Squawk on the Street SOTS 2nd Hour: Intel’s Bargaining Chip, Buffett Boosts UnitedHealth, & Janus Henderson’s Top Tech Picks 8/15/25
Aug 15, 2025
Mona Mahajan, Principal and Head of Investment Strategy at Edward Jones, shares insights on the market's new all-time highs, driven by Berkshire Hathaway's investment in UnitedHealth. They discuss the volatile tech landscape, with Janus Henderson favoring Amazon and Microsoft. The conversation dives into Intel’s potential government stake and its implications for innovation. Additionally, they analyze how consumer sentiment is shifting amid inflation and the broader economic landscape, highlighting resilience amidst challenges.
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Soft Sentiment, Steady Markets
- Consumer sentiment dipped but markets remained resilient after recent data.
- Michael Santoli notes soft survey readings haven't translated directly into market weakness.
AI Spending Fuels Earnings Momentum
- Earnings growth and AI spending have driven broad market strength this quarter.
- Edward Jones expects margin expansion and double-digit earnings growth into 2026 tied to AI productivity gains.
Semi-Cap Slowdown From China
- Applied Materials warned of a China-driven revenue shortfall and lumpy demand from TSMC.
- The semi-cap slowdown signals potential broader weakness in equipment spending outside AI-focused areas.