Finance

Inflation in the Overall Economy, Hitting Consumers, Businesses, and Governments, Was Really Bad in Q2, even without Energy

The Fed needs to coalesce and crack down on inflation lest the bond market figures out what’s going on in here… Oops.

Red-Hot Inflation & (Inflation-Adjusted) Strong Domestic Private-Sector Demand Marks Q2 GDP. Debt-to-GDP Ratio Dips to 121.5%

But soaring imports (data-center components), a drop in federal government spending, and changes in private inventories ate into GDP growth.

Logotherapy in an Age of Frustration: Finding Meaning Through the Creative Act

Viktor Frankl’s logotherapy offers a path to meaning through creative action, even in a world shaped by frustration

Baby Busts and GDP Booms: Demographic Change and the Macroeconomy

Good news of sorts from the economic front: An aging population, aka demographic decline, does not lower GDP or earnings growth.

Microsoft Just Flipped the AI Spending Narrative Overnight

Microsoft shares jumped over 16% after fiscal Q4 2026 earnings showed 43% Azure growth, sustainable CapEx guidance, positive free cash flow and rising analyst price targets.

Qualcomm’s Turnaround Is Working, So Why Is Wall Street Selling?

Qualcomm's Q3 revenue beat estimates on strong Automotive and IoT growth, but weak guidance from faster Apple modem losses and rising memory costs sent shares down about 4% after hours.

Meta’s Earnings Show Why Wall Street Is Losing Patience With AI Spending

Meta shares fell about 6% after Q2 earnings showed an EPS miss driven by legal and severance charges, soft Q3 guidance, and free cash flow dropping to $784 million amid heavy AI spending.

Can Starbucks Keep This Turnaround Going? The Latest Results Say Yes

Starbucks' fiscal Q3 results show comps growth and expanding margins under CEO Brian Niccol, prompting raised guidance, analyst price target hikes, and a stock outlook targeting fresh highs.

Tesla: After a Rough Quarter, 2 Very Different Futures Come Into Focus

Tesla shares fell 30% after margins collapsed and cash flow turned negative, while investors weigh speculation about a potential SpaceX merger that Elon Musk has not confirmed.

Links 7/30/2026

Why NXP Semiconductors Could Be the AI Stock Everyone Is Missing

NXP Semiconductors posted 19.5% Q2 growth, prompting a Morgan Stanley price target hike, as strong institutional ownership and a growing dividend support NXPI stock near key support levels.

Powering Up: NextEra and Brookfield Build an Off-Grid Empire

NextEra Energy and Brookfield are using dedicated power for a Kentucky AI campus as grid limits and data center moratoriums lift utilities’ leverage.

DoorDash's Drone Certification Could Reshape Its Delivery Margins

DoorDash secured FAA Part 135 air carrier certification, joining Amazon Prime Air and Alphabet's Wing in drone delivery, potentially shifting its cost structure from variable labor to fixed-asset logistics.

Iran War: Jordan Strike Shows Iran Intensifying War to Exhaust US Economy and Military; Trump Takes Bait by Retaliating

Today's Iran war news: Iran is trying to deke Trump into more energy and munitions depleting action. He seems to be falling into the trap.

Rob Urie – Empire Versus Civilization: The US Is Now Officially a Pariah State

Rob Urie shreds the downtrodden state of the Empire, including the desperation revealed by reviving the tired "Communist" bugaboo.

Satyajit Das: American Greatness?

America's greatness ain't what it used to be, and is often misunderstood even when it once existed.

2 Unique Space ETFs That Could Upend the Industry

New ETFs WSPC and WDIG offer broader, diversified exposure to the space industry beyond SpaceX, though both remain small, speculative funds that have declined since launch.

Corning Stock Crashes on Earnings, But the Sell-Off Looks Overdone

Corning beat Q2 2026 earnings estimates, but shares fell 12% on light Q3 guidance tied to tough year-over-year comparisons, not weakening AI-fiber demand or business fundamentals.

Mining For Megawatts: AMD's Billion-Dollar Grid Grab

AMD is leasing up to 2.5 gigawatts of data center capacity from Core Scientific, converting former crypto mining sites into AI colocation infrastructure via long-term leases and equity warrants.

Palantir’s Earnings Setup Puts Its AI Growth Story Back on Trial Again

Palantir reports Q2 2026 earnings Aug. 3, with history showing strong results but post-earnings declines. Despite growth, PLTR trades at 105x forward earnings, raising valuation concerns for investors.

Survey Reveals: 62% of US Households Are Cutting Back on Protein as Grocery Prices Rise [2026]

A 2026 survey of 3,042 U.S. households reveals how rising grocery prices are driving families to buy less meat, shrink portions, and choose cheaper proteins.

Circle’s IBM Patent Deal Could Redraw the Stablecoin Infrastructure Race

Circle acquired nearly 1,000 blockchain patents from IBM, becoming the top U.S. patent holder in the sector and strengthening USDC's position even as CRCL shares face multiple compression.

UnitedHealth Just Gave Wall Street a Clearer Turnaround Signal

UnitedHealth Group's Q2 2026 results show improved margins, a lower medical cost ratio, and raised earnings guidance, signaling its turnaround from 2025's steep stock decline is gaining traction.

Stocks Tank, Long-Term Treasury Yields Jump after Warsh Starts Talking

“While at some level, we haven't done much in 42 days, the markets have done quite a bit”: Warsh.