AI and Energy Infrastructure, Explained Plainly, The Physical Layer

The Physical Layer

AI and Energy Infrastructure, Explained Plainly

A journal on the physical constraints behind the AI buildout: power, grid connection, data centres, cooling and the supply chains that gate them. Written to be understood by anyone.

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul><li>Lumentum makes the tiny lasers that turn data into light, so AI chips can talk to each other across a data centre.</li><li>Those lasers have to be grown on a fragile crystal that only a few factories in the world can work at volume, and demand is running well ahead of supply.</li><li>That is why Nvidia, a chip company, paid $2 billion to make sure Lumentum builds more of them.</li></ul>

Lumentum makes the tiny lasers that turn data into light, so AI chips can talk to each other across a data centre.Those lasers have to be grown on a fragile crystal that only a few factories in the world can work at volume, and demand is running well ahead of supply.That is why Nvidia, a chip company, paid $2 billion to make sure Lumentum builds more of them.

Nvidia paid Lumentum $2 billion for lasers, because silicon cannot make light

Japanese Equity Specialist, Ortus Advisors

Andrew Jackson

Japanese Equity Specialist

Ortus Advisors

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>Expect the usual 'Takaichi trade' suspects to continue trading higher with the election result surpassing expectations.</li>
<li>US switches to risk, with tech and AI surging and NVDA clocking a +7.9% gain after the market decided big tech’s $650bn planned capex for 2026 wasn’t so bad.</li>
<li>Expect big gains for tech and SPE with the markets set to surge after US moves + election win.</li>
</ul>


Expect the usual 'Takaichi trade' suspects to continue trading higher with the election result surpassing expectations.
US switches to risk, with tech and AI surging and NVDA clocking a +7.9% gain after the market decided big tech’s $650bn planned capex for 2026 wasn’t so bad.
Expect big gains for tech and SPE with the markets set to surge after US moves + election win.


Japan Morning Connection: Takaichi Blows the Doors off and Secures a Super-Majority for the LDP

Japan Specialist

Mark Chadwick

<ul>
<li>Snap election called as PM Takaichi seeks mandate for consumption tax suspension and ¥21tn stimulus, boosting approval but reviving concerns over fiscal expansion and rising debt.</li>
<li>BOJ held rates at 0.75%, upgraded growth forecasts on stimulus effects, watched yen weakness and inflation, while bond yields wobbled on election-driven fiscal worries. </li>
<li>Corporate Japan accelerates structural reform: divesting low-return assets, deepening US strategic ties, and facing stronger shareholder activism enforcing market discipline over renewed stimulus reliance.</li>
</ul>


Snap election called as PM Takaichi seeks mandate for consumption tax suspension and ¥21tn stimulus, boosting approval but reviving concerns over fiscal expansion and rising debt.
BOJ held rates at 0.75%, upgraded growth forecasts on stimulus effects, watched yen weakness and inflation, while bond yields wobbled on election-driven fiscal worries. 
Corporate Japan accelerates structural reform: divesting low-return assets, deepening US strategic ties, and facing stronger shareholder activism enforcing market discipline over renewed stimulus reliance.


Japan Strategy | Snap Elections and the Rise of Corporate Discipline

Technical Analyst, Vermilion Research

Joe Jasper

Technical Analyst

Technical and Quantitative Research

Vermilion Research

Vermilion’s objective is to deliver timely, actionable, and unique technical research to professional investors through the application of our various technical indicators.

Our research strategists seek to highlight securities which we believe are at major inflection points, based on our various technical and quantitative indicators, and offer asymmetric risk/return profiles. Our unique research methodology, centered on relative strength, enables our strategists to deliver superior investment recommendations.

Our process begins by organizing the universe of actively traded stocks into discrete sectors, then into industry groups. We then apply our technical and quantitative tools to identify developing price trends. Once attractive trends are identified within a selected sector or group, we screen for individual stocks which we believe offer the best risk/reward profile. We provide a historical perspective that often reveals, through our long-term charts, how price patterns often repeat themselves over time.

Technical Analysis

ASE Technology Holding   / Technical Analysis

<ul>
<li>We will stay near-term bullish as long as crucial support levels of 6824 on SPX (up from 6480-6520) and $141.50 on ACWI-US (up from $134-135.70) continue to hold.</li>
<li>Signs of impending upside are evident with the ACWI-US and all the other MSCI global indexes (MSCI EAFE, ACWI ex-US, EM) breaking out (more on that below).</li>
<li>Our intermediate-term bullish outlook has been in place since our 5/14/25 Compass. Actionable themes include Technology and Industrials, focused in EM, Europe, and Japan.</li>
</ul>


We will stay near-term bullish as long as crucial support levels of 6824 on SPX (up from 6480-6520) and $141.50 on ACWI-US (up from $134-135.70) continue to hold.
Signs of impending upside are evident with the ACWI-US and all the other MSCI global indexes (MSCI EAFE, ACWI ex-US, EM) breaking out (more on that below).
Our intermediate-term bullish outlook has been in place since our 5/14/25 Compass. Actionable themes include Technology and Industrials, focused in EM, Europe, and Japan.


Breakouts Galore in All MSCI Global Indexes; Bullish Outlook Intact

Global Materials | Industrials | Commodities

Rahul Jain

<ul>
<li>Japan’s defence renaissance is underway, driven by structural budget growth toward 2%+ of GDP.</li>
<li>Multi-Decade tailwinds in missiles, cyber, and naval systems will reshape the domestic defence industry.</li>
<li>Investors should balance national champions with mid-cap leverage plays to capture both visibility and alpha.</li>
</ul>


Japan’s defence renaissance is underway, driven by structural budget growth toward 2%+ of GDP.
Multi-Decade tailwinds in missiles, cyber, and naval systems will reshape the domestic defence industry.
Investors should balance national champions with mid-cap leverage plays to capture both visibility and alpha.


Japan Defence Supercycle: Multi-Decade Tailwinds, Near-Term Catalysts

Japan

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation develops, manufactures, and markets electronic equipment.  The Company's products include industrial machinery, heavy electric machinery, data communications systems, electronic devices, and consumer electronics.

Price Gauge
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Mitsubishi Electric (6503 JP)

Nvidia paid Lumentum $2 billion for lasers, because silicon cannot make light

Lumentum makes the tiny lasers that turn data into light, so AI chips can talk to each other across a data centre. Those lasers have to be grown...

The Physical Layer

Japan Morning Connection: Takaichi Blows the Doors off and Secures a Super-Majority for the LDP

With risk sentiment shifted up, look to play the bounce with Lasertec which was -17% after earnings miss and Kioxia which was -11% last week.

Andrew Jackson

Japan Strategy | Snap Elections and the Rise of Corporate Discipline

PM Takaichi calls snap election raising concerns over fiscal expansion and rising debt. BOJ holds rates, upgrades growth forecasts, as bond yields...

Mark Chadwick

Breakouts Galore in All MSCI Global Indexes; Bullish Outlook Intact

Breakouts Galore in All MSCI Global Indexes (MSCI $ACWI $ACWX $EFA and $EEM) and tons of countries; Bullish Outlook Intact; Remain Overweight...

Vermilion Research

Japan Defence Supercycle: Multi-Decade Tailwinds, Near-Term Catalysts

Japan's defense industry is experiencing a renaissance with increased budget allocation, leading to opportunities for investors in national...

Rahul Jain

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Nvidia paid Lumentum $2 billion for lasers, because silicon cannot make light

Lumentum makes the tiny lasers that turn data into light, so AI chips can talk to each other across a data centre. Those lasers have to be grown...

The Physical Layer

Japan Morning Connection: Takaichi Blows the Doors off and Secures a Super-Majority for the LDP

With risk sentiment shifted up, look to play the bounce with Lasertec which was -17% after earnings miss and Kioxia which was -11% last week.

Andrew Jackson

Japan Strategy | Snap Elections and the Rise of Corporate Discipline

​PM Takaichi calls snap election raising concerns over fiscal expansion and rising debt. BOJ holds rates, upgrades growth forecasts, as bond yields...

Mark Chadwick

Breakouts Galore in All MSCI Global Indexes; Bullish Outlook Intact

Breakouts Galore in All MSCI Global Indexes (MSCI $ACWI $ACWX $EFA and $EEM) and tons of countries; Bullish Outlook Intact; Remain Overweight...

Vermilion Research

Japan Defence Supercycle: Multi-Decade Tailwinds, Near-Term Catalysts

​Japan's defense industry is experiencing a renaissance with increased budget allocation, leading to opportunities for investors in national...

Rahul Jain

PM Takaichi calls snap election raising concerns over fiscal expansion and rising debt. BOJ holds rates, upgrades growth forecasts, as bond yields...

Japan's defense industry is experiencing a renaissance with increased budget allocation, leading to opportunities for investors in national...