MONEY MASTER

Key Takeaway Pre-market trade shows a sharp split between earnings-driven winners and guidance-related laggards. Small caps benefited from insider buying and dividends, while large-cap tech and pharma names faced pressure from weaker outlooks. Expect heightened volatility into the open as traders weigh growth momentum against valuation risks. Major Gainers BrilliA (BRIA.US) +110% after declaring a special cash dividend of $0.133 per share Bolt Projects (BSLK.US) +49% following insider purchases disclosed in Form 4 filings HWH International (HWH.US) +27% after trading resumed from a circuit breaker halt Biodesix (BDSX.US) +25% on director’s $1.5m share purchase American Eagle (AEO.US) +24% after stronger-than-expected Q2 earnings Credo Technology (CRDO.US) +12% after Stifel raised its target price to $155 from $130 Asana (ASAN.US) +6% on solid Q2 results and raised FY2026 guidance Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE.US) +5% after earnings beat and upgraded outlook NuScale Power (SMR.US) +4%...

 Earnings Snapshot Q2 FY26 Revenue:  US$46.7B (+56% YoY), above expectations. Q3 Guidance:  Midpoint US$54B vs consensus US$53.4B. Stock Reaction:  Fell modestly (~–2.5% after hours) on profit-taking and China uncertainty. Valuation:  ~32x forward earnings, with 50% EPS growth expected this fiscal year. China: The Big Headline Risk Nvidia reported  no sales of H20 GPUs to China  in Q2. The company also excluded H20 shipments from Q3 guidance. Background: U.S. initially blocked H20 exports, then reversed with licensing. China discouraged orders after political tensions. CEO Jensen Huang: discussions with Beijing are ongoing; “no backdoor” exists in H20 chips. Potential upside: Nvidia estimated up to  US$8B in lost Q2 sales  without regulatory hurdles. Takeaway:  China is noise. Any recovery in H20 or future Blackwell shipments would be upside, not baseline. The Real Growth Driver: Rack-Scale AI Systems Nvidia’s future lies in  NVL72 ...

U.S. equities eased on Monday as the momentum from Friday’s Jackson Hole rally lost steam, with investors cautious ahead of this week’s key inflation reading and Nvidia’s much-anticipated results. Sector performance was mixed, with outsized moves across semiconductors, retail, crypto, and M&A-driven names. Investor Takeaway : Rotation trade in play : domestic manufacturers (ETD, LZB) benefit from tariff threats, while import-reliant retailers (W, RH, WSM) face downside risk. Strategic shifts : Intel’s U.S. government stake signals deepening state-industry integration in semis, while KDP’s JDE Peet’s deal highlights consumer brand consolidation. Key watchpoint : Nvidia earnings this week may set the tone not only for AI sentiment but also for broader market direction into September. Semiconductors & Technology Nvidia (NVDA US)  rose  +1.9%  ahead of its Q2 earnings due Wednesday. Despite a two-week losing streak, shares are still  +35% YTD , underscoring its c...

U.S. equities stalled Monday, with Treasury yields climbing as investors reassessed the Federal Reserve’s dovish tilt against still-stubborn inflation. The pullback comes just days before the release of  July PCE data , which could prove pivotal in shaping the September policy decision. Fed Policy Debate Intensifies Powell’s Jackson Hole remarks  reinforced expectations for a September rate cut, but officials remain divided on the pace of easing. Markets are bracing for  PCE core inflation at 2.9% YoY  — the fastest in five months. That complicates the Fed’s balancing act between a weakening labor market and inflation above its 2% target. Money markets : ~80% odds of a September cut, with two cuts priced in by year-end. “While a September cut looks likely, the real debate is whether it’s a dovish or hawkish cut,” said Andrew Brenner, NatAlliance Securities. Market Moves S&P 500 : −0.4%, with 400 stocks in the red. Nvidia (NVDA.US)  gained ahead of earnings, ...

U.S. equities pulled back Monday, trimming Friday’s  Jackson Hole rally  as traders balanced hopes for Federal Reserve rate cuts with caution ahead of key inflation data. Fed Outlook Chair  Jerome Powell  signaled the Fed may pivot soon, noting that “the balance of risks appears to be shifting” toward a weaker job market restraining inflation. Futures markets : 86% odds of a September cut, up from 73% pre-speech (CME FedWatch). Key risk:  July PCE inflation report  due Friday, the Fed’s preferred gauge, which could test easing bets. Market Moves S&P 500 : lower Nasdaq Composite : lower (−0.6% last week despite Friday’s rebound) Dow Jones Industrial Average : lower Washington Watch Intel precedent may expand : Kevin Hassett, National Economic Council director, suggested the U.S. could take more equity stakes in domestic companies, echoing last week’s  $8.9 billion Intel investment . Trump later confirmed the idea, raising the prospect of further sta...

U.S. stock futures edged lower Monday after last week’s record-setting rally in the  Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI.US) , fueled by Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s dovish signals. Investors are now recalibrating positions ahead of a packed week of corporate earnings. Intel (+5.5% Friday Close; +1.9% Premarket) Catalyst:  U.S. government to invest  $8.9 billion  in Intel shares at  $20.47 each , giving Washington a  9.9% passive stake in the chipmaker. Funded by unpaid  Chips Act grants  ($5.7b) and the  Secure Enclave program  ($3.2b). No board seats or information rights. Intel ended Friday at  $24.80 , up  5.5% , making the U.S. government Intel’s largest shareholder. Investor takeaway:  This move underscores Washington’s push for domestic chip sovereignty, positioning Intel as a strategic national asset. The passive nature of the stake alleviates governance risk but raises questions on long-term government involvement. Fu...

Magnificent Seven Face Growing Scrutiny After months of powering Wall Street’s gains, the  Magnificent Seven tech giants  — Amazon, Alphabet, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Tesla — are losing steam. Rising doubts about  AI’s near-term profitability , stretched valuations, and shifting capital into other sectors have raised concerns about how much further tech can run. Nvidia earnings ahead : Seen as a critical test for the sector’s momentum. Rotation in play : Energy, materials, and real estate all outperformed tech last week. Tech lagging despite Powell boost : Even with Powell’s dovish hints on rate cuts, the tech-heavy Nasdaq dropped 1.6% for the week. Why Investors Are Pulling Back Valuations stretched : Investors like Joshua Boyer are trimming holdings, citing overextended prices relative to earnings. Retail selling picks up : For the first time in two months, retail investors were  net sellers , focusing on names like Palantir, Alphabet, and Broadcom (JPMo...

Wall Street Recap : U.S. stocks  saw a sharp decline on  Thursday , with  S&P 500  entering correction territory, down  1.39% , and the  Nasdaq  falling  1.96% . Trade tensions escalated, particularly over tariffs:  President Trump  threatened  200% tariffs  on  EU alcoholic beverages  in retaliation to the EU’s proposed  50% duty  on American whiskey. Despite positive inflation news, with the  Producer Price Index  staying flat, trade war fears overshadowed market sentiment. Stocks to Watch : Intel (INTC.US)  surged  14.6%  after announcing the appointment of  Lip-Bu Tan , former  Cadence Design Systems CEO , as the new  chief executive . Adobe (ADBE.US)  faced a steep  13.9% drop  due to  disappointing Q2 guidance , overshadowing better-than-expected Q1 results. Bursa Market Insight : The  FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI  rebounded  1....