u/BlueprintTshirt

Not surprised...

Kantar/UC Berkeley survey of 6,250 people found 59% of Gen Z cancel and resubscribe to chase a single title. Platform loyalty is basically dead for this group. Same cohort: 62% won’t pay full price for video games anymore and would rather use a subscription or wait for a sale.

This hits the usual names. NFLX and DIS already fight churn every quarter; this generational habit makes it harder to keep ARPU stable. WBD and PARA look more exposed with thinner libraries. On the gaming side, full-game sales at EA and TTWO could slow while MSFT and SONY push harder on Game Pass and PlayStation Plus to catch the same users.

The study also notes 71% no longer buy physical music and 70% skip hard copies of shows and movies. The access model keeps winning. Companies with long-running series that people actually finish will hold up better than those relying on one-and-done drops.

Anyone tracking recent sub numbers or guidance updates seeing the same pattern?

Source: https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/gen-z-cancels-streaming-subs-one-show-dont-buy-games-1236739557/

Musk replied "$10T or bust" to a post pointing out his wealth is already around $800B, or 2.7% of US GDP. Most of that comes from his TSLA shares.

To reach $10T he'd need TSLA's market cap to grow massively from current levels, even accounting for his ownership stake. The company is already priced for big future growth in robotaxis, Optimus, and energy. This goal just puts more pressure on delivering actual results instead of hype.

It also raises the usual questions around valuation. TSLA has traded at high multiples before. If earnings don't keep up or if he sells shares to fund SpaceX or other moves, the stock could face more swings. SpaceX IPO rumors have already been linked to some rotation out of big tech names recently.

Broader EV names like RIVN or LCID often move with TSLA sentiment too, though they have their own execution risks. On the AI side, xAI's progress could add another layer if it starts competing harder for talent and capital.

Trump formally told Congress the US-Iran hostilities that kicked off Feb 28 are “terminated.” Ceasefire extended, no kinetic exchanges since April 7. On paper this should be bullish for risk assets. In practice the fine print says the Pentagon is still adjusting force posture in the region and the Hormuz blockade hasn’t lifted.

Oil market is pricing the nuance. WTI and Brent are both elevated; any hint the ceasefire frays and we gap higher. Producers (XOM, CVX, COP) benefit on the margin, but sustained high prices eventually destroy demand, watch PSX and VLO for cracks. Defense names got a modest bid on the “not fully over” language; LMT and RTX have been range-bound because big new supplemental spending bills aren’t materializing yet.

The bigger tell is what isn’t happening: no big relief rally in semis or growth stocks. Traders remember 2020 and 2022... geopolitical “ends” often pause, not reverse, the underlying tensions. with my Bitget portfolio, I’m long a small oil basket and short some over-loved cloud names that still have exposure to Middle East data centers (more on that in another post).

How are people positioning? Scaling into energy on any ceasefire pop, or waiting for a cleaner all-clear signal on the Strait?

Source: https://www.axios.com/2026/05/01/trump-declares-hostilities-with-iran-terminated