Stocks & ETFunds

Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger resigned on December 1, following the company’s difficulties in adapting to the AI-driven tech landscape. Nvidia, a leader in AI chip technology, has surged ahead with its advanced GPUs, leaving Intel’s CPUs struggling to compete. Despite initiatives to revitalize the business, including $100 billion in factory investments and government support through the CHIPS Act, Intel has faced financial losses and internal inefficiencies. With interim leaders David Zinsner and Michelle Johnston Holthaus now at the helm, Intel must address structural challenges and regain competitiveness. The company’s future depends on resolving internal conflicts and innovating for the AI era.

Microsoft's (NASDAQ: MSFT) recent $60 billion stock buyback and dividend increase come as part of a broader trend among tech giants like Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL), and Meta (NASDAQ: META), all using repurchases to enhance shareholder value. Buybacks can increase earnings per share and provide tax-efficient returns, but only if executed well. However, if poorly timed or mismanaged, they can hurt long-term growth. With the recent 1% excise tax on buybacks under the Inflation Reduction Act, companies face new costs, prompting investors to evaluate these programs carefully.

Eric Sprott, co-founder of Sprott Money, shared his insights into the gold and silver markets, predicting that gold could reach $3,000 per ounce and silver $50 by year-end. While gold has recently hit record highs, silver has lagged behind despite a 20% supply shortage. Sprott remains optimistic about undervalued gold and silver stocks like Discovery Silver and Free Gold Ventures. He also highlights silver's rising demand, driven by sectors like electric vehicles and new technologies. Sprott emphasizes the importance of staying informed, as global market shifts and government actions will significantly impact the precious metals landscape.

E*TRADE's Monthly Sector Rotation report highlights investor movement across S&P 500 sectors. In August, Consumer Discretionary, Information Technology, and Consumer Staples saw positive inflows, while Communication Services, Health Care, and Financials faced outflows. Despite concerns about a tech sector rotation, IT continued its strength, driven by stocks like Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) and Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT). Meanwhile, Real Estate declined sharply amid rising interest rates and economic uncertainty. Historical trends suggest that top-performing sectors, like tech in 2023, often lose momentum the following year. This dynamic could impact sector performance in 2024.

There are hundreds of AI-related stocks trading on various exchanges around the world and that number has been reduced to 31 pure-play stocks trading on Canadian or American exchanges in 7 categories and put into portfolios which are tracked on a weekly basis. What follows is a summary of these 7 portfolios' performances this week.

Our Micro/Small Cap AI Stocks Portfolio went up 13.5% in July on top of a 3.2% increase in June but that strength has evaporated so far in August declining 13.8% MTD. Below are the performances of each of the constituents week-ending August 16th

Over the past five years, gold and gold-related ETFs have experienced significant fluctuations due to economic events, changing interest rates, and shifting market sentiment. This article reviews the performance of gold, the SPDR Gold Trust (GLD), VanEck Gold Miners ETF (GDX), and VanEck Junior Gold Miners ETF (GDXJ). Gold rose by over 60%, while GLD closely mirrored this increase. In contrast, GDX and GDXJ significantly underperformed, with GDX up only 30% and GDXJ up just 12%. This analysis highlights the varying risks and returns associated with different gold-related investments.

A (forward) stock split happens when a company increases the number of its shares. Although the number of shares outstanding increases by a specific multiple, the total dollar value of all shares outstanding remains the same because a split does not fundamentally change the company's value.

The word "meme" comes from the ancient Greek word "mimema" - meaning imitation - and is used to describe information that is imitated and often spread via pop culture references on social media. Simply put, a meme stock is a shared investing idea imitated by other investors.

Despite 5 of the 7 constituents in the American Cannabis MSOs Portfolio releasing their Q1 financial report earlier this week the portfolio went DOWN 5.0% and is now DOWN 18.9% from its high reached on April 30th