They speak of a ‘halo effect’ – that demand for these AI training grounds somehow elevates the entire enterprise. It is a pleasing notion, of course, to believe that one good deed begets another. The idea is that customers, drawn by the promise of efficient AI, will then happily embrace Oracle’s other offerings. A virtuous cycle, they call it. But markets, like people, are rarely so accommodating.
Mr. Tepper, it appears, has lately shown a marked preference for the company of Micron Technology. Indeed, he has tripled his stake in the firm, a transaction which, while substantial, is not entirely surprising, given the present favour towards those engaged in the provision of memory and storage. One might venture to suggest, that a gentleman of Mr. Tepper’s standing, does not commit himself to such a significant increase without a thorough assessment of the company’s prospects. This affection for Micron, however, has come at the expense of a previous attachment – Nvidia – which has been quietly, though decisively, removed from the inner circle of Appaloosa’s most valued holdings.
Coleman, it appears, has placed his faith – and a considerable sum – in two titans: Alphabet and Microsoft. Eleven point two percent in the former, eight point nine in the latter. A prudent diversification, or a doubling down on the fashionable? He conspicuously avoids, however, the siren song of Palantir Technologies, a company promising to unlock the secrets of data itself. Perhaps Coleman possesses a healthy skepticism, a quality increasingly rare amongst those who traffic in speculative bubbles. Or perhaps he simply dislikes their marketing materials.
The United Kingdom stands at a crossroads, where the gilded halls of politics are threatened by the shadowy allure of cryptocurrency. The Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy, ever the vigilant guardian of democracy, has declared that crypto contributions are “an unnecessary and unacceptably high risk to the integrity of the political finance system.” One might imagine them clutching their pearls, or perhaps their wallets, as they issue this dire warning.
Which brings us to IonQ (IONQ +0.09%). They’ve had a bit of a ride, haven’t they? Up 198% over five years. It’s enough to make you wonder if I should remortgage the house. Don’t tell my financial advisor I said that. Or anyone, really.
To suggest these represent compelling acquisitions is to imply a degree of control over the inevitable fluctuations of the market, a comforting illusion. The reality is that their fortunes are inextricably linked to the whims of aerospace manufacturers and the unpredictable flow of global commerce, a system governed by rules that are simultaneously opaque and relentlessly enforced.
I’ve been sniffing around, and I’ve found three stocks that seem to be tickling the fancy of these number-crunching wizards. If you’ve got three thousand dollars jangling in your pocket – money you won’t need for biscuits or paying off grumpy creditors – then perhaps you should give these a closer look.
Now, I’ve been poking around, and two companies really stand out. They’re not kings in the traditional sense, no crowns or castles, but they are Dividend Kings. Colgate-Palmolive (CL 0.51%) and American States Water (AWR 1.35%) have been raising dividends annually for over 50 years. Fifty years! That’s longer than some of you have been alive, and I’ve seen a lot of years. They’re so consistent, they make a metronome look erratic. Seriously, these are the kind of stocks you can tell your grandkids about. “See, kids? Grandpa didn’t lose it all on Beanie Babies.”
Poor Ethereum, sandwiched like a guest at a dinner party between two overbearing hosts-liquidity pools, each threatening to devour it whole. To the left, a modest $1.16 billion in short positions, quivering like a novice gambler. To the right, a towering $4.18 billion in long positions, smug in their dominance. One misstep, and the entire affair could devolve into a chaotic scramble, a long squeeze of epic proportions. Oh, the drama of it all!
On Tuesday, payments giant PayPal announced that its USD-pegged stablecoin, PYUSD, will be available to users in 70 markets worldwide following its expansion into 68 new countries this month. Because why have 2 countries when you can have 70? The answer, of course, is “because the universe needs more options.”