Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE:BABA) has launched a HK$80 billion ($10.2 billion) Hong Kong share placement to fund its artificial intelligence ambitions. The company plans to use all of the proceeds to strengthen its "full-stack" AI capabilities, including computing infrastructure, chips, and AI model development. The offering involves 710 million new shares, which will increase the company's share count and dilute existing shareholders. The placement was reportedly oversubscribed, indicating strong institutional demand for the offering.
The timing of the capital raise is important. Alibaba recently reported a 75% year-over-year decline in quarterly net profit, while capital expenditures jumped 75% to RMB67.68 billion. At the same time, its AI Cloud and Compute Services revenue rose 45% to RMB48.44 billion. This shows the trade-off investors are currently facing: Alibaba is spending heavily on AI, which is pressuring near-term profitability, but the investment is also producing strong growth in its cloud business.
The strongest argument for Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE:BABA) is that its AI investment is already translating into meaningful business growth. AI Cloud and Compute Services revenue increased 45% in the latest quarter, while revenue from AI-related products continued to record triple-digit growth. This suggests that Alibaba is not simply spending money on an unproven technology; it is seeing growing demand for its AI and cloud offerings.
The additional $10.2 billion could allow Alibaba to accelerate this growth. The company has the advantage of operating across several parts of the AI ecosystem, including cloud computing, AI models, chips and infrastructure. Building these capabilities together could help it capture more value as businesses increasingly adopt AI.
The capital raise also gives Alibaba additional financial flexibility as it pursues its long-term AI strategy. The company had already committed substantial funds to AI and cloud infrastructure, and the latest offering allows it to continue investing without relying entirely on internally generated cash.

#infrastructure

Bluefin has partnered with Visa to introduce a new card-present payment acceptance offering that integrates Bluefin's PCI-validated point-to-point encryption (P2PE) solution with Visa Acceptance Solutions.
Bluefin said the goal is to provide a "unified approach" to secure in-person payment acceptance for merchants, software providers and enterprise organisations.
It positioned the offering as a single deployment that brings together payment acceptance, security and device operations.
According to the announcement, the collaboration combines payment acceptance, PCI-validated security, tokenisation, device lifecycle management and enterprise payment infrastructure into one solution.
Bluefin is contributing its PCI-validated P2PE solution, secure decryption services, a certified payment application, terminal integration and P2PE Manager. Visa Acceptance Solutions will provide payment processing, tokenisation and global payment services.

#acceptance #offering #point

T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:TROW) is making a bigger move into fixed-income ETFs through its agreement to acquire F/m Investments, a fixed-income **** et manager with about $19 billion in **** ets. The deal would add 20 ETFs covering Treasuries, TIPS, corporate bonds and municipal securities. It would also increase T. Rowe Price's fixed-income **** ets by nearly 9% and more than double its fixed-income ETF **** ets from around $6.5 billion.
The deal comes as ETFs become a more important part of the **** et-management industry. T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:TROW) has traditionally been better known for active investing, so F/m gives it an established ETF platform and a team with experience developing fixed-income products. The transaction is expected to close in early 2027, although T. Rowe Price has not disclosed how much it will pay for F/m.
Photo by Scott Graham on Unsplash
The biggest positive for T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:TROW) is that it is getting an established fixed-income ETF business rather than having to build one from scratch. The company already manages about $220 billion in fixed income, so F/m fits naturally into a business T. Rowe Price already knows well.
Distribution could be another major opportunity. F/m has built a portfolio of ETFs, but T. Rowe has a much larger network and deeper relationships with financial advisers, institutions and other investors. If the company can put F/m's products in front of more customers, the $19 billion **** et base could have room to grow. F/m also brings experience in developing new ETF structures and products. T. Rowe Price, meanwhile, has the scale and resources of a much larger **** et manager. Bringing those strengths together could help expand its fixed-income ETF offering as more investors turn to ETFs for bond exposure.

#income #group #trow

Finding emerging restaurant brands early in their national expansion can be one of the simplest ways to build long-term wealth. An early investment in Starbucks or Chipotle Mexican Grill would have multiplied into a large sum.
Dutch Bros (NYSE: BROS) and Cava Group (NYSE: CAVA) have the potential to build similar wealth for investors over the next 20 years. Both companies are in the early stages of expanding across the U.S., making now a good time to start investing in these emerging brands.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
The specialty beverage category has grown in popularity in recent years, yet Dutch Bros is gaining market share and remains a promising stock to buy and hold. It operates exclusively through a drive-thru format, with shops offering a wide range of flavorful beverages, including energy drinks, refreshers, tea, lemonade, soda, and coffee.
Dutch Bros goes the extra mile to build connections with customers using free giveaways and friendly service. That's reflected in consistent growth: Revenue grew 32% year over year in the second quarter, with systemwide same-store sales up 5.8%. This is typical of quarterly results over the last few years.

#bros #dutch #years #early

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Apex Fintech Solutions has signed a deal with Gemini ***** e Station to bring Gemini ***** an's crypto event contracts to Apex's recently launched prediction markets platform. With this deal, the Gemini subsidiary would become the exclusive regulated venue for crypto prediction markets distributed through Apex's Futures Commission Merchant (FCM).
Apex's brokerage clients will use Gemini for execution and clearing for their crypto event contracts. Gemini will also bring additional contract categories, such as sports, economics, and financial markets.
"Leveraging more than a decade of experience building and operating a regulated platform for crypto, a new and emergent ***** et class, we deliberately chose to build our predictions platform in-house," said Tyler Winklevoss, CEO of Gemini, in a statement. "We believe that predictions are the future of markets, and this strategy allows us to expand our offering and open access to valued partners like Apex as demand for event contracts grows."
This follows news earlier this month that Apex launched a prediction markets platform, with an API that gives firms access to market flow from prediction market exchange Kalshi. With the new platform, Apex handles all FCM operations, clearing, segregated custody and account management, so firms don't have to build their own FCM infrastructure or direct exchange connectivity.

#gemini

Walmart (NASDAQ: WMT) and Target (NYSE: TGT) have different business philosophies but battle for customers. The former has a low-cost, ultra-low-price business, while the latter offers low prices on certain items (such as groceries) while offering differentiated merchandise.
Both have been very successful, but their paths diverged a few years ago. Walmart kept attracting customers, while Target lost ground. That was reflected in their stock price performances.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
However, their stock performances have flipped this year. Through Aug. 20, Walmart's shares have lost 6.8%, and Target's stock price gained an eye-popping 61.9%.
With companies recently reporting quarterly results, one stands out as a buying opportunity for long-term investors.

#customers

The Baltimore Ravens have spent much of training camp evaluating young players competing for larger roles. One who is generating a lot more attention in recent weeks is defensive lineman Aeneas Peebles. The flashes have been difficult to miss. Whether it's disrupting plays in practice, creating pressure in preseason games, or earning praise from his coaches, Peebles has steadily worked his way into the conversation as one of Baltimore's more intriguing depth pieces along the defensive front.
Head coach Jesse Minter recently pointed to the playmaking instincts that keep showing up on tape. Defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver echoed that, offering an even more revealing ****** sment. During a recent conversation with reporters, Weaver was asked about Peebles' development and what he has seen from the young defensive lineman. His answer included a comparison that immediately stood out. It shouldn't be glossed over or taken lightly.
"'Fub' [Aeneas Peebles] to me is all about consistency, and the comparison I have made to him is I coached Kyle Williams in Buffalo."
Williams was one of the NFL's most respected interior defenders during his career. He earned six Pro Bowl selections while becoming a cornerstone of the Buffalo Bills' defense. Weaver isn't claiming Peebles has reached that level yet. What he is saying is that he sees similarities in the traits that made Williams successful. The most interesting part of Weaver's answer wasn't the comparison itself. It was his explanation of what separates flashes from consistent production.
According to the Ravens' defensive coordinator, Williams possessed a complete understanding of his strengths and how to maximize them. Peebles, meanwhile, is still working through that process.

#peebles

This time every preseason, I'm struck by a generous spirit, and I dole out gifts to college football luminaries. Consider it my way of offering a pre-kickoff pick-me-up, following an offseason during which it seems the only winners are lawyers and their billable hours.
They say it's better to give than to receive. I wouldn't know. ******* ody on this list ever gifted me anything other than column fodder. Perhaps, that's the greatest gift of all.
As a pat on the back for all of my generosity, I saved the final goodie for myself.
Who's too high, too low? USA TODAY Sports' Top 100 College Football Players for 2026
Here's my gift list:

#Football #today #players

The freight market has seen a brutal downturn, with an astounding 85% failure rate for new carriers in the past three years. Kirk Mann, EVP & GM of Transportation and Vendor Solutions at Mitsubishi HC Capital America, dives into why this cycle was the longest, the impact of over-financed ****** ets, and what it means for the future of freight demand and equipment financing. Learn how lenders navigate this volatile landscape and what's next for carrier growth.
The average three-year failure rate for motor carriers with fewer than two years of operating experience and their own ICC authority hit 85% during the prolonged freight downturn, according to Kirk Mann, EVP & GM of Transportation and Vendor Solutions at Mitsubishi HC Capital. Mann shared the figure in a FreightWaves interview, offering one of the starkest measures yet of how the roughly three-and-a-half-year downturn devastated the smallest participants in the for-hire trucking market.
The elevated failure rate traces directly to the equipment bubble that inflated during 2021 and 2022. Mann recalled a conversation with his chief risk officer in which they discussed a four-year-old Freightliner Cascadia with fewer than 500,000 miles — an ****** et the risk officer valued at roughly $45,000 but that the company was financing at $100,000 to $110,000. FreightWaves data showed pre-COVID prices on five-year-old equipment running around $34,000, climbing to as high as $120,000 at the peak. Carriers that entered the business buying equipment at those inflated values were immediately underwater when rates collapsed.
"I remember we were way bubble. It was an ****** et bubble of enormous proportions," Mann said.
When defaults mounted, Mitsubishi HC Capital leaned on workout tools rather than immediate repossession. Mann said the company restructured approximately 75% of its loans during its 2020 customer ****** istance program launched at the onset of COVID-19, and that 95% of those borrowers resumed payments within 90 days. Even so, the lender accumulated repossessed inventory it held "for quite a long time" before conditions improved enough to move units through dealer networks, auctions, and internal sales channels.

#freight

Alibaba (BABA) stock fell over 8.5% on Friday after the company announced a massive share sale in Hong Kong to fund its artificial intelligence (AI) investments. The company issued 710 million new shares to raise $10.21 billion in what was the largest-ever primary follow-on ‌offering from a company listed in Hong Kong.
Alibaba priced the shares at an 8.4% discount to its last traded price in Hong Kong. To be sure, pricing the shares below the prevailing prices is a norm rather than an exception in such offerings, and in June, Alphabet (GOOG) (GOOGL) priced its shares at a discount of over 6% as it raised $80 billion in what was the biggest follow-on stock sale this year. Incidentally, even Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) (BRK.B), whose chair, Warren Buffett, is known for his value investing credentials, put $10 billion in that offering and overall put $17 billion in the search giant in Q2, which made it the conglomerate's third-biggest holding.
Soros Fund Management Opened a New Position in Nebius During Q2. What This Means for NBIS Stock.
Nvidia Earnings, Jackson Hole and Other Key Things to Watch this Week
Ahead of Nvidia Earnings, Here's What Barchart Data Says Comes Next for NVDA Stock

#kong

George and Amal Clooney have given a rare glimpse inside life at their breathtaking Lake Como estate, and it appears the Hollywood couple know exactly how to throw a summer party.
The pair welcomed guests to their famous Italian retreat, Villa Oleandra, for an elegant evening of dinner, conversation and spectacular views, with astrologer Angela Pearl sharing a series of photographs from the occasion on Instagram.
"Such a special evening on Lake Como," she wrote alongside the images. "Honoured to be a guest at George Clooney's beautiful villa. I had the most wonderful time enjoying dinner with George and Amal. Good food, beautiful views, great company, interesting conversation - and a night I'll never forget."
George and Amal held a lavish dinner on their Lake Como property (@ Instagram)
The photographs certainly lived up to that description, offering a rare look at the couple's private life at the historic property that has been George's Italian sanctuary for more than two decades.

#rare

LAS VEGAS — From a fry bread pot roast taco created for the Kansas City Chiefs' visit to A5 Wagyu tomahawks and caviar service in premium areas, Allegiant Stadium is expanding its food and beverage lineup for the 2026 Las Vegas Raiders season.
Silver & Black Hospitality, the stadium's culinary and hospitality provider, unveiled a collection of new concessions, opponent-themed dishes, specialty ***** tails, desserts and premium offerings Tuesday. The additions follow Allegiant Stadium's second-place finishes in nationwide voting for both the AFC's Best NFL Stadium and Best NFL Stadium Food in the 2026 USA TODAY 10 Best Readers' Choice Awards.
"This year we have a lot of new and kind of fun items that we're showcasing and just continuing to elevate our food and beverage program," said Dillon Schoell, senior executive chef at Allegiant Stadium.
New featured concession items include a Fry Bread Pot Roast Taco topped with lettuce, tomato, queso fresco, salsa verde and chipotle crema; a Street Dog Torta with a Sabrett hot dog, pork belly, refried beans and avocado aioli; and a Chile Relleno Burger topped with avocado and crema. The lineup also includes a Focaccia and Lox Sandwich and Really Big Chicken & Waffles served with pickles, hot honey and chives.
Other new items available throughout the season include Buffalo Chicken Wontons, Potato Tacos, an XL Chicken Club Sandwich and a Korean Philly Cheesesteak made with shaved beef, kimchi, mozzarella, provolone, green onions and gochujang aioli.

#items

Tesco Ireland has signed a three-year, €45m ($52.5m) agreement with Freshways to supply sandwiches, wraps, salads and pasta dishes for its meal deal range.
The deal builds on a supplier relationship between the two companies spanning more than two decades.
Headquartered in Finglas, Dublin, Freshways provides more than 40 product lines to the meal deal range under its Crust & Co brand, covering sandwiches, wraps, salads and pasta dishes.
Tesco Ireland fresh category director John Brennan said: "Freshways has been a trusted and valued supplier to Tesco Ireland for many years, consistently delivering high-quality products that our customers love. Their commitment to innovation, quality, and service has helped us build the strongest meal deal offerings in the market."
The contract comes after Freshways put €8m into its Finglas production site, adding "high-care" manufacturing **** e, increasing storage capacity and upgrading refrigeration systems.

#ireland #deal #finglas #pasta

SU Group Holdings Limited (NASDAQ:SUGP) has secured exclusive Macao distribution rights for the Inspec Spider robotic infrastructure inspection system, adding a new potential revenue stream to its recently established operation in the region.
The agreement gives subsidiary Shine Union (Macao) Limited sole rights to market, distribute and sell the high-mast inspection technology in Macao, while extending SU Group's portfolio into technology-enabled infrastructure inspection.
SU Group (NASDAQ:SUGP) gains exclusive Macao distribution rights for Inspec Spider during the term of the agreement, creating a new revenue opportunity.
The deal gives the company's new Macao subsidiary an early commercial offering as SU Group works to expand beyond its established Hong Kong operations.
Inspec Spider combines robotics, cameras and AI-assisted ******* ysis to inspect high masts and poles up to 35 metres from ground level.

#macao #NASDAQ

Descartes Systems Group announced Monday that it has acquired Tai, a TMS provider for freight brokers, for $100 million. The deal was funded with cash on hand.
California-based Tai's AI-powered platform oversees the entire shipment lifecycle, including quoting, sourcing, execution and invoicing. The TMS primarily executes truckload, less-than-truckload, drayage and cross-border shipments.
"The acquisition expands our transportation management capabilities for freight brokers and adds valuable transaction, carrier and shipment execution data to the Descartes Global Logistics NetworkTM," said Andrew Wimer, ******* ociate general manager of transportation management at Descartes.
The Canadian company continues to expand its offering through acquisitions. It has executed 34 deals since 2017.
Descartes (NASDAQ: DSGX) acquired Latin American last-mile logistics tech provider Drivin for $30 million last month. It acquired Pittsburgh-based fleet safety solutions provider Idelic for $28 million in April.

#descartes #provider #Logistics #shipment

Yangtze Memory Technologies filed for an initial public offering on the Shanghai Stock Exchange to raise $4.9 billion, in what would rank among China's largest semiconductor share sales in years, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The company, known as YMTC and based in Wuhan, China, said in its listing prospectus on Friday that it plans to issue between roughly 2.0 billion and 2.4 billion new shares, representing 10% to 12% of its post-offering share capital, with an overallotment option of up to 15%. The funds will be used to upgrade production lines and develop next-generation storage products. The company expects to list in 2027, according to the Wall Street Journal.
YMTC's parent company, CCSH Corporation, plans to list on Shanghai's STAR Market, according to the Nikkei Asia. The IPO comes as explosive demand from artificial intelligence has driven a surge in NAND flash chip prices, allowing YMTC's factories to run near full capacity.
The company's first-quarter results underscore that momentum. The company posted first-quarter revenue of 47.04 billion yuan, or $7.0 billion, a figure that surpassed what it had earned across all of 2024. Revenue from core NAND flash products rose nearly fivefold compared with the same period a year earlier, while quarterly net profit reached 33.38 billion yuan — more than twice what the company earned across all of 2025. The company said gross margin expanded to 77% in the quarter, up from 35% a year prior.
Counterpoint Research placed YMTC third in global NAND shipments, putting it ahead of Kioxia by volume, even as it continues to lag behind both Kioxia and Micron Technology when measured by revenue.

#according #street #journal

On August 21, Apollo Global Management (NYSE:APO) disclosed in a letter that hackers gained unauthorized access to some of its cloud platforms between July 6 and July 10, exposing names, dates of birth, addresses, and Social Security numbers. The breach lands weeks after Apollo told investors its **** ets under management had crossed $1 trillion for the first time, a milestone built in part on convincing individuals and retirees to trust the firm with their money. Now Apollo has to convince some of those same people it can protect their data too.
Apollo's second quarter showed why the growth story still has legs. **** ets under management reached $1.05 trillion, up 25% year over year, while fee-related earnings hit a record $785 million, also up 25%, and management fees climbed 23% as third-party money kept arriving across credit and equity strategies. Origination volume totaled $74 billion for the quarter, pushing the trailing 12-month figure to nearly $320 billion, and that tally does not yet include the $35 billion financing Apollo arranged for Broadcom's new AI computing platform, the largest private credit deal ever recorded, since Apollo only books revenue once financing closes rather than when it is announced.
CEO Marc Rowan frames Apollo's opportunity as bigger than private equity or credit alone. He argues the industry's client base is expanding from a single source of institutional demand into six categories, including individuals, insurance companies and 401(k) plans, and Apollo is building toward that shift with daily net **** et value pricing on its credit products and a partnership with Intercontinental Exchange that has already **** igned more than 2,000 identifiers to Apollo **** ets. Performance backs up the pitch: Apollo's Fund X has generated a 21% net internal rate of return, well ahead of the 14% industry benchmark for its 2023 vintage.
The breach is the more immediate problem, and it fits a pattern. Reuters has reported that dozens of financial institutions, including Uber and Levi Strauss, were recently targeted by the same kind of ransom-seeking hackers, who built fake websites designed to steal passwords from employees at private equity and financial firms through phone-based social engineering rather than any technical exploit. Apollo says its investigation is ongoing and it has found no evidence yet that the stolen information has been posted publicly or used for identity theft, and it is offering affected individuals free credit monitoring and identity protection.

#management #Equity #billion #july

Aoris Investment Management, a specialist international equity manager, released its Q2 2026 investor letter for "Aoris International Fund". A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. The fund invests in high-quality, wealth-generating businesses managed by prudent and capable teams, targeting an annual return of 8–12% after fees over a 5–7-year market cycle. During the June quarter, international equity markets, as represented by the MSCI AC World Accumulation Index ex Australia, returned 13.8% in AUD terms. In local currencies, the return 15.1%. The Portfolio's Class A (Unhedged) returned 5.7% after fees, underperforming its benchmark by 8.1%, while the Class C (Hedged) gained 6.7%, 8.4% less than its benchmark. The June quarter continued to reflect an unusual year, marked by significant share price increases among AI infrastructure companies, particularly semiconductor producers and data center suppliers. Economic sectors like banks and commodity producers saw gains, but the firm chose not to invest due to their cyclicality and low growth prospects. Conversely, concerns about enterprise software and data companies, challenged by AI, negatively impacted performance. The letter outlined potential incremental opportunities for portfolio companies through AI. Additionally, reviewing the Fund's top five holdings could help identify its best picks for 2026.
In its Q2 2026 investor letter, Aoris Investment Management highlighted RELX PLC (NYSE:RELX). RELX PLC (NYSE:RELX) is a British-based information ****** ytics and decision solutions provider for professional and business customers. On August 21, 2026, RELX PLC (NYSE:RELX) stock closed at $35.91 per share. One-month return of RELX PLC (NYSE:RELX) was 0.73%, and its shares lost 24.86% over the past 52 weeks. RELX PLC (NYSE:RELX) has a market capitalization of $62.03 billion.
Aoris Investment Management stated the following regarding RELX PLC (NYSE:RELX) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"RELX PLC (NYSE:RELX) provides data, ****** ytics and decision-making tools for professional users in the science, academia, legal, risk and insurance industries. One-third of its revenue comes from scientific content and research tools, one-third comes from risk management solutions like identity verification and anti-money laundering, 20% comes from content and tools for the legal industry, and 10% comes from running trade exhibitions.
RELX owns and curates large bodies of proprietary and authoritative content, which has become more valuable as the internet is largely exhausted as a training resource for AI models. Legal work is especially well-suited to generative AI because it's language-intensive, but also an area where accuracy matters. RELX's AI products help lawyers research, draft and conduct due diligence faster, while remaining anchored to trusted legal content. Just two and a half years after launch, around half of its legal customers have subscribed to its premium AI offering. AI is also making frau

September S&P 500 E-Mini futures (ESU26) are down -0.19%, and September Nasdaq 100 E-Mini futures (NQU26) are down -0.59% this morning, pointing to a lower open on Wall Street as chipmakers came under pressure at the start of a pivotal week.
Chip and AI infrastructure stocks were among the biggest losers in pre-market trading, following a slump in major tech names across Asia. Samsung Electronics sank over -8% in Seoul after the chipmaker's record shareholder return plan disappointed investors. Also, Alibaba Group tumbled more than -8% in Hong Kong after the tech heavyweight raised HK$80 billion ($10.2 billion) in the city's largest secondary share offering. In addition, SoftBank Group slid over -5% in Tokyo after announcing plans for a record 1 trillion yen ($6.3 billion) retail bond sale to finance its AI investments.
Soros Fund Management Opened a New Position in Nebius During Q2. What This Means for NBIS Stock.
Ahead of Nvidia Earnings, Here's What Barchart Data Says Comes Next for NVDA Stock
Nvidia Earnings, Jackson Hole and Other Key Things to Watch this Week

#group

New reports indicate that artificial intelligence (AI) lab Anthropic could file its S-1 by the end of the month. Below, I'll detail why Anthropic's public debut carries outsize implications for major backers like Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN), whose growth is intertwined with the start-up's trajectory.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
Reports from Bloomberg suggest Anthropic is aiming for an initial public offering (IPO) that matches or exceeds ****** e Exploration Technologies' record raise from earlier this summer. Anthropic has already raised roughly $133 billion to date, most recently in a $65 billion Series H round that valued it at $965 billion. This near-trillion-dollar figure reflects Anthropic's explosive growth, with recent quarterly revenue surpassing $11.5 billion and an annualized run rate approaching $65 billion.
Amazon investors have good reason to monitor the Anthropic offering. Amazon has already invested $13 billion in Anthropic, with commitments for up to an additional $20 billion contingent on commercial milestones.
Beyond simple equity ownership, the partnership between Amazon and Anthropic runs deep through AWS. Anthropic uses Amazon's custom silicon for training and inference, including a massive deployment under Project Rainier that utilizes over 1 million Amazon Trainium chips, complemented by its Graviton processors.

#public

After a dizzying week centered on mixed retail earnings, rising bond yields, and a surprise intervention from the Treasury Department, investors step into another action-packed five-day stretch. The president plans to unveil an economic battle plan against Iran, AI kingpin Nvidia (NVDA) will report earnings to punctuate Big Tech's quarter, and all-important inflation data will arrive to steer the Fed on its next rate-setting journey. Economists and central bankers will huddle at the Jackson Hole Symposium, too.
The S&P 500 (^GSPC) closed out Friday up 0.4% for a loss of 1.4% on the week. The Dow (^DJI) rose 1% to close the week on a loss of 0.9%. And the Nasdaq (^IXIC) increased 0.4% but shed 2% on the week.
Retailers across the budget spectrum will continue the stretch of earnings offering insight into the American consumer. **** 'S Sporting Goods (DKS) will report on Tuesday, followed by Five Below (FIVE), Urban Outfitters (URBN), and Bath & Body Works (BBWI) on Wednesday. Ulta Beauty (ULTA) will share results on Thursday after major retailers last week spotlighted beauty as a growth center. And Dollar General (DG) and Dollar Tree (DLTR) will shed light on how strongly middle- and higher-income Americans are trading down and hunting for bargains. But perhaps the most attention will land on Nvidia, reporting on Wednesday, in a test of the comeback AI trade.
The economic data front is just as busy. The Chicago Fed will kick the week off delivering the national activity index. Tuesday will feature the Conference Board's consumer confidence surveys. And then all eyes will turn to the Fed's preferred inflation gauge, the PCE price index, on Wednesday, helping to define which way the central bank will go at its next policy meeting in September. The University of Michigan's consumer surveys on inflation expectations and the broader economy will round out the week.
The last of the "Magnificent Seven" is set to report on Wednesday in what amounts to a test of the once flagging but now resurgent AI trade.

#wednesday #Consumer

ESPN might not want to cover San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York being arrested on prostitution charges, but Shannon Sharpe has no issue with it.
To be clear, Sharpe has no issue covering it, he also has no issue with York allegedly attempting to pay for ******* ual activity. York was arrested Sunday in East Palestine, Ohio and initially charged with engaging in prostitution, but it was later amended to disorderly conduct. The 49ers owners pleaded no contest to the reduced charges after allegedly responding to a prostitution ad, offering to pay $140 for ******* at an Ohio trailer park.
"Ain't nothing wrong with that," Sharpe said with a smirk. "Come on, man. You think the man cause he's worth a billion dollars he don't want to wet his whistle?"
Nightcap co-host Joe Johnson seemed rather disgusted by the thought of a wealthy person going to a trailer park with $140 for ******* . On the contrary, Chad Johnson claimed he was familiar with the area where York allegedly went to receive ******* ual favors, implying he has been there for similar reasons himself. Sharpe was eager to add, "sometimes you like them sleazy."
"They the ones that got all the moves," Sharpe insisted. "Remember I told you, 'She had more moves than a $100 hooker?' Them the ones that got the moves, the $5,000 ones don't do nothing but model."

#sharpe #ISSUE #johnson #want

RGA Investment Advisors, an investment management company, has released its second-quarter 2026 investor letter. The letter can be downloaded here. The letter addresses the incorporation of AI into investment strategies and the dramatic changes in market dynamics that have emerged, specifically referencing the AI Bottleneck 40. This group of stocks is crucial to data center infrastructure. Initially, these stocks were closely aligned with the S&P, but by mid-2025, they began to diverge and outperform the index, exhibiting significant volatility, with realized volatility rates approaching 60%. The letter stresses the importance of continually monitoring these trends and adjusting the investment strategy. Also, check the fund's top five holdings to see its best picks in 2026.
In its Q2 2026 investor letter, RGA Investment Advisors highlighted GitLab Inc. (NASDAQ:GTLB). GitLab Inc. (NASDAQ:GTLB) develops a platform that supports the software development lifecycle, covering DevSecOps lifecycle stages. On August 24, 2026, GitLab Inc. (NASDAQ:GTLB) closed at $42.03 per share, reflecting a market capitalization of $7.099 billion. GitLab Inc. (NASDAQ:GTLB) posted a one‑month return of 27.50%, while its shares lost 3.98% over the past 52 weeks.
RGA Investment Advisors stated the following regarding GitLab Inc. (NASDAQ:GTLB) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"We bought shares in GitLab Inc. (NASDAQ:GTLB). GitLab is a software company offering DevSecOps and git management for enterprises, serving as an essential "orchestrating" layer for companies to securely manage their codebase and IP. AI is unquestionably driving demand for GitLab's offerings, but there is concern around its traditional per seat pricing model versus a consumption-based model. If AI reduces the number of employees in technical roles at large enterprises, this presents a headwind to growth. This headwind has slowed top-line growth faster than GitLab's budding consumption-based models for AI agents have been able to replace the lost revenue. As it stands today, AI-based revenues are a small piece of the pie, but we expect substantial growth over time. At sub-4x EV/sales, around 20x EV/EBITDA and a free cash flow yield over 5%, we think the valuation is compelling for a business still growing its top line in the high teens and playing an increasingly important role in enterprise AI workflows."
GitLab Inc. (NASDAQ:GTLB) is not on our list of the 40 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 50 hedge fund portfolios held GitLab Inc. (NASDAQ:GTLB) at the end of the second quarter, which was 43 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the potential of GitLab Inc. (NASDAQ:GTLB) as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI

RGA Investment Advisors, an investment management company, has released its second-quarter 2026 investor letter. The letter can be downloaded here. The letter addresses the incorporation of AI into investment strategies and the dramatic changes in market dynamics that have emerged, specifically referencing the AI Bottleneck 40. This group of stocks is crucial to data center infrastructure. Initially, these stocks were closely aligned with the S&P, but by mid-2025, they began to diverge and outperform the index, exhibiting significant volatility, with realized volatility rates approaching 60%. The letter stresses the importance of continually monitoring these trends and adjusting the investment strategy. Also, check the fund's top five holdings to see its best picks in 2026.
In its Q2 2026 investor letter, RGA Investment Advisors highlighted Adobe Inc. (NASDAQ:ADBE). Adobe Inc. (NASDAQ:ADBE) is a multinational technology company that offers creative, digital media, and document management products. On August 24, 2026, Adobe Inc. (NASDAQ:ADBE) closed at $276.27 per share, reflecting a market capitalization of $109.82 billion. Adobe Inc. (NASDAQ:ADBE) posted a one‑month return of 10.87%, while its shares lost 22.16% over the past 52 weeks.
RGA Investment Advisors stated the following regarding Adobe Inc. (NASDAQ:ADBE) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"We had watched and studied Adobe Inc. (NASDAQ:ADBE) with admiration for many years following their evolution from selling licensed software to subscription software. Adobe became the template by which numerous other software companies pivoted to SaaS and the rest, as they say, is history. Or so we all thought. Over the past several years, Adobe's shares have dropped dramatically. At first, the concern was competition from Figma and Canva. Then Adobe became Exhibit 1 in the "AI losers basket." We think Adobe is far more resilient than fears suggest. Similar to GitLab, there is seat-based pricing risk; however, in many industries, Adobe's offerings are irreplaceable, even with AI. Moreover, Adobe is in a great position to become the layer on top of which key AI workflows are built. Data and context are critical to these workflows, and Adobe has considerable advantages in both. We acknowledge some of the risks Adobe faces, but at a P/E of sub-10x and a FCF yield north of 10%, the market is pricing the stock as a melting ice cube while growth is still right around 10%. The company is using its healthy balance sheet and robust free cash flow to repurchase shares at a healthy clip. We think this is a potent setup as the company proves its resilience for the AI era."

#shares

Galaxy Digital Inc. (NASDAQ: $GLXY) has launched a crypto-backed portfolio line of credit on GalaxyOne, giving eligible U.S. clients a way to borrow against Bitcoin (CRYPTO: $BTC), Ethereum (CRYPTO: $ETH) and Solana (CRYPTO: $SOL) without selling their holdings.
The revolving credit line combines eligible BTC ,ETH and SOL under one facility rather than requiring a separate loan for each ****** et. Staked SOL can also be used as collateral without unstaking, allowing clients to continue earning applicable staking rewards while accessing liquidity.
GalaxyOne is offering the product with no origination fee and a variable 8.99% annual percentage rate. Lines begin at a 50% loan-to-value ratio, with interest-only monthly payments and funding typically available instantly in either U.S. dollars or USDC (CRYPTO: $USDC).
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Canadian Defense Tech Firm Jumps 92% as Government Revenue Boosts Margins

#clients

Anthropic is preparing to tell IPO investors that its potential revenue opportunity exceeds $30 trillion, according to The Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter. The figure would top the $28.5 trillion estimate **** eX presented to investors ahead of its own offering.
The company is basing its total addressable market, or TAM, on the full scope of work that could be completed using AI models. The metric reflects the maximum annual revenue a company could achieve if it captured every available customer, and is routinely deployed in IPO filings to signal how much upside remains for growth.
Anthropic more than doubled its revenue to $11.6 billion in the second quarter. For comparison, FactSet data cited by the Journal shows that the 191 tech companies in the S&P 1500 collectively generated $2.4 trillion in revenue last year.
The Claude maker could also aim to raise as much as $100 billion in its offering and is targeting a valuation of about $2 trillion. Both marks would surpass what **** eX achieved — the rocket company pulled in $86 billion and debuted at a $1.77 trillion valuation when it went public in June.
None of the figures are final, and the Journal notes that details of Anthropic's plans are still being worked out. Anthropic is expected to publish its IPO prospectus documents shortly, a timeline that would leave the door open for a market debut as early as September or early October.

#anthropic #revenue #billion #SpaceX

Amid Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's plans to return to the UK, a celebrity chef has predicted a harsh future for her lifestyle brand, As Ever. The former actress may be planning to bring the venture with her. However, whether or not the British audience will accept it remains uncertain.
Meghan Markle launched the lifestyle and wellness brand, American Riviera Orchard, in 2024. She rebranded it as "As Ever" a year later. Its offerings include fruit spreads, honey, herbal teas, hand-poured candles, flower sprinkles, and seasonal gift sets. So far, the brand has only had consumers in America. With the Sussexes' return to the UK, rumors have been swirling that the brand will try to establish its foothold there.
While speaking to the Daily Express, celebrity chef Jameson Stocks delivered a brutal prediction for As Ever. "I wouldn't be surprised if a couple of department stores in London have already signed a deal to sell her below-average overpriced tat."
He believes Markle will reinvent her brand for the British market, but remains unsure that it will work. "I have no doubt that she will pivot her brand and launch something in the UK. The question is there enough mugs in the UK to buy it?"
The Duke and ***** ss of Sussex's relationship with the British royal family could improve upon their return. This could recenter the attention on Markle and her brand. Reflecting on the difficulties of rebuilding the relationship with the royal family, Stocks said, "When you're backed into a corner with very few options left – having exhausted every possible avenue, you often find yourself turning back to your family."

#brand #ever #british

LONDON, Aug 24 (Reuters) - Britain set out plans to spend £10 billion ($13.6 billion) on lower-cost housing for renters with a focus on London, although its target ‌for offering social rent was lower than a pledge made by new ‌Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
The government said around 60% of homes delivered through the funding would be for social rent — a subsidised cheaper form of rent that can be built by local councils or housing **** ociations.
That was in line with the proportion set out by the government of former Prime Minister Keir Starmer, which created the programme, but below Burnham's pledge to deliver ‌all housing under the programme ⁠via local councils.
Burnham, who took over in July, has said empowering local councils to build social housing, as Britain did after World War ⁠Two, could lower the amount of the welfare bill that goes to private landlords, reduce homelessness and provide security to people on lower incomes.
"Councils built this country out of a housing crisis once before. Backed properly, and trusted to get on with it, they will do ‌it again," Burnham said in a statement late on Monday, which included details of the first wave of funding.

#lower #burnham #rent #local

Xabi Alonso is at Stamford Bridge. Serie A giants Napoli are making a concerted push to sign Marc Guiu, tabling a €16 million bid for the Chelsea striker, according to Gianluca Di Marzio.
Guiu has emerged as Napoli's top target to replace Romelu Lukaku, who recently joined Fenerbahce.
While Napoli are offering €16m, Chelsea reportedly value Guiu at closer to €29m. The Blues signed the striker from Barcelona's La Masia in 2024 for €6m, meaning even a deal near Napoli's bid would represent a significant profit.
The 20-year-old was initially loaned to Chelsea last summer, but was recalled early after Liam Delap's injury.
However, Guiu struggled for regular minutes and made just one league start throughout the campaign.

#napoli #striker #alonso #stamford

With great certainty, I can say there will be a bear market. What I can't tell you is when, though I expect one sooner than later. Right now, with the market trading near all-time highs, investors appear to be shrugging off a lot of bad news. Even JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM) CEO Jamie Dimon has been offering warnings about the increasing risk of a downturn, so I'm not going out on a limb here. But if there is a bear market ahead, now or in a more distant future, the smartest investors prepare before the inevitable downturn.
I've lived through numerous bear markets, including the very deep dot-com crash and the Great Recession, when there were legitimate concerns about the stability of the global financial system. When stock prices fall day after day, week after week, month after month, and year after year, it is hard not to panic. You are watching your wealth slip away little by little and, at some point, you feel like you need to stop the bleeding before you lose it all.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
There are no free lunches on Wall Street, as the old saying goes. You have to take the good with the bad. And bear markets are part of that story, but, historically, they've always been followed by new bull markets. You may feel like the bleeding will never stop, but history says it will. And that the market will eventually post even higher highs.
So the big thing you need to do is remember the history, so you have the wherewithal not to panic and follow the crowd. A really simple approach is to buy a low-cost S&P 500 index fund, such as Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (NYSEMKT: VOO) and its 0.03% expense ratio, and just keep buying. Right through the downturn, as well, since you'll be able to buy more shares of the exchange-traded fund (ETF) while they are cheap. That's known as dollar-cost averaging, and it can be a very powerful wealth-creation tool.

#NVIDIA #right