Clear market notes built around the JSE, the rand, and what matters locally.

2026-10-13 09:22 • The Motley Fool Positive Axe Cap view: Selective

IonQ and IBM have advanced to Stage C of DARPA's Quantum Benchmarking Initiative, which provides up to $300 million in funding to develop commercially viable fault-tolerant quantum computers by 2033. IonQ leads in accuracy with 99.99% 2-qubit gate fidelity and recent quantum error-correction breakthroughs, while IBM pursues a faster superconducting qubit approach with ambitious plans for a fault-tolerant system by 2029.

Axe note: DARPA’s backing of IonQ and IBM highlights potential, yet local impact remains distant for now.

2026-10-13 09:10 • The Motley Fool Positive Axe Cap view: Selective

Eli Lilly's weight loss drug portfolio, led by Mounjaro and Zepbound, is driving explosive revenue growth with expectations of up to $87 billion in 2026 revenue compared to $65 billion in 2025. Despite a 400% gain over five years and 25% rise in the past six months, the stock trades at 32x forward earnings—below historical levels—and appears undervalued given strong pipeline candidates like EloraTZP and retatrutide that could further expand the company's weight loss drug offerings.

Axe note: Eli Lilly’s booming weight loss drug pipeline is lifting revenues sharply, yet South African investors face limited direct access and currency risks.

2026-10-13 08:30 • The Motley Fool Mixed Axe Cap view: Selective

Greg Abel, nine months into his tenure as Berkshire Hathaway CEO, is reshaping the company's $350 billion equities portfolio. He has designated Apple, American Express, Coca-Cola, and Moody's as core holdings with limited activity expected. Meanwhile, Abel has significantly increased positions in Alphabet (now 10.6% of portfolio), initiated new stakes in Delta Airlines, and increased exposure to housing through Lennar. Energy holdings like Chevron and Occidental Petroleum remain uncommitted, while Bank of America has been slightly trimmed. Abel has also resumed share repurchases after years of pause.

Axe note: Berkshire Hathaway’s portfolio pivot under Greg Abel shows a bold tech tilt and cautious energy stance, with lessons for SA investors.