This link roundup from naked capitalism gathers headlines across many topics, including an Ebola outbreak in the DRC that has topped 9,235 confirmed cases and Amazon's over 1 million robot workers, which raise questions for human employees. Other items cover the war in Ukraine and Russian strikes on Ukraine's energy grid, catastrophic malnutrition and starvation levels in Gaza, Argentina's dispute with the UK over Falklands oil, and China's record $583 billion investment in science and technology. Financial links note record-high margin debt on Wall Street and airlines bracing for years of pain from inflation.
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Original headline: Links 10 / 18 / 2026 | naked capitalism
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- 3 Cash Flow Stocks To Watch In October 2026
US inflation reached 3.7% in September, driven by energy costs, which makes reliable cash generation more important for investors. The article covers three stocks screening as attractively priced on future cash flows, out of 92 additional companies the screen surfaced. Alphabet generates about $367.1 billion from Google Services and $77.6 billion from Google Cloud, where AI infrastructure and Vertex AI turn enterprise usage into recurring cash flows. Amazon's North America segment brings in about $453.7 billion and AWS $148.4 billion, with AWS growth reaccelerating to roughly 20% through 2025. The article notes that both companies' cash engines face a major AI infrastructure spending cycle that could reshape future margins.
- We Just Witnessed a Unique Stock Market Measure Do Something for Only the 4th Time Since 1997 , and It Offers a Chilling Outlook for Wall Street
The Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite have hit several record closing highs over the past four years, driven by AI infrastructure spending, record-breaking IPOs and better-than-expected earnings. The article highlights outstanding margin debt, reported monthly by FINRA, as a measure of investor risk-taking, since borrowing can magnify both gains and losses. Since 1997, margin debt has surged at least 65% over a short period four times, and the three earlier episodes preceded major bear markets, including the dot-com crash, the financial crisis and the 2022 downturn. From April 2025 to June 2026, margin debt rose 77% to an all-time high of $1.502 trillion, which the article says could foreshadow trouble for stocks, though long-term investors have historically benefited.
- We Just Witnessed a Unique Stock Market Measure Do Something for Only the 4th Time Since 1997, and It Offers a Chilling Outlook for Wall Street
U.S. stocks have climbed for most of the past four years, with the Dow Jones, S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite repeatedly hitting record closes, driven by AI infrastructure spending, record IPOs and better-than-expected earnings. The article highlights outstanding margin debt, the money investors borrow from brokers to buy or short-sell securities, as a telling gauge of risk appetite, reported monthly by FINRA. Since 1997, margin debt has risen by at least 65% over a short period four times, and the previous three spikes preceded major bear markets, with the S&P 500 down 49% by October 2002 and 57% by March 2009. The latest spike, from April 2025 to June 2026, lifted margin debt 77% to a record $1.502 trillion, which the article says is a warning sign for stocks in the short term. Still, it notes that over the long run, stocks have historically delivered considerably higher average annual returns than bonds, commodities and real estate.
- China's third-quarter economic growth quickens to 4.5% as exports surge, beating estimates
China's GDP grew 4.5% year on year in the third quarter, up from 4.3% in the second quarter and above the 4.4% expected in a Reuters poll, as strong foreign demand for technology goods offset weakness in property and consumption. The monthly trade surplus hit a record $133.5 billion. Still, September retail sales rose 1.1%, beating forecasts, while urban fixed-asset investment fell 7.2% in the first nine months and real estate investment dropped 20.6%, pointing to weak domestic demand. Producer prices rose 5% in September, the fastest pace in over four years, while consumer inflation stayed below 1%, limiting firms' ability to raise prices. One economist forecasts full-year growth of 4.7%, and economists largely expect the People's Bank of China to keep benchmark lending rates unchanged this year.
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The week ahead for Latin American markets is shaped by U.S. 10-year Treasury yields, which closed just above 5% after falling about 15 basis points, keeping funding conditions tight for high-carry currencies. Key domestic data include Brazil's mid-month IPCA inflation on Friday, ahead of the 25 October presidential runoff, and Mexico's retail sales, inflation and economic activity figures. China's GDP data on Monday will set the tone for commodity exporters, while Brent crude near US$110 a barrel supports exporters but keeps global rate concerns alive. As of 18 October, Polymarket priced a Flávio Bolsonaro win in Brazil's runoff at 81.0% and Kalshi at 79.0%, with Lula at 19.5% and 20.0% respectively.
- Amazon.com vs. Walmart: Which Stock Is a Better Buy in 2026?
The article compares Amazon (AMZN) and Walmart (WMT) as 2026 investments, weighing Amazon's high-growth tech, e-commerce and cloud businesses against Walmart's stable physical retail base. For fiscal 2025, Amazon reported revenue of about $716.9 billion, up roughly 12.4%, and net income of about $77.7 billion, with $122.9 billion in cash against $251.6 billion in debt. Walmart's fiscal 2026 revenue reached about $713.2 billion, up 4.7%, with net income of about $21.9 billion, $11.5 billion in cash and $75 billion in debt. The author would choose Amazon for its 28% share of the global cloud market and its role in AI infrastructure, while noting Walmart's AI shopping assistant Sparky and a 23% rise in global e-commerce sales in the second quarter of fiscal 2027. Both face risks, from Amazon's antitrust proceedings to Walmart's exposure to tariffs and geopolitical instability.
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