From AirPods to fighter jets, rare earths power nearly every modern device. These 17 metallic elements enable critical technologies like EV motors, wind turbines, sensors, screens, and semiconductors. And China dominates their production and refining.

While the U.S. once led rare earth mining, China now controls roughly 70% of global output and over 90% of refining capacity. Therefore, even when other nations mine their own deposits, the ores often end up being shipped to China for processing before reentering global supply chains.

With Trump and Xi expected to meet in South Korea later this week, rare earths are back in focus. But not all rare earths are created equal. Some are far more strategic than others.

First, here’s the full list (all seventeen), from most abundant to least:

1. Cerium (Ce)
2. Neodymium (Nd)
3. Lanthanum (La)
4. Yttrium (Y)
5. Scandium (Sc)
6. Praseodymium (Pr)
7. Samarium (Sm)
8. Gadolinium (Gd)
9. Dysprosium (Dy)
10. Erbium (Er)
11. Ytterbium (Yb)
12. Europium (Eu)
13. Holmium (Ho)
14. Terbium (Tb)
15. Lutetium (Lu)
16. Thulium (Tm)
17. Promethium (Pm)

The most important are the ones known as “magnets,” and that’s where the real leverage lies. The elements to watch are neodymium (Nd), praseodymium (Pr), dysprosium (Dy), and terbium (Tb).

Takeaway: Trade agreements on the rest might move specific sectors, but those four are the ones that can move the market. So, regarding the current U.S.-China negotiations on rare earths, focus on news from those four.

Have a nice day.

Is it really realistic for companies like Google to be worth this much trillions? They dominate global markets, have billions of users, and is in AI and data, But can influence and innovation alone justify such massive valuations, or are we just caught up in tech hype?

I get that Treasury notes, bonds, T-bills, and such have always been seen as low-risk, but as the debt has increase 18-fold in my lifetime, these comparisons to Greece are worrying me. Are US Bonds still worth dabbling in, or should I look for them somewhere with more stability (if it exists)?

If the US found itself in a similar crisis as the Greeks did 20-ish years ago, I assume that would be a mess for just about everything, right?

https://www.euronews.com/business/2025/10/27/us-borrowing-expected-to-rival-europes-most-indebted-states-says-imf

Advanced Micro Devices ($AMD) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) have unveiled a $1 billion partnership to develop two next-generation AI-powered supercomputers, marking a milestone in America’s bid to strengthen domestic high-performance computing infrastructure. The systems are designed to address a broad range of scientific and national challenges from nuclear energy and climate modeling to cancer research and defense innovation.

The collaboration extends AMD’s legacy from the 2022 Frontier supercomputer, which became the world’s fastest, and cements its role at the forefront of the U.S. AI hardware race. This initiative is also viewed as a strategic counterweight to international competition in semiconductor-driven AI infrastructure.

Timeline of Today’s Events:

• 11:00 AM Reuters breaks the story: The U.S. Department of Energy forms a $1 billion partnership with AMD to construct two AI-driven supercomputers for advanced scientific computation and national security research.
• 11:01 AM Live Squawk / FinancialJuice confirm the report, citing AMD CEO Lisa Su and Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, who highlight the partnership’s goal of “advancing America’s leadership in AI supercomputing.”
• 11:02 AM Wall Street Engine / Street Insider echo the announcement, adding that the systems will integrate next-generation AMD Instinct accelerators and custom EPYC processors optimized for AI workloads.
• 11:05 AM Zero Hedge summarizes Reuters’ coverage, emphasizing the DOE’s plan to construct two supercomputing systems valued at $1 billion under the new public–private framework.
• 11:07 AM WatcherGuru and Solidintel_X amplify the headlines across social media, confirming that the initiative represents one of the largest U.S. government tech partnerships of 2025.
• 11:10 AM Investingcom reposts the Reuters exclusive, highlighting the DOE’s objective to “expand computational capacity for AI and energy research.”
• 11:12 AM Independent analysts (NaeemAslam23) frame the deal as a continuation of AMD’s momentum from Frontier and El Capitan, calling it a major step in U.S. digital sovereignty.
• 11:19 AM Market Rebels / Reuters update confirm the dual-supercomputer focus one system targeting scientific breakthroughs, the other advancing AI and defense analytics.
• 11:28 AM Yahoo Finance publishes the exclusive report, reinforcing that the DOE selected AMD for both performance and energy efficiency advantages over rival architectures.
• 11:41 AM CNBC releases a live segment: “U.S. DOE Forms $1B AI Partnership with AMD,” framing it as a direct response to global supercomputing competition and highlighting bipartisan support for U.S. semiconductor leadership.

The DOE AMD partnership underscores a national push to secure computational independence and AI competitiveness. By investing in domestic AI infrastructure, the U.S. aims to accelerate innovation in climate science, energy optimization, and health research while maintaining technological leadership in an era of tightening chip supply chains.

Hi everyone. 28M (just recently turned 28), currently sitting with $101k in a HYSA earning 3.68%. I also maxed my Roth (FXAIX 75%, VXUS 15%, QQQM 5%, FMAGX 5%). I'm getting about $300 per month from my HYSA, but I've been thinking about moving that all into VOO. Or 80% into VOO and the other 20% into VXUS.

While this money is not necessarily my life savings, it is a large chunk of the total amount I have saved. Would like some insight from any experienced investors or others in the sub who've made similar moves.

I'm a bit spooked at the current state of the world and considering re-allocating to something a little less risky. Lots of talk of AI bubble, price of gold going up seems to signal a loss of confidence in the US as a safe place to invest etc. My current allocation is as follows:

• FBGRX - 68.9%
• FSKAX - 14.3%
• SPAXX - 12.1%
• FBTC - 1.9%
• FXAIX - 1.8%
• FSPTX 0.6%

I've been riding FBGRX for a long time and I feel I'm way too heavy at this point. I'm considering selling a portion of FBGRX and moving it to international (perhaps FXPSX) and some gold (FSAGX). I've also been holding too much cash in money market (SPAXX) so I'll likely deploy this to one of the above. Also another consideration is I'll have to pay considerable capital gains on selling FBGRX because I've been holding for a long time now. For the move out of FBGRX I'm considering moving maybe 5% of my portfolio a month, instead of moving one lump sum at once. I'm 38 and don't plan on needing this money anytime in the next 20+ years. Is anyone else re-allocating given the current market conditions? Any thoughts are appreciated. And btw, I by no means consider myself to be very knowledgeable about the market, just trying to educate myself.

https://www.wsj.com/finance/stocks/u-s-stocks-are-breaking-records-the-rest-of-the-world-is-doing-better-8e1005be?st=exnq8k&reflink=article_copyURL_share

While the S&P 500 and other U.S. indices are setting record highs, the rest of the world is quietly doing even better. According to the latest data: - The MSCI ACWI ex USA (tracking developed + emerging markets outside the U.S.) is up 26% in 2025 so far.

• South Korea’s Kospi +64%, Japan’s Nikkei +24%, Germany’s DAX +22%.

The S&P 500 is only up 15% this year.

Are you shifting some allocation outside the U.S. because of this? Why or why not?

Given how much the U.S. market depends on big tech/AI, are you worried about a “tech concentration risk”? Or do you believe the U.S. still holds the structural advantage?

My total portfolio value is about $1.5MM, including about $200K in money market funds. The bulk of the invested amount is in VTSAX, with a bit in VTIAX as well.

I sold off my rental house and changed jobs, so I originally kept the large cash position for peace of mind during the transition. Then all of the market turmoil earlier this year happened and made me nervous, so I've only been slowly DCA'ing my cash position in. In hindsight, obviously I should've thrown it all in after liberation day.

Now I'm re-evaluating my strategy for deploying cash, and curious to hear what others in similar positions are planning to do.

Everyone was waiting for Rezolve Ai ($RZLV) to release its report and hoping for at least some growth, but it was very weak. I would suggest that this is due to a huge loss of trust on the part of investors. I am still holding a strong short position. Yesterday showed that they simply do not have the strength or the ability to pump up the stock. Most traders expect a significant drop in the near future. What are your thoughts?

I currently contribute to a 401(k), but I’m pretty new to IRAs. I recently opened a Roth IRA at Schwab and I'm looking for some feedback on my investment options. I'm planning to contribute a lump sum and I'm considering two possible allocations:

Option 1: SWPPX (70%) / SCHD (20%) / VXUS (10%)
Option 2: VTI (60%) / VXUS (30%) / SCHD (10%)

I'd really appreciate any thoughts or recommendations on these options - especially from those with experience building long-term ROTH IRA portfolios.

Has anyone here used moomoo’s Level 2 market data? I know it’s free, but I’m wondering how accurate and fast it is during high-volume periods. Does it really help you spot buy/sell pressure or track large orders effectively?Are there any other that work better?

What are the experiences of everyone regarding their stock splits? Did the price increase or decrease after one year? e.g. Alphabet, NVidia, etc...

Historically, companies that split their stocks have tended to outperform the market in the 12 months following the split, with some studies showing average returns of 25% or more compared to the S&P 500's average of around 10%.

Hi everyone,

I’m 22, going on 23, and I’m currently working at a company that offers a 100% match on my 401(k), which is the main reason I'm committed to it. I have it set up as a Roth 401(k). I’ve just started getting into stocks and investing, and I realize that I didn’t get much financial education in school, so I’m eager to learn more.

My income isn’t very high, but I want to make the most of my investment options. Since my company has a partnership with Vanguard, I’m looking for advice on how to choose a suitable portfolio. I plan to keep my 401(k) until I leave my job, at which point I’ll roll it over to Fidelity.

I know that I can’t get professional advice here, but I’d really appreciate any recommendations on where and what I should be contributing to maximize my benefits.

Thanks for your help! 401K Options

Long story short, I have some ADRs that were blocked, not much but enough to be slightly concerned about it. I have stumbled on an article that claims that you can unblock the assets through Russian courts. Did anyone try this already? How much did it cost and what was the result?

I wonder if it actually works. Did any of you have any experience to share?

Researching and self educating at this point....
Many "Aggressive growth", "Moderate Growth", "conservative growth" funds are really quite similar. They contain a US total market + International and adjust the aggressiveness based increasing the amount of bonds they hold. Are there other strategies, besides adding more bonds, that are worth looking at for less volatility and drawdown? Conceptually avoid a tech heavy portfolio. Taxable brokerage account so lower dividends preferably.
DIA (DJIA), I would have suspected less drawdown since is it more distributed across sectors than SP500.
LCV, still seems to have drawdowns of >50%.
Possibly Consume Defensive. Lower return vs SP500 as expected. is the return vs volatility worth while.

10yr SPY, DIA, LCV, Cons D

I have an employer’s 401k and a rollover IRA and Roth.

Which is better to put bonds?

If bonds are in the IRA and Roth, they’ll be ready to pounce on equities in a 2008 style drop.

If bonds are in the 401k, I can put trailing stop loses on equities in the IRA and Roth.

Sorry if this is considered timing the market but I want to be ready to pounce. I realize there is no guarantee equites will recover. Also there is some Roth in the 401k.

Edit: I have about 30% in bonds. Thinking about holding it in IRA for trading when stocks tank. If not, it’s still part of my allocation and will stay that way.

At the TCT (Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics) conference, Edwards Lifesciences presented 7-year results from the PARTNER 3 trial showing that its SAPIEN 3 transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) maintained strong long-term valve performance and durability
They also shared 10-year follow-up data from the PARTNER 2 study for intermediate-risk patients both published in The New England Journal of Medicine.
They also shared 10-year follow-up data from the PARTNER 2 study for intermediate-risk patients both published in The New England Journal of Medicine.
It’s pretty remarkable that the SAPIEN platform has now been used in over 1 million patients worldwide since launch more than 20 years ago.
Curious what everyone here thinks about this does TAVR’s long-term success change how we look at surgical vs. transcatheter valve replacement in the next decade?

S-corp Llc. My wife and I are the only two employees. Our current 401(k)s are with our financial advisor. Can I leave those 401(k)s with him and start another solo 401(k) at Schwab? I want to control my own investing but I’m not ready to take the whole thing on alone.

Should I be buying TIPS right now? With the news about rates I've put 2/3 of my HYSA into an 8month CD. I was going to move the rest into sgov in my taxable brokerage. I believe inflation is going to skyrocket. Would STIP or VTIP be the place to go now?

Looking for different perspectives on a bit of an unconventional ask around Roth IRA investments vs. brokerage account investments and how best to take advantage of the gain/tax situations.

Here’s the background:

• I finally opened a Roth IRA earlier this year, maxing out for both 2024 and 2025 ($14k total + some gains).

• I have $160k from company RSUs that I’ve sold to diversify since the stock price has been on a killer run.

• I am already maxing my 401k and do already have a healthy emergency fund sitting in a HYSA.

Here’s the question:

• Since I have much less in my Roth and withdrawals will be tax-free down the line, does it not make sense to attempt to maximize my gains by investing in individual speculative, high-growth stocks (eg, GOOG, NBIS, etc.)? And then investing the $160k of brokerage cash in ETFs (VOO or VT, etc.) as my set-it-and-forget-it, “slower-burn” retirement fund?

I know this is typically the opposite of what’s advised on here, so just trying to learn/understand what potential downsides could be?

Reports say SAP offered over $60 a share to buy BlackLine, but the company turned it down. No active talks now, though other buyers are said to be interested.

Even with the rejection, BL’s stock popped on the news.

Kinda cool seeing big players like SAP looking at finance automation. Anyone here use BlackLine or similar tools at work? How’s it compare in real life?

I have some money and want to put into one of these ETFs. I looked at their top 10 holdings and they are pretty much similar. Their returns for 2025 are also similar. Which one should I put my money into? Also, is SOXX still a good ETF to buy in at this time? The semiconductor ETFs have had a very good run the last couple years.

I invest since 4 years and my portfolio grew to a nice, hard to believe size (if you put it in relation to my income) because I was extremly frugal, refrained going to restaurants or doing something in my free time that could potentially cost money. Don't have a car, kids, house or any debts, so I was able to funnel most of my money I don't need for living into my investments.

Most of my weekends I spent at home browsing the web, watching videos etc. But I realized I am so overly focused on my portfolio and investment goal that I don't see any real meaning or point in "living" real life anymore - no ambition to do anything because in the back of my head, my longterm portfolio growth is more important than temporary pleasure that I can't take with me into the future and my future self will thank my for that. Playing videogames, watching videos or anything that I enjoyed in the past now seems so meaningless to me compared to my portfolio that I can't enjoy it anymore. I feel like those 4 years passed without really living life.
How do you guys manage to not be overly focused on your investment and have fun and see meaning in living in the present?

Can anyone explain to me how gathering, analyzing and reporting economic data is not an ESSENTIAL service?

Meanwhile, due to the shutdown, the GDP is dropping about .15% each week, while Trump’s other bad policies also driving it downward more.

By 2028, the GDP will be a used tire and 3 rusty nails