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Hello and happy Sunday! Today we’re diving into industries on the brink of transformation, from breakthrough markets to cutting-edge technologies. Here’s what’s trending:

• Obesity drug market surge: Global demand for weight-loss medications could quintuple by 2030.

• Race to $4 trillion: Apple and Nvidia are neck-and-neck in the battle for the next valuation milestone.

• Quantum computing’s reality check: Investor enthusiasm cools as stocks take a sharp hit.

• TSMC’s AI-fueled success: The chipmaking giant smashes revenue records as demand soars.

• Automation vs. workers: Strikes and debates heat up over the future of labor in an automated world.

Obesity Drug Market is Set to Skyrocket

The global market for obesity drugs is projected to grow fivefold by 2030, driven by factors like breakthrough medications (think Ozempic), social media-fueled demand, 📸 and wider insurance coverage for weight loss treatments.

While the U.S. currently dominates the market, accounting for 77% of global revenue in 2024, its share is expected to decline to 66% by 2030 as demand grows in other regions.

$4 Trillion Club: Who Will Get There First?

The race to become the world’s first $4 trillion company is heating up. 🏎️💨 Apple, the reigning champ of trillion-dollar milestones, sits at a $3.70 trillion valuation, while Nvidia, powered by renewed AI enthusiasm, is nipping at its heels at $3.66 trillion.

While the $40 billion gap is pocket change for these titans, the bragging rights of crossing the $4 trillion line first could carry serious clout. Apple has historically led the charge, breaking the $1 trillion, $2 trillion, and $3 trillion barriers first. But Nvidia’s momentum in the AI revolution might just rewrite the record books.

Quantum Computing’s Rally Hits a Reality Check

Stocks in the quantum computing sector took a sharp hit after recent comments cooled investor excitement. Rigetti Computing plunged 55%, IonQ fell 25%, and D-Wave Quantum dropped 40% last week. 😱 Even the Defiance Quantum & AI ETF slipped 4%, reflecting broader concerns about overvaluation.

The sell-off comes despite last year’s excitement, fueled by Google’s new Willow chip, which showed promising advancements. Rigetti and D-Wave, for example, surged 1,449% and 854% by the end of 2024 as investors hoped quantum would become the next tech revolution after AI.

But experts like AXS Investments CEO Greg Bassuk suggest the correction isn’t shocking. “Quantum computing’s mass appeal is still years away, so the sell-off was quite expected,” Bassuk noted. While quantum promises to solve complex problems beyond the reach of traditional computers, defining clear winners and use cases remains a challenge.

AI Boom Pushes TSMC to Unprecedented Heights

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), the world’s leading chipmaker, closed 2024 with record-breaking revenues, bolstered by the global AI boom. 🤖 🔥 The company reported Q4 revenue of 868.5 billion New Taiwan dollars ($26.3 billion), a 39% year-over-year jump, surpassing analyst estimates of 850.1 billion NT dollars. Annual revenue hit 2.9 trillion NT dollars, the highest since TSMC went public in 1994.

TSMC manufactures semiconductors for giants like Apple and Nvidia and is renowned for producing the world’s most advanced chips. With skyrocketing demand for AI GPUs and cutting-edge semiconductors, TSMC’s utilization of its 3nm and 5nm processes consistently exceeded 100%, according to Counterpoint Research’s Brady Wang.

The chipmaker’s Taiwan-listed shares soared 88% over the past year, reflecting investor optimism about sustained AI-driven growth into 2025. Microsoft’s $80 billion plan to expand AI-capable data centers and Foxconn’s record Q4 revenue, fueled by AI server demand, underscore the growing appetite for AI infrastructure globally.

Robots vs. Workers: The Automation Debate Heats Up

Automation is reshaping industries, but it’s also igniting heated debates about job security. 🤖👨‍🔧 Strikes like the one led by the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA), which halted major U.S. ports last October, highlight the tensions between labor unions and automation advocates. While companies argue that technologies like semi-automated cranes increase efficiency, workers fear job losses and demand guarantees to protect their livelihoods.

The issue isn't confined to dockworkers. Sectors from retail to food service are grappling with automation’s impact. Robots are now frying food, cleaning skyscrapers, and scanning shelves—tasks traditionally performed by humans. Labor unions are pushing for clauses that ensure severance pay, retraining, or prior notice before implementing new tech. Despite these efforts, many worry about long-term job displacement, particularly among blue-collar workers without college degrees.

Economists are divided on automation's ultimate effects. Some believe history shows new technologies create as many jobs as they eliminate, while others warn of widening inequalities. Meanwhile, unions like the ILA vow to fight back, seeing automation as an existential threat.