Market Overview - The Tel Aviv Stock Exchange experienced a decline, with the Tel Aviv 35 Index falling by 0.51% to 3,595.63 points, the Tel Aviv 125 Index decreasing by 0.69% to 3,606.96 points, and the BlueTech Global Index dropping by 0.90% to 600.38 points [1] - The All Bond corporate bond index saw a slight increase of 0.06% to 417.88 points, with total turnover reaching NIS 3.62 billion in equities and NIS 3.22 billion in bonds [1] Foreign Exchange Market - The shekel-dollar exchange rate was set 0.219% higher at NIS 3.209/$, while the shekel-euro rate increased by 0.343% to NIS 3.769/€ [2] Top Performers - Bank Hapoalim led the market with a rise of 0.80% and the highest trading turnover [3] - NextVision recorded the largest increase on the Tel Aviv 35 Index, rising by 3.56% [3] - Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. increased by 0.83%, Tower Semiconductor Ltd. rose by 0.47%, and Migdal Insurance & Financial Holdings saw a rise of 2.66% [3] Underperformers - Delek Group experienced the largest decline on the Tel Aviv 35 Index, falling by 3.19%, along with its energy exploration and production unit NewMed Energy, which fell by 1.90% [4] - Bank Leumi decreased by 1.73%, Israel Discount Bank fell by 1.44%, Phoenix Finance dropped by 1.52%, and Elbit Systems Ltd. saw a decline of 1.02% [4]

Core Insights - Quantum Computing Inc. (QCi) has signed a Stock Purchase Agreement to acquire Luminar Semiconductor, Inc. (LSI) for $110 million in an all-cash transaction, which is subject to customary adjustments [1][2] - The acquisition will enhance QCi's technology roadmap by integrating LSI's photonic components, patents, and experienced workforce, thereby accelerating the development of compact, fully-integrated quantum systems for commercial use [2][3] - The deal is expected to create dual revenue opportunities: expanding LSI's existing non-quantum customer base and leveraging LSI's technology to commercialize quantum appliances in targeted markets [3] Company Overview - QCi specializes in quantum optics and integrated photonics technology, providing accessible quantum machines and foundry services for photonic chip production [4] - The company aims to operate its products at room temperature and low power, focusing on high-performance computing, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and remote sensing applications [4] Transaction Details - LSI, a subsidiary of Luminar Technologies, is not a debtor in Luminar's ongoing Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, and the transaction will require bankruptcy court approval under a Section 363 sale process [3] - QCi has agreed to be the proposed stalking horse bidder for LSI, which includes customary bid protections [3] - The parties anticipate closing the transaction by the end of January 2026, pending the satisfaction of customary closing conditions [3]

Market Overview - The year 2025 began with optimism but faced challenges from low-cost AI initiatives from China, Trump tariffs, sticky inflation, and high interest rates, leading to market turbulence in April before stabilization in May [1] - Market euphoria solidified midyear due to easing trade tensions and three Federal Reserve rate cuts starting in September, but momentum faded with a government shutdown halting economic progress and raising overvaluation concerns in the AI sector [2] Performance of Major Indices - Wall Street showed resilience in 2025, with the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) up 16.6%, the Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) up 20.3%, and the SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust (DIA) up 14.5% year-to-date as of December 12, 2025 [3] Winning Leveraged ETFs - **Gold Miners**: MicroSectors Gold Miners 3X Leveraged ETNs (GDXU) surged 794.9% as gold prices rose over 60% year-to-date, driven by central bank buying and safe-haven demand amid U.S. debt concerns [4] - **Rocket Lab**: Defiance Daily Target 2X Long RKLB ETF (RKLX) increased 529.2%, with Rocket Lab USA (RKLB) stock gaining over 146% due to NASA contracts and excitement in the space sector [5] - **Micron**: Direxion Daily MU Bull 2X Shares (MUU) rose 408.3%, with Micron Technology (MU) stock up 176% driven by high demand for high-bandwidth memory and pricing recovery for DRAM [6] - **Robinhood**: Defiance Daily Target 2X Long HOOD ETF (HOOX) climbed 368.8%, with Robinhood Markets Inc (HOOD) stock up 203% due to increased trading volumes and retail investor interest [7] - **South Korea**: Direxion Daily MSCI South Korea Bull 3x Shares (KORU) increased 336.2%, with South Korea's KOSPI climbing about 73% driven by the AI boom and strong performance from Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix [8] - **D-Wave Quantum**: Tradr 2X Long QBTS Daily ETF (QBTX) rose 312.0%, with D-Wave Quantum Inc (QBTS) stock up 171.6% due to enthusiasm for quantum technologies [10] - **Applovin**: Tradr 2X Long APP Daily ETF (APPX) increased 307.0%, with Applovin Corp (APP) stock up 96.2% driven by its AI-driven advertising platform and strong financial results [11] - **Silver**: ProShares Ultra Silver (AGQ) rose 272.4%, with rising industrial demand and supply shortages boosting silver prices [12]

Core Insights - The discussion focuses on the performance of the Top 10 stocks for 2025, highlighting the effectiveness of a quantitative (Quant) investment strategy that combines fundamental analysis with algorithmic processing to identify strong investment opportunities. Group 1: Quantitative Investment Strategy - The Quant system utilizes mathematical algorithms to identify investment opportunities, reflecting the work of traditional fundamental analysts while covering a broader range of stocks [10][12]. - The GARP (Growth At a Reasonable Price) strategy is emphasized, focusing on companies that exhibit strong value, profitability, growth, momentum, and analyst EPS revisions [10][11]. - The Quant system has shown significant performance, with a five-year return of 228% compared to Wall Street Strong Buys at 32% and the S&P 500 at 65% [14]. Group 2: Market Recap and Sentiment Analysis - The year 2025 has been characterized by volatility, with the CNN Fear & Greed Index showing sharp movements between extreme greed and fear, influenced by trade policy changes, labor data, and economic uncertainties [16][18]. - Key catalysts affecting market sentiment include U.S.-China trade disputes, conflicting labor data, a credit downgrade, and concerns over tech valuations and the AI bubble [17][18]. - The market has seen a rotation towards safe-haven assets like gold and consumer staples during periods of fear, while technology and cryptocurrency sectors have experienced risk-on sentiment [20][21]. Group 3: Performance of Top Stocks - The Top 10 stocks for 2025 have collectively outperformed the S&P 500, with an average return of 45.68% since January 9, compared to the S&P's 17.6% [43]. - Notable performers include Credo Technology, up 116%, and Celestica, up 240%, both benefiting from strong demand in AI-related sectors [55][60]. - The performance of stocks can fluctuate significantly due to market sentiment, with strong fundamentals often overlooked during periods of fear, leading to substantial upside potential when sentiment shifts back to fundamentals [44][46]. Group 4: Economic Indicators and Future Outlook - Economic data has been mixed, with the Federal Reserve cutting rates three times in the latter half of the year due to labor market concerns and inflation remaining sticky [31][32]. - Major brokerage firms have reduced recession odds following a truce in trade disputes, indicating a potential stabilization in market conditions [32]. - The upcoming Top 10 stocks for 2026 will be announced on January 6, with expectations that the market may present buying opportunities during any pullbacks [30].

Micron Technology - Wedbush has raised its price target for Micron to 300, indicating further upside potential from its current price just below 250 [2][3] - Micron's shares have increased by over 3% following this positive outlook, with expectations for fiscal Q2 to benefit from sharper-than-expected increases in memory pricing [3][6] - Forecasts suggest DRAM prices will rise at least 30% and NAND prices at least 20% in the current quarter, with Micron's own guidance potentially being understated [4][5] Texas Instruments - Goldman Sachs has downgraded Texas Instruments from a buy to a sell, slashing its price target from 200 to 156 [8][9] - The downgrade is part of Goldman's broader outlook for the semiconductor sector, indicating that Texas Instruments may not benefit from increasing hyperscale or AI spending [9] - Texas Instruments has experienced a 6% decline in shares year-to-date, reflecting lackluster performance [10] Intel - Intel is reportedly in advanced talks to acquire AI chip startup Samba Nova, which could enhance its competitive positioning against Nvidia [12][13] - Despite the acquisition news, Intel's shares are moving higher, indicating market confidence in the deal [12][13] - Samba Nova specializes in custom AI chips and was founded in 2017, presenting a strategic opportunity for Intel to strengthen its AI platform [13]

Economic Indicators - The Dec NAHB housing market index is expected to increase by +1 to 39 [1] - Nov nonfarm payrolls are expected to increase by +50,000, with the unemployment rate at 4.5% [1] - Nov average hourly earnings are expected to rise by +0.3% m/m and +3.6% y/y [1] - Oct retail sales are expected to be up +0.1% m/m, and retail sales ex-autos are expected to be up +0.2% m/m [1] - The Dec S&P manufacturing PMI is expected to decline by -0.2 to 52.0 [1] - Weekly initial unemployment claims are expected to fall -11,000 to 225,000 [1] - Nov CPI is expected to be +3.1% y/y, and Nov core CPI is expected to be +3.0% y/y [1] - Nov existing home sales are expected to be up +1.2% m/m to 4.15 million [1] - The University of Michigan Dec consumer sentiment index is expected to be revised upward by +0.2 to 53.5 [1] Global Economic News - China's Nov industrial production eased to +4.8% y/y from +4.9% y/y in Oct, below expectations of +5.0% y/y [2] - China's Nov retail sales rose +1.3% y/y, weaker than expectations of +2.9% y/y, marking the smallest increase in 2.75 years [2] - China's new home prices fell 0.39% m/m, marking the 30th consecutive month of declines [2] Stock Market Performance - US stock indexes are climbing, with the S&P 500 Index up by +0.39%, Dow Jones up by +0.27%, and Nasdaq 100 up by +0.50% [5] - The markets are discounting a 27% chance that the FOMC will cut the fed funds target range by 25 bp at the next meeting [5] - Mining stocks are moving higher, with gold and copper up more than +1% and silver up more than +3% [11] - KLA Corp is up more than +4% after an upgrade from Jeffries, leading chip makers higher [10] - ZIM Integrated Shipping Services is up more than +5% after a reported bid from MSC to purchase the company [12] Interest Rates and Bond Market - The 10-year T-note yield is down -2.0 bp to 4.165%, with T-notes climbing due to dovish economic indicators [7] - The yield curve has steepened since the last FOMC meeting, indicating bearish sentiment for T-note prices [8] - European government bond yields are moving lower, with the 10-year German bund yield down -1.7 bp to 2.840% [9]

Group 1 - The core point of the article is that Biran Technology plans to issue up to 372 million overseas listed common shares and list them on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, while 57 shareholders intend to convert a total of 873 million unlisted domestic shares into overseas listed shares for circulation on the same exchange [3] - Biran Technology was established in 2019 and focuses on developing high-performance general-purpose GPUs, aiming to create an independent and original GPU hardware and software system [3] - The company has successfully implemented multiple products from its Bili series in various intelligent computing centers across different regions [3] Group 2 - As of now, Biran Technology has applied for over 1,200 patents globally and has received authorization for more than 430 patents [3]

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the recent Pre-A round financing of Fangqing Technology, a developer of AI chips and system architecture, highlighting the strategic importance of its innovative technology and the high-profile investors involved [6][9]. Financing and Investment - Fangqing Technology has completed its Pre-A round financing, with participation from industry investors such as a major internet company, Xianlian Capital, and Yima Capital, a fund under Hengsheng Electronics. Financial investors include Guangfa Xinde and a leading VC firm, with existing shareholders also increasing their stakes. The total financing amount has exceeded 500 million RMB in recent rounds [6]. - The company has rapidly attracted a prestigious group of shareholders, including internet giants, hardware leaders, automotive companies, and top VCs, indicating strong market confidence in its potential [10]. Technology and Innovation - Fangqing Technology proposes a new technology direction with a "context-aware" and "context-free" decoupled distributed computing architecture, separating feed-forward neural networks and attention mechanisms to enhance overall computational efficiency [7][9]. - The company aims to redefine AI hardware design by prioritizing scalable system design over single-chip performance, potentially leading to new market opportunities and innovative system forms [10][19]. Leadership and Vision - CEO Liang Jun, with extensive experience in the chip industry, emphasizes the need for a shift in chip design priorities towards scalable systems, which could liberate computing capabilities from traditional SoC constraints [10][18]. - The article highlights Liang's unique background and vision as a valuable asset in the current investment landscape, where capital is increasingly looking for breakthroughs in computational efficiency beyond traditional architectures [9][11]. Market Context - The article notes that 2025 is anticipated to be a pivotal year for AI applications, with significant investments from major players like ByteDance, Tencent, and Alibaba in AI infrastructure, intensifying the competition for computational resources [9]. - The shift in capital logic from seeking alternatives to Nvidia towards finding new species capable of overcoming Transformer architecture efficiency bottlenecks is discussed, positioning Fangqing Technology's approach as a timely innovation [9][10]. Future Outlook - Fangqing Technology's separation architecture is seen as a potential game-changer, allowing various devices like smartphones, smart glasses, and headphones to function as independent processing units, thus redefining their roles in the AI ecosystem [20][22]. - The company aims to accelerate innovation and define new forms of computing systems, rather than merely replacing existing ones, which could lead to significant market transformations [22].

Core Insights - TimesSquare Capital Management's "U.S. Focus Growth Strategy" reported a gross return of 4.00% and a net return of 3.78% for Q3 2025, outperforming the Russell Midcap Growth Index's return of 2.78% [1] - Monolithic Power Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:MPWR) is highlighted as a key investment, showing a one-month return of 5.52% and a 52-week gain of 50.57% [2] - The company achieved record revenue of $737.2 million in Q3 2025, marking a 10.9% increase from Q2 2025 and an 18.9% increase from Q3 2024 [4] Investment Strategy - The strategy favors critical system providers and specialized component designers within the Information Technology sector, focusing on companies that enhance productivity and efficiency [3] - Monolithic Power Systems, Inc. is recognized for its integrated power semiconductor solutions and has seen significant growth in non-enterprise data center segments due to a cyclical recovery [3] Market Position - As of the end of Q3 2025, Monolithic Power Systems, Inc. was held by 42 hedge fund portfolios, a slight increase from 41 in the previous quarter [4] - The stock price closed at $946.51 per share on December 12, 2025, with a market capitalization of $45.344 billion [2]

Core Viewpoint - The Nasdaq-100 Index is undergoing its annual reconstitution, adding six new companies and removing six others, effective December 22 [1]. Group 1: Companies Added to the Index - The six companies being added to the Nasdaq-100 Index are Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Ferrovial SE, Insmed Inc., Monolithic Power Systems, Seagate Technology Holdings, and Western Digital Corp [2]. Group 2: Companies Removed from the Index - The six companies being removed from the index include Biogen Inc., CDW Corporation, GlobalFoundries Inc., Lululemon Athletica Inc., ON Semiconductor Corporation, and The Trade Desk, Inc [3]. Group 3: Performance of Newly Added Companies - Seagate Technology Holdings and Western Digital Corp. have seen significant stock price increases due to rising demand for storage products driven by the AI boom, with Seagate's stock up 232.96% and Western Digital's up 277.04% year-to-date [3]. - Alnylam Pharmaceuticals reported an adjusted earnings of $2.90 per share in Q3, a turnaround from a loss of $0.50 a year ago, with quarterly sales increasing by 149% year-over-year to $1.25 billion, surpassing the consensus estimate of $977.79 million; the stock has surged 70.17% year-to-date [4]. Group 4: Performance of Removed Companies - Lululemon Athletica Inc. has experienced a stock decline of 44.95% year-to-date, despite reporting a solid Q3 earnings beat and raising its full-year forecast; the company saw a 2% dip in North American revenue but strong international growth with a 33% increase in revenue and 18% rise in comparable sales [6]. Group 5: Related Market Movements - Walmart missed inclusion in the Nasdaq-100 due to a late switch to Nasdaq, moving from the New York Stock Exchange after the qualification deadline [5]. - The Nasdaq reconstitution follows the S&P 500's quarterly rebalance, with Carvana, CRH Plc, and Comfort Systems USA set to join the S&P 500, while LKQ Corp, Solstice Advanced Materials, and Mohawk Industries are being removed [7].