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I propose a strategy of cautious optimism, a focus on those entities which, while not entirely immune to the prevailing vulgarity, possess a certain… robustness. Stability, particularly in the disbursement of capital, is paramount. One wishes to participate in the current effervescence without entirely abandoning hope of preserving one’s principal. Three names, therefore, present themselves: Chevron, Energy Transfer LP, and ExxonMobil. Let us examine them, with a minimum of enthusiasm, if you please.

Recent fluctuations, the so-called ‘pullback’, are merely a symptom of a larger, cyclical pattern. One might consult the apocryphal ‘Treatise on Mercurial Fortunes’ – a text rumored to exist within the lost library of Alexandria – to find analogous movements. Silver, for a time, appeared the favored metal, its price ascending with a velocity exceeding that of gold. This, naturally, drew speculation, a flock of investors seeking to capture the fleeting brilliance. SSR Mining, by virtue of its exposure, became a vessel for this desire, a mirror reflecting the collective hope.

The figures themselves are… unsettling. Thirty-seven and a half billion dollars expended in a single quarter – a sum that could alleviate suffering in a dozen nations, yet is poured into silicon and electricity. Two-thirds of this vastness consumed by fleeting assets – GPUs and CPUs – a frantic grasping for processing power, as if attempting to cheat the inevitable entropy of time. The market, ever the pragmatist, demands immediate returns, failing to comprehend the long game, the potential for transcendence.

Carnival. Cruises. Remember those? Apparently, people still take them. And when they do, Carnival is usually the one taking their money. They’ve bounced back from the whole “boats as Petri dishes” phase, which is a win. But now oil prices are giving them the side-eye again. It’s a classic. You fix one problem, and another one shows up wearing a tiny, menacing hat. They just reported record operating income, which is great, until you remember that income is directly tied to the price of bunker fuel. It’s a bit like being a professional dog walker – great until a chihuahua decides to take you down. Still, at 12 times earnings? That’s practically a steal. Just don’t expect a complimentary mint on the pillow.

The fund’s increased holding represents 5.96% of its reported assets under management. As of December 31, 2025, the total value of the Spyre Therapeutics stake was $120.74 million. These figures, however, are less illuminating than the fact that a significant portion of a fund’s capital is tied to a company that, as we shall see, exists primarily in the realm of future possibilities.

This, naturally, has prompted a few worried glances in the direction of inflation. Because oil isn’t just for driving; it’s in things. Lots of things. The stuff gets shipped around, which requires…you guessed it…more oil. It’s a self-referential system, really. A bit like trying to understand the instructions for assembling flat-pack furniture, only with significantly higher stakes.

I’m not saying abandon ship, mind you. More like…pack a smaller bag. Consider a side trip. Alphabet and Broadcom, for instance. They’re not quite as flashy, but they offer a certain…stability. Like sensible shoes for a very volatile dance floor.

Yet, to declare it too late to partake in this growth feels… premature. Like judging the potential of a seed by the size of its initial sprout. The reason, a quiet but insistent force, lies in the very bedrock of its being: a competitive moat, not of water, but of expertise.

The stock’s been sluggish, sure. Down about 9% this year. But here’s the thing about Amazon: it’s less a company and more a vast, sprawling ecosystem built on the relentless desire for things we don’t need delivered within 24 hours. And that, my friends, is a powerful force. The market, though, seems fixated on this new spending spree. Apparently, $200 billion isn’t chump change. Who knew?

Mr. Jerome Powell, the current helmsman, uttered a few words recently – eight, to be precise – following the latest FOMC gathering, which have caused a distinctly unpleasant ripple through the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the S&P 500, and the Nasdaq Composite. One suspects he’s rather enjoying the resulting fuss.