Analysis

Driven by stronger-than-expected U.S. August nonfarm payrolls data, market expectations grew that the Federal Reserve might raise interest rates at its next policy meeting, sending major U.S. stock indices lower. Semiconductor stocks bucked the trend to move higher, with memory and optical communications stocks leading the gains. At the close, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.51% to 53,414.25; the Nasdaq Composite Index slipped 0.29% to 26,506.99; and the S&P 500 Index lost 0.38% to 7,718.60.

Apple (AAPL) shares edged lower on Friday as the market awaited the company's new iPhone product launch event on September 9. Citi expects that the starting price for Apple's first foldable iPhone could exceed $2,000, while TrendForce projects that overall prices for the iPhone 18 series could rise by 10% to 20% due to sharp increases in memory prices.

On September 4, according to South Korean media outlet Greened.kr citing semiconductor industry sources, Arm Holdings (ARM) approved the allocation of non-recurring engineering (NRE) funding for a next-generation on-device AI system-on-chip (SoC) and officially launched joint R&D with Samsung Electronics. The project adopts a collaboration model where Arm provides the core technology while Samsung handles design and manufacturing, with plans for mass production using an advanced 2-nanometer process node.

According to Yonhap News Agency on September 4, citing industry insiders, Micron (MU) plans to boost its monthly High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) capacity to approximately 100,000 wafers by the end of 2026, nearly doubling from last year's level. If the target is achieved as scheduled, the capacity gap between Micron and Samsung Electronics as well as SK Hynix could narrow to roughly half of its current size.

TradingKey - TSLA closed at $376.36 after Cybercab launched in Austin. Can $368.57 support hold and trigger a break above $380.16 toward $390-$400?

On September 4 Eastern Time, US August non-farm payrolls significantly exceeded expectations, fueling expectations of a Federal Reserve rate hike. US Treasury yields subsequently moved higher, with the 2-year Treasury yield touching its highest level since January 2025. Markets expect the Fed could raise rates within a few weeks; according to the CME FedWatch Tool, Federal Funds futures traders currently price in a 58% probability of a rate hike. Although this stronger-than-expected employment data was expected to weigh on high-valuation growth stocks, the US semiconductor sector rallied sharply in early trading today.

TradingKey - ORCL closed at $154.04 after reclaiming $148.75 as OCI growth and a $638B backlog support the setup. Can $159.23 unlock $167-$173?

TradingKey - On September 4, Eastern Time, the latest data released by the U.S. Department of Labor showed that U.S. August nonfarm payrolls far exceeded expectations, adding 162,000 jobs, with previous figures upwardly revised by a combined 55,000.

TradingKey - SPCX closed at $149.74 as Starlink and AI revenue accelerate. Can a break above $154.36 send SpaceX toward $163-$172?

TradingKey - PLTR trades near $182.53 after 93% revenue growth, a $127M TITAN award and a broader PwC AI alliance. Can $188.23 unlock $207.54?

TradingKey - On Friday (September 4) Eastern Time, futures on the three major US stock indices were mixed in premarket trading. Dovish signals from Federal Reserve officials prompted the market to reassess the likelihood of a September rate hike, while investors remained cautious ahead of the upcoming release of the crucial US non-farm payrolls report.

TradingKey - In U.S. pre-market trading on September 4, the three major stock index futures diverged. As of press time, Dow Jones futures fell 0.09%, S&P 500 futures rose 0.09%, and Nasdaq 100 futures gained 0.53%.

TradingKey - According to reports, Samsung Electronics and Arm (ARM) have officially launched joint research and development for next-generation on-device AI SoCs. The two companies will develop customized chips for end customers, further extending AI computing power from cloud data centers to terminal devices such as smartphones. Boosted by the news, Arm rose approximately 2.5% in US pre-market trading.

TradingKey - According to Nikkei Asia, mass production progress for Apple's (AAPL) first foldable iPhone remains relatively slow.

TradingKey - On September 3, Eastern Time, OpenAI announced the launch of the "Daybreak for Frontline Defenders" global initiative, aimed at providing frontline cybersecurity defenders with cutting-edge AI technical support to help protect critical infrastructure in the U.S. and globally.

TradingKey - Lululemon (LULU) delivered another disappointing earnings report. Impacted by a continued decline in North American sales, weak demand for core products, and another downward revision to its full-year guidance, the company's shares plunged over 18% in after-hours trading following the announcement, falling below $100.

Japanese and South Korean stock markets closed strongly higher, as Samsung and SK Hynix drove the KOSPI up nearly 2%. The Nikkei reclaimed the 65,000-point level, with SoftBank surging 12% and Kioxia gaining over 5%.

The privacy coin sector surged across the board, with both ZEC and DASH soaring 17%, while others like DCR and XTZ followed the rally.

TradingKey - Since 2026, Nvidia (NVDA) has significantly accelerated its investments and strategic positioning in the AI sector, covering multiple areas including large AI models, AI cloud, data centers, optical communications, custom chips, and AI software.

TradingKey - According to Bloomberg, AI company Anthropic is close to finalizing an approximately $15 billion revolving credit facility, further clearing the path for its upcoming public IPO filing.