MarketBeat Week in Review – 07/28 - 08/01

Key Points

• Stocks sold off to end the week as negative data on tariffs, inflation, and jobs caused some profit taking.
• Those reports overshadowed solid earnings reports from several of the largest tech companies that shows the AI trade is alive and well.
• August can bring low volume but high volatility; count on MarketBeat to help you find the actionable information.

Stocks drifted lower to end the week as economic uncertainty overshadowed strong Magnificent Seven earnings. On July 31, the latest Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) index showed a slight uptick in the rate of inflation growth. Then on Friday, the August Jobs report came in lighter than expected.

However, that number looked bullish compared with massive downward revisions to the May and June numbers. Investors are also weighing the impact of tariffs now that the August 1 deadline has come and gone.

On a more bullish note, reports from several mega-cap technology companies reinforce the reality of the artificial intelligence (AI) trade. Many of these companies will spend billions of dollars over several years to build out an AI infrastructure, creating opportunities in several sectors.

Next week will be quieter for economic data, but earnings season will continue to roll along. August itself is typically a quiet week for markets. But that low volume can also lead to high volatility. Count on the MarketBeat analysts to help you separate market signals from noise.

Here are some of our most popular articles from this week.

Articles by Sam Quirke

One week after its earnings report, Tesla Inc. NASDAQ: TSLA stock has given up almost all of its post-earnings gains. However, Sam Quirke pointed out why the long-term upside continues to look bullish as Tesla’s robotics and autonomous vehicle solutions begin to emerge.

Amazon.com Inc. NASDAQ: AMZN stock dropped despite a solid earnings report. It’s just one example of how investors had priced growth into the company’s results. Quirke explained the long-term bull case and how investors and traders may want to approach the stock.

NVIDIA Corp. NASDAQ: NVDA would appear to be a winner as AI spending shows no signs of slowing down. Quirke pointed to two technical indicators that look bearish for NVDA stock despite continued optimism from analysts.

Articles by Chris Markoch

Palantir Technologies Inc. NASDAQ: PLTR reports earnings next week. Chris Markoch explained why investors will want to pay close attention to the company’s growing defense business as the company becomes the Pentagon’s go-to AI engine.

Stocks that form a golden cross pattern can be opportunities for investors. Markoch highlighted three stocks that have recently made a golden cross that is supported by strong fundamentals.

Apple Inc. NASDAQ: AAPL delivered a strong earnings report on July 31. However, AAPL stock is delivering muted gains. Markoch explained why investors are skeptical about the sustainability of the company’s results, and what that may mean for a stock that many believe is still priced for perfection.

Articles by Ryan Hasson

Bitcoin has made a resurgence in July, and this time it’s bringing other tokens with it. This week, Ryan Hasson looked at five stocks set to ride the wave of the crypto surge that investors can own without owning and storing the digital assets.

Autonomous technology is the bullish cousin to artificial intelligence. This week, Hasson looked at this sector and provided investors with five autonomous technology stocks trading for less than $15. That means there’s some risk and the potential for outsized gains for patient investors.

Hasson also looked at two cybersecurity stocks that are poised for a breakout. As interest in AI continues to grow, so will the threats from AI-driven cyberattacks. Hasson explained why upcoming earnings may be the catalyst that moves these stocks higher.

Articles by Gabriel Osorio-Mazilli

This week, Gabriel Osorio-Mazilli analyzed the surge in American Eagle Outfitters Inc. NYSE: AEO. More importantly, he looked beyond the noise and explained why the move in AEO stock may have more behind it than speculation.

With so many stocks trading at or near all-time highs, it can be hard to find undervalued stocks. However, that’s exactly what Osorio-Mazilli did this week. Not only did he provide investors with the names of three undervalued stocks, but he also pointed out why each has catalysts that the market may be overlooking.

Buy-and-hold investors understand the importance of compounding. This week, Osorio-Mazilli pointed these investors to three stocks with attractive outlooks for compounding for years to come.

Articles by Leo Miller

Investors expected a strong earnings report from Meta Platforms Inc. NASDAQ: META, and the company did not disappoint. Leo Miller summarized the tech giant's strong report and explained why investors should be willing to chase META stock higher.

Earnings season is a time when investors seek out analyst upgrades. This week, Miller highlighted three AI stocks that have received bullish upgrades after reporting strong earnings.

Earnings season can also be synonymous with stock buybacks. Although that hasn’t been a prominent factor so far in this cycle, Miller highlighted four stocks that have announced significant increases in Q2 buybacks.

Articles by Nathan Reiff

D-Wave Quantum Inc. NYSE: QBTS has been one of the best-performing stocks in the emerging quantum stock sector. This week, Nathan Reiff pointed out the catalysts that briefly allowed QBTS stock to make a new all-time high, but why investors may still want to proceed with caution.

Investors have been waiting for basic materials stocks to take off. However, uncertainty in key economic indicators has weighed on these stocks. Reiff explained why three material stocks are likely to have further upside based on fundamentals and market trends.

Defense stocks have been some of the most closely watched stocks for investors. Reiff pointed out why a beaten-down small-cap stock, Byrna Technologies Inc. NASDAQ: BYRN, is one to watch based on bullish analyst sentiment and a strong earnings report.

Articles by Dan Schmidt

History frequently rhymes, and Dan Schmidt pointed out why 2025 is starting to look a lot like 2021. In both cases, traders were looking for short squeeze candidates. This is a risky strategy, but it can be profitable. Schmidt highlighted three stocks with catalysts that could make them good short-squeeze candidates.

It hasn’t been all bad news on the tariff front, Schmidt pointed out why the recent deal between the United States and Japan is bullish for automotive stocks. Schmidt highlighted three automaker stocks that investors may be overlooking.

Articles by Jeffrey Neal Johnson

“The quantum computing industry is reaching an inflection point.” Jeffrey Neal Johnson highlighted this issue for investors. Johnson explained the key factors driving quantum stocks higher and gave investors three stocks that are among the most promising for long-term investors.

Drone stocks have been soaring, which is why Johnson made it a point to highlight Red Cat Holdings Inc. NASDAQ: RCAT. The stock has dropped recently, but a new contract is only one reason why analysts believe there’s significant upside to come.

As the AI revolution progresses, investors will want to watch applications on the edge. This week, Johnson pointed out that its application of semiconductors in automotive and internet of Things (IoT) applications makes Qualcomm Inc. NASDAQ: QCOM a growth stock that may be flying under the radar.

Articles by Jordan Chussler

Healthcare is normally an evergreen sector for investors. However, that hasn’t been the case for several years. Jordan Chussler analyzed the headwinds impacting the healthcare sector and why that adds to the bullish case for HCA Healthcare Inc. NYSE: HCA, which recently issued bullish forward guidance.