The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence infrastructure has forced investors to choose between specialized hardware providers like Astera Labs (NASDAQ:ALAB) and massive cloud platforms like CoreWeave (NASDAQ:CRWV) for their portfolios.
Astera Labs designs high-speed connectivity chips that eliminate data bottlenecks in modern data centers. CoreWeave provides the specialized cloud compute power necessary to train and deploy advanced generative AI models. Both companies are scaling quickly, but offer very different levels of profitability and financial risk for everyday investors.
Astera Labs is a key provider of connectivity solutions in the semiconductor stock landscape. The company sells specialized hardware to major hyperscalers and AI accelerator vendors, relying on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing for manufacturing. Customer concentration like this adds a layer of risk to the business, as three customers account for nearly 86% of total revenue.
In 2025, revenue reached nearly $852.5 million, representing growth of roughly 115% over the previous year. The company reported net income of approximately $219 million during this period, resulting in a net margin of nearly 26%. This shift to profitability highlights the significant demand for its connectivity products as data centers scale their AI capabilities.
The company reported a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.0x, which measures total debt relative to shareholder equity. Its current ratio, a measure of whether a company can cover short-term debts with its short-term ******* ets, was approximately 10.2x.

#labs #specialized #connectivity #coreweave

Arete Research, an independent research firm, has upgraded Texas Instruments Incorporated (NASDAQ:TXN) to Buy from Neutral and lifted its price target to $405 from $303. This 34% raise in the PT comes days after the company posted a strong quarter – a surprise from an ***** og cyclical sector. Texas Instruments' Q2 revenue reached $5.46 billion, up 23% year-over-year, beating the $5.24 billion consensus. The company's EPS rose 52% year-over-year, beating the $1.92 Street estimate with $2.14. The most crucial piece of information tucked away in the report is the twofold growth in data center income.
According to an Arete Research ***** yst, the surging AI demand is anticipated to cause three years of ***** og semiconductor shortages. The ***** yst believes that Texas Instruments is well-positioned with respect to capacity, which should yield significant market share gains during this cycle. Arete projects revenue of approximately $34 billion with earnings of $17 per share by fiscal 2028. These structural tailwinds, discussed by the ***** yst, align with the company's operational and financial performance. Let's break them down.
The AI buildout faces one severe bottleneck – power shortage. And power is exactly what Texas Instruments, nicknamed by the market as "boring ***** og," sells. Hyperscalers are shifting toward 800-volt DC architectures to support denser GPU clusters. As a result, the need for ***** og content per rack increases. Texas Instruments serves this critical conversion layer through high-voltage gallium-nitride (GaN) power devices, real-time motor control, and sensing technology. Additionally, the company's March collaboration with Nvidia on humanoid robotics expands this portfolio. These demands fuel the quarterly ***** og revenue, which rose 26% to $4.37 billion. Texas Instruments is not relying on an industrial market recovery but is working on strengthening its position as a significant supplier for technology's most capital-intensive infrastructure cycle.
A more durable driver stems from timing rather than the AI narrative. Texas Instruments is completing a six-year, roughly $24 billion fab expansion that constrained free cash flow. Spending is dropping significantly. The 2026 capex projected at $2 billion to $3 billion stands in contrast to the comparatively high $4.55 billion in 2025. The fabs are complete, and revenue is recovering now, allowing management to anticipate free cash flow per share exceeding $8 in 2026, compared to $3.23 in 2025. Cash generation is tripling alongside declining capital expenditure, altering the investment profile investors have avoided during the build.

#instruments #analog #Research #cash

TSMC adopting an EMIB-like technology validates Intel's packaging approach, though packaging represents only about 10 to 15 percent of TSMC's $120 billion in revenue.
Intel's EMIB targets cost-sensitive AI ASICs for hyperscalers like Google and AWS, while CoWoS dominates high-bandwidth GPU training workloads.
TSMC is expanding CoWoS capacity over 80% annually, and rising competition should grow the overall packaging market rather than redistribute share.
Act now: the ****** yst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks — and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing didn't make the cut. Grab the names FREE today.
The artificial intelligence boom has reshaped the semiconductor industry in an unexpected way. Manufacturing the world's most advanced chips is no longer the biggest bottleneck. Packaging them has become just as important.

#emib #Manufacturing #NVIDIA

The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady in a range of 3.50%-3.75% for the fifth meeting in a row on Wednesday, in one of the closest decisions to call in years.
Inflationary pressures arising from the war in Iran and AI bottlenecks have divided Fed officials in recent months. Three Fed officials dissented on the decision, preferring to raise rates by 25 basis points.
"I asked for a good family fight, and I got one," Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh said at a press conference.
Here are a few more takeaways from the meeting and post-decision press conference:
Fed policy statement doesn't change: The Fed reaffirmed its statement from the previous meeting, highlighting how the central bank intends to be more "parsimonious with what information they provide," according to Moody's chief economist Mark Zandi.

#rates #reserve #wednesday

Kimberly Guilfoyle's latest diplomatic stop is drawing attention for what she wore, not what she said.
The 57-year-old U.S. ambassador to Greece visited the Ormylia Monastery in Halkidiki on Thursday, July 30, according to a report from Greek City Times.
For the visit, she wore a fitted turquoise knee-length dress with a plunging neckline and pointed-toe stilettos. In a photo taken with a group of monks and nuns, who were covered from head to toe except for their faces and hands, Guilfoyle's outfit stood in stark contrast to the monastery's modest dress standards, making her appear notably underdressed.
Instagram/Kimberly Guilfoyle
"I was deeply moved to visit the Ormylia Foundation and Monastery this week," Guilfoyle said, per the outlet. "I met with their dedicated volunteers, including Abbot Elisaios, Dr. Doumas, Brother Charlie, and the remarkable Reverend Mother Nikodimi and her sisters. Their work healing bodies through the Medical Center's life-saving screenings and nurturing souls through faith is a beautiful example of compassion in action. I am grateful for the partnership between the United States and this extraordinary community."

#monastery

Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith will hit on Friday at Dodger Stadium before the game, stepping into the cage after a long break.
The Dodgers shut down Smith after he failed to make progress in his recovery from a neck injury. Smith is battling an inflamed disc in his neck, which has kept him out for more than a month.
His injury was meant to be just a few days away from the lineup, but it was clearly more serious than expected.
Jun 1, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
He got a neck injection in June while continuing baseball activities, but things did not improve for Smith, leaving uncertainty about how long he will miss.

#smith #neck

Last week, new Prime Minister Andy Burnham held a meeting with his cabinet, and we caught a glimpse of Louise Haigh, who has secured the role of the First Secretary of State.
The Sheffield-born politician has a keen interest in fashion, and this was displayed as she was pictured wearing an iconic, past-season high-street dress from L.K.Bennett.
Louise donned a dress by L.K.Bennett last week (Lee Thomas)
The 38-year-old donned the 'Lasa' blue poppy-print dress. The slightly body-conscious design has a silhouette-skimming cut and is instantly recognisable due to the smattering of blue poppies etched over the torso. The print cascades all over the white fabric and is quite the eye-catching piece. The square neckline and elbow-length sleeves make for a classic shape.
Louise's L.K.Bennett dress was designed in 2014

#bennett

AC Milan and global sports brand PUMA have revealed the Club's 2026/27 Home Kit: a return to one of football's most iconic aesthetics, the Rossonero visual language in its most classic form.
The 2026/27 Home Kit restores the thick red and black stripes - bold, wide, and unmistakable - running across the full body of the jersey, both front and back, completed by the return of white shorts and black socks. A look that has always stood for itself.
These are not just stripes; they are the defining mark of AC Milan. Every detail reinforces that identity. The inscription 'From Milan to the World' pays tribute to the millions of fans worldwide, capable of making the Club feel at home on every continent. On the back neck, a wax seal enshrines the Rossoneri crest: the essence of AC Milan, imprinted on every shirt as its authentic signature, a timeless passage handed down from parent to child. Together, they make this shirt a love letter to all who claim it as their own.
Maikel Oettle, Chief Revenue Officer of AC Milan, said: "This kit goes back to the core of who we are. It's a design you immediately recognise and feel part of - essential, iconic, and unmistakably AC Milan. These stripes don't tell a story. They are the story. And it belongs to every Rossonero, wherever they are."
Maria Kiebacher, PUMA Director Product Line Management - Teamsport Apparel, said: "The thick stripes are the soul of this kit: a design that carries decades of history and still hits with the same force today. When something is this embedded in football culture, it doesn't need reinvention. It needs to be honoured and brought to life with everything the game demands of it."

#back

Scotland's Melanie Woods has won the Commonwealth Games women's 1500m T54 for the second time in under 40 hours after streaking to victory in the restaged final - however England's Ellis Kottas could not replicate her silver medal.
Woods set a new Games record to triumph in Glasgow on Wednesday evening, but it emerged on Thursday morning that Para-athletics authorities had decided the race should be held again following appeals surrounding a first-lap crash.
However, the Scot kept her composure in her home city to replicate her initial success, break the record again, and reclaim the gold that was already hers - in mind if not around her neck.
Kottas, though, finished fourth, having said she was "low-key traumatised" when the race result was overturned.
Woods led from the start in her home city, although Noemi Alphonse of Mauritius and Australia's Eliza Ault-Connell kept her honest over the first couple of laps.

#games #kottas #record

Zendaya continues her legendary reign of method dressing on the red carpet. Attending the Spider-Man: Brand New Day premiere after-party in London, the actress turned heads in a jaw-dropping custom creation. Styled by her long-time image architect Law Roach, she channeled iconic comic book history. Consequently, her striking look brought classic Marvel art to life while delivering high-fashion drama that fans around the world will never forget.
For the late-night celebration, Zendaya wore a custom-designed halter dress created by American designer LaQuan Smith. The body-hugging midi dress featured bold, horizontal black-and-white stripes that wrapped around her frame.
The dress showcased a daringly deep plunging V-neckline that extended all the way down toward her waist. At the bottom, the sleek bodycon silhouette flared out into a dramatic, vibrant red satin ruffled hem at her calves.
The unique outfit was a direct recreation of a vintage 1980s Spider-Man comic book illustration. Specifically, it brought to life a paper-doll dress designed for Mary Jane Watson nearly 40 years ago.
Interestingly, Selena Gomez previously wore a bold striped LaQuan Smith knit dress during a high-profile appearance, proving the designer's mastery of eye-catching lines. However, Zendaya's custom version takes the striped aesthetic to a cinematic level by transforming comic book art into red-carpet couture.

#dress #book #zendaya #spider

Zoe Saldaña knows how to command attention without sacrificing sophistication. At the New York premiere of Lioness Season 3 on July 29, the Oscar-winning actress delivered one of her boldest fashion moments yet, stepping onto the gray carpet in a dramatic black Balmain dress that combined a dangerously high slit with an ultra-plunging neckline.
Saldaña chose a black Balmain Fall 2026 design that reinvented the classic little black dress with couture-level craftsmanship. The textured fabric featured intricate pleating throughout the bodice and skirt, creating movement and dimension from every angle.
The textured fabric featured intricate pleating throughout the bodice and skirt, creating movement and dimension from every angle (GC Images)
The gown featured a plunging V-neckline extending almost to the waist, structured shoulders that added architectural shape, long fitted sleeves, a ruched waist that highlighted her silhouette, and a dramatic tulip-style skirt with a daring center slit that climbed high up the thigh.
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#black #skirt #dramatic

The Steelers continued to drill the fundamentals as another day of training camp wrapped up at Saint Vincent College.
Channel 11 sports director Jenna Harner got some clarity on one of the players who was just cleared to return to practice.
She spoke with Broderick Jones since he was medically cleared to return.
The offensive lineman is relieved to be back on the field with his teammates.
Jones suffered a neck injury in Week 12 of last season that ultimately required spinal fusion surgery in the offseason.

#jones #return #steelers #jenna

By Stephen Nellis
SAN FRANCISCO, July 29 (Reuters) - Eliyan, a startup that aims to ease the bottlenecks in transferring data between AI chips in data centers, ‌said on Wednesday it had raised $145 million in venture funding at a $1 billion ‌valuation.
Cisco Systems, Lumentum and an early investor in networking pioneer Mellanox before its sale to Nvidia backed the raising, according to Santa Clara, California-based Eliyan.
The startup is developing technology aimed at the growing list of companies that are developing their own custom AI computing chips to compete with graphics processing units from Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices.
Regardless of who makes them, most AI chips today ‌face the same basic problem: They ⁠can process data much faster than they can send or receive it, which leaves pricey chips waiting and idle.

#NVIDIA

It was never about a medal for Laura Muir on her Glasgow return.
The middle-distance runner is the only female in Team Scotland to have been part of both the 2014 and 2026 team, but she couldn't be more of a different athlete.
Twelve years ago, the then-21-year-old was not used to the sound of slabs of metal clanging around her neck or even hearing her name in medal-winning conversations.
She didn't leave those Games with those things, either.
But on her return to Glasgow for the 2026 edition, the 33-year-old bounced along to the sound of silverware clattering and with the **** le as one of the best at her business in the last decade in tow.

#sound #laura #muir

Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD) and Core Scientific, Inc. (NASDAQ:CORZ) announced an infrastructure partnership on July 28 that starts with more than 500 megawatts of U.S. data center capacity in 2027 and can expand to 2.5 gigawatts.
The commercial link is a deployment bottleneck. AI accelerators cannot generate revenue without energized land, cooling, networking, and buildings designed for high-density racks. Core Scientific supplies that infrastructure, while the companies will jointly design facilities around AMD Instinct GPUs, EPYC CPUs, and ROCm software. For AMD, reserving compatible capacity can turn customer interest into installable systems rather than stranded chip demand, although the agreement discloses no GPU-purchase commitment.
For illustration purposes only. Photo by Brett Sayles on Pexels
The full 2.5 GW is not firm capacity. Core Scientific said the partnership is anchored by 15-year agreements for approximately 530 MW across five sites and more than $14 billion of potential base contracted revenue. That company estimate is not recognized revenue, and no disclosed GPU-purchase commitment lets investors translate it into AMD chip sales.
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD) will receive market-priced warrants to buy Core Scientific common stock, subject to commercial conditions. That feature aligns AMD with the infrastructure provider's execution and gives it potential equity upside. It may also dilute existing CORZ holders if warrants vest and are exercised, but the companies did not disclose enough terms to quantify that effect.

#scientific #infrastructure

Cascading risks linked to the highly volatile geopolitical landscape are driving demand for insurance products that safeguard day-to-day business operations, according to a GlobalData poll. Meanwhile, the availability of insurance products to protect against such impacts remains compromised as insurers struggle to adapt to the rapidly changing risk landscape.
According to a poll conducted by GlobalData on Verdict Media sites in Q2 2026 —which garnered 107 responses from industry insiders—supply chain insurance (41.1%) is the product set to see the highest demand due to geopolitical tensions. The second most sought-after product is cyber insurance, commanding 20.6% of responses.
Businesses overwhelmingly view the fallout of geopolitical tensions through the lens of indirect operational disruption, seeking products that safeguard daily commercial operations. In contrast, demand for specialist transport and direct **** et protection is lower. This highlights that organisations are deeply concerned about trade route blockages, state-sponsored cyberattacks, and collateral revenue losses that can have a cascading effect on operations, thus threatening day-to-day business continuity.
Ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Eastern Europe are creating specific trade bottlenecks such as in the Suez Canal and Strait of Hormuz, leading to widespread shipping reroutes, while alternative maritime corridors are emerging. Meanwhile, the US's shift toward economic nationalism—marked by sudden tariff hikes, export restrictions, and sanctions—is pressuring international trade supply networks.
Although demand exists, paradoxically, insurance capacity is compromised as many insurers pull products from the market fearing that the risks are unquantifiable. This highlights a key challenge for the industry, whereby only insurers with the most risk appetite are willing to adapt their underwriting strategies and product offerings. This requires providers to tighten policy wordings and exclusions around tariffs and sanctions, as well as stress-test products to avoid catastrophic losses from a single event. In addition, real-time geospatial tracking is gradually gaining traction for more accurately **** sing risks and improving underwriting.

#products #demand #risks #geopolitical

The design deliberately breaks with visual conventions: Instead of the classic Black and Yellow, BVB takes the field in a bold purple base. The connection to the club's DNA remains intact: Neon yellow details on the V-neck and sleeve cuffs bridge the gap to the traditional club colors. The logos stand out in bright yellow against the purple background, while a subtle, woven pinstripe texture gives the jersey a modern, athletic silhouette.
As part of the BVB Evonik ***** an Tour, the new away jersey will be officially unveiled by the BVB first team. It will also be presented this afternoon in Tokyo against one of the world's most famous backdrops: the imposing Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building.
To complement this, BVB – with support from PUMA – is bringing street soccer to Asia: Right in front of City Hall, the "BVB World Street Series" will take place – a small-field soccer tournament where local children will have the chance to showcase their skills against one of the city's most spectacular backdrops.
The new away jersey for the 2026–27 season is now available at all BVB and PUMA stores, as well as in the BVB online store.

#puma #street

The Steelers hosted veteran safety Jordan Whitehead for a free agent visit on Thursday, according to the NFL personnel notice.
Whitehead, who played at the University of Pittsburgh, recently was cleared to resume his football career.
He also has worked out for the Colts and the Texans.
Whitehead missed all of last season after being seriously injured in a two-vehicle car crash in Tampa on Jan. 4, 2025. He underwent neck surgery, putting his future in doubt.
Dr. Alex Vaccaro, the Eagles' spine specialist, signed off on Whitehead's return to play in 2026.

#steelers

Oprah Winfrey revealed whether or not she shares clothes with her longtime friend Gayle King on the Baby, This Is Keke Palmer podcast
The pair has occasionally coordinated outfits, including wearing matching snake-print heels at Paris Fashion Week in March
Winfrey once critiqued King's bold necklace choice, but their close bond remains strong after decades of friendship
Oprah Winfrey draws the line when it comes to sharing certain things with her best friend Gayle King.
The host and producer, 72, revealed on the July 26 episode of the Baby, This Is Keke Palmer podcast that while she and King, 71, have been friends for over 50 years, there are some lines they don't cross — especially when it comes to fashion.

#baby #keke #friend

China has started producing domestic immersion deep-ultraviolet lithography tools, Reuters reported on July 28. State-backed Shanghai Aishengna Electronic Technology Group plans to deliver machines to Semiconductor Manufacturing International, Hua Hong Semiconductor and memory producer ChangXin Memory Technologies. Production is expected to remain small, at roughly five systems in 2026 and about 20 in 2027.
The news struck ASML Holding N.V. (NASDAQ:ASML) through direct product substitution. Export controls already block the company from selling its most advanced extreme-ultraviolet systems into China, leaving DUV scanners as the main lithography category available there. ASML said China generated 29%, or about €9.5 billion, of 2025 net sales; Reuters Breakingviews noted that this revenue was ***** ociated with DUV machines and services. A domestic machine that passes production qualification could replace specific future ASML scanner orders and reduce Chinese fabs' dependence on ASML service, even if those fabs still prefer its performance.
"Viable" remains the unresolved word. Reuters reported that the Chinese systems still trail ASML in performance and reliability and require further testing. Chipmakers require overlay accuracy, yield, throughput and uptime in sustained high-volume production. Planned output is also modest beside ASML's installed base. The development raises a strategic risk to future China sales, but it does not show that ASML's tools have been replaced.
Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MU) is connected through a named competitor and a manufacturing bottleneck. CXMT, one of the intended tool recipients, competes in DRAM. If locally serviceable immersion DUV equipment eventually lets CXMT qualify and add reliable commodity-memory output despite tighter foreign-tool restrictions, the additional bits could pressure industry pricing and Micron's margins. That is a supply-curve risk, not evidence that the new tools can already produce competitive high-bandwidth memory for leading AI accelerators.
Micron's current results push against the most bearish interpretation. For its fiscal third quarter ended May 28, the company reported $41.46 billion of revenue and said data center revenue exceeded $25 billion. Management also said DRAM and NAND demand continued to exceed industry supply. China's DUV progress can influence the future supply curve without invalidating those current conditions.

#production #systems #revenue

The Nasdaq composite spiked up Thursday, with chip stocks a driver in the stock market's rebound from a sell-off in the previous session following the Federal Reserve's policy meeting. Chip equipment maker Lam Research (LRCX) shot higher on the stock market today on its raised outlook, while Meta Platforms (META) sank after its earnings report.
Near the end of the lunch hour in New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose more than 500 points, or 1%. But a minority of the 30 stocks in the share-price-weighted index actually rose. Travelers (TRV) was the worst performer, falling 17 points, or 4%, to 371.75. The blue-chip index tumbled 2.1% on Wednesday. In Thursday's session, the S&P 500 reaccelerated its advance, rising 1.3% and not straying far from its intraday high of 7,417.
The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite, for now, was doing a better job of holding opening-hour gains than other indexes. It leaped 2.3%, adding to a jump of 1.7% minutes after the open. The composite index hit a session high of 25,112, up 8% for the year.
The Nasdaq-100 index picked up more than 3% following brutal sessions recently for memory and storage stocks. Lam shares on Thursday shot up 18%. The VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) climbed nearly 7%.
Amazon (AMZN) and Apple (AAPL) are the next Big Tech companies set to release earnings reports, with their latest figures due late Thursday.

#NASDAQ #index

NEW DELHI: As India enter a critical phase in their bid to stay alive in the World Test Championship (WTC) race, Jasprit **** rah and Shubman Gill are taking a cautious approach to regaining full fitness ahead of the two-Test series in Sri Lanka starting Aug 15.

TOI understands that **** rah will begin gradually increasing his bowling workload after suffering an impact injury during the ODI series in England, while Gill has sought help from specialists outside the BCCI for his chronic neck problem.

It is learnt that **** rah developed swelling in his knee before the final ODI at Lord's on June 19 but the medical team is confident he will be ready for the first Test in Galle. The selectors picked him for the Sri Lanka tour subject to fitness. The focus is now on preparing him to endure the rigours of Test cricket.

Bumrah has played little longer-format cricket since the second Test against South Africa in Guwahati last Nov. He has featured only in T20 cricket, apart from two ODIs in England last month. **** rah is currently at the Centre of Excellence (CoE).

"Bumrah will start bowling this week and his workload will be gradually increased. He needs to get used to bowling longer spells again. The medical team at CoE will be closely monitoring it, and the initial reports are that he should be good to start the first Test. These two Test matches are very important for India. Dropping even one Test here will put immense pressure on the team to qualify for the WTC final next year. That's why the team management wants **** rah to be available in prime shape for the series," a BCCI source told TOI.

As for Gill, it is learnt that he has been consulting specialists to address the neck pain that first flared up during his first innings in the opening Test against South Africa at Eden Gardens. The problem eventually ruled him out of the rest of the series, which India lost 0-2. He also missed an IPL match because of the recurring pain.

"Gill has been battling the neck pain for some time. It flares up every now and then, especially when he bats for a longer period. He has been consulting specialists outside BCCI for treatment and he is much better now. It's an ongoing process. India felt his absence in that South Africa series. That's why he has taken a cautious approach in addressing the chronic issue," the source said.
132729907
Sudharsan set to resume batting next week

Sai Sudharsan, India's No. 3 batter in Tests, has also been selected subject to fitness. He is recovering from a hamstring injury and will resume batting at the CoE next week. The BCCI medical team has shared a positive report regarding his availability for the first Test.

#test #first #south #africa

John Mateer is entering his final season as a college football player. The Oklahoma Sooners' gunslinger is hoping this year will be his best.
Mateer joined the Sooners after an incredible season with the Washington State Cougars in 2024. He threw for 3,139 yards, 29 touchdowns and seven interceptions, while rushing for 826 yards and 15 scores. He was one of the most sought-after players in the transfer portal. Ultimately, he decided to follow his offensive coordinator, Ben Arbuckle, to Norman.
His first season was rocky. He threw for 2,885 yards, 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, while rushing for 431 yards and eight scores. Mateer dealt with an injury to his throwing hand that derailed a promising start. On3's J.D. PicKell has been one of Mateer's biggest supporters. He said on "The Hard Count" that he believes Mateer is in for a big season.
"I think that John Mateer, going into his second year as the guy in Norman, and going into, I think it's like Year 4 in Ben Arbuckle's offense, will be so much better," PicKell said. "... I think he's going to be so much better from the neck up playing the game. He's seen the live bullets in the SEC now. He knows what it is to expect from the speed of the game."
If Mateer can improve his decision-making and regain the efficiency he showed at Washington State, he could take a massive leap in 2026. Oklahoma's defense gives the Sooners a championship-caliber foundation, but the ceiling of the team could ultimately depend on whether Mateer can become the difference-maker at quarterback that many expected him to be when he arrived in Norman.

#going

Podcaster Joe Rogan warned liberals Tuesday that moving to Texas and turning the state blue would ruin the delicate balance for everybody, including liberal Texans.
"The liberals that want to turn Texas blue, like, don't. You're going to ruin it," he said.
Rogan, a former Californian, has spoken out numerous times about his choice to leave California over its far-left policies, particularly those from the COVID-19 pandemic years.
Coastal Workers Fleeing Blue Strongholds Could Create An Opportunity For Detroit
Rogan lamented that many "coastal elites" and "coastal snobs" often "have this idea of it being filled with rednecks and ignorant people and foolish people. It's not that way at all. Especially Austin. Austin is like one of the most, like, liberal, easygoing, progressive cities, but even the progressives here, they're like, more reasonable."

#blue #austin #ruin #liberal

The physical infrastructure enabling artificial intelligence requires considerably more than just high-performance accelerators and primary grid connections. It also relies on millions of high-density connectors, backplane interconnects, and power-filtering devices to connect rack-level structures, areas where TE Connectivity plc (NYSE:TEL) holds a significant bottleneck position. As hyperscalers and enterprise data center operators ramp up capital expenditure deployment around the world, demand for critical electrical connector systems has transformed from a passive secondary tailwind to a direct beneficiary of the AI growth cycle.
The company's fiscal third-quarter 2026 report showed this demand in real time, with record top-line performance, order velocity, and profitability. Despite exceeding Wall Street expectations in every fundamental indicator, shares fell roughly 7% following the release, indicating the market's focus on sequential forecast trends over historical trailing figures.
Operational execution in the third quarter set new highs across numerous business areas. Net revenue increased 14% year-over-year to $5.16 billion, above Wall Street expectations by more than 3%. Adjusted earnings per share rose 22% year-over-year to $2.94, exceeding the average estimate of $2.85. The report's defining metric was order flow, which increased 27% year-over-year to a record $5.7 billion, reflecting over $1 billion in incremental booking expansion vs. the prior year period. Meanwhile, profitability increased significantly, with adjusted operating margins improving 90 basis points to 22% and quarterly free cash flow totaling $883 million.
The underlying sector distribution highlights where AI momentum is growing the fastest. Industrial Solutions revenue increased 22% year-over-year to $2.58 billion, driven mainly by data center rack deployments and energy infrastructure growth. Chief Executive Officer Terrence Curtin stated that AI cloud momentum is far above initial multi-year predictions, with data center connection and power distribution orders rising more than 70% year-to-date.
Moreover, to back up its power-handling portfolio, TE Connectivity plc (NYSE:TEL) signed a $1.4 billion formal agreement to acquire Astrodyne TDI. The acquisition includes specialized power management and electromagnetic filtering solutions for critical industrial, semiconductor, and defense applications, providing approximately $250 million in annual revenue to the Industrial Solutions segment once completed.

#year #solutions #data

O'Keeffe Stevens Advisory, an investment advisory firm, released its second-quarter 2026 investor letter. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. During Q2 2026, the market experienced notable dispersion between perceived AI losers and winners. The firm has made investments early in AI infrastructure companies, which yielded gains during market repricing. The second quarter experienced strong equity rallies, with the S&P 500 gaining 15.2% and the Nasdaq 21.4%, marking the best quarter since Q2 2020. While the software sector faced challenges, with the iShares Software ETF dropping ~27% before a rally, reflecting high volatility. This volatility is seen as an opportunity, despite the potential for 'dead money' in underperforming stocks. The firm remains cautious, focuses on owning durable businesses at reasonable prices, holding cash, and hedging risks to navigate unpredictability. In addition, please check the Strategy's top five holdings to know its best picks in 2026.
In its Q2 2026 investor letter, O'Keeffe Stevens Advisory highlighted Corning Incorporated (NYSE:GLW). Corning Incorporated (NYSE:GLW) is a technology company that operates through its Optical Communication, Display Technologies, Environmental Technologies, Specialty Materials, and Life Sciences business segments. On July 27, 2026, Corning Incorporated (NYSE:GLW) closed at $143.36 per share. One-month return of Corning Incorporated (NYSE:GLW) was -43.88%, and its shares gained 131.30% over the past 52 weeks. Corning Incorporated (NYSE:GLW) has a market capitalization of $123.38 billion.
O'Keeffe Stevens Advisory stated the following regarding Corning Incorporated (NYSE:GLW) in its Q2 2026 investor update:
"Qualcomm and Corning Incorporated (NYSE:GLW) both appreciated materially in Q2. We trimmed both positions using a combination of options and stock sales.
Corning appreciated over 20% in Q2. Corning spent the second quarter signing up the biggest names in AI as customers and partners. In May, Nvidia and Corning announced a multiyear commercial and technology partnership under which Corning will increase its U.S. optical connectivity manufacturing capacity tenfold and expand U.S. Fiber production by more than 50%, including three new plants in North Carolina and Texas. Nvidia paid $500 million for rights to Corning shares, including warrants on up to 15 million shares at a $180 exercise price; if exercised in full, Nvidia's total equity investment could reach $3.2 billion. In June, Amazon signed a multiyear, multibillion-dollar agreement for Corning to supply the optical Fiber, cable, and connectivity for its expanding U.S. data centers. These follow the up to $6 billion supply agreement Meta signed in January. Historically, data centers used copper cables to connect their technology, some of which is switching to Fiber. Corning's Fiber may be a future bottleneck. As legacy data centers convert to newer, Fiber-connected racks, Corning contends with new data centers demand

Because Florence Pugh is one of Marvel's biggest current stars, and her character, Yelena Belova, plays a role in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, it wasn't much of a surprise to see her on the red carpet for the London premiere.
Shane Anthony Sinclair/Getty Images
The British actress has been on an exceptional run of late, so I was delighted to see that continue in this Tamara Ralph Spring 2026 Couture dress.
Remember when I used to cry tears of frustration over Florence's red-carpet choices? Tonight, they were tears of joy as she glided onto the red carpet in this silver bugle-bead fringe gown with its dramatic winged neckline. I'll admit my mind initially wandered to Harris Reed, but Tamara Ralph's execution has a lighter, more fluid elegance, less theatrical feel.
A gown embellished with silver crystal Xilions hardly called for additional jewellery, yet her Bvlgari pieces, particularly the emerald earrings and matching ring, added another layer of glamour.

#tamara #tears #gown #belova

Zoe Saldana stopped by CBS Mornings in New York today to promote the upcoming third season of Lioness, which premieres on 2 August.
Raymond Hall/GC Images
I'm hoping Zoe is starting this press tour as she means to go on, because this made a refreshing change.
We all know how much the actress loves a black Saint Laurent lace dress. At this point, she and Zoë Kravitz must be neck and neck for the number of times they've worn one, so I always breathe a sigh of relief when she heads in a different direction.
On this occasion, she wore a look from the Willy Chavarria Spring 2027 collection, which debuted during Men's Fashion Week last month.

#saldana #mornings #august #images

The Federal Reserve's two-day policy meeting concludes on Wednesday with an interest rate decision at 2:00 p.m. ET. The Fed's next move — to hold or hike — remains a close call.
Markets expect the central bank to keep interest rates unchanged, but inflationary pressures arising from the war in Iran and AI bottlenecks could prompt officials to opt for a surprise hike. Bond traders placed 64.2% odds that the Fed will hold rates steady and 35.8% odds that it will hike, according to the CME Group's FedWatch on Tuesday morning.
The Fed's decision is opaque not only due to the balance of economic forces; it's also by design. As new Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh reforms the institution, he's looking to bring the Fed back to an era of less communication with markets on the path of policy.
Warsh has repeatedly said he wants a "good family fight" at Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meetings. He's likely to get that, as officials remain divided on whether to hike interest rates this year.
If the Fed opts to raise interest rates today, it will likely be for two reasons: energy inflation stemming from the war in Iran coupled with the fact that inflation has remained stubbornly above the Fed's 2% goal for over five years.

#warsh

Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD) and Core Scientific, Inc. (NASDAQ:CORZ) announced an infrastructure partnership on July 28 that starts with more than 500 megawatts of U.S. data center capacity in 2027 and can expand to 2.5 gigawatts.
The commercial link is a deployment bottleneck. AI accelerators cannot generate revenue without energized land, cooling, networking, and buildings designed for high-density racks. Core Scientific supplies that infrastructure, while the companies will jointly design facilities around AMD Instinct GPUs, EPYC CPUs, and ROCm software. For AMD, reserving compatible capacity can turn customer interest into installable systems rather than stranded chip demand, although the agreement discloses no GPU-purchase commitment.
For illustration purposes only. Photo by Brett Sayles on Pexels
The full 2.5 GW is not firm capacity. Core Scientific said the partnership is anchored by 15-year agreements for approximately 530 MW across five sites and more than $14 billion of potential base contracted revenue. That company estimate is not recognized revenue, and no disclosed GPU-purchase commitment lets investors translate it into AMD chip sales.
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD) will receive market-priced warrants to buy Core Scientific common stock, subject to commercial conditions. That feature aligns AMD with the infrastructure provider's execution and gives it potential equity upside. It may also dilute existing CORZ holders if warrants vest and are exercised, but the companies did not disclose enough terms to quantify that effect.

#core #devices