CONSUMER PRICE INDEX LIVE, NVIDIA CAN SELL BACK TO CHINA, BIG BANK EARNINGS | MARKET OPEN
2 days agoAmit Kukreja@amitinvesting
YouTube3 hr 33 min
Quick Insights

The resumption of AI chip sales to China is a major catalyst for NVIDIA (NVDA) and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), with analysts expected to significantly raise earnings estimates. This positive news lifts the entire semiconductor ecosystem, including key suppliers like Super Micro Computer (SMCI) and the broader SMH ETF. Palantir (PLTR) is a high-conviction play ahead of a potential $70 billion AI and energy investment announcement. Strategic investments from Apple (AAPL) and the Pentagon make MP Materials (MP) a key holding for exposure to the domestic rare earth mineral supply chain. For a long-term opportunity, consider BlackRock (BLK), as its CEO is a "huge buyer" at current prices following a recent sell-off despite strong earnings.

Detailed Analysis

NVIDIA (NVDA)

  • Major Catalyst: NVIDIA has received assurance from the U.S. government that licenses will be granted to sell its H20 GPU chips to China again. This is expected to begin this quarter.
  • Financial Impact: This single development is estimated to add approximately $20 billion in annualized revenue for NVIDIA. The host notes that this requires analysts to increase their earnings per share (EPS) estimates by 10% to 15%.
  • Market Sentiment: The sentiment is overwhelmingly bullish. The stock is described as "re-rating" based on legitimate increases in earnings estimates, not just hype. The host believes this will fuel a "FOMO trade" from fund managers who have been on the sidelines.
  • Price Action: The stock crossed $170 in the pre-market on this news, reaching a market cap of over $4.2 trillion.
  • Price Targets:
    • The host's personal price target was $180, based on a $4.50 EPS and a 40 P/E ratio, but he notes he needs to revise his numbers upwards due to the China news.
    • A price of $200 by the end of the year is mentioned as a possibility, especially in a continued bull market.
  • New Product: NVIDIA also announced a new, fully compliant RTX Pro GPU tailored for China, focused on digital twins and AI for smart factories.

Takeaways

  • The resumption of sales to China is a significant fundamental tailwind for NVIDIA, directly boosting its revenue and earnings potential.
  • The stock's recent price increase is backed by this new financial information, suggesting it may have more room to run as institutional investors adjust their positions.
  • Investors who were already bullish on NVIDIA have received strong validation. The news solidifies NVIDIA's position as the "golden child of AI."

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD)

  • Catalyst: Following the NVIDIA news, AMD is also expected to restart shipping its primary AI chip, the MI308, to China once it receives license approval.
  • Market Sentiment: The sentiment is very bullish. The host refers to AMD as changing from "Advanced Money Destroyer" to "Advanced Money Duplicator."
  • Price Action: The stock was up significantly, crossing $153 and pushing towards $158 during the broadcast. The host notes this is a major positive for investors who have held the stock through its period of underperformance.

Takeaways

  • AMD is a direct beneficiary of the same policy shift that is helping NVIDIA. While its China revenue is smaller, the impact on its growth rate could be significant due to its smaller overall market cap compared to NVIDIA.
  • The stock is breaking out of a long consolidation period, and this news provides a strong fundamental reason for the upward move. For investors who have been patient, this is a major positive development.

Semiconductor Sector

  • Investment Theme: The entire semiconductor sector is experiencing a bullish tailwind from the NVIDIA and AMD news regarding China sales.
  • Companies Mentioned:
    • Broadcom (AVGO): Hit all-time highs.
    • Super Micro Computer (SMCI): Up significantly (5-8%), as it is a key supplier for GPU servers and liquid cooling. More NVIDIA sales to China could mean more SMCI sales.
    • TSMC (TSM): Up over 2%.
    • ASML (ASML): Approaching 52-week highs. Earnings are expected tomorrow (July 16th).
    • Micron (MU): Up on the day. The host dismisses analyst concerns about HBM memory "softness," arguing that the demand for the advanced HBM used in AI chips remains very strong.
    • Lamb Research (LRCX), Dell (DELL), and Intel (INTC) were also mentioned as being up on the positive sentiment.

Takeaways

  • The positive news for the two largest AI chip designers is lifting the entire ecosystem, from manufacturing equipment (ASML, LRCX) to server builders (SMCI, DELL) and other chip companies (AVGO, TSM).
  • Investors looking for broader exposure to this trend could consider a semiconductor ETF like SMH, which was up 3% on the day.

Palantir (PLTR)

  • Catalyst: Palantir's CEO, Alex Karp, is expected to appear with former President Trump in Pennsylvania to announce a $70 billion investment into the state for AI and energy. BlackRock's CEO and the CEO of Anthropic are also expected to be there.
  • Market Sentiment: Very bullish. The stock spiked on this news.
  • Price Action: The stock hit $150 during the live stream, a key psychological level. The host celebrated this milestone, noting the company's journey from single-digit prices.
  • Valuation Discussion: The host acknowledges Palantir's extremely high valuation, stating it cannot be justified by traditional metrics alone. He frames it as a "story stock" and a "one-of-one company" that the market is awarding a significant premium for its unique position in AI software and its growth potential.

Takeaways

  • The potential for major government and enterprise partnerships in AI and energy infrastructure provides a strong narrative for Palantir's growth. The high-profile event in Pennsylvania could act as a significant catalyst.
  • Investing in Palantir at these levels requires a belief in its long-term story and its potential to dominate the enterprise AI software market, rather than a focus on its current valuation multiples.

MP Materials (MP)

  • Catalyst: Apple (AAPL) is investing $500 million into the company to secure rare earth minerals. This follows a $400 million investment from the Pentagon last week.
  • Market Sentiment: Extremely bullish.
  • Price Action: The stock was up over 15% on the day, after being up 50% the previous week.

Takeaways

  • MP Materials is receiving massive strategic investments from both the government and one of the world's largest corporations. This validates its critical role in the domestic supply chain for rare earth minerals.
  • The back-to-back investments have caused a significant re-rating of the stock, reflecting its strategic importance.

Rocket Lab (RKLB)

  • Catalyst: The stock received an upgrade from Citi with a $50 price target.
  • Market Sentiment: Very bullish. The host describes the stock as being on an "absolute tear." It's seen by many investors as a "mini SpaceX," providing exposure to the space theme.
  • Price Action: The stock hit $45 during the broadcast.

Takeaways

  • Rocket Lab is benefiting from strong momentum and a powerful narrative as a publicly-traded alternative to SpaceX.
  • The host and chat participants caution that buying at current levels could be risky after such a strong run-up, suggesting the risk/reward is less favorable for new investors chasing the momentum.

Financial Sector & Banks

  • Key Event: Major banks reported earnings, including JPMorgan (JPM), Wells Fargo (WFC), Citigroup (C), and BlackRock (BLK).
  • Performance: Most banks beat earnings expectations on both revenue and EPS.
  • Market Reaction: Despite the strong earnings, most of the bank stocks were flat or down. The host suggests this could be a "sell the news" event or profit-taking, as these stocks have already run up 20-30% year-to-date.
  • BlackRock (BLK): CEO Larry Fink appeared on the broadcast, expressing confusion about the stock's negative reaction. He emphasized the company's strong growth, its strategic position to fund the AI build-out, and stated he is a "huge buyer of BlackRock at these prices."

Takeaways

  • The big banks are fundamentally healthy, posting strong earnings.
  • The muted stock reaction may be due to high expectations already being priced in. For long-term investors, BlackRock's CEO sees the current price as an attractive entry point, especially given its central role in financing the AI and infrastructure boom.

AI & Crypto Investment Themes

  • AI Theme: The overarching theme is that the AI investment cycle is re-accelerating.
    • Meta (META) is spending massively on compute power.
    • Google (GOOGL) announced a $25B investment in Pennsylvania and a major power deal for its data centers.
    • Former President Trump is scheduled to release an AI action plan with a formal address on July 23rd, which could further legitimize and fuel the sector.
  • Crypto Theme: The sentiment is bullish due to legislative progress.
    • "Crypto Week" on Capitol Hill is seeing multiple bills advance, including the Genius Act for stablecoins.
    • This is seen as providing regulatory clarity and strengthening the U.S. dollar's role in the digital economy.
    • Bitcoin (BTC) was down on the day, but the legislative news is a positive long-term tailwind for the asset class.
    • Ethereum (ETH) is gaining attention, with large public companies (SBET, BMNR) accumulating it, and prominent analysts like Tom Lee being very bullish.
    • Coinbase (COIN) hit $400, and Robinhood (HOOD) hit $100, benefiting from the positive crypto sentiment.

Takeaways

  • The AI build-out is real, massive, and driving huge capital expenditures from Big Tech, benefiting the entire semiconductor and energy infrastructure ecosystem.
  • Regulatory clarity for crypto in the U.S. is a major potential catalyst. The passage of stablecoin and market structure bills could unlock significant institutional and mainstream adoption, benefiting exchanges like Coinbase and Robinhood, and assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum.
Video Description
twitter: https://x.com/amitisinvesting 00:00 - CPI Preview 10:00 - CPI 24:00 - Nvidia 30:00 - AI Buildout 40:55 - Mike Wilson 1:00:48 - Bessent 1:10:00 - Market Open 2:00:00 - Jose Joins 2:55:30 - David Sacks
About Amit Kukreja

Amit Kukreja

By @amitinvesting

Breaking down stocks, business, tech. Thank you for following along the journey!