The Great Taking

There’s just something about collectibles. Perhaps it’s because you’re holding something tangible in your hand, not just a share of a company. I certainly get a lot of joy looking through my coin collection or researching prices on pieces I want to acquire someday. 

Collectibles had a moment in the sun in 2021 and 2022, as investors were looking for an inflation hedge. The space has cooled off a bit, making now an optimal time to consider investing in collectibles.

While today’s focus – and my personal interest – is in rare coins – you may be more interested in stamps, art, antiques, even vintage cars. In the collectible space, there’s something for everyone. That’s part of the joy.

More importantly, with collectibles out of favor, it may be a good asset to rotate some of your wealth into.

If the S&P 500 closes over 6,910 today, the index will be up for February and continue its strong performance since last April.

But, looking at the monthly relative strength index (RSI), the market is flashing an overbought signal.

Nvidia’s selloff isn’t unexpected. It reports late in earnings season. Most of its customers have already reported how many chips they’ve bought or plan to buy.

Most of those big-tech names sold off after their earnings in recent weeks, too. But we’re seeing signs of a slowdown, of sorts.

Companies like Microsoft and Apple are now increasing their AI spend so much that they’re slowing their spending on other priorities.

For AI-linked companies — Nvidia foremost among them —  investor expectations continue to rise along with their valuations. At this point, even billions in profit are not enough.

Like the fiber optic spending plans that dominated the 1990s at the height of the dotcom bubble, AI spending is squeezing the cash flows for the S&P 500’s biggest companies.