AI Stocks & Markets

Today's Stories

1. 1

   Burry shorts Caterpillar as AI data-center demand fuels stock debate

   Investor Michael Burry has expanded his short position in Caterpillar (CAT) alongside other tech names, according to social media discussions, as part of a broader bet against AI-related momentum. Meanwhile, traders are flagging aggressive call purchases and unusual options volume in CAT contracts, suggesting positioning for potential upside. Caterpillar's power generation equipment is seeing record demand tied to AI infrastructure projects, with analysts citing a record backlog and infrastructure spending as key supports. However, some warn that cyclical risks in construction and mining could offset these gains. Insiders have sold heavily—46 insider trades in the past 6 months consisted of 45 sales versus 1 purchase—even as Q1 2026 revenues reached $17.4B, up 22.22% year-over-year.

   Wall Street analysts remain broadly bullish, with 3 firms issuing buy or overweight ratings and 0 sell ratings in recent months. The median analyst price target stands at $878.0, though individual targets range widely—from $845.0 to $1218.0—reflecting divided views on execution risks versus growth opportunities in AI-driven infrastructure demand.

2. 2

   Nvidia in talks with OpenAI on $250B data center financing deal

   Nvidia is in talks with OpenAI to guarantee $250 billion（約40兆円） in financing for a data center project, according to reporting by the Wall Street Journal. A deal of this scale would represent a major commitment by OpenAI to large-scale AI infrastructure, and signals confidence in the capital markets' willingness to fund massive AI buildout projects that require billions in computational hardware.

   The deal remains in talks and has not been finalized; its completion would depend on both parties reaching agreement and securing the necessary financing commitments.

3. 3

   Texas Instruments riding AI power-chip demand to 58% rally

   Texas Instruments stock surged 58% year-to-date as its analog chips—which manage electrical power for AI processors—gain traction in data centers. Q2 revenue grew 23% year-over-year, the highest in multiple years, and the company projects Q3 revenue of $5.65 billion（約9000億円） to $6.15 billion（約9800億円）, implying 24.5% year-over-year growth. Analog chips are essential infrastructure for AI deployment, sitting between electrical grids and AI processors to distribute power safely without overheating. This positions Texas Instruments for sustained growth as AI infrastructure demand accelerates, and the company is boosting profits faster than revenue—net income rose 53% year-over-year in Q2—while maintaining a dividend yield above 2%.

   If Texas Instruments delivers positive sequential growth in Q4 (historically its slower season), that would be a major catalyst. Should analog chips continue gaining momentum in data centers and the company beats the top end of Q3 guidance, it could position the company for at least 38% year-over-year revenue growth.

4. 4

   Amazon, Microsoft each spending $200B on AI—investor patience wearing thin

   Amazon and Microsoft are each deploying roughly $200 billion（約32兆円） in capital expenditures this year to build data centers for AI services, an unprecedented level of investment. Microsoft reports earnings Wednesday and Amazon on Thursday, with investors closely scrutinizing revenue growth, profit margins, customer backlogs, and the timeline for returns on these massive capital outlays. The two companies control roughly half the cloud market (Amazon 28%, Microsoft 21%), and their ability to convert these investments into profits within the next few years will determine which emerges ahead in the AI arms race. Last week, Google parent Alphabet's stock fell 7% after raising capital-expenditure projections and reporting negative free cash flow, signaling investor concern about whether the spending binge can deliver returns—a warning for Amazon and Microsoft as they face similarly unpredictable investor patience.

   AWS is projected to reach $168 billion（約27兆円） in net sales in 2026 (up from $128.7 billion（約21兆円） last year) with a 93.8% gross margin and $364 billion（約58兆円） in remaining performance obligations; Microsoft's Azure and cloud services are expected to reach $148.9 billion（約24兆円） in fiscal 2027 (up about 40% from roughly $106 billion（約17兆円） in fiscal 2026). Both companies are selling capacity immediately as it comes online, though the applications generating returns are still in early stages.

5. 5

   Corning rises on AI fiber, optical demand surge

   Corning Incorporated (GLW) closed at $146.65 per share on July 24, 2026, gaining 162.77% over the past 52 weeks. Carillon Eagle Growth & Income Fund highlighted the company in its Q2 2026 investor letter, citing strong demand for advanced fiber and optical connections used in AI chip technology. The semiconductor index surged 87.8% in Q2 2026 as investors favored optically-intensive infrastructure plays. Corning's optical communications business stands to benefit from the infrastructure buildout required by each new generation of AI chips—a structural tailwind the fund expects to persist for the next three to five years.

   Corning's one-month return was -43.06% as of late July 2026, signaling volatility even within the rally. The fund holds 91 hedge fund portfolios at the end of Q1 2026 (up from 85 in the prior quarter), suggesting growing institutional interest, though the letter notes other AI stocks may offer greater upside and lower downside risk.

6. 6

   Western Digital soars 6.6% on strong Q3 cloud results driven by AI demand

   Western Digital reported strong fiscal third-quarter results powered by cloud demand tied to AI-related products, with cloud business contributing about 89% of revenue. The stock rose 6.6% following the results. The company's improved operating margins, stronger free cash flow, and growing AI-focused cloud revenue signal that storage demand from hyperscale data centers (large cloud providers) building AI infrastructure remains robust. However, the narrative hinges entirely on a handful of powerful customers—if they shift procurement strategies or terms, Western Digital faces significant downside risk.

   Western Digital's projections show $27.9 billion（約4.5兆円） revenue and $10.7 billion（約1.7兆円） earnings by 2029, requiring 33.3% yearly revenue growth. Some bullish analysts forecast even higher figures ($31.1 billion（約5兆円） revenue and $11.5 billion（約1.8兆円） earnings by 2029), but these depend on sustained hyperscale AI storage contracts and no major customer concentration disruption.