Five Things to Start Your Week

Good morning. Our Alpha Portfolio is +6.74% YTD. Leading the gains is Silver at +24%. On the other hand, Dorian LPG is down by -19.6%.

We are starting to see a divergence between the markets and economic data. Nothing has changed in our portfolio until the next update in July. However, we are leaning to make additional cutbacks.

Market Snapshot

Encouraging US inflation data helped market sentiment, but most of the strength was confined to technology.

• The S&P 500 rose 1.6% last week.

• Nasdaq powered ahead by 3.2%.

The technology sector added 6.4% within the S&P 500 and, along with communication services and consumer discretionary, were the only sectors up on the week.

Across the World

In Asia, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM) continues its impressive run, up 4.94%, bolstering Taiwan’s tech sector.

Conversely, Japan's Toyota (TM) is down 4.47%, facing headwinds from supply chain challenges.

European markets are varied, with ARM Holdings in the UK surging 15.61% on robust tech demand, while France’s TotalEnergies (TTE) dropped 5.67% due to fluctuating oil prices.

In South America, Brazil's Petrobras (PBR) fell 2.77%, mirroring broader market declines in the region. Investors globally are navigating a complex mix of economic data and sector-specific developments.

US Outperforms

S&P 500 futures pointed lower on Friday after the index notched its fourth record close of the week yesterday. The strong performance, which has delivered a 1.6% advance since last Friday, stands in contrast to a sharp decline in European stocks, which are headed for their worst week since January on growing concerns about political turmoil in France.

Don’t Miss The Insider Memo’s Alpha Picks. 

In just 5 minutes a week, boost your portfolio by 29.3% annually _{(59% in 2023 alone)}

 Subscribe now for unlimited access to expert, data-driven stock picks delivered straight to your inbox—because smart investing doesn't need to be time-consuming.

Apple overtakes Microsoft

A big factor in the record-setting run for US stocks this year has been a rally in tech firms, and Thursday saw the latest evidence of that strong performance. Friday saw Apple overtake Microsoft to regain its title as the world’s most valuable company -- the latest sign of improving investor sentiment over its growth and position with artificial intelligence. The milestone follows a blistering rally, including Apple’s biggest three-day advance since August 2020, which took the firm from third place earlier this week.

Newsworthy

This is what’s caught our eye over the past week.

• ‘Roaring Kitty’ appears to have exited GameStop call options.

• Luxury labels slash prices by 50% to lure wary Chinese shoppers.

• Xi has few options to punish the EU without starting a trade war.

• Ex-Goldman banker says fake Ozy call left mind `blown’.

• Tesla investors back Musk’s $56 billion pay deal, Texas move.

Ali is the Founder & Editor of The Insider Memo, Follow him on X @ASAInsights

Where to Invest? Sign up to get an email every time our weekly Alpha Picks are updated with the 10 latest stocks from our algorithm. Every month, we share a ready-made portfolio based on our expert’s high-level strategy and identify hidden opportunities for your money, whether you have $10,000, $100,000 or even $1 million to invest.