Pre-market indexes are swinging back into positive territory from lower early-morning levels, now erasing the big losses in the first part of this week on all but the small-cap Russell 2000, which is break-even over the past five trading days. This morning, the Dow is +110 points, +0.22%, the S&P 500 is +6, +0.09%, the Nasdaq +7, +0.03% and the Russell 2000 +4, +0.18%.Jobless Claims Come In-Line to Lower: 212K, 1.833MIt’s a “normal” Thursday morning, so we get new Weekly Jobless Claims figures, and once aga ...

Key Takeaways New Jobless Claims Remain Low at 212KLonger-Term Claims Come Down As Well: 1.833MCelsius, Shake Shack and Baidu Beat EarningsThursday, February 26th, 2026Pre-market indexes are swinging back into positive territory from lower early-morning levels, now erasing the big losses in the first part of this week on all but the small-cap Russell 2000, which is break-even over the past five trading days. This morning, the Dow is +110 points, +0.22%, the S&P 500 is +6, +0.09%, the Nasdaq +7, +0.03% and t ...

Nvidia ‌rose 1.2% in ⁠premarket trading ⁠after the chipmaker posted better-than-expected results for the January quarter and forecast current-quarter revenue above market estimates."The needle has clearly shifted when it ​comes to what its going to take to convince investors that the billions being poured into AI infrastructure will pay off," ​said Raffi Boyadjian, lead market analyst at Trading Point."Markets are now moving into a phase where they want to see tangible results of AI monetization before pus ...

Core Insights - The biggest stock winner since January 1, 2000, is Monster Beverage, an energy drink company, which has returned 197,800% this century, significantly outperforming tech giants like Apple and Nvidia [2][4]. Company Performance - Monster Beverage's stock would have turned every $1,000 invested at the start of the century into $1,551,030, and it has continued to outperform competitors since the last report in July 2025 [4]. - In comparison, Nvidia and Apple have returned 136,300% and 28,200% respectively during the same period [2][4]. Strategic Partnerships - A key factor in Monster Beverage's success was a deal with Coca-Cola in 2015, which provided Monster with global distribution capabilities and resulted in Coca-Cola acquiring a 16.7% stake in the company [4]. Market Dynamics - The addictive nature of energy drinks, due to caffeine and other stimulants, has contributed to their popularity and sales growth [5]. Research and Development Expenditure - Unlike major tech companies, Monster Beverage operates on a minimal budget for research and development, spending $195 million in 2024, which is considered a record for the company [6]. In contrast, Nvidia and Apple spent $16.7 billion and $34 billion respectively on R&D in the same fiscal year [6].

Chinese energy-drink maker Eastroc raises HK$10.1 billion after pricing its Hong Kong share sale at the highest price possible https://t.co/N16avqYqsL ...

分组1 - Beyond Meat is launching a new protein-packed sparkling beverage aimed at competing with energy drink brands like Celsius and Red Bull, indicating a strategic shift for the company [1] - CrowdStrike's CEO highlights the cybersecurity risks associated with AI agents, emphasizing the need for security measures to mitigate potential business risks [4] - Perella Weinberg's CEO expresses optimism about the M&A outlook for 2026, citing strong equity and credit markets along with a favorable regulatory environment as key drivers for increased transaction activity [5] 分组2 - BitWise's CIO predicts that Bitcoin will decouple from traditional stocks, driven by unique factors such as fiscal debasement and institutional investment, suggesting Bitcoin's maturation as a distinct asset class [3] - Thinkorswim's founder anticipates a potential market pullback in early spring, indicating that many stocks are fairly priced and a downside momentum could lead to a sell-off of 10% to 15% [6][8]

Core Insights - The article warns of a potential "Hidden Crash" in the market, reminiscent of the "Lost Decade" from 2000 to 2009, where stocks stagnated rather than experiencing a dramatic collapse [1][4][10] - Market leadership is narrowing, with a small group of mega-cap companies dominating performance, which may lead to stagnation in returns as earnings momentum slows [2][11][12] Historical Context - The "Lost Decade" saw the S&P 500 essentially go nowhere, with notable companies like Microsoft, Cisco, and Intel failing to regain their previous highs [4][5] - During this period, new market leaders emerged, such as Monster Beverage and Google, which delivered significant gains while established companies stagnated [7][8] Current Market Analysis - The current market shows signs of a similar setup, with earnings momentum across major stocks beginning to slow, potentially leading to a Hidden Crash by 2026 [10][12] - The concentration of growth among a few mega-cap stocks raises concerns about future returns, as sustaining rapid growth becomes increasingly difficult [11][12] Investment Strategy - Investors are advised to identify stocks that are becoming "dead money," where capital is trapped without meaningful returns, and to reposition towards companies with accelerating growth [19][21] - A three-step framework is proposed: exit stagnant stocks, position for growth in innovative companies, and continuously monitor market conditions to adapt [17][21][24] Warning Signs - The article emphasizes the importance of recognizing early signs of stagnation to avoid being trapped in underperforming investments, which can lead to years of lost opportunity [16][25] - Specific companies identified as potential dead money are highlighted, urging investors to reassess their portfolios before 2026 [20][25]

Core Insights - Asia's equity capital markets are projected to have a strong performance in 2026, continuing the momentum from 2025, which saw significant growth in share sales across the region [1][2] Group 1: Market Performance - In 2025, share listings, placements, and block trades in Asia Pacific raised $262.7 billion, marking the highest total in four years [2] - For the first time, four of the world's five busiest deal venues were located in Asia, driven by a rebound in Hong Kong and record IPOs in India [2] Group 2: Upcoming IPOs - Major IPOs expected in 2026 include Baidu Inc., Zepto Ltd., ChangXin Memory Technologies Inc., and Coca-Cola's India bottling unit [3] - Hong Kong listings of Chinese firms already traded in mainland China are anticipated to continue contributing to the IPO pipeline [3] Group 3: Regional Highlights - Hong Kong listings may raise up to $45 billion in 2026, potentially the largest amount in six years, while Indian IPOs are expected to achieve a third consecutive annual record [4] - Jio Platforms Ltd. is preparing for what could be India's largest-ever IPO, while A.S. Watson Group is considering a listing that could raise over $2 billion [8] Group 4: Notable Companies and Their Plans - Syngenta Group is in preliminary talks for a potential listing in 2026 after previously withdrawing a $9 billion plan [8] - Baidu's AI chip unit has confidentially filed for a Hong Kong IPO, valued at a minimum of $3 billion [8] - Other companies like Luxshare Precision Industry Co. and Muyuan Foods Co. are also pursuing significant IPOs in Hong Kong [8] Group 5: Indian Market Developments - PhonePe Ltd. has filed for an IPO that could raise up to $1.5 billion, valuing the fintech firm at approximately $15 billion [13] - Flipkart is exploring an IPO after moving its holding company to India, while Zepto aims to raise about $500 million through its IPO [13] Group 6: International Listings - SK Hynix Inc. is considering a potential New York listing to align its valuation with global peers [13] - Shein Group Ltd. has confidentially filed for a Hong Kong IPO, pending approval from Beijing [13]

Global Energy Drink Market Overview - GlobalData forecasts an 8.0% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for global off-trade retail sales of energy drinks through 2030[8] - The U S non-alcoholic ready-to-drink beverage market achieved $122 billion in retail sales over the most recent 52-week period[18] - The U S market for non-alcoholic ready-to-drink beverages sold 36 3 billion units at retail over the most recent 52-week period[22] Monster Energy Company (MEC) Distribution and Market Share - Monster is now distributed in 138 countries and territories[7] - Strategic Brands are now distributed in 57 countries and territories[7] - Reign is now distributed in 27 countries and territories[7] - Affordable Energy (Predator & Fury) is now distributed in 36 countries and territories[7] - One or more of the company's energy drinks are distributed in a total of 158 countries and territories worldwide[7] - MEC holds a 34 7% value share in the United States and a 36 3% value share in Canada[17] EMEA & OSP Region Performance - The energy category in EMEA & OSP shows value sales of €15 3 billion, with a €1 9 billion increase versus the prior year, representing a 14 4% growth[55] - MEC's value sales in EMEA & OSP are €3 8 billion, with a €695 million increase versus the prior year, representing a 22 7% growth[55] - Monster brand value sales in EMEA & OSP are €2 9 billion, with a €537 million increase versus the prior year, representing a 22 4% growth[55] Latin America Beverage Market - The Latin American market for non-alcoholic ready-to-drink beverages is forecasted to generate approximately $144 billion in retail sales in 2025[123] - Energy drinks in Latin America have a $ CAGR (2020-2025) of 21 6%[128] - Monster maintains $ share leadership in Brazil with 43 8%[140]

Market Overview - The trading day ended with mixed results, with the S&P 500 and Dow showing slight gains of 0.2% and 0.1% respectively, while the NASDAQ fell by 0.2% due to pressure from big tech stocks [6][8] - Airline stocks experienced volatility, initially down by 2.6% but later rebounding to a gain of 3.8%, reflecting hopes of a resolution to the ongoing government shutdown [2][3] Earnings and Company Performance - Upcoming earnings reports to watch include major companies such as Walt Disney, Paramount, and Warner Brothers Discovery, which could impact market sentiment [4] - Expedia emerged as the top gainer in the S&P 500, rising by 17.5% and projecting a 6.5% increase in revenue for the year, driven by strong travel trends [12] - Monster Beverage also performed well, gaining 5.2% after exceeding expectations in its third-quarter results, with analysts optimistic about its gross margins [14] - Callaway Golf, which owns Topgolf, saw a 14.3% increase in stock price after raising its annual revenue guidance to $3.92 billion, up from a previous estimate of $3.86 billion [15][16] Decliners - JBS, a meat processing company, fell by 3.64% following a presidential announcement regarding an investigation into price manipulation in the meatpacking industry [17][18] - Block, formerly known as Square, saw a decline of 7.7% despite raising its full-year profit forecast, as its third-quarter revenues fell short of expectations [20] - Sweetgreen shares hit a record low, down 7.5%, after cutting its revenue guidance and missing analyst estimates [22] Economic Indicators - A significant drop in U.S. corrugated box shipments, the lowest since 2015, raises concerns about a weak holiday retail shopping season, indicating potential economic uncertainty [27][28]