Rivian: $6.6bn Loan to Boost EV Ecosystem

Rivian: $6.6bn Loan to Boost EV Ecosystem

The automaker [RIVN] has secured conditional approval for a $6.6bn Department of Energy loan to build an electric vehicle (EV) plant in Georgia, targeting a 400,000-vehicle annual capacity. Partial operations are slated for Q3 2027, with full capacity by 2028. The facility aims to boost Rivian’s production and support growth in the EV market. “A robust ecosystem of US companies developing and manufacturing EVs is critical for the US to maintain its long-term leadership in transportation,” said Founder and CEO RJ Scaringe, as quoted by Seeking Alpha.

Trump Tariffs: Is the EU Next?

European stocks slid following Donald Trump’s promise to impose tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China on his first day in office, prompting speculation that the EU would be his next target. Automakers led the drop, with Mercedes-owned [MBGAF] Daimler Truck [DTRUY] down 4.7% and Stellantis [STLA] losing some 5.4%: the Netherlands-based owner of Peugeot, Fiat and Chrysler has operations in Mexico, the Financial Times reported. 

J.P. Morgan’s Biotech Picks for 2025 

The investment bank’s choices include Travere [TVTX], SpringWorks [SWTX] and Vertex [VRTX], Seeking Alpha detailed. The bank notes that TVTX stock could double with regulatory approval of kidney drug Filspariin the FSGS indication, while SpringWorks is undervalued on tumor treatment Ogsiveo alone. The future is particularly bright for Vertex: “We see 2025 as a dynamic time for Vertex with the pipeline becoming increasingly derisked and see the company in the enviable position of being able to stack new products on top of its long-duration cystic fibrosis business,” the bank wrote.

Is CrowdStrike Out of the Doghouse?

A Texas-based global cyber security company, CrowdStrike [CRWD] commands the second-largest share of the global endpoint protection platform market, behind Microsoft [MSFT]. Its reputation took a hit in July, when a defect in a software update for Falcon crippled millions of computers running on Microsoft systems around the world, impacting airlines, banks, hospitals and government departments. OPTO explores the company’s fundamentals, including how annual recurring revenue could be key to its continuing health.

Xiaomi: A Step Closer to Freedom

Xiaomi [XIACF] is developing an in-house mobile processor for its smartphones, Bloomberg reported, aiming to reduce its dependence on foreign suppliers Qualcomm [QCOM] and MediaTek [2454:TW]. Mass production is set for 2025, aligning with Beijing’s push for tech self-reliance amid US-China rivalry. This move could enhance Xiaomi’s competitiveness in the Android market, where Qualcomm customers dominate, while advancing China’s semiconductor ambitions.

Texas Land Firm Booms on AI Server Demand

Texas Pacific Land [TPL], a land company founded more than a century ago, has become a beneficiary of artificial intelligence, according to Bloomberg. Its stock has more than tripled this year, reaching a $40bn valuation, and last week it joined the S&P 500, replacing Marathon Oil [MRO]. The company’s vast 873,000-acre West Texas landholdings, located in the oil-rich Permian Basin, are attracting bitcoin miners and tech giants like Alphabet [GOOGL] and Amazon [AMZN] for renewable energy and server farms. 

QCOM Cools on Acquisition

Qualcomm has taken a step back from acquiring Intel [INTC], Bloomberg reported, due to the complexities of a full takeover, though partial acquisitions or renewed interest remain a possibility. An Intel acquisition would have been one of the largest tech deals ever, and would potentially have reshaped the US semiconductor sector. Last month, OPTO unpacked Qualcomm’s ongoing dispute with Arm [ARM], and its chances of dominating the AI smartphone market.