MarketBeat Week in Review – 08/17 - 08/21

Stocks were heading for a lower week, where bond buybacks, Bitcoin, and oil were the primary catalysts. All the major indexes sold off on Thursday after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the U.S. Treasury Department would double its bond buybacks beginning in September, spooking investors who were already weighing rising oil prices and a cautious earnings report from Walmart (NASDAQ: WMT).

The choppy week for stocks was offset by a rally in Bitcoin. The latter moved higher after a meeting between the White House and crypto industry leaders in an attempt to get the Clarity Act passed in the next few weeks. Investors also saw the increased Treasury liquidity as bullish for risk-on assets.

Next week, investors will get another reading on inflation when the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) index is released on Aug. 26. Investors expect to see a continuation of the cooling trend, and any deviation from that could move markets.

Articles by Thomas Hughes

The Metals Company (NASDAQ: TMC) is a speculative play on rare earth metals. The company's deep-sea mining strategy is gaining traction but faces a delay in obtaining a key license. However, Thomas Hughes explained why investors were expecting the delay, which is putting a floor on the stock for now.

NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) is changing the conversation about circular financing by boldly turning GPU capacity into a financeable asset. Hughes broke down the details of NVIDIA's plan and why it could be bullish for the stock price.

Hughes also gave investors five reasons to believe the S&P 500 will continue to rally through the end of 2026. The core of the argument is simple math; the index is already up 12% before the fourth quarter, which tends to be the most bullish for stocks.

Articles by Sam Quirke

Moderna (NASDAQ: MRNA) stock jumped 177% in one session after it announced that its melanoma vaccine, which is being developed with Merck (NYSE: MRK), outperformed in a late-stage clinical trial. However, Sam Quirke noted that high short interest was a key reason for the stock's move, which was already losing steam by the end of the week.

Okta Inc. (NASDAQ: OKTA) heads into earnings next week up nearly 60% in 2026. Quirke explained the reasons for the stock's surge and why an artificial intelligence (AI) tailwind could signal stronger growth.

Shares of Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) tumbled off recent 52-week highs on news that a major hedge fund had trimmed its position. Quirke explained why this was a "sell the headline" moment that will likely reverse when investors understand the reality behind the sale.

Articles by Chris Markoch

Michael Burry has reset his short position on Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ: PLTR). Chris Markoch explained Burry's reasoning, some of which has merit. The company's continued performance has made it a bad bet in the past and will make it hard to capitalize on in the future.

Sociedad Química y Minera (NYSE: SQM) shot higher after a strong earnings report, fueled by a sharp rebound in lithium prices. However, Markoch explained why iodine, not lithium, may be an unappreciated growth driver.

Old school infrastructure stocks have found a new catalyst in AI data centers. This week, Markoch highlighted three infrastructure stocks with significant backlogs and attractive dividends, making them worth adding to a watch list.

Articles by Ryan Hasson

Investors who are concerned about a volatile AI trade aren't pulling money out of the market. Ryan Hasson pointed out that they're rewarding established businesses with real earnings, growing dividends, and bullish analyst support. Hasson gave investors five dividend stocks that are paying off for income investors.

Hasson also explained why Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.B) increased its stake in Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOGL). The move raised investors' eyebrows, but Hasson noted that Alphabet has become a company that fits Berkshire's value thesis.

Articles by Leo Miller

Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ: META) is down over 14% since it reported earnings. Leo Miller wrote about the company's ongoing legal battles. Those go beyond any capital expenditure concerns and are likely to be a headwind for several more quarters.

Articles by Nathan Reiff

Commodities are among the hottest trades that will continue beyond 2026. This is a broad sector, making exchange-traded funds (ETFs) an attractive way to get exposure. Nathan Reiff highlighted three commodity-based ETFs and how each takes a different approach to the sector.

Commodities aren't the only sector doing well this summer. Reiff pointed investors to three ETFs surging this summer, each with a very different theme.

Quantum computing is still in its early stages. However, Reiff noted that while most investors are paying attention to the big names, two small quantum companies have stood out this earnings season.

Articles by Dan Schmidt

Cybersecurity will be one of the most investable themes in technology and AI for years to come. Dan Schmidt reminded investors seeking exposure to this sector through an ETF that fund construction matters, and that the three cybersecurity ETFs take different approaches.

Applied Materials (NASDAQ: AMAT) was an example of how a single imperfection on an otherwise great earnings report can impact a stock's post-earnings performance. Schmidt pointed out the one line item that sent AMAT tumbling after earnings.

Consumers are being choosy in where they dine out. That's showing up this earnings season. While several chains have had a rough season, Schmidt highlighted two restaurant stocks that have the right recipe for investors.

Articles by Jeffrey Neal Johnson

As autonomous driving becomes more prevalent, it's changing the economics of the industry. This week, Jeffrey Neal Johnson provided an explainer on how the rollout of the Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA) Robtaxi will impact the margins of Uber Technologies (NYSE: UBER) and Lyft (NASDAQ: LYFT).

Some investors are beginning to question if defense stocks are worth their high premiums. Johnson explained why they shouldn't be worried about RTX (NYSE: RTX), which just secured a $23 billion contract with the U.S. Navy, locking in revenue well into the 2030s.

SK hynix (NASDAQ: SKHY) made headlines again this week. This time, it was news of a record 40 trillion won, or roughly $28.6 billion, share repurchase and cancellation program. Johnson wrote that the timing of the move was noteworthy as it drew attention to the company's solid balance sheet in a week when many tech stocks were under pressure

Articles by Peter Frank

Investors looking for a different way to profit from the resurgence in the cruise line industry would do well to consider OneSpaWorld Holdings (NASDAQ: OSW). Peter Frank highlighted the record earnings of a company that's a passenger on virtually any cruise. Learn why analysts love the stock even after a gain of approximately 26% in 2026.

Investing in AI infrastructure doesn't have to mean swinging for the fences. Frank pointed investors to Belden (NYSE: BDC), a distinctly unglamorous company that makes the cables connecting servers. The need for data centers is boosting demand in the company's products, which analysts believe will leave room for aggressive growth in BDC.

Fuel cells may be a key solution to the data center energy problem. However, for a company like Bloom Energy (NYSE: BE), the valuation may be getting ahead of the story. For now, investors remain bullish, but Frank explained why execution risks remain.

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The article "MarketBeat Week in Review – 08/17 - 08/21" first appeared on MarketBeat.