Hard to ignore as the Chip/AI names and anything related get blasted. The Equal Weight S&P 500 ETF $RSP is finally having its time against $SPY $VOO and I also threw in $QQQ just as reference. From Finviz screener.

I asked Claude, Grok and other "AI/SI search" same question: Would China be able to block a SpaceX/Tesla merger? If so, how and what does the outcome look like? A "block" is one thing - making it unfeasible or too painful is another matter. Same result. Plz try it yourself.

On #MedicareForAll <60 I have asked & no one EVER answers. As costs stand today, w/out adding BS tax on some but not others, how much would it cost per month right now? Seriously, just give cost today w/out hypotheticals & political math about mystical revenues & fake cost cuts.

$IBM Q3 pre-earnings close of $251.46 hit $256 in after-hours. Was $288.16 before Q2 report debacle, lowest close after was $204.30. Half-way mark 50% retracement between those is $246.08. Does this mean the Q2 reaction was just a fluke? No position to report in $IBM here.

Does this value strike as odd? $JPM mkt cap of $890 billion is more than $BAC $WFC $C combined with 10% to spare. I get fortress balance sheet etc but I hadn't considered it in these terms in some time. Combined: Rev$< 2025 net income BAC+WFC+C = $66.1B vs $57B JPM Hmmm....

$IBM now +18% from last post-earnings lows ahead of earnings, but way down from July's pre-earnings high. At $241 it's close to "consensus" price target. Is it much better, or was it an overreaction? Can quantum save the day? Is "capex reprioritization" over? Is it a counter-semiconductor play?

Braze $BRZE already traded ~half its entire mkt cap today in raw dollar terms (aware that's not apples to apples) but holders - 30% top 4 int and 15% insiders. Sorry to admit, but I never even knew Braze outside of daily stock movers before.

Fiat chat: What would #gold price be now if Nixon's 1971 ending dollar convertibility didn't happen?? Gold In '72: from $45 to $65; by end '74 to ~$190; end of '75 $140/145 to $560 end of '79 and blow-off top of $900+ in '80; back to $410 end '81; $300ish in 2000; $4130 today

I appreciate NYSE/CBOE for extending options trading hours, but there is a larger issue that needs fixing for options - wide ass bid/ask spreads. Options in so many stocks are completely illiquid with spreads that make it nearly impossible to get out. cnbc.com/2026/10/19/nyse-ext…

#FED TO HIKE OR NO HIKE: Fed Funds now 3.75-4.00% (~3.88%) Backing into Fed Funds Futures close today 3.885% for OCT; 3.92% NOV; 4.08% DEC... and 4.16% JAN/27 & 4.26% FEB/27 So decent odds in DEC and 100% for hike now Jan-Feb... but no Feb FOMC meeting Verdict: Probably Wait!

$CRWV key $GS upgrade (w/ PT cut) lost early +7% gain to close -0.4%, while $INTC closed +2.4% up despite upgrade only Sell to Neutral. Capital inflows/outflows outpace upgrades as "rescues" can be folly. The 2000 "pounding the table" calls are often "biting the pillow" calls.

Bull market conundrum, if "financials have to be strong" still applies in an AI-focused market... Bear market now in many banks. $JPM is only -9.5% from high, but $WFC $BAC $MS $GS now all -20% or worse. Did book values peak in Q2-2026?

In 2019 I looked at future US bond blowup, starting at $23T debt then and used 3% baseline rates. The "pay the piper date" & debt service ~$1 trillion in early 2030s. Now, 2026 w/ $40+T and new issuances at 4.5- 5.3%... nearing $1.3T debt servicing. Solutions are fleeting.

As Athleta CEO will take over product strategy (former from $NKE as well) shareholders better hope its not more 300 pound unhealthy people as marketing faces like Athleta's old direct mail advertisements. That's not the core buyer, and most people wont want to chase the brand.

If a neighbor says "Hey I want to pay your rent, loans, healthcare, kids, food & insurance; you prob won't have to work for a year" that is generosity. If a large group shows up and demands the same neighbor has to do that without a choice, that called mob rule theft.

Repeating -- Anthropic needs to get their IPO sooner rather than later. Tough spell in last few weeks but IPO market could close the door. It and OpenAI cannot keep tapping PE/VC money forever. Risking IPO as a down-round if they wait too long. Beyond "risk factors" woes...

Almost feeling sorry for Nike $NKE as they have to have the lowest bar set for them heading into earnings reports now. That said, the stock still isn't at a screaming buy multiple, and even then it would be a value-trap valuation if it was. How do you shrink back into growth?

Micron $MU last pre-earnings close in June... $1,048.35 then closed next day at $1,213.37 on 82,143,900 shares.... stock was at $850 less than a month later. Today before earnings it closed at $1,069.49 into earnings... Stay tuned tomorrow and coming days. Hmmm...