Semis, Ag & FinTech

Executive Summary: The semiconductor industry appears to be entering a heyday, with sales rising on m/m and q/q bases, though not yet y/y. Analysts’ estimates have been rising, managements have been upbeat, and investors have bid up the S&P 500 Semiconductor industry’s share price index by 79% ytd. Everyone’s enthused about the potential impact of the AI revolution on chip demand. … At the other end of the spectrum, meat processors such as Tyson Foods are down on their luck, Jackie reports. … And: Traditional banks are getting a run for their money from forays into fintech by Apple, Walmart, and other heavyweights.