AI has weighed on this sector, but it could be a major growth catalyst. Artificial intelligence (AI) holds a lot of promise for businesses. Many investors see generative AI unlocking significant productivity gains and saving lots of money on overhead. A growing narrative among investors is that businesses will be able to replace many of their enterprise software packages with a single powerful AI ...
AI has weighed on this sector, but it could be a major growth catalyst. Artificial intelligence (AI) holds a lot of promise for businesses. Many investors see generative AI unlocking significant productivity gains and saving lots of money on overhead. A growing narrative among investors is that businesses will be able to replace many of their enterprise software packages with a single powerful AI tool. As a result, many software stocks have seen their share prices collapse, as investors lose faith in their ability to grow revenue and earnings long term. The iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF (IGV +0.79%) has dropped 18% from its high reached last fall. But revenue growth among its components remains relatively strong, and the impact of AI on its business seems to be a net positive so far and for the foreseeable future. As such, it could be a great way to invest in artificial intelligence despite the growing concern that AI will negatively affect many of the businesses in the fund. What's inside the ETF? The iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF tracks a group of North American software companies. Its biggest components are some of the biggest winners from the excitement around artificial intelligence, including Microsoft, Palantir Technologies, and Oracle. Those three combine to account for about a quarter of the ETF's value. But the remaining three-quarters of the exchange-traded fund hasn't all been as blessed by AI investors. Stocks such as Salesforce, Intuit, and Adobe are also found in its top 10 holdings. Fears that AI could displace the need for their software have negatively affected the earnings multiples investors are willing to pay for those stocks. But concerns that a single generative AI application can displace specific pieces of enterprise and professional software are overblown. You wouldn't hire a generalist to do a specialist's job, especially when the price difference is relatively negligible for an enterprise. Few managers are going to...
Key Points Greg Abel took over as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway starting Jan. 1, 2026. One of his first moves may be selling off a top 10 holding in Berkshire Hathaway's portfolio. Is the sell-off a good move for Berkshire to make? 10 stocks we like better than Kraft Heinz › Greg Abel took over as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A) (NYSE: BRK.B) for longtime CEO Warren Buffett just a few weeks ag...
Key Points Greg Abel took over as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway starting Jan. 1, 2026. One of his first moves may be selling off a top 10 holding in Berkshire Hathaway's portfolio. Is the sell-off a good move for Berkshire to make? 10 stocks we like better than Kraft Heinz › Greg Abel took over as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A) (NYSE: BRK.B) for longtime CEO Warren Buffett just a few weeks ago. And already, there are indications that Abel has made his first major move as the head of the conglomerate. At the same time, he may be addressing what many believe may have been one of Buffett's biggest missteps in recent years. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now, when you join Stock Advisor. See the stocks » According to an SEC document filed Tuesday, it appears that Abel and Berkshire Hathaway may be dumping Kraft Heinz (NASDAQ: KHC) -- the ninth-largest holding in the conglomerate's $267 billion portfolio. Berkshire Hathaway owns about 325 million shares of Kraft Heinz, amounting to about an $8.5 billion stake, which makes up roughly 3.2% of the Berkshire portfolio. Also, Berkshire is the largest shareholder in Kraft Heinz, owning 27.5% of the shares. The 8-K filing by Kraft Heinz was to note the potential resale by Berkshire Hathaway of up to 325,442,152 shares of Kraft Heinz common stock -- which would be Berkshire's entire position. Kraft Heinz made this filing pursuant to contractual terms that it would register for potential resale by the "selling stockholder." It notes that this does not necessarily mean the selling stockholder will choose to sell any shares; it just provides the legal mechanism to do so. But it seems likely, all things considered. Kraft Heinz has been on a long, strange trip since 2015 There is a long history between Berkshire Hathaway and Kraft Heinz. In fact, when Kraft Heinz merged in 2015, Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway were the architects of the deal. ...
A sprawling winter storm has grounded more than 14,500 flights around the US, halted trains and triggered a grid emergency and knocked out power to thousands, all while threatening to drop a foot of snow on New York City and the rest of the Northeast corridor on Sunday. As of 5:30 p.m. New York time, 14,537 flights across the US were grounded through Monday, reaching levels not seen since the gove...
A sprawling winter storm has grounded more than 14,500 flights around the US, halted trains and triggered a grid emergency and knocked out power to thousands, all while threatening to drop a foot of snow on New York City and the rest of the Northeast corridor on Sunday. As of 5:30 p.m. New York time, 14,537 flights across the US were grounded through Monday, reaching levels not seen since the government shutdown last year, airline tracking company FlightAware said. Meanwhile, more than 118,000 homes and businesses from Colorado to the Atlantic were without power, with almost 102,000 of them in Texas and Louisiana, PowerOutage.us said. Early Saturday, the Midcontinent Independent System Operator — which manages a power grid that stretches from the Great Lakes to the Gulf Coast — declared an energy-emergency alert 2 in an effort to shore up reserves as conditions worsened. EEA2 is the second level of emergency action, triggered as operating reserves continue to decline. It means MISO is facing an energy shortage and needs to reduce energy demand. The massive storm is covering parts of 32 states and just about half the US population, said Brian Hurley, a senior branch forecaster at the US Weather Prediction Center . “It’s been five years since the last time a storm covered such a wide area,” he said. Cold, snow, sleet and ice have triggered emergency declarations, transit warnings, grounded flights and shook up energy markets. In all, the storm may cost as much as $24 billion in damages and economic losses, said Chuck Watson of Enki Research. Read more: Why This Weekend’s US Winter Storm Is Likely to Be So Widespread Snow will arrive in New York City around 7 a.m. with as much as 12 inches falling and then ending with a crust of sleet overnight, said Josh Weiss, a forecaster at Weather Prediction Center. “This is a very dangerous combination of heavy snow and extreme, extreme cold temperatures,” New York Governor Kathy Hochul said. “I have authorized all state employee...
New York, Jan 24, 2026, 18:34 (EST) — Market closed AMD shares ended Friday 2.3% higher, closing at $259.68 following a choppy session in chip stocks Intel’s dim forecast and ongoing supply issues sparked another round of sector rotation in semiconductors Upcoming triggers: Fed meeting set for Jan. 27-28, AMD reports earnings on Feb. 3 Shares of Advanced Micro Devices (AMD.O) rose 2.3% on Friday, ...
New York, Jan 24, 2026, 18:34 (EST) — Market closed AMD shares ended Friday 2.3% higher, closing at $259.68 following a choppy session in chip stocks Intel’s dim forecast and ongoing supply issues sparked another round of sector rotation in semiconductors Upcoming triggers: Fed meeting set for Jan. 27-28, AMD reports earnings on Feb. 3 Shares of Advanced Micro Devices (AMD.O) rose 2.3% on Friday, closing at $259.68, marking a second day of sharp moves sparked by major news in the chip sector. U.S. markets will remain closed over the weekend and resume trading on Monday. The shift is crucial now as the AI surge faces a sterner test: earnings. “We feel pretty good about where we are today,” said Jason Blackwell, chief investment strategist at Focus Partners Wealth, while cautioning about the year’s anticipated volatility. Julian McManus, portfolio manager on Janus Henderson’s Global Alpha Equity team, described the current phase as a “show-me” moment, with revenue growth needing to justify the recent stock gains. (Reuters) Friday’s trigger came from Intel’s reset, prompting investors to reconsider which players can meet growing data-center chip demand. Intel admitted it’s struggling to keep pace despite factories running at full tilt. CFO David Zinsner noted supply issues hit their worst in Q1 but should ease by Q2. (Reuters) Just a day before, the focus was on costs rather than CPU shortages. Reuters highlighted how AI data-center expansions are gobbling up global memory-chip inventories, driving prices higher and potentially dampening demand for PCs and smartphones. AMD shares slipped 1.2% on Thursday. Jacob Bourne, an analyst at eMarketer, warned the shortage would “show up as higher prices for consumers.” (Reuters) AMD makes processors for PCs and servers and is aggressively expanding into data centers with AI accelerators—chips designed to boost machine-learning tasks. This puts AMD head-to-head with Intel in CPUs and Nvidia in the high-end AI computing space. (R...
New York, January 24, 2026, 18:33 EST — The market has closed. Micron Technology, Inc. shares closed Friday up 0.5% at $399.65, hovering just below $400. Traders are entering the week eyeing tight memory supply and climbing component costs. The stock dipped a bit in after-hours trading. (Yahoo Finance) The short-term picture is clear: memory shortages in data centers and AI hardware are driving pr...
New York, January 24, 2026, 18:33 EST — The market has closed. Micron Technology, Inc. shares closed Friday up 0.5% at $399.65, hovering just below $400. Traders are entering the week eyeing tight memory supply and climbing component costs. The stock dipped a bit in after-hours trading. (Yahoo Finance) The short-term picture is clear: memory shortages in data centers and AI hardware are driving prices up. That’s a boost for suppliers like Micron, but a tougher market for device manufacturers. Intel’s recent caution about rising memory costs has brought this pressure back into focus this week. (Investopedia) That tension is key as U.S. markets kick back into gear Monday, with a surge in memory stocks pushing investors to weigh “price” against “demand.” Micron, which sells DRAM—the working memory in servers and PCs—and NAND for storage drives, faces sharp price swings that can quickly impact profits. Taiwan’s Compal, a leading contract manufacturer of notebooks and PCs, warned that soaring memory prices will persist through 2027. CEO Anthony Peter Bonadero described it as “a true super cycle,” noting memory costs could climb to 35% to 40% of a PC’s material expenses—well above the typical 15% to 18%. (Reuters) Research firms IDC and Counterpoint predict global smartphone sales will drop by at least 2% in 2026. Meanwhile, IDC expects the PC market to shrink by at least 4.9% this year. Intel CFO David Zinsner noted they’re keeping a close eye on rising memory prices. Emarketer analyst Jacob Bourne added the pinch “is certainly going to show up as higher prices for consumers.” (Reuters) Micron’s stock swung between $390.74 and $412.43 on Friday, with roughly 35.4 million shares traded, per Investing.com data. Short-term traders will likely keep an eye on this range if chip stocks open sharply higher or lower early next week. (Investing) A separate filing revealed that Micron executive vice president Manish Bhatia submitted a Form 144, signaling plans to sell 26,623 share...
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer vowed to block a massive funding package next week unless Republicans agree to strip funding for the Department of Homeland Security, dramatically increasing the risk for a partial US government shutdown. Schumer’s announcement came on the same day that a Border Patrol agent shot and killed an American intensive care unit nurse in Minnesota during protests ov...
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer vowed to block a massive funding package next week unless Republicans agree to strip funding for the Department of Homeland Security, dramatically increasing the risk for a partial US government shutdown. Schumer’s announcement came on the same day that a Border Patrol agent shot and killed an American intensive care unit nurse in Minnesota during protests over the immigration crackdown in that state. Read More: Border Patrol Kills Man as Minnesota Crackdown Fuels Outrage Democratic opposition to the funding package potentially affects not just Homeland Security but also the departments of Defense, Labor, Education, State, Treasury and Health and Human Services. The effects would be widespread, including delaying the next Bureau of Labor Statistics report. In the event of a shutdown, many essential workers — including the military and Transportation Security Administration agents — may have to work without pay. But Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol employees may continue to be paid through additional funding in President Donald Trump ’s tax bill signed last year. The House passed the bill Thursday and left Washington until after the Jan. 30 shutdown deadline. Any changes to the bill including stripping out DHS funding would require the House to return and vote on the new bill.
K-pop girl band Blackpink’s Hong Kong concert turned chaotic at one point as thousands of fans who queued overnight started pushing their way into Kai Tak Stadium to get to its standing area. Clips posted on social media show the crowd jostling with one another to get into the stadium on the first night of the band’s three shows in the city, with people heard shouting “don’t push” and even screami...
K-pop girl band Blackpink’s Hong Kong concert turned chaotic at one point as thousands of fans who queued overnight started pushing their way into Kai Tak Stadium to get to its standing area. Clips posted on social media show the crowd jostling with one another to get into the stadium on the first night of the band’s three shows in the city, with people heard shouting “don’t push” and even screaming. Another clip shows fans running towards the standing area next to the stage as soon as they hurried down the steps, even though security guards told them not to run and tried to maintain order. Security guards hold back overeager fans ahead of Blackpink’s show on Saturday. Photo: Handout The rush was due to prime viewing spots in the standing area only being available on a first come, first served basis. Advertisement Some fans with standing tickets for the second concert also started queuing outside the stadium on Saturday night before the first show had even ended. The Post has contacted the stadium for comments. Advertisement The concerts marked the final stop on Blackpink’s Deadline world tour that began last July. Demand for tickets, merchandise and other items reached a fever pitch in recent days, with fans pouring into the city from mainland China and other locations for the shows.
Indonesia has placed “resilience” at the heart of its foreign policy this year, pitching it as a way to keep the country from being buffeted by intensifying rivalry among the world’s major powers. But analysts say the concept, though rhetorically appealing, lacks clear objectives and a long-term strategy – running the risk of Jakarta’s diplomacy becoming more transactional and drifting away from i...
Indonesia has placed “resilience” at the heart of its foreign policy this year, pitching it as a way to keep the country from being buffeted by intensifying rivalry among the world’s major powers. But analysts say the concept, though rhetorically appealing, lacks clear objectives and a long-term strategy – running the risk of Jakarta’s diplomacy becoming more transactional and drifting away from its stated values of non-alignment, multilateralism and respect for international law. In his annual foreign policy statement on January 14, Foreign Minister Sugiono said Indonesia must build a “resilient” diplomacy to avoid being “swept away” in an increasingly “harsh, competitive and unpredictable” world. Advertisement “In an uncertain world, only a nation that is strong at home will have leverage abroad,” he said in the statement setting out the country’s diplomatic priorities for the year. “This is what I mean by resilient diplomacy: a diplomacy that is not reactive, but adaptive, as a fundamental pillar of Indonesia’s foreign policy.” Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Sugiono delivers his annual press statement in Jakarta on January 14. Photo: AFP Sugiono said defence and economic cooperation would play a major role in building that resilience, highlighting recent foreign policy milestones including new defence accords with key partners.
AWS is the key division to watch for Amazon's success. Amazon (AMZN +2.12%) shareholders had a disappointing year in 2025. I thought the company was going to have a strong year, mainly built on the back of its cloud computing unit, Amazon Web Services (AWS). While AWS had a successful year, my caveat regarding the stock was that it traded at an expensive price tag at the time: 44 times forward ear...
AWS is the key division to watch for Amazon's success. Amazon (AMZN +2.12%) shareholders had a disappointing year in 2025. I thought the company was going to have a strong year, mainly built on the back of its cloud computing unit, Amazon Web Services (AWS). While AWS had a successful year, my caveat regarding the stock was that it traded at an expensive price tag at the time: 44 times forward earnings. This turned out to be Amazon's Achilles' heel in 2025, as it spent most of the year growing into its valuation. Amazon's stock only gained 5% last year, but its business posted strong growth. I think it's slated to have a much better 2026 now that its valuation has come down, and AWS is free to lead the stock higher. AWS' growth is starting to reaccelerate Most investors fixate on Amazon's commerce business as a reason to own the stock. This is natural, as this is the part of the business that most people interact with frequently. Furthermore, AWS accounts for only 18% of Amazon's total sales, so it's just a fraction of Amazon's overall sales. But that's the wrong way of looking at it. Amazon is a very diverse business, and the reality is that its commerce side doesn't make a ton of profit. This isn't anything new. Look at other retailers, and their financials will show you razor-thin profit margins. Cloud computing is a different business entirely. It has strong operating margins, with the third quarter coming in at 35%. So, despite AWS only making up a small chunk of Amazon's total business, it accounted for 66% of operating profits in Q3. Expand NASDAQ : AMZN Amazon Today's Change ( 2.12 %) $ 4.96 Current Price $ 239.30 Key Data Points Market Cap $2.6T Day's Range $ 234.57 - $ 240.44 52wk Range $ 161.38 - $ 258.60 Volume 1.6M Avg Vol 45M Gross Margin 50.05 % As a result, I would consider AWS the most important part of the business, because it generates the majority of the profits. Furthermore, AWS' growth rate is accelerating. In Q3, its revenue increased by 20% y...
A tale of two economies is driving China’s stock market, prompting investors to raise bets on the beneficiaries of an industrial export boom at the expense of firms mired in a consumption slump. The world’s No. 2 economy is painting a picture of consumer-sensitive sectors lagging further behind industries linked to manufacturing and technology. That’s making Wall Street firms including Morgan Stan...
A tale of two economies is driving China’s stock market, prompting investors to raise bets on the beneficiaries of an industrial export boom at the expense of firms mired in a consumption slump. The world’s No. 2 economy is painting a picture of consumer-sensitive sectors lagging further behind industries linked to manufacturing and technology. That’s making Wall Street firms including Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan Asset Management more bullish toward Chinese companies from machinery producers to power grid builders. These Chinese firms have thrived on the world’s appetite for advanced manufacturing or surging demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure. China’s economy has grown more bifurcated in the past year. New industrial forces have helped deliver surprisingly robust exports that defied President Donald Trump’s tariffs. Meanwhile, domestic consumption remains anemic amid a prolonged property downturn. For investors, that split is reshaping their strategies, rewarding selective bets on global-facing industrial champions rather than those on a broad consumer-led recovery. “There are clearly two very different Chinas at the moment,” William Bratton , head of cash equity research in Asia Pacific at BNP Paribas Exane, wrote in a note. “We have a clear preference for the materials, industrials, and technology sectors and sub-industries over their consumer-facing peers – a preference which is reflected in earnings trends and the recent economic data.” Much of China’s export strength is being driven by equipment makers, electronic component manufacturers and metal miners that are tied to global demand for AI infrastructure. China XD Electric Co., a key contractor of ultra-high-voltage grid construction, has surged 75% this year, while electrical component-maker TBEA Co. is up about 28%. Morgan Stanley was the latest to join the chorus of bullish calls, favoring a group of stocks that included Sany Heavy Industry Co., Jiangsu Hengli Hydraulic Co., Han’s Laser Tech...
AWS is the key division to watch for Amazon's success. Amazon (AMZN 0.60%) shareholders had a disappointing year in 2025. I thought the company was going to have a strong year, mainly built on the back of its cloud computing unit, Amazon Web Services (AWS). While AWS had a successful year, my caveat regarding the stock was that it traded at an expensive price tag at the time: 44 times forward earn...
AWS is the key division to watch for Amazon's success. Amazon (AMZN 0.60%) shareholders had a disappointing year in 2025. I thought the company was going to have a strong year, mainly built on the back of its cloud computing unit, Amazon Web Services (AWS). While AWS had a successful year, my caveat regarding the stock was that it traded at an expensive price tag at the time: 44 times forward earnings. This turned out to be Amazon's Achilles' heel in 2025, as it spent most of the year growing into its valuation. Amazon's stock only gained 5% last year, but its business posted strong growth. I think it's slated to have a much better 2026 now that its valuation has come down, and AWS is free to lead the stock higher. AWS' growth is starting to reaccelerate Most investors fixate on Amazon's commerce business as a reason to own the stock. This is natural, as this is the part of the business that most people interact with frequently. Furthermore, AWS accounts for only 18% of Amazon's total sales, so it's just a fraction of Amazon's overall sales. But that's the wrong way of looking at it. Amazon is a very diverse business, and the reality is that its commerce side doesn't make a ton of profit. This isn't anything new. Look at other retailers, and their financials will show you razor-thin profit margins. Cloud computing is a different business entirely. It has strong operating margins, with the third quarter coming in at 35%. So, despite AWS only making up a small chunk of Amazon's total business, it accounted for 66% of operating profits in Q3. Expand NASDAQ : AMZN Amazon Today's Change ( -0.60 %) $ -1.46 Current Price $ 243.22 Key Data Points Market Cap $2.6T Day's Range $ 241.53 - $ 247.77 52wk Range $ 161.38 - $ 258.60 Volume 1.6M Avg Vol 45M Gross Margin 50.05 % As a result, I would consider AWS the most important part of the business, because it generates the majority of the profits. Furthermore, AWS' growth rate is accelerating. In Q3, its revenue increased by 20% ...
A group of protesters supporting a Palestine Action prisoner on hunger strike have been arrested after they breached prison grounds, the Metropolitan police has said. The force said on Saturday evening that it had detained a group of protesters outside HMP Wormwood Scrubs, in west London, and was in the process of making a number of arrests. According to the force, the group refused to leave the g...
A group of protesters supporting a Palestine Action prisoner on hunger strike have been arrested after they breached prison grounds, the Metropolitan police has said. The force said on Saturday evening that it had detained a group of protesters outside HMP Wormwood Scrubs, in west London, and was in the process of making a number of arrests. According to the force, the group refused to leave the grounds when ordered to do so, allegedly blocked prison staff from entering and leaving, and threatened police officers. The Met said a number of them also managed to get inside a staff entrance area of a prison building. The group were arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass, the force said. Footage shared on social media showed a group chanting outside the prison, with some holding signs. At one point, the group can be seen moving towards a building – and one clip appears to show some demonstrators inside. It is understood they were holding the demonstration in support of Umer Khalid. He is the last remaining participant in the Prisoners for Palestine hunger strike campaign, according to the group.
The Trump administration is planning to invest $1.6 billion into USA Rare Earth, the Financial Times reported , citing unidentified people familiar with the matter. The US government will receive a 10% stake in the mining company, the paper said, adding that the the investment and a separate $1 billion private financial deal are expected to be announced on Monday. One of the people told the Financ...
The Trump administration is planning to invest $1.6 billion into USA Rare Earth, the Financial Times reported , citing unidentified people familiar with the matter. The US government will receive a 10% stake in the mining company, the paper said, adding that the the investment and a separate $1 billion private financial deal are expected to be announced on Monday. One of the people told the Financial Times that the government will receive 16.1 million shares in USA Rare Earth and warrants for another 17.6 million shares, both priced at $17.17 a share. USA Rare Earth will also receive $1.3 billion in senior secured debt financing at market rates from the government, which will be funded from a finance facility created for the Department of Commerce as part of the CHIPS and Science Act, the report said. USA Rare Earth and the Commerce Department could not be immediately reached for comment outside of normal business hours. Read more: US Miner Eyes Global Rare Earths Clout With Australian Deal (2)