The artificial intelligence (AI) boom has a dirty little secret: The technology is an energy hog of epic proportions. Training an advanced frontier large language model can consume as much electricity as 1,000 U.S. homes use in a year, depending on model size and run time. As Microsoft (MSFT), Amazon (AMZN), and Alphabet (GOOGL) race to build ever-larger AI systems, they’re hitting a wall that has nothing to do…
On July 4, President Trump signed into law a sweeping new tax package that locks in—and in some cases expands—many of the provisions from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). While the headlines have focused on the extension of lower tax rates, there’s a lot more buried in the fine print. And while some parts of the law…
The artificial intelligence (AI) boom promises to revolutionize many industries, but it’s also guaranteed to guzzle a lot of water. Between the water needed to cool computer equipment at data centers and generate the electricity needed for those centers, researchers estimate that global AI demand could account for 4.2 billion to 6.6 billion cubic meters of water withdrawal in 2027. And that’s…
You’ve noticed that there are some stocks, regardless of news or market conditions, that seem to defy gravity, soaring higher day after day while others range. As a momentum trader myself, I can tell you there’s more to catching these rockets than just buying what’s hot. While price action drives these opportunities, you’ll need to master specific indicators, timing techniques,…
There’s little doubt that artificial intelligence is here to stay. It’s just too game-changing to put back in the box now. In fact, we’ve only scratched the surface of its potential usage. Industry research outfit Precedence Research predicts the worldwide AI market will grow at an average annualized pace of over 19% through 2034. This, of course, translates into opportunity…
In an era when political debates make middle school assemblies look like Mensa meetings, it’s no wonder investors are looking for something—anything—reliable. Enter the dividend. Dependable. Predictable. Comforting, even. Like a warm cup of decaf in a world that runs on espresso and outrage. But don’t let that siren song of a 12% yield lull you into financial narcolepsy. Sometimes,…
The tax bill passed by the House of Representatives on May 22 includes some big changes for families. It increases the child tax credit, introduces a new tax-deferred account with government contributions for new babies, expands eligible expenses for health savings accounts, and proposes a tax break for interest on certain car loans. It would also make a variety of…
Rare earth stocks took a hit Friday after China indicated it would approve new exports of rare earth minerals to the U.S. This, after the White House announced a deal had been reached between the two largest economies in the world. The U.S. automotive industry cannot function without a steady supply of rare earth minerals. They’re used for everything from transmissions and…
Dividend stocks are often thought of as income instruments, and they certainly can be. Many retired investors derive a significant portion of their income from dividends, and there are lots of stocks with excellent track records of consistent dividend payments over decades. However, dividend stocks can also be excellent compounding instruments, especially for investors who still have many years until…
If nothing else, a large stockpile of excess cash tells us that a company literally generates more profit that it can spend, which isn’t exactly a bad sign. And regardless of which path the economy takes, they will be in a better position to respond. Should the financial markets suffer some type of shock, there’s nothing more buoyant than U.S…