Gold Tops 2700: ETFs to Tap the Metal's Rally
Gold tops $2,700 per ounce for the first time and is outperforming the broader market index. Investors have a long list of options to tap the metal's rally.
Gold tops $2,700 per ounce for the first time and is outperforming the broader market index. Investors have a long list of options to tap the metal's rally.
This fixed-income ETF stat is just one gap in analysis by ESG data.
Big Tech has been going nuclear over its AI data centers, turning to energy startups to build nuclear reactors to meet the energy demands of artificial intelligence. This ranges from Amazon (AMZN), Microsoft (MSFT), and Alphabet's Google (GOOG, GOOGL) recent agreements with providers. Canaccord Genuity Managing Director George Gianarikas joins Julie Hyman and Josh Lipton for a conversation about investing in nuclear energy adoption, starting with stocks like small modular reactor designer NuScale Power (SMR) and uranium materials company ASP Isotopes (ASPI). "There are the utilities (XLU) which are investing directly in the reactors and signing the power purchase agreements with some of the large hyperscalers. But those are more indirect ways to invest in the trend," Gianarikas tells Yahoo Finance, claiming that the US energy grid "isn't ready to deal with" surges in electricity consumption for AI. "For some of the private companies, they actually have to get something called NRC — US Nuclear Regulatory Commission — approval to actually build those reactor designs. The one company that we do cover, Nuscale ticker symbol SMR, actually has that very approval from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission," Gianarikas says. He goes on to explain the vitality of uranium enrichment to this process, which is where ASP Isotopes comes in: "They're taking that feedstock from the miners and then enriching it, isolating the isotope that's needed for a fission reaction and then selling that to the reactor company. So there's an entire food chain here that's really important to make all this stuff happen." Kairos Power Co-Founder and CEO Mike Laufer sat down with Yahoo Finance earlier this week to elaborate on the energy startup's agreement with Google to build out small modular reactors. To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Market Domination here. This post was written by Luke Carberry Mogan.
The average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage rose for the third week in a row to 6.44%. As housing affordability remains a key issue for Americans, Market Domination Host Julie Hyman analyzes a Bloomberg Economics chart showing the percentage of monthly income homebuyers are putting toward mortgage payments. To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Asking for a Trend here. This post was written by Melanie Riehl
The Russell 2000 (^RUT) small-cap index has reached its highest level in three years, signaling a clear shift in market dynamics. MarketGauge.com chief strategist Michele Schneider joins Yahoo Finance's Morning Brief to share her insights on this market (^DJI, ^IXIC, ^GSPC) rotation and overall outlook. Schneider attributes the broadening market to investor sentiment around interest rates, suggesting that many believe "rates at least have peaked and will actually go down." While markets are hovering near all-time highs, she cautions investors to "be wary" of future interest rate trends — noting that October is historically a volatile month for markets. "We may need a little bit more patience," Schneider told Yahoo Finance, "to really see if this is a sustainable broadening. Certainly, it is a bullish season after two years of a bull market. By the third year, it generally goes up. We're optimistic, but we're not flying into everything yet." Regarding investment opportunities, Schneider highlights retail companies like Ulta Beauty (ULTA) and e.l.f. Beauty (ELF), as well as pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk (NVO). She describes these stocks as relatively "cheap," potentially offering attractive entry points for investors. In the tech sector (XLK), Schneider points to ASML Holding (ASML) as a promising option, noting that investors "cannot deny that that [the tech sector] is a growing field." To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Morning Brief here. This post was written by Angel Smith
According to the latest data from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), confidence among home builders rose to a four-month high in October. Jim Tobin, NAHB CEO, joins Wealth! to break down the state of the housing market and how the election may impact home builders. Tobin explains that home builder confidence is up because of falling interest rates. He tells Yahoo Finance that the Federal Reserve's rate-cutting cycle "is really giving our members, and our survey members in particular, a feeling that we're on the backside of the bad news and that we are looking forward to a lower interest rate environment, certainly for mortgage rates in the future, and that the market is going to come back strong." As the election looms ahead, Tobin explains, "I travel all over the country, talk to builders and homebuyers everywhere. And there really is this kind of constriction in the market because of the political environment right now. Knowing who's going to be at the top of the economy and what kind of philosophy is going to take hold as far as the next four years, I think has really kind of put people in a bit of a pause here, even though rates have fallen." With so much uncertainty, he advises against waiting on the sidelines for Congress to act. While the Harris Campaign has promised incentives for both home buyers and builders, he explains that these plans will have to work their way through Congress, which could take a long time before coming into law. He adds that both candidates see housing — particularly supply — as a top priority. He particularly likes policies focused on supply more than on prices, like measures such as rent control. "I think anything that suppresses prices artificially and gets federal intervention into the marketplace, that scares me," he says. "I think overall, the fact that we've got both candidates talking about housing really earns them a lot of credibility in our builders' minds, and gives us opportunity that no matter who wins the white House, housing is going to be the top of their agenda," Tobin concludes. To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Wealth here. This post was written by Melanie Riehl
US stocks (^DJI, ^IXIC, ^GSPC) start Thursday's session in positive territory. The S&P 500 moves higher by over 0.5% while the Nasdaq Composite jumps ahead by 0.9%. The Morning Brief's Seana Smith checks out the market action after US retail sales were reported this morning, including movements in the Russell 2000 (^RUT) small-cap index, Treasury yields (^TYX, ^TNX, ^FVX), and tech leaders in the Nasdaq 100 (^NDX). To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Morning Brief here. This post was written by Luke Carberry Mogan.
The surge in artificial intelligence has sparked a growing appetite for energy and power, creating a bullish environment for utilities (XLU). This trend has propelled the sector to outshine the broader market, prompting Evercore ISI to upgrade the utilities sector from In Line to Outperform. Evercore ISI managing director Durgesh Chopra, who covers Power and Utilities, joins Morning Brief to shed light on why he foresees continued growth in the sector. Chopra points to two key factors driving the potential outperformance of regulated traditional utilities. First, their current valuations are attractive, trading at a 20% discount. Second, the sector benefits from improving fundamentals, including lower interest rates, easing inflation, and increasing electricity demand. These elements combine to create what Chopra describes as "a great setup for utilities" as markets approach 2025. Addressing the potential impact of the upcoming election on the utility sector, Chopra notes while utilities have historically thrived under Democratic leadership, the sector's current focus on reducing carbon emissions has shifted the dynamics. This transition is more closely tied to economic development rather than politics. "Whether it's Donald Trump or Kamala Harris, I think the policy backdrop is going to be very supportive," Chopra states. As of late, Big Tech has been leaning into and making deals with nuclear energy developers to power their AI data centers, including Amazon (AMZN), Microsoft (MSFT), and Alphabet's Google (GOOG, GOOGL). Kairos Power Co-Founder and CEO Mike Laufer sat down with Yahoo Finance earlier this week to elaborate on the energy startup's nuclear agreement with Google. To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Catalysts here. This post was written by Angel Smith
Looking for relief from rising mortgage rates? Yahoo Finance senior housing reporter Claire Boston sits down with Brad Smith on Wealth to talk about this "little-known factor" that could help ease mortgage rates: mortgage spreads. She explains the dynamic of declining mortgage spreads and what it means for US homebuyers as they contend with condo shortages. Read up on Claire's coverage of rising mortgage rates this week. To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Wealth here. This post was written by Luke Carberry Mogan.
Mortgage rates rose for the third consecutive week, according to the latest data out from Freddie Mac, pushing the 30-year fixed rate mortgage to 6.44%. Yahoo Finance senior housing reporter Claire Boston breaks the latest mortgage rates and explains the implications this has for potential homebuyers struggling to find affordable options in the US housing market. To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Wealth here. This post was written by Luke Carberry Mogan.