Tesla’s Market Share Sinks as Sales Lose Momentum Tesla Inc.’s share of the U.S. electric vehicle market slid to an all-time low in August, highlighting how quickly the company’s dominance is eroding. According to Cox Automotive, Tesla controlled just 38% of the U.S. EV market last month, down from 42% in July and well below the nearly 80% share it held five years ago. The company sold about 55,500 vehicles in August—a modest 3% gain from July, but nearly 7% lower than a year earlier. By contrast, U.S. EV sales overall surged to a record 146,147 vehicles in August, capturing almost 10% of all new auto sales. Analysts say the looming phaseout of Biden-era IRA incentives has driven urgency among buyers. The competitive landscape has also shifted dramatically, with Ford, GM, Rivian, and other automakers cutting into Tesla’s lead. At the same time, CEO Elon Musk’s political controversies—from his involvement in the Department of Government Efficiency to his public feud with President Donald Trump—have damaged Tesla’s brand appeal. “Tesla has lost its ‘aura,’ which had been holding up sales in recent months,” said Sam Fiorani of AutoForecast. He added that Musk-aligned buyers rushed in earlier this year, leaving little leftover demand by summer. Tesla will report third-quarter sales in early October. So far in 2025, its shares are down about 14%, compared with an 11% gain for the S&P 500.

Eightco Holdings’ 3,000% Rally Sparks “Market Madness” Warnings Shares of Eightco Holdings (OCTO) exploded from $1.45 to $45.08 on Monday, a staggering 3,009% surge, after announcing a $250 million investment in Sam Altman’s cryptocurrency Worldcoin. The move also saw Wedbush tech analyst Dan Ives named chairman, while BitMine (BMNR) — led by Fundstrat’s Tom Lee — disclosed a $20 million stake at $1.46 per share. “This is pure frenzy,” said Mike O’Rourke of JonesTrading, noting Eightco’s only real asset is the $250 million financing. Despite that, the company closed with an $8.5 billion market cap. He expects an at-the-market share offering could be next to boost its multiple of net asset value (mNAV). Eightco wasn’t alone. Forward Industries (FORD) jumped 59% to $25.96 after announcing a $1.65 billion Solana (SOL) investment. In both cases, sponsors now control about 98% of the companies. “The public’s willingness to pay massive premiums for an equity wrapper around crypto assets they could buy directly is remarkable,” O’Rourke added, calling it a sign of “extreme greed.” The strategy mirrors Michael Saylor’s MicroStrategy (MSTR) playbook of turning corporate treasuries into crypto bets. But O’Rourke warns that as digital asset conversions become commonplace, the scarcity value that once gave MicroStrategy its edge is quickly vanishing.

Wall Street May Be Missing Nvidia’s Data-Center Potential, Analyst Warns Nvidia narrowly avoided a sixth straight decline on Thursday, but its stock is still 7% below recent highs. Tech analyst and I/O Fund CEO Beth Kindig argues investors are missing the bigger picture. While second-quarter results looked soft, Kindig highlights surging networking revenue as the real signal. “That’s what separates this generation of GPUs from the next—the scale of networking required,” she said on the Wealthion podcast. She downplays China concerns, noting Blackwell chips alone could deliver $100 billion in annual sales versus just $15 billion from China. More importantly, Kindig says Nvidia has outgrown its identity as a chipmaker. It’s now a “rack-scale company,” combining chips, networking, and software into complete AI systems. “It’s like Apple’s dominance with the iPhone, iOS, and the App Store,” she explains. Her forecast? Wall Street’s estimates are far too low. Analysts see $293 billion in data-center revenue by 2028; she projects $500 billion, with quarterly revenue potentially reaching $75 billion as early as next year. That could mean 100% upside for the stock. The demand picture is clear: big tech firms are racing to secure next-gen GPUs, and enterprises shut out so far may step in if hyperscalers ease spending. Next-gen chips like Rubin could spark another upgrade cycle—though soaring power needs may be a limiting factor. Kindig pushes back on “AI bubble” fears, saying Nvidia and its suppliers remain the essential “picks and shovels” of the AI boom, even if software names prove riskier.

Banks Push Commodities as Fed Drama Stirs Inflation Risks The Federal Reserve’s independence is under pressure, and markets are bracing for the fallout. Trump’s pick for Fed governor, Stephen Miran, heads to a Senate hearing Thursday, while a judge may soon decide whether Governor Lisa Cook can keep her seat after Trump tried to oust her online. JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs say the political fight is already shaping asset flows. JPMorgan notes rising short bets on long-term Treasurys—signaling inflation fears—and a tilt toward value stocks. In commodities, investors are eyeing gains in copper and oil if the Fed eases too much, while gold has become the clearest hedge against political interference, with futures positioning spiking. Goldman warns that if Fed independence is eroded, investors could face higher inflation, rising yields, weaker equities, and even threats to the dollar’s reserve status. In that scenario, gold stands apart as a store of value that doesn’t rely on trust in institutions. The bank projects gold could surge past $4,000 by 2026, with upside toward $4,500—or even $5,000 if just 1% of private U.S. Treasury holdings shift into the metal. With gold futures already topping $3,600 this week, Goldman calls bullion its strongest bet in the commodities space.