Google’s Alphabet Surpasses Apple, Claims No. 2 Spot Behind Nvidia in Market Value

Posted on January 9, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Alphabet surpassed Apple Inc. to rise to the second-most valuable company in terms of market capitalization, demonstrating how the parent company of Google has become one of the biggest beneficiaries of artificial intelligence.

Alphabet’s stock increased by 2.4 percent on Wednesday, closing at a valuation of $3.89 trillion. It was able to overtake Apple, which ended Wednesday with a market capitalization of $3.85 trillion after a six-day decline that erased nearly 5% of its value, or $200 billion.

The difference grew even more on Thursday with Apple opening 1.2 percent lower and Alphabet rising 1.1 percent. Since 2019, Alphabet has not surpassed Apple in size. NVIDIA Corp. continues to be the biggest stock, with a valuation of $4.6 trillion.

Alphabet is currently the best-performing of the Magnificent Seven, with shares rising more than 65% since 2025.

The increasing perception that Alphabet is well-suited in many important areas of AI accounts for a large portion of its strength.

Concerns about competition from businesses like OpenAI were allayed by positive reviews for the company’s most recent Gemini AI model, and its tensor processing unit chips are thought to be a major factor in future revenue growth.

INTC Dips as Trump Hails ‘Great Meeting’ with Embattled Intel’s Lip-Bu Tan

Posted on January 9, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Intel Corp. met with President Donald Trump and Chief Executive Officer Lip-Bu Tan on Thursday at the White House. ” The stock dipped by about 4% at Thursday’s trading session.

The two men discussed the company’s progress on its new line of processors following the U.S. government’s acquisition of shares in the chipmaker. Trump praised what he called progress at Santa Clara, California-based Intel, in a post to his Truth Social network. The company’s stock has risen more than 70% since plans to purchase up to 10% of it surfaced last year.

The United States currently owns 5.5 percent of the company, and more is expected to be acquired. Trump wrote, “I just finished a great meeting with the very successful Intel CEO, Lip-Bu Tan.” Both Intel and we struck a fantastic deal. Our country is determined to bring leading-edge chip manufacturing back to America, and that is exactly what is happening!!!”

Tan has acted quickly to stabilize the struggling chipmaker’s business since becoming CEO in March. Besides the US investment, Nvidia Corp. and SoftBank Group Corp. have also purchased stakes worth billions of dollars. Intel’s stock price has increased as a result of the deal, but the company still needs to demonstrate that new products will regain lost market share. Tan stated that Intel began shipping its first sub-2-nanometer 18A products on schedule at the end of 2025 during an industry conference this week.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. remains the company’s primary supplier for the production of some chips. Although the US has not yet benefited as much from its holdings, Trump claimed in his post that the government had made “Tens of Billions of Dollars for the American People.” The US stake was valued at $5.7 billion when it was acquired in August. A significant portion of the government’s ownership remains dependent on upcoming events.

Elon Musk’s xAI Bleeds $8 Billion—Is the Optimus Robot Plan Worth the Cost?

Posted on January 9, 2026January 9, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence startup, xAI, is rapidly incurring losses as it invests in developing software that will eventually power humanoid robots, building data centers, and hiring talent. According to the documents examined by Bloomberg, XAI reported a net loss of $1.46 billion for the September quarter, up from $1 billion in the first quarter.

It spent $7.8 billion in cash during the first nine months of the year. According to people familiar with the situation, xAI is rapidly utilizing the money it raised in recent funding rounds, just like other rapidly expanding AI startups.

This was stated in both its most recent earnings report and a call that xAI executives had with investors. The company informed investors that its objective is to develop self-sufficient AI, which will eventually power humanoid robots, such as Optimus, a Tesla robot designed to replace human labor.

xAI leadership, including Chief Revenue Officer Jon Shulkin, informed investors during the investor call that the company’s primary focus now is on developing AI agents and other software quickly. Until it can eventually power Optimus, those products will feed into what Musk has described as “Macrohard,” a term that refers to an AI-only software company.

The name is a play on “Microsoft.” Investors were informed by the company’s executives that xAI had the resources to keep up its aggressive spending.

The quick development of AI was described in documents as “escape velocity,” a term taken from astrodynamics that Musk frequently uses to discuss how quickly his businesses, like Space Exploration Technologies, can expand.

Ripple Scores Major Boost: Former BlackRock VP Underscores XRP ETF’s $1B Volume Strength

Posted on January 9, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Former BlackRock vice president John Gillen discussed systemic stress, investor psychology, and XRP ETF flows.

Many market participants have become impatient after months of waiting for a clear rally, despite strong ETF performance. Although the price action hasn’t yet reflected it institutional sentiment might be shifting. Gillen highlighted the fatigue visible throughout the market in the video.

He remarked, “It exhausts a lot of people.” He also mentioned the ongoing demand for products traded on cryptocurrency exchanges. “There’s an XRP ETF that I think has done over a billion dollars of volume,” he said, noting “strong inflows into the Solana ETFs.”

At that level, volume indicates participation rather than desertion. Gillen provided a clear assessment to support that view. He stated, “There is still a market for these things.”

He disagreed with the idea that major digital assets are no longer relevant, emphasizing the difference between low pricing and high ETF activity.

The $1 billion trading volume shows that institutions remain interested in XRP, supporting Gillen’s comments. He didn’t criticize XRP directly but used it as an example of sustained participation despite low enthusiasm. Gillen also connected macro conditions to his outlook. His thesis, he said, has “always been that eventually something is gonna break in the system.”

He mentioned the unpredictability of the housing and private credit markets. He stressed that pressure is still building, but did not predict the exact timing. Although XRP hasn’t seen a major pump, volume and interest continue, and the journey is far from over.

S&P Global Forecasts Massive Copper Deficit Driven by AI and Military Growth

Posted on January 8, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

The race for artificial intelligence and rising defense spending will exacerbate a predicted copper shortage as producers struggle to grow, according to a recent study by S&P Global.

In a report supported by the mining sector, S&P Global stated on Thursday that demand growth is quickening at the same time that mine supply is reaching structural limits, increasing the possibility that copper will become a barrier to economic expansion and technological advancement.

Copper has risen to record highs above $13,000 per metric ton in London due to numerous mine outages and traders’ efforts to hoard the metal in the US in anticipation of potential tariffs by the Trump administration

Although prices have surpassed levels suggested by underlying consumption due to the flow of copper into US warehouses, new areas of demand indicate an even tighter market in the long run.
According to S&P Global, the demand for copper will increase by 50% from current levels to 42 million metric tons by 2040.

Most copper demand still comes from traditional sources like construction, appliances, transportation, and power generation, but the largest portion of growth is coming from energy-transition uses like batteries, electric vehicles, renewable energy, and grid expansion.

Copper consumption associated with AI infrastructure and data centers is predicted to soar as the installed capacity of data centers worldwide nearly quadruples by 2040. According to the study, demand from AI, data centers, and international defense spending could almost triple by 2040, adding 4 million tons of consumption.

Humanoid robots are another possible source of demand, according to S&P Global. Even though the technology is still in its infancy, 1 billion humanoid robots operating by 2040 would require roughly 1.6 million metric tons of copper.

Ripple: Regulatory Calm Could Unlock SWIFT-XRP Integration

Posted on January 8, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Crypto Sensei” pieced together several developments that, when considered collectively, depict a far more permissive environment for XRP, tokenization, and bank-led crypto services than many investors may be aware.

Gottfried Leibbrandt, a former CEO of Swift, made the headline claim when he recently stated that once regulatory volatility and legal uncertainty subside, Swift could integrate “native currencies like XRP.” Without clear regulations, “the benefits do not outweigh the costs” for institutions that might otherwise use volatile cryptocurrency assets for settlement, according to Sensei, who emphasizes that the problem is not technology but rather bank risk appetite.

He saw this as structural pressure rather than a “crypto roadmap,” since ISO-native payment systems like RippleNet will be in a better position once legacy formats and paper checks are phased out.

He reiterates a point that is frequently overlooked in online discussions: payment systems, not tokens themselves, are subject to ISO compliance.
A recent clip of Fed Chair Jerome Powell declaring that US banks are “perfectly able to serve crypto customers” as long as operations are safe, sound, and compliant is heavily referenced in the video.

According to Sensei, the Fed, FDIC, and OCC replaced their earlier, more stringent joint crypto statements with principles-based guidance in 2025. Sensei contends that instead of developing intricate crypto rails internally, banks are more likely to “white-label” infrastructure from companies like Ripple, Circle, Fireblocks, or Coinbase.

He believed that a sizable portion of institutional traffic could be discreetly routed through XRP-enabled systems without ever being advertised by brands.

Chevron Vessels Head to Venezuela After Dark Fleet’s Sudden Retreat

Posted on January 8, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Chevron became the sole exporter of the nation’s oil after President Nicolas Maduro was overthrown, and a small fleet of ships it had reserved is now sailing to Venezuela.

According to preliminary data compiled by Bloomberg, at least 11 ships are expected to arrive at the Venezuelan-controlled ports of Jose and Bajo Grande, indicating that Chevron will export more Venezuelan oil this month than last.

All eyes are on the Houston- based company to see if it will begin exporting more Venezuelan crude after US President Donald Trump stated that he wanted “total access” to Venezuela’s enormous reserves .

Chevron is the only Western company with a license from the Treasury Department to produce and export crude oil in Venezuela. It manages the transportation of the crude to fuel producers in the US Gulf and East Coast markets, accounting for nearly 25% of the country’s production. “Chevron continues to prioritize the SA.

” Chevron is still loading oil despite at least 12 ships headed for Venezuela being turned away due to a strong US military presence in the Caribbean to impose an oil blockade. The US naval blockade captured two tankers transporting sanctioned crude. According to CBS News, the US is currently pursuing a third tanker, Marinera, also known as Bella 1.

The 11 chartered ships expected to arrive in January would be the most since 12 tankers loaded in October. Data shows nine tankers loaded with oil in December, including shipments from Chevron and oil that the US government had seized. The combined capacity of the 11 tankers is 152, 152,000 barrels of oil per day, more than the 123, 123,000 barrels per day loaded for the US in December. Vessel movements monitored by Bloomberg show that two of the eleven ships are currently docked, and one has already loaded.

All of the oil is sent to US refineries such as Marathon Petroleum, Phillips 66, and Valero Energy Corp. To ease a domestic glut caused by export backlogs during the naval blockade, the oil major is removing oil. Petroleos de Venezuela SA, the nation’s state oil company, may have to start plugging wells unless Chevron exports oil.

U.S Government Eyes $1.5 Trillion Military Budget, Vows Crackdown on Defense Firm Payouts

Posted on January 8, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

President Donald Trump called for a $500 billion annual increase in defense spending in a bewildering series of social media posts on Wednesday.

Major defense contractor shares plummeted as traders tried to decipher the White House’s intentions and whether they would ever materialize in light of the seemingly contradictory series of announcements.

It all started with a demand that addressed a long-standing issue for Trump: major government-affiliated defense contractors must cease stock buybacks, cease paying dividends, and cap executive compensation at $5 million annually until they increase their investments in factories and research to accelerate development. Trump codified the decision in an executive order a few hours later.

Additionally, he specifically mentioned RTX Corp. in another post. manufacturer of the well-known Patriot missile system
Whether a president can order how private businesses allocate their capital is still up for debate. However, while denouncing RTX, Trump also promised to increase defense spending by more than 50% to $1.5 trillion for 2027, a move that would generate significant profits for the company and its competitors. He made this demand via social media once more. Trump posted on social media, saying, “This will enable us to build the ‘Dream Military’ that we have long been entitled to and, more importantly, that will keep us safe and secure, regardless of foe.”

The rush of actions was both unexpected and consistent with earlier statements made by Trump and Defense Secretary Mark Esper, not Pete Hegseth. In a speech in November, Hegseth called defense contractors accountable and threatened to “fade away” if they didn’t increase their spending on accelerating the production of weapons.

In addition, the administration’s military operations in Iran, Syria, Somalia, Nigeria, Venezuela, and other places during Trump’s first year have only increased its reliance on defense firms. According to the Military Times, the administration has already supervised at least 626 airstrikes, and that was before the attempt to remove Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

President Trump Declares Venezuela Will Turn Over Oil Valued at Up to $3 Billion

Posted on January 7, 2026January 7, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Venezuela would give up to 50 million barrels of oil to the United States, according to President Donald Trump, which would be worth about $2.8 billion at current market prices. He also announced that the cargoes would be sold. The announcement, made late Tuesday and with few details, marked a significant step forward for the US government in its efforts to boost its economic influence in Venezuela and beyond following the weekend overthrow of leader Nicolás Maduro.

It’s also a setback for China, a close ally and previously the country’s largest oil buyer.

Trump posted on social media, saying, “I am pleased to announce that the Interim Authorities in Venezuela will be turning over between 30 and 50 MILLION Barrels of High Quality, Sanctioned Oil to the United States of America.

“This oil will be sold at its market value, and as President of the United States of America, I will be in charge of that money to make sure it is used to help the Venezuelan people.”

The amounts mentioned by Trump would total roughly 30 to 50 days of Venezuelan oil production before the US’s partial blockade, significantly lower than previous levels. Following Trump’s remarks, the US oil benchmark, West Texas Intermediate, dropped as much as 2.4 percent and is currently trading near $56 per barrel.

Requests for additional information were not answered by the White House or the US Energy Department.

Venezuela’s production has sharply declined due to decades of neglect and the departure of many foreign oil companies despite having the largest proven crude reserves in the world. Today, less than 1% of the world’s supply comes from Venezuela. According to analysts, a major recovery in output will take years and require billions of dollars in investment.

Copper Defies Gravity: Starts 2026 Higher After Monumental Gains Not Seen Since Post-Crisis 2009

Posted on January 7, 2026January 7, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Copper continued a strong rally after breaking through $13,000 per ton for the first time as investors wagered on a tighter market. after capping the biggest annual gain since 2009 on prospects for a tighter market.

Three-month futures reached a record $13,387 per ton on Tuesday, up 3.1 percent from Monday’s peak. Holdings have moved to the US due to worries that the Trump administration might impose a tariff on refined metal, which could leave the rest of the world short. In the past, inventories served as a buffer, but they are currently locked in the United States.

Base metals have had a very successful start to 2026 with the LMEX Index, which tracks the six major metals, including copper, rising to its highest level since the sector’s peak in March 2022.

This year, supply chain issues have dominated the metals industry, with accidents occurring in copper mines across Chile, Indonesia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Zinc mines have also been disrupted, and increased energy costs and supply constraints in China pose a threat to aluminum production. The threat of US import tariffs remains the primary motivator for copper. The Mercuria Energy Group, Ltd. predicted in November that the rest of the world would experience a severe metal shortage in 2026.

According to Natalie Scott-Gray, senior metals analyst at StoneX Financial Ltd., copper is expected “to be led by sentiment from investors over US copper-specific tariffs, with focus on regional levels of global stocks and material entering the US, rather than underlying global fundamentals” in the upcoming months.