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| 24.08.25 20:32:56 |
Former Meta exec Nick Clegg offers careful criticism of ‘cloyingly conformist’ Silicon Valley |
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**Haftungsausschluss: Der Text wurde mit Hilfe einer KI zusammengefasst und übersetzt. Für Aussagen aus dem Originaltext wird keine Haftung übernommen!**
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 24: Nick Clegg, President of Global Affairs at Meta speaks onstage during the 2024 Concordia Annual Summit at Sheraton New York Times Square on September 24, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Leigh Vogel/Getty Images for Concordia Summit) | Image Credits:Leigh Vogel / Getty Images
Meta’s former policy chief Nick Clegg seems to be walking a tightrope as he promotes his upcoming book, “How to Save the Internet.”
Unlike certain other Meta employee memoirs, “How to Save the Internet” doesn’t sound like a tell-all or a scathing critique. And in an interview with the Guardian, Clegg (who previously led the U.K.’s Liberal Democrats) seems to distance himself from Silicon Valley without quite disavowing his former employer.
“I really do believe that, despite its imperfections, social media has allowed billions of people … to communicate with each other in a way that has never happened before,” he said, adding that he wouldn’t have worked for Meta “if I felt Mark Zuckerberg or Sheryl Sandberg were the monsters other people say they are.”
Still, he delivered memorable sound bites about the Valley, describing it as a “cloyingly conformist” culture where “everyone wears the same clothes, drives the same cars, listens to the same podcasts, follows the same fads.”
Clegg also sounded be mystified by the industry’s growing obsession with masculinity, saying, “I couldn’t, and still can’t, understand this deeply unattractive combination of machismo and self-pity.”
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| 24.08.25 19:14:00 |
3 Brilliant Tech Stocks to Buy Now and Hold for the Long Term |
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**Haftungsausschluss: Der Text wurde mit Hilfe einer KI zusammengefasst und übersetzt. Für Aussagen aus dem Originaltext wird keine Haftung übernommen!**
Key Points
Nvidia should hold onto its leading position in the GPU market. Taiwan Semiconductor is involved with the production of 85% of all semiconductor start-up prototypes globally. Nearly 3.5 billion people use Meta Platforms' products every day.10 stocks we like better than Nvidia ›
As a buy-and-hold investor, I closely follow my long-term investments through exchange-traded funds and retirement accounts. I've always followed a Warren Buffett-style of investing, in which I look for strong, profitable companies to hold over the long term.
However, I also recognize that tech stocks are way too important -- and profitable -- to miss out on. Tech stocks represent companies that are at the forefront of innovation and development, leading the world's charge into the future. Without tech companies, we wouldn't have a host of massively significant advances that we take for granted today -- things like personal computers, online banking, 5G wireless service, the internet, smartphones, and GPS technology. Nor would we have the incredible types of tech that companies are still making rapid progress on today -- such as cloud computing, the Internet of Things, generative AI, and autonomous vehicles.
Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue »
Including strong, profitable tech stocks in your portfolio is one of the best ways to give yourself an opportunity to outperform the market. Consider that the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite is up nearly 18% in the last 12 months, handily outperforming the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500.
Three tech stocks that I think would be great choices for any retail investor's portfolio are Nvidia(NASDAQ: NVDA), Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing(NYSE: TSM), and Meta Platforms(NASDAQ: META).
Image source: Getty Images.
1. Nvidia
Semiconductor maker Nvidia is the biggest company in the world by market capitalization, so it naturally gets the top position on this list, too. While a recent pullback has driven the market cap from $4.4 trillion down to $4.2 trillion, the tailwinds that have propelled Nvidia's upward over the last few years are still present -- and they won't be going away any time soon.
Nvidia designs graphics processing units (GPUs) that are used by data centers to provide the computing power required by a host of advanced computing tasks, such as training and running large language models (LLMs) and artificial intelligence (AI) systems. Nvidia's GPUs are designed to be deployed in clusters of hundreds or thousands, boosting the parallel processing power they can apply to workloads. In addition, Nvidia's CUDA platform provides libraries and tools for developers who are working on software that will be powered by its GPUs. It's a popular platform with developers, and it's only compatible with Nvidia's chips. That added competitive advantage is one reason why I'm confident that it will continue to control the lion's share of the GPU market for years to come.
Nvidia will release its results for its fiscal 2026 second quarter on Aug. 27, and I think it's going to be another sterling report. I'll also be looking carefully at management's guidance, as the company is expected to resume selling its H20 AI chips to customers in China after being blocked from exporting them to that country earlier this year.
2. Taiwan Semiconductor
As the company that fabricates the advanced chips designed by Nvidia (as well as an array of other chip companies), Taiwan Semiconductor benefits from many of the same tailwinds as the GPU leader. But there are some differences between their businesses that make TSMC stock even more appealing.
As the world's leading third-party chip foundry, Taiwan Semi manufactured nearly 12,000 products for 522 customers in 2024, employing 288 separate process technologies. It's involved in about 85% of all semiconductor start-up product prototypes. In short, this is an ideal stock to own if you believe that the semiconductor business broadly will continue to grow, but you want to hedge some of your exposure away from Nvidia.
Taiwan Semi is also moving to limit its exposure to the trade war between Washington and Beijing, and to expand its manufacturing footprint further beyond the island of Taiwan, which China has designs on. The company is in the midst of spending $165 billion to expand its new manufacturing and R&D facility in Arizona and bring some of its most advanced fabrication processes to the U.S.
3. Meta Platforms
Meta Platforms, which operates Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger, is the unquestioned king of the social media companies. On average, 3.48 billion people use its platforms every day -- and that number is increasing. Its daily active user count was up by 6% in June from a year earlier.
The company leverages that massive audience -- and the mountain of information it collects about them -- into an impressive revenue stream. Ad impressions were up 11% in the second quarter from the previous year. Overall, Meta reported $47.5 billion in revenue in the second quarter, up 22% year over year.
Meta's own artificial intelligence platform, Meta AI, has been driving a lot of its recent success. Meta AI's chatbot can generate content, answer questions, and create images. The company also provides AI-powered tools to advertisers to help them reach the customers they want, making their ads on its social media platforms more effective.
Tech stocks to buy and hold
Companies in the tech sector must constantly innovate in their efforts to stay relevant, and their stocks can sometimes be volatile. But Nvidia, Taiwan Semiconductor, and Meta Platforms aren't merely chasing trends -- they're shaping them. I expect that these companies will remain at the forefront of their industries as we move into the second half of the decade, and I view them as good bets to continue outperforming the market. That's why I like them for any buy-and-hold portfolio.
Should you invest $1,000 in Nvidia right now?
Before you buy stock in Nvidia, consider this:
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Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $649,657!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,090,993!*
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*Stock Advisor returns as of August 18, 2025
Patrick Sanders has positions in Nvidia. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Meta Platforms, Nvidia, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. |
| 24.08.25 18:32:00 |
Is the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF the Simplest Way to Double Up on "Ten Titans" Growth Stocks? |
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**Haftungsausschluss: Der Text wurde mit Hilfe einer KI zusammengefasst und übersetzt. Für Aussagen aus dem Originaltext wird keine Haftung übernommen!**
Key Points
The Ten Titans have contributed more than half of S&P 500 gains in the last decade. Avoiding stocks just because they have run-up is a mistake. The S&P 500 should be viewed more as a growth index than a balanced index. 10 stocks we like better than Vanguard S&P 500 ETF ›
The largest growth-focused U.S. companies by market cap are Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA), Microsoft(NASDAQ: MSFT), Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), Amazon(NASDAQ: AMZN), Alphabet(NASDAQ: GOOG)(NASDAQ: GOOGL), Meta Platforms(NASDAQ: META), Broadcom(NASDAQ: AVGO), Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA), Oracle (NYSE: ORCL), and Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX).
Known as the "Ten Titans," this elite group of companies has been instrumental in driving broader market gains in recent years, now making up around 38% of the S&P 500(SNPINDEX: ^GSPC).
Investment management firm Vanguard has the largest (by net assets) and lowest cost exchange-traded fund (ETF) for mirroring the performance of the index -- the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF(NYSEMKT: VOO). Here's why the fund is one of the simplest ways to get significant exposure to the Ten Titans.Image source: Getty Images.
Ten Titan dominance
Over the long term, the S&P 500 has historically delivered annualized results of 9% to 10%. It has been a simple way to compound wealth over time, especially as fees have come down for S&P 500 products. The Vanguard S&P 500 ETF sports an expense ratio of just 0.03% -- or $3 for every $10,000 invested -- making it an ultra-inexpensive way to get exposure to 500 of the top U.S. companies.
The Vanguard S&P 500 ETF could be a great choice for folks who aren't looking to research companies or closely follow the market. But it's a mistake to assume that the S&P 500 is well diversified just because it holds hundreds of names. Right now, the S&P 500 is arguably the least diversified it has been since the turn of the millennium.
Megacap growth companies have gotten even bigger while the rest of the market hasn't done nearly as well. Today, the combined market cap of the Ten Titans is $20.2 trillion. Ten years ago, it was just $2.5 trillion. Nvidia alone went from a blip on the S&P 500's radar at $12.4 billion to over $4 trillion in market cap. And not a single Titan was worth over $1 trillion a decade ago. Today, eight of them are.S&P 500 Market Cap data by YCharts.
To put that monster gain into perspective, the S&P 500's market cap was $18.2 trillion a decade ago. Meaning the Ten Titans have contributed a staggering 51.6% of the $34.3 trillion market cap the S&P 500 has added over the last decade. Without the Ten Titans, the S&P 500's gains over the last decade would have looked mediocre at best. With the Ten Titans, the last decade has been exceptional for S&P 500 investors.
Story Continues
The Ten Titans have cemented their footprint on the S&P 500
Since the S&P 500 is so concentrated in the Ten Titans, it has transformed into a growth-focused index, making it an excellent way to double up on the Ten Titans. But the S&P 500 may not be as good a fit for certain investors.
Arguably, the best reason not to buy the S&P 500 is if you're looking to avoid the Ten Titans, either because you already have comfortable positions in these names or you don't want to take on the potential risk and volatility inherent in a top-heavy index.
That being said, the S&P 500 has been concentrated before, and its leadership can change, as it did over the last decade. The underperformance by former market leaders, like Intel, has been more than made up for by the rise of Nvidia and Broadcom.
So it's not that the Ten Titans have to do well for the S&P 500 to thrive. But if the Titans begin underperforming, their sheer influence on the S&P 500 would require significantly outsized gains from the rest of the index.
Let the S&P 500 work for you
With the S&P 500 yielding just 1.2%, sporting a premium valuation and being heavily dependent on growth stocks, the index isn't the best fit for folks looking to limit their exposure to megacap growth stocks or center their portfolio around dividend-paying value stocks.
The beauty of being an individual investor is that you can shape your portfolio in a way that suits your risk tolerance and investment objectives. For example, you use the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF as a way to get exposure to top growth stocks like the Ten Titans and then complement that position with holdings in dividend stocks or higher-yield ETFs.
In sum, the dominance of the Ten Titans means it's time to start calling the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF what it has become, which is really more of a growth fund than a balanced way to invest in growth, value, and dividend stocks.
Investors with a high risk tolerance and long-term time horizon may cheer the concentrated nature of the index. In contrast, risk-averse investors may want to reorient their portfolios so they aren't accidentally overexposing themselves to more growth than intended.
Should you invest $1,000 in Vanguard S&P 500 ETF right now?
Before you buy stock in Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $649,657!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,090,993!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 1,057% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 185% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.
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*Stock Advisor returns as of August 18, 2025
Daniel Foelber has positions in Nvidia. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Intel, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Netflix, Nvidia, Oracle, Tesla, and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool recommends Broadcom and recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft, short August 2025 $24 calls on Intel, and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Is the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF the Simplest Way to Double Up on "Ten Titans" Growth Stocks? was originally published by The Motley Fool
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| 24.08.25 18:00:00 |
Prediction: These 2 Trillion-Dollar Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stocks Could Strike a Megadeal That Wall Street Isn't Ready For |
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**Haftungsausschluss: Der Text wurde mit Hilfe einer KI zusammengefasst und übersetzt. Für Aussagen aus dem Originaltext wird keine Haftung übernommen!**
Key Points
Apple has yet to launch a widely adopted breakthrough in the artificial intelligence (AI) landscape, instead opting for incremental iPhone updates and grand visions for products not yet launched. Tesla has built an autonomous driving system and a humanoid robot, but neither business is moving the needle financially for the company. Apple and Tesla were rumored to have explored a tie up about a decade ago; now may be even more compelling than ever for the two trillion-dollar behemoths to explore a partnership again.These 10 stocks could mint the next wave of millionaires ›
One of Silicon Valley's most famous "what-if" stories centers on a rumored deal that never happened. According to reports, Apple(NASDAQ: AAPL) had the chance to acquire Tesla(NASDAQ: TSLA) roughly a decade ago -- but the deal never materialized.
In the years since, Tesla has cemented itself as a global leader in electric vehicles (EV), while Apple has remained a dominant force in consumer electronics. Yet despite their respective clout, both companies share a surprising weakness: Unlike Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, and Meta Platforms, neither Apple nor Tesla has built a truly scaled artificial intelligence (AI) business.
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Apple's foray into the AI arena has been relatively muted, relying on incremental iPhone upgrades rather than a bold, stand-alone AI platform -- a departure from its decorated history of innovation. Tesla, on the other hand, has ambitious plans for its humanoid robot, dubbed Optimus, and its robotaxi network, but these initiatives remain unproven at scale.
This is what makes the prospects of a strategic partnership between Apple and Tesla so intriguing right now. Each could help cover the other's blind spots, and in doing so, build the foundation of scaled AI platforms that their rivals already enjoy.
Why Apple needs Tesla
Apple's legacy has always been rooted in consumer devices, pioneering category-defining products such as the iPod, iPhone, and iPad. For years, the company was seen as the undisputed master of uncovering latent needs and turning them into must-have innovations.
In recent years, however, Apple's push into advanced hardware has struggled to live up to the company's historic track record.
Last year, the company scrapped its car initiative, Project Titan, after years of research and development. The ambitious project ended without a formal product launch -- leaving Apple with no presence in the automotive market despite years of speculation.
More recently, Apple unveiled its Vision Pro headset, a foray into augmented and virtual reality. The device has widely been viewed as a disappointment -- a high-end luxury gadget rather than a mass-market breakthrough, limiting its adoption among everyday consumers.
Now, as rumors swirl around a Siri-powered robot in Apple's pipeline, management faces a critical decision: pursue yet another hardware moonshot from scratch and risk billions in capital expenditures (capex), or align with a partner that's already in production.
In my view, Apple doesn't need to reinvent the wheel by sinking more time and money into developing products that may never launch. Instead, Apple could thrive by positioning itself as the software and services layer powering intelligent hardware that already exists in the market.
By joining forces with Tesla, Apple could leverage the company's expertise in autonomous driving systems and robotics while integrating its own AI-powered software ecosystem and consumer marketing prowess.
Such a collaboration could allow Apple to leapfrog into both consumer and enterprise adoption of smart devices -- staking a claim in the robotics and autonomous era of AI, without repeating costly mistakes of the past.
Image source: Getty Images.
Why Tesla needs Apple
Tesla's robotaxi and Optimus both carry transformative potential. But bringing these projects to life requires massive investments in compute power and AI infrastructure.
While Tesla's balance sheet boasts a healthy cash cushion, it's worth noting that, like Apple, the company has also made some controversial capital allocation decisions in recent years.
TSLA Cash and Short Term Investments (Quarterly) data by YCharts
Case in point: Tesla recently scaled back its in-house Dojo AI supercomputer project, opting instead to revert to proven infrastructure from Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices. Similar to Apple's Project Titan, the recent moves around Dojo underscore how costly and uncertain it can be to build proprietary systems at scale.
This is where a joint venture with Apple could reshape Tesla's financial trajectory. Apple sits on more than $132 billion in cash, equivalents, and marketable securities, and it commands unmatched global distribution channels. By partnering with Apple, Tesla could accelerate the commercialization of Optimus and robotaxi without overplaying its hand financially.
Moreover, Apple's unparalleled brand equity could help transform Tesla's AI-driven machines from prototype concepts into mainstream products -- bridging the gap between Musk's futuristic vision and tangible household and enterprise adoption.
A second chance that no one sees coming
Apple's decision not to acquire Tesla is often portrayed as a missed opportunity. But having spent a decade working in mergers and acquisitions as an investment banking analyst, I can say with confidence that deals rarely unfold as neatly as the financial models suggest. In many cases, strategic partnerships can unlock far greater, more accretive opportunities than an outright acquisition.
As the last of big tech to scale an AI business, both Apple and Tesla now sit at a pivotal crossroad. A collaboration between the two would represent a rare second chance for trillion-dollar innovators to join forces and reshape the future of the technology landscape.
By combining Apple's ecosystem with Tesla's progress in robotics and autonomous systems, the companies could fast-track the commercialization of next-generation AI applications -- moving them from research labs and into the hands of consumers worldwide.
Don’t miss this second chance at a potentially lucrative opportunity
Ever feel like you missed the boat in buying the most successful stocks? Then you’ll want to hear this.
On rare occasions, our expert team of analysts issues a “Double Down” stock recommendation for companies that they think are about to pop. If you’re worried you’ve already missed your chance to invest, now is the best time to buy before it’s too late. And the numbers speak for themselves:
Nvidia:if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2009,you’d have $461,605!*Apple: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2008, you’d have $43,287!*Netflix: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2004, you’d have $649,657!*
Right now, we’re issuing “Double Down” alerts for three incredible companies, available when you joinStock Advisor, and there may not be another chance like this anytime soon.
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*Stock Advisor returns as of August 18, 2025
Adam Spatacco has positions in Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Tesla. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Advanced Micro Devices, Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Tesla. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. |
| 24.08.25 15:42:00 |
Prediction: Chamath Palihapitiya's $250 Million SPAC Could Create the Next Palantir for America's Energy Grid |
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**Haftungsausschluss: Der Text wurde mit Hilfe einer KI zusammengefasst und übersetzt. Für Aussagen aus dem Originaltext wird keine Haftung übernommen!**
Key Points
Palihapitiya's new SPAC focuses on four core themes: artificial intelligence (AI), energy production, crypto, and defense. While there are limitless candidates for the new SPAC, one software startup stands out as a compelling opportunity -- sharing some similarities with Palantir in its early days. SPACs have been overly risky investments for quite some time, and Palihapitiya's personal track record is mixed.10 stocks we like better than Palantir Technologies ›
Remember when special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) dominated Wall Street headlines just a few years ago?
At the center of the frenzy was Chamath Palihapitiya -- better known on Wall Street as the "SPAC king". A former executive at AOL and Meta Platforms turned billionaire venture capitalist (VC), Palihapitiya made his name taking bold bets on disruptive companies.
Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue »
For a while, SPACs seemed to fade quietly into the background of stock market activity. But just as investors began to write them off, Palihapitiya reignited the conversation with a new prospectus for his latest $250 million "blank check company": American Exceptionalism Acquisition Corp. While details are limited at the moment, Palihapitiya has hinted at the kinds of businesses he's targeting.
Let's break down what investors need to know about this SPAC, why Palihapitiya's recent move matters, and which company I think could be on his radar -- a potential candidate to become the next Palantir Technologies(NASDAQ: PLTR).
What is American Exceptionalism Acquisition Corp.?
In the S-1 filing for American Exceptionalism Acquisition Corp., Palihapitiya outlines four core pillars he believes are essential to U.S. competitiveness -- artificial intelligence (AI), decentralized finance (DeFi), defense, and energy production.
At first glance, these may look like broad, boilerplate themes. But I see something deeper -- a unifying thesis that ties together some of the biggest secular growth opportunities underpinning the American economy.
Right now, the American economy is experiencing something akin to the Industrial Revolution thanks to the booming impacts of AI. But with any megatrend comes significant trade offs.
For AI, the most pressing challenges are not software development or infrastructure manufacturing -- it's the strain on the U.S. power grid. Hyperscalers such as Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, Oracle, and OpenAI are pouring hundreds of billions of dollars into data centers, each requiring massive amounts of electricity to operate at scale.
And it's not just the private sector. The U.S. government is moving aggressively with initiatives like Project Stargate, a $500 billion domestic infrastructure program designed to establish America's digital transformation.
Against this backdrop, I think Palihapitiya may be eyeing a start-up sitting at the intersection of his four pillars.
Image source: Getty Images.
What company could fit the bill for Chamath?
In my eyes, Houston-based Amperon could be a natural fit for the American Exceptionalism SPAC.
Amperon functions as an operating system for the power grid, offering AI-powered software that delivers real-time intelligence to utilities, energy traders, and large power buyers. Its platform enables decision-makers to forecast demand, renewable output, and wholesale prices with greater precision -- addressing some of the most pressing challenges in the energy economy.
In many respects, Amperon can be thought of as the Palantir of climate tech. Just as Palantir's Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP) synthesizes massive volumes of unstructured data and turns them into actionable insights for government agencies and large private enterprises, Amperon applies the same methodology to the grid. It translates fragmented inputs -- from weather patterns or anomalies in demand surges -- into a unified model for energy stakeholders.
The company has also built strategic collaborations with Microsoft, National Grid, and Acario (part of Tokyo Gas). Much like Palantir's early contracts, these partnerships have the potential to deepen and expand over time -- embedding Amperon's tools more firmly into data workflows.
Both Amperon and Palantir demonstrate how AI-driven software layers can evolve into indispensable infrastructure. Where Palantir dominates defense and enterprise intelligence, Amperon is carving out a parallel role capturing energy, climate, and grid optimization.
And because energy touches every sector, Amperon's reach extends even further. Its intelligence platform could support crypto and DeFi protocols, where mining depends on reliable power sources, and strengthen defense applications, where resilient energy sources are critical to national security. This suggests that Amperon's total addressable market (TAM) is far broader than it might initially appear.
Ultimately, this vision aligns almost perfectly with the ethos of Palihapitiya's new SPAC: backing companies at the intersection of AI, defense, DeFi, and energy -- all rolled up and packaged into a compelling opportunity reshaping conscious capitalism.
Remember to be careful with SPACs
In the disclosure section of the prospectus, Palihapitiya reminds investors that they should only consider this SPAC if they can "embody the adage from President Trump that there can be 'no crying in the casino.'" Harsh as it sounds, the warning is well placed.
History hasn't been kind to SPACs. A University of Florida study found that SPACs across nearly every major industry have consistently underperformed the broader market over the past decade.
SPCE data by YCharts
Palihapitiya's own track record underscores this risk. Aside from MP Materials and SoFi Technologies, most of his SPACs have been financial catastrophes. As an investor, he has also backed other high-profile deals that flamed out -- including Desktop Metal and Berkshire Grey (both delisted) and Proterra and Sunlight Financial (both bankrupt).
My take is to approach the new SPAC with measured optimism, while keeping Palihapitiya's history of stewarding outside capital at the forefront of your thesis.
American Exceptionalism's converging focus on emerging themes across AI, defense, crypto, and energy might position it as a unique opportunity potentially poised for explosive growth. But smart investors understand that promise and hope are never true substitutes for prudent, disciplined investing.
Should you invest $1,000 in Palantir Technologies right now?
Before you buy stock in Palantir Technologies, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Palantir Technologies wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $649,657!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,090,993!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 1,057% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 185% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.
See the 10 stocks »
*Stock Advisor returns as of August 18, 2025
Adam Spatacco has positions in Alphabet, Amazon, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Palantir Technologies, and SoFi Technologies. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Oracle, and Palantir Technologies. The Motley Fool recommends MP Materials and National Grid Plc and recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. |
| 24.08.25 15:00:00 |
The "Ten Titans" Stocks Now Make Up 38% of the S&P 500. Here's What It Means for Your Investment Portfolio |
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**Haftungsausschluss: Der Text wurde mit Hilfe einer KI zusammengefasst und übersetzt. Für Aussagen aus dem Originaltext wird keine Haftung übernommen!**
Key Points
The Ten Titans illustrate the top-heavy nature of the U.S. stock market. The combined market cap of the Titans far exceeds the value of the entire Chinese stock market. Concentration adds risk, but the reward has historically been worth it. 10 stocks we like better than Nvidia ›
The "Ten Titans" are the 10 largest growth-focused S&P 500(SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) components by market cap -- Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA), Microsoft(NASDAQ: MSFT), Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), Amazon(NASDAQ: AMZN), Alphabet(NASDAQ: GOOG)(NASDAQ: GOOGL), Meta Platforms(NASDAQ: META), Broadcom(NASDAQ: AVGO), Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA), Oracle (NYSE: ORCL), and Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX).
Combined, these 10 companies alone make up a staggering 38% of the S&P 500.
Even if you don't own any of the Ten Titans outright, the reality is they have a substantial impact on the broad market.
Here's what the dominance of the Titans in the S&P 500 means for your investment portfolio.Image source: Getty Images.
Titans of the global economy
To understand the importance of the Ten Titans, it's helpful to take a step back and quantify the sheer size of the S&P 500.
The S&P 500 has a market cap of $54.303 trillion at the time of this writing and makes up over 80% of the overall U.S. stock market. According to 2024 data from the World Bank, the market cap of the entire U.S. stock market was $62.186 trillion. China, the second-largest stock market in the world, had a market cap of $11.756 trillion in 2024. As a ratio of stock market value to gross domestic product, the U.S. has a far larger market than many other leading countries due to its capitalist structure and the international influence of top U.S. firms.
So, the S&P 500 alone is worth several times more than China's stock market. And with the Ten Titans at 38% of the S&P 500, this group of companies alone is worth roughly double China's entire stock market and over a third of the value of the entire U.S. stock market.
This concentration means that just a handful of companies are moving not only the U.S. stock market but global markets as well.
S&P 500 concentration is a double-edged sword
The S&P 500's high allocation to growth stocks has benefited long-term investors. This becomes evident when comparing the performance of the S&P 500 and S&P 500 Equal Weight indexes.Data by YCharts.
The S&P 500 Equal Weight index gives each of its components a 0.2% (or 1/500) weighting, so Nvidia makes up the same amount of the index as The Campbell's Company. But Nvidia is worth more than 400 times as much as Campbell's based on market cap, which explains why the chip giant has a 7.5% weight in the standard S&P 500 versus a 0.02% weight for the soup company.
Story Continues
If the S&P 500 Equal Weight index was outperforming the S&P 500, it would mean the top companies by market cap aren't doing well. But as you can see above, investors are benefiting from the concentration in companies such as the Ten Titans.
You may also notice the gap between the two indexes narrowed during the bear markets of 2020, 2022, and earlier this year. But overall, those downturns have been more than made up for by compounding gains.
In sum, having a concentrated index can be a good thing when the largest companies keep expanding, which is precisely what has happened with the Ten Titans.
Paradigm shifts in the major indexes
When I first began investing, I was taught the Nasdaq Composite was the growth index, the S&P 500 was balanced, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average favored value and income. That's no longer the case.
Today, I would define the Nasdaq as ultra-growth, the S&P 500 as growth, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average as balanced. Even the Dow's additions of Salesforce, Amazon, and Nvidia over the last five years have made the index more growth-oriented and less geared toward legacy blue chip dividend stocks.
These changes reflect the evolving economy and the international powerhouse of U.S. technology. Twenty years ago, the 10 largest S&P 500 components in order of market cap were ExxonMobil, Microsoft, Citigroup, General Electric, Walmart, Bank of America, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Intel, and American International Group. Today, eight of the Ten Titans make up the eight largest S&P 500 components.
Balancing S&P 500 risks in your portfolio
Understanding that a handful of companies and growth-focused sectors like technology, communications, and consumer discretionary are driving the S&P 500 is essential for filtering out noise and making sense of market information.
For instance, knowing that the S&P 500 is more growth-focused, investors can expect more volatility and a higher than historical index valuation. This doesn't necessarily mean the S&P 500 is overvalued; it just means the composition of the index has changed. It's a completely different market when the most valuable U.S. company is Nvidia rather than ExxonMobil, and when a social media company like Meta Platforms is worth more than the combined value of several top banks.
As an individual investor, it's especially important to know what you own and why you own it. If you're buying an S&P 500 index fund, expect it to behave more like a growth-focused exchange-traded fund or mutual fund. That may be all good and well if you have a high risk tolerance, want more exposure to the Ten Titans, and have a long-term investing horizon. But for investors with a greater aversion to risk, it may make sense to pair the S&P 500 with value and income-oriented stocks or ETFs.
In sum, the S&P 500's concentration has been a net positive for the U.S. stock market, and I fully expect it to continue benefiting long-term investors because the Ten Titans are truly phenomenal companies. But the growth focus does require investors to reevaluate how the S&P 500 fits into their portfolio.
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Bank of America is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Citigroup is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Daniel Foelber has positions in Nvidia. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Intel, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Netflix, Nvidia, Oracle, Pfizer, Salesforce, Tesla, and Walmart. The Motley Fool recommends Broadcom, Campbell's, GE Aerospace, and Johnson & Johnson and recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft, short August 2025 $24 calls on Intel, and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The "Ten Titans" Stocks Now Make Up 38% of the S&P 500. Here's What It Means for Your Investment Portfolio was originally published by The Motley Fool
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| 24.08.25 14:00:00 |
Inside Elon Musk’s Secret Memphis Warehouse: The Birthplace of the AI “Mothership” |
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**Haftungsausschluss: Der Text wurde mit Hilfe einer KI zusammengefasst und übersetzt. Für Aussagen aus dem Originaltext wird keine Haftung übernommen!**
In a newly uncovered presentation, James Altucher reveals details of Musk’s hidden warehouse in Memphis — the foundation of his AI mothership project.
Washington, D.C., Aug. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Few would expect the epicenter of Musk’s most ambitious project to be tucked away in Memphis, Tennessee. Yet, according to Altucher’s report:
“Right here, at a remote warehouse in Memphis, TN… Elon Musk has created the AI mothership…” “It is bigger than anything else on Earth.”
What looks like an unassuming industrial facility may in fact be the staging ground for the most significant leap in artificial intelligence history.
Outpacing the Titans
The Memphis mothership is not just another data hub. The presentation makes clear it has already given Musk the upper hand in the race against Big Tech.
“An innovation of such enormous proportion… That he has already surpassed all the leading AI developers.” “Including Microsoft… Meta… OpenAI… Google… and even Nvidia.”
These aren’t minor rivals. They are the corporate giants that have dominated computing for decades. And yet Musk, operating from a warehouse in Memphis, has leapfrogged them.
Musk’s Ultimate Ambition
Why Memphis? Why this facility? The answer lies in Musk’s audacious goals. The report captures his vision in stark terms:
“Musk says this project will help him unlock the deepest secrets of the universe… And achieve things — possibly in a matter of weeks — that we can’t even fathom.”
This isn’t about building faster servers. It’s about engineering a platform capable of breakthroughs on a cosmic scale.
A New Epoch Begins
Observers describe the Memphis mothership as the spark of a new age. According to the document:
“This will lead to the rise of AI 2.0… Or what I call ‘Artificial Superintelligence.’” “We are about to enter an age of exponential innovation — and wealth.”
The mothership is not a distant idea or theory. It’s already here — humming quietly inside an overlooked warehouse.
Key Takeaways From the Report
Musk’s AI mothership is headquartered in a Memphis warehouse It is described as “bigger than anything else on Earth.” The project has already outpaced Microsoft, Google, Meta, OpenAI, and Nvidia Musk intends it to “unlock the deepest secrets of the universe.” Analysts warn it could usher in “Artificial Superintelligence.”
More Than Just a Building
To the outside world, the Memphis facility may look like nothing more than concrete walls and steel beams. But what happens inside could alter the trajectory of civilization itself.
As the report warns, “What you’re about to see could change your life — forever.”
Story Continues
About James Altucher
James Altucher is a legendary tech investor, entrepreneur, and bestselling author. Known for spotting transformative trends before they go mainstream, Altucher has built his reputation by identifying seismic shifts in technology and finance. His latest research zeroes in on Musk’s Memphis mothership — the unassuming warehouse that may define the next era of Artificial Superintelligence.
CONTACT: Derek Warren Public Relations Manager Paradigm Press Group Email: dwarren@paradigmpressgroup.com
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| 24.08.25 13:30:02 |
Meta Platforms Stock Is Off Its Highs - Three Ways for Value Investors to Play META With Options |
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**Haftungsausschluss: Der Text wurde mit Hilfe einer KI zusammengefasst und übersetzt. Für Aussagen aus dem Originaltext wird keine Haftung übernommen!**
Meta Platforms (META) stock is down from its post-Q2 earnings peak. It could be a buy here for patient investors. This article will explore three ways to play it using put and call options for the value investor.
Meta closed at $754.79 on Friday, August 22, down from a closing high of $790.00 on August 12. Meta's Q2 earnings were released on July 30, when it was at $695.21. But the next day it rose to $773.44. So, since then, META stock has dropped.
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I argued in a July 31 Barchart article that META stock might be worth $800.85 per share ("META Stock Soars and Options Volume Explodes - Is META Fully Valued?"). That was based on its free cash flow (FCF) and FCF margins.
This means there is a potential upside of +6.1% (i.e., $800.85/$754.79 = 0.061) for new investors in META stock. That's not much.
But there are ways to play this using options that might make sense for value investors.
This involves shorting out-of-the-money (OTM) puts, and/or a combination of buying longer-dated in-the-money (ITM) calls and shorting near-term OTM calls.
Shorting OTM META Puts
For example, look at the Sept. 26 expiry period, for put contracts expiring about a month from now (33 days to expiry). It shows that the $725.00 strike price put contract, which is almost $30 or about 4% below the closing price (i.e., is out-of-the-money or OTM), has an attractive midpoint premium of $12.40.
That means a short-seller of these puts can make an immediate yield of 1.71% (i.e., $12.40/$725.00).META puts expiring Sept. 26, 2025 - Barchart - As of Aug. 22, 2025
This is because the investor who secures $72,500 with their brokerage firm (i.e., collateral posted to buy 100 shares at $725.00), is allowed to enter a trade order to “Sell to Open” 1 put contract at $725.00 for expiry on Sept. 26. The account immediately receives $1,240 (i.e., $1,240/$72,500 = 0.0171 = 1.71%).
As long as META stays over $725.00 until Sept. 26, the investor's collateral will not be assigned to buy 100 shares at $725.00. But even if that happens, the investor has a lower breakeven:
$725.00 - $12.40 = $712.60 breakeven point
That price is 5.6% below Friday's close. In other words, it provides a potentially lower buy-in price. Moreover, the upside using our price target is quite attractive:
$800.85 / $712.60 = 1.1238-1 = +12.48% upside
Story Continues
The point is that an investor can repeat this trade each month. For example, over three months, the expected return (ER) is over 5% (i.e., 1.71% x 3 = 5.13%). Again, that assumes the investor can repeat this short-put yield each month for three months.
The only issue is that an investor has to invest $72.5K. Many investors don't have that amount. Another play is to do a “poor-man's covered call” (i.e., a PMCC).
Poor Man's Covered Call (PMCC)
Here is how this works. An investor first buys an in-the-money (ITM) call (i.e., below the trading price) at a future expiry period, for example, expiring three months from now. Then they can sell nearer-term expiry period call options (say, for one-month expiry) at higher strike prices.
That way they have the potential upside from the ITM call option but the outlay is much lower than securing an OTM put play. And they collect covered call income as well.
For example, look at the Nov. 21, 2025, expiry call option period, which expires 90 days from now (i.e., 3 months away).
The $720.00 call option midpoint premium would cost a buyer $72.55 (i.e., $7,255 per contract) and the $730 call costs $66.28 (i.e., $6,628). This means the outlay is about 10% of the short-put play above.META calls expiring Nov. 21 - Barchart - As of Aug. 22, 2025
It also means that, using an average of these two calls, an investor could set a buy-in of $725 (i.e., 1 call at $720 for $7,255 and 1 call at $730 for $6,628, i.e., a total investment of $12,916:
$12,916 / 200 = $64.58 average cost
This for an average $725.00 call strike price using these two ITM call contracts in the next 3 months.
In other words, the breakeven point is:
$64.58 + $725.00 = $789.58 breakeven
That is only +4.60% higher than today's price (i.e., $789.58/$754.79). But, if META rises to the $800.78 target price, the upside is much better than owning shares:
$800.85-$725.00 avg strike = $75.85 intrinsic value per ITM call
$75.85-$64.58 avg. cost = $11.27 upside
$11.27 upside / $64.58 avg. cost = 0.1745 = +17.45% potential upside
That +17.5% upside ITM call buy play contrasts with the +6.1% upside owning META shares (at the target price), and the +12.48% breakeven upside with the short-put play (assuming META stock falls first to $725.00 and an assignment is made at $725.00).
Moreover, the ITM call buyer can now also sell short covered calls and make more income. For example, the Sept. 26 option period shows this. Look at the 1-month call options at $800.00 (the target price):META calls expiring Sept. 26 - Barchart - As of Aug. 22, 2025
It shows that the midpoint premium that can be received is $8.73. That provides the ITM covered call player an immediate yield of 1.106%:
$8.73/$789.58 breakeven point = 0.01106 = 1.106% for one month
Moreover, the investor's total return would be higher if the stock rises to $800:
$800-$789.58 = $10.42 +48.73 = $19.15
$19.15 / $64.58 average cost = 0.2965 = +29.65% potential upside
And don't forget the investor can potentially repeat this trade three times over the next 90 days as they are already long the Nov. 11 expiry ITM call options.
So, as a result, an investor only has to outlay 10% or so of what it costs to buy 100 shares of META and/or short 1 OTM put option, and make a better potential upside. That is why this is called a “poor man's covered call” or PMCC.
There are substantial risks associated with OTM and ITM calls and puts. Investor can study the Barchart Option Education Center to better understand these risks.
On the date of publication, Mark R. Hake, CFA did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Barchart.com
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| 24.08.25 13:04:11 |
Guru Fundamental Report for META - Peter Lynch |
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**Haftungsausschluss: Der Text wurde mit Hilfe einer KI zusammengefasst und übersetzt. Für Aussagen aus dem Originaltext wird keine Haftung übernommen!**
Below is Validea's guru fundamental report for META PLATFORMS INC (META). Of the 22 guru strategies we follow, META rates highest using our P/E/Growth Investor model based on the published strategy of Peter Lynch. This strategy looks for stocks trading at a reasonable price relative to earnings growth that also possess strong balance sheets.
META PLATFORMS INC (META) is a large-cap growth stock in the Business Services industry. The rating using this strategy is 91% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria. P/E/GROWTH RATIO:PASSSALES AND P/E RATIO:PASSEPS GROWTH RATE:PASSTOTAL DEBT/EQUITY RATIO:PASSFREE CASH FLOW:NEUTRALNET CASH POSITION:NEUTRAL
Detailed Analysis of META PLATFORMS INC
META Guru Analysis
META Fundamental Analysis
More Information on Peter Lynch
Peter Lynch Portfolio
Top Peter Lynch Stocks
About Peter Lynch: Perhaps the greatest mutual fund manager of all-time, Lynch guided Fidelity Investment's Magellan Fund to a 29.2 percent average annual return from 1977 until his retirement in 1990, almost doubling the S&P 500's 15.8 percent yearly return over that time. Lynch's common sense approach and quick wit made him one of the most quoted investors on Wall Street. ("Go for a business that any idiot can run -- because sooner or later, any idiot probably is going to run it," is one of his many pearls of wisdom.) Lynch's bestseller One Up on Wall Street is something of a "stocks for the everyman/everywoman", breaking his approach down into easy-to-understand concepts.
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About Validea: Validea is aninvestment researchservice that follows the published strategies of investment legends. Validea offers both stock analysis and model portfolios based on gurus who have outperformed the market over the long-term, including Warren Buffett, Benjamin Graham, Peter Lynch and Martin Zweig. For more information about Validea, click here
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. |
| 24.08.25 10:30:00 |
AI’s Big Leaps Are Slowing. That Could Be a Good Thing. |
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**Haftungsausschluss: Der Text wurde mit Hilfe einer KI zusammengefasst und übersetzt. Für Aussagen aus dem Originaltext wird keine Haftung übernommen!**
A regular cadence of more impressive large language models from startups and big tech companies alike has kept the party going, lifting stocks—including shares of AI-chip giant Nvidia —to lofty heights. That difficulty—a thorny management challenge as much as a technical one—means corporate AI adoption will be a multidecade effort, Chui says.
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