Friday Fast Five - 7/17/2026
by Hodges Investment Team, on July 17, 2026
Five interesting things that Hodges Capital research analysts discovered this week...
#1 BOX OFFICE BONANZA: Starting this weekend theaters around the world will begin offering showtimes for Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey”. The blockbuster is expected to open to $90 to $100 million and was provided a $250 million dollar budget for production. The movie is expected to lead the box office despite some pushback from audiences suggesting the adaptation did not accurately reflect the original material.
#2 MADE IN THE USA: On the heels of beating street estimates with their recent earnings release, Taiwan Semiconductor (TSMC) announced an additional $100 billion investment to develop factories in the US. The company had announced earlier a planned investment of $165 billion for production buildout in the US in hopes of catching up to ravenous customer demand. Despite the strong results and aggressive investment, investors are concerned that TSMC’s competition with Intel may hurt their margins in the near future.
#3 SUMMER SLOWDOWN: After a period of rapid growth in Q2, equities may be headed for a seasonal slowdown. Data suggests that since 1985 the period between the 137th and 197th trading day of the year has been the worst for investors. For 2026 these trading days occur between July 21st and October 14th. (Barron’s).
#4 HORMUZ HANGUPS: Renewed tension between Iran and the United States after a brief ceasefire has shaken up financial markets. Both long-term debt rates and commodities linked to oil and gas have moved upwards amidst the fighting while equities have remained insulated.
#5 SHAKEUP AT THE FED: With Kevin Warsh sworn in as the 17th Chair of the Federal Reserve, changes may be ahead. Warsh and several other governors have criticized the Fed’s balance sheet growth over the past decade, especially during the COVID-19 crisis. Although such a reduction may sound straightforward in theory, the Federal Reserve currently holds $7 trillion in assets on its balance sheet, all of which is inherently tied to the banking industry and sovereign debt. (The Economist).
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