FinksDaily
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Good morning. When an Instagram ad can drain your crypto wallet, doom scrolling gets a lot more expensive. Researchers discovered an iPhone was compromised (opens in a new tab) the moment a soccer ad hit its screen. No click required. The malicious code sized up the phone’s operating system, picked an exploit to match, then swiped the owner’s logins and rummaged through their wallets. Ad blockers have never had a better sales pitch.
Quick product update: Finks now learns how you invest, remembers what matters to you, and adapts as your plans change. Our new memory feature builds a lasting understanding of you across conversations.
- Learns automatically: The stocks you’re watching, your investment approach, and the goals you mention become context for future chats.
- Keeps evolving: Tell Finks you’re changing strategy or working toward something new, and it updates its memories.
This is only the first iteration, and it'll continue to improve over the next few weeks and beyond. We’re also doing a lot of work on the data side, so you’ll notice better answers across the board.
Try asking: Should I invest in the Anthropic IPO? Give me the bear and bull case. (opens in a new tab)
Top Idea
Oil Prices Are Surging Again. Goldman Sachs Sees Bigger Opportunities Beyond Refiners
Energy markets run on confidence, and right now there isn't much of it left in the Gulf. Attacks on Saudi Arabia have pushed crude back toward levels traders hoped were safely behind them. But after months of watching refiners dominate the trade, Wall Street is hunting for fresh plays (opens in a new tab) where the oil actually comes out of the ground.
Growing tension: Brent crude touched $112.68 a barrel, its highest since May, while West Texas Intermediate briefly topped $100 following Houthi attacks on Saudi facilities. Although production remains unaffected, fears of further disruptions are keeping prices elevated. With refiners already enjoying a strong run, Goldman Sachs analyst Neil Mehta sees better opportunities in producers and pipelines.
- ConocoPhillips is favored by Goldman under new CEO Andrew O'Brien, with its Willow project in Alaska and QatarEnergy exposure worth watching.
- Occidental Petroleum was upgraded to Buy and added to Goldman's Conviction List as it works to reduce debt and improve cash flow.
Where The Next Opportunities Lie
Beyond the larger producers, Goldman favors Permian Resources, where free cash flow is expected to grow around 20% over the next couple of years. TC Energy offers a pipeline alternative, with potential new US projects and an improving funding outlook. Meanwhile, concerns over diesel supplies have prompted Washington to offer nearly a third of its emergency heating oil reserve for lending.
- US crude inventories fell 3.06M barrels last week, providing some support for prices even as Middle East exports continue flowing at around 17M barrels per day.
- Bank of America expects Brent to average $100 in Q4 2026 before falling to $77 by Q3 2027, suggesting the current rally could lose momentum as supply concerns ease.
What comes next: SLB reports earnings on Oct. 23, followed by ExxonMobil and Chevron on Oct. 30. Their guidance on production and spending should give investors a better sense of where the sector is headed, although any progress toward peace with Iran could quickly reverse oil's gains. For now, the opportunity is shifting toward the companies producing and transporting crude rather than those refining it.
(opens in a new tab)Sponsored by RYSE
Apple Just Moved Into the Smart Home. It Forgot the Windows. One Company Didn’t.
Apple just launched its first full line of home gear. A doorbell. A smart lock. Cameras. Thermostats. But not one product that moves your window shades. (opens in a new tab)
That’s the gap RYSE fills. Its small robot clips onto the shades you already own, and it already works with Apple Home, Alexa, and Google Home.
When Apple moves into a market, investors pay attention. (opens in a new tab) And the companies that fill the gaps get noticed. Amazon bought Ring for $1.2 billion. Google bought Nest for $3.2 billion.
RYSE has sold 100,000 devices, earned $20M+ in revenue and holds 10 patents. Pre-IPO shares are $2.60 until November 20.
See Why Investors Are Paying Attention → (opens in a new tab)
Large-Cap Recap
Live Nation Faces Potential Breakup Following Monopoly Verdict
Live Nation and Ticketmaster could face a breakup after a federal jury found the company maintained an illegal monopoly in primary ticketing. The verdict opens the door to forced divestitures and substantial damages, while a separate Federal Trade Commission lawsuit over ticket bots and fees adds to the pressure. With regulators pushing for changes to the concert industry, Live Nation's grip on ticketing could be at risk. [Read (opens in a new tab)]
Washington Takes Stakes in Semiconductor Companies
The US government plans to invest $389M in power semiconductor research, taking minority, non-voting equity stakes in four companies in return. Helion is set to receive up to $175M to develop high-voltage chips for fusion generators, while Vertical Semiconductor could get $73M for more efficient transistors used in AI data centers. The funding comes as rising electricity demand puts pressure on AI expansion, with Washington looking to reduce reliance on overseas chipmakers. [Read (opens in a new tab)]
Spotify Tightens Family Plan Rules to Boost Revenue
Spotify is tightening its Family plan rules, requiring some members to scan a rotating QR code to prove they're in the same household. The move follows Netflix's password-sharing crackdown, which helped drive subscriber growth. Goldman Sachs believes a meaningful share of Spotify's Family plan users are friends splitting costs rather than living together, giving the company an opportunity to convert them into individual subscribers and bring in more revenue. [Read (opens in a new tab)]
Idea Desk
Which Stocks Could Weather the Post-Election Market Turmoil?
With the US midterm elections approaching, investors face uncertainty over government spending, regulation, and the direction of economic policy. Rather than betting on which party comes out ahead, investors can look for companies with the financial strength to withstand market volatility while still offering room for gains.
We screened for 20 profitable US stocks with healthy balance sheets and strong interest coverage, then ranked them by Wall Street's expected upside based on consensus 12-month price targets. Here are the five with the highest projected gains.
| Company | Current price | Potential upside |
|---|---|---|
| Texas Pacific Land ($TPL) | $335.46 | +90.5% |
| Micron Technology ($MU) | $864.86 | +83.7% |
| Western Digital ($WDC) | $352.52 | +75.0% |
| Nvidia ($NVDA) | $212.93 | +59.3% |
| Lam Research ($LRCX) | $232.11 | +58.7% |
Market Pulse
Zillow Group, Inc. Class C
The real estate platform’s shares surged as falling bond yields lifted housing stocks while its new Claude integration added to investor optimism.
Moderna, Inc.
The biotech company’s shares sank after reportedly leaked melanoma vaccine data raised concerns ahead of the full Phase 3 results due this weekend.
Bob's Discount Furniture, Inc.
The furniture retailer’s shares rose as investors continued buying into the stock’s recent momentum, with no major new company-specific catalyst today.
Markets & Economy
Weekly jobless claims dip to 194K: US initial jobless claims fell below economist expectations to 194K for the week ending Oct. 17. The low reading highlights an unusually stable labor market where layoffs remain historically subdued despite slower hiring. [Read (opens in a new tab)]
Warren pushes to reverse SNAP benefit cuts: Senator Elizabeth Warren urged the USDA to reverse food-stamp policies that have stripped benefits from 5.2M people since July 2025. Her office's new food misery index calculates a $22B household cost driven by inflation and shrinking aid. [Read (opens in a new tab)]
AI becomes leading driver of US layoffs: Employers attributed 120.1K job cuts to AI through September, surpassing broader economic conditions as the top cited reason. Companies including HSBC and Amazon are cutting thousands of roles as they redirect spending toward automation. [Read (opens in a new tab)]
Business & Tech
Peacock turns profitable as Comcast beats Q3 estimates: Comcast posted $261M in streaming adjusted EBITDA as paid subscribers climbed 17%. However, broadband losses deepened with 144K residential defections amid fierce fiber and wireless competition. [Read (opens in a new tab)]
David's Bridal spins off AI planner Pearl: David's Bridal plans to spin off Pearl into a standalone public company valued at $350M through a SPAC merger. The platform forecasts revenue growth topping 100% in 2027 to more than $85M. [Read (opens in a new tab)]
Lam Research hits record revenue on AI chip demand: Lam Research reported record quarterly revenue of $8.22B as memory and foundry demand surged. The chip-equipment maker's operating margin crossed 40% for the first time in company history. [Read (opens in a new tab)]
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Digit of the Day
Lockheed Martin’s Record $292B Backlog Is Flying Under Wall Street’s Radar
Stealth jets are built to go unnoticed, and Lockheed Martin stock has picked up the same trick. Its backlog, representing the signed work still waiting to be built, now sits at a record $292B (opens in a new tab). Yet investors now apply a smaller earnings multiple than they did in March, so Wall Street’s radar clearly needs a tune-up.
- Demand for missiles is the spark, with sales up 24% from a year ago to $4.5B — as the contractor races to expand air defense output.
- Even so,’s forward earnings multiple dropped from 22x to 17x — amid higher rates, inflation, and the midterm elections.
Full house: Beyond Lockheed, its biggest rivals are filling up their order books too. Northrop Grumman booked $16.4B in net awards for a record $109.6B backlog, and RTX logged more than $81B in new awards, lifting its backlog to a record $340B. Northrop’s chief executive told analysts that allied defense budgets are in a multi-year upswing, with the war in Iran pushing spending higher. Three record backlogs in one sector is a pattern, and it is one defense contractors will happily take on repeat.
Post Credits
Disclosures
RYSE Inc. is offering securities under Regulation A+ through DealMaker Securities. Investing in early-stage companies is high risk and illiquid, and you could lose your entire investment. Read the offering circular (opens in a new tab) before investing. RYSE is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Tesla, Elon Musk, Apple, Amazon, Google, or Shark Tank. A reserved Nasdaq ticker is not a guarantee of listing.