U.S. equities presented a mixed picture in afternoon trading on Friday, September 12, 2025, as investors digested recent inflation data and eagerly awaited the Federal Reserve's upcoming interest rate decision. While the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (COMP:IND) continued its upward trajectory, hitting new intraday highs, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) experienced a slight decline, and the S&P 500 (SPX) remained largely flat. All three major indexes had closed at record highs yesterday, fueled by inves ...

Group 1 - Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) and Paramount Skydance (PSKY) shares surged for a second consecutive day following reports that Paramount is preparing a cash offer to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery [2][5] - Tesla (TSLA) shares also rose for a second day as CEO Elon Musk is reportedly shifting the company's focus towards robotics [2] - Super Micro Computer (SMCI) shares increased after the company announced it is delivering products powered by Nvidia's high-speed Blackwell Ultra AI chips [3] Group 2 - RH (RH) shares fell sharply after the company missed profit and sales forecasts, attributing the shortfall to the impact of tariffs on its business [4][5] - Freeport-McMoRan (FCX) shares declined as operations at its copper mine in Indonesia remain halted due to a mudslide incident [4] - Oil and gold futures saw an increase, while the yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose, and the U.S. dollar strengthened against the euro, pound, and yen [5]

BYD disputed Stellantis CEO’s remarks on its European sales, releasing a statement highlighting its own results https://t.co/3O10CcRyEZ ...

Core Viewpoint - India is poised to become the next global economic powerhouse, aspiring to be the world's manufacturing hub, necessitating continued policy stability [1][4]. Group 1: Economic Positioning - India is expected to leverage its strengths, including the largest working-age population and a rapidly growing economy valued at four trillion dollars [5]. - The automotive industry is highlighted as particularly promising, with India being the third-largest automobile market globally [10]. Group 2: Government Initiatives - The Indian government has implemented significant measures such as reducing corporate tax, launching the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, and initiatives like Make in India to support the manufacturing sector [6]. - Recent tax reductions and interest rate cuts are aimed at stimulating domestic demand, which will further benefit the manufacturing sector [6]. Group 3: Global Manufacturing Hub - India is seen as a trusted, resilient, and sustainable manufacturing hub amid global economic turbulence, presenting an extraordinary opportunity for growth [3][8]. - The country is becoming a key player in the global automobile supply chain, with Suzuki Motor Corporation selecting India as the production hub for its first global electric vehicle, the e VITARA [11]. Group 4: Challenges and Opportunities - The imposition of tariffs on Indian goods by the US poses challenges, particularly for the auto component industry, where nearly 30% of exports face significant duties [9]. - Despite these challenges, there is optimism regarding government sensitivity to these issues and potential solutions [9].

Trade Agreement Overview - USMCA replaces NAFTA, modernizing North American trade [1] - USMCA addresses contemporary economic challenges [1] Key Updates - USMCA includes key updates in agriculture [1] - USMCA includes key updates in automotive [1] - USMCA includes key updates in labor [1]

Core Insights - Rackspace Technology has achieved the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Automotive Competency, showcasing its expertise in supporting automotive companies and their suppliers in digital transformation on AWS [1][2][4] Company Achievements - The AWS Automotive Services Competency recognizes AWS Partner Network (APN) members with deep technical expertise and proven customer success in the automotive industry [2] - Achieving the AWS Automotive Competency reflects over five years of collaboration with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and Tier 1 suppliers globally [3] - Rackspace Technology has modernized a major German automotive OEM's legacy shopfloor IT on AWS, implementing an event-driven data pipeline for real-time visibility into shopfloor machinery data [3] Industry Impact - The implementation of new technologies enables faster operator response and prepares the company for predictive maintenance, aligning with Industry 4.0 standards [3] - This achievement reinforces Rackspace Technology's position as a trusted partner for leading automotive companies and highlights its ongoing investment in industry-specific solutions [4]

Core Insights - Allison Transmission has introduced its Neutral at Stop fuel-saving technology as a standard feature on Kenworth and Peterbilt models equipped with the Allison 4700 Rugged Duty Series transmissions, aimed at enhancing fuel efficiency and reducing operating costs for commercial fleets [1][2][4] Group 1: Technology and Benefits - The Neutral at Stop technology improves vehicle efficiency by automatically shifting the transmission to neutral when the vehicle is stopped, which reduces engine load and fuel consumption [3] - This feature is part of Allison's FuelSense 2.0 package, which can achieve fuel savings of up to 6%, contributing to lower operating costs and a more sustainable operation [4] Group 2: Company Overview - Allison Transmission is a leading designer and manufacturer of propulsion solutions for commercial and defense vehicles, and is the largest global manufacturer of medium- and heavy-duty fully automatic transmissions [6] - The company has a presence in over 150 countries, with regional headquarters in the Netherlands, China, and Brazil, and manufacturing facilities in the USA, Hungary, and India [6]

NVIDIA's AI Solutions for Automotive - NVIDIA pioneers accelerated computing, assisting companies with AI transformation, particularly in the automotive sector, collaborating with almost all automakers [1] - NVIDIA's solutions span various automotive GenAI use cases, including enterprise transformation, dealership support, in-cabin experience enhancement, self-driving technology, and design/manufacturing improvements [2] - NVIDIA provides an AI factory encompassing compute, software, and tools to handle diverse AI verticals like generative AI, physical AI, and HPC workflows [4] - NVIDIA's AI factory offers optimized use cases with a lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) [5] Enterprise AI Applications - Only 1% of enterprises have mature AI deployments, indicating a significant adoption challenge that NVIDIA aims to address with its ecosystem of partners [4] - NVIDIA is helping companies set up IT hubs for employee efficiency, connected vehicle data management, factory floor optimization, and code/test case generation [5] - NVIDIA assists customers with the V-model for design and development, introducing AI agents to improve requirements management [6][7][8] - NVIDIA partners with ServiceNow to introduce AI agents on the factory floor, cutting resolution time from hours to minutes, potentially saving customers hundreds of thousands of dollars per minute [8][9][10][11][12] In-Vehicle AI Applications - China is leading in in-vehicle AI innovation, focusing on personalization, multimodality, companion features, and sentry mode [13][14] - NVIDIA provides solutions for developing AI agents that operate both inside the vehicle and in the cloud, enabling features like predictive maintenance and roadside assistance [16][17][18][19] - NVIDIA offers full-stack platforms, including CUDA, to ensure seamless transition and migration from cloud to car, allowing customers to differentiate their end products [21][22] - Ford is using AI agents for design (V-model), contact center customer service, and in-vehicle repair manuals, demonstrating significant time savings (hours to seconds) [26][27]

Trade Policy & Geopolitics - Mexico plans to impose a 50% tariff on Chinese-made vehicles, especially electric vehicles [1] - This action is partly to align with the USMCA renegotiation and avoid being perceived as enabling unfair competition against American vehicles [2] - The tariffs aim to address the influx of Chinese EVs into Mexico, which are restricted in other markets like the US, Canada, and the EU [2] Automotive Industry - Chinese EV manufacturers like BYD have been using Mexico as a significant market due to trade barriers elsewhere [2] - The USMCA region's automotive supply chains extend across Canada, the US, and Mexico [2]

Core Insights - Wall Street has experienced a significant rally since early 2023, with the S&P 500 reaching record highs in 2025, driven by weak August payroll data that increased expectations for a Federal Reserve rate cut [1][2] - The easing inflation pressures and cooling employment data provide the Fed with the flexibility to act without raising recession fears, leading to a bullish market environment [2] - Investors are encouraged to focus on stocks with strong relative price strength, which are likely to continue outperforming during the ongoing bull run [2][4] Stock Recommendations - Recommended stocks based on relative price strength include Kimball Electronics, REV Group, Evercore, Visteon, and Zumiez, all of which show rising earnings outlooks and market-beating performance trends [3][10] - Kimball Electronics has a market capitalization of $725.6 million and has seen a 74.6% increase in shares over the past year, with a 20.2% upward revision in fiscal 2026 earnings estimates [11][12] - REV Group, with a market cap of $3 billion, has experienced a 138.1% increase in shares over the past year and a projected 60.4% growth in 2025 earnings [13][14] - Evercore, a global independent investment banking advisory firm, has a market cap of $3.5 billion and has seen a 43.6% increase in shares, with a projected 34.5% growth in 2025 earnings [15][16] - Visteon, specializing in automotive cockpit electronics, has a market cap of $3.5 billion and a 39.9% increase in shares, with a 14.5% upward revision in earnings estimates [16][17] - Zumiez, a global lifestyle retailer, has a market cap of $360 million, but its shares have decreased by 9.2% over the past year despite a projected 566.7% growth in fiscal 2026 earnings [18][17] Screening Parameters - Stocks are screened based on relative price changes over 1, 4, and 12 weeks, as well as positive current-quarter estimate revisions [8][9] - Only stocks with a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) that have historically outperformed the S&P 500 are considered for investment [9]