This article first appeared on GuruFocus. The Pentagon plans to designate Palantir's (NASDAQ:PLTR) Maven artificial intelligence platform as an official program of record, a move that would secure long-term funding and broader military adoption, according to a letter from Deputy Secretary of Defense Steve Feinberg reviewed by Reuters. Feinberg told senior Pentagon leaders and military commanders t...
This article first appeared on GuruFocus. The Pentagon plans to designate Palantir's (NASDAQ:PLTR) Maven artificial intelligence platform as an official program of record, a move that would secure long-term funding and broader military adoption, according to a letter from Deputy Secretary of Defense Steve Feinberg reviewed by Reuters. Feinberg told senior Pentagon leaders and military commanders that embedding the Maven Smart System would equip warfighters with tools to detect and deter adversaries across all domains. The change is expected to take effect by the end of the fiscal year in September. Maven is basically a command-and-control platform that integrates data from satellites, drones, and sensors into a unified interface for battlefield monitoring and threat assessment. The memo directs oversight of the system to shift from the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency to the Pentagon's Chief Digital Artificial Intelligence Office within 30 days. Future contracting with Palantir will be handled by the Army, the letter said. Palantir, a major government contractor, secured a $10 billion Army contract last year. The company says its software does not make lethal decisions, with humans remaining responsible for selecting targets.
z1b/iStock via Getty Images Right now, the market is selling off aggressively because of the war in Iran. It has backfired with Iran blocking the Strait of Hormuz and hitting the energy infrastructure of neighboring Gulf countries. As a result, oil prices are now above $100, and investors are all panicking about a potential surge in inflation. This increase in inflation expectation is already refl...
z1b/iStock via Getty Images Right now, the market is selling off aggressively because of the war in Iran. It has backfired with Iran blocking the Strait of Hormuz and hitting the energy infrastructure of neighboring Gulf countries. As a result, oil prices are now above $100, and investors are all panicking about a potential surge in inflation. This increase in inflation expectation is already reflected in the rising long-term Treasury yields ( IEF ): Data by YCharts This surge in yields has led to a sharp sell-off in stocks, especially those that are seen as bond proxies, including REITs ( VNQ ). While this is a clear setback and adds another layer of risks to monitor, I am not changing my approach because of this. This oil spike happened during an otherwise very favorable inflation backdrop, with real-time inflation at just 0.7%, according to Truflation , and "energy commodities" make up only 3% of the total CPI basket. It will also indirectly impact many other consumer goods, but even then, analysts at Capital Economics predict that sustained $100 oil would only increase the CPI rate by 0.5-1%. Even if it got worse than that, I doubt that the Fed would hike rates, as this is likely a transitory increase, followed by a return to much lower prices. That's exactly what the US Energy Information Administration recently projected: Energy Information Administration They see this oil supply disruption as a temporary event and predict oil prices to come back down to about $60-70 by the end of the year. The professional oil price forecasters of the New York Mercantile Exchange ("NYMEX") see it the same way. Why is that? 5 reasons: Drilling is immensely profitable at $100 oil, so it will naturally lead to a lot more supply. Reserves are now being tapped to increase the supply, and sanctions on even bad actors, including Russia and Iran, are being eased. Higher gasoline prices will destroy demand as people gradually adjust their purchase decisions. If this eventually hurts t...
winhorse XPeng ( XPEV ) is on the radar of analysts after last week's earnings report. The Chinese electric vehicle maker posted its first quarterly profit ever on a mix of higher-margin models sold. The company's focus on physical AI was also a major talking point of investors. Nomura maintained a Buy rating on XPeng ( XPEV ) following the report. Analysts Joel Ying and Ethan Zhang pointed to XPe...
winhorse XPeng ( XPEV ) is on the radar of analysts after last week's earnings report. The Chinese electric vehicle maker posted its first quarterly profit ever on a mix of higher-margin models sold. The company's focus on physical AI was also a major talking point of investors. Nomura maintained a Buy rating on XPeng ( XPEV ) following the report. Analysts Joel Ying and Ethan Zhang pointed to XPeng's ( XPEV ) reasonable business plan covering both near- and long-term strategy. "We believe XPeng's business plan is well positioned for the 2026 auto market, supported by its relatively strong product pipeline and dual powertrain strategy, while at the same time the company is actively exploring opportunities in physical AI to boost long-term growth," they wrote. Nomura lowered FY26-27 shipment estimates for the EV maker due to the current market environment and product pipeline, but the firm's price target of $23 implies more than 30% upside. Morgan Stanley has an Overweight rating on XPeng ( XPEV ) and a price target of $34 (85% upside). Analyst Tim Hsiao pointed to second-half catalysts for XPeng ( XPEV ). The stock is expected to bounce when investor appetite for AI-related stocks picks back up. "Aftersales, auto financing, and overseas carbon credits revenue could also bring revenue upside via XPeng's expanding global fleet," he noted. Notably, XPeng ( XPEV ) is looking for commercial robotaxi operations to begin in the second half of the year, and the company is targeting removal of safety drivers by 2027. XPeng ( XPEV ) will also consider strategic partnerships for overseas robotaxi launch in 2027. Shares of XPeng ( XPEV ) were up 3.8% in premarket trading to $18.21. More on XPeng XPeng: Q4 Net Profit, Leading Gross Margins, Cheap XPeng Inc. (XPEV) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript Xpeng Q4 Earnings Preview: Chinese EV Landscape Turned Unfavorable XPeng Non-GAAP EPADS of $0.07 beats by $0.08, revenue of $3.18B misses by $10M 3 things to look forward to on Friday
Bitcoin coin with ETF text 24K-Production/iStock Editorial via Getty Images The NEOS Bitcoin High Income ETF ( BTCI ) is a covered call ETF that uses yield enhancement to squeeze as much income as possible from Bitcoin's ( BTC-USD ) legendary volatility. Bitcoin is more volatile than the stock market, and volatile assets tend to produce high option premiums. So, it should come as no surprise that ...
Bitcoin coin with ETF text 24K-Production/iStock Editorial via Getty Images The NEOS Bitcoin High Income ETF ( BTCI ) is a covered call ETF that uses yield enhancement to squeeze as much income as possible from Bitcoin's ( BTC-USD ) legendary volatility. Bitcoin is more volatile than the stock market, and volatile assets tend to produce high option premiums. So, it should come as no surprise that BTCI has a high trailing dividend yield, 43% according to Seeking Alpha Quant . With higher volatility comes higher yield. The ability to turn Bitcoin's volatility into cash income may seem exciting. Bitcoin has been trending basically flat over the last few years, meaning it has provided little return while being exposed to considerable risk. Bitcoin's price return (i.e., its only return) is less than half that of the S&P 500 in the last five years. BTCI promises to turn Bitcoin's volatility into a source of return, collecting large option premiums and paying them out to shareholders, giving them a little buffer against Bitcoin's price declines. Bitcoin lags the S&P 500 (Seeking Alpha Quant) A 25% total return over five years is only 4.59% CAGR. So, Bitcoin has delivered underwhelming returns over the last five years, barely more than flat if you look at the results on a compounded annual basis. This fact arguably makes Bitcoin appealing for use in a covered call fund. Such funds actually perform best in sideways or near-sideways markets because their strategy is all about sacrificing upside for premium income. When there's no upside to be had, the premium income that covered calls provide leads to real outperformance. Few asset classes have performed as perfectly for a covered call strategy over the last five years as crypto. First, it has been extremely volatile, resulting in high premium income. Second, it has trended slightly bullish but close to flat over the long term. Both of these characteristics are well suited to the covered call strategy. In the last year, I've ...
JHVEPhoto/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Enbridge ( ENB ) is a dividend investor favorite and has been a decent, but not great, total return performer the past decade. After the recent run-up in stock price, investors might want to reassess holding it, though. In the next decade, Enbridge profiles as a slow-to-no-growth, maintenance-heavy midstream that will likely face higher financing costs. ...
JHVEPhoto/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Enbridge ( ENB ) is a dividend investor favorite and has been a decent, but not great, total return performer the past decade. After the recent run-up in stock price, investors might want to reassess holding it, though. In the next decade, Enbridge profiles as a slow-to-no-growth, maintenance-heavy midstream that will likely face higher financing costs. That leaves the company vulnerable to a correction back into the $40s and possibly $30s if the overall stock market breaks down further or if Enbridge runs into business issues. Enbridge has not been a growth play for over a decade, so growth investors should have moved on a long time ago. For those looking for more than a stable dividend, who want at least some inflation-beating growth, it is time to sell Enbridge and move on to better total return plays. Enbridge Quick Take Enbridge transports, distributes and generates energy across North America. They are one of the primary choke points on the energy toll road. Enbridge operates in four core businesses: Liquids pipelines that connect major inland oil supply to downstream refineries and export markets. Enbridge controls the largest North American crude export facility at Ingleside Energy Center. Operates about 71,000 miles of almost impossible-to-replace or replicate natural gas pipelines and transport a bit over half of all Gulf Coast natural gas production. It is connected to all (or almost all if I missed something) U.S. Gulf Coast export terminals. Stores and distributes natural gas via a regulated utility business. Most of its revenue comes from "rate-base" pricing, which is predictable but thin on margins - think lots and lots of hamburgers, not a big juicy steak. Renewable power generation is the backbone of their growth operations that benefit from secular electrification tailwinds. Operations are backed by long-term power demand, and they have a deep list of blue-chip customers. The company's biggest advantage i...
alvarez/E+ via Getty Images Venture Global ( VG ) said Monday that commodities trader Vitol agreed to purchase 1.5M metric tons/year of U.S. liquefied natural gas from the company for five years starting later this year. " Global demand for flexible, reliable U.S. LNG is rapidly growing, and Venture Global is proud to work with premier LNG trading companies like Vitol to provide this critical supp...
alvarez/E+ via Getty Images Venture Global ( VG ) said Monday that commodities trader Vitol agreed to purchase 1.5M metric tons/year of U.S. liquefied natural gas from the company for five years starting later this year. " Global demand for flexible, reliable U.S. LNG is rapidly growing, and Venture Global is proud to work with premier LNG trading companies like Vitol to provide this critical supply to the market," Venture Global ( VG ) CEO Mike Sabel said. More on Venture Global Venture Global: Buy The Iran Spike Venture Global: A Good Hedge For LNG Disruption, But Long-Term Sell Venture Global: Don't Chase Price Spikes, But Own For Long-Term Growth
The U.S. Federal Reserve has cut the federal funds rate (overnight interest rate) six times since September 2024, as policymakers believed they had finally tamed the inflation surge from 2022. However, the Fed's preferred measure of inflation, the core personal consumption expenditures price index (PCE), is now ticking higher once again, while the job market is showing signs of weakness at the sam...
The U.S. Federal Reserve has cut the federal funds rate (overnight interest rate) six times since September 2024, as policymakers believed they had finally tamed the inflation surge from 2022. However, the Fed's preferred measure of inflation, the core personal consumption expenditures price index (PCE), is now ticking higher once again, while the job market is showing signs of weakness at the same time. This has put the Fed in a bind. According to its latest quarterly Summary of Economic Projections (SEP) report, policymakers are struggling to agree on the potential direction of interest rates from here. Neither consumers, businesses, nor investors like making big financial decisions in the face of uncertainty, which is bad news for the economy. The benchmark S&P 500 (^GSPC 1.51%) stock market index is already in the throes of a sell-off, having lost more than 6% of its peak value so far. Below, I will explore the potential timing of the Fed's next rate cut, and what it means for stocks going forward. The Fed's dual mandate is in conflict The Fed has two primary objectives: Maintain an annual inflation rate of around 2% (as measured by the PCE), and keep the economy running at full employment (although there is no official target for the unemployment rate). Right now, those goals are at odds. Over the last four months, core PCE has ticked higher, from an annualized rate of 2.8% to an annualized rate of 3.1%. Therefore, inflation is not only above the Fed's 2% target, it's also trending higher -- which might suggest interest rates should move up, not down. With that said, inflation is tricky to measure right now because of the Trump administration's tariffs on imported goods, and the ongoing geopolitical tensions that have triggered a surge in the price of oil. These headwinds make the Fed's job very difficult, because the U.S. government can reduce tariffs at any moment, and it can also resolve the conflict in the Middle East, which would theoretically ease inflati...
Investors should be familiar with the fact that the stock market is arguably the best means of building significant wealth. It won't happen overnight, and it requires patience and discipline. But the rewards are worth it. In the past decade, the S&P 500 index generated a total return of 283% (as of March 19). There are many companies, Amazon (AMZN 1.66%) being a great example, that have performed ...
Investors should be familiar with the fact that the stock market is arguably the best means of building significant wealth. It won't happen overnight, and it requires patience and discipline. But the rewards are worth it. In the past decade, the S&P 500 index generated a total return of 283% (as of March 19). There are many companies, Amazon (AMZN 1.66%) being a great example, that have performed even better. So you might be interested in learning how to filter the sea of potential opportunities into a much smaller list that warrants further study. Here are three of the most important questions that investors should ask before buying any stock. Do I understand how this business makes money? Perhaps nothing in investing is as important as understanding how a company actually makes money. Take Amazon. It certainly generates sizable revenue from its retail operations. Online and physical stores combined brought in $89 billion in revenue in the fourth quarter of 2025. Digital advertising is a budding division, reporting stellar 22% year-over-year revenue growth to $21 million during the fourth quarter. There's Amazon Web Services. This is the company's dominant cloud computing platform, which registered a spectacular operating margin of 35% in 2025. Amazon also makes money from its popular Prime memberships and other services. Subscription sales totaled $13 billion in Q4. Is there an economic moat? Amazon's incredible success over such a long period can partly be credited to its economic moat. An economic moat consists of a single durable competitive advantage or a combination of strengths that allows a business to outcompete rivals and discourage new industry entrants. Amazon is an elite company because its online marketplace benefits from a network effect. Its cloud platform benefits from switching costs. Both of these segments also have cost advantages, as their scale supports efficiencies and profit generation. When it comes to intangible assets, Amazon's brand name...
Key Points The Federal Reserve is tasked with keeping inflation under control, and maintaining a healthy employment market. Those objectives are at odds right now, and policymakers are split on where interest rates should go from here. Uncertainty about monetary policy could make investors nervous, and potentially fuel weakness in the stock market in the short term. 10 stocks we like better than S...
Key Points The Federal Reserve is tasked with keeping inflation under control, and maintaining a healthy employment market. Those objectives are at odds right now, and policymakers are split on where interest rates should go from here. Uncertainty about monetary policy could make investors nervous, and potentially fuel weakness in the stock market in the short term. 10 stocks we like better than S&P 500 Index › The U.S. Federal Reserve has cut the federal funds rate (overnight interest rate) six times since September 2024, as policymakers believed they had finally tamed the inflation surge from 2022. However, the Fed's preferred measure of inflation, the core personal consumption expenditures price index (PCE), is now ticking higher once again, while the job market is showing signs of weakness at the same time. This has put the Fed in a bind. According to its latest quarterly Summary of Economic Projections (SEP) report, policymakers are struggling to agree on the potential direction of interest rates from here. Neither consumers, businesses, nor investors like making big financial decisions in the face of uncertainty, which is bad news for the economy. Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue » The benchmark S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) stock market index is already in the throes of a sell-off, having lost more than 6% of its peak value so far. Below, I will explore the potential timing of the Fed's next rate cut, and what it means for stocks going forward. The Fed's dual mandate is in conflict The Fed has two primary objectives: Maintain an annual inflation rate of around 2% (as measured by the PCE), and keep the economy running at full employment (although there is no official target for the unemployment rate). Right now, those goals are at odds. Over the last four months, core PCE has ticked...
This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Nebius Group (NASDAQ:NBIS) is clearly gearing up for a bigger AI push, raising about $4.3 billion through a convertible debt offering to fund its data center buildout. The structure is fairly straightforward. The company issued $2.58 billion of 1.250% notes due 2031, including an extra $337.5 million that buyers opted into, and another $1.75 billion of 2.6...
This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Nebius Group (NASDAQ:NBIS) is clearly gearing up for a bigger AI push, raising about $4.3 billion through a convertible debt offering to fund its data center buildout. The structure is fairly straightforward. The company issued $2.58 billion of 1.250% notes due 2031, including an extra $337.5 million that buyers opted into, and another $1.75 billion of 2.625% notes due 2033. That brings the total to around $4.34 billion, with the possibility of a bit more if investors take up an additional $262.5 million option on the longer-dated notes. What makes this more interesting is the timing. Nebius recently locked in a massive $27 billion, 5-year deal with Meta (NASDAQ:META) to provide AI infrastructure, and Nvidia (NVDA) has also stepped in with a $2 billion investment. So this raise looks less like a precaution and more like preparation.
Daniel Gech looks at prices on a board at a Sokimex petrol station in Phnom Penh and winces. Four weeks into the war in the Middle East, the ripple effects of a faraway conflict are beginning to threaten the Cambodian teenager’s ability to earn and learn. The 16-year-old hustles on his moped between his home and school, followed by an evening job and back. It now costs him an extra US$2 a day to f...
Daniel Gech looks at prices on a board at a Sokimex petrol station in Phnom Penh and winces. Four weeks into the war in the Middle East, the ripple effects of a faraway conflict are beginning to threaten the Cambodian teenager’s ability to earn and learn. The 16-year-old hustles on his moped between his home and school, followed by an evening job and back. It now costs him an extra US$2 a day to fill up his tank – or US$14 a week – and the price is rising, a significant surge in a country where the average wage is just over US$10 a day. “The prices started to go up immediately after the war started,” he said, as he made a QR payment on Sunday morning for a litre of fuel that cost 5,400 Cambodian riel (US$1.34), 2,000 riel higher than before the war. Advertisement “It’s too much already, and it’s getting worse each day.” Southeast Asia is dangerously exposed to the throttling of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran, which has weaponised global energy supply in an asymmetrical response to the devastating military assaults by the US and Israel. Advertisement The combatants have made shrill threats to target energy facilities across the Gulf as the war rages on into its fourth week. The price of Brent crude has oscillated between US$100 and US$110 per barrel in recent weeks, or 20 per cent higher than before Israeli and American jets began bombing Iran on February 28.
This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD) could be getting a meaningful foothold in the AI race, with Korea's Upstage in talks to buy around 10,000 of its latest AI chips. The discussions are centered on AMD's MI355 accelerators, which Upstage wants to use to scale up its AI compute capabilities. CEO Sung Kim said the talks followed a recent meeting with Lisa Su...
This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD) could be getting a meaningful foothold in the AI race, with Korea's Upstage in talks to buy around 10,000 of its latest AI chips. The discussions are centered on AMD's MI355 accelerators, which Upstage wants to use to scale up its AI compute capabilities. CEO Sung Kim said the talks followed a recent meeting with Lisa Su in Seoul, and the motivation is pretty clear. Korea already relies heavily on Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) chips, but companies are now actively looking to diversify their supply. That shift is happening against a bigger backdrop. Upstage is part of a government-backed push to build top-tier AI models, where teams are evaluated every 6 months in a competitive program. The winners get access to more advanced computing resources, which makes securing chip supply a critical advantage.
Advanced Micro Devices AMD could be getting a meaningful foothold in the AI race, with Korea's Upstage in talks to buy around 10,000 of its latest AI chips. The discussions are centered on AMD's MI355 accelerators, which Upstage wants to use to scale up its AI compute capabilities. CEO Sung Kim said the talks followed a recent meeting with Lisa Su in Seoul, and the motivation is pretty clear. Kore...
Advanced Micro Devices AMD could be getting a meaningful foothold in the AI race, with Korea's Upstage in talks to buy around 10,000 of its latest AI chips. The discussions are centered on AMD's MI355 accelerators, which Upstage wants to use to scale up its AI compute capabilities. CEO Sung Kim said the talks followed a recent meeting with Lisa Su in Seoul, and the motivation is pretty clear. Korea already relies heavily on Nvidia NVDA chips, but companies are now actively looking to diversify their supply. That shift is happening against a bigger backdrop. Upstage is part of a government-backed push to build top-tier AI models, where teams are evaluated every 6 months in a competitive program. The winners get access to more advanced computing resources, which makes securing chip supply a critical advantage.