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Both Amazon and Alphabet, despite their lofty positions, are at the mercy of one inconvenient truth: the economy. Amazon, with its vast e-commerce empire, stands poised to suffer should the consumer pull back. In fact, when the inevitable economic slump arrives-and we all know it will-expect Amazon’s sales figures to mirror a falling soufflé. In Q2, a staggering 60% of Amazon’s revenue came from North American commerce, with another 22% trickling in from abroad. A delicate balance, indeed, where one gust of economic misfortune could spell disaster.

To uproot one’s strategy in the face of frost is folly. Instead, seek the trees whose bark resists decay, whose branches bend but do not snap. Here are five such saplings, grafted to the future’s uncertain soil.

Eli Lilly, ever the pragmatist, has unveiled data from trials that suggest its oral GLP-1 drug, orforglipron, may well be the phoenix rising from the ashes of previous contenders. While Novo Nordisk’s Rybelsus, the first oral GLP-1 treatment, was celebrated as a breakthrough in 2019, Lilly’s efforts have been met with a blend of skepticism and quiet confidence. The results, however, speak louder than the murmurs of doubt.

Even the most vigorous uptrends occasionally suffer a sprained ankle, especially when macroeconomic choreographers insist on changing the tempo. The transatlantic tariff tiff has spooked investors more than any blockchain flaw, though crypto’s aristocracy remains divided: some declare the party over, while others polish their monocles and whisper, “How vulgar to mistake a quadrille for a funeral march.”

And who, you may ask, is putting his weight behind this prediction? None other than Philippe Laffont, a hedge fund manager whose performance has, rather conspicuously, outpaced the S&P 500 over the last three years. His belief that Shopify and AppLovin will be counted among the world’s 20 largest companies by 2030, while audacious, deserves a moment’s consideration. But let’s proceed with a grain of salt – or, if you prefer, a barrel of it.

Today marks Day 42 of my “enlightened investor” phase. Units of Cryptocurrency Lost: 12. Hours Spent Watching Charts: 9. Number of Panicked Texts to Friends: 24. But let’s talk about real money-specifically, how billionaires like Stanley Druckenmiller pretend they’re not just flipping cards in a high-stakes poker game with the global economy.

In its essence, a stock split is a mirror held to the face of commerce, altering not the substance of a company but the reflection in which investors choose to gaze. The reverse split, a desperate attempt to inflate value, is the province of the frail and the fearful, those who cling to the precipice of delisting like sinners to the hem of salvation. But the forward split-a 10-for-1, a 4-for-1, or even the audacious 15-for-1-this is the act of the bold, the prosperous, the enlightened, who understand that accessibility to the common man is not weakness but a testament to enduring strength.

The disappearance of Nike from Pershing Square’s 13F filings following the options conversion raises immediate questions about market perception versus fundamental reality. While the SEC-mandated disclosures create temporary opacity, the strategic shift underscores Ackman’s conviction in specific catalysts driving the athleticwear giant’s potential resurgence.

Amazon (AMZN) is the kind of company that makes you wonder if Jeff Bezos sneaks in extra hours to invent new ways to dominate markets. Yes, it’s gobbling up e-commerce like a squirrel hoarding acorns, but the real unsung hero is Amazon Web Services (AWS). While the world gawks at Prime Day sales, AWS is the quiet giant chugging along with 17% annual revenue growth. It’s like watching a tree grow-unseen but inevitable-and one day you wake up to realize it’s taller than your house. And with only 16.3% of U.S. retail online, there’s room for this oak to stretch further.