Zacks Investment Ideas feature highlights: Microsoft, SLV, AGQ, GLD and DUST

For Immediate ReleaseChicago, IL – February 2, 2026 – Today, Zacks Investment Ideas feature highlights Microsoft MSFT, Silver ETF SLV, ProShares 2x Silver ETF AGQ, Gold ETF GLD, Direxion Gold Miners 2x Bear DUST.February Flinch: Why the Bull Market Is Due for a BreatherEven the strongest bull markets require pullbacks. While U.S. equity markets enjoyed a strong start to 2026, some short-term warning signs are building.So Go the Leaders, So Goes the MarketYesterday, despite beating Wall Street estimates, AI leaderMicrosoft saw its worst single session drop since March 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic – before recovering late in the session. Investors are punishing the stock primarily due to a staggering rise in CAPEX spending. MSFT announced that it spent $37.5 billion last quarter to build AI data centers – a 66% year-over-year increase.Other concerns include a slight slowdown in MSFT's cloud business and an overreliance on ChatGPT-parent and partner OpenAI for revenue. Markets tend to follow the leaders, which are currently AI stocks. The adverse reaction to Microsoft earnings is likely to put a damper on AI stocks, and thus the market, over the coming weeks.Silver Blow-Off Top Spells Danger for MarketAfter a historical run where silver has tripled in a handful of months, silver's bull market is coming to a close in classic form - a blow-off top. Recently, the precious metal showed several warning signs, including, record trading volume, a distance above the 200-day moving average of more than 100%, and several exhaustion gaps.For those who have studied market history, such moves have occurred in the past - most notably, when the Hunt Brothers tried to corner the market in the 1980s and when the great commodity bull of the 2000s ended in 2011. Investors need to be watching this move because previous instances have had broader implications, resulting in 10% drops in the S&P 500 over the coming weeks.February SeasonalityWhile there are several bullish tailwinds for 2026, including record tax returns, a dovish Federal Reserve, and the massive AI buildout, corrections in the first half of a mid-term election year are common. According to Carson Research's Ryan Detrick, "February is one of two months (September being the other) that is negative on average since 1950, the past 10 years, and the past 20 years."Sentiment is Skewed Overwhelmingly BullishThe AAII Sentiment survey offers insight into the opinions of individual investors. Currently, AAII respondents lean overwhelmingly bullish – a bearish contrarian indication.Bottom LineWhile the long-term outlook for 2026 remains supported by a dovish Fed and the AI revolution, the current convergence of parabolic commodity moves and poor seasonality cannot be ignored. Markets rarely move in a straight line, and the present "exhaustion" signal suggest that a period of consolidation is possible.Related tickers: Silver ETF, ProShares 2x Silver ETF, Gold ETF, Direxion Gold Miners 2x Bear.Why Haven't You Looked at Zacks' Top Stocks?Since 2000, our top stock-picking strategies have blown away the S&P's +7.7% average gain per year. Amazingly, they soared with average gains of +48.4%, +50.2% and +56.7% per year.Today you can access their live picks without cost or obligation.See Stocks Free >>Media ContactZacks Investment Research800-767-3771 ext. 9339support@zacks.comhttps://www.zacks.comPast performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performancefor information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.#1 Semiconductor Stock to Buy (Not NVDA)The incredible demand for data is fueling the market's next digital gold rush. As data centers continue to be built and constantly upgraded, the companies that provide the hardware for these behemoths will become the NVIDIAs of tomorrow.One under-the-radar chipmaker is uniquely positioned to take advantage of the next growth stage of this market. It specializes in semiconductor products that titans like NVIDIA don't build. It's just beginning to enter the spotlight, which is exactly where you want to be.See This Stock Now for Free >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Microsoft Corporation (MSFT): Free Stock Analysis Report SPDR Gold Shares (GLD): ETF Research Reports iShares Silver Trust (SLV): ETF Research Reports ProShares Ultra Silver (AGQ): ETF Research Reports Direxion Daily Gold Miners Index Bear 2X Shares (DUST): ETF Research ReportsThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks