Alpha Coverage #153
AI, Robotics, Space, Quantum Computing, Climate Change/Energy Transition, Biotech/Genomics
Weekly newsletter bringing you a summary of unbiased, critical, thesis changing stock market news for creditwith long term impact. We cover news articles, opinion pieces and all forms of media to help you stay ahead of the curve. WealthWise Coverage Universe (Only for paying subscribers).
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This Week’s Alpha Coverage: YouTube Playlist or Weekly Compilation.
Editor’s Pick:
JOBY 0.00%↑ ACHR 0.00%↑ BETA 0.00%↑ EVTL 0.00%↑
[News] Joby and Archer Aviation among eight firms selected for DOT air taxi pilot program
The three-year pilot program will explore the viability of advanced air mobility (AAM) and electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, enable cities to develop the infrastructure, and “accelerate projects with the high safety standards that the public expects from the aviation industry.”
According to a statement to Bloomberg, the selected projects will span more than two dozen states, including partnerships with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the Departments of Transportation of Texas, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. Through these partnerships, the companies selected will be allowed to try out concept aircraft in real-world settings prior to Federal Aviation Administration certification.
Of the thirty proposals submitted, the DOT and FAA selected Joby Aviation (JOBY), Archer Aviation (ACHR), BETA Technologies (BETA), Wisk Aero (BA), Eve Air Mobility (ERJ), Lilium (LILMF), Vertical Aerospace (EVTL), and Volocopter.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 09, 2026
[News] Iran says oil blockade will persist until attacks end
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards on Tuesday said that they would not allow “one litre of oil” to be shipped from the Middle East if U.S. and Israeli attacks continue. “We are the ones who will determine the end of the war,” a spokesperson said, according to state media.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 10, 2026
[News] Qualcomm in spotlight as BofA reinstates coverage, sees ‘lukewarm’ growth ahead
“QCOM is a leader in smartphone processors but it’s a mature industry with downside risks from rising memory prices and QCOM’s well-known imminent ~$7-8bn loss of Apple business,” analyst Vivek Arya wrote in a note to clients. “QCOM has diversified into auto/IoT and plans to enter AI data center, but benefits could be insufficient to offset mobile headwinds.” Arya has a $145 price target on Qualcomm.
Aside from the concerns about the Apple (AAPL) business, Samsung (SSNLF) is also moving away from Qualcomm, reducing Galaxy share to 75% from 100%. Separately, Chinese handset maker Xiaomi has also upped its semiconductor R&D spending to $7B, which may be a negative for Qualcomm.
“Longer-term, QCOM faces intensifying competition across every end-market: MediaTek moving upmarket in handsets, NVDA/Mobileye in auto, and a crowded data center CPU market where we see QCOM’s opportunity at just 10-20% of ARM CPU share (~20% of $60bn TAM), i.e., just $1-2B sales or $0.20-$0.40 EPS,” Arya added.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 10, 2026
[News] Trump unveils plan for first U.S. oil refinery in 50 years with backing from India’s Reliance
U.S. President Donald Trump said that the U.S. will build its first new oil refinery in 50 years in Brownsville, Texas, with investment from India’s Reliance Industries.
The project, led by America First Refining, aims to process 168,000 barrels per day of U.S. shale oil. The work could begin as early as Q2 2026. The refinery will process 1.2B barrels of U.S. light shale oil, valued at $125B, and produce 50B gallons of refined products worth $175B.
Reliance Industries, controlled by billionaire Mukesh Ambani, operates the world’s largest refining complex in Jamnagar, India, giving it expertise in large-scale refining operations.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 11, 2026
[News] GE Vernova gas turbine backlog to reach $200B by 2028, CEO says
GE Vernova (GEV) is expanding its gas turbine production capacity to meet rising global demand and expects its order backlog to reach $200B by 2028, CEO Scott Strazik said in a Bloomberg interview on Wednesday.
The artificial intelligence boom is a “catalyst” that is increasing bookings for GE Vernova’s (GEV) machines, with AI- and data center-related orders comprising ~10% of its book last year and likely to represent an even larger proportion in 2026, the CEO said.
GE Vernova’s (GEV) pending orders totaled $150B in its 2025 financial results and are an “encouraging sign of continued visibility into demand,” J.P. Morgan analysts said.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 11, 2026
[News] Firefly Aerospace soars back to orbit with ‘Stairway to Seven’ launch
Firefly Aerospace (FLY) successfully returned to flight on Wednesday with the launch of its ‘Stairway to Seven’ mission, a pivotal victory for the Texas-based firm. The flawless orbital insertion comes just five months after a pre-launch explosion in Briggs, Texas, destroyed a previous Alpha booster and temporarily grounded the program.
Alpha lifted off from Firefly’s Space Launch Complex 2 at the Vandenberg Space Force Base at 5:50 pm PDT on March 11 before completing an orbital insertion and delivering a demonstrator payload for Lockheed Martin (LMT).
Firefly’s Alpha rocket also performed a stage two engine relight and validated key Alpha Block II upgrades, including a new in-house avionics suite and enhanced thermal protection system, ahead of the full Block II configuration upgrade planned for Flight 8, the company said.
The Firefly team is now working to complete the final milestones for Alpha Flight 8 that is set to launch the full Block II configuration upgrade designed to enhance reliability and manufacturability across the vehicle.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 12, 2026
[News] The SPR Math Problem: Why 400 Million Barrels May Not Be Enough
The Strait of Hormuz normally carries ~20 million barrels of oil per day, and the closure is now effectively total. Citigroup estimates the daily supply loss at 11–16 million barrels per day, accounting for partial offsets including alternative pipelines.
The IEA’s 32 member states unanimously agreed to release 400 million barrels — more than double the previous record release of 182 million barrels following Russia’s Ukraine invasion in 2022. The U.S. will contribute 172 million barrels, with delivery taking “approximately 120 days based on planned discharge rates.”
Here’s the critical gap: The United States Strategic Petroleum Reserve has a maximum physical drawdown capability of 4.4 million barrels per day but historically emergency releases have peaked at around 1.4 million barrels per day.
JPMorgan’s Natasha Kaneva estimates the actual coordinated G7 release rate at a maximum of only 1.2 million barrels per day — meaning the entire 400 million barrel release could take nearly a year to reach the market.
The bottom line: at a realistic SPR release rate of 1.2–1.4 million barrels per day against a daily shortfall of 11–16 million barrels, the policy measures “would not materially ease” the gap “unless safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz is assured,” as JPMorgan put it. The math simply doesn’t work without reopening the Strait.
WealthWise Research - Mar. 12, 2026
[News] Joby Aviation takes a major step toward FAA certification
Joby Aviation (JOBY) announced on Thursday that the eVTOL company has begun flight testing its first FAA-conforming electric air taxi aircraft. The development was called a key milestone toward FAA type certification and eventual commercial passenger service.
Initial flights are being conducted by Joby (JOBY) pilots at the company’s Marina, California test facility and are intended to pave the way for FAA pilots to start “for credit” Type Inspection Authorization testing later in 2026. The aircraft, designated N547JX, is the first in a fleet being built to support TIA and has been assembled using FAA-approved designs and components signed off under Joby’s FAA-approved test plans.
The eVTOL progress follows recent U.S. government clearance for mature designs like Joby’s (JOBY) to begin early operations this year.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 12, 2026
ETHB 0.00%↑ #ETH
[News] BlackRock launches ETP that provides staked ether exposure
BlackRock (BLK) has launched an exchange-traded product that provides exposure to spot ether (ETH-USD), generating income by staking a portion of the ether holdings.
iShares now offers investors a choice between ether exposure (ETHA) and a staked option (ETHB) designed to provide income.
The newly-launched ETP carries a 0.25% sponsor fee, with a one-year waiver reducing the fee to 0.12%, on the first $2.5B AUM.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 12, 2026
News, Facts, Analyst & Market Commentary - Short Reads:
ITA 0.00%↑ SLB 0.00%↑ OII 0.00%↑
Stock futures slide as oil rally amid U.S.-Iran conflict sparks growth concerns
U.S. stock futures slipped at the start of the week’s trading as oil prices crossed $115 a barrel amid the U.S.-Iran conflict, sparking concerns that higher energy prices could significantly slow the U.S. economy.
The rally follows output reductions by several producers and the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping channel that normally carries roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil.
The United Arab Emirates and Kuwait have begun cutting production as storage capacity fills and tankers struggle to load cargoes. Iraq also started shutting in production last week as the regional conflict intensified.
Meanwhile, Qatar’s energy minister warned that Persian Gulf energy exporters could shut down production within days, potentially driving oil to $150/barrel.
U.S. President Donald Trump posted Sunday evening that a gain in “short-term oil prices” was a “very small price to pay” for destroying Iran’s nuclear threat.
Meanwhile, raising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, Iran on Monday named Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his father, Ali Khamenei, as supreme leader, signaling that hardliners remain firmly in charge.
G7 finance ministers will discuss a possible joint release of petroleum from reserves coordinated by the International Energy Agency in an emergency meeting on Monday aimed at tackling the surge in oil prices following the conflict in the Gulf, the Financial Times reported on Monday.
Three G7 countries, including the U.S., have so far expressed support for the idea, according to the people familiar with the talks.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 09, 2026
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 09, 2026
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 09, 2026
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 09, 2026
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 09, 2026
WRD 0.00%↑ #GELYF
WeRide, Geely Farizon to roll out 2,000 Robotaxi GXRs by 2026
WeRide (WRD) has signed an expanded strategic cooperation agreement with Geely’s (GELYF) Zhejiang Farizon New Energy Commercial Vehicle Group (Geely Farizon), it said on Sunday.
The two companies announced plans to deliver 2,000 upgraded, purpose-built, mass-produced Robotaxi GXRs by 2026, advancing WeRide’s progress toward large-scale global Robotaxi commercialization.
As part of the signing ceremony, the companies also showcased the upgraded Robotaxi GXR. The new model is scheduled to officially roll off the production line in the third quarter of 2026.
As of January, WeRide’s (WRD) global robotaxi fleet had 1,023 vehicles.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 09, 2026
[Newsletter Exclusive] BETA Technologies, Inc. GAAP EPS of -$2.02 misses by $1.50, revenue of $11.13M beats by $3.27M
BETA Technologies, Inc. press release (BETA): Q4 GAAP EPS of -$2.02 misses by $1.50.
Revenue of $11.13M (+150.7% Y/Y) beats by $3.27M.
BETA currently expects full year 2026 revenues to be in the range of $39 million to $43 million vs $33.96M consensus and full year 2026 Adjusted EBITDA to be in the range of ($305) million to ($395) million.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 09, 2026
[Newsletter Exclusive] Oklo, Centrus Energy plan joint venture for nuclear fuel services in Ohio
Oklo (OKLO) and Centrus Energy (LEU) said Monday they will pursue discussions toward the creation of a joint venture focused on deconversion services for high-assay low-enriched uranium and the advancement of related fuel-cycle technologies and supply chains.
The JV activities would occur at Centrus’ (LEU) Piketon site in Ohio, co-located with Centrus’ (LEU) enrichment operations and adjacent to Oklo’s planned 1.2 GW power campus.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 09, 2026
Saudi Arabia starts to cut oil production as Strait of Hormuz shutdown fills storage
Saudi Arabia has started to cut production, Bloomberg reported Monday, following previously announced reductions by the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Iraq, as the war in the Middle East has all but closed the vital Strait of Hormuz to maritime traffic from the Persian Gulf, clogging up exports and pushing crude oil prices above $100/bbl.
Saudi Arabia produces ~10M bbl/day of oil and exports ~7M bbl/day.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 09, 2026
Hims & Hers surges on deal with Novo for weight loss drugs, ending legal feud
Hims & Hers (HIMS) and Novo Nordisk (NVO) have entered a collaboration in which the telehealth company will offer Novo’s GLP-1 weight loss drugs and stop marketing its compounded GLP-1 offerings.
Hims & Hers will offer Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic (semaglutide) injections and Wegovy (semaglutide) pills and injections from later in March.
The medication provider will continue to offer compounded GLP-1s to certain customers “if a provider determines that a compounded product is clinically necessary” but will not advertise compounded GLP-1 offerings on its platform or in its marketing.
Novo Nordisk is concurrently dismissing its lawsuit against Hims & Hers (HIMS) without prejudice.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 09, 2026
[Newsletter Exclusive] Oil shock delays global rate cuts – TS Lombard
Central banks worldwide will postpone interest rate cuts as a new energy price shock from Middle East conflict threatens to add up to 2 percentage points to inflation, according to analysis from TS Lombard strategist Dario Perkins.
Perkins’s sensitivity analysis shows that if current prices hold, inflation could rise by 0.6 to 1.0 percentage point across major developed economies. However, if conditions deteriorate further -- with oil spiking to $150 per barrel and European natural gas prices jumping 120-150% -- the inflationary impact could reach 1.5 to 2 percentage points.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 09, 2026
Applied Optoelectronics climbs after receiving first volume order for its 1.6T data center transceivers
Applied Optoelectronics’ (AAOI) shares increased 9% during morning market action on Monday after the provider of optical and hybrid fiber-coaxial networking products revealed it has received its first volume order for its 1.6T data center transceivers.
The order came from one of Applied Optoelectronics long-term hyperscale customers.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 09, 2026
Turkey says NATO shot down second Iranian ballistic missile after airspace breach
According to Turkish officials, the latest missile was shot down after it entered Turkish airspace in the country’s southern region. The development represents a more direct breach than the previous incident, when a missile launched from Iran was intercepted outside Turkish territory.
Turkey, which borders Iran and fields NATO’s second-largest military, had already cautioned Tehran over the weekend against further incidents after the first interception. Despite the renewed violation, Turkey has not indicated it plans formally to request additional protection measures from the NATO alliance.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 09, 2026
SPY 0.00%↑ QQQ 0.00%↑ DIA 0.00%↑ UUP 0.00%↑ TLT 0.00%↑
[Newsletter Exclusive] We’ve hit ‘peak American exceptionalism’ – Rockefeller International’s Ruchir Sharma
The era of U.S. market dominance has reached its peak, according to Ruchir Sharma, chairman of Rockefeller International and founder and CIO of Breakout Capital.
In an interview with CNBC, Sharma declared that “peak American exceptionalism” arrived in December 2024, and the current geopolitical conflict in the Middle East is serving as a catalyst for a fundamental “regime shift” that will make new market highs extremely difficult to achieve.
“I still feel that we have hit peak American exceptionalism,” Sharma said. “And for the next few years, that’s still going to be the big trend.”
While historical data shows that markets typically decline around 4% in the first week following a major geopolitical conflict and then recover within a month, Sharma warns this time is different. The strategist noted that problems were already brewing in credit markets before the conflict erupted, making the current situation a “major derisking move” rather than a standard market correction.
Sharma views the rising cost of commodities as the trigger that will ultimately end what he characterized as a bubble phase in the AI trade. Drawing parallels to historical market bubbles, he explained that every bubble in history ends when financial conditions tighten, and the current spike in commodity prices is creating exactly that effect.
Adding to market concerns, the Federal Reserve is unlikely to intervene as it has in past crises.
“I don’t see the Fed riding to the rescue anytime soon,” Sharma said, pointing out that the central bank has “missed their inflation target for 56 months in a row,” with core inflation remaining stuck near 3%.
The U.S. currently maintains a temporary advantage over oil-importing nations due to its energy self-dependence, but Sharma characterized this outperformance as merely a “temporary pause.” He suggested that a prolonged conflict would lead investors to question the reliability of U.S. leadership and the administration’s credibility.
Even if hostilities in the Middle East cease, Sharma believes the structural shift in markets will persist.
“I think there’s been a regime shift here for markets, and it’s going to be quite hard for them to recover and make new highs anytime soon,” he concluded, signaling that investors should prepare for a more challenging era ahead.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 09, 2026
[Newsletter Exclusive] Ondas prelim Q4 revenue beats estimates; reaffirms 2026 outlook
Ondas (ONDS) reported preliminary Q4 2025 revenue of $29.1M–$30.1M, exceeding analyst expectation of $27.5M.
Full-year 2025 revenue is projected at $49.7M–$50.7M, above Wall Street estimate of $48.1M.
The company expects Q4 2025 net loss of $20.4M–$20.9M and adjusted EBITDA loss of $10.9M–$11.4M.
Full-year 2025 net loss is expected at $52.8M–$53.3M, with adjusted EBITDA loss of $32.4M–$32.9M.
The company will release final Q4 and full-year 2025 results on March 25, 2026.
Ondas reiterated its 2026 revenue guidance of $170M–$180M, excluding any new acquisitions announced in 2026.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 09, 2026
[Newsletter Exclusive] The Strait of Hormuz will stay ‘effectively closed harder for longer’ than consensus believes – economist
“When I think of the probability distribution of possible outcomes here, it seems to me there are many more scenarios and more probable scenarios in which the strait remains closed, effectively closed harder for longer, than there are scenarios in which normal traffic resumes,” Tyler Goodspeed, chief economist for ExxonMobil (XOM) said.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 09, 2026
Oil’s wild ride: Crude drops 10% after 30% surge as Trump signals conflict may end
Crude initially surged in overnight and early pre-market trading, briefly climbing as high as $119.48 per barrel after closing Friday at $90.90. The spike represented a jump of more than 30% at the session’s peak as traders reacted to fears of potential supply disruptions stemming from tensions across the Middle East.
However, the rally quickly reversed course as the trading day progressed.
By Monday afternoon, oil had slipped into negative territory for the session, falling as much as 10% and dropping below the $90 level. Prices were last hovering around $85.75 per barrel as investors rapidly unwound earlier bullish bets.
The abrupt turnaround followed reports from CBS indicating that President Donald Trump suggested the conflict could end sooner than expected, easing some immediate concerns about a prolonged disruption to global energy supply.
Trump, in an interview with CBS, said, “I think the [Iran] war is very complete, pretty much,” and added that Iranian leaders “have no navy, no communications; they’ve got no Air Force” and that the U.S. was ahead of his initial 4-5 week estimated time frame.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 09, 2026
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 09, 2026
[Newsletter Exclusive] Apple now makes 1 in 4 iPhones in India as manufacturing pivot gains pace - report
Apple (AAPL) reportedly boosted iPhone production in India by about 53% in 2025, assembling roughly 55M devices, up from 36M a year earlier, as the company continues shifting manufacturing away from China to reduce tariff exposure.
Apple (AAPL) currently assembles the iPhone 17 series in India, including Pro and Pro Max models, while suppliers such as Foxconn Technology Group, Tata Electronics, and Pegatron also produce earlier models like the iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 for domestic sales and exports.
The ramp-up underscores Apple’s strategy to build India as a second major iPhone manufacturing base, while expanding local suppliers producing components such as lithium-ion cells, device enclosures, and accessories, including AirPods.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 10, 2026
EWJ 0.00%↑ DXJ 0.00%↑ #Rapidus
[Newsletter Exclusive] Japan targets nearly $254B in local chip sales by 2040: report
Japan is targeting a fivefold increase in sales of locally made semiconductors to 40T yen (about $253.6B) by 2040 under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s growth investment strategy, Reuters reported.
Chips are among the products the government has designated as strategically important for economic security and will be the focus of expanded public investment to boost growth, according to the report.
The Japanese government aims to capture a 30% share of the global physical AI market, on par with the U.S. and China, Nikkei Asia reported.
Last month, Japanese chipmaker Rapidus secured about 267.6B yen in funding from the Japanese government and private sector companies.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 10, 2026
NXT 0.00%↑ FSLR 0.00%↑ ENPH 0.00%↑ TAN 0.00%↑
U.S. sees fewer new solar installations in 2025 after Trump’s policy shift
The industry added 43 gigawatts of new solar capacity in 2025, compared to nearly 50 GW in 2024, a report by the Solar Energy Industries Association and Wood Mackenzie showed.
It noted that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which accelerated the phaseout of tax credits for solar projects, altered the trajectory of the industry in 2025. As a result, utility-scale solar installations fell 16% and community solar declined 25% in 2025.
Still, solar accounted for 54% of all new electricity-generating capacity added to the U.S. grid in 2025. Solar and storage, combined, made up 79% of new capacity that year.
Over two-thirds of all solar capacity installed in 2025 was in states won by Trump. Texas saw the highest number of new solar installations, followed by Indiana, Florida, Arizona, Ohio, Utah and Arkansas.
The U.S. is expected to add 490 GW of new solar capacity by 2036, bringing cumulative installed capacity to nearly 770 GW, the report projected.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 10, 2026
[Newsletter Exclusive] IonQ, ARLIS team up over quantum computing security framework
Quantum computing company IonQ (IONQ) is collaborating with the Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence and Security (ARLIS) to set up a zero trust security framework for quantum architectures.
The company said the collaboration is aimed at advancing the state of quantum computing security by analyzing existing commercial quantum computing security practices with an aim to understand what it would take to deploy Zero Trust Architecture, or ZTA, to future quantum computers.
ZTA is a cybersecurity framework based on the principle of never trusting and always verifying.
ARLIS is a U.S. Department of Defense-designated University Affiliated Research Center, or UARC, based at the University of Maryland.
The company said that through this project, it will assist ARLIS in defining a ZTA framework based on standards set by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, or NIST, ensuring quantum technologies can be deployed securely across hardware, software, data, and cloud environments.
The resulting architecture standards will guide trusted integration across federal agencies, according to the company.
“This project with ARLIS is a definitive step in creating the secure, verifiable framework required for the future of the quantum internet and national-scale deployments,” said IonQ’s Chairman and CEO Niccolo de Masi.
The partnership builds on IonQ’s portfolio of federal partnerships, including existing contracts with ARLIS, DARPA, and the U.S. Air Force Research Lab.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 10, 2026
Apple’s ‘game changer’ MacBook Neo gets rave reviews on pricing and design
Luke Larsen at Wired said Apple cut corners in the right places and made a MacBook that its intended buyers will adore.
“The Neo and its A18 Pro are capable enough to edit RAW images in Adobe Inc.’s Lightroom. They can handle cutting short 4K videos in apps like iMovie or CapCut without stumbling,” said Chris Welch at Bloomberg News.
However, Welch said that to reach such a mass-market price, Apple has done a “substantial amount of cost cutting.” These include: the standard $599 MacBook Neo does not have a Touch ID but the higher-tier $699 Neo will; regular trackpad; no backlit keyboard; slow USB-C ports; no MagSafe charging; 60 hertz display; and no anti-reflective display coating.
In single-core benchmarking, the MacBook Neo is about 10% faster than the base M3 MacBook Air and 13% slower than the base M5 MacBook Air. Meanwhile, in multi-core performance, the MacBook Neo is around 4% faster than the M1 MacBook Air but 49% slower than the M5 MacBook Air, Miller noted.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 10, 2026
Critical Metals approves $30M to accelerate Greenland rare earth project development
Critical Metals (CRML) +5.2% in Tuesday’s trading after saying its board approved a $30M program to accelerate the development of the Tanbreez heavy rare earth project in Greenland, one of the world’s largest known rare earth deposits.
The company said the program will significantly advance drilling, infrastructure, engineering design and metallurgical programs, accelerating Tanbreez towards a target of first ore production in Q4 2028 or Q1 2029, with concentrate export beginning by Q3 2029.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 10, 2026
#BYDDF #BYDDY #FWONA #FWONK
China’s BYD looking to enter elite racing arena -- Bloomberg
China’s BYD Company (BYDDF) (BYDDY) is now looking to enter competitive racing including the elite Formula 1 (FWONA) (FWONK) arena.
According to sources cited by Bloomberg, BYD (BYDDF) (BYDDY) is exploring several options, either acquiring a team, or taking on the exorbitant cost to develop its own racing team. Besides the substantial cost to develop a car able to compete in either high endurance events like Le Mans or in Formula 1 (FWONA) (FWONK), the cost to maintain a team can cost an additional $140M a year.
If BYD (BYDDF) decides to take on the task, it would make the automaker the first Chinese team to enter Formula 1 (FWONA) (FWONK).
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 10, 2026
Evolv Technology raises 2026 revenue guidance to $178M while accelerating ARR growth
“We are unique. We use a tight combination of hardware, sensors, proprietary data sets and software that enables our AI models to make rapid decisions at customer locations. We control our full solution stack.” John Kedzierski, President, CEO & Executive Director reported that at the end of 2025, “all of that translated into 8,000 systems deployed, screening over 4 million people per day,” and since the launch of Evolv Express, the technology has screened “more than 4 billion people worldwide.”
Q4 Non-GAAP EPS of -$0.03 misses by $0.01.
Revenue of $38.5M (up 32% year-over-year), beats by $2.06M.
Full-year revenue at $145.9 million, representing 40% growth.
Kedzierski announced that annual recurring revenue (ARR) was $120.5 million, up 21% year-over-year, and stated, “We expect this rate of growth to accelerate in 2026 as growth in our recurring revenue base begins to outpace growth in total revenue.”
The company reported its fifth consecutive quarter of positive adjusted EBITDA with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 4.7% in Q4 and 7.6% for the full year. Total cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities increased by $12.8 million sequentially to $69 million.
Evolv welcomed over 60 new customers in Q4 and now serves over 1,200 customers globally. Notable sector expansions include 12 new school districts and 3 universities, plus major wins in healthcare and sports, including a new partnership with the American Hospital Association, and upgrades at TD Garden and Crypto.com Arena.
Adoption of the eXpedite AI-based bag screening solution has reached 65 customers, roughly 5% of the base, with 16 new customers purchasing eXpedite in Q4. Kedzierski stated, “We continue to believe eXpedite will drive stronger attach rates, customer expansion and deeper subscription stickiness.”
The company raised its 2026 outlook, now modeling full-year revenue of $172 million to $178 million and targeting ARR growth of 20% to 25%, with a goal to end 2026 with over 10,000 units deployed.
Management now expects full-year 2026 revenue of $172 million to $178 million, up from prior guidance of $160 million to $165 million. ARR growth is projected to be 20% to 25%, with the company expecting to exit 2026 at $145 million to $150 million in ARR.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 10, 2026
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 10, 2026
Voyager Technologies raises 2026 revenue guidance to $225M–$255M amid record backlog and expanded defense demand
Voyager Technologies, Inc. Non-GAAP EPS of -$0.37 misses by $0.01, revenue of $46.7M misses by $1.37M.
Advanced development of Starlab, achieving ten NASA milestones in 2025 (four during the fourth quarter) and 31 milestones to date, receiving $56.0 million during 2025 and $183.2 million inception-to-date in cash milestone proceeds
Dylan Taylor, Co-Founder, Chairman & CEO said “based upon a record backlog, we are significantly raising our revenue guidance for the year.”
Taylor announced, “we are meaningfully raising our 2026 revenue guidance initially provided at our Investor Day in November to a range of $225 million to $255 million, representing growth of 35% to 53% year-over-year.”
Taylor reported the Defense and National Security segment “grew significantly, up 59% year-over-year, driven by execution on Next Generation Interceptor and other classified programs.” The company entered 2026 with a $266 million backlog, a 33% increase year-over-year.
Several acquisitions were completed and integrated, expanding capabilities, including the acquisition of Estes Energetics (now Voyager Energetics), which “strengthens a foundational layer of our missile Defense and National Security platform.”
Taylor highlighted the launch of the first space-hardened, managed cloud infrastructure to the International Space Station and the advancement of AI-enabled automated target recognition for space-based radar systems.
He reported Starlab’s commercial payload capacity as fully reserved and $183 million in cash receipts from NASA milestones.
Starlab is expected to transition to full-scale procurement and development in 2026.
Ronald Epstein, BofA Securities, Research Division: Asked about the raised revenue guide and drivers behind that comfort. Taylor responded, “a great environment, record pipeline, record backlog... It’s everything from our advanced electronics capability... propulsion on multiple programs factoring into Golden Dome... Energetics business that we just acquired.”
Myles Walton, Wolfe Research, LLC: Inquired about EBITDA walk and CapEx advances. De Sousa answered, “We are guiding to an EBITDA loss in 2026. We continue to see tremendous opportunity to grow our business... we anticipate to still, if you would achieve our longer-term aspirations of being EBITDA positive exiting 2027 and be free cash flow positive in 2028.” Taylor affirmed the relevance of their technology to multiple missile defense programs and noted nondilutive funding opportunities.
Greg Konrad, Jefferies LLC: Asked about Space Solutions returning to growth. De Sousa responded, “We see continued demand for mission management services on the ISS... that’s leading to that overbooked... commercial demand that we’re seeing on Starlab already.”
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 10, 2026
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 09, 2026
[Newsletter Exclusive] Qatar’s massive LNG hub halts exports for record five days
The world’s biggest liquefied natural gas export facility in Qatar has seen its longest shipment drought since 2008, failing to dispatch a single tanker for five consecutive days and threatening to tighten global energy markets.
No LNG ship traversed the Strait of Hormuz after Feb. 28, when the U.S. and Israel began strikes on Iran.
Qatar’s Ras Laffan LNG plant, the world’s largest, appears to be intact after its unprecedented closure last week, which led to LNG prices that roughly doubled, and any restart and resumption of deliveries could take weeks or even months, the country’s energy minister recently told the Financial Times.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 11, 2026
Ballard jumps on commercial agreement with New Flyer for 50 MW of fuel cell bus engines
Ballard Power Systems (BLDP) shares rose 13% in early Wednesday trading after reaching a commercial agreement with New Flyer, a subsidiary of NFI Group (NFI:CA) (NFYEF), a provider of sustainable mobility solutions in North America and Europe.
The agreement for 500 FCmove®-HD+ fuel cell engines, totaling 50 MW, represents the largest single commitment from New Flyer since the partnership began. Deliveries, starting in 2026, will power New Flyer’s Xcelsior CHARGE FC™ hydrogen fuel cell buses across North America, the company said.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 11, 2026
TSLA 0.00%↑ NIO 0.00%↑ XPEV 0.00%↑ #BYDDF #BYDDY #GELYF #GELHY
[Newsletter Exclusive] China’s auto sales fall sharply in February as subsidies fade
About 950,000 passenger vehicles were sold domestically during the month, down from nearly 1.4M in January, marking the fourth consecutive month of year-on-year declines.
Total passenger car sales, including exports, fell 15.4% from a year earlier, though overseas shipments surged 58% to 586,000 units.
Automakers are grappling with softer demand as some local governments scale back incentives designed to encourage electric vehicle purchases. Consumer spending has also been pressured by a slowing economy and a prolonged property slump, while the Lunar New Year holiday in February likely further weighed on sales.
Sales at BYD (BYDDF) (BYDDY), which overtook Tesla (TSLA) in 2025 as the world’s largest EV maker, fell 41% year over year to 190,190 vehicles in February. XPeng (XPEV) reported a decline of 49.9% Y/Y in February deliveries, while Geely Automobile (GELYF) (GELHY) reported a 1% increase to 206,160 vehicles.
In contrast, Chinese EV maker NIO (NIO) delivered 20,797 vehicles in February, representing an increase of 57.6% year-over-year.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 11, 2026
[Newsletter Exclusive] Extended Gulf shutdown could trigger prolonged oil price shock, Kilduff says: CNBC interview
Storage capacity has emerged as a critical concern, with JPMorgan indicating that Gulf producers could exhaust their storage and be forced into complete shutdowns if the current situation extends beyond three weeks.
The analyst expressed concern about the viability of emergency measures to address the crisis.
John Kilduff, Again Capital’s founding partner noted that with a potential 20 million barrels per day of disruption, the SPR oil may be needed to cover outright shortages rather than simply easing prices.
The International Energy Agency has floated plans to release barrels to ease market pressure, but Kilduff suggested the math simply doesn’t work given the scale of the potential disruption. The rush to deploy emergency reserves is concerning, he said, as these resources may ultimately be needed for more critical supply gaps in the weeks ahead.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 11, 2026
Serve Robotics beats top-line and bottom-line estimates; introduces FY26 outlook
Serve Robotics Inc. press release (SERV): Q4 GAAP EPS of -$0.46 beats by $0.08.
Revenue of $0.88M (+388.9% Y/Y) beats by $0.11M.
Outlook: Raised 2026 revenue guidance to approximately $26 million (vs. consensus of $25.28M) and expects 2026 capital expenditures of approximately $25 million.
The improved outlook is primarily driven by the acquisition of Diligent Robotics.
Serve Robotics Inc. (SERV) also announced a partnership with White Castle to deliver the brand’s Sliders and other menu items via the company’s autonomous delivery robots through the Uber Eats (UBER) platform.
Steve Webb asked about 2026 unit deployment targets. Kashani responded, “Over the next few years, we expect to deploy 1000 small robots. But in the short term... we want to really let the recent growth settle in.”
On daily active robots, Kashani said, “We expect that by the middle of this year... we would get all of the existing robots on a fully active daily basis and shift our focus to that operational optimization.”
On international expansion, Kashani indicated, “We are now in active discussions with city officials and partners in multiple international markets... We see this ultimate growth opportunity internationally as a 2027 opportunity. But 2026 is for us to lay the groundwork for it.”
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 11, 2026
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 11, 2026
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 11, 2026
NASA awards Redwire $4M to advance microgravity drug development
Redwire (RDW) Wednesday announced that NASA has awarded the company an additional $4 million to support new drug development investigations on the International Space Station (ISS) using Redwire’s Pharmaceutical In-space Laboratory (PIL-BOX) technology.
This additional funding expands an existing task order under a $25 million, five-year indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract through NASA’s In Space Production Applications (InSPA) program.
With 43 units flown, PIL-BOX has contributed to the growth of high‑quality crystals that could transform how lifesaving medicines are developed.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 11, 2026
UBER 0.00%↑ AMZN 0.00%↑ #Zoox
Amazon’s Zoox and Uber will be robotaxi partners in Las Vegas and other markets
Uber Technologies and Amazon’s (AMZN) Zoox announced a multi-year strategic partnership to deploy Zoox’s fully autonomous, all-electric robotaxis on the Uber (UBER) platform in select U.S. cities. The partnership will begin with limited service in Las Vegas in 2026 and expand to additional markets over time.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 11, 2026
USO 0.00%↑ ITA 0.00%↑ DXJ 0.00%↑ EWJ 0.00%↑
[Newsletter Exclusive] Japan, Germany to take lead on releasing oil from reserves
Japan, which depends on the Middle East for ~95% of its oil supplies, will release one month’s worth of its strategic oil reserves and 15 days’ worth of private-sector reserves, Prime Minister Takaichi said Wednesday.
“Rather than wait for formal IEA approval of a coordinated international reserve release, Japan will act first to ease global energy market supply and demand, releasing reserves as early as the 16th of this month,” Takaichi said.
Japan holds emergency oil reserves equivalent to 254 days of consumption, consisting of national stockpiles (146 days), private-sector reserves (101 days), and joint stockpiles with producing countries (7 days).
Germany will release part of its oil reserves after the International Energy Agency recommended the release of 400M barrels of oil from stockpiles, Germany’s economy minister said.
The planned release of 400M barrels would more than double the IEA’s biggest prior release, when the agency’s member countries put 182M barrels on the market in 2022 after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Countries are expected to decide on the IEA proposal by the end of the day, but an objection by even one country could delay the plan.
The proposal is intended to counter the massive disruption caused by the near-total closure of the Strait of Hormuz, where 20% of the world’s oil supply moves and the threat of attacks on tankers by Iran have brought shipments to a near standstill.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 11, 2026
[Newsletter Exclusive] Thai cargo ship attack in Strait of Hormuz raises shipping risks; markets eye slow recovery
Thai cargo vessel, the Mayuree Naree, was attacked while transiting the strait yesterday. The ship had departed from the Port of Khalifa in the United Arab Emirates before the incident occurred, underscoring the growing risks for commercial shipping operating in the region.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 11, 2026
[Newsletter Exclusive] Broadcom releases 400G/lane optical DSP to meet bandwidth needs of AI data centers
Broadcom (AVGO) announced on Wednesday morning the availability of its new 3nm 400G/lane optical PAM-4 DSP, the Taurus BCM83640, which was designed to enable optical transceiver manufacturers to cost-effectively deliver low-power 1.6T pluggable modules to meet the growing bandwidth needs for AI data centers.
It supports optical modules from 1.6T to 3.2T.
The company expects more than 100M units of 1.6T and 3.2T optical transceivers will be shipped over the next five years, with about half of them using 400G optics.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 11, 2026
TSLA 0.00%↑ #xAI
Musk says xAI’s Macrohard remains in development as joint project with Tesla: update
Musk revealed in a post on X that Macrohard and Digital Optimus are now basically the same thing and part of a joint project between the two companies, following Tesla’s recent investment in xAI.
“Grok is the master conductor/navigator with deep understanding of the world to direct digital Optimus, which is processing and actioning the past 5 secs of real-time computer screen video and keyboard/mouse actions,” Musk said. “Grok is like a much more advanced and sophisticated version of turn-by-turn navigation software.”
“You can think of it as Digital Optimus AI being System 1 (instinctive part of the mind) and Grok being System 2 (thinking part of the mind),” he added. “This will run very competitively on the super low cost Tesla AI4 ($650) paired with relatively frugal use of the much more expensive xAI Nvidia hardware. And it will be the only real-time smart AI system. This is a big deal.”
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 11, 2026
[Newsletter Exclusive] The surge in oil prices is making Fed rate cuts harder to justify – economist
KPMG Chief Economist Diane Swonk characterized the current situation as a supply shock that will play out over months rather than weeks. Even if conflicts were to end within four to five weeks, she noted, the disruptions to supply chains would persist far longer.
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz is creating ripple effects throughout the U.S. economy that extend well beyond energy prices. Aluminum prices (LMAHDS03:COM) have soared, and production in Brazil has been affected. These collateral damages are mounting across multiple sectors, compounding the inflationary pressures facing policymakers.
The combination of supply chain pressures and ongoing fiscal stimulus presents a particularly troubling outlook for inflation. Swonk noted that this is what kept inflation lingering rather than proving transitory during the post-pandemic recovery.
“We’re not only still seeing it, we’re still seeing it and it’s starting to show signs of accelerating again,” she said.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 11, 2026
U.S. crude oil powers past $93 on reports of two new Persian Gulf tanker attacks
Crude oil rose to highs of the day following reports that a fire broke out on an oil tanker in the Persian Gulf near Basra in Iraq’s territorial waters after an apparent attack, and a second tanker anchored off the coast of Kuwait was said to have suffered an explosion.
At least three cargo ships were hit earlier near the Strait of Hormuz, which had brought the number of ships struck in the region since the Iran conflict began to at least 14.
Meanwhile, heavy waves of airstrikes hit Beirut and Tehran on Wednesday, adding to the toll of the war, as the Pentagon reportedly told Congress in a closed-door briefing on Capitol Hill that the cost of the war for the U.S. topped $11.3B in the first six days.
The U.S. said it plans to release 172M barrels of oil from its strategic reserves over the next four months, starting next week, as part of a coordinated effort by the International Energy Agency, whose 32 member countries announced an agreement to release 400M barrels into the market in an attempt to prevent prices from rising further.
The proposed release is roughly equal to about four days of global production and 16 days of the volume of crude that transits through the Gulf, Macquarie analysts estimated, saying “If that doesn’t sound like much, it isn’t.”
“The big focus is on the Strait of Hormuz,” Dennis Kissler of BOK Financial said in a note. “You’re not going to see a real relief in prices until we see at least some ships come through there,”
If Hormuz does not open in the next few days, Kissler expects another rally in oil prices. The release of the reserves is “definitely not a big bullish factor, more of a relief near term” that may buy the U.S. and Israel some more time to get the strait open.
Brent crude (CO1:COM) was up 8.8% at $100.09 a barrel at press time, while U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate (CL1:COM) gained 8.2% to $94.51. Brent prices have gained more than 36% since the war began on February 28, while WTI has risen about 39%. Both benchmarks briefly topped $119 on Monday, their highest levels since mid‑2022.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 11, 2026
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 12, 2026
SPY 0.00%↑ FXI 0.00%↑ INDA 0.00%↑ EWW 0.00%↑ VGK 0.00%↑
[Newsletter Exclusive] U.S. targets China, Mexico, EU, and India in massive 16-nation trade probe to rebuild Trump tariffs
The probes, which will likely expand to more nations, will be conducted under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told reporters during a call.
That law permits the U.S. to impose tariffs on imported goods from other nations found to have engaged in unfair trade practices.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 12, 2026
UBER 0.00%↑ #NSANY #NSANF #Wayve
Uber, Nissan, Wayve collaborate for robotaxi pilot in Tokyo
Uber (UBER), Nissan (NSANY) (NSANF), and Wayve have entered a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on developing and deploying robotaxis.
Wayve will integrate its end-to-end AI autonomous driving system into Nissan’s base LEAF EV, made available to riders via Uber’s ride-hailing platform.
A pilot deployment is planned in Tokyo by late 2026, with a trained safety operator in the car.
This marks the first autonomous vehicle partnership for Uber (UBER) in Japan, and part of Wayve and Uber’s global robotaxi rollout to over ten cities globally, including London.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 12, 2026
[Newsletter Exclusive] Researcher Ethan Mollick says AI is moving from chatbot to co-worker, with disruption close behind
Mollick, who studies AI applications in business, said the pace of improvement has surprised even people close to the field. He pointed to recent gains in AI performance on complicated tasks, including systems that can now match or beat human experts much more often than they could only months ago.
He also said software coding is already being reshaped by AI. In some cases, he said, the best programmers are moving away from writing code line by line and toward managing AI systems that do much of the work.
Mollick said one of his biggest near-term concerns is not that companies will move too fast, but that some will move too slowly out of fear or bureaucracy.
He said many legal and IT departments are still blocking AI adoption based on hypothetical risks rather than actual incidents. At the same time, some large companies are already pushing ahead. He cited examples such as JPMorgan, Walmart and Google experimenting with internal tools and deployment at scale.
“If you haven’t changed anything you do as a result of having these tools, you haven’t changed any part of the process, that’s a mistake,” he said.
Mollick said public and corporate conversations about safeguards are still not where they need to be. He expects more “waves of disruption” as the technology improves, companies make uneven decisions and markets react to each new sign of progress.
He also argued that consumers may trust AI tools faster than many executives expect, especially if those tools are personalized and become part of everyday routines such as shopping, scheduling and household management.
He expects sharp shifts in where value sits inside organizations.
Asked what advice he would give people trying to get better at AI, Mollick kept it simple: pay for access to strong models, use them every day and apply them to as many real problems as possible.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 12, 2026
Ballard Power Systems reports Q4 results
Ballard Power Systems press release (BLDP): Q4 Adjusted EBITDA was (11.6) million
Revenue of $33.6M (+37.1% Y/Y) beats by $1.36M.
Heavy Duty Mobility revenue of $28.6 million, 70% higher year-over-year, driven primarily by bus and rail revenues, the latter of which grew 892% to $10.8 million.
Stationary revenue was $3.2 million, (54% lower year-over-year), and Emerging and Other Markets revenue was $1.8 million or 138% higher compared to Q4 2024
Order Backlog at the end of 2025 was $119.3 million, reflecting strong Q4 shipment activity and solid new order intake of $20.1 million. Fourth‑quarter deliveries grew 37%YoY, driven by continued demand for our Power Products portfolio, which now represents more than 99% of our backlog.
The 12-month Orderbook was $53.9 million at end-Q4, a decrease of $17.7 million or approximately 25%, from the end of Q3 2025 as we delivered a significant volume of fuel cell products in Q4.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 12, 2026
BWX Technologies started Buy at TD Cowen on ‘unmatched nuclear heritage’
BWX Technologies (BWXT) +1.2% in Thursday’s trading as TD Cowen initiated coverage with a Buy rating and $230 price target, seeing the company’s “strong nuclear heritage and capabilities combined with being a technology-agnostic service and equipment provider as very attractive.”
The company has developed a portfolio of nuclear related businesses across government and commercial operations that not only provides strong recurring cash flow but also presents an opportunity for significant growth that could translate to more than $10B of value, TD Cowen analyst Marc Bianchi said, seeing further upside potential even while some of the value upside may have already been reflected in the stock.
BWXT (BWXT) is technology agnostic and has the only large component manufacturing capacity in North America that is nuclear certified, Bianchi noted, adding the company has been selected to reestablish domestic uranium enrichment for defense purposes, which could ultimately become a recurring business to replace the enriched uranium stockpile.
The analyst sees potential near-term catalysts including progress on the Trump administration’s goal to build 10 new reactors by 2030; formal plans to expand capacity at the company’s Mount Vernon, Indiana, site; and an updated 30-year shipbuilding plan expected soon from the U.S. Navy.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 12, 2026
Wall Street doesn’t believe the Iran war will be short lived and markets are reacting
Olivier Blanchard, Robert Solow Professor of economics emeritus at MIT, said he finds it hard not to believe oil prices will remain “very high for a long time” and higher than the markets are currently pricing in.
He added that the 20M barrels a day shortage is likely to last for a long time and the 400M barrels reserve release can only add around 3M to 4M barrels daily.
“The short run elasticity of demand for oil is very low, at most -0.1, and probably less,” Blanchard said. “This suggests to me prices closer to $150-$200 per barrel (or more, but I hesitate to give higher numbers…) than to the current market price.”
“The U.S. isn’t playing chess anymore, it’s stuck reacting move by move. Tactical wins, zero exit strategy,” said Marc-André Fongern, former Deutsche Bank and Goldman Sachs investment banker. “Oil markets calling the shots, Iran holding leverage, and Washington just looking for a way out. That’s not what winning looks like!”
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 12, 2026
Adobe slips despite record Q1 results; long-time CEO reveals plan to step down
For the quarter ended February 27, Adobe reported adjusted earnings per share of $6.06 versus the consensus estimate of $5.87. The company reported GAAP EPS of $4.60 compared to the $4.56 estimate.
Revenue for the first quarter increased 12% year over year to $6.4B, which was more than the $6.28B consensus.
Looking ahead, Adobe expects second-quarter revenue to range from $6.43B to $6.48B, with a midpoint of $6.455B, which is more than the $6.43B consensus. The company expects adjusted EPS to range from $5.80 to $5.85 versus the $5.68 estimate and GAAP EPS to range from $4.35 to $4.40.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 12, 2026
Pony AI expands its partnership with Tencent
Pony AI (PONY) announced on Friday that it expanded access to its robotaxi ride-hailing service through integration into Tencent Mobility Service.
The launch allows users in designated areas of Guangzhou to book fully driverless rides directly through the WeChat “Mobility Services” portal, with Tencent Maps access expected soon. After users input their pickup and drop-off points in WeChat, they can select an autonomous ride option when their route falls within Pony AI’s (PONY) coverage area.
Notably, Pony AI (PONY) is building a broad ecosystem of partners. In China, it collaborates with platforms such as Alipay, Amap, Xihu Group, Sunlight Mobility, Chenqi Technology, and Jinjiang Taxi to support service distribution and scaling. Internationally, partners including Stellantis (STLA), Uber (UBER), Bolt, ComfortDelGro, Emile Weber in Luxembourg, and Mowasalat in Qatar back testing, pilots, and deployments as part of its global expansion strategy.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 13, 2026
KTOS 0.00%↑ #EADSF #EADSY
Airbus prepares Kratos drones for European combat system flight tests
Airbus (EADSF) (EADSY) on Friday said it is preparing to test two uncrewed combat aircraft built by Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (KTOS) as part of an effort to deliver a new collaborative combat drone capability to the German Air Force by the end of the decade.
The aircraft, known as the Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie, are being readied for their first flights with a European-developed mission system at Airbus facilities in Manching, near Munich. Airbus said the aircraft could begin flying later this year as part of development of an Uncrewed Collaborative Combat Aircraft concept it hopes will be operational by 2029.
Airbus’s (EADSF) (EADSY) initiative comes as militaries around the world are accelerating efforts to incorporate unmanned and increasingly autonomous systems into their arsenals. Defense planners can field a larger number of relatively lower-cost platforms that can operate alongside crewed fighters in high-threat environments.
Airbus (EADSF) (EADSY) is equipping the aircraft with its Multiplatform Autonomous Reconfigurable and Secure system, known as MARS. The architecture includes artificial intelligence software designed to replace certain pilot functions and coordinate groups of manned and unmanned aircraft operating together during missions.
Executives say pairing an existing drone platform with a European command-and-control system could shorten development timelines compared with building a fully new aircraft. Airbus (EADSF) (EADSY) officials indicated that the approach is intended to deliver a combat-ready capability more quickly while maintaining European control over key software and mission systems.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 13, 2026
UBER 0.00%↑ #Hyundai #Motional
Uber and Hyundai-backed Motional launch robotaxi rides in Las Vegas
Uber Technologies (UBER) and Motional have launched an all-electric IONIQ 5 robotaxi service on the Uber (UBER) platform in Las Vegas. The new service will give riders the option to be matched with an autonomous vehicle for trips along and around the Las Vegas Strip at no additional cost.
The service initially covers key pick-up points, including Resorts World, Encore at Wynn Las Vegas, Westgate, Downtown Las Vegas, and Town Square near the airport, with plans to expand the operating area over time.
The IONIQ 5 robotaxi, co-developed by Motional and Hyundai Motor Group (HYMLF), is one of the first SAE Level 4-capable autonomous vehicles certified under U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and is designed specifically for ride-hailing and durable, driverless operations. At launch, vehicles will still have an on-board vehicle operator, but Motional and Uber (UBER) expect to transition to a fully driverless service with no human in the vehicle by the end of the year. The rollout builds on a 10-year framework agreement signed in 2022 between Uber and Motional and follows earlier pilots in food delivery with Uber Eats in Los Angeles.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 13, 2026
FXI 0.00%↑ EWJ 0.00%↑ EPI 0.00%↑ ITA 0.00%↑ USO 0.00%↑
Hormuz blockade: How countries are responding to the global energy crisis
The IEA will release 400M barrels, more than double the amount it released in 2022 when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
China gets more than a third of its oil and LNG from Arab countries. But China is mostly insulated for now, given its large oil reserves that could last for months. Its government also invested heavily in domestic coal and renewable energy over the years. Even so, Beijing ordered an immediate ban on refined fuel exports and announced the biggest retail fuel price cap increase since 2022. Meanwhile, Iran continues to ship oil to China via the Strait of Hormuz.
Japan is heavily dependent on the Gulf region for its oil supplies, most of which travel through the Strait of Hormuz. The country has oil reserves equivalent to about 254 days of consumption. Tokyo said it will release about 45 days’ worth of oil supply from its reserves and will reinstate subsidies to effectively cap gasoline prices at around ¥170/ liter. As for LNG, Japan imports only 11% of its supply from Arab countries.
More than a third of India’s crude imports pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Since the Iran war broke out, New Delhi shifted 70% of its imports to alternative routes. A bigger crisis is people panic-buying cylinders of liquefied petroleum gas, which is used by most households as cooking fuel. India imports a major portion of its LPG needs, of which 90% comes through the Strait of Hormuz. The government is activating alternate fuel options and boosting domestic LPG production.
South Korea imports about 70% of its oil and 20% of its LNG from the Middle East, and holds sizable oil reserves equivalent to about 207 days’ worth. Seoul announced that it will cap domestic fuel prices, restrict stockpiling of petroleum products and release a record 22.46M barrels from its oil reserves.
People are lining up at petrol pumps to stock up on fuel in countries including Vietnam, Thailand, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Governments introduced measures to conserve energy
While the European Union gets most of its oil from the U.S. and Norway, the region is exposed to soaring natural gas prices, which push electricity rates higher. A major concern is the U.S. easing sanctions on Russian oil, a move that EU leaders criticized as it would be a boost for Moscow’s war chest. Meanwhile, Germany, France, Spain and Austria said they will release some of their oil reserves. Austria will limit price hikes at fuel pumps to once per day, a move that Germany plans to follow. Hungary and Croatia imposed retail fuel price caps.
Countries that stand to lose the most from the disruption include Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and UAE. On the other hand, Russia is viewed as a major beneficiary.
In the U.S., consumers are feeling the heat at the pump as average gas prices rose 9% compared to last week and 23.5% from a month ago, according to AAA.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 13, 2026
SPY 0.00%↑ QQQ 0.00%↑ DIA 0.00%↑
[Newsletter Exclusive] Retail investors pull back from equities, defying seasonal patterns, JP Morgan says
Retail investors are “showing persistent signs of weakness,” cutting back on purchases of ETFs and single stocks in the week of March 5-11, a team of J.P. Morgan strategists, led by Arun Jain, said.
The weakness runs counter to typical seasonal patterns and came after February purchases were the third largest month on record, they said in a note to clients.
Retail investors reduced their weekly purchases by ~30%, with ETF inflows lowered by 22%, breaking three months of support, the note said. Monday, March 9, marked the largest net-selling day in single stocks in a month.
While the size of their purchases declined, retail investors continued to favor tech mega caps and pared their exposure to energy stocks, the team led by Jain said.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 13, 2026
ServiceNow CEO says AI could push jobless rate into 30% range for new grads
ServiceNow (NOW) CEO Bill McDermott said the proliferation of AI in the workplace could soon push the unemployment rate for young college graduates into the mid-30% range, according to CNBC.
McDermott told CNBC on Friday that the jobless rate for new college grads “could easily go into the mid-30s in the next couple of years.”
“So much of the work is going to be done by agents. So it’s going to be challenging for young people to differentiate themselves in the corporate environment,” McDermott added.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 13, 2026
U.S. hits military targets on Iran’s Kharg Island; Trump says oil infrastructure avoided for now
President Trump said Friday that U.S. forces bombed military targets on Iran’s Kharg Island—considered Iran’s “energy lifeline”—but did not hit oil infrastructure.
Kharg Island, located ~15 miles off the Iranian coast in the waters of the northern Persian Gulf, had been left untouched through nearly two weeks of the U.S.-Israel campaign against Iran; the terminal accounts for ~90% of Iran’s crude exports and has a loading capacity of 7M bbl/day.
Link to Seeking Alpha News Article - Mar. 13, 2026
Disclosure: We own positions in some/all of the tickers mentioned in this article.
