AI Stocks & Markets

Today's Stories

1. 1

   Dow Futures Flat; Goldman, CrowdStrike Rally Ahead of Wednesday Earnings

   Dow Jones futures, S&P 500 futures, and Nasdaq futures were little changed after hours. The stock market rose Tuesday as the Nasdaq rebounded to key levels, while oil prices rose but pared gains and Treasury yields fell following a cooler-than-expected CPI inflation report. Goldman Sachs and CrowdStrike jumped in after-hours trading. A weaker inflation reading supports the case for stable or lower interest rates, which can benefit equities. The Nasdaq's rebound to key technical levels signals renewed buying interest in the market, particularly in the wake of inflation data that came in cooler than anticipated.

   ASML, Morgan Stanley, and Johnson & Johnson report earnings early Wednesday, which could shape market direction at the open.

2. 2

   Applied Materials inks 10-year AI packaging deal with TSMC

   Applied Materials signed a 10-year partnership with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) focused on advanced AI chip packaging. The deal ties the equipment supplier directly to TSMC's AI-related production roadmap. As AI infrastructure spending draws increasing cash flow across the semiconductor industry, equipment providers have become a key chokepoint in the supply chain. The long-term agreement gives investors clearer visibility into how Applied Materials' demand is anchored in sustained AI packaging investment rather than one-off orders, and ties the company to the same cash flow shift benefiting chip designers like NVIDIA and Broadcom.

   The partnership underscores TSMC's expectation of sustained demand for advanced AI packaging capacity over the decade, signaling confidence in the durability of AI-focused demand for Applied Materials' equipment at a time when the company faces recent share-price volatility tied to export controls and macro concerns.

3. 3

   Cramer backs NVIDIA despite stock being 'stuck'

   Jim Cramer, the CNBC host, remains bullish on NVIDIA despite frustration with the stock's recent performance. NVIDIA's shares are up 28% over the past year and 11.7% year-to-date, and TD Cowen reiterated a Buy rating with a $275 share price target on July 2nd. Cramer complained the stock appears 'stuck' and questioned why it isn't trading with the same momentum as rivals like SanDisk. TD Cowen cited NVIDIA's hardware and software integration as a key competitive advantage heading into the next phase of the AI wave. Baron Opportunity Fund's Q1 2026 letter reinforced that NVIDIA remains 'the dominant platform for AI training and inference' and 'the leading merchant platform for bringing AI to the world,' with a long runway driven by enterprise adoption.

   Despite Cramer's continued belief that NVIDIA is among the top companies in the world, some investors view other AI stocks as offering greater upside potential with less downside risk. The stock's valuation and momentum relative to peers like SanDisk (which benefited from the concluded Hynix deal) remain points of contention.

4. 4

   Nasdaq, AI Stocks Rally but Face Resistance; Goldman, CrowdStrike Surge

   The Nasdaq and AI stocks rallied, though Goldman and CrowdStrike made notably larger bullish moves. AI stocks remain a focus of market attention, but their continued gains depend on breaking through key resistance levels that are currently limiting upside momentum.

   The performance of major players like ASML and Morgan Stanley, which are due for market moves, may signal whether the broader rally can sustain.

5. 5

   Palantir CEO warns AI wealth could concentrate among small group of tech winners

   Palantir Technologies CEO Alex Karp stated that artificial intelligence may improve living standards broadly but could concentrate financial gains among a relatively small group of beneficiaries, with individuals and companies developing the technology seeing their fortunes expand at a much faster pace than the broader population. Karp highlighted a growing imbalance in wealth creation linked to AI as a major economic concern. He noted that public concerns about AI extend beyond job displacement; warnings from some industry leaders about workforce disruption may have contributed to uncertainty about the technology's long-term impact on workers.

   Palantir shares have benefited from investor enthusiasm surrounding AI-driven software and data analytics as the company expands its presence in commercial and government markets. The debate over artificial intelligence continues to intensify among policymakers, businesses, and consumers.