Daily review and forecast of events on the U.S. stock market from Mikhail Denislamov, Deputy Director of Freedom Capital Markets Research.

Morning in New York: focus on inflation statistics and risks of renewed war

EBAY INC EBAY ORD

GameStop Corp.

Online retailer eBay has rejected GameStop's $56 billion takeover offer. In a letter sent to GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen, the retailer's chairman Paul Pressler called the idea of buying eBay "neither plausible nor attractive," Bloomberg <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-05-12/ebay-rejects-gamestop-s-56-billion-takeover-as-not-credible">writes.</a>

'Implausible and unattractive': eBay rejects takeover by GameStop

BlackRock, Inc.

Billionaire Mark Mobius was also planning a return to the country market

"Quite optimistic": the head of BlackRock assessed the prospects for investment in Venezuela

Microsoft Corporation

NVIDIA Corporation

Recently, demand for OpenAI securities has fallen under pressure from Anthropic's successes

Ceiling for Microsoft: OpenAI to save nearly $100 billion in partner payments for IPO

The sell-off in UK government debt and the fall in the pound accelerated after Labor's election defeat

UK bond yields hit peak since 1998 due to risk of PM's resignation 

Power Solutions International, Inc.

Broadcom Inc.

Meta Platforms, Inc.

In the two months since the war in the Middle East began, the value of the world's largest companies <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/5e9008e6-75dc-438d-8eb0-1b507c426847?syn-25a6b1a6=1">has grown by</a> more than $5.4 trillion. Most of the growth is due not to oil companies, but to the AI boom, the Financial Times has calculated. Total capital spending on AI could exceed $1 trillion in 2027 and reach $800-900 billion this year, analysts at Evercore and Bank of America <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/04/30/ai-boom-big-tech-capital-expenditures-now-seen-topping-1-trillion-in-2027-.html">predict</a>.

Where to invest $10,000: three stocks that could benefit from $1 trillion in AI spending

Apple Inc.

Nintendo Co., Ltd.

Most Wall Street analysts advise buying Apple shares despite modest upside potential

Nintendo's memory chip problems are a wake-up call for Apple. What's the risk to the stock

QUALCOMM Incorporated

Intel Corporation

The UAE, according to The Wall Street Journal, has carried out covert attacks on Iran, becoming the only country besides the US and Israel directly involved in the conflict. Meanwhile, U.S. markets hit record highs amid a rally in the tech sector, despite rising tensions over the conflict with Iran. These and other topics are in our review of key events for the morning of Ma. 12.

Data

TOYO Co., Ltd.

Ardmore Shipping Corporation

Nautilus Biotechnology, Inc.

InvestorPlace analyst Thomas Yeung has <a href="https://investorplace.com/2026/05/3-small-cap-stocks-buy-may-15/">spotlighted</a>&nbsp;three small-cap stocks that investors should consider buying before Friday. That is when the term of Jerome Powell as chair of the Fed expires, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/fed-chief-nominee-warsh-set-clear-key-confirmation-hurdle-wednesday-2026-04-29/">writes</a>&nbsp;Reuters. He is likely to be <a href="https://en.oninvest.com/article/the-u-s-senate-banking-committee-has-endorsed-kevin-warsh-s-nomination-to-head-the-fed">replaced</a>&nbsp;by Kevin Warsh, whose nomination was <a href="https://en.oninvest.com/article/a-man-known-to-everyone-in-the-financial-world-trump-s-pick-for-fed-chief-nominee">put forward</a> in January by U.S. President Trump. Unlike Powell, Warsh has <a href="https://en.oninvest.com/article/definitely-not-trump-s-puppet-five-major-statements-from-the-candidate-to-head-the-us-federal-reserve-board">advocated</a>&nbsp;lower interest rates. Although nearly 96% of traders <a href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html">do not expect</a> such a move from the U.S. central bank, according to CME FedWatch data, Yeung argues that rate cuts still cannot be ruled out.

InvestorPlace analyst spotlights three stocks as Powell ends term as Fed chair

MaxLinear, Inc.

Ichor Holdings, Ltd.

Ultra Clean Holdings, Inc.

Cohu, Inc.

MarketWatch has <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/these-smaller-tech-stocks-are-punching-well-above-their-weight-acefe98d?mod=home_lead">named</a>&nbsp;four "standout gainer" small-cap tech stocks that have outperformed shares of larger peers over the last 12 months. Against the backdrop of booming demand for AI, investors are searching for lesser-known names with significant upside.

MarketWatch: Four smaller tech names that are punching 'well above their weight'

Firefly Aerospace Inc.

Bruker Corporation

A collapse in Spirit Airlines shares after the low-cost carrier halted operations, a rally in Firefly Aerospace on all-time-high revenue and inclusion in the U.S. Golden Dome missile-defense program, Michael Burry’s bet on scientific-equipment maker Bruker, and another sharp selloff in Beyond Meat after a weak guidance were among the biggest stories in the small-cap sector this week, from May 4 through May 8.

Small caps last week: Burry's new bet, Beyond Meat spiraling, Spirit out of business

Bruker beat earnings expectations, maintained its 2026 guidance, pointing to a recovery in orders, while organic sales remain under pressure

Burry-backed scientific instrument maker Bruker jumps on 1Q earnings

Lyft, Inc.

Shares of taxi and car-sharing service Lyft <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/LYFT/">fell nearly 2%</a> in premarket trading on Friday after the company’s first-quarter profits <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-05-07/lyft-forecast-beats-on-gross-bookings-buoyed-by-premium-services?embedded-checkout=true">fell short</a> of Wall Street expectations despite significant investment in international expansion and premium offerings. Lyft’s earnings <a href="https://investor.lyft.com/news-events-presentations/press-releases/detail/197/lyft-reports-strong-q1-2026-financial-results">say</a>&nbsp;those efforts could begin to pay off only in the second quarter.

Lyft misses 1Q profit expectations due to global expansion, higher-end offerings

Small Caps

Important news and analysis of global stock markets, plus crypto, bonds, and ETFs

Investment and Finance News