Nvidia Mania (Earnings Wednesday)

A single company has been key to powering the stock market to new highs.

And on Wednesday, Wall Street will either have its faith rewarded… or will start to question everything that’s been propping up the U.S. economy.

This pivot point could send the markets on a wild roller coaster.

I’ll tell you what you need to know in a moment.

But first, let’s take a look at our Top Stories and the Reader Forum.

Your Top Stories & Analysis of the Week:

• “Kamala Is So Taxing” (Rude Awakening, Sean Ring): Despite being the Democrat’s best hope for a presidential victory, Kamala Harris has been awfully quiet about the policies she’ll pursue. And what little specifics she’s offered are quite scary. Sean takes you through her thoughts on capital gains, unrealized gains and corporate tax rates — and explains the impact they’d have on you. See why this was Sean’s most-liked article of the week.

• “AI, the Very Different Beast” (Altucher Confidential, Chris Campbell): Plenty of people have compared the artificial intelligence (AI) stock boom to the dot-com bubble of the late 1990s and early 2000s. But Chris argues that most of those comparisons rely on a faulty premise. He explains what made the internet so unique… and why AI development is on a completely different path. Not only was this one a staff favorite, but member Norma I. calls it, “Another GREAT one!” I’m sure you’ll agree…

• “An Urgent Election Update for Americans” (Rickards Uncensored, Matt Insley and Jim Rickards): Every Friday, Rickards Uncensored members enjoy an exclusive broadcast from the Rickards team covering top-of-mind issues. But Jim felt that the Democratic National Convention warranted a special update that we posted on our YouTube channel. Over 26,000 viewers have tuned in to hear Jim’s thoughts on the election so far. One commentator tells us “Jim is the pundit I trust the most.” Another says, “Rickards is always great.” Keep in mind, these weekly broadcasts are usually only for his paid members. But we’ve unlocked this one for you!

Remember, we publish tens to HUNDREDS of stories. The write-ups and presentations above are our TOP ones for the week — including one that normally would be roped off from the public. If you want to stay ahead of the pack, make sure you’re caught up now.

And if you’d like to nominate any of our stories for next week’s “Top 3,” just let me know at concierge@paradigmpressgroup.com.

The Reader Forum:

Last week, Crisis Trader with Jim Rickards asked members to share their thoughts on the service.

Several members were very happy with the 81%... 85%... and 102% gains Dan Amoss and Jim have delivered so far in August.

David J. went even further, telling us:

It is informative, credible and timely. It helps filter the noise out of current events, which helps make decisions regarding investments and politics, but it also assists me in protecting my family.

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer our survey, David! While we’re always looking for ways to improve our services, we’re also grateful to hear we’ve put you on the right path.

And with recession rumblings and an uncertain election on the way, it’s more important than ever to prepare your portfolio for a crisis. Count on Jim and his team to keep you fully protected from whatever the future holds!

Next up, Bill C. — a member of Altucher’s Investment Network and Microcap Millionaire — tuned in for one of James’ usual broadcasts with Vice Publisher Dough Hill. But after what happened at the end of the presentation, he writes Doug to say:

Thank you so much for staying and walking us through the site. As a RELATIVELY NEW subscriber it was EXTREMELY helpful.

I hope you read this, Bill, because there’s an interesting story behind the tutorial Doug hosts at the end of every Altucher broadcast.

As you probably know, Doug and James try to answer as many member questions as possible while they’re on the air. But an Omega Wealth Circle member complained that the pair was taking up too much time on topics that were geared to newcomers.

We agreed he had a point, so we changed the format. Now Doug sticks around after the main presentation to focus on our newest members.

It means that experienced members don’t have to sit through stuff that doesn’t apply to them… and our novice members get the extra help and guidance they need.

More than anything else, it demonstrates why the Reader’s Forum and our other feedback inboxes are so important. We truly read every email we receive… then do whatever we can to improve everyone’s experience!

And, of course, I’m always happy to share feedback I get about the Concierge Letter itself.

For instance, last week we discussed National Public Data’s Social Security leak — and how to freeze your credit at the three major credit bureaus.

Wes H. responds:

Does Paradigm Press, any of its analysts, or any employees receive compensation from the three credit unions mentioned in this week’s “Water Cooler” segment if someone signs up for an account? Please explain the reasoning behind the recommended action if it is for any reason other than just blocking access to your credit account. How would this be better than a membership in a service such as LifeLock?

Thanks for writing in, Wes. And the links to Experian, TransUnion and Equifax were meant as a public service. We don’t have a business relationship with any of these agencies.

In fact, our advice mirrors what Dave Gonigam offered in Paradigm Pressroom’s 5 Bullets and Chris Campbell described in Altucher Confidential.

The reason we featured these direct methods instead of using a service like LifeLock is that freezing your credit with the credit agencies is free. Why pay for something you can easily do yourself?

That wraps up this week’s Reader Forum.

Remember, your feedback is vital to our success… so please email me at concierge@paradigmpressgroup.com.

Questions? I’ll get answers! Comments? Let me hear them! Problems? I’ll try to solve them!

This is YOUR forum!

(And don’t forget, we also have a FREE library of introductory investment guides — covering everything from finding a broker to how to trade stock options — on our Wealth Desk. For customer service issues, please use our contact page.)

Now, here’s what’s happening around the water cooler this week…

The Water Cooler — Upcoming Events and More

Artificial intelligence (AI) continues to be Wall Street’s hottest industry.

And Nvidia Corp. (NVDA) continues to be the stock to watch — with shares up a stunning 770% since January 2023.

Investors are eagerly awaiting the company’s next earnings release, scheduled for after the markets close on Wednesday, Aug. 28.

But there’s a very good chance the data won’t live up to expectations.

For one thing, Nvidia is rapidly losing its monopoly on cutting-edge AI tech, as we’ve discussed before.

There’s also the fact that the U.S. economy seems to be tottering on the edge of a recession — if we’re not already in one.

Jim Rickards says “a recession probably began in June or even May.”

So even if Nvidia hits its earnings and revenue targets, the company’s management could still offer weak future guidance.

A pessimistic outlook could hit Wall Street like a plague, causing investors to question all of their optimistic beliefs.

Don’t misunderstand any sell-off, though. Even our most bearish analysts believe AI will revolutionize entire industries.

And if Nvidia fumbles the torch, it will still be a major player in the next wave of AI. There are also plenty of smaller names waiting in the wings to take the tech where it needs to go.

So whatever happens on Wednesday, it won’t be the end of the world.

But if you’re prepared for the worst, you’ll be far ahead of the rest of the starry-eyed crowd.

You could also set yourself up for big profits if Wall Street freaks out!