Trump Tariff Refunds Just Topped $100 Billion, and These Companies Are Receiving Some of the Largest Checks

The Trump administration is issuing over $166 billion in tariff refunds after the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated tariffs imposed under the IEEPA in February 2026. Major companies like Apple ($2.19B), Walmart ($2.4B expected), and Amazon ($600M) are receiving substantial refunds that boost earnings. However, new tariffs imposed via Section 301 of the Trade Act may reignite inflationary pressures in coming quarters.

08/07/2026, 6:06 PM • The Motley Fool

Financials or Tech: Is XLF or FTEC the Better Buy?

XLF (financial sector ETF) offers lower volatility and higher dividend yield (1.42%) but lower returns, while FTEC (technology ETF) delivers higher growth (39.28% 1-year return) with greater volatility. The choice depends on investor risk tolerance and time horizon: FTEC suits long-term investors with high risk tolerance, while XLF appeals to income-focused investors nearing retirement.

08/07/2026, 5:20 PM • The Motley Fool

Meet the Low-Cost Vanguard ETF That Just Gained 11% Over 4 Days, Thanks to a Combined 33% Weighting in Nvidia, Microsoft, Micron, and Broadcom. Here's Why It's Still a Top Buy Now.

The Vanguard Information Technology ETF (VGT) gained 11% over four trading days following strong earnings reports from Microsoft and Amazon. The ETF's performance is heavily driven by its top holdings in Nvidia, Microsoft, Micron, and Broadcom. Despite concerns about valuation, the article argues the tech sector remains a solid buy due to strong earnings growth, particularly in AI-related infrastructure and semiconductors. However, investors should be aware of concentration risk and the sector's volatility.

08/07/2026, 11:27 AM • The Motley Fool

Top Rare-Earths Stocks Poised to Ride the U.S. Reshoring Wave

MP Materials and USA Rare Earth are positioned to benefit from U.S. government efforts to reshore rare-earth magnet production and reduce dependence on Chinese suppliers. Recent developments include a major DOD partnership with MP Materials securing a 10-year price floor and $1.55 billion in commitments, plus a $500 million Apple supply agreement. However, both companies face significant risks and reshoring success is not guaranteed.

08/07/2026, 10:05 AM • The Motley Fool

Every S&P 500 Sector ETF Ranked by How Much It Actually Depends on Just 3 Stocks

Market-cap-weighted sector ETFs lack true diversification, with just three stocks dominating most funds. Consumer Discretionary (XLY) is the most concentrated at 44.7%, followed by Communication Services (XLC) at 43% and Energy (XLE) at 42.1%. The article suggests equal-weighted ETFs as an alternative to avoid concentration risk.

08/07/2026, 6:20 AM • The Motley Fool

Tech Stocks Under Pressure: 1 Magnificent ETF to Buy on the Dip

Major tech stocks including Alphabet, Meta, and Apple faced pressure after disappointing earnings reports in July. The article recommends buying the Invesco QQQ Trust ETF on the dip, highlighting its strong 572% total return over the past decade and heavy weighting toward technology and AI-exposed companies. The ETF's top holdings, particularly Nvidia, have driven exceptional performance, making it an attractive opportunity for long-term investors bullish on AI.

08/07/2026, 5:27 AM • The Motley Fool

Warren Buffett's Successor, Greg Abel, Has 63% of Berkshire Hathaway's $355 Billion Portfolio Invested in Just 5 Standout Stocks

Greg Abel, who took over as Berkshire Hathaway CEO on December 31, 2025, maintains Warren Buffett's portfolio concentration strategy with 63% ($222.3 billion) of the $355 billion portfolio invested in just five stocks. While Abel shares Buffett's focus on indefinite core holdings like Coca-Cola and American Express, he is distinctly more bullish on technology stocks including Apple and Alphabet. Berkshire has reduced its Bank of America position by 50% since mid-2024 as the stock no longer trades at a discount to book value.

08/07/2026, 5:06 AM • The Motley Fool

Peter Thiel Still Owns Roughly 3% of Palantir, a Stake Worth More Than $10 Billion. Here's Why His Continued Conviction Matters for Shareholders.

Peter Thiel maintains a 3% stake in Palantir Technologies worth over $10 billion and serves as executive chairman, despite selling millions of shares since the company's 2020 IPO. His continued conviction in the data analytics company is viewed as bullish, as Thiel typically liquidates other winning investments. Palantir's revenue has grown at 30.5% CAGR from 2021-2025, with analysts projecting 57% revenue CAGR through 2028, driven by AI enterprise bootcamps, government contracts, and space economy expansion.

08/06/2026, 3:05 PM • The Motley Fool

Astera Labs vs. AppLovin: Which Technology Stock Is a Better Buy in 2026?

The article compares two AI-benefiting tech stocks: Astera Labs, which provides critical connectivity hardware for AI data centers, and AppLovin, which operates an AI-driven advertising platform. While both companies show strong fundamentals, Astera Labs is recommended as the better buy due to stronger momentum, accelerating demand, and a cleaner financial trajectory, whereas AppLovin recently missed revenue estimates and faces regulatory challenges.

08/06/2026, 11:29 AM • The Motley Fool

History Says Investing $400 per Month in This ETF Could Set You Up for Life. Here's How.

The Invesco QQQ ETF, which tracks the Nasdaq-100 index of large non-financial tech companies, has delivered over 10% annual returns since its 1999 inception despite the dot-com crash. A consistent $400 monthly investment over 30 years could grow to approximately $1 million, though investors must tolerate significant short-term volatility to achieve long-term gains.

08/06/2026, 6:30 AM • The Motley Fool

Schwab Emerging Markets ETF vs State Street Climate Fund: Do Emerging Markets or Climate Stocks Offer Better Growth in 2026?

The article compares two ETFs: Schwab Emerging Markets Equity ETF (SCHE) and State Street SPDR MSCI ACWI Climate Paris Aligned ETF (NZAC). SCHE offers lower fees (0.06%), higher dividend yield (2.6%), and better recent 1-year performance (20.1%), while NZAC provides broader global ESG-screened exposure with stronger long-term returns. The author recommends SCHE for 2026 as it better delivers on its emerging markets promise, whereas NZAC functions as a closet tech/growth fund despite its climate focus.

08/05/2026, 3:31 PM • The Motley Fool

The Hottest IPO of 2026 Will Shock You

Chinese memory maker CXMT surged nearly 500% on its IPO debut, raising $10 billion to expand DRAM capacity and potentially become the world's third-largest memory maker. The IPO highlights growing concerns about overcapacity in the memory chip market as multiple suppliers expand simultaneously, potentially leading to commodity pricing. Meanwhile, Nvidia continues making massive deals to backstop OpenAI's infrastructure projects worth hundreds of billions, raising questions about circular financing and sustainability.

08/05/2026, 3:11 PM • The Motley Fool

Peter Lynch Turned Fidelity Magellan From $18 Million Into $14 Billion With a 29% Annual Return. Here's Whether His "Invest in What You Know" Strategy Still Works Today.

The article examines Peter Lynch's legendary 'invest in what you know' strategy, which generated 29% annual returns at Fidelity Magellan from 1977-1990. While the strategy remains relevant today, the author recommends a blended approach combining personal product experience with rigorous financial analysis, citing examples like Warren Buffett's Apple investment.

08/05/2026, 8:15 AM • The Motley Fool

Tim Cook's Last Quarter as CEO Was Apple's Best June Quarter Ever. The Stock Fell Anyway.

Apple reported its best June quarter ever under Tim Cook with $109.4 billion in revenue (up 16% YoY) and strong earnings growth across iPhone and Mac. However, the stock fell as much as 8% after-hours due to investor concerns about slowing Services growth (12% YoY), upcoming supply constraints, rising memory costs, and a valuation already priced at 40x earnings. John Ternus takes over as CEO on September 1.

08/05/2026, 4:27 AM • The Motley Fool

If a Stock Market Crash Is Coming, I'm Loading Up on This ETF Without a Second Thought

Despite concerns about inflation, rising rates, overvalued tech stocks, and geopolitical tensions, the author recommends continuing to buy the Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) as a long-term investment strategy. The fund offers broad diversification across 3,531 U.S. stocks with an ultra-low 0.03% expense ratio and has delivered 14.53% annualized returns over the past 10 years.

08/04/2026, 3:16 PM • The Motley Fool