Burke Wealth Management made several notable moves in Q3 2026, adding Palantir Technologies to its Focused Growth Strategy portfolio. The fund described Palantir as the fastest growing software business in the world, signaling growing confidence in AI software demand. At the same time, the fund trimmed its position in CrowdStrike, which had fallen 17% during Q1 2026, despite still viewing the company as a strong AI security player.
The fund also highlighted Alphabet as a key rival to Meta in the AI assistant race, noting that Alphabet has the talent and computing power to compete. A product announcement from Alphabet is expected soon. Burke Wealth also invested in Amphenol, which makes connectors and cables used in AI server racks. Data centers accounted for 43% of Amphenol's revenue in Q2, with 60% organic growth, though the company also serves aircraft, electric vehicles, and defense markets.
Anthropic's IPO filing revealed four non-cancellable contracts worth roughly $430 billion. Broadcom signed a five-year equipment lease deal using Google's chips, and the contracts guarantee future revenue for providers. Anthropic's commitments equal about 22% each of Amazon Web Services' and Alphabet's backlog. The company reported $16.3 billion in revenue but an $80.7 billion net loss in the first half of the year.
CoreWeave and other AI computing rental companies hit their lowest levels in over a year. The cost of insuring CoreWeave's debt doubled, with the market pricing in roughly even odds of default within five years. A basket of eight neoclouds lost over 40% since late July. Elon Musk said lenders have nearly shut off money access to AI data center dependent companies, and CoreWeave's next key test sits around $51, its May 2025 low.
Japan's Nikkei 225 Index fell for a third straight week, dropping 0.8% to 62,189 on Monday. Investors fear that massive spending on artificial intelligence may not be sustainable. Tech stocks faced sharp declines, including Kioxia Holdings, Advantest, Disco Corp, Tokyo Electron, and Ibiden Co. Retail investors, however, have been buying the dip in tech and semiconductor stocks despite AI spending concerns. Between Oct. 15 and Oct. 21, individual investors bought technology sector ETFs at the second highest rate on record for JPMorgan clients.
Researchers introduced BARC-Bench, a collection of 110 tasks across nine simulated workspaces to test AI agent safety. The study found that benign requests can lead to unsafe actions when boundaries are unclear. Models completed tasks safely on all five attempts in only 9.1% to 72.7% of cases, and even the strongest model produced a safety violation on 27.3% of tasks. Meanwhile, the FTC demanded that Anthropic executives testify in a probe tied to the company's IPO pitch, focusing on safety protocols and potential risks of its AI technology.
Mastercard launched Agent Pay, a tool that lets AI agents make purchases online. It works with retailers and government services like parking tickets, using x402, an open source payments protocol that supports credit cards, debit cards, and stablecoins. Agent Image also added conversational AI to real estate websites through its new SiteAI tool, letting home shoppers ask questions about listings and neighborhoods. The U.S. Army launched Project Gatekeeper to speed up software approval for vendors, with plans to add frontier AI models to improve security checks.
Lunit saw its stock rise 30% after announcing a cooperation with Summit Therapeutics on AI biomarker research for a next-generation immuno-cancer drug called ibonesimab. The Army's Project Gatekeeper also launched Friday, automating security testing that usually takes months so vendors can test code in secure online environments. Mastercard's Agent Pay and Agent Image's SiteAI show AI moving into commerce and real estate tools beyond just enterprise software.
Key Takeaways
- Burke Wealth added Palantir to its portfolio in Q3 2026, calling it the fastest growing software business in the world, while trimming its CrowdStrike stake after a 17% Q1 decline.
- Anthropic's IPO filing revealed four non-cancellable contracts worth about $430 billion, with commitments equal to roughly 22% each of AWS's and Alphabet's backlog, despite an $80.7 billion net loss.
- CoreWeave and AI neoclouds fell to year-lows as debt insurance costs doubled and a basket of eight companies lost over 40% since late July.
- Japan's Nikkei 225 dropped for a third straight week on AI investment sustainability fears, even as retail investors bought tech ETFs at near-record rates.
- BARC-Bench study found AI agents violate safety rules in 27.3% of tasks even with the strongest model, highlighting struggles with unstated boundaries.
- The FTC demanded Anthropic executives testify in an IPO-related probe focusing on safety protocols and potential AI risks.
- Mastercard launched Agent Pay, enabling AI agents to make purchases using x402 open source payments protocol supporting credit cards, debit cards, and stablecoins.
- Burke Wealth invested in Amphenol, where data centers made up 43% of Q2 revenue with 60% organic growth, and highlighted Alphabet as a rival to Meta in AI assistants.
- Lunit stock surged 30% on a partnership with Summit Therapeutics to develop ibonesimab, a next-generation immuno-cancer drug using AI pathology analysis.
- The U.S. Army launched Project Gatekeeper to automate software security testing and plans to integrate frontier AI models into its approval process.
Burke Wealth reduces CrowdStrike stake despite strong AI security outlook
Burke Wealth Management trimmed its position in CrowdStrike Holdings (NASDAQ:CRWD) in Q3 2026. The stock fell 17% during Q1 2026, which impacted the fund. Despite this, CrowdStrike remains a strong AI security company. The fund still sees value in the business overall.
Burke Wealth starts new Palantir position as AI software growth accelerates
Burke Wealth Management added Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ:PLTR) to its Focused Growth Strategy portfolio in Q3 2026. The fund called it the fastest growing software business in the world. The decision reflects growing confidence in AI software demand. Palantir is not on the fund's best list but was still added.
Burke Wealth sees Alphabet as key rival to Meta in AI assistant race
Burke Wealth Management highlighted Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG) as a strong rival to Meta in AI assistants. The fund believes Alphabet has the AI talent and computing power to compete. A product announcement from Alphabet is expected soon. Alphabet is ranked 7th on the fund's list.
Burke Wealth invests in Amphenol for AI data center exposure
Burke Wealth added Amphenol Corporation (NYSE:APH) to its portfolio in Q3 2026. Amphenol makes connectors and cables used in AI server racks. Data centers made up 43% of revenue in Q2 with 60% organic growth. The company also serves aircraft, electric vehicles and defense markets.
Burke Wealth watches Amazon stance on Meta AI commerce plans
Burke Wealth Management is paying close attention to Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) and its view on Meta's AI commerce plans. The fund released its Q3 2026 results with strong performance in enterprise software. Market volatility continued but earnings remained solid. Amazon's position on this AI trend is being closely watched.
Japan's Nikkei 225 falls for third straight week on AI worries
Japan's Nikkei 225 Index dropped 0.8% to 62,189 on Monday, marking its third straight week of declines. Investors fear that massive spending on artificial intelligence may not be sustainable. Tech stocks fell sharply, including Kioxia Holdings, Advantest, Disco Corp, Tokyo Electron and Ibiden Co. Markets are also watching upcoming earnings reports from major tech companies for clues on the AI trade.
Japanese shares extend losses as AI investment fears grow
Japan's Nikkei 225 Index fell 0.3% to below 62,500 on Monday, continuing losses from the prior week. Concerns about the sustainability of huge artificial intelligence investments weighed on sentiment. Japanese tech stocks faced selling pressure, with Kioxia Holdings down 3.5%, Advantest down 2.6%, Disco Corp down 2.3%, Tokyo Electron down 3.1% and Ibiden Co down 3%. Investors also awaited earnings reports from major tech companies this week.
Anthropic's IPO filing shows $430 billion in AI computing deals
Anthropic's IPO prospectus reveals four non-cancellable contracts worth about $430 billion. Broadcom signed a five-year equipment lease deal using Google's chips. The contracts are for rent, which guarantees future revenue for providers. Anthropic's commitments equal about 22% each of Amazon Web Services' and Alphabet's backlog. The company reported $16.3 billion in revenue but an $80.7 billion net loss in the first half.
CoreWeave and AI landlord stocks hit year-low as debt insurance costs rise
CoreWeave and other AI computing rental companies fell to their lowest levels in over a year. The cost of insuring CoreWeave's debt doubled, with the market betting on even odds of default within five years. A basket of eight neoclouds lost over 40% since late July. Elon Musk said lenders have nearly shut off money access to AI data center dependent companies. CoreWeave's next key test is about $51, its May 2025 low.
BARC-Bench study finds AI agents often break safety rules
Researchers introduced BARC-Bench, a collection of 110 tasks across nine simulated workspaces to test AI agent safety. The study found that benign requests can lead to unsafe actions when boundaries are unclear. Models completed tasks safely on all five attempts in only 9.1% to 72.7% of cases. Even the strongest model produced a safety violation on 27.3% of tasks. This shows AI agents struggle to respect unstated boundaries during complex workflows.
Mastercard launches Agent Pay to let AI agents make purchases
Mastercard introduced a tool called Agent Pay that lets AI agents like Muse buy things online. It works with retailers and government services like parking tickets. The tool uses x402, an open source payments protocol that supports credit cards, debit cards, and stablecoins. Agent Pay also enables micropayments, allowing small purchases like 27 cents or $1.87 without needing subscriptions.
Agent Image adds conversational AI to real estate websites
Agent Image launched SiteAI, a conversational AI tool for real estate agent websites. Home shoppers can ask questions about listings, neighborhoods, and the agent's business through conversational prompts. Answers appear as magazine-style pages in the agent's brand instead of a chat window. The tool includes guardrails for fair housing laws and lets visitors contact the agent at any time.
FTC demands Anthropic executives testify in AI safety probe
The Federal Trade Commission demanded that Anthropic executives testify in a probe tied to the company's IPO pitch. The investigation focuses on Anthropic's safety protocols and potential risks of its AI technology. The FTC has been increasingly scrutinizing AI companies over safety and risk concerns. Anthropic has denied allegations of prioritizing profits over safety but will face further scrutiny.
Lunit stock surges on AI cancer drug partnership with Summit
Medical AI company Lunit saw its stock rise 30% after announcing a cooperation with U.S. bio company Summit Therapeutics. The two companies will work together on AI biomarker research to develop a next-generation immuno-cancer drug called ibonesimab. Summit plans to use Lunit's AI pathology analysis platform to analyze the tumor microenvironment. The news drove Lunit shares up on the KOSDAQ market.
AI stock slump tests retail investors as markets waver
Retail investors have been buying the dip in tech and semiconductor stocks despite AI spending concerns. Between Oct. 15 and Oct. 21, individual investors bought technology sector ETFs at the second highest rate on record for JPMorgan clients. However, some investors grew cautious with stocks like CoreWeave, which fell to $54.24, its lowest close since May 2025. Morgan Stanley strategist Michael Wilson believes the AI selloff may be nearing its end and advises investors to treat declines as buying opportunities.
Army launches Project Gatekeeper with plans for frontier AI
The U.S. Army launched Project Gatekeeper on Friday to speed up software approval for vendors. The tool automates the security testing process that usually takes months. Vendors can now test their code in secure online environments. The Army also plans to add frontier AI models to improve security checks and reporting.
Sources
- Why Burke Wealth Trimmed CrowdStrike Holdings (CRWD) Despite Its Strong AI Security Outlook
- Burke Wealth Initiates a New Position in Palantir (PLTR) as AI Software Growth Accelerates
- Alphabet (GOOG) Could Be a Key Rival to Meta in the Race for AI Assistants, Burke Wealth Says
- Amphenol’s (APH) AI Data Center Exposure Draws Fresh Investment From Burke Wealth
- Amazon’s (AMZN) Stance on Meta’s AI-Driven Commerce Plans Draws Burke Wealth’s Attention
- Japanese Shares Drop as AI Concerns Persist
- Japanese Shares Struggle as AI Concerns Linger
- Anthropic's IPO filing reveals $430 billion in locked-in AI computing: Chart of the Day
- CoreWeave, AI landlord stocks sink to lowest levels in more than a year as the price of insuring CoreWeave's debt doubles
- BARC-Bench: Benign Asks, Risky Consequences
- AI agents are shopping like never before—and tools like Mastercard’s ‘Pay for Machines’ could turbocharge the trend
- Conversational AI for agent websites; NTREIS, reData partner
- Scoop: FTC demands Anthropic execs testify in probe
- Medical artificial intelligence (AI) company Lunit hit the upper limit in early trading on the news ..
- Markets Brief: The AI Stock Slump Is Testing Retail Investors’ Nerves
- As Project Gatekeeper goes live, Army plans integration with frontier AI models
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