Nasdaq AAPL Apple

Shares of Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) have taken a big hit in recent weeks, pulling back about 9% since Aug. 1. The decline is likely due to a combination of factors, including shares taking a breather after a huge run-up this year and concerns about China's move to ban iPhones at some

Wall Street delivered downbeat performances last week due to rising rates. The S&P 500 (down 1.3%), the Dow Jones (down 0.8%), the Nasdaq (down 1.9%) and the Russell 2000 (down 3.6%) – all slumped last week (read: A Guide to H

Today Apple (AAPL) will hold its annual event to introduce several new products, including its latest iPhone models and Arm Holdings (ARM) inches closer to its hot IPO offering.

The marquee product will certainly be the iPhone 15. Analysts and consumers broadly expect Apple to unveil four models which has been the company's pattern over the past several iterations.

Launched on 11/03/2009, the Schwab U.S. Large-Cap ETF (SCHX) is a passively managed exchange traded fund designed to provide a broad exposure to the Large Cap Blend segment of the US equity market.

The SPDR MSCI USA StrategicFactors ETF (QUS) was launched on 04/15/2015, and is a passively managed exchange traded fund designed to offer broad exposure to the Large Cap Blend segment of the US equity market.

Looking for broad exposure to the Large Cap Blend segment of the US equity market? You should consider the BNY Mellon US Large Cap Core Equity ETF (BKLC), a passively managed exchange traded fund launched on 04/09/2020.

Apple on Tuesday is expected to unveil a new iPhone 15 lineup as questions about market access in China and competition hang over the world's most valuable listed company.

The United States will argue on Tuesday that Google did not play by the rules in its efforts to dominate online search, as a trial seen as a battle for the soul of the internet gets underway before a federal judge in Washington.

The bigger they are, the more they attract each other. That's how gravity works in the physical world. It's why the moon revolves around the Earth and affects our ocean tides.

In today's video, I discuss recent updates impacting various semiconductor companies. Check out the short video to learn more, consider subscribing, and click the special offer link below.

British chip components maker IQE said on Tuesday it was focussed on penetrating Asian markets and growth opportunities from the artificial intelligence (AI) space as it forecast a slower-than-anticipated recovery in the chip industry this year.

Wall Street delivered downbeat performances last week due to rising rates. The S&P 500 (down 1.3%), the Dow Jones (down 0.8%), the Nasdaq (down 1.9%) and the Russell 2000 (down 3.6%) – all slumped last week (read: A Guide to H

GlobalFoundries, the world's third-largest contract chipmaker, opened a $4 billion semiconductor fabrication plant in Singapore on Tuesday, as part of a major global manufacturing expansion.

GlobalFoundries, one of the world's top five largest contract chipmakers, launched a $4 billion fabrication plant in Singapore on Tuesday, as part of a major global manufacturing expansion.

The Invesco QQQ Trust ( NASDAQ:QQQ) and the Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund ( NYSEARCA:XLK) are two of the biggest and best-known technology ETFs out there. They’ve also been two of the market’s best ETFs to own over the past decade. With the tech sector surging in 2023, both have posted excellent total returns in 2023 so far, with QQQ up 40.8% and XLK up 41.3%. So, what’s the difference between these top tech ETFs, and is one better than the other? What are QQQ and XLK’s Strategies? While these are both tech-centric ETFs, their investment universes are somewhat different. QQQ invests in the Nasdaq 100 Index, the largest 100 non-financial stocks in the Nasdaq ( NDX ). Meanwhile, XLK invests in the technology sector of the S&P 500 ( SPX ).  Below, we’ll discuss how this plays out in each fund’s holdings.  Comparison of Portfolios QQQ owns 101 stocks, and its top 10 holdings make up 48.4% of the index. Below, you’ll find an overview of QQQ’s top 10 holdings using TipRanks’ holdings tool. As you can see, QQQ gives investors exposure to the market’s top mega-cap tech stocks like Apple ( NASDAQ:AAPL ), Microsoft ( NASDAQ:MSFT ), Amazon ( NASDAQ:AMZN ), Nvidia ( NASDAQ:NVDA ), Meta Platforms ( NASDAQ:META ), Alphabet ( NASDAQ:GOOG ) ( NASDAQ:GOOGL ), and Tesla ( NASDAQ:TSLA ).  It’s also important to note that while the Nasdaq is a technology-heavy index, there are also plenty of non-technology companies that comprise the index, and several of these companies can be found just outside of QQQ’s top holdings. For example, Costco ( NASDAQ:COST ) and Pepsi ( NASDAQ:PEP ) are the fund’s 11th- and 12th-largest holdings, with weightings of approximately 2% each. This isn’t a bad thing, as these stocks have been phenomenal performers for years, but investors should simply be aware that there are some non-tech stocks here, even though "the Q’s" have become synonymous with technology for many investors.  XLK is slightly different. It focuses specifically on the technology sector of the S&P 500, so there are no non-tech stocks within its holdings. It’s also a bit more concentrated than QQQ -- it owns 65 stocks, and its top 10 holdings make up 69.2% of the fund. Below, you’ll find an overview of XLK’s top 10 holdings. As you can see, XLK has large positions in some of the same mega-cap tech stocks that QQQ owns, like its massive positions in Microsoft and Apple, which each have weightings of around 22% in the fund. However, look closely, and you’ll notice that many of the other mega-cap tech stocks that QQQ owns aren’t present here in the top 10, or at all, because XLK doesn’t own them.  Why not? Because the S&P index categorizes these stocks differently and does not include them within the technology sector. For example, Amazon and Tesla are classified as consumer discretionary companies, and they make up the largest positions for the Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund ( NYSEARCA:XLY) . Meta Platforms and Alphabet are considered communications services and can be found in the Communications Services Select Sector SPDR Fund ( NYSEARCA:XLC) . With these tech behemoths not included in XLK, the fund has room for other large-cap tech stocks in its top 10 holdings, such as Adobe ( NASDAQ:ADBE ), Salesforce ( NYSE:CRM ) and Oracle ( NYSE:ORCL ).  One approach isn’t necessarily better than the other, but QQQ probably gives investors a larger and more comprehensive range of exposure to what many investors think of as ‘technology stocks’ (even though it also includes some non-tech stocks like Pepsi and Costco). XLK has a more narrow definition of tech stocks. It doesn’t include any non-tech stocks, but it’s also missing some of the household names that investors think of when they think of tech stocks. Ultimately, this is the key difference between these two ETFs. Both strategies yield portfolios with strong Smart Scores. The Smart Score is a proprietary quantitative stock scoring system created by TipRanks. It gives stocks a score from 1 to 10 based on eight market key factors. A score of 8 or above is equivalent to an Outperform rating. Seven of QQQ’s top 10 holdings feature Smart Scores of 8 or above, while eight of XLK’s top 10 holdings score 8 or better. Nevertheless, QQQ and XLK both have ETF Smart Scores of 8 out of 10. How Have QQQ and XLK Performed in the Long Term? Both ETFs have posted dazzling returns over the long term. As discussed above, both ETFs have returned over 40% in 2023 (as of the end of August). Over the past three years, QQQ’s annualized total return has been 9.3%. It has returned 16.0% over the past five years on an annualized basis and 18.6% over the past 10 years on an annualized basis. XLK has outperformed QQQ on a three-year basis, with a three-year annualized return of 13.4%. It has also beaten QQQ over the past five years, with an annualized return of 19.6%. Even over the past 10 years, it edges QQQ out with an excellent 20.5% annualized return.    Both ETFs have been top performers and have given their investors tremendous gains over the years, but XLK has outpaced QQQ over each of these time frames.  Expenses These are both very reasonably-priced ETFs. QQQ sports an expense ratio of 0.20%, while XLK is even cheaper at 0.10%. This means that an individual putting $10,000 into QQQ would pay $20 in fees during their first year of investing in the fund, while an individual allocating $10,000 into XLK would pay just $10 in fees. These are both favorable expense ratios for investors, but over the long run, the XLK investor would save a bit more money. Assuming that each fund returns 5% per year going forward and that the expense ratios stay where they are now, the QQQ investor would pay $255 in fees, while the XLK investor would pay $128 over the course of the decade.  Below, you’ll find a comparison of QQQ and XLK using TipRanks' ETF Comparison Tool, which enables investors to compare up to 20 ETFs at a time on factors like fees, performance, and more.  Is QQQ Stock a Buy, According to Analysts?  Turning to Wall Street, QQQ earns a Moderate Buy consensus rating based on 84 Buys, 18 Holds, and no Sell ratings assigned in the past three months. The average QQQ stock price target of $432.87 implies 14.8% upside potential. Is XLK Stock a Buy, According to Analysts?  Turning to Wall Street, XLK earns a Moderate Buy consensus rating based on 53 Buys, 14 Holds, and no Sell ratings assigned in the past three months. The average XLK stock price target of $197.70 implies 13.8% upside potential. Investor Takeaway  These are both top tech ETFs. XLK has slightly outperformed QQQ over the past 10 years and also offers investors a lower expense ratio. Additionally, it offers an exclusive focus on technology stocks. However, I also like QQQ’s more all-encompassing group of technology holdings, which gives investors exposure to leading tech stocks like Meta Platforms, Amazon, and Alphabet, which aren’t found in XLK. Both approaches have been fruitful over the years, and I find it hard to go wrong with either of these ETFs, and they both continue to look attractive over the long term.   Disclosure

Back in 2021, few would have thought that PayPal ( NASDAQ:PYPL ), a fintech titan, would have lost about 80% of its value over the span of two-and-a-half years. Despite the Nasdaq Composite's remarkable recovery from last autumn's lows, PayPal stock has not only failed to recover from its historic slump, but it's preceded to sink even lower than last year's lows. Given mounting competitive headwinds, I'm inclined to believe PayPal isn't as great a bargain as it seems. Indeed, the pain struck many of the fintech darlings months before the broader market rolled over to start 2022. There may be a new bull market in the S&P 500 ( SPX ) and Nasdaq ( NDX ), but the battered fintech heavyweights still seem to be sinking under their own weight. For now, I have to be bearish on PayPal, as I do not see an easy way out for the former fintech top dog as competitors chip away at its moat. PayPal's Ecosystem is Becoming Less Moat-Worthy as Big Tech Targets Payments Looking back, it's clear many investors overestimated the growth potential for PayPal. Despite operating in one of the most compelling areas of the tech sector (financial technology), PayPal's share price has succumbed to macro headwinds hitting payments and competitive pressures. Undoubtedly, there is value in the PayPal ecosystem. However, as more competitors, most notably FAANG/big-tech companies, spread their wings across the realm of digital (and even point-of-sales) payments, PayPal needs to put its "innovation hat" on to prevent users from doing business with rivals that have superior service ecosystems encompassing more than just digital payments. For instance, a tech titan like Apple ( NASDAQ:AAPL ) has an ecosystem that's the envy of the tech scene. The company offers impressive services, including cloud storage, entertainment (video, music, and gaming), and, of course, payments and other financial services. Regarding financial services, Apple seems to be doing something unique — it's tilting the tables in favor of users while helping them improve their financial "hygiene." Indeed, the financial services business typically entails skimming fees off the top of transactions, collecting large sums of interest on loans, and charging rates on deposits well below market rates. Late to repay your outstanding credit card balance? The banks are completely fine if you pay the minimum balance and rack up the interest. What Apple does differently is it's able to offer financial services that are more attractive than what currently exists. With the Apple Card, the company is fully transparent about how much interest a user would have to pay on outstanding balances, and with the Apple Savings Account, the company is doing what no big banks would dream of doing -- offering competitive interest rates at or around market rates. Why is Apple sacrificing potential profit for the financial health of its users? It wants to beckon new users in a market that's ripe for disruption. Undoubtedly, Apple is reinventing how everyday people think about financial services. As the company continues to grow its offerings, like Savings, Apple Tap to Pay, Apple Pay Later, Apple Pay, and Apple Wallet, the fintech pioneers (PayPal included) do not seem to have much of an answer as FAANG firms cover more bases in financial services. PayPal Stock is Historically Cheap, Though PayPal stock is trading at a historically cheap multiple at 17.7 times trailing price-to-earnings, well below its five-year historical average of 54.64 times. The stock's historically depressed multiple suggests the growth days are probably not coming back. In the latest quarter, PayPal saw revenue growth of just 7%, a far cry away from the double-digit top-line growth it used to command a few years ago. While PayPal's foray into cryptocurrencies represents a potential wild card, I just do not see a way that a PayPal-branded digital token can return the stock to its former glory and its former growth multiple. It's ugly out there for the fintech darlings as numerous tech companies set their crosshairs on digital payments. Despite the low price of admission, I think the only way PayPal can grow is if it takes a margin hit straight to the chin. Investors won't be happy with such a move in a rising-rate environment. Unfortunately, I don't think there are many options if PayPal is to stay competitive in this new era of fintech. Is PayPal Stock a Buy, According to Analysts? On TipRanks, PYPL stock comes in as a Moderate Buy. Out of 30 analyst ratings, there are 20 Buys and 10 Holds. The  average PayPal stock price target is $87.38, implying an upside of 41.1%. Analyst price targets range from a low of $65.00 per share to a high of $126.00 per share. The Bottom Line It's hard to love PayPal, even with its P/E in the teens -- not when tech giants are getting so aggressive with their expansions into digital payments. Unfortunately, I think there's a real risk that PayPal could lose meaningful ground to rivals in the near future. Further, investment firm Elliot Management's recent exit from its PayPal stake also does not give me a vote of confidence. Disclosure

The renewal of Apple AAPL and Qualcomm’s QCOM partnership is highlighting the start of this week’s trading session as investors await CPI data on Wednesday.

The NASDAQ 100 After Hours Indicator is down -13.41 to 15,448.46. The total After hours volume is currently 79,873,312 shares traded.The following are the most active stocks for the after hours session: Global Net Lease, Inc. (GNL) is -0.002 at $11.31, with 5,462,655 shares trad