usdaed

Observe, if you will, the current state of affairs. The market, puffed up with its own importance, trades at valuations that would make even the most audacious speculator blush. Growth stocks, those glittering promises of future riches, are priced as if already delivered. The S&P 500, that grand index of American enterprise, boasts a price-to-earnings ratio of 30—a figure so lofty it threatens to detach from reality. It is as if the entire exchange has succumbed to a fever dream of perpetual prosperity!

The market, it seems, has decided to be frightfully sensitive to the company’s rather sensible decision to prioritize user acquisition over immediate monetization. One assumes the chaps in charge have considered the long game, even if the short-term results are causing a bit of a flutter amongst the more excitable investors.

Everyone’s talking about ‘growth potential.’ Please. It’s crypto. Growth is a frantic, jittery beast that can turn on you faster than you can say ‘blockchain.’ So, what we really need is resilience. And that, my friends, is where things get interesting.

The question for any investor is not merely where to place capital, but how to avoid being swept along by the prevailing mania. The temptation to chase the latest novelty is strong, but prudence suggests a focus on the foundational elements. In this instance, that means semiconductors. Regardless of the sophistication of the software – be it a complex algorithm or a simple browsing program – it is ultimately reliant on these unassuming chips.

Come the close of trade, Dell’s stock was sittin’ pretty, up a considerable sum. A fella could almost smell the profits in the air. And a profit, mind you, is a beautiful thing – especially when a portion of it finds its way into the pockets of those who’ve held steady through thick and thin.

Indeed, Friday witnessed a general withdrawal from stocks engaged in the business of finance, and even the venerable JPMorgan Chase (JPM 2.28%) did not entirely escape the prevailing sentiment, its value experiencing a diminution of nearly two percent. A circumstance, while not alarming in itself, deserving of a thoughtful consideration.

Look, Bitcoin. It’s the established player. The one your uncle keeps talking about at Thanksgiving. It currently owns a frankly alarming 60% of the crypto market cap. Which means, if you’re building a crypto portfolio, ignoring it is like trying to assemble IKEA furniture without the instructions. It’s just… going to be a bad time. I’m overweighting it, because, frankly, everything else feels like a side hustle.

The report detailed revenue of just under $2.43 billion for the fourth quarter, a 2% increase year-over-year. More significant, however, was the reported profit. Delek posted a net profit, calculated on a non-GAAP basis, of $143 million, or $2.31 per share. This is a marked departure from the nearly $161 million loss recorded in the corresponding quarter of the previous year.

Block, you see, is one of those modern enterprises—a digital payments specialist, though lately it seems preoccupied with the ethereal promises of cryptocurrency. They announced, with the cold precision of an accountant tallying losses, that over four thousand souls would be… released. Forty percent of their workforce, cast adrift in the current. Jack Dorsey, the founder, penned a missive to shareholders, speaking of “technology-powered efficiency.” A phrase that rings with a particularly hollow resonance. As if human endeavor could be distilled into an algorithm, and replaced by the cold logic of machines. One imagines Mr. Dorsey, a modern-day Bezukhov, seeking meaning in the relentless march of progress, yet finding only… spreadsheets.

Apparently, Beyond Meat has decided the future isn’t just plant-based burgers, but also plant-based bubbles. They’ve unleashed four new flavors of their “Beyond Immerse” sparkling drink line. Cherry berry, strawberry lemonade, cucumber grapefruit, and, because why not, piña colada. It’s like they’re trying to solve a problem nobody knew existed: “I need my electrolytes and antioxidants… delivered via carbonation!” Honestly, it’s a bold move. I’m just picturing the marketing meetings now. So much earnest discussion about “immersive hydration.”