Part 2: Your Index Fund Is a Bet on AI — Whether You Know It or Not

Mergers could be back in 2026 as companies try to get deals done while regulators allow them. But are buyouts always a good idea? We discuss a potential deal in pharma today, plus we go over the latest in interest rates and what we’re watching this week. Travis Hoium, Lou Whiteman, and Rachel Warren discuss: - AstraZeneca + BMS? - Why Merge Now? - Rising Interest Rates? - The Market’s Reaction - SpaceX Earnings Ahead - Can Uber Impress? Companies discussed: AstraZeneca (AZN), Bristol-Meyers Squibb (BMY), Uber (UBER), SpaceX (SPCX). Host: Travis Hoium Guests: Lou Whiteman, Rachel Warren Engineer: Dan Boyd Disclosure: Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, “TMF”) do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any investment opportunity presented. Investors should conduct their own due diligence and consult with legal, tax, and financial advisors before making any investment decisions. TMF assumes no responsibility for any losses or damages arising from this advertisement. We’re committed to transparency: All personal opinions in advertisements from Fools are their own. The product advertised in this episode was loaned to TMF and was returned after a test period or the product advertised in this episode was purchased by TMF. Advertiser has paid for the sponsorship of this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bethany McLean, veteran investigative journalist and co-author of The Smartest Guys in the Room, saw the end of Enron coming, and is now watching the AI trade very carefully. She has questions the market isn't asking. Motley Fool analyst Rachel Warren continues her conversation with Bethany, turning the lens on the market right now. She discusses why the free cash flow of the Magnificent Seven is quietly turning negative, why the circular financing inside the AI ecosystem makes it nearly impossible to see what's really going on, and why the S&P 500 index fund you think is keeping you diversified is actually one of the most concentrated AI bets you can make.  Host: Rachel Warren  Guest: Bethany McLean  Producers: Bart Shannon, Lauren Budabin  Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, "TMF") do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any investment opportunity presented. Investors should conduct their own due diligence and consult with legal, tax, and financial advisors before making any investment decisions.  TMF assumes no responsibility for any losses or damages arising from this advertisement.  We’re committed to transparency: All personal opinions in advertisements from Fools are their own. The product advertised in this episode was loaned to TMF and was returned after a test period or the product advertised in this episode was purchased by TMF. Advertiser has paid for the sponsorship of this episode.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s the first Saturday of the month, which means it’s time for the next installment of our 2026 Financial Planning Challenge. We’ve spent most of this year discussing how to accumulate and manage wealth. This month, we’re going to talk about how to protect it. Yes, we’re talking about insurance. Host Robert Brokamp is joined by Foolish colleague Amanda Kish to discuss:-The types of insurance every person should consider-How to determine the right amounts of coverage-Considerations when buying a new policy or evaluating a current policy-When it makes sense to get professional help with insurance Host: Robert Brokamp, CFP®, EAGuest: Amanda Kish, CFP®, CFAEngineer: Bart Shannon Disclosure: Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, “TMF”) do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any investment opportunity presented. Investors should conduct their own due diligence and consult with legal, tax, and financial advisors before making any investment decisions. TMF assumes no responsibility for any losses or damages arising from this advertisement. We’re committed to transparency: All personal opinions in advertisements from Fools are their own. The product advertised in this episode was loaned to TMF and was returned after a test period or the product advertised in this episode was purchased by TMF. Advertiser has paid for the sponsorship of this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The week was dominated by hedge fund Situational Awareness being forced to sell its equity holdings, leading to both a drop and a pop in AI-related stocks. What went wrong and what can we learn? Plus, we discuss why hyperscalers are moving in opposite directions, why Tesla may leave China, and the stocks on our radar. Travis Hoium, Lou Whiteman, and Jason Moser discuss: - Situational Awareness - Leverage Gone Wrong - Hyperscaler Divergence - Would You Rather? - Tesla in China - Stocks On Our Radar Companies discussed: Tesla (TSLA), GM (GM), Eli Lilly (LLY), Novo Nordisk (NVO), JPMorgan (JPM) SoFi (SOFI), SpaceX (SPCX), Costco (COST), Target (TGT), L3Harris (LHX), Keysight (KEYS). Host: Travis Hoium Guests: Lou Whiteman, Jason Moser Engineer: Dan Boyd Disclosure: Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, “TMF”) do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any investment opportunity presented. Investors should conduct their own due diligence and consult with legal, tax, and financial advisors before making any investment decisions. TMF assumes no responsibility for any losses or damages arising from this advertisement. We’re committed to transparency: All personal opinions in advertisements from Fools are their own. The product advertised in this episode was loaned to TMF and was returned after a test period or the product advertised in this episode was purchased by TMF. Advertiser has paid for the sponsorship of this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Investors are taking a more scrutinous approach to all of the capital spending the Mag7 stocks are throwing at AI data centers. The one standout this quarter (so far) is Microsoft. Matt, Lou, and Tyler break down why investors loved Microsoft’s earnings while hating Meta’s, and whether Microsoft is the best Mag7 stock right now. Plus, an earnings lightning round and whether single stock or basket is the best approach. Have a question? Email us; [email protected] Want to take the next step in your investing journey? Explore Motley Fool’s Epic for our portfolio-centered investing experience, premium research, tools, and guidance: fool.com/epic Tyler Crowe, Matt Frankel, and Lou Whiteman discuss: - Meta and Microsoft’s earnings reports. - The best MAg 7 stock to buy now -Hidden Gems earning highlights -Maibag: Buy single stocks or bet on several companies in the same industry? Companies discussed: META, MSFT, GOOG, NVDA, MA, V, EME, GRMN, LHX, HD, LOW, AMD, CAT, DE. Host: Tyler Crowe Guests: Matt Frankel, Lou Whiteman Engineer: Dan Boyd Disclosure: Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, “TMF”) do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any investment opportunity presented. Investors should conduct their own due diligence and consult with legal, tax, and financial advisors before making any investment decisions. TMF assumes no responsibility for any losses or damages arising from this advertisement. We’re committed to transparency: All personal opinions in advertisements from Fools are their own. The product advertised in this episode was loaned to TMF and was returned after a test period or the product advertised in this episode was purchased by TMF. Advertiser has paid for the sponsorship of this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Earnings season has shown us that consumers are still spending and paying their bills, as indicated by SoFi and Visa’s results. That should give investors some confidence as more companies report. Where there are more questions is in the AI trade, which continues to falter, despite some great numbers from Bloom Energy. Travis Hoium, Lou Whiteman, and Rachel Warren discuss: - SoFi’s Results - Is SoFi Just a Bank? - Visa’s Strong Growth - P&G Is Fine? - Bloom Energy Growth - The AI Trade Companies discussed: SoFi (SOFI), Procter & Gamble (PG), Visa (V), Bloom Energy BE). Host: Travis Hoium Guests: Lou Whiteman, Rachel Warren Engineer: Dan Boyd Disclosure: Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, “TMF”) do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any investment opportunity presented. Investors should conduct their own due diligence and consult with legal, tax, and financial advisors before making any investment decisions. TMF assumes no responsibility for any losses or damages arising from this advertisement. We’re committed to transparency: All personal opinions in advertisements from Fools are their own. The product advertised in this episode was loaned to TMF and was returned after a test period or the product advertised in this episode was purchased by TMF. Advertiser has paid for the sponsorship of this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ⁠⁠⁠megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Even though PayPal CEO Enrique Lores never directly addressed the recent buyout offer in its earnings report, the message was pretty clear: Stripe’s offer is too low. Matt, Lou, and Tyler digest PayPal's recent earnings and how that changes the dynamic of this acquisition drama. Plus, does Boeing finally have its act together, and why EV adoption is still so slow. Have a question? Email us; [email protected] Want to take the next step in your investing journey? Explore Motley Fool’s Epic for our portfolio-centered investing experience, premium research, tools, and guidance: fool.com/epic Tyler Crowe, Matt Frankel, and Lou Whiteman discuss: - PayPal Earnings and Stripe acquisition - Boeing’s earnings (without Air Force One) - The investment opportunities as a Boeing supplier - Mailbag: Why not more EV adoption? Why no LCID love? Companies discussed: PYPL, BA, LMT, GD, EADSY, TDG, MOGA, GE, HWM, LCID, GM, TSLA Host: Tyler Crowe Guests: Matt Frankel, Lou Whiteman Engineer: Dan Boyd Disclosure: Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, “TMF”) do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any investment opportunity presented. Investors should conduct their own due diligence and consult with legal, tax, and financial advisors before making any investment decisions. TMF assumes no responsibility for any losses or damages arising from this advertisement. We’re committed to transparency: All personal opinions in advertisements from Fools are their own. The product advertised in this episode was loaned to TMF and was returned after a test period or the product advertised in this episode was purchased by TMF. Advertiser has paid for the sponsorship of this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ⁠⁠megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Memory has been hot in 2026 and that was no different today. China’s CXMT went public and gained nearly 500% on its opening day. We discuss the IPO along with NVIDIA potentially guaranteeing hundreds of billions of investments made to supply OpenAI. Travis Hoium, Lou Whiteman, and Tyler Crowe discuss: - NVIDIA’s OpenAI Guarantee - More NVIDIA Investments - A Hot IPO - Memory Gets More Crowded - Merger Mania? - Case for Smaller Acquisitions Companies discussed: NVIDIA (NVDA), United (UAL), Delta (DAL), Norfolk Southern (NSC), Union Pacific (UNP). Host: Travis Hoium Guests: Lou Whiteman, Tyler Crowe Engineer: Dan Boyd Disclosure: Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, “TMF”) do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any investment opportunity presented. Investors should conduct their own due diligence and consult with legal, tax, and financial advisors before making any investment decisions. TMF assumes no responsibility for any losses or damages arising from this advertisement. We’re committed to transparency: All personal opinions in advertisements from Fools are their own. The product advertised in this episode was loaned to TMF and was returned after a test period or the product advertised in this episode was purchased by TMF. Advertiser has paid for the sponsorship of this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ⁠megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The journalist who exposed Enron before Wall Street did has spent decades studying how companies unravel — and the warning signs are almost always there before the collapse. Motley Fool analyst Rachel Warren sits down with Bethany McLean, veteran investigative journalist and co-author of The Smartest Guys in the Room, to dig into the psychology behind corporate disaster. She discusses why most fraud starts with self-delusion rather than malice, why the auditors and lawyers and board of directors may not be protecting you the way you think, and why the line between a visionary CEO and a fraudster is thinner — and more unsettling — than most investors realize.  Host: Rachel Warren  Guest: Bethany McLean  Producers: Bart Shannon, Lauren Budabin  Disclosure: Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, “TMF”) do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any investment opportunity presented. Investors should conduct their own due diligence and consult with legal, tax, and financial advisors before making any investment decisions. TMF assumes no responsibility for any losses or damages arising from this advertisement. We’re committed to transparency: All personal opinions in advertisements from Fools are their own. The product advertised in this episode was loaned to TMF and was returned after a test period or the product advertised in this episode was purchased by TMF. Advertiser has paid for the sponsorship of this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

William Bengen established 4% as the safe withdrawal rate more than 30 years ago. But in subsequent research, he has concluded that 4% is likely much too low. That research is thoroughly explained in his latest book, “A Richer Retirement: Supercharging the 4% Rule to Spend More and Enjoy More.” In this re-airing of an interview from last August, Bengen joined Motley Fool retirement expert Robert Brokamp to discuss:- how factors such as market valuation and inflation affect the safe withdrawal rate- whether retirees should decrease or increase their allocation to stocks as they get older- Bengen’s suggested withdrawal rate for current retirees Host: Robert Brokamp, CFP®, EAGuest: William BengenEngineers: Adam Landfair and Bart Shannon Disclosure: Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, “TMF”) do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any investment opportunity presented. Investors should conduct their own due diligence and consult with legal, tax, and financial advisors before making any investment decisions. TMF assumes no responsibility for any losses or damages arising from this advertisement. We’re committed to transparency: All personal opinions in advertisements from Fools are their own. The product advertised in this episode was loaned to TMF and was returned after a test period or the product advertised in this episode was purchased by TMF. Advertiser has paid for the sponsorship of this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices