The AI Trade Reignites
The AI rally is back. After months of investor concerns over soaring spending and uncertain returns, strong earnings and accelerating demand have pushed artificial intelligence stocks back into the driver’s seat. This week, I take a closer look at what’s fueling the resurgence and why AI has once again become one of the market’s biggest stories.
While March ended as one of the toughest months in years, April delivered a strong rebound. All four major indexes recovered sharply, erasing losses and posting one of their best monthly performances since the pandemic rebound in 2020.
Rising oil prices have been one of the biggest stories in the markets recently, driven by the US/Israel-Iran conflict and shifting supply dynamics. This week, a major development – the UAE’s decision to leave OPEC and OPEC+ – adds another layer of uncertainty, with potential implications for inflation, interest rates, and the direction of markets.
How Valuation Is Calculated (In Simple Terms)
Valuation can sound complicated, but at its core it comes down to a simple idea: how much are you paying for what a business produces? This week, I break down two of the most common tools investors use – P/E and P/FCF – and show how they help put a price on a company’s earnings and cash flow.
When I got back into investing, one of the most common terms I heard was valuation. I knew what value was – one always wants to get good value for their money, or not overpay for an item. But the term “valuation” seemed a bit different, although I could never quite put my finger on why it felt separate from simply “getting good value for your money.” The difference, I eventually realized, is that in investing, price and value don’t always move together – and that gap between the two is where a lot of opportunity (and risk) tends to show up. This week, I’ll break down what valuation actually means and why it matters when you’re trying to get good value for your money in the stock market.
If you’ve felt the sting at the gas pump lately, you’re not alone. Since the US/Israel–Iran conflict began, oil prices have shot up and continue to climb. Brent crude oil is over 50% higher, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) nearly 70%. But the impact goes beyond filling up your vehicle, pushing up transportation costs and, in turn, the price of goods on store shelves – in other words, inflation. In this week’s update, let’s look at the differences between Brent and WTI oil (what are they anyway?), where does Canadian oil fit in, and why are these rising prices rippling through the economy.