Breaking it down: The pandemic continues to spur Microsoft’s business, which – as CNN Business colleague Clare Duffy reports – has been supported by sales of computers and gaming systems, as well as cloud computing tools that help companies facilitate remote work .
“These were explosive numbers that will be another feather in the ceiling for the technology sector,” Wedbush Securities analyst Daniel Ives told clients. “The cloud growth party is just beginning.”
Apple is also expected to show strong demand for electronic devices, especially given that it has launched its new iPhone 12 in the last quarter. “Despite the subsequent launch of iPhones, demand for state-of-the-art models remains robust,” Bank of America analyst Wamsi Mohan said in a research note this week.
Facebook, in turn, is poised to gain momentum from new shopping and video capabilities, which are expected to bring significant revenue due to the large number of people glued to phones and computers at home.
The company has been profitable for five consecutive quarters, a first in its 17-year history. But now that it’s part of the S&P 500, under close surveillance, there’s new pressure. Guidance on deliveries in 2021 will be crucial.
But the strong results from the internet giants will only fuel the pro-stock narrative, pushing Nasdaq Composite, with a technological intensity, to new heights. Talking about a balloon is only due to growth.
“We don’t think we’re still in the late stage of a bubble in the general stock market,” John Higgins, chief market economist at Capital Economics, said in a note to clients on Tuesday. “However, we recognize that the rise of the Nasdaq Composite suggests that we may be at least in the early stages of a bubble, even if the rise in the index is partly justified by the increase in earnings of companies in the pandemic technology sector.”
The “unnatural, crazy” GameStop rally continues
Most recently, the GameStop stock exploded 93% on Tuesday, ending the day at $ 147.98. Earnings are also fueled by traders who bet against GameStop, who rush to buy shares to limit their exposure to what is known as “short-term pressure”.
Remember: GameStop shares, which are expected to lose money for the next two years, closed in 2020 at $ 18.84 per share. It is clear that demand has completely deviated from expectations of future earnings and inherent value.
Instead, online commentators enjoy what they see as a David-Goliath triumph over hedge funds and short sellers, cheering up democratization of investments through duty-free trading platforms like Robinhood.
But the dramatic preliminary period in the GameStop stock raises growing concern in the investment community – even among those who were previously bullied.
“It simply came to our notice then [GameStop] on your radar and you did well, I’m really happy for you. However, what is happening now – should have legal and regulatory implications, “he wrote on Twitter on Tuesday.” This is unnatural, crazy and dangerous. “
American companies are still facing the Capitol riots
CNN polled about 280 Fortune 500 companies that supported 147 Republican lawmakers who opposed President Joe Biden’s winning certification. About 150 responded, representing $ 14 million in donations to the politicians concerned during the 2020 cycle.
Among the conclusions: Many of the companies that chose to suspend campaign donations have taken a general approach – freezing contributions in general, rather than targeting Republican objectors.
While 120 of the companies said they had decided to discontinue or end political donations in some form, 73 said they would stop donations for all federal candidates. Only 31 companies had specific timetables for how long they would suspend political activity.
Sheila Krumholz, executive director of the Nonpartisan Center for Responsive Policies, said how long the corporate uprising will last is an open question, especially as fundraising in the campaign usually slows in the months after the election.
“Right now, it’s pretty easy for them to sit down,” Krumholz said. “It’s hard to imagine that this will last until the mayor’s office and the 2022 general election.”
It follows
Also today: The Federal Reserve announces the latest political decision at 14:00 ET, followed by a press conference chaired by President Jerome Powell. Any comments as to when the Fed will consider reducing bond purchases or raising interest rates will be examined under a microscope.
Coming tomorrow: How has the US economy evolved in the last three months of 2020? Investors will find out when the GDP number is published.