The Motley Fool

JANUARY 11, 2025

Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) made headlines late last week when it announced it would spend $80 billion this year building data centers that would train artificial intelligence (AI) models and handle AI and cloud-based applications around the world. More than half of the investment will be in the U.S. To put the amount Microsoft is spending on AI infrastructure in perspective, that is more than the gross domestic product (GDP) of many countries, including Croatia and Lithuania (to name just two).

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Financial Times M&A

JANUARY 11, 2025

Total value of large private equity deals in Europe increased at twice the rate of the rest of world in 2024

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The Motley Fool

JANUARY 11, 2025

The AI revolution may still be in its early innings as tech giants and start-ups invest mountains of cash into AI infrastructure. Microsoft is reportedly set to spend an incredible $80 billion on AI data centers this year, a strong sign that heavy spending on AI is going to continue in the foreseeable future. While betting on the big AI players might make sense, some smaller companies are worth considering.

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FinSMEs

JANUARY 11, 2025

Zug, Switzerland, 11th January 2025, Chainwire The post Blockchain Gaming Documentary Explores Indie Game Development in Web3 and the Polkadot Ecosystem appeared first on FinSMEs.

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The Motley Fool

JANUARY 11, 2025

When it comes to looking at stocks that will benefit the most from artificial intelligence (AI) , the technology sector is front and center. However, it is not the only sector set to benefit. Companies in the energy midstream space are also poised to get a nice boost because AI training and inference are very energy-intensive endeavors. According to Bank of America , electricity demand for data centers is forecast to rise between 10% to 15% a year between now and 2030 and could make up 5% of all

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The Big Picture

JANUARY 11, 2025

The weekend is here! Pour yourself a mug of Colombia Tolima Los Brasiles Peaberry Organic coffee, grab a seat outside, and get ready for our longer-form weekend reads: Learn smart lessons from the L.A. fires, not stupid lessons : Ignore the political propaganda. We live in a world with more fires now, and we need to prepare for it. Ignore the political propaganda.

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The Motley Fool

JANUARY 11, 2025

Chevron (NYSE: CVX) already produces a lot of cash. The oil giant had hauled in more than $10 billion in free cash flow during the first nine months of last year, giving it a bounty to pay dividends and repurchase shares. It's working to produce an even bigger gusher of excess cash by 2026, with it in the position to increase its annual tally by $6 billion to $8 billion.

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The Motley Fool

JANUARY 11, 2025

Warren Buffett, the famed investor and one of the world's wealthiest individuals, built his fortune primarily through his holding company, Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A) (NYSE: BRK.B). Today, Berkshire Hathaway is worth nearly $1 trillion; its success is the culmination of a buy-and-hold strategy for numerous private businesses and stakes in public corporations.

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The Motley Fool

JANUARY 11, 2025

In this podcast, Motley Fool co-founder David Gardner kicks off 2025 by revisiting five timeless lessons drawn from classic Rule Breaker Investing episodes spanning nearly a decade of weekly podcasts. He's got insight on the surprising advantage of never selling, the folly of waiting for dips, the power of choosing stocks of stellar employers, and how great leaders transform intuition into intentional culture.

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The Motley Fool

JANUARY 11, 2025

If you receive Social Security retirement benefits, more money should be coming your way this month. In October, the Social Security Administration (SSA) announced a 2.5% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). This benefit increase became effective on Jan. 1, 2025. However, retirees probably shouldn't celebrate too much. There's a big problem with the 2025 Social Security COLA.

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The Motley Fool

JANUARY 11, 2025

Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. See the 10 stocks The S&P 500 is just a few percentage points off a record high, sports a relatively expensive valuation , and is coming off back-to-back years of massive gains. But many energy stocks have inexpensive valuations and high yields, making them good buys for value and passive-income investors.

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The Motley Fool

JANUARY 11, 2025

"Digital labor" used to be a synonym for the gig economy. You were part of that movement if your work was done online, or if your jobs were assigned by a central platform in the cloud. I've been living that life for nearly two decades now; popular examples of this digital labor approach include the Uber (NYSE: UBER) ride-sharing service and the Fiverr International (NYSE: FVRR) gig-connecting service for digital freelancers.

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The Motley Fool

JANUARY 11, 2025

The artificial intelligence (AI) trend has given big boosts to the share prices of Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE: TSM) over the past year. The two chipmakers' stocks rose by 204% and 121%, respectively, during the period, crushing the 35% gains recorded by the PHLX Semiconductor Sector index. The massive demand for powerful chips capable of handling AI workloads in data centers has played a central role in driving those share price gains, with major cloud ser

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The Motley Fool

JANUARY 11, 2025

Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) has offered investors good news on many occasions in recent years. From reports of record revenue and high demand for its new products to an invitation last year to join the Dow Jones Industrial Average , the chipmaker has been on fire. This is because Nvidia has built an empire in today's hottest growth area: artificial intelligence (AI).

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The Motley Fool

JANUARY 11, 2025

If you have $1,000 to put to work buying equities today, there are plenty of attractive dividend stocks to consider. Three of the most interesting right now are Rexford Industrial (NYSE: REXR) , Realty Income (NYSE: O) , and EPR Properties (NYSE: EPR) , with yields ranging from 4.3% to 7.6%. Here's a look at each one of these high-yield real estate investment trusts (REITs) to get you started. 1.

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The Motley Fool

JANUARY 11, 2025

Lockheed Martin 's (NYSE: LMT) F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter jet is the gift that keeps on giving. Estimated to be worth $1 trillion in total lifetime value , the F-35 warplane remains easily Lockheed's most important product. And this was demonstrated once again just late last year, when the week before Christmas saw the Pentagon deliver three gifts to Lockheed Martin worth $15.5 billion in total.

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The Motley Fool

JANUARY 11, 2025

Last year was fantastic for the markets in general, but the index that really stood out was the Nasdaq. It climbed 28%, while the S&P 500 rose 23% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average increased 12%. The Nasdaq, heavily weighted in technology companies, surged as investors piled into the industry's hottest new area: artificial intelligence (AI) stocks.

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The Motley Fool

JANUARY 11, 2025

I'm certain that many readers have shopped at either Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ: COST) or Home Depot (NYSE: HD) -- or both -- at least once. These two retailers have generated combined revenue of $407 billion in their latest fiscal years. And over the long term, they have both generated strong returns for shareholders. If we view things with a fresh perspective, which of these top retail stocks is the better one to buy right now?

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The Motley Fool

JANUARY 11, 2025

McDonald's (NYSE: MCD) , the world's largest fast-food chain, is often considered a reliable stock for long-term investors. But over the past 12 months, the stock has stayed nearly flat as the S&P 500 has advanced nearly 24%. Many investors shunned McDonald's as it grappled with slowing comparable store sales and an E. coli outbreak in the U.S. from September to October 2024.

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The Motley Fool

JANUARY 11, 2025

If you're looking for a top dividend stock to own , you want to be sure to consider whether it increases its payout and keep track of how quickly it normally does so. The rate of increases can be key to ensuring that inflation isn't eating up your dividend income over time. It also demonstrates to investors just how committed the company is to increasing the dividend.

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The Motley Fool

JANUARY 11, 2025

Warren Buffett is the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway , a holding company with a $296 billion portfolio of publicly traded stocks and securities, in addition to several wholly owned subsidiaries. It also has a $325 billion pile of cash, which Buffett and his team can deploy when they find new opportunities. Since Buffett became CEO in 1965, Berkshire stock has delivered a compound annual return of 19.8%, crushing the average annual gain of 10.4% in the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) over the same perio

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The Motley Fool

JANUARY 11, 2025

ChargePoint (NYSE: CHPT) is a story stock. With a large network of electric vehicle (EV) charging locations, it is an important piece of the transition from combustion engines to EVs. This is a good story and one that is starting to gain traction, as EVs become more and more prevalent. But there's one small problem that investors need to consider here when they try to determine if ChargePoint is a potential millionaire maker.

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The Motley Fool

JANUARY 11, 2025

Listening to what industry leaders say about the future of artificial intelligence (AI) is key to being a successful investor. One of the AI leaders is Nvidia 's (NASDAQ: NVDA) CEO and founder, Jensen Huang. Because Nvidia makes the hardware that powers these AI models, Huang has a great feel for the pulse of the industry and has identified a key trend: agentic AI.

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The Motley Fool

JANUARY 11, 2025

Regarding coffee chains, most of the focus centers on Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX). This makes sense, as the industry leader has grown from a regional name to an international sensation in its 33 years as a publicly-traded company. But with Starbucks now a mature business, the market may have its next big coffee stock with the emergence of Dutch Bros (NYSE: BROS).

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The Motley Fool

JANUARY 11, 2025

As one of the most respected portfolio managers in the world and chairman of Berkshire Hathaway , Warren Buffett continues to motivate value investors around the world. His investment formula is comprised of two parts -- knowing and understanding the company's business and execution capabilities in detail, and purchasing at a reasonable valuation. Although it's an easy formula, it's far more difficult to put it into practice.

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The Motley Fool

JANUARY 11, 2025

Putting $1,000 into any investment is a significant commitment, with the obvious goal of maximizing your return and minimizing your losses. One fantastic way to do that is with an exchange-traded fund (ETF), which allows you to buy shares like you would a stock and can be purchased with small amounts of money. If you've got $1,000 to invest right now, there are some very good reasons that money should go into an ETF that tracks the S&P 500.

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Exchange-Traded Funds Investing Funds Returns 245

The Motley Fool

JANUARY 11, 2025

2024 was a phenomenal year for most mega-cap growth stocks, which helped lead broader indexes like the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) to new heights. Still, some investors may be concerned that the rally is a bit overextended. Even weak companies can see their stock prices rise when investors are optimistic. However, over time, the best-performing stocks are businesses that deliver on investor expectations and continue to innovate.

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The Motley Fool

JANUARY 11, 2025

Uber Technologies (NYSE: UBER) operates the world's largest ride-hailing network, in addition to highly successful food delivery and commercial freight networks. The company is on the cusp of a major transformation thanks to autonomous technologies. Uber has signed 14 partnerships with developers of self-driving cars, robots, and even aircraft so far.

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The Motley Fool

JANUARY 11, 2025

As we roll into a new year, investors are taking stock of the market's performance, and there's much to be thankful for. The Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQINDEX: ^IXIC) led the major indexes higher last year, rising 29% after gaining 43% in 2023. Despite fears to the contrary, history suggests the market could continue to climb higher in 2025. The Nasdaq first began trading in 1972, and in the 13 years following gains of 29% or more, the Nasdaq has been positive on 11 occasions, and in all has generat

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Leveraging Taxes Accounting Shareholders 245

The Motley Fool

JANUARY 11, 2025

Theories abound as to why Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A) (NYSE: BRK.B) is currently sitting on the largest pile of cash in its long and storied history. Over the past year, the "Oracle of Omaha" has overseen his company's large-scale reduction of several key positions including those in Bank of America and Apple. The company's sales of equities through the first nine months of 2024 total $133 billion.

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The Motley Fool

JANUARY 11, 2025

2024 was an excellent year for the stock market as many companies delivered respectable returns to investors. As 2025 begins, investors are looking for opportunities that can deliver solid long-term growth while remaining resilient in a rapidly evolving market. One company that could make it onto investors' radar is Alibaba (NYSE: BABA) , a leading tech giant based in China.

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Leveraging Conglomerates Prospects Shareholders 243

The Motley Fool

JANUARY 11, 2025

Building a portfolio full of high-quality dividend stocks that pay enough to cover your essential living expenses in retirement is a big goal for many investors. Quality dividend payers also tend to raise their dividend each year, more than offsetting inflation most of the time. That means if you can build an annual income big enough to retire on using dividends alone, you may be able to avoid selling any of your shares.

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Exchange-Traded Funds Investment Horizon Portfolios Taxes 243

The Motley Fool

JANUARY 11, 2025

The start of a new year is a great time to review what happened over the last 12 months and take some lessons from it. So, as 2025 gets underway , let's take a quick look back to see the highlights and lowlights from 2024 -- and what could be in store for the year ahead. Start Your Mornings Smarter! Wake up with Breakfast news in your inbox every market day.

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The Motley Fool

JANUARY 11, 2025

The S&P 500 set one all-time high after another in 2024. The benchmark index ended the year up 23%, and that comes on the back of a great 2023 when the index climbed 24%. But for many stocks, prices have climbed faster than improvements in the underlying fundamentals. Investors wouldn't be incorrect to think equities are expensive right now. But even in an expensive market, there are still opportunities for investors.

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The Motley Fool

JANUARY 11, 2025

Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) ended 2024 on a high note, up 44% in 52 weeks. But more importantly, it's coming into the year with all systems go to leverage its e-commerce platform to gain market share and harness the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to supercharge its cloud platform. 2025 is starting off strong, but you should buy stocks that have long-term potential.

Leveraging 242

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The Motley Fool

JANUARY 11, 2025

Last year was a transitional period for W.P. Carey (NYSE: WPC). The diversified real estate investment trust (REIT) spent the latter part of 2023 and the first few months of last year tearing out parts of its portfolio as it exited the office sector and sold off other non-core properties. It used those proceeds to rebuild its portfolio throughout the year, investing a total of $1.6 billion into new properties.

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The Motley Fool

JANUARY 11, 2025

Semiconductor designer Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) has been crushing the stock market in recent years. As a leading hardware provider for the artificial intelligence (AI) boom, Nvidia's sales and profits are soaring. The stock rose 171% in 2024 and more than 720% since OpenAI released the Nvidia-powered ChatGPT system in 2021. Nvidia is the talk of the town and many investors expect its business to keep skyrocketing.

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