Welcome back to Squawkbox. This morning we are watching shares of quantum computing stocks. A Wall Street Journal report says that President Trump's commerce department talks with several of those companies including ION Q Regetti and D-Wave to take equity stakes in exchange for federal funding.Companies reportedly discussing minimum funding awards from Washington of $10 million each. So stocks jumping in after hours trading following that report. So, Becky, more uh more companies, more stakes, and I wonder ...

Quantum Computing Sector - Quantum computing stocks, including IonQ, Rigetti Computing, and D-Wave Quantum, have seen significant premarket gains following reports of the Trump administration negotiating equity stakes in these firms [3][4] - IonQ shares rose by 14.3%, Rigetti Computing by 13.8%, and D-Wave Quantum by 13.6% in premarket trading [5] Oil Industry - Crude oil prices have increased after the U.S. imposed sanctions on Russia's two largest oil producers, Rosneft and Lukoil, marking a direct economic response to the war in Ukraine [9][10] - The sanctions could restrict foreign entities from engaging in business with these Russian companies, potentially isolating them from the international financial system [10] - Rosneft and Lukoil account for nearly half of Russia's crude oil exports, approximately 2.2 million barrels per day in the first half of the year [10]

Core Insights - D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE: QBTS) experienced a significant decline, falling 15.22% to close at $27.29 amid market pessimism and the announcement of warrant redemptions [1][3] - The company announced the redemption of 5 million outstanding warrants, which can be converted into shares, cash, or both, until November 19, 2025 [2] - If all warrants are exercised, approximately 7.2 million shares will be issued, resulting in less than 2.1% dilution for existing shareholders [3] Company Developments - D-Wave Quantum has partnered with Swiss Quantum Technology SA to deploy a D-Wave Advantage2 annealing quantum computer in Europe, involving a commitment of 10 million euros from Swiss Quantum [4]

特朗普政府正就入股多家关键企业展开谈判，受此消息影响，量子计算板块个股在周四盘前交易中大幅 上涨。包括IonQ(IONQ.US)、Rigetti Computing(RGTI.US)和D-Wave Quantum(QBTS.US)在内的公司，正 与美国政府协商让其成为股东，这是获取专项资金协议的一部分，此类资金专门用于扶持具有发展前景 的科技公司。此举表明，特朗普政府正扩大对其视为经济关键领域的干预。 量子计算公司Quantum Computing(QUBT.US)、Atom Computing等其他企业，也在考虑类似的合作安 排。 截至发稿，盘前数据显示，IonQ股价上涨11.7%，Rigetti Computing上涨9.8%，D-Wave Quantum上涨 11.8%，Arqit Quantum(ARQQ)上涨7.75%，Quantum Corp(QMCO)上涨9.7%。 ...

Core Insights - The Trump administration is increasing efforts to secure US supply chains for critical minerals and semiconductors by converting federal grants into equity stakes, aiming to reduce reliance on China [2][4] - US quantum computing firms saw a surge in shares after reports of potential equity stakes from the government, with companies like IONQ, Rigetti, D-Wave Quantum, and Quantum Computing experiencing increases between 12% and 14% [4] - The Defiance Quantum ETF, which tracks quantum computing and machine learning companies, rose by 2.6%, building on a 32% gain for the year [4] Company Developments - Microsoft introduced a new chip in February, claiming that practical quantum computing is "years, not decades" away [3] - IBM announced plans to develop a practical quantum computer by 2029 [3] - The US Commerce Department clarified that it is "not currently negotiating with any of the companies" regarding equity stakes [1][4] Industry Trends - Quantum computers utilize quantum mechanics to solve complex problems that classical computers would take thousands of years to address, although current quantum systems are not yet faster than classical computers due to error correction demands [2][4] - The shift from traditional subsidies to direct ownership in companies like Lithium Americas, MP Materials, and Intel reflects a broader strategy to enhance domestic supply chains [2][4]

Group 1 - Quantum computing stocks, including IonQ, are experiencing significant interest in 2025, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of quantum mechanics, with IonQ's shares surging nearly 300% in the past 12 months through October 21 [1] - IonQ's sales in the first half of 2025 reached $28.3 million, up from $19 million in 2024, and the company achieved a new world record in fidelity for quantum computing on October 21 [3] - Despite sales growth and technological achievements, IonQ is not profitable, with an operating loss of $160.6 million in the second quarter, which has more than tripled year over year [4][7] Group 2 - IonQ's price-to-sales (P/S) ratio has soared, indicating that its shares are currently expensive, and the company is advised to wait for the Q3 earnings report on November 5 before making any investment decisions [4][5] - The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team has identified 10 stocks they believe are better investment opportunities than IonQ, suggesting caution for potential investors [6][7]

IonQ, Rigetti Computing and D-Wave Quantum are all in talks about granting shares to the Commerce Department, according to The Wall Street Journal. ...

Core Insights - The tech sector is experiencing significant growth driven by investments in artificial intelligence (AI), with expectations of adding trillions in economic value over the coming decades [2] - The Nasdaq Composite has outperformed other major indices, with year-to-date increases of 17%, compared to 13% for the Dow and 8% for the S&P 500 [1] Company Summaries IonQ - IonQ is projected to achieve a revenue growth of 112% in 2025 and 87% in 2026, focusing on quantum computing systems offered as a service through cloud platforms [5][4] - The company has a substantial patent portfolio, increasing from 35 to 1,060 patents in the last five years, positioning itself as a leader in the quantum computing industry [6] - IonQ's current market cap is approximately $19 billion, with expected revenue of $91 million this year, indicating a high valuation relative to its revenue [8][9] Iren Limited - Iren Limited is expected to see revenue growth of 130% in 2025 and 126% in 2026, potentially increasing its revenue from $497 million to nearly $2.5 billion [13] - The company is transitioning from Bitcoin mining to providing data centers for high-performance computing and AI, capitalizing on the growing demand for data center capacity [12][16] - Iren's market cap is around $14 billion, and it possesses the infrastructure and resources to compete with major players in the AI data center market [14][17]

Core Insights - Quantum computing is at a pivotal point transitioning from "scientific fantasy" to industrial application, driven by breakthroughs in quantum error correction (QEC) technology [3][5][9] - The industry is focusing on two main paths: commercializing specialized quantum machines and developing hybrid quantum-classical algorithms [3][5] - Major players have outlined clear roadmaps for developing logical qubits, with Quantinuum aiming for 100 logical qubits by 2027 and IBM planning to deliver a system with 200 logical qubits by 2029 [7][9] Quantum Computing Development Stages - The current stage of quantum computing is Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum (NISQ), where quantum computers contain dozens to thousands of physical qubits but are limited by environmental noise [3] - The mid-term goal (around 2030) is to achieve practical quantum computing with error correction, significantly enhancing reliability [5][9] Key Technologies and Players - The six mainstream technology paths in quantum computing include superconducting, trapped ions, photonic, neutral atoms, topological, and spin qubits, each with its own advantages and challenges [34] - Superconducting and trapped ion technologies are currently leading in maturity and commercial viability, with IBM and IonQ being notable players [36][38] Quantum Error Correction - Quantum decoherence is a fundamental physical barrier to practical quantum computing, where qubits lose their quantum state due to environmental interactions [40][41] - Quantum error correction (QEC) aims to mitigate information loss due to decoherence by backing up quantum information across multiple physical qubits [43][44] - Recent advancements in QEC include Microsoft's 4D topological error correction code, which significantly reduces the number of physical qubits needed for error correction [45][46] Major Companies in Quantum Computing - The quantum computing landscape includes pure quantum companies like D-Wave, Rigetti, IonQ, and Quantum Computing, as well as tech giants like IBM, Google, Microsoft, and NVIDIA [48][50] - Notable private companies making strides in quantum computing include PsiQuantum, Quantinuum, and Xanadu, each pursuing different technological paths and commercialization strategies [51]

Group 1: Core Value of Quantum Computing - The value of quantum computing lies not in replacing existing computers but in its ability to solve problems that classical computers cannot, thereby creating new markets [1] - Investment opportunities in this field should prioritize technological strength, particularly the path to "fault-tolerant" computing, moving beyond merely increasing the number of physical qubits [1] Group 2: Google's Willow Chip - Google's Willow chip, set to be released in December 2024, demonstrates the scalability of quantum error correction, addressing a significant challenge in the field for nearly 30 years [2] - The achievement shows that as the scale of encoding increases, the logical error rate decreases exponentially, providing a clear experimental path for building large-scale, reliable fault-tolerant quantum computers [2] - Google showcased "quantum supremacy" by completing a computation in under 5 minutes that would take classical computers 1,025 years [2] Group 3: Applications of Quantum Computing - Future quantum computers will work alongside classical computers to form new supercomputing architectures, focusing on four core areas: 1) Quantum simulation for drug discovery and materials science, enabling unprecedented precision in simulating molecular behavior 2) Combinatorial optimization for finance and logistics to find optimal solutions among vast possibilities 3) Empowering artificial intelligence by processing complex models and high-dimensional data, potentially leading to exponential acceleration in machine learning 4) Algorithm-defined advantages in specific fields like cryptography using algorithms such as Shor's [3] Group 4: Technical Routes and Key Companies - The hardware solutions in quantum computing have not yet converged, with major players like Google and IBM advancing the superconducting route, leveraging breakthroughs in quantum error correction [4] - Companies like Rigetti and domestic firm Benyuan Quantum are agile challengers in the same field due to their unique chip manufacturing capabilities [4] - The "quality over quantity" philosophy has led to the emergence of high-potential paths, such as IonQ's ion trap technology, which boasts near-perfect qubit fidelity and full connectivity [4] - Other companies like Infleqtion (neutral quantum bits) and D-Wave (quantum annealing) are building unique technological barriers in their respective niches [4]