Group 1 - Earnings season is approaching with major companies like Taiwan Semiconductor, JP Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Goldman Sachs, and Delta Airlines set to report [1] - Earnings season can increase option premiums, but not all setups are advisable to pursue [1] Group 2 - It is essential to focus on a limited number of trades where risk and reward are favorable [2] - Implied volatility (IV) typically rises before earnings, but using IV Rank to filter stocks with high premiums is crucial [3] - A recommended IV Rank is above 50%, ideally 70% or higher, indicating that options are overpriced relative to the past year [3] Group 3 - Liquidity is vital for trading options, especially during earnings, as it allows for quick adjustments [5] - Tickers should be screened for tight bid/ask spreads (preferably under $0.20), open interest above 500 contracts on near-term strikes, and total call option volume over 5,000 contracts [8] Group 4 - There is no universal strategy for earnings trades; the choice depends on expected moves, volatility crush, and directional bias [9] - The best trades are structured outside the expected move range [10] Group 5 - For a neutral bias with high IV, consider strategies like iron condors or straddles to sell premium and benefit from post-earnings volatility collapse [11] - For a bullish bias with high IV, selling put spreads or naked puts just outside the expected move can be effective [11] - For a bearish bias with high IV, using call credit spreads or bearish calendars is advisable, while being cautious of crowded long setups that may lead to significant downward moves [11]

Founded in 1962, the Irvine, California-based Skyworks Solutions, Inc. (SWKS) develops, manufactures, and markets analog and mixed-signal semiconductor products and solutions in the United States and internationally. The company has a market cap of $9.7 billion. Skyworks Solutions is expected to release its Q1 2026 earnings soon. Ahead of the event, analysts expect the company to generate a profit of $1.06 per share on a diluted basis, down 19.1% from $1.31 per share in the year-ago quarter. The company h ...

By Anna Szymanski What matters in U.S. and global markets today By Anna Szymanski, Editor-in-Charge, Reuters Open Interest Global investors are trying to get their bearings amid a flood of geopolitical headlines – mostly courtesy of the U.S. president. Wall Street slipped on Wednesday after touching a record high earlier in the session, Asian stocks traded down today and oil stabilized after dropping sharply yesterday on news of U.S. plans to buy sanctioned Venezuelan crude. And in the ​latest twist i ...

Core Viewpoint - Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. is enhancing its leadership in advanced chipmaking with the launch of its 2-nanometer process, while Wall Street becomes increasingly optimistic about the company's AI-driven earnings potential [1]. Group 1: 2nm Production and Customer Demand - Taiwan Semiconductor has commenced production of its 2nm "N2" process, utilizing nanosheet transistors, also known as gate-all-around (GAA) technology [2]. - Major chip designers such as Nvidia, Apple, AMD, and Qualcomm, along with hyperscalers like Microsoft, Amazon, and Google, are expected to drive early demand for the 2nm process [3]. Group 2: Competitive Landscape - Analysts indicate that Taiwan Semiconductor's consistent execution and timely delivery of capacity are setting it apart from competitors like Samsung and Intel, with the gap between them widening [5]. - While Intel's 18A process may attract additional foundry customers, Taiwan Semiconductor is expected to maintain its edge through incremental upgrades across future nodes [6]. Group 3: Geopolitical Factors - Geopolitical issues and supply assurance may create selective opportunities for competitors seeking non-Taiwan production, but Taiwan Semiconductor is likely to remain dominant overall [7]. Group 4: Market Sentiment and Financial Outlook - Following a strong start to 2026, several brokerages have raised their price targets for Taiwan Semiconductor, with JP Morgan increasing its forecast by 24% to 2,100 New Taiwanese dollars due to demand for advanced manufacturing [8]. - Analysts anticipate that Taiwan Semiconductor will report an 18% year-over-year sales growth and an operating margin exceeding 50% for the December quarter, marking a three-year high [9].

U.S. stock futures are broadly lower this Thursday, January 8, 2026, as investors digest mixed economic signals and a flurry of corporate and geopolitical news. The slight premarket declines follow a mixed close on Wednesday, where the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average retreated from recent highs, while the Nasdaq Composite managed to eke out gains. The market remains highly sensitive to upcoming economic reports and policy implications, particularly concerning the Federal Reserve's future interest r ...

内存条价格持续暴涨。近日，"1盒内存条价格堪比上海1套房"等相关话题引发大量关注。 在购物平台上，海力士和三星的256G DDR5服务器内存单根价格已超4万元，部分甚至高达49999元/根。 PCPartPicker数据显示，DDR4（内存）与DDR5（内存）年内已涨价2—3倍。行业人士表示："内存几乎一天一个价，256G的DDR5服务器内存单条价格已 超4万元。如果一次采购一盒100根就是400万，价值已超过上海不少房产。" 据新京报，自2025年9月开始，存储芯片就已出现涨价趋势。 TrendForce集邦咨询发布的存储现货价格趋势报告指出，自2025年9月初以来，DDR5内存2Gbx8颗粒现货价格大涨307%，DDR4 1Gbx8也有158%的涨幅， 其中DDR4 1Gbx8 3200MT/s在11月12日至11月18日价格涨幅达4.75%。PCPartPicker数据显示，DDR4与DDR5年内已经涨价2-3倍。 值得注意的是，截至2025年12月31日，现货黄金（伦敦金现）全年累计涨幅达67%。 近期黄仁勋在美国拉斯维加斯消费电子展(CES)上的演讲引发了行业对内存价值的高度关注，带动闪迪公司1月7 ...

Key Points Nvidia will continue to benefit as data centers transition from CPUs to GPUs as a part of the multitrillion-dollar infrastructure upgrade cycle. Meta Platforms has successfully monetized its AI technologies by effectively integrating them into its core businesses. With clear AI monetization paths and reasonable valuations, these companies stand out amid increasing concerns about inflated AI stock prices. 10 stocks we like better than Nvidia › Investor enthusiasm for artificial intelli ...

Market Overview - The S&P 500 Index rose 17.9% in 2025, while the equal-weighted S&P 500 Index gained 11.4% [2] - The Magnificent Seven stocks increased by 24.9% in 2025 [2] - Since the launch of ChatGPT, the cap-weighted S&P 500 has nearly doubled the gains of its equal-weighted counterpart, with the Magnificent Seven surging 332% [3] Performance Analysis - The cap-weighted S&P 500 delivered an annualized total return of 23.0% from December 31, 2022, to December 31, 2025, compared to 12.7% for the equal-weighted S&P 500 [4] - The market is characterized by significant concentration, making it the most concentrated equity market in American history [4] Investment Strategy - The ClearBridge Dividend Strategy has seen healthy gains due to investments in AI-related companies like Alphabet, Broadcom, Meta, Microsoft, and Oracle, although it has not matched the cap-weighted S&P 500's performance [10] - The strategy limits individual holdings to 3%-5% of the portfolio and caps sector exposures at 15%-20%, while the IT sector currently represents 34% of the market [11] AI Market Dynamics - AI is expected to radically change various sectors, but not all AI stocks are considered good investments due to high valuations relative to current revenues [13] - Key questions remain regarding the future of large language models and the competitive landscape, particularly between U.S. and Chinese companies [14] Company-Specific Insights - Oracle's shift to a capital-intensive AI data center business raises concerns about its balance sheet and investment-grade credit rating, leading to a reduction in its position [19] - Broadcom's position as a leading ASICS chip provider allows it to compete effectively in the AI market, with a strategy that aligns with its core competencies [20] Future Outlook - The ClearBridge Dividend Strategy anticipates continued focus on AI in 2026 but aims to find opportunities in overlooked market segments [26] - The strategy continues to trade at a significant discount to the broader market, with an average holding growing its dividend by 10% over the last 12 months [27]

ab 4 January 2026 CES this week (NVDA, MU, MRVL, TXN, ADI, ON, MCHP, SWKS, private companies) 2026 Preview - Another Good Year for Semis Along with our 2026 US Semiconductors Preview, we updated our 180+ page comprehensive slide deck featuring key charts, commentary by end market, messages, forecasts, analyses, most read research, and investment thesis/risks for each of the stocks in our broad semis/SPE coverage. 2025 In Retrospective Semis returned 42% in 2025 vs Tech at 23% and the broader market at 16%. ...

Summary of Key Points from the Conference Call Industry Overview - The focus is on Asia's logic semiconductor firms, with a robust growth forecast driven by cloud AI applications. Non-memory semiconductor revenue is expected to grow by **25% YoY in 2026**, following a **16% growth in 2025** [2][9]. Core Company Insights TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company) 1. **Revenue Growth**: TSMC is projected to achieve **25% revenue growth** in USD terms for 2026, supported by strong demand for cloud AI products, particularly GPUs and ASICs [3][10]. 2. **Capex Increase**: Capital expenditures are expected to rise to **US$50 billion** in 2026, up from **US$42 billion** in 2025, to support leading-edge technology migrations [12][18]. 3. **Capacity Expansion**: TSMC's N3 capacity is forecasted to reach **170kwpm** by the end of 2026, up from **120kwpm** at the end of 2025, with tight utilization expected throughout the year [15][16]. 4. **Cloud AI Demand**: Cloud AI is anticipated to account for **35-40%** of N3 demand in 2026, with significant contributions from major clients like Nvidia and Google [16][18]. MediaTek 1. **TPU Production**: MediaTek's TPU efforts are expected to ramp up significantly, with sales projected to reach **US$0.8 billion** in 2026 and **US$4 billion** in 2027, driven by strong demand and potential upside in volume expectations [3][23]. 2. **Market Position**: The company is positioned to benefit from the growing market for cloud AI, with expectations of shipping around **1 million units** of TPU in 2027, with potential for much higher volumes [23][25]. Advanced Packaging and Testing 1. **CoWoS Capacity**: The industry is expected to see an **85% YoY increase** in CoWoS capacity in 2026, with TSMC's CoWoS capacity projected to reach **110kwpm** by Q3 2026 [4][28]. 2. **Technological Advancements**: Advanced packaging technologies are gaining traction, with Intel's EMIB also expected to ramp up production in H226 [4][28]. Stock Recommendations - Top picks include **TSMC**, **MediaTek**, and **ASE**, with buy ratings on several other companies such as **Aspeed**, **Hon Precision**, and **GlobalWafers**. Neutral ratings are given to **Vanguard**, **Realtek**, and **SMIC** [6]. Additional Insights - **Market Dynamics**: The semiconductor market is experiencing a shift, with mature foundries and OSAT expected to outgrow fabless companies in 2026 due to improved competition and pricing [5]. - **Silicon Wafer Supply**: Supply and demand for silicon wafers are expected to stabilize, with a more favorable pricing outlook despite some persistent oversupply [5]. - **Potential Risks**: Rising memory BOM costs could impact end demand for smartphones and PCs in 2026, posing a risk to overall market growth [5]. This summary encapsulates the key insights and projections from the conference call, highlighting the growth potential and strategic directions of major players in the semiconductor industry.