‘Big Short’ Investor Michael Burry Discloses Options Wager Against Oracle

Posted on January 10, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Michael Burry, who has gained notoriety recently for criticizing the artificial intelligence boom, is placing a wager against Oracle. Burry stated in a Substack post following Friday’s market close that he owns put options on Oracle shares.

Puts usually gain value when the underlying asset’s price declines. Burry, who disclosed negative wagers against Nvidia Corp., a manufacturer of AI chips. and Palantir in November, as well as directly shorted Oracle over the previous six months, he claimed.

Oracle is well-known for its database software, but it has recently made a strong push into cloud computing services, necessitating an expensive expansion of data center capacity, for which it is incurring large debt. “I disagree with its positioning and the investments it is making.

It did not have to do what it is doing, and I have no idea why. In response to a reader who questioned why he had chosen to wager against Nvidia rather than Oracle, Burry wrote, “Maybe ego.”

His statement that he would short OpenAI at a $500 billion valuation highlighted his general doubts about the speed and viability of the AI buildout.

NVIDIA, according to Burry, is the most focused way to convey a pessimistic outlook on the artificial intelligence market. He wrote, “Nvidia is also the most beloved and least doubted.” Therefore, shorting it is inexpensive, and its puts are less expensive than some of the other large shorts that are more dubious

Copper Ignites 2026: Fresh Surge After 42% Historic Leap Not Seen Since 2009

Posted on January 10, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Copper rose on the first trading day of 2026, after capping the biggest annual gain since 2009 on prospects for a tighter market.

The red metal resumed its advance on Friday after losing 1.1% in the previous session.

Copper on the London Metal Exchange rallied 42% in 2025, underpinned by mine disruptions and concerns around tariffs, which have led traders to ramp up shipments to the US, creating tightness elsewhere.
Copper notched a series of all-time highs during an end-of-year surge, making it the best performer of the six industrial metals on the LME. Beyond the tariff-driven flows, mines in Indonesia to Chile, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo suffered accidents in 2025, crimping output. The red metal was 0.8% higher at $12,522.50 a ton at 10:45 a.m. Singapore time, after hitting a record of $12,960 on Monday.

Nickel climbed 0.8% to $16,780.00, while aluminum was little changed at $2,995.00. Iron ore futures in Singapore rose 0.2% to $105.60 a ton. Chinese markets are closed for a public holiday. This year, supply chain issues have dominated the metals industry, with accidents occurring in copper mines across Chile, Indonesia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Zinc mines have also been disrupted, and increased energy costs and supply constraints in China pose a threat to aluminum production. The threat of US import tariffs remains the primary motivator for copper. The Mercuria Energy Group, Ltd. predicted in November that the rest of the world would experience a severe metal shortage in 2026.

According to Natalie Scott-Gray, senior metals analyst at StoneX Financial Ltd., copper is expected “to be led by sentiment from investors over US copper-specific tariffs, with focus on regional levels of global stocks and material entering the US, rather than underlying global fundamentals” in the upcoming months.

The Great Silver Squeeze of 2026: China’s Restrictions Send Prices Soaring Amid Bubble Warnings

Posted on January 10, 2026January 10, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Increased central bank purchases, inflows into exchange-traded funds, and three consecutive rate cuts by the Federal Reserve have made precious metals hot in recent months.

The value of China’s only pure-play silver fund dropped by its daily maximum of 10%, ending a wild bull run that led the fund’s manager to issue rare warnings. The sudden decline in the UBS SDIC Silver Futures Fund LOF follows weeks of gains driven by increasing global interest in precious metals, which the manager called “unsustainable.” Spot silver is on track for its best annual performance since 1979 after reaching a record high of $72.70 per ounce on Wednesday.

UBS SDIC Fund Management Co. announced new restrictions after three consecutive days this week of exceeding the 10% upward limit. Starting in December, there will be a cap on new Class C share subscriptions, typically the best option for short-term investors, decreasing from 500 yuan to 26-100 yuan ($14.25), according to a statement on the fund manager’s website. Strong investor interest in precious metals has focused on silver, with a historic short squeeze in October fueling the notable global spot price rally.

Palladium, gold, and platinum have all surged, and other Chinese funds linked to these metals have also seen significant gains, as investors caution. This year, the silver fund has surged by nearly 220%, while Shanghai-traded silver futures have risen about 128%. The premium over the underlying asset jumped from 7% at the start of the month to nearly 62% by Wednesday. As the fund’s value declined and futures rose, this premium is expected to decrease on Thursday.

Commodities that do not pay interest benefit significantly from lower borrowing costs, with traders betting on additional rate reductions in 2026. Physical premiums have hit extreme levels due to relentless industrial demand from solar panels, EVs, AI data centers, and electronics, pushing against dwindling inventories. Elon Musk’s weekend remarks highlighting the growing investor frenzy around precious metals triggered Monday’s early momentum.

“This is not good,” Musk said on X in response to a tweet about Chinese export restrictions.

Many industrial processes rely on silver. The US’s blockade of oil tankers in Venezuela and Washington’s actions against the Islamic State in Nigeria over the past week have increased the appeal of these metals as safe havens. Silver inventories are at their lowest point ever, raising the risk of supply shortages that could impact several industries.

BlackRock’s Silent XRP Power Move: Wealth Tsunami Set to Trigger Historic Pump

Posted on January 10, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Maxwell Stein, the Director of Digital Assets at BlackRock, caused a stir in the crypto market.

“Trillions of dollars are poised to enter the blockchain ecosystem, but in the short term, we need to demonstrate the technology’s utility,” stated Maxwell Stein. Meanwhile, Adena Friedman, President and CEO of NASDAQ, elaborated on how banks have begun tokenizing bonds, fixed income assets, and stablecoins, particularly Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs).

Ripple’s annual Swell conference is one of the most anticipated events in the cryptocurrency community.

However, renowned analyst Digital Asset Investor recently noted that while the Swell conference may not directly impact prices, an announcement regarding an XRP exchange-traded fund (ETF) backed by BlackRock could have a significantly different effect.

This comment reignited discussions about the factors that truly influence XRP’s market fluctuations and whether Swell WAS a meaningful price catalyst.

The consensus among digital asset investors is clear: the Swell conference typically does not lead to immediate changes in XRP’s value. The conference mainly focuses on cross-border payment innovations, blockchain integration, and industry collaboration—topics that support long-term fundamentals but rarely trigger short-term price spikes.

Conversely, the analyst suggested that a formal XRP ETF, especially one backed by a major international investment firm like BlackRock, would dramatically transform the market landscape. Such an event would signify institutional support and regulatory recognition, potentially attracting significant capital inflows and influencing the token’s price.

Reactions on X varied among users. While some see potential, one user noted that the current market trend indicates weakness and consolidation, suggesting that broader declines may overshadow any positive developments. They also mentioned that retail traders might react emotionally in the short term.

The overarching conclusion is that traders differentiate between significant financial advancements and mere symbolic events.

Although Swell’s global reach and institutional partnerships are noteworthy, they rarely generate headlines that impact the market. In contrast, the possibility of a BlackRock XRP ETF would have much larger implications for investor accessibility, liquidity, and long-term valuation.

Market participants will likely continue to look for signs of progress in institutional integration as Ripple’s Swell 2025 conference in New York approaches. However, until an ETF or regulatory milestone is officially announced, expectations for substantial price movements remain low.

AAPL on the Brink: Apple’s Eight-Day Slide Could Tie Longest Losing Streak Since 1991

Posted on January 9, 2026January 9, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Apple’s stock posted its longest losing streak in over thirty years. The iPhone manufacturer’s stock dropped as much as 1.1 percent on Friday, setting it up for an eighth consecutive losing session.

Apple hasn’t dropped for nine days in a row since 1991, despite having a few losing streaks of the same length over the years, including in 2025, 2022, 2016, and 1998.

Due to worries that it was lagging in the race to implement artificial intelligence features, Apple shares spent a large portion of 2025 in the penalty box.

The stock’s nearly 9% gain in 2025 underperformed the S&P 500 Index’s 16% increase, which hadn’t happened since 2022, even though it recovered in the second half of the year as concerns about AI spending gained traction.

Apple and other computer and device manufacturers have recently faced pressure from growing costs for parts like memory chips because of increased demand from the construction of data centers for AI computing
Rising costs for parts like memory chips, which are a result of high demand from the construction of data centers for AI computing, have put pressure on Apple and other computer and gadget manufacturers more recently. Since the start of the losing streak, its shares have dropped by more than 5%.

Google’s Alphabet Surpasses Apple, Claims No. 2 Spot Behind Nvidia in Market Value

Posted on January 9, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Alphabet surpassed Apple Inc. to rise to the second-most valuable company in terms of market capitalization, demonstrating how the parent company of Google has become one of the biggest beneficiaries of artificial intelligence.

Alphabet’s stock increased by 2.4 percent on Wednesday, closing at a valuation of $3.89 trillion. It was able to overtake Apple, which ended Wednesday with a market capitalization of $3.85 trillion after a six-day decline that erased nearly 5% of its value, or $200 billion.

The difference grew even more on Thursday with Apple opening 1.2 percent lower and Alphabet rising 1.1 percent. Since 2019, Alphabet has not surpassed Apple in size. NVIDIA Corp. continues to be the biggest stock, with a valuation of $4.6 trillion.

Alphabet is currently the best-performing of the Magnificent Seven, with shares rising more than 65% since 2025.

The increasing perception that Alphabet is well-suited in many important areas of AI accounts for a large portion of its strength.

Concerns about competition from businesses like OpenAI were allayed by positive reviews for the company’s most recent Gemini AI model, and its tensor processing unit chips are thought to be a major factor in future revenue growth.

INTC Dips as Trump Hails ‘Great Meeting’ with Embattled Intel’s Lip-Bu Tan

Posted on January 9, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Intel Corp. met with President Donald Trump and Chief Executive Officer Lip-Bu Tan on Thursday at the White House. ” The stock dipped by about 4% at Thursday’s trading session.

The two men discussed the company’s progress on its new line of processors following the U.S. government’s acquisition of shares in the chipmaker. Trump praised what he called progress at Santa Clara, California-based Intel, in a post to his Truth Social network. The company’s stock has risen more than 70% since plans to purchase up to 10% of it surfaced last year.

The United States currently owns 5.5 percent of the company, and more is expected to be acquired. Trump wrote, “I just finished a great meeting with the very successful Intel CEO, Lip-Bu Tan.” Both Intel and we struck a fantastic deal. Our country is determined to bring leading-edge chip manufacturing back to America, and that is exactly what is happening!!!”

Tan has acted quickly to stabilize the struggling chipmaker’s business since becoming CEO in March. Besides the US investment, Nvidia Corp. and SoftBank Group Corp. have also purchased stakes worth billions of dollars. Intel’s stock price has increased as a result of the deal, but the company still needs to demonstrate that new products will regain lost market share. Tan stated that Intel began shipping its first sub-2-nanometer 18A products on schedule at the end of 2025 during an industry conference this week.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. remains the company’s primary supplier for the production of some chips. Although the US has not yet benefited as much from its holdings, Trump claimed in his post that the government had made “Tens of Billions of Dollars for the American People.” The US stake was valued at $5.7 billion when it was acquired in August. A significant portion of the government’s ownership remains dependent on upcoming events.

Elon Musk’s xAI Bleeds $8 Billion—Is the Optimus Robot Plan Worth the Cost?

Posted on January 9, 2026January 9, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence startup, xAI, is rapidly incurring losses as it invests in developing software that will eventually power humanoid robots, building data centers, and hiring talent. According to the documents examined by Bloomberg, XAI reported a net loss of $1.46 billion for the September quarter, up from $1 billion in the first quarter.

It spent $7.8 billion in cash during the first nine months of the year. According to people familiar with the situation, xAI is rapidly utilizing the money it raised in recent funding rounds, just like other rapidly expanding AI startups.

This was stated in both its most recent earnings report and a call that xAI executives had with investors. The company informed investors that its objective is to develop self-sufficient AI, which will eventually power humanoid robots, such as Optimus, a Tesla robot designed to replace human labor.

xAI leadership, including Chief Revenue Officer Jon Shulkin, informed investors during the investor call that the company’s primary focus now is on developing AI agents and other software quickly. Until it can eventually power Optimus, those products will feed into what Musk has described as “Macrohard,” a term that refers to an AI-only software company.

The name is a play on “Microsoft.” Investors were informed by the company’s executives that xAI had the resources to keep up its aggressive spending.

The quick development of AI was described in documents as “escape velocity,” a term taken from astrodynamics that Musk frequently uses to discuss how quickly his businesses, like Space Exploration Technologies, can expand.

Ripple Scores Major Boost: Former BlackRock VP Underscores XRP ETF’s $1B Volume Strength

Posted on January 9, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Former BlackRock vice president John Gillen discussed systemic stress, investor psychology, and XRP ETF flows.

Many market participants have become impatient after months of waiting for a clear rally, despite strong ETF performance. Although the price action hasn’t yet reflected it institutional sentiment might be shifting. Gillen highlighted the fatigue visible throughout the market in the video.

He remarked, “It exhausts a lot of people.” He also mentioned the ongoing demand for products traded on cryptocurrency exchanges. “There’s an XRP ETF that I think has done over a billion dollars of volume,” he said, noting “strong inflows into the Solana ETFs.”

At that level, volume indicates participation rather than desertion. Gillen provided a clear assessment to support that view. He stated, “There is still a market for these things.”

He disagreed with the idea that major digital assets are no longer relevant, emphasizing the difference between low pricing and high ETF activity.

The $1 billion trading volume shows that institutions remain interested in XRP, supporting Gillen’s comments. He didn’t criticize XRP directly but used it as an example of sustained participation despite low enthusiasm. Gillen also connected macro conditions to his outlook. His thesis, he said, has “always been that eventually something is gonna break in the system.”

He mentioned the unpredictability of the housing and private credit markets. He stressed that pressure is still building, but did not predict the exact timing. Although XRP hasn’t seen a major pump, volume and interest continue, and the journey is far from over.

S&P Global Forecasts Massive Copper Deficit Driven by AI and Military Growth

Posted on January 8, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

The race for artificial intelligence and rising defense spending will exacerbate a predicted copper shortage as producers struggle to grow, according to a recent study by S&P Global.

In a report supported by the mining sector, S&P Global stated on Thursday that demand growth is quickening at the same time that mine supply is reaching structural limits, increasing the possibility that copper will become a barrier to economic expansion and technological advancement.

Copper has risen to record highs above $13,000 per metric ton in London due to numerous mine outages and traders’ efforts to hoard the metal in the US in anticipation of potential tariffs by the Trump administration

Although prices have surpassed levels suggested by underlying consumption due to the flow of copper into US warehouses, new areas of demand indicate an even tighter market in the long run.
According to S&P Global, the demand for copper will increase by 50% from current levels to 42 million metric tons by 2040.

Most copper demand still comes from traditional sources like construction, appliances, transportation, and power generation, but the largest portion of growth is coming from energy-transition uses like batteries, electric vehicles, renewable energy, and grid expansion.

Copper consumption associated with AI infrastructure and data centers is predicted to soar as the installed capacity of data centers worldwide nearly quadruples by 2040. According to the study, demand from AI, data centers, and international defense spending could almost triple by 2040, adding 4 million tons of consumption.

Humanoid robots are another possible source of demand, according to S&P Global. Even though the technology is still in its infancy, 1 billion humanoid robots operating by 2040 would require roughly 1.6 million metric tons of copper.