Fritz Jorgensen Meta Platforms ( META ) is expanding its Business Agent platform and is now offering an AI-powered agent for businesses of all sizes that can answer customer questions, make product recommendations, book appointments, and qualify incoming leads. The AI agent can also search through chats and compile a “morning brief” that provides insight into relevant threads. Meta ( META ) is sta...
Fritz Jorgensen Meta Platforms ( META ) is expanding its Business Agent platform and is now offering an AI-powered agent for businesses of all sizes that can answer customer questions, make product recommendations, book appointments, and qualify incoming leads. The AI agent can also search through chats and compile a “morning brief” that provides insight into relevant threads. Meta ( META ) is starting with a select number of businesses on the WhatsApp Business app, Instagram Pro, Messenger, and Meta Business Suite, and will eventually expand its capabilities to complete tasks such as market research, product insights, and to provide “competitive intelligence.” Meta ( META ) also introduced the Meta Business Agent Platform, an agentic platform that enables businesses to build, customize, and deploy their Business Agent at scale. Finally, a search engine powered by Meta Business Agent directly on WhatsApp will make it easier for people to find businesses by searching by business name, phone number, or contact name. Source More on Meta Meta Platforms: The Market Is Missing What Nvidia Just Confirmed Meta: The 'Zuckerberg Discount' May Soon Turn Into A Premium Meta: From Social Media To Superintelligence EchoStar tops communications services stocks in short interest; Alphabet sees the lowest exposure Meta secures mixed EU court ruling over gatekeeper status
Fritz Jorgensen Meta Platforms ( META ) is expanding its Business Agent platform and is now offering an AI-powered agent for businesses of all sizes that can answer customer questions, make product recommendations, book appointments, and qualify incoming leads. The AI agent can also search through chats and compile a “morning brief” that provides insight into relevant threads. Meta ( META ) is sta...
Fritz Jorgensen Meta Platforms ( META ) is expanding its Business Agent platform and is now offering an AI-powered agent for businesses of all sizes that can answer customer questions, make product recommendations, book appointments, and qualify incoming leads. The AI agent can also search through chats and compile a “morning brief” that provides insight into relevant threads. Meta ( META ) is starting with a select number of businesses on the WhatsApp Business app, Instagram Pro, Messenger, and Meta Business Suite, and will eventually expand its capabilities to complete tasks such as market research, product insights, and to provide “competitive intelligence.” Meta ( META ) also introduced the Meta Business Agent Platform, an agentic platform that enables businesses to build, customize, and deploy their Business Agent at scale. Finally, a search engine powered by Meta Business Agent directly on WhatsApp will make it easier for people to find businesses by searching by business name, phone number, or contact name. Source More on Meta Meta Platforms: The Market Is Missing What Nvidia Just Confirmed Meta: The 'Zuckerberg Discount' May Soon Turn Into A Premium Meta: From Social Media To Superintelligence EchoStar tops communications services stocks in short interest; Alphabet sees the lowest exposure Meta secures mixed EU court ruling over gatekeeper status
lcva2/iStock Editorial via Getty Images My Previous Coverages I have discussed Microsoft Corporation ( MSFT ) before several times. In the first 4 of my articles, I was bullish on MSFT. You can see the history of my coverage here: link to coverage history . But I decided to put it on Hold in July 2025. I was concerned with MSFT's valuation then. And I'm happy I did that. Since then, MSFT's stock p...
lcva2/iStock Editorial via Getty Images My Previous Coverages I have discussed Microsoft Corporation ( MSFT ) before several times. In the first 4 of my articles, I was bullish on MSFT. You can see the history of my coverage here: link to coverage history . But I decided to put it on Hold in July 2025. I was concerned with MSFT's valuation then. And I'm happy I did that. Since then, MSFT's stock price has decreased to as low as below $400 per share. But I started buying more of MSFT's shares at ~$416 per share. That's when I published my last article. I declared MSFT a Buy . And since then, its stock price has increased by ~10.7%. Seeking Alpha Now, I decided to prepare a follow-up coverage. Because I have MSFT's data for Q3 2026 (fiscal). And because I want to comment on the change in its valuation. But I can say right from the get-go: MSFT is still a buy for me. I think the opportunity is still there. And I expect double-digit total returns from MSFT. I will start with the review of recent business data. MSFT Scored A Great Quarter As Always, MSFT Keeps Growing and Upholding High Profitability I see that the growth ( 18% on y/o/y basis , which I'm very happy about) is still driven by the cloud segment. But the main (historically) segment, Productivity and Business Processes, keeps scoring double-digit growth rates. Which I find very reassuring in MSFT's ability to develop its business. But what I like the most about MSFT is the profitability. With high double-digit margins, I believe MSFT is one of the most profitable businesses out there. And that's especially impressive to me given its scale and growth rate. To me, that's evidence of MSFT's top-tier quality. MSFT's Investor Presentation I listened to the last Earnings Call of the Company. And I saw that the management was very satisfied with MSFT's performance. As the CEO mentioned: It was a record third quarter powered by the continued strength of Microsoft Cloud, which exceeded $54 billion in revenue, up 29% y...
lcva2/iStock Editorial via Getty Images My Previous Coverages I have discussed Microsoft Corporation ( MSFT ) before several times. In the first 4 of my articles, I was bullish on MSFT. You can see the history of my coverage here: link to coverage history . But I decided to put it on Hold in July 2025. I was concerned with MSFT's valuation then. And I'm happy I did that. Since then, MSFT's stock p...
lcva2/iStock Editorial via Getty Images My Previous Coverages I have discussed Microsoft Corporation ( MSFT ) before several times. In the first 4 of my articles, I was bullish on MSFT. You can see the history of my coverage here: link to coverage history . But I decided to put it on Hold in July 2025. I was concerned with MSFT's valuation then. And I'm happy I did that. Since then, MSFT's stock price has decreased to as low as below $400 per share. But I started buying more of MSFT's shares at ~$416 per share. That's when I published my last article. I declared MSFT a Buy . And since then, its stock price has increased by ~10.7%. Seeking Alpha Now, I decided to prepare a follow-up coverage. Because I have MSFT's data for Q3 2026 (fiscal). And because I want to comment on the change in its valuation. But I can say right from the get-go: MSFT is still a buy for me. I think the opportunity is still there. And I expect double-digit total returns from MSFT. I will start with the review of recent business data. MSFT Scored A Great Quarter As Always, MSFT Keeps Growing and Upholding High Profitability I see that the growth ( 18% on y/o/y basis , which I'm very happy about) is still driven by the cloud segment. But the main (historically) segment, Productivity and Business Processes, keeps scoring double-digit growth rates. Which I find very reassuring in MSFT's ability to develop its business. But what I like the most about MSFT is the profitability. With high double-digit margins, I believe MSFT is one of the most profitable businesses out there. And that's especially impressive to me given its scale and growth rate. To me, that's evidence of MSFT's top-tier quality. MSFT's Investor Presentation I listened to the last Earnings Call of the Company. And I saw that the management was very satisfied with MSFT's performance. As the CEO mentioned: It was a record third quarter powered by the continued strength of Microsoft Cloud, which exceeded $54 billion in revenue, up 29% y...
Oil price rising leading to higher stock market prices PhonlamaiPhoto/iStock via Getty Images Every time oil starts moving toward $100 a barrel, investors begin comparing Exxon Mobil ( XOM ) , Chevron ( CVX ) , Shell ( SHEL ) , BP ( BP ) , and ConocoPhillips ( COP ) , trying to determine which oil company offers the greatest advantage. At $100 oil, they generate free cash flow at a level that fund...
Oil price rising leading to higher stock market prices PhonlamaiPhoto/iStock via Getty Images Every time oil starts moving toward $100 a barrel, investors begin comparing Exxon Mobil ( XOM ) , Chevron ( CVX ) , Shell ( SHEL ) , BP ( BP ) , and ConocoPhillips ( COP ) , trying to determine which oil company offers the greatest advantage. At $100 oil, they generate free cash flow at a level that funds buybacks, dividends, and further investment, but I'm not here to argue about buying an oil company. History tells us that expensive oil creates another group of winners. The 1970s produced this pattern. I think we're in the early stages of repeating it, but this time there's also AI which wasn't there in 1979. Under these conditions, there are a number of sectors and companies that are making comebacks. This article points to some of them. The 1970s and Now People recall the 1970s as a bad time of gas lines, stagflation price controls, and worse. But between 1975 and 2000, energy productivity improvements accelerated . BTUs consumed per dollar of real GDP fell about 40% in the U.S.; Europe did even better, and so did Japan. Public policies were only part of the story. When energy got expensive, the economics were different. For instance, companies that assisted in the process of making energy use more efficient benefited. Today, besides high-energy prices associated with the Iran war, the demand for AI infrastructure is creating huge demand . Microsoft ( MSFT ), Google ( GOOG ) ( GOOGL ), Amazon ( AMZN ), and Meta ( META ) are spending vast amounts on data centers. The Electric Power Research Institute projects data centers will account for 4.6 to 9.9% of total U.S. electricity consumption by 2030, up from roughly 2% today. That changes the economics not only for oil. Oil Plus Nuclear Power The oil majors are an obvious first bet. XOM is probably the best bet among them. Its $60 billion acquisition of Pioneer Natural Resources added roughly 1.3 million barrels per day of ...
SpaceX is planning to offer shares at $135 apiece to raise $75 billion in its initial public offering, according to people familiar with the matter, as Elon Musk rejects another Wall Street convention by setting a fixed price ahead of the marketing phase of the deal. The rocket, satellite and artificial intelligence company aims to sell 555.6 million shares in the offering, the people said. De...
SpaceX is planning to offer shares at $135 apiece to raise $75 billion in its initial public offering, according to people familiar with the matter, as Elon Musk rejects another Wall Street convention by setting a fixed price ahead of the marketing phase of the deal. The rocket, satellite and artificial intelligence company aims to sell 555.6 million shares in the offering, the people said. Deliberations are ongoing and details of the IPO could still change before the terms are disclosed as soon as Wednesday, or even during the marketing process, they said, asking not to be identified as the information isn’t public. The move adds to the unconventional aspects of a deal that’s set to be the biggest ever listing. We get reaction from George Ferguson, Senior Aerospace Analyst for Bloomberg Intelligence. (Source: Bloomberg)
rwarnick/iStock via Getty Images A broad selloff swept through aerospace and defense stocks on Wednesday, hitting many of the market's biggest space-related winners as investors locked in gains after a torrid rally that has transformed the sector into one of Wall Street's hottest trades. Intuitive Machines ( LUNR ) led the declines by early afternoon, falling 15.2%, while Merlin ( MRLN ) dropped 1...
rwarnick/iStock via Getty Images A broad selloff swept through aerospace and defense stocks on Wednesday, hitting many of the market's biggest space-related winners as investors locked in gains after a torrid rally that has transformed the sector into one of Wall Street's hottest trades. Intuitive Machines ( LUNR ) led the declines by early afternoon, falling 15.2%, while Merlin ( MRLN ) dropped 12.8% and Sidus Space ( SIDU ) lost 12.0%. Redwire ( RDW ) fell 9.9%, Satellogic ( SATL ) slid 9.8%, and Eve Holding ( EVEX ) shed 8.6%. Other notable decliners included Kratos Defense & Security Solutions ( KTOS ), down 8.3%, Red Cat Holdings ( RCAT ), off 8.1%, AeroVironment ( AVAV ), down 7.2%, and Rocket Lab ( RKLB ), which fell 6.8%. The retreat came after extraordinary gains across many of the same names over the past six months. Rocket Lab remains up nearly 194% over that period, while Intuitive Machines has surged more than 320%, Redwire has gained about 294% and Satellogic has advanced more than 456%. Sidus Space has climbed more than 660% over the past six months despite Wednesday's decline. SpaceX looms over the sector For investors, the pullback highlights the increasingly speculative nature of the space sector as enthusiasm builds around SpaceX's planned initial public offering, which is expected to become one of the largest stock market debuts in history. The prospect of a publicly traded SpaceX has fueled renewed interest in space, satellite and defense companies over the past year as investors sought exposure to themes ranging from reusable rockets and lunar exploration to military drones and satellite communications. At the same time, the anticipated IPO could reshape capital flows across the industry, potentially drawing money away from smaller companies toward Elon Musk's dominant launch and satellite business once shares become available. Valuations under scrutiny Wednesday's selloff suggests some investors are becoming more selective after a period in wh...
Mid-Day Stocks: Stocks are trading lower on Wednesday, as oil and yields move higher. Once again, it was “Welcome back, my friends to the show that never ends.” On cue, the never-say-die stock market shook off early worries and all the major indices closed higher on Tuesday. Like the proverbial broken record, the S&P 500 ... Here Are Wednesday’s Top Wall Street Analyst Research Calls: Boyd Gaming,...
Mid-Day Stocks: Stocks are trading lower on Wednesday, as oil and yields move higher. Once again, it was “Welcome back, my friends to the show that never ends.” On cue, the never-say-die stock market shook off early worries and all the major indices closed higher on Tuesday. Like the proverbial broken record, the S&P 500 ... Here Are Wednesday’s Top Wall Street Analyst Research Calls: Boyd Gaming, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Conagra, Dollar General, MGM Resorts International, Omnicom Group, Yum! Bra
The Manchester mayor is tapping into deep public frustration over the water industry but at some stage he needs to say what he means There ought to be a rule to oblige politicians advocating “stronger public control” of an essential service or sector to say what, precisely, they mean. Public “ownership” is easy to understand – it’s nationalisation. But Andy Burnham, when he cites water and energy ...
The Manchester mayor is tapping into deep public frustration over the water industry but at some stage he needs to say what he means There ought to be a rule to oblige politicians advocating “stronger public control” of an essential service or sector to say what, precisely, they mean. Public “ownership” is easy to understand – it’s nationalisation. But Andy Burnham, when he cites water and energy as targets for greater public control , seems to imply something else. What? Would he, for instance, torpedo the government’s current plans for water, notably the “once-in-a-generation” reset of regulation in England and Wales via the clean water bill due in the autumn? Or is he merely saying Thames Water should be tipped into special administration, which may happen anyway without a shove from a new prime minister? Continue reading...
SambaNova CEO Rodrigo Liang joined Bloomberg Open Interest to talk about why inference is becoming the biggest cost challenge in enterprise AI. And he breaks down the new $3.5 billion AI cloud backed by Vista Equity Partners and Cambium Capital, revealing how a disaggregated architecture combining GPUs, CPUs, and specialized AI processors could dramatically lower costs and accelerate AI agent adop...
SambaNova CEO Rodrigo Liang joined Bloomberg Open Interest to talk about why inference is becoming the biggest cost challenge in enterprise AI. And he breaks down the new $3.5 billion AI cloud backed by Vista Equity Partners and Cambium Capital, revealing how a disaggregated architecture combining GPUs, CPUs, and specialized AI processors could dramatically lower costs and accelerate AI agent adoption. (Source: Bloomberg)
The Chinese automotive industry is complicated right now. Domestic automakers have been heavily subsidized by the government and have also worked diligently on cost control, supply chains, and the development of advanced electric vehicle (EV) technology. The long list of domestic automakers has created brutal competition and a price war that has weighed on the industry. Meanwhile, as Chinese autom...
The Chinese automotive industry is complicated right now. Domestic automakers have been heavily subsidized by the government and have also worked diligently on cost control, supply chains, and the development of advanced electric vehicle (EV) technology. The long list of domestic automakers has created brutal competition and a price war that has weighed on the industry. Meanwhile, as Chinese automakers scramble to export vehicles overseas to support business, Nio (NYSE: NIO) is bucking the trend by posting strong sales growth. Not only is Nio posting strong sales growth, unlike many of its competitors, but it's also doing another key thing to convince investors it's the smart play in a crowded Chinese auto industry. NIO ES9. Image source: Nio. Continue reading
At midday, the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX:^GSPC) had fallen 0.57% to 7,566.40 after Monday’s record close. The Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQINDEX:^IXIC) slipped 0.84% to 26,866.56, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES:^DJI) dropped 0.85% to 50,873.86 as oil gains and geopolitical jitters weighed on stocks. Marvell Technology extended its extraordinary rally, while other artificial intelligence (AI) n...
At midday, the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX:^GSPC) had fallen 0.57% to 7,566.40 after Monday’s record close. The Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQINDEX:^IXIC) slipped 0.84% to 26,866.56, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES:^DJI) dropped 0.85% to 50,873.86 as oil gains and geopolitical jitters weighed on stocks. Marvell Technology extended its extraordinary rally, while other artificial intelligence (AI) names such as Nvidia and Micron Technology slipped. Navitas Semiconductor surged over 20% on further Nvidia chip collaboration news. Valuation jitters pressured Oracle and International Business Machines . Oracle’s earnings are due next week, and investors will be weighing its AI spending against income generation. Continue reading
Citizens CEO Bruce Van Saun joined Bloomberg Open Interest to talk about how the bank transformed the collapse of First Republic into a booming private banking business worth over $16 billion in deposits. He also explains how AI is reshaping banking operations and why he believes consumers, businesses and private credit remain far more resilient than what many investors expect. (Source: Bloomberg)
Citizens CEO Bruce Van Saun joined Bloomberg Open Interest to talk about how the bank transformed the collapse of First Republic into a booming private banking business worth over $16 billion in deposits. He also explains how AI is reshaping banking operations and why he believes consumers, businesses and private credit remain far more resilient than what many investors expect. (Source: Bloomberg)
Vladimir Zakharov/iStock via Getty Images Investor demand for broad U.S. equity exposure continues to surge, with the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF ( VOO ) recently becoming the first exchange-traded fund to surpass $1 trillion in assets under management. The milestone follows another massive daily inflow and reflects the resilience of investor appetite for large-cap U.S. stocks despite ongoing concerns su...
Vladimir Zakharov/iStock via Getty Images Investor demand for broad U.S. equity exposure continues to surge, with the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF ( VOO ) recently becoming the first exchange-traded fund to surpass $1 trillion in assets under management. The milestone follows another massive daily inflow and reflects the resilience of investor appetite for large-cap U.S. stocks despite ongoing concerns surrounding tariffs, economic growth, and geopolitical tensions. As one of the most widely held S&P 500 index funds, VOO’s performance has been heavily driven by gains among the market’s largest technology and AI-related companies. Several of the ETF’s top holdings have posted strong year-to-date gains, led by semiconductor and mega-cap tech names that continue to dominate market leadership in 2026. Broadcom ( AVGO ) currently leads VOO’s largest holdings by year-to-date performance, rising more than 39% as investor enthusiasm surrounding AI infrastructure and semiconductor demand remains strong. NVIDIA ( NVDA ) follows with gains of nearly 20%, while Apple ( AAPL ), Alphabet ( GOOG ), and Amazon ( AMZN ) round out the top five positive performers among the fund’s major holdings. The strong performance from large-cap technology stocks has helped fuel continued inflows into passive index products like VOO, reinforcing the market’s persistent “buy-the-dip” mentality even during periods of volatility. Not all of the ETF’s largest holdings have participated equally in the rally, however. Several heavyweight names are currently trading lower for the year, including Microsoft ( MSFT ), Meta Platforms ( META ), Tesla ( TSLA ), and Berkshire Hathaway ( BRK.A ), all of which have posted negative year-to-date returns. Top VOO holdings by year-to-date performance: Broadcom ( AVGO ) - YTD performance: 39.14%, NVIDIA ( NVDA ) - YTD performance: 19.47% Apple ( AAPL ) - YTD performance: 15.94% Alphabet ( GOOG ) - YTD performance: 14.21%, Amazon ( AMZN ) - YTD performance: 11.13%, Tesla ( TS...