% to 22,229.54, and S&P 500 down 1% to 6,571.28 [1] - Energy shares increased by 0.5%, while health care stocks decreased by 1.4% [1] Company Earnings - Accenture (NYSE: ACN) reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter 2025 results, with earnings of $3.03 per share, exceeding the analyst consensus estimate of $2.96, and sales of $17.60 billion, slightly above the consensus estimate of $17.36 billion [2] Stock Movements - PepGen Inc. (NASDAQ: PEPG) shares surged 89% to $5.03 after announcing a $100 million public offering at $3.20 per share [8] - SciSparc Ltd. (NASDAQ: SPRC) shares increased by 101% to $7.71 following the announcement of a quantum computing-enabled 3D protein modeling initiative [8] - Plus Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: PSTV) shares rose 30% to $0.5264 after a national coverage agreement with UnitedHealthcare [8] - Stitch Fix, Inc. (NASDAQ: SFIX) shares fell 14% to $4.88 after releasing fourth-quarter results [8] - CarMax, Inc. (NYSE: KMX) shares dropped 23% to $43.86 after reporting second-quarter EPS and sales below estimates [8] - Cemtrex, Inc. (NASDAQ: CETX) shares declined 31% to $0.4359 after a 1-for-15 reverse stock split approval [8] Commodity Prices - Oil traded down 0.2% to $64.88, gold down 0.2% to $3,761.50, silver up 1.2% to $44.725, and copper down 1% to $4.7660 [5] European Market Performance - European shares were lower, with the eurozone's STOXX 600 down 0.52%, Spain's IBEX 35 down 0.18%, London's FTSE 100 down 0.24%, Germany's DAX 40 down 0.62%, and France's CAC 40 down 0.46% [6] Asian Market Performance - Asian markets closed mostly lower, with Japan's Nikkei 225 gaining 0.27%, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng declined 0.13%, China's Shanghai Composite fell 0.01%, and India's BSE Sensex fell 0.68% [7] Economic Indicators - U.S. wholesale inventories declined by 0.2% month-over-month to $898.8 billion, against market estimates of a 0.1% increase [11] - U.S. durable goods orders increased by 2.9% month-over-month to $312.1 billion, compared to a revised 2.7% decline in July [11] - The U.S. trade deficit in goods shrank by $17.3 billion month-over-month to $85.5 billion, compared to market estimates of $95.65 billion [11] - Initial jobless claims decreased by 14,000 to 218,000, against market estimates of 235,000 [11] - The U.S. economy grew at an annualized rate of 3.8% in the second quarter, up from 3.3% in the second estimate [11]