The travel and tourism industry has staged one of the most robust comebacks of the post-pandemic era. U.S. travel spending alone is projected to grow 3.9% in 2025 to $1.35 trillion, with further growth to $1.46 trillion expected by 2028 on an inflation-adjusted basis. Globally, travel spending could rise as much as 9% this year. These numbers underscore a powerful trend: consumers continue to prioritize experiences over goods. From cruises to booking platforms, travel companies are benefiting from record demand. Yet investors must recognize the diversity of the sector—some stocks resemble technology companies with scalable platforms, while others are asset-heavy operators more exposed to fuel and tariff risks. Booking, Expedia, and Tripadvisor: Digital Gatekeepers of Travel Booking Holdings ( BKNG ) sits atop the online travel ecosystem with platforms like Booking.com, Priceline, and Kayak. The company reported a 13% increase in gross bookings and 16% revenue growth in its latest quart...

Gold is back in the spotlight after futures surged to fresh highs, buoyed by expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates later this month. A stronger-than-expected rally has pushed gold prices up roughly 34% this year, with the metal recently touching $3,547 per troy ounce—just shy of its all-time peak. Silver has joined the rally, hitting a 14-year high of $40.76 per ounce. The upward momentum comes as inflation data reinforced the case for monetary easing. With gold offering no yield, it typically gains appeal when borrowing costs fall, making it more attractive relative to bonds. At the same time, geopolitical uncertainty and renewed pressure on Fed independence have amplified safe-haven demand. Analysts say that worries over U.S. institutional stability, following political moves to pressure the central bank, have only added fuel to the rally. Leveraged Gold Funds: Big Wins, Bigger Risks For some investors, the rally has been nothing short of spectacular. Leverage...

Bitcoin began the week on fragile footing, hovering near $108,600 after briefly bouncing from a weekend low of $107,500. The world’s largest cryptocurrency has shed nearly 10% since mid-August, when it reached a high of $124,500. September is adding to investor unease—historically, the month has averaged nearly a 4% decline for Bitcoin since 2013, earning it the nickname “Rektember.” ETF flows reflect the shifting sentiment. U.S. spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds logged $126 million in outflows on August 29, ending a six-week streak of steady inflows. For the month, Bitcoin products lost $751 million, a sharp reversal from the $6 billion inflows seen in July. Analysts warn that failing to hold support between $112,000 and $115,000 could open the door to a deeper slide toward $103,000. Still, underlying conviction remains. Bitcoin’s “realized capitalization”—a measure of coins priced at their last transaction value—has climbed to a record $1.05 trillion, signaling that long-term holder...

Intel ( INTC ) has become the first major test case in President Donald Trump’s plan to reshape U.S. industrial policy. The administration recently converted billions in CHIPS Act funding into an equity deal, securing a 10% government stake in the struggling chipmaker. The move marks a shift from grants to ownership—what Trump himself called, “I want a piece of the action for the American taxpayer.” For Intel, the deal underscores its importance to U.S. national security, but also its precarious position. The company has fallen behind rivals in advanced semiconductor production, even as demand for chips powering artificial intelligence and cloud computing continues to surge. Intel’s Fundamentals Still in Question Despite a +26% rally in the past month, Intel’s stock slipped -2.33% this week as investors weighed the long-term implications. Analysts remain cautious. TD Cowen reiterated a Hold rating with a $20 price target, noting Intel’s problems are “technical and competitive” rather t...

Alibaba ( BABA ) shares surged nearly 9% after the Chinese e-commerce giant posted stronger-than-expected quarterly profit, even as revenue narrowly missed Wall Street forecasts.  Net income for the fiscal first quarter came in at $5.9 billion, well above the $3.7 billion analysts expected. Revenue totaled $34.6 billion, slightly below estimates of $35 billion, reflecting pressures from China’s fierce e-commerce price war. Operating income slipped 3% to about $4.9 billion, while overall adjusted EBITA declined 14% year over year to 38.8 billion yuan. Despite those weaker margins, investors responded positively to growth in strategic areas such as artificial intelligence and cloud computing, helping push the stock higher to $130.20 in early U.S. trading.   AI and Cloud Provide a Growth Engine Alibaba’s results highlighted how the company is leaning on AI and cloud technology to offset challenges in its core commerce business. Revenue from the Cloud Intelligence Group rose 26% y...

Dell Technologies ( DELL ) delivered its strongest quarter on record, fueled by booming demand for artificial intelligence servers. Revenue for the fiscal second quarter jumped 19% year over year to $29.8 billion, outpacing expectations of $29 billion. Adjusted earnings of $2.32 a share also topped estimates. Cash flow from operations nearly doubled to $2.5 billion, a sign of strong execution. The company’s Infrastructure Solutions Group, which houses server and networking products, was the clear standout. Revenue surged 44% to $16.8 billion, driven by a 69% jump in servers and networking. Dell shipped $8.2 billion worth of AI servers during the quarter, already surpassing last year’s full-year total. Backlog remained hefty at $11.7 billion, though lower than the $14.4 billion reported in the prior quarter. Margins Under Pressure as AI Demand Ramps Despite record sales, shares of Dell slid as much as 11% following the results—the steepest intraday drop in nearly five months. Investors ...

Marvell Technology ( MRVL ) posted second-quarter fiscal 2026 results that initially appeared strong.  Revenue rose 58% year over year to $2.006 billion, powered by surging demand in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure. Adjusted earnings per share came in at $0.67, matching expectations. The company also notched a record for quarterly revenue, driven primarily by its data center business. Yet the stock plunged more than 16% after the report, with shares trading around $65. The sharp decline reflects investor disappointment with Marvell’s outlook. Management guided for roughly flat data center sales in the third quarter, despite AI being the company’s largest growth engine. AI Demand Remains High, but Growth Proves Uneven Data center revenue surged 69% year over year to $1.49 billion, making up nearly three-quarters of total sales. However, that pace marked a slowdown from the prior quarter’s 76% growth, signaling “lumpiness” in hyperscale AI deployments. CEO Matt Murphy att...