Quick Read NVIDIA (NVDA) CEO Jensen Huang stated trillions more dollars are needed for AI infrastructure buildout by 2030. NVIDIA posted $31.9B net income on $57B revenue in Q3 FY2026 with 73.4% gross margins. Meta spends $18.8B per quarter on AI infrastructure. Amazon has the highest quarterly capex at $35.1B. A recent study identified one single habit that doubled Americans’ retirement savings and moved retirement from dream, to reality. Read more here. NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang just told us wh ...

Core Insights - The Global X Copper Miners ETF (COPX) has achieved an impressive 86% return over the past year, indicating a significant shift in copper's role in the global economy [1] - Factors driving the increase in copper prices are expected to persist into 2026 [1] Group 1: Trade Policy and Market Dynamics - Changes in trade policy have significantly impacted the competitive landscape for domestic copper producers, particularly affecting major holdings like Freeport-McMoRan and Southern Copper, which together represent nearly 10% of COPX's portfolio [2] - Monitoring monthly copper price reports from the London Metal Exchange and quarterly earnings from major miners is essential to assess pricing power [2] Group 2: Performance of Holdings - The strong performance of COPX is not solely attributed to its largest positions; smaller international holdings, including Canadian and Chilean miners, have also contributed to exceptional returns due to tightening global supply constraints [3] - The ETF consists of 41 companies, with the top ten holdings accounting for 59% of the portfolio [4] Group 3: Future Projections - Copper consumption is projected to reach 43 million metric tonnes by 2050, representing a 65% increase from 2022 levels, driven by sectors such as electric vehicles, renewable energy storage, and AI infrastructure [4] - It is important to monitor the fund's monthly holdings updates and quarterly rebalancing to see if management shifts towards higher-conviction positions as valuations adjust [4] Group 4: Alternative Investment Options - For investors looking for broader metals exposure with lower fees, the iShares MSCI Global Metals & Mining Producers ETF (PICK) is a viable alternative, offering a 0.39% expense ratio and 14% copper exposure alongside other metals [6] - PICK holds diversified miners like BHP, Rio Tinto, and Freeport-McMoRan, providing sector exposure without the concentrated risk associated with pure-play copper investments [6] Group 5: Key Factors to Monitor - The primary macro factor for 2026 is whether copper prices remain high amid changing trade policies, while the key micro factor is the performance of COPX's smaller international holdings in the context of ongoing supply deficits [7]

Core Insights - NuScale Power has experienced a significant decline in stock performance, transitioning from outperforming the market to underperforming, particularly against the S&P 500 over one-year and three-year periods [3][8] - Despite the recent downturn, there remains potential for a price breakout due to increasing demand for clean energy and the company's asset-light business model [8] - The stock price has dropped over two-thirds since mid-October, influenced by reduced enthusiasm for AI data centers, disappointing quarterly earnings, and large shareholder Fluor's plans to sell its stake [9][10] Performance Comparison - Over the past year, NuScale shares have decreased by 32.8%, while the S&P 500 has increased by 11%, resulting in a difference of -43.8% [6] - Over the past three years, NuScale's return is 69%, compared to the S&P 500's 85.61%, leading to a difference of -16.6% [6] - Since the SPAC merger in May 2022, NuScale has seen an 87% return, slightly outperforming the S&P 500's 80% return by 7% [6] Market Sentiment - The initial enthusiasm for NuScale's potential in the small modular nuclear reactor market has waned, contributing to the stock's decline [7] - The company's involvement in a deal with the Tennessee Valley is not expected to generate significant revenue in the near term, further dampening investor sentiment [9] - The recent quarterly earnings release was poorly received, exacerbating the stock's downward trajectory [10]

Core Insights - The discussions at the UN General Assembly emphasized the necessity for collaboration between the private and public sectors to build the infrastructure required for artificial intelligence (AI) to reach its full potential [2][3] - The scale of investment needed for AI infrastructure is projected to be in the trillions of dollars, indicating a significant economic transformation over the next 50 years [5][8] - The current demand for AI infrastructure is driven by hyperscalers and neoclouds, which are responding to both existing and projected client needs [12][13] Investment and Infrastructure - The investment landscape for AI is characterized by the need for a new layer of power generation and data centers, which differs from the dot-com era where technology was built on existing infrastructure [7][8] - The overwhelming majority of current compute resources are being developed for inference, which is crucial for monetizing AI [11][12] - The capital flowing into AI does not necessarily indicate a bubble; rather, it reflects strong demand across various sectors as enterprises integrate AI into their operations [13][14] Economic Impact - The buildout of AI infrastructure is expected to be one of the seminal technology developments of the future, comparable to the advent of the internet [8][9] - The commitment to invest in AI infrastructure today is markedly different from the 1990s, suggesting a more robust economic foundation for these investments [9][10] - The companies leading these investments are among the largest and most successful, distinguishing the current landscape from the dot-com boom and bust [14]

Market Overview - The main U.S. equity indexes experienced modest gains, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average increasing by 1.1% to 45,010, the S&P 500 rising by 0.8% to 6,358, and the Nasdaq Composite up by 0.6% to 21,020 [7][8] - The upcoming Federal Reserve meeting is set for July 29-30, during which the latest policy statement will be released [6] Housing Market - The National Association of Realtors reported a decline in housing sales as home prices reached record highs in June, indicating affordability challenges [5] - President Trump criticized Fed Chair Jerome Powell for the slow housing market, attributing it to the refusal to lower interest rates [2] Treasury Yields - The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note increased to 4.388% from 4.336%, while the 2-year note rose to 3.886% from 3.831% [6][7] - The 30-year yield approached the significant 5% level, rising to 4.944% from 4.903% [7] Company Highlights - GE Vernova (GEV) stock surged by 14.6% after reporting second-quarter earnings that exceeded expectations and raising its full-year guidance [10] - Analyst Julien Dumoulin-Smith raised the 12-month target price for GEV from $427 to $565, despite previous concerns about valuation [10] - Among analysts tracked by S&P Global Market Intelligence, 24 rate GEV a Buy, 8 a Hold, and 1 a Sell, with an average 12-month target price of $511.75 [11] Automotive Sector - Japanese automakers Honda Motor (HMC) and Toyota Motor (TM) saw significant gains of 13.1% and 13.7%, respectively, following a tariff deal announced by President Trump [12] - Domestic automakers also benefited, with GM stating it would not raise prices to offset tariff impacts [13] Nuclear Energy Investment - Oklo (OKLO) stock rose by 9.3% after announcing a partnership with Vertiv Holdings (VRT) to develop power and cooling systems for AI data centers [14] - Oklo is focused on developing advanced fission power plants to provide clean energy at scale [15]