U.S. stocks rise on Monday, with the Dow up 500+ points. Moderna and Cleveland-Cliffs report gains. Most S&P sectors close higher, with Fear & Greed Index at 30.3.
Duquesne Family Office's billionaire boss jettisoned two of Wall Street's hottest artificial intelligence (AI) stocks for a business whose three operating segments are all growing by double digits.
Self-help always has its fads, and one of the biggest is now on a hard and steady slide. Will new changes in management and the involvement of Khan Academy (also nonprofit) re-light Ted Talks' spark?
Fund manager and former White House Communications Director, Anthony Scaramucci, has said that blockchain is reshaping how global finance works, and that Bitcoin's (CRYPTO: BTC) advantage lies in its portability and efficiency compared with traditional assets like gold.
Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said Apple is on the verge of hitting a $4 trillion market cap, calling the iPhone 17 a major success and predicting the company's next big growth catalyst will be its upcoming artificial intelligence roadmap.
After Friday’s stabilization, Monday delivered a powerful upside breadth thrust (81% advancers) with clear improvement across all moving-average cohorts and a jump in new highs. The weekly window remains firmly supportive while the monthly window is close to flipping. Overall breadth trend: positive.
The Dow and Nasdaq kicked off the week on a strong note as the 10-year Treasury yield dropped below 4%, boosting investor optimism. Apple hit a new all-time high after impressive iPhone 17 sales, while hopes of easing U.S.-China tensions and a potential Fed rate cut fueled further gains.
Billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban offered rare praise for the Trump administration's push to lower prescription drug costs, calling its TrumpRx initiative "a good start," while still acknowledging its limitations.
FB Financial’s third quarter results received a positive market response, with management attributing performance to the completed merger with Southern States Bankshares and effective balance sheet management. The addition of Southern States led to higher net interest margins and expanded non-interest income categories, with CEO Christopher Holmes highlighting “net interest margin of 3.95% and an efficiency ratio of 53.3% on an adjusted basis.” COO and CFO Michael Mettee pointed to the timely integration, noting that cost synergies and balance sheet restructuring contributed to the quarter’s improved profitability profile.
Wells Fargo’s third quarter results were met with a positive market reaction, with management crediting the momentum to both broad-based loan growth and renewed strength in fee-based revenues. CEO Charlie Scharf highlighted the impact of investments in core segments, pointing to a 25% increase in investment banking fees and accelerating growth in consumer lending. The lifting of the Federal Reserve’s asset cap played a pivotal role, allowing the company to expand its balance sheet for the first time in years. Scharf emphasized that these changes have made Wells Fargo “a significantly more attractive company,” with scale advantages in consumer banking, wealth management, and corporate banking.
Domino’s third quarter saw a positive market reaction, driven by strong U.S. sales momentum and improved profitability. Management credited growth to its “Best Deal Ever” promotion, expanded value offerings, and operational improvements that supported both carryout and delivery channels. CEO Russell Weiner emphasized that the company’s ability to execute complex promotions and successfully launch new menu items, like Parmesan stuffed crust pizza, contributed to higher order counts and meaningful market share gains.
Goldman Sachs delivered third quarter results that exceeded Wall Street expectations, driven by a resurgence in investment banking activity and resilient performance across its trading businesses. Management emphasized the firm’s leadership in mergers and acquisitions, highlighting a substantial rebound in completed deals and a deep advisory pipeline. CEO David Solomon credited the “multiplier effect” of the firm’s integrated approach, noting that M&A activity is feeding opportunities in financing and other businesses. The quarter also saw continued growth in asset and wealth management, with a record $3.5 trillion in assets under supervision and robust fundraising in alternatives.
JPMorgan Chase delivered third-quarter results that surpassed Wall Street’s revenue and earnings expectations, underpinned by robust growth in markets-related revenues and continued strength in consumer banking. Management credited higher asset management and investment banking fees, as well as increased payment activity, for powering revenue expansion. CFO Jeremy Barnum noted, “Revenue was up predominantly driven by higher markets revenue as well as higher fees across asset management, investment banking, and payment.” While credit costs increased, largely due to a few isolated incidents in wholesale lending, overall credit performance in both wholesale and consumer businesses remained in line with expectations.
Citigroup delivered a positive Q3, with results surpassing Wall Street’s expectations and the market responding favorably. Management attributed the quarter’s strong performance to broad-based revenue growth across all business segments, improved operating leverage, and the benefits of recent organizational changes. CEO Jane Fraser highlighted the bank’s focus on cross-business synergies and disciplined capital allocation, stating, “We continue to generate positive operating leverage for the firm and in each of our five businesses.” Notably, momentum in services, markets, and wealth management fueled top-line growth, while ongoing technology investments and operational streamlining contributed to improved returns.
Looking for lower market rates is the simplest interpretation of the wider backdrop. However, an upward creep in US inflation and a slow firming of Eurozone purchasing managers’ indexes argue against.
Economist Justin Wolfers likened the surge in electricity demand from artificial intelligence to a temporary "egg shortage," predicting that rising prices will drive investment and expand power generation, ultimately stabilizing the energy market.
While profitability is essential, it doesn’t guarantee long-term success.
Some companies that rest on their margins will lose ground as competition intensifies - as Jeff Bezos said, "Your margin is my opportunity".
The stocks in this article are all trading near their 52-week highs.
This strength often reflects positive developments such as new product launches, favorable industry trends, or improved financial performance.
Large-cap stocks usually command their industries because they have the scale to drive market trends.
The flip side though is that their sheer size can limit growth as expanding further becomes an increasingly challenging task.
Value stocks typically trade at discounts to the broader market, offering patient investors the opportunity to buy businesses when they’re out of favor.
The key risk, however, is that these stocks are usually cheap for a reason – five cents for a piece of fruit may seem like a great deal until you find out it’s rotten.
Not all profitable companies are built to last - some rely on outdated models or unsustainable advantages.
Just because a business is in the green today doesn’t mean it will thrive tomorrow.
Whether you see them or not, industrials businesses play a crucial part in our daily activities. Their momentum is also rising as lower interest rates have incentivized higher capital spending.
As a result, the industry has posted a 45.7% gain over the past six months, beating the S&P 500 by 15 percentage points.
The low valuation multiples for value stocks provide a margin of safety that growth stocks rarely offer.
However, the challenge lies in determining whether these cheap assets are genuinely undervalued or simply on sale due to their potentially deteriorating business models.
A cash-heavy balance sheet is often a sign of strength, but not always.
Some companies avoid debt because they have weak business models, limited expansion opportunities, or inconsistent cash flow.
Industrials businesses quietly power the physical things we depend on, from cars and homes to e-commerce infrastructure. But their prominence also brings high exposure to the ups and downs of economic cycles.
Luckily, the tide is turning in their favor as the industry’s 45.7% return over the past six months has topped the S&P 500 by 15 percentage points.
Many small-cap stocks have limited Wall Street coverage, giving savvy investors the chance to act before everyone else catches on.
But the flip side is that these businesses have increased downside risk because they lack the scale and staying power of their larger competitors.
Small-cap stocks can be incredibly lucrative investments because their lack of analyst coverage leads to frequent mispricings.
However, these businesses (and their stock prices) often stay small because their subscale operations make it harder to expand their competitive moats.
Even if a company is profitable, it doesn’t always mean it’s a great investment.
Some struggle to maintain growth, face looming threats, or fail to reinvest wisely, limiting their future potential.
Many small-cap stocks have limited Wall Street coverage, giving savvy investors the chance to act before everyone else catches on.
But the flip side is that these businesses have increased downside risk because they lack the scale and staying power of their larger competitors.
Companies with more cash than debt can be financially resilient, but that doesn’t mean they’re all strong investments.
Some lack leverage because they struggle to grow or generate consistent profits, making them unattractive borrowers.
A company that generates cash isn’t automatically a winner.
Some businesses stockpile cash but fail to reinvest wisely, limiting their ability to expand.
