DECEMBER FED FOMC MEETING LIVE | JEROME POWELL SPEAKS + ORACLE AND ADOBE EARNINGS
DECEMBER FED FOMC MEETING LIVE | JEROME POWELL SPEAKS + ORACLE AND ADOBE EARNINGS
149 days agoAmit Kukreja@amitinvesting
YouTube3 hr 57 min
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Note: AI-generated summary based on third-party content. Not financial advice. Read more.
Quick Insights

The Federal Reserve's new Quantitative Easing program is a major tailwind for risk assets, creating a bullish setup for both stocks and cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH). Consider Google (GOOGL), which is breaking out towards $320 as its Waymo self-driving division shows explosive growth and plans for international expansion. Key AI infrastructure stocks like Synopsys (SNPS) and Micron (MU) are showing strong momentum, with SNPS soaring 10% on earnings and MU benefiting from long-term demand for high-bandwidth memory. The recent sharp drop in Netflix (NFLX) stock to April levels could present a buying opportunity for investors who believe in the company's long-term fundamentals. For higher-risk investors, watch the emerging data centers in space theme, which is driving speculative interest in stocks like Rocket Lab (RKLB).

Detailed Analysis

Macroeconomic Outlook

  • The Federal Reserve cut interest rates by 25 basis points (0.25%). While the cut was expected, the bigger news was the announcement of Quantitative Easing (QE).
  • The Fed will begin buying $40 billion in Treasury Bills over the next 30 days, starting December 12th. This injects liquidity into the financial system.
  • Historically, QE is considered a major positive catalyst for "risk-on" assets like stocks and cryptocurrencies.
  • Fed Chair Jerome Powell's commentary was perceived as surprisingly dovish (positive for markets). He downplayed long-term inflation fears, attributing recent inflation primarily to tariffs, which he described as a potential "one-time" issue.
  • The overall sentiment from the Fed meeting was bullish, with the host suggesting it creates a "perfect setup for a Santa Claus rally" into the end of the year.

Takeaways

  • The shift from Quantitative Tightening (QT) to Quantitative Easing (QE) is a significant tailwind for the market. This injection of liquidity generally boosts asset prices.
  • The Fed's dovish tone, particularly around inflation, reduces a major headwind that has worried investors. This could lead to a period of positive market performance.
  • Investors may want to consider increasing exposure to growth-oriented assets that benefit from a lower interest rate and high-liquidity environment.

Bitcoin (BTC) & Ethereum (ETH)

  • Both Bitcoin and Ethereum were seen "running" up in price following the Fed's announcement of QE. The host noted BTC was trying to break $93,000 and ETH hit $3,400.
  • The end of quantitative tightening and the start of QE is viewed as a primary driver for crypto assets, as it increases liquidity in the system.
  • Financial commentator Tom Lee was quoted, stating that crypto prices are highly sensitive to the business cycle (measured by the ISM index). An ISM index moving into expansion territory has historically led to "super cycle moves" in BTC and ETH.
  • Tom Lee also shared a framework for valuing Ethereum, suggesting that if Bitcoin reaches $200,000, Ethereum could reach $16,000 just by returning to its historical average price ratio against Bitcoin.

Takeaways

  • The new QE program is a significant bullish catalyst for cryptocurrencies, which thrive on liquidity.
  • The discussion suggests that as the economic outlook improves (and the ISM index rises), there could be a major upward cycle for both Bitcoin and Ethereum.
  • Investors with a bullish view on the macro-economy might see the current environment as a favorable entry point or reason to hold their crypto positions, as major tailwinds are now in place.

Oracle (ORCL)

  • Oracle reported earnings after the market close, leading to significant volatility. The stock fell sharply, down as much as 11% during the after-hours session.
  • Earnings Results:
    • Revenue: A slight miss at $16.05 billion versus $16.19 billion expected.
    • EPS (Earnings Per Share): A massive 40% beat at $2.26 versus $1.64 expected. However, this beat was largely due to a one-time $2.7 billion gain from the sale of its interest in the company Ampere, not from core operations.
  • Key Metrics:
    • Remaining Performance Obligations (RPO), a measure of future contracted revenue, grew to $523 billion. This was an increase of $68 billion from the previous quarter.
    • The company announced it would increase its capital expenditures (CapEx) for fiscal year 2026 by $15 billion to build out data centers more quickly.
  • Sentiment: The reaction was overwhelmingly bearish. The earnings call was described as a "mess" with "zero excitement."
    • Management was criticized for a lack of clarity on how it would finance its massive data center build-out and the risks associated with its large contracts, particularly with OpenAI.
    • The hosts felt the executives failed to generate excitement about their AI strategy, which is a key part of the investment thesis.

Takeaways

  • The market is heavily scrutinizing Oracle's ability to fund its ambitious AI data center plans and is skeptical about the quality of its massive RPO number, given the concentration with customers like OpenAI.
  • The large EPS beat was misleading due to a one-time asset sale. The slight revenue miss and lack of confidence from the earnings call are what drove the stock down.
  • Investors should be cautious. The stock is facing significant headwinds due to concerns about its debt, financing strategy, and the management's uninspiring communication. The price drop reflects a serious loss of confidence from the market.

Adobe (ADBE)

  • Adobe also reported earnings, with a much more stable reaction compared to Oracle. The stock was initially up but settled to be roughly flat in after-hours trading.
  • Earnings Results:
    • The company reported a "double beat," with both revenue and EPS coming in slightly ahead of analyst expectations.
    • Revenue was over $6 billion and EPS was $5.50.
  • Sentiment: The sentiment was neutral to slightly positive.
    • Before the report, the host noted the stock had "zero expectations" and was seen as cheap, making for a positive setup.
    • The business is seen as very profitable, with strong free cash flow and significant share buybacks (30 million shares for the year).
    • The main concern for Adobe is the long-term threat of AI disrupting its creative software business, but the company is actively integrating AI into its products.

Takeaways

  • Adobe delivered a solid, if not spectacular, quarter. The business fundamentals appear strong, with high profitability and shareholder returns via buybacks.
  • The flat stock reaction suggests that while the company is executing well, it hasn't yet presented a new, explosive growth narrative to excite investors and overcome the fears of AI disruption.
  • For investors, Adobe appears to be a stable, profitable company at a potentially reasonable valuation, but it may lack the high-growth catalyst that investors are seeking in the current AI-focused market.

Investment Theme: Data Centers in Space

  • A major new investment theme discussed was "data centers in space."
  • This was sparked by a Wall Street Journal report that Elon Musk is pitching this concept as a key growth driver for SpaceX in its latest funding round, which values the company between $600-$800 billion.
  • The idea is seen as a potential new frontier for growth, leveraging the unique environment of space (e.g., cooling).
  • This news was cited as the direct cause for a "massive move" in Rocket Lab (RKLB), which was up 9%.

Takeaways

  • "Data centers in space" is an emerging, long-term investment theme that could drive valuations for companies in the space exploration and satellite industries.
  • Stocks like Rocket Lab (RKLB) are direct beneficiaries of this narrative.
  • While the host noted there are significant technical challenges (like cooling in a vacuum), the market is reacting positively to the hype and the involvement of major players like Elon Musk. This is a high-risk, high-reward theme to watch.

Other Stock Mentions

  • Rocket Lab (RKLB):

    • Experienced a "gigantic move," up 9% on the day.
    • Bullish Sentiment: The rally was directly tied to the "data centers in space" narrative surrounding SpaceX.
    • Takeaway: RKLB is a key stock to watch for investors interested in the space economy theme. Its price is currently very sensitive to news and narratives related to industry leaders like SpaceX.
  • Google (GOOGL):

    • The stock was "breaking out," trading around $320.
    • Bullish Sentiment: The positive momentum was attributed to impressive new statistics from its self-driving car division, Waymo. Waymo is seeing explosive growth in rides and is planning major expansions, including internationally.
    • Takeaway: Waymo is emerging as a significant and potentially undervalued asset within Google. Its success is a direct competitive threat to ride-sharing companies like Uber.
  • Uber (UBER):

    • The stock was down 5% on the day.
    • Bearish Sentiment: The drop was directly linked to the positive news from Google's Waymo, which raises questions about Uber's long-term business model in a future with autonomous vehicles.
    • Takeaway: Investors in Uber should closely monitor the progress of competitors in the autonomous driving space, like Waymo, as it represents a significant long-term risk.
  • NVIDIA (NVDA):

    • The stock was surprisingly flat to down during the day, even with the positive macro news and AI-related discussions. The host suggested the market is "fearful" of the high valuation.
    • The stock fell further in after-hours trading in sympathy with Oracle's poor earnings call, despite Oracle's plan to increase CapEx (which should benefit NVIDIA).
    • Takeaway: NVIDIA's stock is currently showing signs of fatigue and is sensitive to negative sentiment from other large AI players like Oracle. While the long-term story is intact, short-term volatility is high.
  • Synopsys (SNPS):

    • Was the "winner of the day," with its stock soaring 10% after its earnings report.
    • Bullish Sentiment: The company delivered a solid beat and was buoyed by a recent $2 billion investment from NVIDIA and a strong backlog.
    • Takeaway: Synopsys is benefiting directly from the AI build-out and has received a major vote of confidence from NVIDIA. It represents a key player in the semiconductor design ecosystem.
  • Micron (MU):

    • The host is very bullish on the company, citing a personal gain of 160%.
    • Bullish Sentiment: The investment thesis is that the AI revolution requires a massive amount of high-bandwidth memory (HBM), and this memory cycle will be much larger and longer than previous ones.
    • Takeaway: Micron is a key way to invest in the AI hardware build-out beyond just GPUs. The demand for its memory products is expected to be a strong, long-term tailwind.
  • Netflix (NFLX):

    • The stock had one of its worst days in months, falling to levels not seen since April.
    • Bearish Sentiment: The immediate pressure is related to the complex and politically charged bidding war for Warner Brothers. President Trump's involvement and demands regarding CNN add a layer of uncertainty.
    • Takeaway: One host viewed the significant price drop as a potential buying opportunity, arguing that Netflix is a premium, well-run business that just got much cheaper. This is a "buy the dip" opportunity for those who believe in the company's long-term strength.
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About Amit Kukreja
Amit Kukreja

Amit Kukreja

By @amitinvesting

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