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Latest PCE report: • Headline inflation: +0.4% m/m (vs. +0.5% expected) • Core inflation: +0.2% m/m (vs. +0.2% expected) The Fed’s preferred inflation gauge showed price pressures easing from the previous month. Meanwhile, Q1 corporate profits rose 10.4% year over year.

Costco is winning over price-conscious consumers as fuel costs climb. “That investment in everyday-low-price positioning during a period of macroeconomic uncertainty is classic Costco,” said @Bhayes135, stock strategist at Zacks Investment Research. Higher gas prices helped drive stronger-than-expected sales, as more shoppers turned to Costco’s lower-priced fuel and value-focused offerings. Reporting by @NickPBrown and Juveria Tabassum via @Reuters. reuters.com/business/retai…

WATCH: Why @andrewrocco1 believes $MU and $SNDK memory chip stocks are at the beginning of their "climactic blow-off top" moves and the growth potential they have for training AI models. @joshuahlipton @YahooFinance finance.yahoo.com/video/memory-c…

What matters most for markets right now?

Dell $DELL delivered a blockbuster earnings report. • EPS growth: +213.5% • Sales growth: +87.5% • Raised full-year revenue guidance to $167B • Raised EPS guidance 62.2% above consensus The company cited record AI server orders and a growing AI backlog. Dell's COO said the “AI opportunity shows no signs of slowing.”

The U.S. and Iran reached a memorandum of understanding that would: • Extend the ceasefire for 60 days • Continue nuclear negotiations • Begin reopening the Strait of Hormuz The agreement still awaits final approval. Do you think a final deal gets done?

Do you think the AI-driven bull market still has room to run?

Micron’s explosive rally may not be the clear bullish signal investors think it is. “Micron looks like it is going to see a climax move soon,” said @andrewrocco1, stock strategist at Zacks Investment Research. “Typically climax moves show up in extreme technicals before they show up in weaker fundamentals.” Despite becoming one of the top-performing stocks in the S&P 500 this year amid surging AI demand, some analysts warn Micron’s unusually low valuation and rapid momentum could signal growing risks beneath the surface. Reporting by @RyanVlastelica via @business. bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

Is the AI boom really that different from the dot-com era? In the latest Zacks Market Edge podcast, @TraceyRyniec and Mark Vickery look back at the late-1990s tech boom and compare it to today’s AI rally. One key point: even in 1999, companies like Cisco, Intel, Dell, and Microsoft were making billions from the internet build-out. So is “this time is different” really the right argument?

Keep an eye on the AI infrastructure stocks. With the hyperscalers expected to spend over $700 billion this year on AI investments, that's real money that is going somewhere. It's working its way through the manufacturing economy. Someone is building the data centers. Someone is cooling them. Someone is powering them.

Kevin Matras remains bullish on the AI-driven market rally. “With these sharp double-digit earnings growth expectations throughout the year, I'm expecting another double-digit market gain as well. And I'm expecting 20%, if not more, as the historic AI boom continues.” Markets are also watching new Fed Chair Kevin Warsh, who is expected to favor rate cuts sooner rather than later. @KevinMatras

"Growth stocks are soaring this year, and the Invesco $QQQ is up more than 18% so far, while Cathie Wood’s ARK Innovation ETF $ARKK is down on the year. ARK Invest’s flagship fund focused on “disruptive innovation” still manages about $6.5 billion in assets, but that is a steep decline from its peak of roughly $28 billion in 2021. It remains to be seen whether Cathie Wood can regain investor confidence and deliver sustained outperformance in a market that has rewarded more profitable, cash-generating technology leaders over speculative growth lately." — Neena Mishra, CFA, FRM, Director of ETF Research at Zacks

Memory Supercycle: Why $MU & $SNDK Are Set for a Grand Finale zacks.com/commentary/292… @ZacksResearch

Full conversation: zacks.com/stock/news/292…

There may be more to the space trade than just SpaceX. One company catching attention: Starfighters Space $FJET. Zacks’ Brian Bolan recently spoke with CEO Tim Franta and said he “heard opportunity after opportunity” discussing the company’s RD and TE business. Starfighters recently announced a $17.5M financing deal, with the stock surging more than 40% intraday. As interest in the space sector continues to grow, FJET is one stock Brian says should be on your space radar. @BBolan1

Earnings season may be winding down, but the results have been impressive. S&P 500 earnings growth is now on pace for: • Q1’26: +24.1% • Q2’26 estimate: +21.0% • Q3’26 estimate: +18.1% • Q4’26 estimate: +20.0% AI-related companies have once again been the standout theme this season.

$ASTS : Eliminating Dead Zones With Best-In-Breed Satellite Tech zacks.com/commentary/292… @ZacksResearch

Despite continued traffic growth and a 26% jump in U.S. e-commerce sales, Walmart shares fell after the retailer maintained its conservative full-year guidance amid ongoing fuel-cost pressures and cautious consumer spending trends. “Walmart has been one of the few megacap retail names trading near multi-year highs, and an affirmed outlook for the full year simply was not enough to push shares higher,” said @Bhayes135, CFA, stock strategist at Zacks Investment Research. Reporting by Juveria Tabassum and @NickPBrown via @Reuters. reuters.com/business/walma…

Today we closed our 4th 100%+ winner in 2026 in the Technology Innovators portfolio I manage for @ZacksResearch $ARM Congrats to all who took the trade!