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

2026-08-04 19:30 • The Motley Fool Positive Axe Cap view: Selective

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella highlighted that CPUs are as important as GPUs for running AI agents, signaling strong future demand for AMD's processors. AMD is well-positioned to capitalize on the shift toward agentic AI, with the server CPU market expected to reach over $120 billion by 2030 with 35%+ annual growth. AMD's competitive advantages include expertise, high switching costs, and recent market share gains over Intel.

Axe note: Microsoft’s nod to AMD signals a shift in AI hardware demand, potentially reshaping tech exposure via USD/ZAR.

2026-08-04 19:16 • The Motley Fool Positive Axe Cap view: Selective

Despite concerns about inflation, rising rates, overvalued tech stocks, and geopolitical tensions, the author recommends continuing to buy the Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) as a long-term investment strategy. The fund offers broad diversification across 3,531 U.S. stocks with an ultra-low 0.03% expense ratio and has delivered 14.53% annualized returns over the past 10 years.

Axe note: A US broad-market ETF is tempting, but South African investors should be cautious and focus on local banks instead.

2026-08-04 19:15 • The Motley Fool Positive Axe Cap view: Selective

SpaceX stock surged 9.6% ahead of its first earnings report as a public company. The rally was driven by Elon Musk's warning against shorting the stock, which prompted investors with short positions to close them out ahead of earnings. The company is expected to report $0.29 EPS and $6.8 billion in quarterly revenue, with stock performance dependent on whether guidance meets expectations.

Axe note: SpaceX’s stock jumped nearly 10% before earnings on Elon Musk’s anti-short warning and high short interest.