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

Apple Is Down 10%. Should Investors Buy the Dip?

Apple stock fell 10% after reporting record earnings but disappointing guidance. Services revenue missed expectations at $30.7B, and management cited serious DRAM and NAND memory shortages driving up costs. Q4 guidance of 9-11% revenue growth fell short of analyst expectations of 12%. Despite the decline, the company maintains strong product demand with 16% YoY revenue growth, and the memory shortage is industry-wide rather than Apple-specific.

08/04/2026, 12:15 PM • The Motley Fool

If a Bear Market Is Coming in 2026, Here's 1 ETF That History Says Has Never Let Investors Down

The article recommends the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) as a reliable long-term investment strategy despite concerns about potential bear markets in 2026. With $1.7 trillion in assets under management, a 0.03% expense ratio, and 10-year annualized returns of 15.04%, the ETF provides diversified exposure to 506 of America's largest companies. Historical data shows the S&P 500 has delivered approximately 10% annual returns since 1928, even through major crises, supporting a buy-and-hold strategy for long-term investors.

08/04/2026, 10:30 AM • The Motley Fool

Greg Abel Hasn't Touched Berkshire's Energy Holdings. Is That a Signal?

Since becoming CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, Greg Abel has significantly reshuffled the investment portfolio but notably left energy holdings untouched, including major stakes in Chevron and Occidental Petroleum, plus the wholly-owned Berkshire Hathaway Energy utility. This inaction may signal Abel's confidence in energy's value, particularly given rising electricity demand from AI and data centers, though the article cautions against reading too much into non-moves.

08/04/2026, 8:27 AM • The Motley Fool

Why the "Magnificent Seven" Trade Is Starting to Fracture, and Where You Should Invest Instead

The article argues that the Magnificent Seven tech stocks (Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia, Tesla) are destined to fracture as investor exuberance pushes valuations beyond fundamental value, similar to historical bubbles like the Nifty 50. The author recommends diversifying into consumer staples like Procter & Gamble and Coca-Cola, which offer stable dividends, reasonable valuations, and resilience through market cycles.

08/04/2026, 8:15 AM • The Motley Fool

Berkshire Hathaway Has Invested $23 Billion in This Stock Since Greg Abel Took Over as CEO. History Says There May Be More to Come

Since becoming CEO, Greg Abel has overseen Berkshire Hathaway's $23 billion investment in Alphabet stock, making it one of the conglomerate's five largest holdings. Based on historical patterns of high-conviction investing in companies like Apple and Visa, Berkshire may continue buying Alphabet shares. The investment is supported by Alphabet's strong Q2 financial results, robust cloud business growth, competitive advantages, and attractive valuation at 18.1x forward earnings compared to the tech sector average of 20x.

08/04/2026, 12:30 AM • The Motley Fool

Why Sandisk Stock Tumbled 47% in July

Sandisk stock fell 47% in July amid a broader sell-off in memory and AI infrastructure sectors. Investor concerns about hyperscaler overspending on capital expenditures, China's new AI model launch, competition from emerging Chinese memory chip companies, and SK Hynix missing earnings estimates all contributed to the decline. Despite the volatility, analysts expect Sandisk's profits to continue climbing through next year.

08/03/2026, 9:02 PM • The Motley Fool

Should You Buy the Dip in Apple Stock?

Apple's stock fell nearly 10% following a significant investor update warning about substantially increasing component costs. The article examines whether this dip presents a buying opportunity for investors, amid broader discussions about Apple's AI strategy and market positioning.

08/03/2026, 8:02 PM • The Motley Fool

Investing in the "Magnificent Seven?" Pick Your Poison: Negative Free Cash Flow or an Unjustifiable Valuation.

The Magnificent Seven tech giants face a critical dilemma in 2026: companies aggressively investing in AI infrastructure report negative free cash flow, while those maintaining normal capex levels trade at unsustainable valuations. Most underperformed the S&P 500 year-to-date, with only Apple outperforming, leaving investors to choose between betting on AI-driven growth or accepting inflated valuations.

08/03/2026, 6:06 PM • The Motley Fool

Prediction: Within 18 Months, Microsoft Will Be More Valuable Than Apple

A Motley Fool analyst predicts Microsoft will surpass Apple in market valuation within 18 months. While Apple currently leads with a $4.5 trillion market cap versus Microsoft's $3.6 trillion, Microsoft is positioned better to capitalize on AI growth opportunities. Apple's valuation at 35x earnings appears inflated compared to Microsoft's 27x earnings multiple, suggesting potential for a pullback in Apple stock.

08/03/2026, 4:30 PM • The Motley Fool

James Altucher Says Elon Musk’s Next Move Could Unleash $25 Trillion, More Than China, Russia, and England Combined

Former hedge fund manager James Altucher presents analysis of Elon Musk's 'A.R.M.' project, claiming it could generate $25 trillion in new wealth—larger than the combined economies of China, Russia, and England, and exceeding the market cap of the Magnificent Seven tech stocks. Altucher argues that estimates from Morgan Stanley and Ark Invest may actually be conservative given the scale of global labor markets.

08/03/2026, 2:44 PM • GlobeNewswire

The Dow Adds 560 Points as Oil Prices Fall Off a Cliff

Stock markets rallied on Monday with the Dow up 1.1% (~560 points), S&P 500 up 1.2%, and Nasdaq up 1.8%, driven by falling oil prices following Trump's decision to pursue diplomatic talks with Iran instead of military strikes, and renewed optimism around AI spending after strong earnings reports from major tech companies.

08/03/2026, 1:04 PM • The Motley Fool

NZAC vs. URTH: Which Global ETF Is the Better Buy?

The State Street SPDR MSCI ACWI Climate Paris Aligned ETF (NZAC) and iShares MSCI World ETF (URTH) offer different approaches to global stock investing. NZAC features a lower expense ratio (0.12% vs 0.24%), higher dividend yield (2.06% vs 1.40%), and includes emerging markets with climate screening, while URTH focuses on developed-market stocks without ESG filters. However, URTH has delivered superior one- and five-year returns with lower volatility, suggesting that its simpler approach to developed-market exposure has outperformed NZAC's climate-focused strategy.

08/03/2026, 11:27 AM • The Motley Fool

1 Unstoppable Stock to Buy Before It Joins Nvidia, Alphabet, Apple, and Microsoft in the $3 Trillion Club

Meta Platforms is positioned to potentially join the $3 trillion market cap club within the next few years, driven by AI investments in recommendation algorithms, creative tools, and business agents. While the company's massive capital expenditures ($145 billion projected for 2026) are pressuring near-term earnings, Meta's valuation appears attractive at a forward P/E of 15.75 compared to the Nasdaq-100's 32.6, suggesting significant upside potential if AI investments deliver returns.

08/03/2026, 8:08 AM • The Motley Fool

Which Is the Better International ETF: Vanguard's Low-Cost VEA or State Street's Climate-Focused NZAC?

Vanguard's VEA ETF offers broad international diversification across 3,873 developed-market stocks with a low 0.03% expense ratio and 2.6% dividend yield, while State Street's NZAC provides climate-aligned exposure with a higher 0.12% fee and concentrated tech holdings. VEA is recommended for investors seeking cost-effective international diversification, while NZAC suits those specifically committed to Paris Agreement climate standards, though its top holdings (Nvidia, Apple, Microsoft) overlap significantly with U.S. portfolios.

08/03/2026, 8:06 AM • The Motley Fool