Yazılar

Morgan Stanley to add crypto trading to E*Trade via Zerohash partnership

/in /tarafından

Morgan Stanley will enable cryptocurrency trading on its E*Trade platform starting in the first half of 2026, the bank confirmed Tuesday. The service will launch through a partnership with Zerohash, a digital asset infrastructure provider.

At rollout, E*Trade clients will be able to trade bitcoin, ether, and solana, with the potential for more tokens to be added later. A Morgan Stanley spokesperson said the move reflects growing client demand for access to digital assets alongside traditional investments.

The expansion comes as the global crypto market swells to about $3.9 trillion, led by bitcoin ($2.25 trillion) and ether ($506 billion), according to CoinMarketCap. Once dismissed as speculative, crypto has become a mainstream asset class, attracting Wall Street banks, brokers, and retail platforms.

Morgan Stanley’s push follows rivals:

  • Robinhood offers trading in a wide range of tokens.

  • Charles Schwab provides ETFs tied to bitcoin and ether.

The supportive regulatory stance under President Donald Trump has also accelerated Wall Street’s embrace of crypto products.

Meanwhile, Zerohash announced it reached unicorn status after raising $104 million in a funding round led by Interactive Brokers, with Morgan Stanley, SoFi, and others also investing.

By integrating crypto into E*Trade, Morgan Stanley is positioning itself to compete directly with retail trading platforms while tapping into one of finance’s fastest-growing markets.

Small U.S. defense stocks surge as demand rises for next-gen battlefield tech

/in /tarafından

Smaller U.S. defense companies are delivering standout gains on Wall Street this year, driven by surging demand for low-cost, next-generation military technology designed for modern combat. Global conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza have fueled higher military spending, boosting stocks tied to AI-powered drones, unmanned vehicles, and software-enabled systems that reduce reliance on traditional ground troops.

“The winners in this new market will be those companies leaning into change and investing in low-cost, upgradable, and software-enabled weapon systems,” said Jon Siegmann, managing director for aerospace and defense at Stifel.

The NYSE Arca Defense Index (.DFII) has climbed about 34% in 2025, far ahead of the S&P 500’s (.SPX) 12% gain. Mid- and small-cap firms lead the rally, including drone makers Kratos Defense (KTOS.O) and AeroVironment (AVAV.O), components supplier Astronics (ATRO.O), and Mercury Systems (MRCY.O). Larger players such as RTX (RTX.N) and Northrop Grumman have also advanced, gaining 37% and 23% respectively.

Policy signals from Washington are shaping the surge. President Donald Trump has proposed renaming the Pentagon to the “Department of War,” while requesting $892.6 billion for fiscal 2026 defense spending, with nearly $6 billion earmarked for unmanned aircraft and counter-drone systems—a 78% jump from last year.

AeroVironment’s growth chief Church Hutton noted the administration’s push to get equipment to U.S. forces faster, a priority echoed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Mergers and acquisitions in aerospace and defense are also climbing, though deal values remain modest. Lockheed Martin’s $360 million purchase of Amentum’s Rapid Solutions unit, aimed at expanding radar capabilities, is one recent example. Venture capital has followed suit, with startup funding in the sector hitting $14.17 billion by August, the highest in a decade.

“The demand signal we’re seeing is for tens of thousands of lower-cost munitions systems and unmanned systems,” said Lukas Czinger, CEO of Divergent Technologies, which 3D-prints parts for Lockheed, Raytheon, and others.

Oracle’s Record-Breaking Surge Highlights AI Trade’s Dominance in Markets

/in /tarafından

Wall Street’s AI-driven rally hit another milestone this week as Oracle’s shares soared 36%, pushing its market value to $922 billion and reinforcing artificial intelligence as the defining force behind 2025’s equity boom.

Oracle’s AI Catalyst

  • The surge followed Oracle’s disclosure of four multi-billion-dollar cloud contracts driven by demand from AI companies such as OpenAI and xAI.

  • The move places Oracle among the 10 most valuable U.S. companies, overtaking names like Eli Lilly, JPMorgan, and Walmart.

  • Oracle’s stock has nearly doubled in 2025, making it one of the top S&P 500 performers.

AI Trade in Context

  • Nvidia, Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, Palantir, Broadcom, Meta Platforms, and Oracle together have accounted for about half of the S&P 500’s 11% gain this year.

  • Nvidia remains the world’s most valuable company at $4.3 trillion, despite a minor pullback after its August sales forecast.

  • The technology sector overall is up 16% year-to-date, with forward P/E ratios at 28x earnings — well above the 10-year average of 22x.

Broader Market Impact

  • AI-linked stocks now dominate trading activity: 9 of the 10 most traded companies this week were AI-related (Apple being the lone exception).

  • The enthusiasm has spread beyond tech: utilities and industrials like GE Vernova, Constellation Energy, and Vistra are gaining on expectations of higher energy demand to fuel AI infrastructure.

  • This has lifted the S&P 500’s overall valuation to 22x forward earnings, near a four-year high.

Investor Sentiment

Despite concerns about overheating, analysts see Oracle’s surge as proof that capital continues flowing heavily into AI plays.

“I was very surprised by the magnitude of the (Oracle) jump and it shows there is still a lot of life left in the AI trade,” said Chuck Carlson of Horizon Investment Services.