Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Non-Tech : Kirk's Market Thoughts -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Sun Tzu who wrote (10215)	8/14/2020 9:26:16 AM
From: Kirk ©	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 26768

How much higher will they go on this run? AMAT up, but chips also facing some pressure at record highs: At the Open Aug. 14, 2020 9:00 AM ET About: iShares PHLX SOX Semiconductor... (SOXX) By: Kim Khan, SA News Editor Semiconductor stocks are lifting the SPDR Information Technology Sector ETF ( XLK, +0.2%), the only sector in the green ahead of the opening bell. The lift in sentiment is coming from Applied Materials ( AMAT, +3.7%), which beat on FQ3 profit and revenue after the bell yesterday. The stock is enjoying some price-target boosts from the sell side this morning. Stifel analyst Patrick Ho maintains a Buy rating and lifts AMAT's target from $75 to $85, saying the company was "constructively positive" on H2 "even as alarms were being signaled on the memory front” from Micron yesterday. Lam Research ( LRCX, +0.8%), Nvidia ( NVDA, +0.7%) and Intel ( INTC, +0.5%) are among the leaders in the tech sector premarket, although trading is volatile. KLA ( KLAC) is flat. There is a question of how much more room to run there is for semiconductors in this rally. Along with the broader market, chips themselves are also at lofty levels, with the iShares PHLX SOX Semiconductor Sector Index ETF ( SOXX, +0.1%) setting a record close of $302.57 on Wednesday. The six-month performance of chips shows a slight outperformance from the tech sector overall, but behind the high-flying megacaps and momentum names. The SOXX and the VanEck Vectors Semiconductor ETF ( SMH, -0.2%) are up about 13% in the last six months. That compares with XLK’s gain of about 12%. The MicroSectors FANG+ ETN ( FNGS) is up nearly 31% in that time. Sector Watch Also at all-time highs are retailers, even at a time when stores are shuttered all over the U.S. The SPDR Retail Sector ETF ( XRT, -1.2%), which does not have Amazon as a top-10 holding but has big exposure to e-commerce, is struggling despite a better-than-expected rise in core retail sales for July and upward revisions for June. This may be another area that has trouble pushing further into record territory without some support form the rest of the market and more clarity on the economic situation, especially regarding fiscal stimulus. seekingalpha.com