Beijing is prioritising “strategic material security” under its new 15th five-year plan that elevates the supply and domestic stockpiling of critical resources to a matter of national security. Under the blueprint, Beijing is positioning “key commodities” on the same strategic footing as food and energy security, saying China will take a more active role in strengthening “energy and resource suppl...
Beijing is prioritising “strategic material security” under its new 15th five-year plan that elevates the supply and domestic stockpiling of critical resources to a matter of national security. Under the blueprint, Beijing is positioning “key commodities” on the same strategic footing as food and energy security, saying China will take a more active role in strengthening “energy and resource supply security” by “preventing and mitigating major risks in systemically important areas”. To achieve this, the Asian economic giant aims to address “weak links” in its supply chains, which are areas where it relies too heavily on foreign technology or companies. Advertisement By strengthening these sectors and ensuring stable supplies of raw materials, including oil, minerals and metals, China intends to protect its industries from global trade shocks and ensure its factories continue running during international crises to boost economic self-reliance and long-term stability. Zhou Yuyuan, deputy director of the Institute for Foreign Policy Studies at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, said these “weak links” were identified by heavy import dependence, exposure to foreign export controls and reliance on US-patented technology. Advertisement
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Perhaps no stock has symbolized the artificial intelligence (AI) era more than Nvidia. Thanks to AI, it became the first company to reach a $4 trillion market cap, then beat its own record a few months later by exceeding $5 trillion. Other big tech companies have captured AI headlines in recent years as well, such as Meta Platforms with its plan to build a data center the size of a city to house i...
Perhaps no stock has symbolized the artificial intelligence (AI) era more than Nvidia. Thanks to AI, it became the first company to reach a $4 trillion market cap, then beat its own record a few months later by exceeding $5 trillion. Other big tech companies have captured AI headlines in recent years as well, such as Meta Platforms with its plan to build a data center the size of a city to house its AI tech. Yet several smaller businesses are poised to see substantial growth in the years ahead as the AI market expands. These lesser-known growth stocks offer a great way to capture AI's upside potential. Three in this camp that I predict will deliver attractive returns over the long run are Symbotic (SYM 2.30%), Fastly (FSLY 4.73%), and Astera Labs (ALAB 8.02%). Symbotic's AI-powered robots Symbotic provides warehouse automation, using artificial intelligence to manage a fleet of robot workers. The global AI-powered robotics market is forecasted to expand from $7.5 billion in 2026 to $60.7 billion by 2034, providing a tailwind for its business. Consequently, Symbotic's sales are soaring. In its fiscal first quarter (ended Dec. 27, 2025), the company reported a strong 29% year-over-year increase in revenue to $630 million. It expects sales to continue growing in the second quarter, with estimates between $650 million to $670 million, representing growth from the prior year's $550 million. Its fiscal Q1 2026 net income of $13 million was a dramatic turnaround from a $17 million net loss in the prior year. This indicates that its financial health is strengthening. Expand NASDAQ : SYM Symbotic Today's Change ( -2.30 %) $ -1.18 Current Price $ 50.10 Key Data Points Market Cap $31B Day's Range $ 49.44 - $ 52.04 52wk Range $ 16.32 - $ 87.88 Volume 39K Avg Vol 1.8M Gross Margin 18.90 % Symbotic has a multi-year agreement to deploy its systems to all of Walmart's 42 distribution centers. It also had 11 total customers at the end of fiscal Q1 2026, and is regularly improving it...
AutumnSkyPhotography/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Investment Thesis Qualcomm ( QCOM ) is one of the clearest opportunities in the market right now. The market is missing two of the clearest pieces of evidence of a hidden opportunity: 1) a $45B design-win pipeline in the automotive market, and 2) entering the data center market, where, with a 2% modest performance, the company can capture an a...
AutumnSkyPhotography/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Investment Thesis Qualcomm ( QCOM ) is one of the clearest opportunities in the market right now. The market is missing two of the clearest pieces of evidence of a hidden opportunity: 1) a $45B design-win pipeline in the automotive market, and 2) entering the data center market, where, with a 2% modest performance, the company can capture an additional $10 billion, and Qualcomm's technical capabilities are able to do much more. The market is pricing the company as a chipmaker, where almost 20% of its revenues are going to be lost against Apple and, besides, MediaTek (TWSE: 2454) competition, which will erode its margin in higher premium modem chips in the Android ecosystem. The market is considering that the company won’t be able to replace the margin lost and that all the growth drivers will not be successful, even the last one, entering the data center market. The market is missing the technological moat the company is building around its Snapdragon platform. The Main Strength in Qualcomm's Competitive Advantage The main incremental growth driver in Qualcomm's thesis is the ability to design an integrated SoC containing an efficient CPU, GPU, and cellular modem. This is not a product but a complete platform that requires deep technical expertise. That is what Qualcomm has been working on, and if successful, it will be its main advantage over the competition, similar to what it got with cellular modem technology. Apple ( AAPL ) has implemented a similar model, but only for its device ecosystem. MediaTek is catching up with high-premium cellular modems, and Nvidia has specialized in high-performance GPUs, CPUs, and networking equipment for data centers; however, those companies haven’t developed an extended platform. The problem is that this Qualcomm platform is not yet a clear leader; it is just a potential platform. It is hard to assure its success, but what we can see is the company's achievements. Qualcomm i...
AutumnSkyPhotography/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Investment Thesis Qualcomm ( QCOM ) is one of the clearest opportunities in the market right now. The market is missing two of the clearest pieces of evidence of a hidden opportunity: 1) a $45B design-win pipeline in the automotive market, and 2) entering the data center market, where, with a 2% modest performance, the company can capture an a...
AutumnSkyPhotography/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Investment Thesis Qualcomm ( QCOM ) is one of the clearest opportunities in the market right now. The market is missing two of the clearest pieces of evidence of a hidden opportunity: 1) a $45B design-win pipeline in the automotive market, and 2) entering the data center market, where, with a 2% modest performance, the company can capture an additional $10 billion, and Qualcomm's technical capabilities are able to do much more. The market is pricing the company as a chipmaker, where almost 20% of its revenues are going to be lost against Apple and, besides, MediaTek (TWSE: 2454) competition, which will erode its margin in higher premium modem chips in the Android ecosystem. The market is considering that the company won’t be able to replace the margin lost and that all the growth drivers will not be successful, even the last one, entering the data center market. The market is missing the technological moat the company is building around its Snapdragon platform. The Main Strength in Qualcomm's Competitive Advantage The main incremental growth driver in Qualcomm's thesis is the ability to design an integrated SoC containing an efficient CPU, GPU, and cellular modem. This is not a product but a complete platform that requires deep technical expertise. That is what Qualcomm has been working on, and if successful, it will be its main advantage over the competition, similar to what it got with cellular modem technology. Apple ( AAPL ) has implemented a similar model, but only for its device ecosystem. MediaTek is catching up with high-premium cellular modems, and Nvidia has specialized in high-performance GPUs, CPUs, and networking equipment for data centers; however, those companies haven’t developed an extended platform. The problem is that this Qualcomm platform is not yet a clear leader; it is just a potential platform. It is hard to assure its success, but what we can see is the company's achievements. Qualcomm i...
Key Points Global Partners LP's COO disposed of 15,611 common units for a total value of approximately $740,000 at a weighted average price of $47.38 per unit across three trading days ending March 18, 2026. Current geopolitical tensions threaten retail gas supply, in which Global Partners has a strong presence. 10 stocks we like better than Global Partners › Mark Romaine, Chief Operating Officer ...
Key Points Global Partners LP's COO disposed of 15,611 common units for a total value of approximately $740,000 at a weighted average price of $47.38 per unit across three trading days ending March 18, 2026. Current geopolitical tensions threaten retail gas supply, in which Global Partners has a strong presence. 10 stocks we like better than Global Partners › Mark Romaine, Chief Operating Officer of Global Partners LP (NYSE:GLP), reported the direct sale of 15,611 common units across multiple transactions between March 16 and March 18, 2026, as disclosed in a SEC Form 4 filing. Transaction summary Metric Value Units sold (direct) 15,611 Transaction value ~$740,000 Post-transaction units (direct) 146,874 Post-transaction value (direct ownership) ~$7.04 million Transaction value based on SEC Form 4 weighted average purchase price ($47.38); post-transaction value is based on March 18, 2026 market close price ($47.92). Key questions What is the context of these transactions? Because Global Partners LP is a Master Limited Partnership (MLP), Romaine sold common units, not shares. Common units represent how much ownership limited partners of an MLP, like Romain, have. Because Global Partners LP is a Master Limited Partnership (MLP), Romaine sold common units, not shares. Common units represent how much ownership limited partners of an MLP, like Romain, have. Did this transaction involve any derivative securities or indirect ownership structures? No options or indirect entities were involved; the sale was limited to directly held common units, with no gifts, withholdings, or related-party transfers reported. Company overview Metric Value Revenue (TTM) $18.56 million Net income (TTM) $72.09 million Distribution yield 6.52% Price (as of 3/21/26) $46.64 Company snapshot Global Partners LP is a large-scale energy midstream operator with a diversified asset base spanning fuel distribution, storage, and retail operations. It offers a broad portfolio of petroleum products, renewab...
jetcityimage/iStock Editorial via Getty Images So far in 2026, investors have seemingly been looking for every reason to sell stocks. The Q4 earnings season has largely sparked sharp selloffs in many stocks, combined on top of a shaky global macroeconomy and the risk of prolonged tension in the Middle East. Carvana ( CVNA ), the used auto retailer that skyrocketed in 2025, has been one of the hard...
jetcityimage/iStock Editorial via Getty Images So far in 2026, investors have seemingly been looking for every reason to sell stocks. The Q4 earnings season has largely sparked sharp selloffs in many stocks, combined on top of a shaky global macroeconomy and the risk of prolonged tension in the Middle East. Carvana ( CVNA ), the used auto retailer that skyrocketed in 2025, has been one of the hardest-hit stocks this year. Since the start of January, shares of Carvana have lost about ~30% of their value and are also down ~40% from brief YTD peaks just shy of $480 notched in late January. Carvana has continued to sell off after a mixed Q4 earnings report, which featured sharp growth in retail unit sales and massive revenue growth but was mixed against weaker gross margins. The question for investors now is, how serious is the profit hit, and can Carvana recover from here? Data by YCharts In my view, investors have raised legitimate concerns about Carvana's path to profitability, kindling long-term debates about Carvana's consistent use of custom metrics such as "gross profit per unit". I'll cut to the chase here: relative to my last buy rating on Carvana in December, I do agree that more risks have emerged in this company as the macro may weigh on car sales. That said, amid the compression in Carvana's valuation multiples and its aggressive growth targets, I remain at a buy rating here. Gross Profit Compression Offset by Sales Economies of Scale Let's dig immediately into the main reason that Carvana shares have sold off sharply post-earnings: a decline in gross profit per unit (GPU). As its name suggests, this Carvana-custom metric signals the amount of gross profit that Carvana earns on its average retail car transactions. Consistent improvements in GPU have been a core driver for the bull thesis in Carvana, and that story was broken in Q4. In Q4, retail GPU (as a reminder, retail sales are the bulk of Carvana's revenue) declined -8% y/y to $3,076. Carvana GPU trend...