Alpha Coverage #110
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This Week’s Alpha Coverage: YouTube Playlist.
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[News] U.S. and China agree to slash tariffs for 90 days, likely to meet in 'a few weeks' to work on a more permanent deal, Bessent says
The meetings between the U.S. and China in Switzerland produced a mechanism to negotiate a more permanent agreement and to prevent the ratcheting up of tariffs that the US President Donald Trump started on April 2.
"The good thing is we had a plan, and we had a process...Now we have a mechanism for further negotiations," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said. "I imagine in the next few weeks we'll meet again to get rolling on a more permanent agreement."
The interview followed the agreement that the two countries negotiated over the weekend to slash their steep tariffs for 90 days. The U.S. will cut its additional tariffs on China to 30% from 145%, while China will reduce its tariffs on U.S. imports to 10% from 125%. Tariffs on Chinese goods that were in place before April 2 will remain, Bessent said.
"This is just a pause," he said. "The April 2 tariff was 34%, we moved that to 10%." The deal reached over the weekend and the reciprocal tariffs "have nothing to do with industry specific tariffs," he added. The 20% tariffs the President Donald Trump put on goods coming from China during his first term will also remain in place.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - May 12, 2025
FSLR 0.00%↑ ENPH 0.00%↑ ARRY 0.00%↑ NXT 0.00%↑ TPIC 0.00%↑ GEV 0.00%↑
[News] Solar names surge as House GOP budget proposal cuts but does not kill solar and wind tax credits
The House Ways and Means Committee released details for its portion of the budget reconciliation bill, which J.P. Morgan analyst Mark Strouse said "aligns with or exceeds the more bullish end of investor expectations" for providers of solar, wind and geothermal power, noting the Production Tax Credit and Investment Tax Credit were truncated from existing definitions, although credits are left unchanged through 2028 and then gradually phased down until 2032.
The proposal includes limitations on products from prohibited foreign-influenced entities from qualifying for projects that begin construction within two years following passage of the bill, which Strouse said is a "significant positive" for First Solar (FSLR), given that 60% of the company's estimated earnings over the next two years are generated by 45x credits, and
the limitations on foreign entities could provide a key competitive advantage.
Wolfe Research also upgraded First Solar (FSLR) to Outperform from Peer Perform with a $221 price target, citing better clarity on 45X tax credits for the first time since election year politics started in early 2024.
Strouse also sees the proposal as a positive for Array Technologies (ARRY), Nextracker (NXT), Enphase Energy (ENPH), and SolarEdge Technologies (SEDG), although to a lesser degree than First Solar (FSLR), while the proposal is a mild negative for wind-blade supplier TPI Composites (TPIC).
The analyst also noted the 45u nuclear credit phasedown in the bill, which he sees as a "modest negative" for GE Vernova's (GEV) small modular reactor business, although offset by customers potentially opting for further buildout of baseload natural gas projects - GEV's core business; shares +3.2%.
Separately, local media in China reported a major company was in talks with peers about an industry-wide production cut in a bid to support prices.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - May 13, 2025
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - May 13, 2025
[News] Nvidia gain leads chip stocks higher amid Saudi Arabia mega deal
Semiconductor stocks were largely higher on Tuesday after Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) signed a partnership with Saudi Arabia to turn the Middle East country into a “global powerhouse in AI.”
Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) will send semiconductors to Saudi Arabian AI company Humain for up to a 500 megawatt data center buildout.
The data center will be powered by hundreds of thousands of Nvidia's most advanced GPUs over the next five years. The first phase of deployment will be an 18,000 Nvidia GB300 Grace Blackwell AI supercomputer with Nvidia InfiniBand networking, the U.S. tech giant said in a press release on Tuesday.
Humain's CEO Tareq Amin said that the company will build 1.9 gigawatts of data centers by 2030, according to a report by Bloomberg.
Earlier this week, Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud launched Humain, which is owned by the Public Investment Fund, or PIF, in Saudi Arabia.
Separately, the Trump administration is weighing an agreement which would allow the UAE to import more than a million advanced Nvidia chips, Bloomberg News reported, citing people with knowledge of the matter.
The deal, which is still being discussed and could change, would let the UAE import 500,000 of the most advanced chips on the market every year until 2027. One-fifth would be set aside for the Abu Dhabi-based AI company G42, while the remaining would go to U.S. companies building data centers in the country, the report added.
One of those companies may be OpenAI, which may announce new data center capacity in the UAE as soon as this week, according to the report.
However, the U.S. government must first ease export restrictions on high-end chips by Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA), which will be necessary to run the proposed data center, the report said.
Over the lifetime of the agreement, G42 can buy computing capabilities equal to between 1 million and 1.5 million Nvidia's H100 chips. This number is about four times more than G42 would have been allowed to purchase under the Biden-era chip export rule known as AI diffusion, which Trump plans to end, the report added.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - May 13, 2025
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - May 13, 2025
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - May 13, 2025
[News] Airbnb goes beyond rentals with full-service travel offerings
Airbnb (NASDAQ:ABNB) is enhancing its home rental offerings to rival hotel experiences, introducing new services that connect guests with travel guides, personal chefs, and aestheticians, among others via Airbnb Services and Experiences.
With Airbnb Services, guests can find professionals that offer services ranging from spa treatments, photography, personal training, and prepared meals. Professionals are thoroughly vetted and required to have an average of 10 years of experience, completed Airbnb’s (NASDAQ:ABNB) identity qualification process, and submit relevant licenses and certifications. More importantly, patrons don’t need to be staying at an Airbnb (NASDAQ:ABNB) rental to book and receive services from Airbnb (ABNB) professionals.
And finally, there’s Airbnb Originals, pushing the boundaries of Experiences with one-of-a-kind events led by celebrities, professional athletes, and Michelin-recognized chefs.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - May 13, 2025
Link to Airbnb YouTube Video (07:08 Mins) - May 14, 2025
AMZN 0.00%↑ GOOG 0.00%↑ #Perplexity #OpenAI
[News] Perplexity enters commerce realm, utilizing Paypal for direct purchases within search
Perplexity, an artificial intelligence-powered search and chat engine, has added a position in commerce, with a new feature allowing users to buy products directly in the chat, utilizing PayPal (NASDAQ:PYPL) or Venmo for the checkout process.
The feature is a step above Microsoft-backed (MSFT) OpenAI's recent shopping feature. It aids shoppers using ChatGPT Search, but still requires them to leave the chat box and go to another site or app to finalize purchases.
"This partnership unlocks new possibilities, where conversations now drive commerce," said PayPal CEO Alex Chriss. "We're making it easy and secure to shop right in the chat when inspiration strikes. It's a powerful step in making conversational commerce a reality."
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - May 14, 2025
[News] Undocumented communication devices found in Chinese solar inverters - report
Rogue communication devices have been found in some Chinese solar power inverters and batteries, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters, raising concerns of potential security risks in U.S. renewable energy infrastructure.
Power inverters are used to connect solar panels and wind turbines to electricity grids. While such inverters allow remote access for updates and maintenance, utility companies usually install firewalls to block direct communication back to China.
However, undocumented communication devices have reportedly been found in some Chinese solar power inverters. And over the past nine months, such devices—including cellular radios—have also been found in some batteries from Chinese suppliers.
These devices could allow firewalls to be evaded remotely to switch off inverters or change their settings, which could destabilize power grids. "That effectively means there is a built-in way to physically destroy the grid," one of the sources told Reuters.
U.S. utilities are preparing to ban procurement of inverters from Chinese firms, sources told Reuters, or minimize the use of Chinese inverters—like Florida Power & Light Company.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - May 15, 2025
NVDA 0.00%↑ #G42
[News] Trump, UAE president unveil new 5GW AI campus in Abu Dhabi
President Trump and the President of the United Arab Emirates, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, unveiled the first phase of a new 5 gigawatt artificial intelligence campus in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.
The new AI campus — the largest outside the U.S. — will be the home of several U.S. hyperscalers and large companies that can use the capacity for regional computing power, the Department of Commerce said in a statement.
The facility will use nuclear, solar and gas power in an effort to minimize emissions, the Commerce Dept. added.
The campus will be built by UAE-based firm G42.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - May 15, 2025
#OpenAI #Codex
[News] OpenAI launches preview of software engineering AI agent Codex
Accessed through a sidebar in ChatGPT, Codex can "perform tasks for you such as writing features, answering questions about your codebase, fixing bugs, and proposing pull requests for review; each task runs in its own cloud sandbox environment, preloaded with your repository," the company said.
It is powered by codex-1, a version of OpenAI o3 optimized for software engineering.
"It was trained using reinforcement learning on real-world coding tasks in a variety of environments to generate code that closely mirrors human style and PR preferences, adheres precisely to instructions, and can iteratively run tests until it receives a passing result," said the startup .
The research preview version is available today for ChatGPT Pro, Team and Enterprise users. It will roll out to Plus and Edu users soon.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - May 16, 2025
[YouTube/TCAF] Warren Buffett vs American Capitalism | TCAF EP192
On episode 192 of The Compound and Friends, Downtown Josh Brown is joined by Chris Davis and John Authers to discuss: Warren Buffett's Legacy, the future of Berkshire Hathaway, 3 massive transitions happening in the market, the trade war, and much more!
I actually skipped the Warren Buffett bit. Got a lot more out of the second half of the conversation.
Link to Full Video (01:26 Hours) - May 16, 2025
News, Facts, Analyst & Market Commentary - Short Reads:
LEU 0.00%↑ BWXT 0.00%↑ NLR 0.00%↑
Trump considering executive order to speed construction of nuclear plants - NY Times
The Trump administration is considering several executive orders aimed at speeding up the construction of nuclear power plants to help meet rising electricity demand, The New York Times reported Friday, citing draft orders that say the U.S. has fallen behind China in expanding nuclear power and call for a “wholesale revision” of federal safety regulations to make it easier to build new plants.
The executive orders would set a goal of quadrupling the size of the U.S. fleet of nuclear power plants, from nearly 100 GW of electric capacity today to 400 GW by 2050.
It is unclear whether the president could order sweeping changes at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which Congress established to be independent from the White House; the draft orders envision the Department of Defense taking a prominent role in ordering reactors and installing them on military bases, according to the report.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - May 10, 2025
[Newsletter Exclusive] Apple's App Store revenue is under attack. Is the market wrong about the risks?
Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) was recently dealt a blow when a U.S. federal judge ruled the iPhone maker violated a court order that required it to allow greater competition in the App Store for downloads and payment methods. The company is complying with the judge's order to stop taking commissions on external payments, but it is appealing her order and has warned of “irreparable harm.”
And while investors have expressed concern about risks to the high-margin App Store revenue, Morgan Stanley believes the worries may be “overblown.”
App Store stats
Apple does not release App Store-specific revenue, but it has become an important part of its Services segment. Services generated $26.65B in sales in Apple's most recent quarter, with the App Store being one of the three largest drivers (along with advertising and cloud services).
Precedent exists — but changing consumer behavior is hard
Apple's App Store has been under attack by legislators for years, as some developers — notably, Spotify (SPOT) and Epic Games — have whined about the commission.
And while Apple has made changes to comply with global laws — South Korea, Europe, and Japan to name a few — it has not really altered consumer behavior, Woodring said.
“In fact, using the [E.U.'s Digital Markets Act] as the most recent case study, E.U. App Store revenue growth since [Digital Markets Act] enforcement began has been [roughly 25% year-over-year, similar to EU App Store growth from December 2020 to September 2021, despite lower take rates, the ability to pay outside the App Store, and app sideloading (or, allowing 3rd party App Stores on iOS),” Woodring wrote.
“All-in, App Store legal challenges are not new, and have not had a material impact on App Store growth rates, though we'd concede that the US being the largest region for the App Store elevates the risk of this injunction.”
To be fair, there are actions that developers and payment platforms can take, including offering better security, ease-of-use and incentives.
But “changing consumer behavior is difficult” and consumers have shown to appreciate the ease of use and privacy that the App Store offers, Woodring explained.
What can Apple do to fight back?
While the risks to App Store revenue may be “overblown,” there are certain levers Apple can pull to mitigate the issue, Woodring said, aside from fighting it in a court of law.
If Apple raised the price on non-App Store services by 5%, such as Apple Music, that could offset the risk to U.S. App Store revenue, Woodring said.
Apple could offer its own incentives to keep users paying inside the App Store, using credits or adding credits to a tier of its Apple One subscription bundle, Woodring said. It could also shift the App Store business model to one that is fully subscription-based.
“While we're not sure whether Apple will follow any of these paths, our point is that Apple has tools to protect App Store monetization as well, and we wouldn't be surprised if Apple attempts to collect economics on non-App Store [in-app purchases] in a different way at some point down the road, similar to the [Digital Markets Act], thereby limiting any material impact to App Store growth,” Woodring wrote.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - May 11, 2025
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US, China hail 'constructive' Geneva trade talks, details due Monday
The U.S. and China ended high-stakes trade talks on a positive note on Sunday, with U.S. officials touting a "deal" to reduce the U.S. trade deficit, while Chinese officials said the sides had reached "important consensus" and agreed to launch another new economic dialogue forum.
Neither side released details after they wrapped up two days of talks in Switzerland. Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng said a joint statement would be released in Geneva on Monday. Vice Commerce Minister Li Chenggang said it would contain "good news for the world."
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer described "substantial progress" and also said details would be announced on Monday.
Link to Reuters News Article - May 12, 2025
[Newsletter Exclusive] Nvidia in focus as Morgan Stanley says April Taiwan data shows 'significant improvements'
Recent data out of Taiwan suggests there have been “significant improvements” in Nvidia's (NASDAQ:NVDA) GB200 shipments, which Morgan Stanley believes could put investors' minds at ease.
“Our Taiwan ODM team is seeing close to 1500 racks shipped in the month of April across 3 ODMs, an important inflection that matches up with our NVDA estimates, and should ease investor concerns,” analyst Joseph Moore wrote in a note to clients.
Link to Reuters News Article - May 12, 2025
[Newsletter Exclusive] NuScale targets first firm SMR customer order by 2025 amid supply chain advances
John Hopkins, President and CEO, highlighted NuScale stated, "We remain confident that...NuScale's distinct competitive edge in module manufacturing and field readiness will result in a firm customer order during 2025."
The company anticipates NRC approval for the 77-megawatt upgrade by July, a milestone seen as pivotal for near-term deployability and commercial agreements.
Manufacturing and supply chain updates included prebid meetings with Doosan for reactor pressure vessel fabrication, long-lead material orders, and a new supply agreement with Paragon, all supporting the 2030 delivery timeline for the first NuScale module.
Craig Shere, Tuohy Brothers, explored supply chain capacity and capital strategy. Hopkins said, "Doosan has the capacity to put out about 20 modules a year...we want multiple projects."
Ryan Pfingst, B. Riley Securities, queried the composition of advanced customer discussions. Hopkins clarified, "No, it's not all data centers...there's 3 components...coal plant replacement...process heat...AI."
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - May 12, 2025
U.S. reduces China 'de minimis' tariff rate to 54% from 120%
A White House executive order issued Monday announced that, starting May 14, the U.S. will reduce the "de minimis" tariff on shipments from China to 54% from the previous rate of 120%, while maintaining a minimum flat fee of $100.
The "de minimis" provision allows shipments worth $800 or less to avoid U.S. duties.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - May 13, 2025
Apple announces ability to use neural signals for iPhone control
Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) announced several new accessibility features on Tuesday, including the capability for humans to use brain computer interfaces to control their iPhones.
News of the neural feature, known as Switch Control, was first reported by The Wall Street Journal. Apple has worked on the technology with Synchron, a privately held company that develops implantable neural interface solutions, according to the news outlet, similar to Elon Musk's Neuralink. Synchron offers a device known as Stentrode that incorporates electrodes to read brain signals.
By incorporating this technology into its devices, Apple could open up access to tens of thousands of people who have limited or no control of their limbs.
Other new features include: Eye Tracking (allows iPhone and iPad users to use a switch or dwell to make selections), Head Tracking (allows iPhones or iPads to be controlled with head movements, similar to Eye Tracking); Assistive Access, which adds a new custom version of the Apple TV app to simplify the experience; Music Haptics on iPhone, which lets users experience haptics for a whole song or for vocals only; Sound Recognition is now getting Name Recognition, for users who are deaf or hard of hearing; and Voice Control, which gets a new programming mode and expanded language support.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - May 13, 2025
Link to Apple Blog - May 13, 2025
[Newsletter Exclusive] Enphase Energy slides as BMO downgrades to Sell equivalent on tax changes
The release of the House Ways and Means Committee tax plan, if adopted, would eliminate at year-end 2025 the Section 25D residential clean energy credit for homeowners who take loans or pay cash for their residential solar and battery systems, which BMO's Ameet Thakkar believes would affect Enphase (NASDAQ:ENPH) disproportionately and shrink the overall demand for U.S. residential solar in 2026, further contributing to the loss of near-term market share.
Homeowners that want to own the solar equipment themselves typically would choose a solar loan or pay cash for rooftop solar and more recently a battery that allowed them to keep the base 30% ITC for themselves under Section 25D, but the latest text indicates 25D would be phased out by year-end 2025.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - May 13, 2025
AMD strikes $10B partnership with Saudi Arabian AI enterprise HUMAIN
Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD) has inked a multi-year, $10B investment partnership with HUMAIN, a new artificial intelligence enterprise launched in Saudi Arabia, the companies announced today.
The companies plan to deploy 500 megawatts of AI compute capacity in Saudi Arabia over the next five years.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - May 13, 2025
[Newsletter Exclusive] YouTube bags rights to stream NFL game for the first time
YouTube (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) has emerged victorious in picking up exclusive rights to stream its first National Football League game, according to a public statement from Tuesday.
The world's most popular video platform will stream the Friday night Week 1 game of the 2025 NFL season. The game would be streamed for free on YouTube globally, except in Canada and certain other countries, and available for free via over-the-air broadcast television in the local markets of the participating clubs.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - May 13, 2025
Tesla to resume shipping Chinese parts for U.S. production of Cybercab and Semi - report
Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) reportedly plans to start shipping components from China to the U.S. to produce Cybercab and Semi trucks from the end of this month, after both countries agreed to temporarily cut the startlingly high tariffs they had imposed on each other's goods.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - May 14, 2025
RKLB 0.00%↑ #VardaSpace
Rocket Lab displays its re-entry capabilities again
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (NASDAQ:RKLB) announced on Wednesday the record turnaround of two Earth return missions in two months.
The company's Pioneer spacecraft successfully supported the return of Varda's W-3 capsule to Earth, landing at the Koonibba Test Range in South Australia, operated by Southern Launch. The return marked the second time that Rocket Lab's (NASDAQ:RKLB) second highly configurable, medium delta-V spacecraft platform, Pioneer, delivered Varda's hypersonic re-entry capsule back to Earth. To date, Rocket Lab (RKLB) has successfully built, tested, integrated, and managed on-orbit and de-orbit operations for three of the four contracted missions for Varda.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - May 14, 2025
[Newsletter Exclusive] MP Materials, Ma'aden sign MoU to jointly develop rare earths supply chain in Saudi Arabia
MP Materials (NYSE:MP) +3.7% in early trading Wednesday after saying it signed a memorandum of understanding with Saudi Arabia's Ma'aden mining company to jointly develop a fully integrated, end-to-end rare earth supply chain in the country.
The partnership includes mining, separation, refining and magnet production of rare earth minerals, the companies said.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - May 14, 2025
[Newsletter Exclusive] Nextracker outlines $3.2B-$3.4B FY26 revenue target while expanding solar platform through acquisitions
CEO Dan Shugar reported, "Nextracker had a fantastic year and again delivered strong financial performance for the quarter. A year ago, we forecast $2.8 billion to $2.9 billion of revenue and we achieved $3 billion for the full year. We forecast $600 million to $650 million of adjusted EBITDA and delivered $775 million." Shugar emphasized three themes: continued market leadership with backlog significantly over $4.5 billion, readiness to navigate policy uncertainties with a diversified order book, and acceleration of innovation, including expansion into adjacent solar technologies.
President Howard Wenger highlighted that Nextracker's international pipeline is growing, with contracts signed in 17 countries in Q4, and the company had a "strongest year ever delivering record breaking volume" in Europe.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - May 14, 2025
Spire Global selected for U.S. Space Force contract with $237M ceiling
Spire Global (NYSE:SPIR) said on Wednesday that it has been selected by the U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command for a contract under the Space Test Experiments Platform (STEP) 2.0 program.
The 10-year contract has a ceiling of $237 million and is part of the Department of Defense’s broader Space Test Program.
As one of 12 companies selected for the STEP 2.0 contract, Spire is eligible to compete for future task orders to design, build, integrate and operate satellite buses that host experimental payloads.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - May 14, 2025
[Newsletter Exclusive] Spire Global outlines 20% revenue growth target for 2026 while strengthening balance sheet and operational efficiency
Spire secured a "72 million Canadian dollar contract from the Canadian Space Agency to design and develop a dedicated satellite constellation for comprehensive wildfire monitoring across Canada," described by Condor as "our most significant contract to date."
Condor announced the sale of the maritime business, noting: "This transaction enabled us to eliminate our entire debt burden...strengthened our balance sheet by over $100 million, creating a clear path toward our fundamental goal of becoming adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow positive."
Erik Rasmussen from Stifel questioned the timing for positive adjusted EBITDA. Engel explained, "We are looking at breakeven kind of going into 2026 right now...in the back half of the year cash from operating activities. We're hoping to be in a positive position."
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - May 14, 2025
[Newsletter Exclusive] Apple iPhones from India, total smartphone shipments in US surged in March amid tariffs woes - Counterpoint
Tariffs led to a shift in the country-of-origin mix away from China in the first quarter of 2025 with a strong uptick in shipments from India in March. Apple, Samsung Electronics (OTCPK:SSNLF) and Motorola all saw their shipment contribution from India grow. Motorola nearly tripled its volume from India in March compared to the same period a year ago, and Samsung leaned more heavily on India to produce its Galaxy A16, the report noted.
India-made devices represented 26% of first quarter 2025 shipments, up from 16% in the year ago period.
However, the majority of phones still came in from China, which had a 52% share in the first quarter of 2025 versus 56% in the same period a year ago. Devices from Vietnam saw a declining share as in the first quarter it had a 21% share compared to 27% share in the first quarter of 2025.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - May 14, 2025
AAPL 0.00%↑ INQQ 0.00%↑ #FXCOF
[Newsletter Exclusive] Apple supplier Foxconn receives approval to build fab in India: report
Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) supplier and assembler Foxconn (OTCPK:FXCOF) received approval from India to construct a $435M fabrication plant in India, a move that will help the iPhone maker continue to diversify its supply chain outside of China, according to TechCrunch.
The plant will be located in Uttar Pradesh and is slated for operation in 2027, according to the report. It will eventually produce display driver chips for mobile phones, laptops, PCs and other devices. The plant will initially serve as a semiconductor assembly and test facility before it advances to chip fabrication.
Once the plant reaches the stage of fabrication, it "will have a capacity of 20,000 wafers per month and can produce 36 million units monthly," said India's IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, according to the report.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - May 14, 2025
[Newsletter Exclusive] Trump asks Apple to stop moving iPhone manufacturing to India
U.S. President Donald Trump urged Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) CEO Tim Cook to stop building facilities in India, targeting the company's intention to diversify its manufacturing footprint beyond China.
On Wednesday, it was reported that iPhone assembler Foxconn (OTCPK:FXCOF) received approval from India to construct a $435M fabrication plant in the Asian nation.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - May 15, 2025
China lifts curbs on export of rare earth minerals to the U.S.
China has lifted its export restrictions on rare earth elements and other goods and technologies for military use, targeting 28 U.S. entities. The suspension of export controls took place on Wednesday and will last for 90 days, according to China’s Ministry of Commerce.
The move is a part of the broader agreement between the two countries to ease trade tensions, which also includes significant mutual tariff reductions.
China had imposed strict export bans on seven types of rare earths to 16 U.S. entities on April 4, later expanding the list to 28 entities. These restrictions were a countermeasure to U.S. tariff hikes.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - May 15, 2025
Archer Aviation may be one of the stars of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics
Archer Aviation (NYSE:ACHR) announced on Thursday that the company was selected as the Official Air Taxi Provider of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games. Through the exclusive partnership, Archer's (NYSE:ACHR) Midnight eVTOL aircraft will be integrated across the LA Olympic Games in various ways, such as transporting VIPs, fans, and stakeholders transportation, while also electrifying vertiport take-off-and-landing hubs for key venues and providing support for emergency services and security.
Archer Aviation's (ACHR) planned network in the Los Angeles area includes vertiports at key venues that are central to the LA28 Games, including the Stadium in Inglewood and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Additionally, the network is planned to include critical visitor hubs, including Los Angeles International Airport, Hollywood, Orange County, and Santa Monica.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - May 15, 2025
[Newsletter Exclusive] Arm Holdings working on branded server CPU: report
Arm Holdings (NASDAQ:ARM) is working on releasing an own-branded server CPU, SemiAccurate reported.
The British chip design firm has historically licensed its intellectual property to customers such as Apple (AAPL), Nvidia (NVDA) and others, who in turn custom design their own processors.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - May 15, 2025
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Trump says U.S. nearing nuclear deal with Iran
U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday that the country is close to finalizing a nuclear deal with Iran, stating that Tehran has "sort of" agreed to the outlined terms, Reuters reported, citing a shared pool report by AFP.
Oil prices declined Thursday morning amid expectations of a potential U.S.-Iran nuclear deal that could lead to eased sanctions, while an unexpected increase in U.S. crude inventories last week added to investor fears of oversupply.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - May 15, 2025
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Oil ends week on positive note as Iran plays down U.S. nuclear deal talks
The major oil benchmarks added more than 1% Friday after Iran's foreign minister downplayed prospects for a breakthrough in nuclear talks with the U.S., saying no formal proposal had been received.
"Iran has not received any written proposal from the United States, whether directly or indirectly," Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a post on X. "In the meantime, the messaging we - and the world - continue to receive is confusing and contradictory."
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - May 16, 2025
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Japan to hold out for better U.S. trade deal amid political pressure - report
Japan will seek the elimination of 25% tariffs on U.S. imports of Japanese cars, steel and aluminum, as it prepares to hold out for a better trade deal than risk domestic political backlash, the Financial Times reported.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is facing pressure from local business leaders and members of his Liberal Democratic Party to reject any deal that threatens Japan's automotive industry or farmers.
"Although Japan was very keen to be the first nation to open negotiations with Washington on tariffs, that sense of urgency has now shifted and the emphasis is on ensuring that Japan gets a good deal," a Tokyo official with direct knowledge of the negotiations told FT.
Japan's negotiators have held two meetings with U.S. officials, with a third planned for next week. Officials said a deal may not be reached before elections for Japan's upper house of parliament in July.
Japan is seeking the end of all new U.S. tariffs, and in return, could potentially offer to buy more U.S. agricultural products and provide greater market access for American cars.
But as the July election nears, Ishiba affirmed that he would not sacrifice the domestic agriculture industry to win auto tariff reductions.
"Ishiba is fighting for his—and his party's—political life," said Nicholas Smith, a Japan strategist at CLSA. "Autos accounted for 81% of Japan's trade surplus with the U.S. in 2024. If Ishiba fails to get tariff relief in the auto sector, he's on a conveyor belt towards rotating knives."
To note, Japan's GDP contracted for the first time in a year in the first quarter amid lower exports and stagnant consumer spending, raising concerns about the economy's resilience.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - May 16, 2025
Baby is given world's first personalized CRISPR therapy
A big breakthrough is being hailed in the world of gene editing, with the first custom-designed treatment using CRISPR technology (NASDAQ:CRSP). The therapy was developed for an infant named KJ Muldoon, who was born with a rare genetic disorder called carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase 1 (CPS 1). The condition prevents liver cells from breaking down proteins properly, resulting in an ammonia buildup that can lead to irreversible brain damage and possibly even death.
Snapshot: CPS 1 is typically treated with conventional methods, like protein restriction, nitrogen scavengers, and drugs to reduce ammonia, but the treatment may only be partially effective. A liver transplant can also be a solution, but patients have to be at least a year old and a donor has to be found. As a result, an experimental alternative was pursued, which delivered the CRISPR base-editing therapy using lipid nanoparticles.
A low dose was first given when KJ was only six months old, which was followed up by a higher intravenous infusion after careful monitoring. He just finished his third and final dose and seems to be responding well, with reduced blood ammonia concentrations and better tolerance to dietary protein. No serious adverse effects despite concurrent viral infections, and while it's still early to know the full extent of things, doctors were able to halve the medication he receives to reduce ammonia in his body.
Watershed moment? While CRISPR (NASDAQ:CRSP) is currently approved by the FDA to treat sickle-cell anemia and beta thalassemia, the treatments for those diseases rely on a one-size-fits-all approach. In contrast, KJ's treatment was custom-tailored to his genetic makeup and brings hope that "on-demand" therapies of the future could be designed to fit an individual patient's needs. The price tag for any gene editing therapy is still prohibitive (personalized therapy even more so), but the hope is that will change down the line as things move towards a platform-based approach. "As we get better at doing this, economies of scale will kick in, and you can expect the cost to come down orders of magnitude,” said lead researcher Dr. Kiran Musunuru of the University of Pennsylvania and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - May 16, 2025
[Newsletter Exclusive] Richtech Robotics expands capabilities of AI-powered barista robot ADAM
Richtech Robotics (NASDAQ:RR) is expanding the capabilities of its AI-powered barista robot, ADAM, with a new artisanal espresso system.
The new artisanal coffee system features equipment commonly found in cafés worldwide, including a precision grinder, distribution and tamping equipment, and a hand-pressed espresso machine. This upgrade introduces a new layer of intelligence by applying ADAM’s physical AI capabilities to monitor and control the espresso-making process in real time. Using NVIDIA-powered AI vision, ADAM observes the water pressure during extraction and makes precise adjustments to optimize each shot. This interaction between perception and control moves beyond basic automation, demonstrating how AI can bring precision, adaptability, and consistency to traditionally manual tasks.
ADAM’s advanced physical AI capabilities offer a way for businesses to serve high-quality, handcrafted beverages while maintaining workflow efficiency and stable staffing.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - May 16, 2025
OXY 0.00%↑ #1PointFive
[Newsletter Exclusive] Occidental, UAE's ADNOC to explore JV to develop South Texas direct air capture hub
Occidental Petroleum (NYSE:OXY) and its 1PointFive low-carbon subsidiary said Friday they reached an agreement with ADNOC to evaluate a potential joint venture to develop a direct air capture facility in South Texas.
As part of the joint venture, ADNOC will consider investing as much as $500M for the development of a DAC facility designed to capture 500K metric tons/year of carbon dioxide.
The announcement follows several significant milestones in the development of DAC, including Occidental's (NYSE:OXY) progress on STRATOS, its first DAC facility in West Texas, which is on track to start commercial operations in 2025, and a U.S. Department of Energy award for up to $650M to support development of the South Texas DAC Hub.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - May 16, 2025
Uber rallies to a new all-time high after its product event drives in more buyers
Uber Technologies (NYSE:UBER) held its annual GO-GET event during the week to showcase its flagship products and unveil new features and services designed to make everyday life more affordable and convenient for users. Most reviews of the event have been favorable.
The event focused heavily on affordability, launching new ride options like Route Share, which was described as Uber's (NYSE:UBER) most economical ride yet, offering pickups every 20 minutes along busy commuter corridors at up to 50% less than UberX. The event also introduced price-lock and prepaid ride passes, allowing users to secure predictable fares or buy rides in bundles for additional savings.
For the delivery part of the business, Uber Eats introduced the Savings Slider, enabling proactive price comparisons and substitutions to help users save on groceries. Uber One membership benefits were expanded, offering credits for Uber Rent and Lime rides, and the launch of Uber One Member Days was tipped off to include a week of exclusive deals for subscribers.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - May 16, 2025
NVDA 0.00%↑ CSCO 0.00%↑ #OpenAI
[Newsletter Exclusive] OpenAI, Nvidia, Cisco may be part of new 5GW data center project in UAE: reports
OpenAI, the generative artificial intelligence startup backed by Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), could become a “key anchor” of the new 5 gigawatt data center project unveiled this week in the United Arab Emirates, Bloomberg reported.
Other U.S. firms and UAE-based MGX could also participate in the project, the news outlet added. Nvidia (NVDA) and Cisco (CSCO) are believed to be a part of the consortium, CNBC reported.
The campus will be built by UAE-based firm G42 and operated in partnership with numerous unnamed U.S. companies. G42 already has a relationship with various U.S. companies, including Nvidia (NVDA) and Microsoft.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - May 16, 2025
Disclosure: We own positions in some/all of the tickers mentioned in this article.
