Welcome back to Week 2!
After a strong start to October, markets finally cooled off — led by Trump’s tariff comments that shook investor confidence and sent stocks lower across the board. Despite the pullback, I’m staying focused on balance: keeping my core tech holdings, taking short-term opportunities when they come, and slowly shifting toward defensive ETFs like BNDW.
In this issue, I share how I rotated profits from AAOI into more stable positions, why I added CoreWeave as an AI infrastructure play, and what’s next on my watchlist — a potential energy wildcard that could quietly power the entire AI boom.
🗓️ Market Overview
Key Indicators:
Price | Weekly Change | |
S&P500 | $6,552.51 | -2.43% |
NASDAQ | $22,204.43 | -2.53% |
Dow Jones | $45,479.60 | -2.73% |
10 Year Interest Rate | $40.51 | 4.00% |
Bitcoin | $112,508.50 | -8.13% |
Data is provided by Google Finance
*Stock data as of market close, cryptocurrency data as of Friday 9:00pm ET
This week saw a sharp reversal in equities: the S&P 500 slid 2.43%, Nasdaq dropped 2.53%, Dow Jones fell 2.73%, and Bitcoin plunged 8.13%. The only standout in the positive was the 10-year yield, which rose 4.0%, as investors flocked to safety.
President Trump announced a plan to impose 100% tariffs on Chinese imports and tighten export controls on key U.S. software, escalating tensions after China expanded rare earth export restrictions. Major tech names were hit hard — Nvidia, AMD, Amazon all declined sharply. The move rattled markets, triggering the steepest single-day declines since April.
🚀 My Investment Strategy
As mentioned last week, I’ve started shifting my portfolio toward defensive positioning. The recent sell-off reaffirmed the importance of balance — I’m gradually allocating more weight into BNDW, a global bond ETF that provides stability and consistent yield, while keeping a smaller tactical sleeve for AI-driven growth trades.
My current approach focuses on:
Core holdings: staying long on major tech and index names like NVDA, GOOGL, and SPY, which I see as the backbone of my portfolio.
Swing trades: targeting AI-related high-growth stocks when short-term momentum builds, taking profits quickly before sentiment shifts.
Defensive layer: steadily adding to BNDW until it reaches 10–15% of my total allocation, lowering portfolio beta and smoothing volatility.
🦄 My portfolio
Current Holdings
Ticker / Name | Weight (%) | Avg. Cost | Current Price | P/L(%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
ALB | 2.68% | 81.281 | 89.86 | 10.55% |
BNDW | 5.74% | 69.52 | 69.86 | 0.49% |
CRWV | 2.28% | 138.138 | 138.43 | 0.21% |
FTNT | 3.77% | 76.166 | 83.05 | 9.04% |
GOOGL | 17.70% | 170.111 | 236.57 | 39.07% |
NVDA | 24.09% | 132.615 | 183.05 | 38.03% |
PDYN | 3.51% | 10.63 | 8.29 | -22.01% |
PLTR | 10.47% | 105.706 | 175.44 | 65.97% |
QQQ | 1.89% | 573.525 | 589.49 | 2.78% |
SPY | 15.69% | 591.6 | 653.02 | 10.38% |
UNH | 5.23% | 316.987 | 354.5 | 11.83% |
VT | 6.94% | 122.736 | 135.16 | 10.12% |
📈Recent Trades / Changes
Closed:
$AAOI ( ▼ 8.83% ) (+26% in a few days)
New Buys:
$BNDW ( ▼ 0.12% ) — rotating a slice into defense/cash-like position
$CRWV ( ▲ 1.57% ) — adding small exposure to the AI infrastructure space
The recent surge in AAOI was driven by momentum in AI-related stocks and heightened optimism surrounding the sector’s sky-high valuations. I chose to lock in profits quickly and rotate into BNDW to add stability and reduce portfolio beta.
At the same time, I initiated a small position in CRWV (CoreWeave) — an emerging player in AI data infrastructure that’s positioned to benefit from ongoing GPU demand and hyperscale expansion. While speculative, it fits my short-term swing trade strategy for selective AI exposure.
🌟Watchlist / New Ideas
$NLR ( ▼ 2.97% ) (VanEck Uranium+Nuclear Energy ETF):
I’m starting to look into nuclear energy as a long-term play. With AI data centers growing rapidly, power demand is skyrocketing — and nuclear energy could be the next big backbone of that growth.
The U.S. is investing heavily in small modular reactors (SMRs) and modernizing nuclear infrastructure, which makes the sector more interesting than it’s been in years. NLR gives exposure to companies in uranium mining and nuclear power without betting on a single name.
📚 What I’m Reading
The New Rules of Investing — Mark Haefele & Richard C. Morais
A modern playbook for investing in markets shaped by debt, digitalization, and shifting policies.
Trading Composure: Mastering Your Mind for Trading Success — Yvan Byeajee
Psychology + discipline guide for staying mentally steady in fast-moving markets.
The 5-Minute Money Reset
Short, actionable steps to reset your mindset and finances in minutes.
🧭 Final Thoughts & Forward Guidance
This week was a reminder that markets can shift fast — from optimism to fear in a single headline. The tariff shock may have shaken confidence, but it also reminded me why having balance matters: strong fundamentals, some defensives, and the patience to wait for good entries.
My focus next week is simple: stay disciplined, not reactive. If volatility continues, I’ll be watching whether yields stabilize and if the AI trade regains strength. I’m also paying close attention to energy and infrastructure plays that could quietly become the backbone of AI growth — from power to chips to cooling tech.
Starting next week, I’ll begin posting a separate Deep Dive edition every two weeks, focused on single topics that deserve more attention. The first piece will explore one of the biggest questions in markets today:
Are we living through another historical bubble — or is AI truly changing the world for good?
Stay tuned — it’s going to be a fascinating discussion.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this newsletter is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as investment advice. I am not a licensed financial advisor, and the opinions expressed here are based on my personal research and portfolio decisions. Investing in securities involves risk, including the potential loss of principal. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Always do your own research or consult with a licensed financial professional before making investment decisions.