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The broader market, a restless ocean of capital, dipped slightly. The S&P 500, a barometer of collective hope and fear, slipped 0.43% to 6,879, while the Nasdaq Composite, a breeding ground for innovation and speculation, fell 0.92% to 22,668. Growth stocks, those ethereal creatures fueled by promise rather than profit, bore the brunt of the downturn. Nvidia, a titan of the chip-making world, closed at $177.19, a decrease of 4.16%, and Microsoft, a sprawling empire built on software and ambition, finished at $392.74, down 2.24%. Investors, those pragmatic observers of the human drama, reassessed the valuations of these high-multiple AI infrastructure names, recognizing that even the most promising technologies require more than just hype to sustain them.

Comfort Systems USA (FIX 0.53%), a name which suggests neither excitement nor particular brilliance, has quietly outperformed its more celebrated rival. An increase of 876% over three years, compared to Nvidia’s 696%, is not to be dismissed. The S&P 500, trailing far behind at a mere 74%, appears positively moribund by comparison. One begins to suspect a competence that is almost indecent.

The shadow of a recent transgression – a breach of data, a violation of trust – hung over these proceedings. Thirty-three million accounts compromised, a consequence of human weakness and technological vulnerability. A settlement of $1.18 billion, a sum that could alleviate much suffering, yet merely serves to rearrange existing wealth. One wonders if those responsible for such lapses truly comprehend the weight of their actions, or if they view it merely as a cost of doing business, a regrettable necessity in the pursuit of profit.

Is this a moment to pounce? I suspect it might be. Provided you have the patience of a saint, and a stomach for a bit of a wobble. You see, the market, bless its cotton socks, has developed a bit of a twitch when it comes to anything ‘AI’. It wants instant gratification, like a child demanding a second helping of sweets.

At around $185 a share, Chevron is knocking on the door of $200. But some are getting the jitters, worried it’s climbing a bit too fast. Like a beanstalk, really. And we all know what happened to the giant at the top of that one.

They’d released their fourth-quarter numbers Thursday night, a preliminary glance at 2026. The revenue looked good, earnings weren’t bad, but beneath the gloss, things were fraying. It was like a dame in a silk dress with holes in the lining. Investors noticed. They always do.

The broader market, though, showed a different face. The S&P 500 dipped slightly, falling 0.43% to 6,879, while the Nasdaq Composite eased down 0.92% to 22,668. A reminder that even as one star rises, others may dim. Within the streaming landscape, Disney held steady, edging up 0.46% to $106.04, while Warner Bros. Discovery stumbled, losing 2.19% to close at $28.17. Investors, it seems, were reassessing the promise of consolidation, wondering if bigger always means better.

According to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission – a document that, let’s be honest, most people find about as thrilling as watching paint dry – Red Wave bumped up its holdings of VBIL. The total value of this little spree came to $5.63 million, and the overall position grew by a further $5.59 million, factoring in both the new shares and, inevitably, the vagaries of the market. It’s all a bit like watching pebbles accumulate in a bucket, isn’t it?