Magnificent Seven Step Up to the Plate

Magnificent Seven Step Up to the Plate

This week will see a wave of high-profile earnings reports across a number of industries. All eyes will be on the ‘magnificent seven’ members: Microsoft [MSFT], Alphabet [GOOG], Amazon [AMZN], Meta Platforms [META] and Apple [AAPL]. Alphabet will get the ball rolling today after close, with analysts predicting jumps of 19% in earnings and 12% in revenue. Beyond the tech titans, investors will be looking to the reports of Visa [V], Mastercard [MA] and PayPal [PYPL]; pharma giants including Pfizer [PFE] and Eli Lilly [LLY]; and Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] and Intel [INTC].

Can the iPhone Regain Lost Ground in China?

Apple regained its spot among the top five smartphone vendors in China during Q3, buoyed by the iPhone 16 launch, according to data from International Data Corporation. The Cupertino company secured a 15.6% market share, putting it in second place, with local rivals Vivo first and Huawei third. Shipments in China remained flat year-over-year; Huawei’s, however, grew by 42%. Elsewhere, Indonesia has barred Apple from selling its iPhone 16 series, as its subsidiary PT Apple Indonesia has yet to meet the 40% local content requirement for smartphones and tablets, according to Bloomberg News.

Indian Solar Stock Pops on Offering

Waaree Energies [WAAREEEN:IN], India’s largest solar-panel maker, surged nearly 56% on its trading debut after raising $514m in an IPO. Shares opened with a 75% gain over the issue price of ₹1,503, briefly peaking at ₹2,624.40 in Mumbai before pulling back. Waaree’s offering was heavily oversubscribed, attracting notable global investors, including Goldman Sachs [GS], BlackRock [BLK] and Morgan Stanley [MS], underscoring strong institutional interest in India’s renewable energy sector.

U Stock: Is Unity Back in the Game?

With a brief pivot to the metaverse, a vastly unpopular pricing plan and a change of CEO, Unity’s [U] fortunes have been mixed since 2021. However, a recent return to its “core customer base” has seen the gaming software company’s stock rally from early August lows. OPTO explores whether this upward trend could continue; unpacks the fundamentals that hint at both a bear and bull case for U stock; and compares its performance to that of rivals Take-Two [TTWO] and Roblox [RBLX].

“Generational Opportunity”: J.P. Morgan on Real Estate 

J.P. Morgan Private Bank has released the 29th edition of its long-term capital market assumptions. The report projects 10–15-year return and risk expectations for over 200 assets in 19 currencies, against a backdrop of easing inflation and lower borrowing costs. Global Investment Strategist Alan Wynne highlights the real estate sector as being particularly attractive, suggesting that depressed commercial property values present a “generational opportunity” for long-term investors.

Aramco VC Arm Doubles Down on AI

Saudi Aramco’s [2222:SR] venture arm, Wa’ed Ventures, has earmarked $100m to invest in artificial intelligence (AI) start-ups, supporting Saudi Arabia’s ambition to establish itself as a global AI leader. With an advisory board including former employees from Meta and Amazon, Wa’ed Ventures is focusing on tech innovation to fuel the country’s Vision 2030 economic diversification agenda. Recent investments include $15m in South Korean chipmaker Rebellions and funding rounds for AI platform aiXplain and Peter Thiel-backed Tenderd.

SMCI Stock Pops on Shipment Data

Intel reports its Q3 earnings on Thursday. Its overall revenue is projected to decline by 8% to approximately $13bn, based on FactSet estimates. Wall Street expects the data center segment to experience an even sharper drop of 15.2%, bringing data center revenue down to $3.4bn. This marks a significant 54% fall from its Q4 2021 peak of $7.3bn. Last month, OPTO asked: can ailing Intel reverse its decline? These projections might suggest that it cannot.