Another manic market week was marked by a technical crash that depressed the S&P 500 and NASDAQ indexes. Nothing worked in the tech sector: chipmakers, neocloud providers, and hyperscalers were all down, as investors grew impatient or tired of artificial intelligence (AI) trading.
However, the strength of stocks was higher as the conflict in the Strait of Hormuz intensified. Financial stocks also rose as many banks reported strong earnings, as expected.
The same cannot be said for Netflix Inc. NASDAQ: NFLX. The streaming giant delivered a mixed earnings report, sending investors off the stock.
The disappointing week came despite better-than-expected economic data that showed slower inflation, an unexpected rise in housing starts, and higher consumer confidence.
Next week will bring more earnings reports, including from Alphabet NASDAQ: GOOGLwhich will be an important indicator of the state of the AI infrastructure trade. MarketBeat analysts will provide valuable insights. Here are some of our most popular articles from the past week.
Writings of Thomas Hughes
A sharp pull back from Micron Technology NASDAQ: MU the stock reminds investors that large swings to the upside can be accompanied by equally sharp moves. As Thomas Hughes noted, investors need to consider the broader case of random access memory (DRAM) and high-bandwidth memory (HBM), which provide the right environment for Micron’s 10-year investment plan.
Fastenal NASDAQ: FAST delivered a strong earnings report that left some investors wanting more. However, Hughes explained why a pullback in FAST stock is an affordable opportunity for growth and inbound investors.
Hughes also summarized the earnings report from Johnson & Johnson NYSE: JNJ. Investors are asking JNJ for a 52-week high ahead of the report. Therefore, the decline in earnings looks like an opportunity for investors to buy on the strength of the earnings report.
Writings by Sam Quirke
The meteoric rise of SanDisk Corp. NASDAQ: SNDK the stock is facing its first test from the competition and analysts. Sam Quirke outlined the technical hurdles facing the stock and what investors need to hear when the company reports earnings in early August.
The company Broadcom Inc. NASDAQ: AVGO exemplified the uncertainty facing AI infrastructure stocks. AVGO has returned to November 2025 levels, as investors believe the stock is overpriced. However, Quirke noted that the company’s results do nothing to suggest that its growth is slowing.
Shares of Apple Inc. NASDAQ: AAPL have been climbing higher as investors buy into the company’s “AI toll booth” thesis. Quirke explained why that thesis will be tested by the company’s upcoming earnings, which will set a near-term benchmark for AAPL.
Articles by Chris Markoch
The bullish thesis for rare earth metals is real, but it is in its early stages. That increases the risk of owning one stock. This week, Chris Markoch highlights three global exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that can help investors balance exposure and risk when investing in the sector’s long-term growth.
Beat-down Microsoft Corp. NASDAQ: MSFT hopes that its AI models can reduce its dependence on OpenAI and Anthropic. Markoch outlined reasons why this would be bullish on MSFT and the risks remaining.
It may seem like a bad time to invest in gold, but Markoch explained that the structural reasons for owning gold are always there. He provided three mining stocks under $5 that offer investors the opportunity for a big upside without owning the physical metal.
Articles by Ryan Hasson
Humanoid robots are coming, but Ryan Hasson reminded investors that the smart way to play this trend is to buy companies that supply parts that robot makers can’t do without. That’s the case with the three stocks powering the humanoid robot market that are among the companies best positioned for this growth.
The cloud over Alphabet’s earnings report next week is the company’s Google Cloud business. Hasson emphasized why the company’s Google Cloud numbers are the most important part of the company’s Q2 earnings report.
If investors want to know where the opportunities lie during the earnings season, looking at the stocks that analysts love can be a solid indicator. This week, Hasson highlighted five stocks that received upgrades and/or price target increases from analysts ahead of their earnings reports.
The writings of Leo Miller
Lead season is the time to confirm the trends. That’s Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company NYSE: TSM accomplished in this week’s earnings report. Leo Miller explained why the report confirms strong demand for semiconductors, which could be a bullish signal for chip stocks.
Insider trading always attracts the attention of investors. Miller pointed out that this is especially true when the chief executive officer (CEO) is the one selling. This week, he highlighted three stocks that have heavy CEO selling and should, if anything, be cause for concern.
Meta Platforms NASDAQ: META is making a comeback after months of beatings due to its use of AI. The company introduced its new AI model, Muse Spark 1.1. The release comes after the company’s announcement of plans to sell excess cloud computing capacity to third parties. Miller explained that both of these programs are ways for Meta to demonstrate that it can monetize AI.
Articles by Nathan Reiff
The race for quantum computing is heating up. Company IonQ Inc. NYSE: IONQ the largest pure name by market average. This week, Nathan Reiff wrote about two unknown quantum numbers that can give investors a speculative way to invest in long-term growth in the sector.
This week showed why data centers will always be controversial, and why investors may not want to hitch their wagon to a single stock name in the sector. Reiff highlighted three data center-focused real estate investment trusts (REITs) that may be a better opportunity for investors to manage their exposure.
Energy stocks continue to experience long-term tailwinds, especially mid-term names that are important to the transportation of oil and natural gas. This week, Reiff explained why three strong ETFs focused on mid-cap names can deliver strong returns and income.
Writings of Jeffrey Neal Johnson
Jeffrey Neal Johnson also revealed an explosive IPO from SK Hynix NASDAQ: SKHY. Brushing aside the extraordinary ride in the stock price, Johnson reminded investors why they should be excited. The company and others in the HBM market are at the beginning of a multi-year deficit in the memory market.
PayPal Inc. NASDAQ: PYPL it was unpopular with investors, but it casts a shadow over the private sector. Johnson wrote about the proposed $53 billion acquisition by Stripe and Advent International. The deal was met with opposition, but Johnson explained why it might compel investors to buy back PYPL based on the company’s turnaround efforts.
The biotech sector can confuse even the most risk-tolerant investors. This week, Johnson explained how failed Phase 3 trials affect large- and small-cap biotechnology stocks differently, and why rivals have recently caught wind.
Before you consider Netflix, you’ll want to hear this.
MarketBeat tracks Wall Street’s top and most effective research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients every day. MarketBeat identified five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on… and Netflix wasn’t on the list.
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