D-Keine/E+ via Getty Images Memory names, including Sandisk Corporation ( SNDK ), are being tested after Google highlighted a paper on TurboQuant, an algorithm that reduces KV-cache memory requirements by at least 6x in LLM inference workloads. As is often the case, HFT trading algos (and some investors who prefer to sell first and ask questions later) are bidding down the stock after the TurboQua...
D-Keine/E+ via Getty Images Memory names, including Sandisk Corporation ( SNDK ), are being tested after Google highlighted a paper on TurboQuant, an algorithm that reduces KV-cache memory requirements by at least 6x in LLM inference workloads. As is often the case, HFT trading algos (and some investors who prefer to sell first and ask questions later) are bidding down the stock after the TurboQuant headline, with Sandisk shares down 16% since March 24. If only they knew that TurboQuant optimizations only affect the DRAM names, as the algorithm doesn't eliminate the need for persistent storage. Anyways, who says that the market is efficient in the first place? I certainly don't. In this piece, I provide my view on the impact that TurboQuant has on NAND flash memory chips and why I'm even more bullish after the Google headline. That said, I still expect some volatility in the first half of the year, mainly driven by a deteriorating macro environment (i.e., higher interest rates for longer) due to the conflict in the Middle East. Overall, I upgrade Sandisk to a Strong Buy, with more upside in H2 than H1. TurboQuant Weakens the AI Memory Narrative Let's start with the main headline. On March 24, Google published an article on its TurboQuant algorithm and said it can reduce KV-cache memory size by at least 6x with no accuracy loss, quantize to 3 bits, and reach up to 8x faster computation on H100 GPUs. Google First, this headline is primarily an impact on the company's valuation and narrative today, not yet a demonstrated revenue impairment. How do I know that? Well, a quick look at the Street's revenue models for the next 4 years shows an unchanged outlook after the March 24 headline. Koyfin How about EPS? Same story: Koyfin That said, I wouldn't undermine the TurboQuant news, as noted by the sharp selloff in memory and storage names in the last few days. Seeking Alpha So, what's this TurboQuant algorithm? In plain English, it's essentially a compression method for lar...
Editor's note: Seeking Alpha is proud to welcome Cypriot Invests as a new contributing analyst. You can become one too! Share your best investment idea by submitting your article for review to our editors. Get published, earn money, and unlock exclusive SA Premium access. Click here to find out more » gorodenkoff/iStock via Getty Images The medical sector has undergone a lot of transformations in ...
Editor's note: Seeking Alpha is proud to welcome Cypriot Invests as a new contributing analyst. You can become one too! Share your best investment idea by submitting your article for review to our editors. Get published, earn money, and unlock exclusive SA Premium access. Click here to find out more » gorodenkoff/iStock via Getty Images The medical sector has undergone a lot of transformations in recent years, notably after the Covid-19 pandemic in late 2019, which caused higher inflation and shook with medicare financials. Political pressure or Insurer Headwinds have also shaken the sector. It has also been exposed to unseen levels of innovation. GLP-1 drugs have flooded the market, with companies like Novo Nordisk A/S ( NVO ) and Eli Lilly & Company ( LLY ) at the forefront of this wave. My thesis is that because of fears raised from past headwinds, and continuing concerns about GLP-1, the price of Medtronic plc ( MDT ) was suppressed below its real value, even with the company navigating this environment well. Historically, returns have been dreadfully low, often underperforming the market. But times are changing, and Medtronic seems to be riding the wave of innovation: AI, neuro implants, robotic-assisted surgery... all of this will likely improve both top and bottom lines. Geographical reach and its product portfolios are also expanding, and so Medtronic is rated as a Buy. However, this recommendation is not a long term buy and hold. This upcoming 1-5 year growth spurt will likely soon normalize, after the price catches up to value, returning to average sluggish growth afterwards, in my view. Effect of GLP-1 Drugs Advancements in one segment of a sector are known to sometimes have a negative effect on other segments, as is the case with GLP-1 drugs and its effects on other parts of the medical sector aside from just weight loss. GLP-1 drugs work by mimicking hormones in the human body, which are responsible for driving hunger and regulating blood sugar levels. ...
Jonathan Kitchen Chip and AI-related stocks were largely in the red on Friday as the U.S.-Israel-Iran war neared a month and U.S. President Donald Trump extended the pause on attacks against Iran’s energy infrastructure into April. The tech-focused Nasdaq Composite ( COMP:IND ) fell around 1.3%. At the same time, the benchmark S&P 500 ( SP500 ) declined about 0.9%. The blue-chip Dow ( DJI ) also f...
Jonathan Kitchen Chip and AI-related stocks were largely in the red on Friday as the U.S.-Israel-Iran war neared a month and U.S. President Donald Trump extended the pause on attacks against Iran’s energy infrastructure into April. The tech-focused Nasdaq Composite ( COMP:IND ) fell around 1.3%. At the same time, the benchmark S&P 500 ( SP500 ) declined about 0.9%. The blue-chip Dow ( DJI ) also fell nearly 0.9%. The Pentagon reportedly is considering deploying up to 10,000 additional ground troops to the Middle East to expand Trump’s military options as he weighs potential peace talks with Iran. On Thursday, Trump said that he was pausing strikes on Iran’s energy sector for 10 more days, until April 6, to allow negotiations to continue beyond his earlier deadline. Oil prices could surge up to $200 a barrel if the Iran conflict extends into June and the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, Bloomberg reported, citing an analysis from Macquarie Group. Brent Futures ( CO1:COM ) climbed about 2.5%, while Crude Oil Futures ( CL1:COM ) jumped nearly 3.6% on Friday. Shares of AI chipmaker Nvidia ( NVDA ) fell about 2%, while Advanced Micro Devices ( AMD ) slumped nearly 3%. Broadcom ( AVGO ) and Qualcomm ( QCOM ) each dipped about 2%. Several other AI and networking-related stocks were mixed. Cisco ( CSCO ) and Applied Optoelectronics ( AAOI ) each tumbled about 3%, while Arista Networks ( ANET ) and Coherent ( COHR ) each fell nearly 1%. Corning ( GLW ) and Celestica ( CLS ) were also in the red. Some stocks in this space bucked the trend. Ciena ( CIEN ) climbed about 2%, while Lumentum ( LITE ) rose around 1%. Meanwhile, Arm ( ARM ) plummeted about 7%, while Marvell Technology ( MRVL ), Lattice Semiconductor ( LSCC ), and GlobalFoundries ( GFS ) slumped around 3%. Intel ( INTC ) and Analog Devices ( ADI ) each fell nearly 2%. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing ( TSM ) and Texas Instruments ( TXN ) each dipped about 1%. However, Micron Technology ( MU ) climbed about 2%. Chip...
Meta (META) and YouTube (GOOG, GOOGL) were just found liable for damages in a landmark social media addiction lawsuit. Meta stock has since fallen below its 200-day moving average.Marketgauge.com chief strategist Michele Schneider and Great Hill Capital chairman and managing member Thomas Hayes chat with Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi about where they see Meta's stock going this year.
Meta (META) and YouTube (GOOG, GOOGL) were just found liable for damages in a landmark social media addiction lawsuit. Meta stock has since fallen below its 200-day moving average.Marketgauge.com chief strategist Michele Schneider and Great Hill Capital chairman and managing member Thomas Hayes chat with Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi about where they see Meta's stock going this year.
Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF (NASDAQ:VGSH) and Schwab Short-Term U.S. Treasury ETF (NYSEMKT:SCHO) both track short-term U.S. government bonds, share identical fees and yields, and closely match risk and return histories. Both funds aim to provide steady income and low volatility by focusing on high-quality, short-duration U.S. Treasury securities. This comparison examines their costs, returns,...
Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF (NASDAQ:VGSH) and Schwab Short-Term U.S. Treasury ETF (NYSEMKT:SCHO) both track short-term U.S. government bonds, share identical fees and yields, and closely match risk and return histories. Both funds aim to provide steady income and low volatility by focusing on high-quality, short-duration U.S. Treasury securities. This comparison examines their costs, returns, risk, portfolio makeup, and trading details to help investors see where they differ and where they overlap. Beta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from five-year monthly returns. The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months. Continue reading
pookpiik/iStock via Getty Images Key Takeaways Markets: International equities delivered solid gains in the fourth quarter to cap one of the best years for overseas stocks in decades. The core benchmark MSCI EAFE Index rose 4.9% in the quarter to finish up 31.2% for 2025, outperforming the S&P 500 Index's gains of 2.7% for the quarter and 17.9% for the year. The market rally was broad with the MSC...
pookpiik/iStock via Getty Images Key Takeaways Markets: International equities delivered solid gains in the fourth quarter to cap one of the best years for overseas stocks in decades. The core benchmark MSCI EAFE Index rose 4.9% in the quarter to finish up 31.2% for 2025, outperforming the S&P 500 Index's gains of 2.7% for the quarter and 17.9% for the year. The market rally was broad with the MSCI Emerging Markets Index advancing 4.7% for the quarter and 33.6% for the year. Contributors: Holdings in Siemens Energy ( SMEGF ), NatWest Group ( NWG ), AstraZeneca ( AZN ), Tokyo Electron ( TOELF ) and Celestica ( CLS ). Detractors: Holdings in Sea Limited ( SE ), Sony ( SONY ), Tencent ( TCEHY ) and Zai Lab ( ZLAB ). Stock selection in the health care and consumer discretionary sectors. Outlook: Lower interest rates will certainly help growth stocks, but we think that to reassert market leadership — specifically in technology software and hardware — it will come down to improved earnings. Performance Review Outside the U.S., growth stocks delivered strong absolute returns but meaningfully underperformed value stocks. The MSCI EAFE Growth Index rose 1.9% for the quarter, trailing the MSCI EAFE Value Index by 590 basis points. In such a value-dominated period, the Portfolios underperformed (gross and net of fees) its primary MSCI EAFE benchmark. As a growth manager, we are selective in owning the companies typically thought of as value in our structural growth segment. We have increased this exposure, predominantly by increasing allocations to banks, where we are seeing a step change in earnings. U.K.-based NatWest Group ( NWG ) was a leading contributor during the quarter, and we think banks can continue to work as we believe that interest rates will be stable and loan growth will likely increase along with higher fiscal stimulus and to fund AI and energy transitions. The Portfolios saw strength in holdings supporting the buildout of AI workloads. These were led by Germa...
China Dismisses Report Of Top Chipmaker Aiding Iranian Forces As "Fake News" Beijing moved into damage-control mode on Friday, with its foreign ministry dismissing a Reuters report that cited two senior Trump administration officials alleging that SMIC, China's largest chipmaker, had sent chipmaking tools to Iran, as " false information ." Asked about the report at a regular news conference in Bei...
China Dismisses Report Of Top Chipmaker Aiding Iranian Forces As "Fake News" Beijing moved into damage-control mode on Friday, with its foreign ministry dismissing a Reuters report that cited two senior Trump administration officials alleging that SMIC, China's largest chipmaker, had sent chipmaking tools to Iran, as " false information ." Asked about the report at a regular news conference in Beijing, foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said he was "not familiar with the situation" and added, " What I can tell you is that recently, some media have been keen on releasing news that seems correct but is actually wrong ." Jian added that, "after verification, all such reports were found to be false information," but he did not elaborate further. The denial underscores just how sensitive Beijing is to headlines featuring Trump administration officials accusing SMIC of sending chipmaking tools to Iran. " We have no reason to believe that any of this has stopped ," one Trump official told Reuters. Those allegations build on a separate report about a viral video circulating on X that appears to show a Chinese company mass-producing Shahed-type drones. One Trump official told the outlet that the SMIC tools sent to Iran could be used in any electronics that require chips. Reuters noted, "It was not immediately clear what, if any, role the chipmaking tools have played in Iran's response to the war, which was launched by the U.S. and Israel on February 28." What is clear, based on a separate report we first noted in early March, is that an Iranian drone that targeted the British Royal Air Force base at Akrotiri, Cyprus, contained a Russian-made "Kometa" satellite navigation chip using Western-made components. Just so readers are on the same page, here is the current map of the two modern battlefields in Eurasia overlaid with natural gas pipelines. Read : "Eurasia Energy War?" Tyler Durden Fri, 03/27/2026 - 11:05
Hong Kong lawmakers have expressed concern over the lack of a car park at the upgraded Huanggang border crossing, saying that providing a shuttle bus service for tour groups or motorists to reach the checkpoint building will not be convenient. Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung said on Friday that the revamped building – which is on the mainland Chinese side of the border in Shenzhen – w...
Hong Kong lawmakers have expressed concern over the lack of a car park at the upgraded Huanggang border crossing, saying that providing a shuttle bus service for tour groups or motorists to reach the checkpoint building will not be convenient. Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung said on Friday that the revamped building – which is on the mainland Chinese side of the border in Shenzhen – would not have a public car park or bays for coaches. The Transport and Logistics Bureau would decide...
Adam Gault/OJO Images via Getty Images I believe we are at the initial stages of a credit cycle bust. Recent defaults in the private credit market have drawn significant focus, and this could be one of many signs that the credit cycle boom is starting to go bust. When I look at private credit, it appears some loans were made to debtors who should never have received them. Lending standards in the ...
Adam Gault/OJO Images via Getty Images I believe we are at the initial stages of a credit cycle bust. Recent defaults in the private credit market have drawn significant focus, and this could be one of many signs that the credit cycle boom is starting to go bust. When I look at private credit, it appears some loans were made to debtors who should never have received them. Lending standards in the private credit industry also appear to be becoming more strict, which could suggest that lenders see trouble ahead. When I look at consumers, this also reveals more signs of a potential credit cycle bust. Consumer spending accounts for nearly 70% of U.S. GDP, so if consumer spending weakens, the economy will probably also weaken. Many consumers appear to be facing financial challenges, and surging oil prices might exacerbate these strains. For many years, we have seen a credit boom cycle with private and consumer credit, but it now looks like the credit cycle is about to go bust, and this could bring on a recession. With all this in mind, let's take a closer look at some signs indicating growing credit concerns that potentially pose a threat to the U.S. economy: Private Credit Is One Sign That The Credit Cycle Is Going From Boom To Bust In late 2025, cracks started to appear in the private credit market, which is said to have grown to be a roughly $3 billion industry . Loan defaults have been rising, and there are concerns that poor underwriting standards could be rampant in this sector, which could eventually lead to much higher default rates. I think it's worth noting that the economy is not even in a recession, and yet defaults are rising. This suggests that things could get much worse for the private credit industry, if the economy slips into a recession. The concerns about private credit loans go beyond normal default issues, because there have been allegations that fraud could be a factor in some very large loans. First Brands is an auto parts supplier that received l...