Sterling Infrastructure surges 174% in E-Infrastructure as data center demand booms

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[1] Sterling's E-Infrastructure Revenues Soar 174%: Can It Keep Winning? (https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/2955005/ster ...)[2] Sterling Infrastructure (STRL) After Strong Q1 And Higher Outlook Raises Fresh Valuation Questions (https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/arti ...)[3] Buy The Dip: 3 Top AI Stocks Averaging 52% Forward EPS Growth (https://seekingalpha.com/article/4922354-buy- ...)[4] 3 Best Data Center ETFs for 2026 and How to Invest (https://www.fool.com/investing/how-to-invest/ ...)[5] Buy 3 Top-Ranked Engineering R&D Services Stocks to Tap AI-Led Growth (https://finance.yahoo.com/technology/ai/artic ...)

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Jul 16 2026, 16:37

Marvell drops 8% as AI capex fears hit chip sector

**A two-day semiconductor rout has erased 31% of Marvell Technology's market value, turning the year's biggest AI chip winner into its sharpest loser as traders question whether hyperscaler spending can sustain the parabolic trade.** Marvell Technology (MRVL) shares dropped 8% to $189 in Thursday midday trading, extending a semiconductor selloff into a second straight session as revised capital-expenditure forecasts from major cloud providers stoked fears of an AI spending slowdown. The stock has now given back 31% over the past month, even as it remains up 125% year to date. "The pullback reflects how crowded the AI-driven semiconductor trade has become," Louis Kondratev, a trader at XFUNDs, told CNBC. "Semiconductors alone now make up roughly 20% of the S&P 500, which is incredibly difficult to sustain." The selling swept across the chip complex. Broadcom (AVGO) fell 3% to $381, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) dropped 5% to $505, and Intel (INTC) slid 5% to $98. The iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) declined 4% to $532, reflecting the breadth of the move. The weakness extended into Asia, where SK Hynix plunged 10.95% in Seoul and Samsung Electronics fell 7.33%, triggering the KOSPI's 37th sidecar of 2026. The selloff is running independently of company-specific news. Marvell reported record Q1 FY2027 revenue of $2.418 billion, up 28% year over year, and guided Q2 to $2.7 billion at the midpoint, implying 35% growth. Chief Executive Officer Matt Murphy cited "exceptional AI-related bookings" and raised the company's fiscal 2027 and 2028 outlooks on the earnings call. **Valuation amplifies the pain.** Marvell carries a trailing price-to-earnings ratio of 65.75x and a beta of 2.2, meaning it magnifies broader chip moves in both directions. Broadcom, by contrast, has run just 10% year to date and trades at a lower multiple, which has kept its drawdown more contained through the week. **Wall Street hasn't walked away.** Despite the selloff, 38 analysts rate Marvell a buy, with five holds and one sell, according to Alpha Vantage data. The consensus price target of $252.56 implies roughly 34% upside from Thursday's level. KeyBanc analyst John Vinh raised his target to $400 on July 14, citing the imminent second-half 2026 volume ramp of Amazon's Trainium 3 processor and a major design win for Google's "Merope" LPU that he projects could generate up to $12 billion over its lifecycle. The bull case rests on those fundamentals remaining intact. The bear case points to stretched multiples, ASIC competition from Broadcom, and the risk that hyperscaler capex plans — which hit $700 billion in aggregate 2026 spending plans — could face downward revisions if cloud revenue growth decelerates. For investors, the near-term question is whether this is a two-day washout or the start of a deeper unwind. The next earnings reports from major cloud providers will provide the clearest signal on whether AI infrastructure budgets are tightening or merely normalizing after an extraordinary buildout. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.

Jul 16 2026, 16:35

Sweetgreen stock drops 2.6% as outbreak fears erase 2026 gains

Sweetgreen stock fell 2.6% to $6.55 on Thursday, erasing its year-to-date gains as a cyclosporiasis outbreak spooked investors despite no confirmed link to the salad chain. "Restaurant stocks have historically rebounded from food-safety scares within about a week, but the uncertainty around this outbreak's source makes the recovery path less predictable," said Medora Lee, a markets reporter at USA TODAY who analyzed the sector's response to past incidents. McDonald's shares recovered in roughly seven days after a 2018 Cyclospora outbreak linked to its salads, according to data compiled by USA TODAY. The selloff extended across the fast-casual sector. Yum! Brands, which owns Taco Bell, fell 0.48% to $151.84 after the chain voluntarily removed lettuce, pico de gallo, guacamole and cilantro from select restaurants as a precaution. Chipotle Mexican Grill slipped 0.07% to $34.60, even as the company said it does not believe its ingredients are affected. Sweetgreen has not issued a public statement. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed 1,645 cases of cyclosporiasis across 34 states, with more than 5,100 additional infections under investigation. Michigan has reported the most cases, tracking over 3,700 infections as of July 15. Health officials have not identified the contaminated source, though Michigan authorities said lettuce could be a possible vector. The parasite, Cyclospora cayetanensis, causes watery diarrhea, nausea, cramping and fatigue, with symptoms appearing two days to two weeks after exposure. The outbreak's diffuse geographic spread and unidentified source raise the risk of prolonged disruption for restaurant chains that rely on fresh produce. Taco Bell's precautionary ingredient removal and Chipotle's public denial of contamination highlight the sector's vulnerability to consumer fear even absent confirmed links. Sweetgreen, which built its brand around fresh salads and bowls, faces particular exposure if the outbreak persists into the key summer dining season. Heating food to 158 degrees Fahrenheit kills the parasite, according to health officials, but the uncooked nature of salad ingredients leaves limited mitigation options for chains like Sweetgreen. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.

Jul 16 2026, 16:30

Bank equity repo positions hit all-time high as hedge funds add leverage

**US bank equity repo positions hit an all-time high in July, driven by hedge funds adding stock leverage even as demand from levered exchange-traded funds cooled.** US bank equity repo positions reached an all-time high this month as hedge funds increased stock leverage, diverging from a pullback in levered ETF demand that concentrates the risk of a forced deleveraging among institutional investors. "The record repo position shows hedge funds are still adding leverage rather than reducing risk," Simon White, a macro strategist at Bloomberg, said in a note. The divergence suggests the source of potential market stress has shifted from retail-oriented levered products to prime brokerage channels. Hedge fund equity sensitivity to the S&P 500 has risen steadily this year, with long-short equity funds posting the largest increase, according to White's analysis. Levered stock ETFs, by contrast, have seen their total market value decline and weekly net inflows slow to near zero. Stock financing rates have edged lower in recent weeks, keeping the cost of leverage low enough to encourage continued borrowing. The record leverage buildup raises the risk of a sharp deleveraging event if financing costs spike or bank balance sheets become congested. White flagged swap spreads as a key early warning signal — when they narrow, it typically indicates banks are running low on capacity to provide leverage, a dynamic that preceded past liquidity crunches. The divergence between hedge fund and ETF leverage marks a shift from earlier in the cycle, when both groups added exposure in tandem. Levered ETF inflows have cooled as retail demand waned, while institutional investors boosted gross exposure through prime brokerage. Stock financing rates remain accommodative, but White noted that historically they can spike with little warning. **Swap Spreads Signal Growing Congestion Risk** Swap spreads — the difference between interest-rate swap rates and government bond yields — are the metric White said investors should watch most closely. When bank balance sheets become crowded, swap spreads typically compress, signaling reduced capacity to intermediate leveraged positions. A sustained narrowing would suggest the banking system is approaching its limits, potentially triggering forced position reductions. The last comparable episode of concentrated hedge fund leverage occurred in early 2020, when a sudden spike in repo rates contributed to a cascade of margin calls and forced selling across equity and credit markets. While current financing conditions remain loose, the record level of leverage means any tightening could amplify a selloff. For equity investors, the key risk is that a liquidity event in the repo market — rather than a fundamental deterioration in corporate earnings — becomes the trigger for the next correction. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.