Another manic market week was punctuated by a tech wreck that pressured the S&P 500 and NASDAQ indexes. Nothing was working in the technology sector: chipmakers, neocloud providers, and hyperscalers were all down, as investors grew impatient or just tired of the artificial intelligence (AI) trade. However, energy stocks were higher as the conflict Upgrade to MarketBeat All Access to get our best stock ideas, proprietary research, portfolio monitoring tools, and more. Start Your Free Trial.
JULY 18TH, 2026
The top stock. Ticker. Revealed for everyone to see. (Ad)Project Janus is a little-known initiative with ties to the White House, U.S. Army, and Department of Energy – and it targets the entire $3.7 trillion global energy sector.
Chief Investment Strategist Adam O’Dell believes its new fuel source, set to go online before December 18, 2026, could eliminate AI power bottlenecks and grid failures. He’s releasing the name and ticker of his top stock pick at no charge.
GET THE FULL STORY AND CLAIM ADAM O’DELL’S TOP STOCK PICK FREE
This Week’s Top Stories
The SK Hynix IPO and 2027’s AI Memory Squeeze
BY JEFFREY NEAL JOHNSON | JULY 13, 2026 02:00 PM
One webinar worth putting on your calendar. (Ad)
BY TRADE THIRSTY
Why Fastenal’s Latest Drop Could Be Its Biggest Opportunity Yet
BY THOMAS HUGHES | JULY 14, 2026 01:15 PM
Analysts See Major Upside for These 5 Stocks
BY RYAN HASSON | JULY 13, 2026 09:55 AM
The startup growing 23 times faster than Nvidia (Ad)
BY BROWNSTONE RESEARCH
Prepare for the Next Wave of Factory Automation With These 3 Standout Names
BY NATHAN REIFF | JULY 14, 2026 09:45 AM
Alphabet’s AI Spending Question Looms Over Q2 Earnings
BY RYAN HASSON | JULY 15, 2026 09:55 AM
Quick Links
MarketBeat All AccessMy MarketBeatAccount SettingsAnalyst RatingsStock ListsHeadlinesDividend DeclarationsEarnings AnnouncementsInsider TradesInsider Buying StocksInsider Selling StocksBuy StockElon’s big $266,000 per second purchase (Ad)Elon Musk bought Super Bowl ad time at $266,000 per second – something he has never done before. 125 million Americans watched, but Whitney Tilson, former manager of a $200 million hedge fund, says most investors missed what it actually means.
With 1 in 3 Super Bowl viewers using buy-now-pay-later services and 40% of Americans carrying more credit card debt than savings, Tilson believes Elon’s message reveals a major economic current – and a clear signal for where smart money should be positioned.
WATCH TILSON’S FREE PRESENTATION TO SEE WHAT HE THINKS YOU SHOULD DO NOW
The Weekly Wrapup
Another manic market week was punctuated by a tech wreck that pressured the S&P 500 and NASDAQ indexes. Nothing was working in the technology sector: chipmakers, neocloud providers, and hyperscalers were all down, as investors grew impatient or just tired of the artificial intelligence (AI) trade.
However, energy stocks were higher as the conflict in the Strait of Hormuz intensified. Financial stocks also got a boost as many banks reported strong earnings, as expected.
The same couldn’t be said of Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX). The streaming giant delivered a mixed earnings report, prompting investors to tune out of the stock.
The disappointing week occurred despite better-than-expected economic data that showed slower inflation growth, a surprise increase in housing starts, and elevated consumer confidence.
Next week will bring a flood of earnings reports, including from Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL), which will be a key indicator of the status of the AI infrastructure trade. The MarketBeat analysts will provide the key insights. Here are some of our most popular articles from the past week.
Articles by Thomas Hughes
The sharp pullback in Micron Technology (NASDAQ: MU) stock reminds investors that massive upside swings can be matched by equally sharp downside moves. As Thomas Hughes noted, investors need to consider the broader case for dynamic random access memory (DRAM) and high bandwidth memory (HBM), which provides appropriate context for Micron’s 10-year investment plan.
Fastenal (NASDAQ: FAST) delivered a solid earnings report that left some investors wanting more. However, Hughes explained why the pullback in FAST stock is a buyable opportunity for growth and income investors.
Hughes also summarized the earnings report from Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ). Investors bid JNJ to a 52-week high prior to the report. Therefore, the post-earnings pullback looks like a chance for investors to buy on the strength of the earnings report.
Articles by Sam Quirke
The meteoric rise in SanDisk Corp. (NASDAQ: SNDK) stock is facing its first reality check from competition and analysts. Sam Quirke pointed out the technical hurdles facing the stock and what investors need to hear when the company reports earnings in early August.
Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ: AVGO) has been an example of the uncertainty facing AI infrastructure stocks. AVGO is back to November 2025 levels, as investors believe the stock has become too expensive. However, Quirke noted the company’s results have done nothing to suggest its growth is slowing.
Shares of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) have been moving higher as investors buy into the company’s “AI toll booth” thesis. Quirke explained why that thesis will be tested by the company’s upcoming earnings, which will set the near-term direction for AAPL.
Articles by Chris Markoch
The bullish thesis for rare earth metals is real, but it’s still in its early stages. That amplifies the risk of owning single stocks. This week, Chris Markoch highlighted three rare-earth exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that can help investors balance exposure and risk when investing in this sector’s long-term growth.
Beaten-down Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) is hoping that its proprietary AI models can reduce its dependence on OpenAI and Anthropic. Markoch outlined the reasons why this could be bullish for MSFT and the risks that remain.
It may seem like a poor time to invest in gold, but Markoch explained that the structural reasons for owning gold remain in place. He offered three mining stocks under $5 that offer investors a chance for massive upside without owning physical metal.
Articles by Ryan Hasson
Humanoid robots are coming, but Ryan Hasson reminded investors that the smarter way to play this trend is to buy the companies supplying the parts that the robot makers can’t do without. That’s the case for three stocks powering the humanoid robot market that are among the best-positioned companies for this growth.
The cloud over Alphabet’s earnings report next week is the company’s Google Cloud business. Hasson highlighted why the company’s Google Cloud numbers are the most critical part of the company’s Q2 earnings report.
If investors want to know where opportunities exist during earnings season, looking at stocks that analysts love can be a strong hint. This week, Hasson highlighted five stocks that have received upgrades and/or price target increases from analysts ahead of their respective earnings reports.
Articles by Leo Miller
Earnings season is a time to confirm trends. That’s what Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (NYSE: TSM) accomplished in this week’s earnings report. Leo Miller explained why the report confirms strong demand for semiconductors, which could be a bullish signal for chip stocks.
Insider selling always draws investor attention. Miller pointed out that this is especially true when the chief executive officer (CEO) is the one doing the selling. This week, he highlighted three stocks with heavy CEO selling and which, if any, should be a cause for concern.
Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META) is punching back after months of being beaten down over its AI spending. The company has launched its newest AI model, Muse Spark 1.1. The release comes on the heels of the company’s announcement of plans to sell excess cloud computing capacity to third parties. Miller explained that both initiatives are ways for Meta to show it can monetize AI.
Articles by Nathan Reiff
The quantum computing race is heating up. IonQ Inc. (NYSE: IONQ) is the largest pure-play name by market cap. This week, Nathan Reiff wrote about two lesser-known quantum names that could offer investors a speculative way to invest in the long-term growth potential in this sector.
This week showed why data centers will remain controversial, and why investors may not want to hitch their wagon to single stock names in the sector. Reiff highlighted three data center-focused real estate investment trusts (REITs) that may be a better opportunity for investors to manage their exposure.
Energy stocks continue to have long-term tailwinds, particularly some midstream names that are essential for transporting oil and natural gas. This week, Reiff explained why three energy ETFs that are focused on midstream names can deliver strong returns and income.
Articles by Jeffrey Neal Johnson
Jeffrey Neal Johnson recapped the explosive IPO from SK Hynix (NASDAQ: SKHY). Putting aside the wild ride in the stock price, Johnson reminded investors why they should be excited. The company and others in the HBM market are still at the beginning of a multi-year supply shortage in the memory market.
PayPal Inc. (NASDAQ: PYPL) has been unloved by investors, but it’s fogging the mirror of private equity firms. Johnson wrote about the proposed $53 billion acquisition by Stripe and Advent International. The deal is being met with resistance, but Johnson explained why it may force investors to reprice PYPL based on the company’s turnaround efforts.
The biotech sector can rattle the nerves of even highly risk-tolerant investors. This week, Johnson explained how a failed Phase 3 trial impacts large-cap and small-cap biotechnology stocks differently, and why competitors just got a tailwind.7 Stocks to Watch Before AI Headlines Peak (Ad)With OpenAI and Anthropic moving closer to the IPO spotlight, AI excitement could spill into several public-market sectors this summer – and most investors may chase the obvious names too late.
A free report identifies 7 stocks positioned around themes that could matter most this summer: AI infrastructure, energy demand, travel, entertainment, home improvement, and more. Built for a market where leadership may rotate quickly.
DOWNLOAD 7 BEST STOCKS TO OWN IN SUMMER 2026 FOR FREE
Calendars from MarketBeat
U.S. Analyst RatingsCongressional BuyingCorporate BuybacksCryptocurrenciesDividend DeclarationsEarnings AnnouncementsEarnings Conference CallsFDA CalendarGap Up/Down StocksInsider TradesInitial Public Offerings (IPOs)Most Active StocksPercentage Gainers/DeclinersSector PerformanceShort InterestStock SplitsUnusual Options VolumeUnusual Trading VolumeGET 30 DAYS OF MARKETBEAT ALL ACCESS FREESign up for MarketBeat All Access to gain access to MarketBeat’s full suite of research tools:
- Best-in-Class Portfolio MonitoringView the latest news, buy/sell ratings, SEC filings and insider transactions for your stocks. Compare your portfolio performance to leading indices and get personalized stock ideas based on your portfolio.
- Stock Ideas and RecommendationsGet daily stock ideas from top-performing Wall Street analysts. Get short term trading ideas from the MarketBeat Idea Engine. View which stocks are hot on social media with MarketBeat’s trending stocks report.
- Advanced Stock Screeners and Research ToolsIdentify stocks that meet your criteria using seven unique stock screeners. See what’s happening in the market right now with MarketBeat’s real-time news feed. Export data to Excel for your own analysis.Â
Thank you for subscribing to MarketBeat!
We empower individual investors to make better investment decisions by delivering real-time financial information and unbiased market analysis.
If you need assistance with your account, please contact our U.S. based support team at contact@marketbeat.com.
If you desire to unsubscribe or change which newsletters you receive, you can modify your email preferences or unsubscribe from these emails.
© 2006-2026 MarketBeat Media, LLC.
345 North Reid Place, Suite 620, Sioux Falls, SD 57103. United States of America..
Today’s Bonus Content: How this scanner filters 15,000 stocks every morning(From StocksToTrade)
RJ Hamster 