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Slice of pie

The US stock market has become the global market over the last 60 years. Will that continue?

Goldman Sachs sees another $300 billion from foreign investors flowing into US stocks this year, even as tariff risks loom and growth forecasts are slashed.

Hyunsoo Rim

Foreign investors hold a record slice of America’s $93 trillion stock market — and they might not let go anytime soon.

As of Q4 2024, overseas investors owned $16.5 trillion, or 18%, of US equities, the highest share on record, according to Federal Reserve data. Thats up from 8% in 2000 and just 2% in the 1950s.

Foreign ownership US stocks
Sherwood News

TINA

As globalization gripped the world, the American stock market became the go-to investment for trillions of dollars of capital. With the world’s largest and most innovative companies like Apple and Nvidia in the United States, if you were an institutional investor in India or an individual in Italy, there was no alternative to buying US stocks.

But with protectionist policies like tariffs looming and US stocks seeing a sluggish start to 2025 — the SPDR S&P 500 Trust is down 3% year-to-date, lagging Europes STOXX 600 (up 9%) and Chinas CSI 300 (up 1%) — is growing foreign ownership a trend that’s likely to continue?

Researchers from Goldman Sachs, led by David Kostin, outlined in a note published Friday why they believe foreign investors will keep buying. They argued that the US market’s size and liquidity — the S&P 500 is 4x the size of Europe’s STOXX 600 and 8x bigger than China’s CSI 300 — makes it impossible to ignore for global investors looking to invest large sums.

Furthermore, though slowing growth has become a concern on Wall Street, Goldman still expects S&P 500 earnings to grow 7% annually in 2025 and 2026, outpacing Europes 4% and 6% growth in the same period. They also observed that a weakening US dollar — which makes US stocks cheaper for overseas buyers — could support buying: the bank expects global investors to pour another $300 billion into US equities this year, roughly matching last year’s inflows.

Of course, any significant deterioration of the fundamental US economic picture could push investors to look elsewhere.

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Nike sinks to lowest level since 2014 after warning of “challenged” sales environment in Q4 report

Did Nike do it?

Investors had a mixed reaction after the global sports apparel company reported its fourth quarter earnings on Tuesday after the bell. Shares initially rose 5% as Nike beat out Wall Street expectations amid a hefty tariff refund bonus. However, the stock then sank to its lowest level since August 2014 in postmarket trading.

Here are the Q4 numbers:

  • Revenue of $11.0 billion (estimate: $10.8 billion).

  • Adjusted earnings per share of $0.20 (estimate: $0.12).

Ahead of this report, Nike warned that results would be flattered by a one-time tariff refund (now estimated at roughly $0.52 per share for the bottom line). That gave the company an extra cushion in snapping its streak of seven quarters of year-over-year profit declines.

Over the past year, the company had been punished by tariffs on imported goods, stagnant consumer spending, and increasing competition from other footwear brands like New Balance, Adidas, and Hoka.

Outgoing CFO Matthew Friend deemed it an “increasingly challenging operating environment, where sell-through remains challenged.”

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Rocket Lab deal lifts space stocks

Shares of Rocket Lab are surging after announcing an $8 billion acquisition of satellite communications operator Iridium Communications, helping lift a broader basket of space-related stocks as investors piled back into the sector.

Planet Labs, AST SpaceMobile and Redwire all traded higher alongside Rocket Lab, extending gains in an industry that has drawn enhanced investor attention in recent months in light of the strategic importance that governments place on space and satellite communications infrastructure.

In a presentation, Rocket Lab’s management called the purchase “a shortcut” for its satellite communications business.

Under the terms of the agreement, Iridium shareholders will receive $27 in cash and Rocket Lab stock, valuing Iridium at $54 per share. Backed by a $3.6 billion bridge loan committed by Deutsche Bank and Wells Fargo, Rocket Lab absorbs Iridium’s globally licensed spectrum and an active base of 2.5 million subscribers.

Rocket Lab has also remained one of the most active launch providers in the sector. The company completed its 12th launch of the year last week, maintaining one of the highest launch cadences among commercial space companies.

Today's rally helps offset a brutal stretch for the group. Rocket Lab shares had fallen over 35% over the prior month, while Planet Labs stock was down more than 40% and AST SpaceMobile stock was down around 30% over the same window.

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Jake Lahut

Comcast shares rise on news of NBCUniversal spinoff deal

Comcast rose on the news that the telecom behemoth is spinning off NBCUniversal and Sky from its cable portfolio. 

Comcast initially jumped up to 17% in early trading, with the deal leaving management to focus on its core verticals of cable, wireless, and business services. 

NBCUniversal and Sky will form a new publicly traded company, similar to Versant Media, the holding company of CNBC and MS NOW that Comcast officially spun off in January. Bravo, one of the most lucrative properties that remained at Comcast, will remain part of NBCUniversal in the deal. The Universal theme parks and studios will also come with the new spinoff entity, along with Telemundo and Peacock.

Mike Cavanagh, the co-CEO of Comcast, will become the CEO for NBCUniversal, according to CNBC. 

The spinoff will be completed in about a year, according to a Comcast company statement. Its shareholders will also own shares in NBCUniversal, according to the same statement.

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