Analysis

TradingKey - On October 10, Eastern Time, Nvidia (NVDA) is in discussions with Reflection AI regarding further investment or an acquisition, with potential options including hiring employees and licensing technology, according to a Financial Times report citing people familiar with the matter.

TradingKey - Amazon (AMZN) is seeking to further expand its footprint in the AI infrastructure space by acquiring artificial intelligence startup Decart. According to a Wall Street Journal report citing people familiar with the matter, the two parties are in acquisition talks that could value the deal at $7 billion.

TradingKey - During the week of October 5 to October 11, 2026, the U.S. macroeconomic environment was defined by persistent inflation pressures, rising long-term Treasury yields, and a complex monetary policy outlook.

TradingKey - On October 12, South Korean stocks weakened in early trade, with the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) opening down 0.72% at 6,578.17 points, before extending its loss to 1.35% at 6,536.77 points. Japanese stock markets were closed for a public holiday.

TradingKey - ASML heads into October 14 earnings with AI-driven demand, raised 2026 guidance and new Hyper NA progress extending its lithography lead.

TradingKey - Bank of America heads into October 14 earnings with stronger NII, healthy credit and deposits, but softer investment-banking and trading momentum.

TradingKey - As of Friday (October 9) Eastern Time, WTI (USOIL) crude oil dipped before turning higher during intraday trading. Prices briefly pulled back to $90.01 before erasing losses to close at $91.67, up 0.55%. This round of oil price volatility was primarily driven by the combined impact of progress in US-Iran negotiations and crude oil production disruptions in the US Gulf of Mexico.

TradingKey - In the coming week (October 12 to October 16), the U.S. market will enter one of October's most critical macro data and earnings windows. U.S. September CPI, PPI, retail sales, industrial production, and regional manufacturing indices will be released in quick succession, alongside the Federal Reserve's latest Beige Book. As the October 27–28 FOMC meeting approaches, inflation and consumption data will directly influence market expectations regarding the timing of the next rate hike.

TradingKey - Apple Inc. (AAPL) is set to enter a busy product launch cycle in October. Following the release of its next-generation iPhones in September, Apple plans to hold a smart home-themed event on October 13 and is reportedly scheduled to introduce a touchscreen MacBook Pro, an OLED iPad mini, as well as M6-powered MacBook Pro and iMac models around October 27.

In 2026, Bitcoin exhibits a wave pattern characterized by "rallying followed by a pullback, a mid-year shakeout, and a second-half recovery." Driven by factors such as Federal Reserve policy, liquidity, and favorable regulatory tailwinds, it is expected to rebound strongly in the second half of the year. If it holds firmly above the $80,000 bull-bear pivot level and breaks through its previous high of $87,000, it remains poised to challenge the $100,000 mark this year.

Nvidia (NVDA) is in talks with U.S. artificial intelligence startup Reflection AI regarding a potential acquisition or additional investment. The acquisition discussions remain in the early stages, and a deal could be reached in the coming weeks or may ultimately fail to materialize. Options currently under discussion include a full acquisition, a talent acquisition, an increased equity investment, and providing Reflection AI with additional chips and computing resources. A talent acquisition typically refers to Nvidia absorbing the company's core employees and licensing its technology, which may involve fewer regulatory and integration hurdles than a full acquisition, though it does not mean it can entirely bypass regulatory scrutiny.

TradingKey - On October 2, Eastern Time, after Toshiba announced an expansion plan for data center hard disk drives (HDDs), Western Digital (WDC) and Seagate (STX) closed down 10.22% and 10.21% respectively on the day. The expansion plan sparked market concerns over increased future supply, HDD pricing, and manufacturers' profit margins.

For the week ending October 9, shares of Cerebras Systems (CBRS) once again approached all-time lows since its Nasdaq debut. The AI chip company went public in May this year at a market capitalization close to $95 billion and was viewed by investors as a challenger to Nvidia in the AI chip sector. However, the stock has remained under continuous pressure since then, currently down more than 50% from its record high. The immediate trigger for the sharp pullback in valuation was OpenAI's decision to select Nvidia GPUs over Cerebras chips to provide computing power when launching its GPT-6.1 Sol "Ultrafast" mode.

Crude oil prices remained firm at elevated levels, with Brent crude (UKOIL) trading at $104.43, as US-Iran negotiations currently remain at the proposal-exchange stage, with no ceasefire or peace agreement reached yet. The direction of oil prices remains in the balance. Signals from the US regarding the de-escalation of the conflict with Iran and increased diesel supply exert downward pressure on oil prices, while attacks on Middle East infrastructure and tight tanker capacity continue to support the supply risk premium. The subsequent trajectory of oil prices will depend on whether policy commitments and actual supply improvements can be delivered simultaneously.

While the revenues of artificial intelligence companies continue to grow rapidly, investments surrounding their data centers, GPUs, power supply, and chip supply chains have already entered the "trillion-dollar era." The question then becomes straightforward: Can such massive infrastructure spending ultimately translate into sufficient revenues, profits, and economic growth?

According to South Korean media outlet The Elec, ASML will implement a uniform 10% price increase on replacement parts for lithography equipment supplied to the South Korean market, effective with shipments starting in January 2027. The price hike covers all spare parts for both extreme ultraviolet (EUV) and deep ultraviolet (DUV) lithography systems. This adjustment will raise equipment maintenance costs for Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, while reflecting semiconductor equipment suppliers' push for greater pricing power amid AI-related capacity expansion.

TRON suffers a five-day losing streak, retreating to defend a key support level at $0.33. Could there be a further 18% downside ahead?

TradingKey - Goldman Sachs heads into October 13 earnings with record Q2 results, strong equities trading and a more challenging backdrop for FICC and dealmaking.

As Ripple-backed Evernorth debuts on Nasdaq, can XRP usher in a new rally?

TradingKey - UnitedHealth heads into October 13 earnings with improving medical costs and Optum margins, but weaker Medicare Star Ratings and regulatory scrutiny add risk.