Episode Overview

Title: Seven Stories to Follow Today 8-22-25
Host: Scott Becker
Air Date: August 22, 2025

In this brisk, news-driven solo episode, Scott Becker reviews seven key stories influencing private equity, business, and markets as of August 22, 2025. Scott offers concise updates with his characteristic directness, focusing on the most timely headlines—interest rates, tech earnings, investment shifts, and global geopolitics.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Federal Reserve Open to Rate Cuts (00:10)

• Main Theme: The Federal Reserve signals willingness to consider rate cuts at the Jackson Hole meeting, positively affecting markets.
• Market Reaction:
  • NASDAQ up by 1.66%
  • S&P 500 up by 1.5%
• Quote:

  "The Fed says they're open to rate cuts. They have their Jackson Hole meeting today. This is driving the markets higher today." — Scott Becker (00:14)

2. Nvidia Faces Headwinds on China Chip Sales (00:34)

• Issue: Nvidia experiences a downturn due to challenges in selling chips to China, dipping 4% this week.
• Resilience: Despite setbacks, Nvidia’s market capitalization remains above $4 trillion and was showing signs of recovery during the day.
• Quote:

  "Nvidia is seeing some headwinds this week with chip sales to China, and it's down about 4% this week. Though it's going to recover a little bit today." — Scott Becker (00:37)

3. Zoom’s Continued Growth (00:48)

• Performance: Zoom surges on strong demand post-COVID, projecting annual revenue between $4.83 and $4.84 billion.
• Stock Movement: Share price rose more than 5% that day.
• Personal Note: Scott declares Zoom the "easiest platform to work with."
• Quote:

  "An amazing growth story, an amazing sustainability story. Post Covid 2, the stock points up more than 5% today. I find Zoom to be by far the easiest platform to work with." — Scott Becker (00:53)

4. Microsoft as a Dividend Favorite (01:13)

• Recommendation: Motley Fool names Microsoft its top dividend stock—not for a large yield, but its stability.
• Significance: Highlights investor shift toward stable, dependable tech giant dividends.
• Quote:

  "Motley Fool calls Microsoft its favorite dividend stock by far, not because of a high dividend necessarily, but because of its stability and where it's at." — Scott Becker (01:15)

5. Berkshire’s Major Apple Sell-Off (01:25)

• Action: Berkshire Hathaway reduced its Apple holdings by over 70% across the last two years.
• Context: Apple had previously been one of Berkshire’s largest positions.
• Quote:

  "Berkshire has sold more than about 70% of its Apple for the last two years. Apple had long been one of its largest holdings. That's sort of fascinating to watch as well." — Scott Becker (01:28)

6. Healthcare Stocks Hit 30-Year Lows (01:38)

• Analysis: Barron’s reports that healthcare stocks are at their lowest in three decades, potentially presenting a buying opportunity.
• Examples:
  • United Health down 40% YTD
  • Centene down 52% YTD
  • Surgery Partners up 8% YTD
  • HCA up 34% YTD
• Quote:

  "Barron's says that healthcare stocks are at the lowest point in 30 years and it may be time to start buying." — Scott Becker (01:39)

7. Russia-Ukraine Negotiations Stall (02:00)

• Update: Ongoing US diplomatic efforts to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict are hitting obstacles; entrenched positions make common ground elusive.
• Assessment: Scott commends the administration’s effort but acknowledges the difficulty.
• Quote:

  "The president is finding it a lot harder to find common ground between Russia and Ukraine than he would like. The sides remain entrenched. We give him a lot of credit here for being fully engaged and trying, but he is finding it more intractable than he might have expected." — Scott Becker (02:02)

Notable Quotes

• On the market rally:

  "This is driving the markets higher today." — Scott Becker (00:16)

• On the tech market’s resilience:

  "Its market cap remains way above 4 trillion." — Scott Becker on Nvidia (00:39)

• On software efficiency:

  "I find Zoom to be by far the easiest platform to work with. In fact, we're working on it now." — Scott Becker (00:56)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:10 — Fed and rate cuts, market movement
• 00:34 — Nvidia’s performance and China headwinds
• 00:48 — Zoom’s strong results and user experience
• 01:13 — Microsoft as a dividend favorite
• 01:25 — Berkshire Hathaway’s reduction in Apple holdings
• 01:38 — Healthcare stocks analysis
• 02:00 — US diplomatic challenges in Russia-Ukraine crisis

Summary Tone & Flow

Scott Becker’s solo delivery is fast-paced, concise, and focused, providing listeners with a succinct overview of major business stories relevant to investors and business professionals, flavored by his direct commentary and lightly personal insights. The episode is a valuable snapshot for those wanting to quickly survey the day's market-shaping events and narratives.