Analysis

TradingKey - Rumors of a merger between SpaceX (SPCX) and Tesla (TSLA) are heating up. In a recent report, Barclays (BCS) analyst Dan Levy stated that the two companies could announce a merger ahead of Tesla's 2026 annual shareholder meeting. Based on regulatory timing requirements, the meeting is expected to take place no later than December 6.

TradingKey - On October 15, Eastern Time, U.S. September PPI data posted its largest monthly and annual gains since 2022, prompting investors to shift from AI tech stocks to defensive sectors, which drove U.S. stock markets higher.

U.S. stocks rose as PPI data recorded its largest monthly and annual gains since 2022, with investors shifting from AI tech stocks to defensive sectors. Defensive sectors such as consumer and pharmaceutical stocks led the gains, while some tech stocks rebounded. At the close, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.08% to 52,177.69; the Nasdaq Composite Index gained 0.08% to 26,713.03; and the S&P 500 Index advanced 0.33% to 7,744.06.

Eli Lilly (LLY) shares hovered near $1,260 on Thursday, just about 2% shy of its all-time high of $1,292. From a technical perspective, the stock has broken above a key resistance level and is poised to breach its record high. In terms of catalysts, a week-long sell-off in AI hardware stocks prompted capital to rotate into defensive sectors dominated by pharmaceuticals, helping drive the stock's surge.

Meta (META) and Apple (AAPL) have entered into a rare partnership in the AI sector. According to information released by Meta and related reports, the two companies announced on Thursday that developers can locally run Meta's newly launched open-weight model, Muse Spark Open, on Mac Studio powered by the M5 Ultra chip. Months in the making, the collaboration has enabled the two companies to find new common ground after years of strained relations.

On October 15 Eastern Time, CoreWeave (CRWV) fell by as much as 9.5% in early Thursday trading before recovering its morning drop of over 9%. A sell-off over the past four consecutive trading days has erased more than $10 billion from CRWV's market capitalization. As of Thursday, the stock's cumulative loss for the week exceeded 22%. As of press time, CRWV shares reversed course to rise 1.6% to $66.83.

On October 15, US Eastern Time, Micron (MU) shares reversed losses to turn higher, after falling over 6% intraday to a low of $858, hitting their lowest level since August 11. Recently, new technological advancements by ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) sparked market concerns over the DRAM competitive landscape. However, both HSBC and Daiwa believe the short-term impact may be overestimated, while Elon Musk's affirmation of Micron's pricing strategy offers another perspective on its long-term customer relationships.

On October 15, Eastern Time, SpaceX (SPCX) stock tumbled to as low as $140.66, down over 20% from its recent high of $176.42 on October 6 and hitting its lowest level since early September. However, the sharp pull-back in stock price does not necessarily signal a simultaneous deterioration in fundamentals; the decline is more likely dragged down by a broader sell-off in AI hardware stocks. Meanwhile, speculation surrounding a potential merger between SpaceX and Tesla (TSLA) continues to heat up, which could serve as the latest catalyst for near-term stock price recovery.

TradingKey - Netflix cuts about 1,000 jobs before Q3 earnings as World Cup rights broaden live sports. Explore margin guidance and critical NFLX support at $66.98.

Tesla continues to fall in pre-market trading as the Roadster launch event fails to offset CPI headwinds, risking a further 15% decline.

TradingKey - On Thursday (October 15) Eastern Time, US stock index futures showed divergent trends in pre-market trading. Financing risks in AI infrastructure continued to weigh on tech stocks, while Dow futures edged higher, driven by capital shifts into traditional blue-chip and defensive sectors. The US September CPI, released on Wednesday, rose 3.7% year-over-year, exceeding the market expectation of 3.6% and heightening concerns over further Federal Reserve rate hikes. Meanwhile, investors are awaiting a batch of economic data scheduled for release today, including PPI, retail sales, and initial jobless claims.

TradingKey - Apple’s $299 HomeView expands Siri AI as iPhone 18 demand faces rising memory costs. Explore China, November earnings and AAPL resistance at $348.15.

TradingKey - CoreWeave’s $104 billion backlog faces surging borrowing costs. Explore AI infrastructure funding, Q3 guidance and key CRWV support at $60.57.

TradingKey - TSMC reports $46.72 billion Q3 revenue as 2nm ramps rapidly. See AI growth, 52.3–54.3 billion Q4 guidance and TSM's critical support levels.

TradingKey - Micron Technology's (MU) labor dispute in Taiwan remains unresolved, with core disagreements centered on bonus calculation methods and long-term profit-sharing mechanisms.

TSMC posted strong Q3 revenue and profit, but struggling against major macroeconomic headwinds, its share price risks testing the $400 mark.

TradingKey - South Korea's Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) has fallen for several consecutive trading sessions. As of the close on October 15, the KOSPI index dropped to 5,554.22 points, marking a cumulative decline of over 16% in the past month. SK Hynix fell by more than 10% on the day, while Samsung Electronics dropped over 9%.

TradingKey - On October 15, TSMC (TSM) released its third-quarter financial results for 2026. Driven by sustained growth in demand for AI chips and advanced nodes, the company's revenue and net profit both reached record highs, with net profit surging nearly 69% year-over-year and beating market expectations.

TradingKey - As investment in AI infrastructure continues to grow, demand for advanced processes and advanced packaging is rising in tandem. On October 14, Eastern Time, Reuters reported that TSMC (TSM) is expected to post a record quarterly profit for the sixth consecutive quarter, with the market forecasting a third-quarter net profit growth of roughly 65% year-over-year to NT$746.3 billion. Robust demand for AI chips and CoWoS advanced packaging orders are the primary drivers of this profit growth.

TradingKey - According to Bloomberg citing people familiar with the matter, Anthropic disclosed at an IPO investor presentation at its San Francisco headquarters that its third-quarter 2026 revenue reached $16.8 billion, up approximately 46% from $11.5 billion in the second quarter.