MONEY MASTER

Intel has given investors a lesson in just how quickly market sentiment can change. After surging more than  285% in the first half of 2026 , Intel reached an intraday high of  $142.35 on 30 June . Since then, the shares have fallen roughly 30%, closing Monday at  $97.52 . A 30% decline may sound alarming, but context matters. After such an extraordinary rally, some pullback is hardly surprising. The more useful question for investors is not simply whether Intel can rebound tomorrow, but whether its  earnings, growth prospects and valuation can support the share price over the longer term . The Business Is Improving — But There Is a Catch Intel's latest quarterly results were encouraging. For the second quarter, the company reported  adjusted earnings of $0.42 per share on revenue of $16.1 billion , beating market expectations. Revenue grew  24.8% year-on-year , helped by strong demand for CPUs linked to the continued build-out of artificial intelligence in...

The Dow Jones hit a record high driven by industrial and healthcare stocks, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq slipped as weakness in Big Tech outweighed strong earnings from Micron. This is no longer a broad rally, it’s a rotation away from Big Tech into other sectors. What’s Really Happening The market is splitting into two directions: Winners (Old Economy / Defensive): Caterpillar surged on industrial strength Merck rose on M&A optimism UnitedHealth gained on stability Losers (Big Tech / AI Leaders): Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Nvidia all declined Pressure came from pricing concerns and stretched valuations Even strong earnings from Micron which jumped sharply were not enough to lift the broader tech sector. Why? This shift highlights a key change in market leadership: Investors are  taking profits from AI winners Capital is rotating into  non-tech, value and defensive sectors Inflation (PCE at 4.1%) is keeping  rate pressure alive In short: The AI trade is still stron...

Micron’s upcoming earnings are becoming a key market event, with AI-driven demand pushing profit growth close to 1,000%. Its performance is now so significant that it directly impacts overall S&P 500 earnings growth. This is no longer just a company story, Micron has become a major driver of market earnings. What’s Really Happening The surge in Micron’s profits is not coming from volume alone, it’s coming from pricing power. Tight memory supply is pushing prices sharply higher AI demand (especially high-bandwidth memory) is accelerating Much of the revenue growth is flowing straight to profit That’s why earnings are exploding at an unusually fast pace. More importantly, without Micron (and Nvidia), overall S&P 500 earnings growth would drop significantly showing how concentrated the market’s growth has become. Why This Matters This tells us something deeper about the current market: AI is not just a theme, it is dominating earnings growth A small group of companies is driving a...

Asian markets may look stable, but the underlying story has changed and investors need to pay attention. Asian stocks steady despite peace deal progress Oil falls to  ~US$75–78/barrel US-Iran ceasefire extended by 60 days Nikkei hits  record highs on AI momentum US stocks fall as  rate hike expectations rise Bond yields  moving higher again The oil story is getting better, but the interest-rate story is becoming more challenging. Oil Is No Longer the Main Risk With the peace deal in place: Supply disruption fears are easing Oil flows are expected to gradually resume Risk premium is being priced out   Lower oil = easing inflation pressure This is a positive shift for markets especially for energy-importing economies. But Rates Are Taking Over At the same time: The Fed is leaning  more hawkish Markets are pricing  possible rate hikes Bond yields are rising Higher rates are now the dominant driver This is why: US equities pulled back Growth stocks are und...

Nvidia surged higher as bullish options activity exploded, with traders placing  massive bets that the AI-driven rally still has room to run . What Happened NVIDIA  jumped about  5% , breaking above a key technical level known as a  “call wall” (~$205)  — often seen as resistance. At the same time: A trader  paid $57 million  for call options (bullish bet) The trade covers  524,000 shares at $195 strike Breakeven: $216.75  within ~72 days This means the buyer is betting Nvidia will  continue climbing significantly from current levels (~$205) . Smart Money Signal Another key move: A trader  sold put options  at  $202.50 Collected  $2.12 million premium  This is important because: Selling puts = betting the stock will NOT fall below that level Signal:  Big players see  $202–205 as a strong support zone Gamma Effect Supporting the Rally Gamma Flip level: ~$202.65 Nvidia is currently  above this level ...

Summary Intel surged to a new all-time high, but short sellers are stepping in aggressively, signaling growing doubts about how long the rally can last. Intel Rally Meets Resistance Intel  recently broke above  $100 for the first time , driven by strong AI momentum, partnerships, and positive market sentiment. However, behind the rally: Short volume jumped to 27.01M shares Represents  13.6% of total trading volume Highest among large-cap stocks tracked Key Insight: Big players are betting the stock may reverse soon Bearish Signals Are Building Technical indicators are flashing warning signs: 12 out of 15 indicators show bearish/overbought signals KDJ indicator flags the stock as  “severely overbought” Price has risen  too fast, too quickly Historically: There’s a  44% chance Intel drops the next day  at similar levels Key Insight: Momentum is strong, but overheating risk is rising Short Squeeze Risk Still in Play Despite bearish bets, there’s another t...

Intel  heads into its April 23 earnings with  rising investor expectations , but the key question remains whether  AI-driven CPU demand can offset ongoing margin weakness . Revenue Stable, But Margins Under Pressure Intel is expected to deliver  Q1 revenue around US$12.4 billion , slightly above the midpoint of its guidance range. However, the real concern lies in profitability: Gross margin guided at 34.5% , down from  39.2% a year ago EPS near breakeven (~US$0.00)  vs  US$0.13 last year This highlights  continued pressure from costs, utilisation, and product mix , despite improving demand signals. AI CPUs: A Key Growth Driver Intel’s near-term bullish case centers on  AI-related CPU demand , particularly its Xeon processors. A key development is its partnership with  Alphabet , which reinforces: Intel’s role in  AI data centre infrastructure Growing demand for  AI inference and general-purpose computing Investors will watch c...

Netflix  shares fell more than  8% in after-hours trading , as a  disappointing second-quarter outlook  and leadership changes outweighed otherwise solid first-quarter results. Weak Guidance Sparks Sell-Off Netflix forecast  Q2 earnings of US$0.78 per share , below analyst expectations of  US$0.84 , while revenue is projected at  US$12.57 billion , missing the  US$12.64 billion consensus . The weaker guidance raised concerns over  near-term growth momentum , triggering a sharp negative market reaction. Strong Q1 Performance Fails to Impress For the first quarter: Revenue rose 16% YoY to US$12.25 billion  (above estimates) Earnings surged 86% to US$1.23 per share However, earnings were boosted by a  US$2.8 billion one-off termination fee , reducing the quality of underlying growth. Operating margin improved to  32.3% , but still came in  below expectations (32.4%) , further dampening sentiment. Rising Costs and Strategic Sh...

Taiwan Semiconductor  heads into its April 16 earnings with  strong momentum , as booming AI demand continues to drive both  revenue growth and pricing power,  but investors are now focused on whether margins have peaked. Revenue Surge Signals Strong AI Demand TSMC has already reported  Q1 revenue of US$35.7 billion , marking a  35% year-on-year increase  and beating expectations. The growth was driven by: High-performance computing (HPC) , including AI, now contributing  58% of total revenue Price hikes of 5%–10%  on advanced nodes A record  45.2% YoY growth in March revenue , the strongest monthly performance on record This underscores TSMC’s position as a  critical supplier in the global AI supply chain , where demand remains structurally strong. Margins Hit Record Levels, but Risks Emerging TSMC guided  Q1 gross margins at 63%–65% , the highest in its history, supported by strong AI-driven demand and pricing power. However,...

Wall Street equities retreated on Monday as  failed US-Iran peace negotiations  reignited geopolitical concerns, dampening investor sentiment and raising the risk of  renewed market volatility . Geopolitical Tensions Drive Risk-Off Sentiment The breakdown in weekend talks between the US and Iran, coupled with a  US military blockade on Iranian maritime traffic , has heightened uncertainty around global trade flows and energy supply. The  CBOE Volatility Index (VIX)  climbed to  20.61 , reflecting increased market anxiety. According to  Invesco , the lack of clarity around de-escalation suggests markets remain in a  “status quo” risk environment , with limited visibility on economic recovery. Major Indices Decline as Investors Turn Cautious As of early trading: Dow Jones Industrial Average  fell  0.72% S&P 500  declined  0.33% Nasdaq Composite  slipped  0.36% The pullback highlights the fragility of the recent...

US markets are set for a weaker open as  geopolitical tensions escalate sharply , following the US decision to impose a  naval blockade on the Strait of Hormuz , a key global energy artery. Futures Drop as Risk Sentiment Deteriorates US stock futures declined in early trading: Dow Jones Industrial Average  futures  -0.9% S&P 500 Index  futures  -0.9% Invesco QQQ Trust futures  -1.1% The pullback follows a  strong rally last week , as investors now reassess risks tied to the Middle East conflict. Oil Prices Surge on Supply Disruption Fears Energy markets reacted sharply to the blockade announcement: US crude surged ~8% to US$104.40 per barrel Brent crude rose ~7% to US$102.51 The Strait of Hormuz is a  critical chokepoint , handling roughly  20% of global oil flows , making any disruption a major driver of prices. Blockade Escalates Geopolitical Tensions Donald Trump  confirmed that the US Navy will  blockade all vessels ent...

Amazon (AMZN.US)  is showing  strong bullish momentum , with technical indicators suggesting the rally may have further room to run following a sharp rebound from recent lows. Strong Rebound From Key Support Levels Amazon shares have surged in recent sessions, climbing  over 11% this week , marking its  strongest weekly performance since early 2023 . The rally was triggered by a  double bottom formation near US$200 , a key psychological and technical support level. This pattern was reinforced by bullish candlestick signals, indicating a  potential trend reversal . The stock is currently trading around  US$238 , still about  10% below its 52-week high , leaving room for upside. Bullish Technical Patterns Emerging Several positive technical signals are now in play: Inverse head-and-shoulders pattern breakout Bullish island reversal , reclaiming the  200-day moving average Break above a  bear flag formation  on the weekly chart These p...

Singapore equities opened modestly higher on Thursday, following a  strong rally in US markets driven by hopes of a ceasefire in the Iran conflict . STI Gains as Global Sentiment Improves The  FTSE Singapore Straits Time Index  rose  0.20% to 5,005.82 , supported by improved global risk sentiment. Advancers vs decliners: 83 / 89 Trading volume:  99.7 million shares (S$185 million) The cautious gain reflects  measured optimism , as investors balance improving sentiment with lingering geopolitical risks. Wall Street Rallies on Ceasefire Hopes US equities delivered a strong rebound overnight: Dow Jones Industrial Average  +1,325 points ( +2.9% ) Nasdaq Composite Index  +2.8% S&P 500 Index  +2.5% The rally was driven by  declining oil prices and easing recession fears , alongside reports of  potential sanctions relief discussions with Iran . Tech and Cyclicals Lead Gains Intel (INTC.US)  +10% Meta Platforms (META.US)  +6.5...