The AI frenzy and a quantum computing development helped IBM stock recover.A tailwind from the artificial intelligence (AI) boom, along with an apparent breakthrough in quantum computing, helped push IBM (IBM 0.65%) stock back to near-record levels in September. IBM stock gained 15.9% last month, according to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence, largely erasing the losses suffered over the summer. AI and quantum computingIBM's AI business doesn't generate a lot of headlines, but the company has ...

Forget waiting 10 years for quantum computing to matter. IBM and HSBC are already using it to find hidden patterns in messy market data that classical computers tend to miss.British mega-bank HSBC (HSBC 1.36%) just achieved something remarkable with quantum computers from IBM (IBM 1.22%) -- 34% better predictions in bond trading using real market data. The companies announced this result in separate press releases this week, referencing a joint research paper with the thrilling title "Enhanced fill probabil ...

IonQ's trapped-ion approach offers a significant advantage on accuracy over most competitors' quantum computers.Nvidia (NVDA 0.27%) has been one of the top-performing stocks over the past decade. If you invested $10,000 in the stock a decade ago, you'd have a position worth $3 million now. It's success stories like that that keep ambitious investors hunting for the less known stocks today that have the potential to provide similar gains from here.Artificial intelligence (AI) is a massive investment theme ri ...

Market Performance - U.S. stock markets experienced their third consecutive day of declines, with the Nasdaq Composite and S&P 500 both falling by 0.5%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped by 0.4% [1] - Despite recent losses, all three major indexes remained close to record highs achieved earlier in the week [1] Economic Indicators - The 10-year Treasury yield rose to 4.17% from 4.15%, indicating stronger economic conditions that may make equities less attractive [2] - The final revision of second-quarter GDP showed a robust annual growth rate of 3.8%, up from a previous estimate of 3.3%, raising concerns about the need for continued monetary easing [3] - Weekly jobless claims fell to 218,000 from 232,000, suggesting a tightening labor market [4] Federal Reserve Outlook - Comments from Kansas City Fed President Jeff Schmid indicated that the Federal Reserve may not need to lower interest rates soon, contrasting with earlier market expectations for multiple rate cuts [5] - The upcoming release of the U.S. Core PCE Price Index is anticipated to influence future monetary policy decisions, with forecasts of a 0.2% monthly increase and a 2.8% annual rate [6] Corporate News - CarMax shares plummeted by 20% after missing analysts' estimates for second-quarter results [10] - IBM shares surged over 5% following HSBC's announcement of successful use of IBM's quantum computers for bond trading [11] - Intel's shares climbed over 6.5% due to reports of seeking a substantial investment from Apple [12] - Starbucks announced plans to lay off approximately 900 corporate employees and close some stores, expecting a 1% decline in total store count for 2025 [13] - Lithium Americas shares soared 95.8% on reports of potential U.S. government ownership stake due to its lithium project in Nevada [16]

The main U.S. equity indexes bounced off their intraday lows Thursday, but extended their respective losing streaks to three. The short-term trend continued despite incoming data showing both consumers and businesses remain resilient drivers of economic growth.The Bureau of Economic Analysis said before the opening bell that its final estimate of second-quarter gross domestic product showed the U.S. economy grew by 3.8% from April to June, faster than the 3.3% it saw in the second reading."It only seems fit ...

Core Insights - Nvidia has transformed from a niche chip designer focused on gaming GPUs to a leading provider of AI infrastructure, powering platforms like OpenAI's ChatGPT and Alphabet's Gemini [2][3] - The evolution of transformative technologies, such as GPUs, illustrates how niche products can reshape entire industries, with quantum computing emerging as a potential next frontier in AI [4][6] Company Analysis - Quantum Computing Inc. is positioned as a small-cap contender in the quantum computing space, drawing comparisons to Nvidia's early days [4][7] - The current market valuation of Quantum Computing Inc. is largely speculative, reflecting investor interest in the potential of quantum technology [7] Industry Outlook - Quantum computing utilizes qubits, allowing for exponential problem-solving capabilities compared to classical computers, which could revolutionize various sectors [5] - Experts predict that quantum computing could unlock trillions of dollars in economic value across applications like drug discovery, financial modeling, and cryptography, although widespread commercial adoption remains a challenge [6]

Group 1: Quantum Computing Overview - Quantum computers represent the next innovation in computing, utilizing qubits instead of traditional bits to process data more efficiently and solve complex calculations [2][6] - The potential applications of quantum computing include the development of more effective drug treatments and new sources of clean energy [3] Group 2: Market Performance and Investment Potential - A small group of quantum computing stocks has seen significant market success, with some stocks, like Rigetti Computing, achieving returns over 20 times their initial investment in the past year [5][6] - Rigetti Computing announced a 36-qubit system with a 99.5% median two-qubit gate fidelity, indicating progress in the accuracy of its quantum systems [4][6] - An investment of $1,500 in Rigetti a year ago would have grown to $36,500, highlighting the phenomenal returns in this sector, despite Rigetti still operating at a loss and having a market cap of nearly $6.5 billion [7]

Core Insights - IonQ is aggressively acquiring companies to enhance its technology and aims to lead in quantum computing-based internet development [1] - Since its IPO, IonQ's sales have nearly doubled annually, with projected revenue for 2025 between $82 million and $100 million, up from $43.1 million in 2024 [2] - IonQ's qubit technology, based on individual ions, allows operation at room temperature, contrasting with IBM's superconducting qubits that require cryogenic conditions [3][4] Company Performance - IonQ's operating loss in Q2 was $160.6 million, significantly higher than the $48.9 million loss from the previous year, raising concerns about long-term sustainability if costs continue to rise [6] - IonQ conducted a $1 billion secondary equity offering, resulting in cash and investments totaling $1.6 billion, which should support operations temporarily [7] Competitive Landscape - IBM's quantum computing technology is based on superconducting qubits, which are more mature and scalable due to compatibility with semiconductor manufacturing [8][9] - IBM's overall revenue increased by 8% year-over-year to $17 billion, with its generative AI business growing from $2 billion in 2024 to $7.5 billion [10] - IBM anticipates its free cash flow for 2025 to exceed $13.5 billion, indicating strong financial health to support its quantum computing initiatives [11] Future Outlook - IBM predicts achieving "quantum advantage" by the end of 2026, a milestone where quantum computers outperform classical ones in practical applications [12] - The transition to widespread commercial use of quantum computers may not occur until 2040, posing a risk for IonQ if it cannot manage its operating costs effectively [14] - IBM's consistent free cash flow and dividend payments make it a more stable investment compared to IonQ, which does not offer dividends [15]

Core Viewpoint - IonQ has successfully completed the acquisition of Oxford Ionics, enhancing its position in the quantum computing sector and accelerating its technology roadmap for advanced quantum computers [1] Group 1: Acquisition Details - The acquisition of Oxford Ionics is aimed at accelerating IonQ's technology roadmap for more powerful and high-fidelity quantum computers [1] - This transaction supports IonQ's expansion into the UK, Europe, Asia, and other global markets [1] Group 2: Strategic Implications - Oxford Ionics contributes a team of world-class experts to IonQ, which is expected to bolster the company's capabilities in quantum computing [1]

Core Insights - Artificial intelligence (AI) is projected to drive spending on chips, data centers, and enterprise software to exceed $500 billion by 2030, with Nvidia being a prominent player in the AI sector [1] - Investors are encouraged to explore a range of companies across hardware, software, energy, and quantum technologies to identify potential winners in the AI landscape [1][2] Quantum AI Frontier - IonQ is developing quantum computers that can solve problems beyond the capabilities of traditional silicon, significantly speeding up machine-learning model training [4] - The company's quantum systems excel in optimization problems crucial for AI, such as feature selection and hyperparameter tuning [5] - IonQ's revenue was approximately $43 million in 2024, with projections of $91 million in 2025 and $171 million in 2026 as quantum service adoption increases [6] - The long-term potential of quantum computing lies in its ability to train complex AI models, presenting both high upside and risk [7] Energy Wild Card - The AI boom encompasses various sectors including semiconductors, energy, robotics, and enterprise software, creating diverse investment opportunities [9] - Oklo is developing compact nuclear reactors aimed at providing continuous clean power to AI data centers, addressing the significant electricity demands of AI technologies [10]