⚔️ AI vs. human staff

Tech said bye to humans and hi to AI | ASML made bank from AI explorers | [Finimize](   TOGETHER WITH   Hi {NAME}, here's what you need to know for January 25th in 3:09 minutes.   🌶 Investing without diversification is like cooking without salt. So catch up on our [Stocks, Bonds, Or Cash event]( with Ruffer, and see why they call variety the spice of life. [Watch it here]( Today's big stories - German software behemoth SAP was won over by the promise of AI, reshaping its workforce to accommodate high-tech ambitions - Three assets have been smashing records, and they're not slowing down – [Read Now]( - ASML saw its orders more than triple last quarter, a sure sign that the chip industry is back on top form Workforce Workaround [Workforce Workaround] What’s going on here? German software giant SAP seemed to [find]( a shortcut leading to a more efficient business, and it involves laying off 8% of its staff. What does this mean? SAP made its name by developing software for businesses. So really, it would’ve been a glaring oversight if the firm hadn’t realized that AI software tools could help transform its own books. The German giant is expected to cut some 8% of its staff this year, a bid to free up funding for AI-focused initiatives. That said, SAP plans to keep its workforce at roughly today’s scale over the long term, building up specific departments while shrinking others. And the company seems confident, pulling its 2025 profit outlook up above market expectations. Why should I care? For markets: eBay’s big bid. Usually it’s disgruntled employees deciding to ditch their workplaces at the start of the year, but just like SAP, Alphabet, Amazon, and BlackRock have already flipped the script with layoffs this month. Citigroup, too, expects to slash 20,000 jobs by the end of 2026, while Macy’s has planned to trim 3.5% of its employees this year, not counting seasonal staff. Online retailer eBay is predicted to let go of 9% of its full-time workers, as well, a result of tough competition from long-established household names Amazon and Walmart and emerging Chinese rivals Temu and Shein. Zooming out: America is changing. The Federal Reserve has cited the strong job market as a reason against making hasty interest rate cuts. After all, if the economy can hold its own without them, the central bank might as well squeeze inflation that little bit more. But if companies swap staff for AI faster than anticipated, the central bank may need to reconsider. That would bode well for the stock market: lower rates improve stocks’ valuations and make it cheaper for companies to reinvest in themselves. You might also like: [The rise of automation and AI.]( Copy to share story: [( 🙋 [Ask a question](mailto:questions@finimize.com?body=Ask us a question: Where are you writing from? Let us know and we'll mention it when we reply.&noapp=true&subject=Workforce Workaround&utm_campaign=daily-global-25-01-2024&utm_source=email) Analyst Take These Three Assets Have Been Rallying: Here’s How To Tell If The Party Will Continue [These Three Assets Have Been Rallying: Here’s How To Tell If The Party Will Continue]( By Russell Burns, Analyst When an asset’s price is on the rise or hitting new highs, it’s sure to grab the attention of [momentum investors](. These market players make money by [riding a wave]( higher, and selling when it starts to fall. Of course, their savviest bets have [something more]( than just price propulsion behind them: they’ve got a fundamental reason to move higher. So let’s take a look at three assets that have been high and climbing, and see what the momentum crowd might [make of them](. That’s today’s Insight: [Nvidia, the Topix, and the Sensex – and where they go from here](. [Read or listen to the Insight here]( SPONSORED BY CFA INSTITUTE Spot the next decade’s winners today [Climate finance]( is the next big thing. And by “next”, we mean now. Companies from major institutions to tech-savvy startups are lasering in on climate finance initiatives: that’s projects with aims to [advance the green transition](. Now, while there's debate about just how far along “the world is in danger” graph we are – with [regulations ramping up](, investors will need to get with the program for the sake of their bottom lines." That means soon enough, companies’ success and failure will hinge, in part, on the design of their [climate finance initiatives](. So if you’re an investor, you should know what to look out for. [Discover the Climate Finance course from CFA Institute, and find out how to spot the world-changers from the greenwashers](. [Find Out More]( When you support our sponsors, you support us. Thanks for that. Love Machines [Love Machines] What’s going on here? Chip-making equipment manufacturer ASML’s orders more than [tripled]( last quarter, as businesses around the world fell for the allure of AI. What does this mean? ASML is the only producer of the most sophisticated chip-making equipment out there, so the firm’s order sheets indicate the health of the industry at large. And right now, the sector’s long-running slump is nowhere to be seen. A record €9.2 billion ($10 billion) worth of orders were placed with ASML during the fourth quarter of the year, making analysts’ estimates of €3.6 billion look positively puny. That helped pull last quarter’s profit up by a better-than-expected 13% from the same time the year before. So naturally, investors showed their approval by sending ASML’s shares 10% higher on Wednesday – the biggest gain since November 2022. Why should I care? Zooming in: The break-up of the year. China was a loyal customer to ASML last quarter. In fact, Chinese companies made up over a third of ASML’s sales, as they rushed to furnish factories before US and Dutch chip export rules came into effect. Now, harsher restrictions are slated for later this year, denting the amount of orders that will come in from China. But with demand for AI-suitable equipment expected to stay steady elsewhere, ASML expects sales to remain flat this year. The bigger picture: AI is here to stay. ASML believes that AI will be a buoy for its business for years to come, as the tech needs a huge amount of computing power to run. TSMC – the main chipmaker for AI stock market superstar Nvidia – thinks the same, forecasting its revenue to tick up by 20% this year after falling nearly 5% last year. The Semiconductor Industry Association has spotted the signs, too, reporting that the AI theme helped global chip sales rise in November for the first time in over a year. You might also like: [After a blowout 2023, here's what's next for Nvidia.]( Copy to share story: [( 🙋 [Ask a question](mailto:questions@finimize.com?body=Ask us a question: Where are you writing from? Let us know and we'll mention it when we reply.&noapp=true&subject=Love Machines&utm_campaign=daily-global-25-01-2024&utm_source=email) SPONSORED BY STREETBEAT The portfolio that copies Congress investments* “[Follow the leader](” is a tried-and-tested strategy. After all, if you’re going to take inspiration from anyone, you might as well look toward the experts in a field or discipline. Well, the STOCK – that’s Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge – Act of 2012 makes lawmakers [report their trades](, an initiative to stop the powerful using private intel for private profit. Streetbeat makes acting on that information simple: its AI technology scans the filings, analyzes the trades, and replicates the activity in real time. The result: the [“US Congress Buys” portfolio](. That’s just one of Streetbeat’s curated, AI-powered portfolios – but it’s a juicy place to start perusing. [Find out how Congress is investing with Streetbeat](. [Find Out More]( *The 'U.S. Congress Buys' portfolio is inspired by the trading activity of U.S. Congress members. It selectively mirrors and weighs the most recent transactions. Streetbeat, LLC ("Streetbeat") is an SEC-registered investment adviser. All investing involves risk, including the possible loss of money you invest, and past performance does not guarantee future performance. Any historical returns, expected returns or probability projections are hypothetical and may not reflect actual future performance. See Terms and Conditions at [Streetbeat.com](. When you support our sponsors, you support us. Thanks for that. 💬 Quote of the day “The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” – Robert Burns (a Scottish poet and lyricist) [Tweet this]( SPONSORED BY EUREKA LITHIUM The future is clean, green, and full of lithium The green transition is fueling [demand for lithium]( that’s never been seen before. See, the metal is a key ingredient in a ton of eco-friendly products, like electric vehicle batteries, for example. Problem is, there isn’t much to go around. Plus, the supply that is out there mainly comes from Australia and South America – a tough break for US companies that rely on the stuff. [Eureka Lithium](, though, is leading the charge in North America, sourcing high-grade lithium districts in Nunavik – a vast, under-explored region in Northern Quebec. Early signs of success indicate that Eureka could become indispensable for US tech and green-minded companies in the future. And the best bit: [you can now invest in Eureka](. [Find Out More]( This content is for US investors only, if you are not a US investor please ignore this content. This content is a paid advertisement for Eureka Lithium from Sideways Frequency and Finimize. This is not Finimize editorial content. Finimize received a fixed fee for producing, hosting and promoting this content on behalf of Eureka Lithium, totaling $12,000. Other than the compensation received for this service, Finimize and its principals are not affiliated with either Sideways Frequency or Eureka Lithium. Finimize and its principals have no ownership in Eureka Lithium. The content on this page should not be taken as advice, an endorsement, or a recommendation from Finimize and its principals to buy or sell any security. Finimize and its principals have not evaluated the accuracy of any claims made on this page. Finimize and its principals recommend that investors do their own independent research and consult with a qualified investment professional before buying or selling any security. Investing is inherently risky and capital is at risk. Past performance is not indicative of future results. When you support our sponsors, you support us. Thanks for that. 🎯 On Our Radar 1. The shoplifting spike wasn’t real. The [effects of it were](. 2. Bitcoin's the OG crypto. It's also tricky to value, but [this guide can help](.* 3. Technology, Batman-style. This startup will make [everyone look like Bane](. 4. There’s value to be found in the NFT market. [Three key factors]( can help you separate the best deals from the rest.* 5. A case for gene editing. [Scientific advances in health]( could, one day, become much more widespread. When you support our sponsors, you support us. Thanks for that. SPONSORED BY HEALTHWORDS.AI [HEALTHWORDS.AI]( When you support our sponsors, you support us. 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