Stocks were headed for their third consecutive winning week, fueled by muted inflation numbers that, for now, have dampened expectations of an interest rate hike. That’s allowed investors to focus on corporate earnings, which continue to beat expectations.
According to FactSet, over 90% of S&P 500 companies have posted earnings. Year-over-year earnings growth is tracking around 50%. Many of those names continue to be in the AI trade, where software and memory stocks continue to lead the way.
One area to watch next week could be retail stocks. Retail sales unexpectedly sank in July. Next week, the retail earnings season begins. If names such as Walmart NASDAQ: WMT issue weak guidance, that could be a headwind for consumer staples and consumer discretionary stocks.
Articles by Thomas Hughes
SoundHound AI NASDAQ: SOUN surged over 30% after the company delivered a Q2 earnings beat. Thomas Hughes wrote about why the short sellers may have overplayed their hand, and what investors should watch for in the coming quarters.
NVIDIA Corp. NASDAQ: NVDA won’t report earnings until Aug. 26, but investors are already pricing in great results. Hughes noted that the company’s pre-earnings guidance has set a high bar, which means good may not be good enough.
Hughes also wrote about the transition that Oklo NASDAQ: OKLO has made after the company reported its first revenue. It’s the first step of many that the company has to take. But it’s a signal that buy-and-hold investors needed to see in this long-term play on nuclear technology.
Articles by Sam Quirke
There are more reasons to own Apple Inc. NASDAQ: AAPL than the iPhone. But this week, the company’s iconic device has made headlines. Sam Quirke explained why the upcoming iPhone launch will test Apple’s pricing power. In a separate article, Quirke noted that the real story may be coming with Apple’s all-glass iPhone in 2027.
Some things become obvious in hindsight. That could describe Elon Musk’s announcement that SpaceX NASDAQ: SPCX purchased $300 million worth of energy storage systems from Tesla Inc. NASDAQ: TSLA. Quirke noted that the deal raises circularity concerns, but it also signals how the elements of Musk’s empire are becoming increasingly interconnected.
Articles by Chris Markoch
Investors holding Albemarle NYSE: ALB before its earnings report may have seemed crazy. Now they seem rewarded. Higher lithium prices boosted adjusted earnings per share (EPS) by 3,300%. It’s the beginning of a long-term story for lithium that can reward investors who can stomach the volatility of a commodity-linked stock.
Another stock linked to a commodity is Franco-Nevada NYSE: FNV. Gold had a big week, which wasn’t reflected in the company’s earnings report, as it missed on the top and bottom lines. But with the long-term bull case for gold just taking shape, Markoch pointed out that FNV could be a strong momentum play.
CAVA Group NYSE: CAVA delivered a strong earnings report, and for now, mid-single-digit comparable -store sales growth is enough to justify the company’s premium. Markoch explained what the company will need to do to continue to keep investors snacking.
Articles by Ryan Hasson
Rocket Lab NASDAQ: RKLB did nothing to change the long-term outlook for investors. However, as Ryan Hasson explained, when those expectations were accompanied by a premium valuation, investors hoped for more. Read why it’s all about Neutron when it comes to RKLB.
Defense stocks continue to look like one of the market’s best opportunities hiding in plain sight. This week, Hasson highlighted Lockheed Martin NYSE: LMT, a blue-chip sector leader that analysts remain cautious about despite a strong earnings report that may make that outlook hard to support.
Nebius Group NASDAQ: NBIS delivered an earnings report that supports the demand thesis for neocloud companies. Hasson noted the surge in NBIS is warranted but may be bumping up against an expensive valuation.
Articles by Leo Miller
Artificial intelligence (AI) and data center stocks have drawn attention from analysts. This week, Leo Miller explained that three of the most upgraded stocks had nothing to do with the AI trade. That may make these ideal choices for investors looking to diversify their portfolio into undervalued sectors.
Articles by Nathan Reiff
Quantum computing stocks continue to draw a mixture of enthusiasm and skepticism. Three of the leading names in the sector reported earnings, and as Nathan Reiff observed, they gave support to whichever part of the debate investors land on, but one winner appears to be emerging in the quantum space.
Infrastructure as a trade is starting to mean more than investing in AI stocks. This week, Reiff highlighted three companies with diversified exposure to the industrial sector, which could be one of the second half’s best investments.
This week’s tepid inflation data makes it more likely that the Federal Reserve will leave interest rates unchanged at its September meeting. Reiff highlighted three stocks that could thrive in an environment where the Fed holds rates steady.
Articles by Dan Schmidt
Analysts are rethinking the impact of the SaaS-pocalypse in software stocks. This week, Dan Schmidt explained why the latest earnings report from Atlassian Corp PLC NASDAQ: TEAM added more fuel to the case that the recovery rally in software may have legs.
A stock chart tells a story. The technical analysis of a chart helps explain what that story is and why it’s important. Schmidt pointed investors to three charts signaling the stocks’ next moves.
Utility stocks are an ideal choice for risk-averse investors, particularly in a market that’s showing a lot of froth in the top end. However, Schmidt explained why there are several low-beta dividend champions in the sector that offer an attractive combination of income and growth.
Articles by Jeffrey Neal Johnson
Markets have been rattled this summer by trading halts and flash crashes in Asian exchanges that many investors never consider. But those events can cause panic in the global tech sector. Jeffrey Neal Johnson helped investors understand that these events, while disruptive, are rooted in country-specific issues and can be a buying opportunity for patient investors.
Joby Aviation Inc. NYSE: JOBY is the latest eVTOL company to acquire a business that gives it exposure to the defense sector. Investors reacted cautiously, but Johnson explained that the strategic pivot will help secure the funding the company needs to achieve commercial certification for its core air-taxi business.
Johnson also highlighted the $9.1 billion deal between Riot Platforms NASDAQ: RIOT and Anthropic. It’s further evidence of how Riot is derisking its balance sheet away from volatile crypto mining toward high-margin computing infrastructure.
Articles by Peter Frank
GE Vernova NYSE: GEV has been one of the best-performing stocks in 2026. At first glance, the company’s latest earnings report would suggest more of the same is in store. However, Peter Frank pointed out some minor blemishes in the report that investors should understand before paying the stock’s premium price.
The clean energy trade is more selective, but still viable. That’s the bull case for First Solar NASDAQ: FSLR, which has a deep backlog, improving earnings, and strong analyst support. Frank explained that there are still risks in a sector closely linked to policy whims in Washington, but for investors who believe in solar’s future, FSLR is a name to watch.
Abercrombie & Fitch NYSE: ANF will report earnings on Aug. 26, and Frank noted that, like many stocks in the mall-retail trade, the comeback story is complicated. However, the company has some legitimate strengths that make it an interesting candidate for investors’ watchlists ahead of earnings.
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