Good Afternoon. Markets are in a record-setting mood, from Japan’s Nikkei flirting with all-time highs to U.S. companies spending $1.1T on themselves. Ford’s betting $5B on its “Model T moment,” while Nvidia is building the brains for robots, and AriZona Tea may finally break its 99¢ promise. Let’s pop the tab.

—Rosie, Wyatt, Evan & Conor

🔥 What’s Hot: 🔥

🥶 What’s Not: 🥶

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Source: compareaccounts.com

1. Nvidia Unveils ‘Physical AI’ Ecosystem at SIGGRAPH 2025

The News: At SIGGRAPH 2025, Nvidia launched a sweeping “Physical AI” platform combining new Blackwell-based hardware, advanced AI models, and simulation tools to bridge digital and real-world robotics. Core to the strategy is Cosmos Reason, a 7B-parameter vision-language model enabling robots to apply physics, prior knowledge, and common sense. Partners like Amazon, Boston Dynamics, and Uber are already using the technology for robotics, autonomous vehicles, and smart infrastructure.

Why It Matters: Nvidia isn’t just selling faster chips, it’s building the nervous system for the next industrial revolution. By fusing high-fidelity simulation with advanced reasoning AI, “Physical AI” could collapse development timelines for autonomous robots, vehicles, and infrastructure systems from years to months. For enterprises, this means cheaper prototyping, fewer costly real-world tests, and faster deployment in logistics, manufacturing, and city operations. For Nvidia, it’s a long-term lock on both hardware and AI model demand, tying customers to its ecosystem as physical automation moves from hype to reality. Now if only it could help us find our keys.
Source: nvidia.com

2. AriZona Iced Tea’s 99-Cent Era at Risk from Aluminum Tariffs

The News: AriZona Beverages may raise its iconic 99-cent price for the first time since 1997 as U.S. aluminum tariffs drive up costs. President Trump’s June 4 hike doubled tariffs on imported aluminum to 50% (excluding the UK), pushing U.S. aluminum prices up 139% versus Europe in under four months. AriZona imports 20% of its aluminum from Canada and sources the rest domestically, using over 100M lbs annually for 2B cans—half the signature 22-ounce tallboys. Co-founder Don Vultaggio warns higher input costs from both foreign and domestic suppliers may soon reach consumers.

Why It Matters: Say it ain’t so. For 28 years, AriZona’s 99-cent tag has been a masterclass in brand loyalty and price discipline, doubling as both marketing and margin management. It’s been so reliable, people started adding “and AriZona 99-cent tea” to the old “death and taxes” line. Now, tariff-driven cost spikes threaten that model, with ripple effects across the beverage industry. Aluminum is also beer’s top packaging cost, leaving brewers and craft producers exposed. If AriZona jumps to $1.25 or $1.50, expect competitors to follow, pushing canned drink prices higher. Retailers could see bigger basket totals, while investors should watch for margin compression in aluminum-heavy beverage stocks.
Source: msn.com

3. Cannabis Stocks Higher on Trump Marijuana Rescheduling Talk

The News: Cannabis shares soared Monday after reports that President Trump is considering reclassifying marijuana as a less dangerous drug. Canopy Growth jumped 24.8% in premarket trading, Tilray Brands rose 26.3%, and Cronos Group climbed 22.6%, while the AdvisorShares Pure US Cannabis ETF gained 9.1%. The rally followed a Wall Street Journal report that Trump discussed marijuana policy at a $1M-per-plate fundraiser, where Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers urged rescheduling. Moving cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III could restore business tax deductions under Section 280E, lowering effective tax rates, though banking restrictions would remain largely intact.

Why It Matters: Somewhere, Snoop Dogg just smiled. For cannabis investors, this is the political equivalent of a double shot of espresso. Schedule III status wouldn’t solve the industry’s cash-only headaches, but it would slash tax bills that currently eat into profitability. The prospect of relief, plus a president openly mulling the move, was enough to light up pot stocks. If Trump follows through, expect balance sheets to green up quickly, M&A activity to pick up, and some banks with stronger stomachs to test the waters. Full-scale normalization, though, would still require taking cannabis off the Controlled Substances Act entirely.
Source: foxbusiness.com

4. U.S. Companies Set for Record $1.1T in Buybacks for 2025

The News: American companies are on track to repurchase over $1.1 trillion of their shares in 2025, surpassing last year’s record $942.5B. Firms have already announced $983.6B in buybacks through August, according to Birinyi Associates, the strongest start since data began in 1982. Apple ($100B), Alphabet ($70B), JPMorgan ($50B), and Bank of America ($40B) headline the spree, with tech and financial firms driving nearly half of all repurchases. July alone saw $165.6B in authorizations, nearly double the previous July peak. Companies cite strong earnings, tax cuts, and tariff uncertainty as reasons to favor buybacks over longer-term investments.

Why It Matters: Corporate America is essentially buying itself at record speed. For shareholders, it’s a sugar rush: fewer shares mean higher EPS and often higher prices, helping push the S&P 500 and Nasdaq to fresh highs. For critics, it’s financial engineering that fattens stock charts while starving long-term growth. The 1% excise tax on buybacks hasn’t slowed the binge, and concentrated activity among the biggest players magnifies the market impact. Expect indexes to keep climbing on this tailwind, at least until sentiment shifts.
Source: wsj.com

5. Ford Bets $5B on $30K EV Truck as 'Model T Moment'

The News: Ford Motor Co. is investing $5B in a new Universal EV Platform and manufacturing process it calls the “assembly tree,” aimed at producing a $30K midsize electric pickup by 2027. CEO Jim Farley likened the launch to the Model T’s historic debut, framing it as Ford’s best chance to compete with low-cost Chinese EVs while turning EV operations profitable after a $5B loss last year. The platform uses cobalt and nickel-free LFP structural batteries, cutting parts by 20% and assembly time by 15%. The $2B revamp of Ford’s Louisville Assembly Plant will secure 2,200 jobs, while $3B goes to BlueOval Battery Park in Michigan.

Why It Matters: Ford is looking to rewrite the assembly line playbook, betting that faster, cheaper EV production can crack the affordability problem that’s stalled adoption. A $30K pickup with Mustang-like acceleration and RAV4-like interior space could force rivals to rethink pricing and margins, especially without federal EV tax credits. For Ford, success means a foothold in the mass-market EV game and a chance to lock in U.S. manufacturing leadership. For drivers, it means the EV choice might finally come down to color, not cost…though you’ll still argue about who gets the aux cord.
Source: businesswire.com

1. South Korea 3D Prints First Titanium Space Fuel Tank

The News: South Korean researchers have successfully tested the world’s first 3D-printed titanium fuel tank to survive extreme cryogenic pressure, marking a milestone for space manufacturing. Built from Ti64 alloy using Directed Energy Deposition (DED) 3D printing, the 640 mm-diameter tank withstood 330 bar, 165× standard tire pressure, while cooled to –196 °C. Traditional forging can take up to a year; this tank’s hemispheres were printed in three days and completed within weeks. The Korea Institute of Industrial Technology led the project with KARI, KP Aviation Industries, AM Solutions, and Hanyang University.

Why It Matters: This breakthrough could overhaul the economics and flexibility of spacecraft production. By slashing manufacturing lead times and enabling custom shapes, it’s a game-changer for the private-led “New Space” sector, where missions increasingly need bespoke components. It also boosts South Korea’s strategic autonomy by reducing reliance on imported titanium parts, often from geopolitically sensitive suppliers. For aerospace firms, faster prototyping means quicker launches; for investors, it signals expanding opportunities in additive manufacturing for high-performance applications. Expect broader adoption across satellites, launch vehicles, and crewed spacecraft as certification hurdles fall.
Source: popsci.com

2. Kyivstar Set to Become First Ukrainian Company on US Exchange

The News: Kyivstar, Ukraine’s largest telecom operator, is poised to debut on Nasdaq this week via a SPAC merger with Cohen Circle Acquisition Corp, marking the first US listing by a Ukrainian firm. Shareholder votes on August 12 are expected to clear the way for a mid-August close, with $178M remaining in the SPAC trust after 25.4% redemptions. The deal values Kyivstar at $2.21B and could raise $50–200M, depending on final redemptions. Shares will trade under ticker “KYIV.”

Why It Matters: This listing is more than capital-raising, it’s a wartime signal of Ukraine’s economic resilience and global market integration. Kyivstar’s 24M-subscriber base and diversified digital services, from healthcare to streaming, make it a strategic pillar in Ukraine’s postwar reconstruction. For US investors, the SPAC route offers early exposure to Ukrainian infrastructure growth, albeit with heightened geopolitical risk and legacy concerns over VEON’s past Russian ties. If successful, “KYIV” could pave the way for more Ukrainian listings, broadening investor access to the region’s digital economy during a critical rebuilding & investment phase.
Source: reuters.com

3. Nikkei Poised to Rejoin All-Time High Club

The News: Nikkei futures in Chicago are just shy of record highs, positioning Japan’s benchmark to potentially hit an all-time peak when markets reopen. The index trades at a P/E of 19, cheaper than the S&P 500’s 22 and Nasdaq’s 33. Sentiment faces headwinds from Nvidia and AMD agreeing to give the U.S. government 15% of China AI chip sales revenue for export licenses, Tuesday’s U.S. CPI (seen at ~3.0% core), and unresolved U.S.–China trade and tariff disputes affecting gold, copper, and Japanese exports.

Why It Matters: The Nikkei edging toward record highs underscores how global equity momentum isn’t just a U.S. tech story. Japan’s valuation discount could lure more capital if macro turbulence eases. But with chipmakers paying a “China toll” to Washington, tariff confusion roiling commodities, and inflation data potentially clouding the Fed’s path, the backdrop remains unpredictable. For investors, it’s another week where the headlines might move faster than the markets and you may need more than one monitor to keep up.
Source: money.usnews.com

Q: Why did the coffee file a police report?

A: It got mugged.

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Excessively or pointlessly talkative, especially about trivial matters.

“The garrulous neighbor would chat for hours about her garden.”