Lunchtime Update: Trillionaires club

1. “Buy Now, Pay Later” Secures a $4 Billion Windfall

The “buy now, pay later” (BNPL) concept just gained serious momentum as Affirm (NASDAQ: AFRM) locked in a record $4 billion capital arrangement with investment firm Sixth Street. Armed with these new funds, Affirm plans to significantly expand its short-term financing options for consumers. The BNPL trend is no passing fad: Affirm’s shares have already soared by 51% this year, fueled by growing consumer interest in paying for Apple and Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) purchases through manageable installments. Meanwhile, private credit investors are eager to stake a claim in the space. KKR (NYSE: KKR) recently inked its own agreement with PayPal (NASDAQ: PYPL), underscoring how BNPL portfolios have become highly coveted assets in the alternative lending world.

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2. Quantum Computing Takes Center Stage

Quantum computing shares leapt forward after Alphabet’s (NASDAQ: GOOG) Google introduced its cutting-edge quantum chip, Willow, earlier this week. According to Google, Willow can tackle problems in about five minutes that would otherwise demand up to ten septillion years from today’s finest supercomputers. It’s no wonder investors were captivated. As a direct result, Rigetti Computing (NASDAQ: RGTI), D-Wave Quantum (NYSE: QBTS), and IonQ (NYSE: IONQ) all posted solid double-digit gains on Friday. Some market watchers, including Fool analyst Nick Sciple, argue that Google’s long-term outlook remains bright, making its current valuation look quite reasonable. His full commentary is available here (link per original source).

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3. Broadcom Enters the Trillion-Dollar Stratosphere

Semiconductor titan Broadcom (NASDAQ: AVGO) can now count itself among the ultra-elite after its market valuation surged past $1 trillion, surpassing industry heavyweights like Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.B) and Taiwan Semiconductor (NYSE: TSM). Investors propelled Broadcom shares 20% higher Friday after the company revealed $3.7 billion in quarterly AI chip revenues—a staggering 150% year-over-year surge. By assisting leading innovators like Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) and OpenAI (developers of ChatGPT) in producing their own specialized chips, Broadcom is helping these firms break free from reliance on Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA). The company’s top executive anticipates AI chip sales could total anywhere from $60 billion to $90 billion over the coming three years, cementing Broadcom’s status at the forefront of the next wave in semiconductor technology.

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In Summary: As midday trading rolls on, the BNPL sector solidifies its footing with a multi-billion dollar backing, quantum computing dazzles investors with staggering performance claims, and Broadcom joins a very exclusive trillion-dollar club. Despite minor market dips, the interplay of advanced tech, innovative financing, and strategic growth is breathing fresh life into the ever-evolving global financial landscape. Stay tuned—this dynamic environment shows no signs of slowing down.