AI Stocks Surge on Anthropic Growth | Open Interest 8/17/2026

Watch on YouTube ↗  |  August 17, 2026 at 16:23  |  1:26:46  |  Bloomberg Markets
Speakers
Ed Ludlow — Co-Host, Bloomberg Technology
Robert Schiffman — Credit Analyst, Bloomberg Intelligence
Kristina Hooper — Chief Global Market Strategist, Invesco
Mandeep Singh — Senior Analyst, Bloomberg Intelligence
Sam Fazeli — Senior Pharmaceutical Analyst, Bloomberg Intelligence
Sarah Henry — Logan Capital
Ali Kashani — Co-Founder and CEO, Serve Robotics
Norah Mulinda — Market Reporter, Bloomberg
Tyler Kendall — Multimedia Editor, Bloomberg
Megan O'Connor — Co-Founder and CEO, NTH Cycle
Craig Trudell — Reporter, Bloomberg News

Summary

This Bloomberg Open Interest episode covers an AI-stock rebound driven by Anthropic's explosive revenue growth, alongside AI credit-market strength and rising debt-financing concerns. It also discusses Middle East tensions pushing oil higher, AstraZeneca's trial setback, retail earnings with Walmart and dividend payers in focus, and an interview with Serve Robotics on delivery-robot growth.

  • Anthropic's 14x Q2 revenue jump and OpenAI's run rate revalidate AI investment sentiment.
  • AI credit and hyperscaler debt markets show strong capital demand from pension and insurance investors.
  • Kristina Hooper warns that heavy AI debt issuance and inflation could keep long-end yields elevated and pressure long-duration tech.
  • Middle East tensions around the Strait of Hormuz keep Brent crude near $90.
  • AstraZeneca is viewed cautiously after a failed lung cancer trial and pipeline uncertainty.
  • Retail discussion highlights Walmart's share gains and the attraction of reliable dividend payers.
  • Serve Robotics expects faster growth from DoorDash and Grubhub deals after moving away from Uber.
Ideas
Ed Ludlow Co-Host, Bloomberg Technology 2:03
Anthropic growth validates profitable AI trade.
Anthropic's Q2 revenue jumped 14x to about $11.5B and the company posted positive adjusted operating income, showing leading AI players can monetize in size and may not be indefinitely loss-making. This validates the AI trade and supports upside in AI-exposed stocks.
AIQ HIGH
Sam Fazeli Senior Pharmaceutical Analyst, Bloomberg Intelligence 17:38
AstraZeneca pipeline risks make buying difficult.
AstraZeneca's failed late-stage lung cancer trial against the Keytruda standard of care, along with expected negative upcoming data and confusing M&A chatter with Bristol-Myers, makes it difficult to see a reason to be buying the stock.
AZN MED
Kristina Hooper Chief Global Market Strategist, Invesco 25:25
Long-end yields likely grind higher.
Inflation is likely to stay higher than target because of war-driven commodity shocks and AI capex, while heavy hyperscaler debt supply adds to long-end pressure. She sees the 10-year Treasury yield approaching 5% as a critical catalyst for downward pressure on long-duration assets.
TLT MED
Kristina Hooper Chief Global Market Strategist, Invesco 28:44
European equities offer diversification opportunity.
European equities have very little exposure to the AI capex buildout and historically lower correlation to US tech. For investors overweight US equities, especially US tech, they offer a lower-correlation opportunity and downside protection.
VGK MED
Mandeep Singh Senior Analyst, Bloomberg Intelligence 36:00
SpaceX is emerging AI hyperscaler winner.
SpaceX has become a new hyperscaler in addition to the big four, with plans for eight gigawatts of new data center capacity additions by 2027, deals with Anthropic and Google, and backing from NVIDIA to support the ecosystem.
SPCX MED
Sarah Henry Logan Capital 48:01
Walmart share gains and AI margins.
Walmart is taking share in retail and has high-margin revenue streams from Walmart Plus, advertising, data and AI investments. Walmart Plus members spend roughly four times more and make about seven times more than nonmembers, supporting engagement and efficiency-driven margin resilience.
WMT HIGH
Sarah Henry Logan Capital 51:18
Dividend payers offer visible protected returns.
Home Depot, Walmart and Target have raised dividends for decades, making dividends a highly visible form of shareholder returns. Dividends historically account for 25-35% of total returns, and their current yields are attractive versus the market in a volatile environment.
TGT HD MED
Ali Kashani Co-Founder and CEO, Serve Robotics 65:45
Serve Robotics new deals accelerate growth.
Serve Robotics is growing its fleet for 17 straight quarters and expects full utilization soon. New DoorDash and Grubhub deals are a faster growth path than renewing Uber, and its robots can cut last-mile delivery costs from roughly $10 to about $1, expanding low-cost commerce.
SERV HIGH
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This Bloomberg Markets video, published August 17, 2026, features Ed Ludlow, Sam Fazeli, Kristina Hooper, Mandeep Singh, Sarah Henry, Ali Kashani discussing AIQ, AZN, TLT, VGK, SPCX, WMT, TGT, HD, SERV. 8 trade ideas extracted by AI with direction and confidence scoring.

Speakers: Ed Ludlow, Sam Fazeli, Kristina Hooper, Mandeep Singh, Sarah Henry, Ali Kashani  · Tickers: AIQ, AZN, TLT, VGK, SPCX, WMT, TGT, HD, SERV