Welcome to Markets Desk, here's what's moving your money today.
Costco posted a stronger-than-expected fourth quarter profit, and the story behind the beat is worth noting. The warehouse retailer benefited from tariff refunds that padded the bottom line, a reminder that in this trade environment, the fine print of cost recovery can matter just as much as top-line sales.
Shifting to the broader market conversation, Morgan Stanley is out with a note telling investors it's time to think beyond AI hardware. The bank says there's still upside in chips and related names, but the smarter positioning now means diversifying into industries actually beginning to translate AI investment into real earnings — think healthcare, logistics, and financials.
And on the subject of beating the market, new data puts a sharp point on an old argument. The four hundred wealthiest Americans would have collectively done better over the past twelve months had they simply parked their fortunes in an S-and-P five hundred index fund. It's a humbling finding that cuts against the instinct that more wealth means better returns.
That's the tape. Markets Desk, signing off the floor.
