Digital infrastructure stocks – those related to data centers, server farms, call centers, cellular communication towers and related industries – have become one of the fastest-growing segments of the global equity markets. The developed and developing world increasingly depends on high-tech digital technologies. All that technological growth necessitates a tremendous amount of infrastructure to support it. The global expansion of…
A new year often brings a fresh market outlook, as an “out with the old, in with the new” sentiment takes hold. Here’s a look at how some major asset classes may perform heading into 2025. This post originally appeared at U.S. News & World Report.
The investment industry’s Global Industry Classification Standard, GICS, was created in 1999 by MSCI Inc. (ticker: MSCI) and S&P Global Inc. (SPGI). The idea was to standardize industrial and economic sector classifications and make it easier for investors to compare companies and evaluate securities. The GICS organized companies into 11 sectors: Some investors design equity portfolios to include at least one…
Artificial intelligence, automation and robotics are disrupting virtually every industry. In recent years, the world has gotten a firsthand look at remarkable advances in AI technology, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT AI chatbot, GitHub’s Copilot AI code generation software and Google’s Gemini AI model. Whether it be machine learning, large language models, smart applications and appliances, digital assistants, synthetic media software, or…
The drone market continues to ascend in late 2024, with the global commercial drone industry valued at $30 billion this year, according to Grand View Research. Growth should continue to escalate, with Grand View pegging the industry’s annual compound annual growth rate at 10.6% from 2025 to 2030. Still, headwinds are keeping drones from soaring higher as the new year…
President-elect Donald Trump is threatening America’s three largest trading partners with import tariffs of 10% to 25% for what he says is their inability to stem the flow of immigrants and illicit narcotics into the U.S. Trump campaigned throughout his 2024 successful run for the White House on the promise of tackling immigration and said he favored using the cudgel of tariffs to make…
It’s been a landmark year for the S&P 500, which has continued its impressive growth by reaching 6,000 for the first time in mid-November. However, for investors looking to secure the strongest returns on Wall Street, there are several exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, that have consistently outperformed the index. But which ETFs have consistently outperformed the S&P 500 in the past five…
When the Federal Reserve slashes its benchmark rate, as it did Nov. 7, stocks in interest-sensitive sectors often see a boost. Lower rates make borrowing cheaper, driving growth in sectors including real estate, utilities, and financials. Here’s a look at how those industries and others may get a boost as businesses and consumers benefit directly from lower financing costs. This post…
In a span of just 15 years, cryptocurrencies emerged from obscurity to become an important part of financial markets. But there’s one thing the industry’s evolution hasn’t eradicated: extreme volatility. At its peak in November 2021, the crypto market was worth upwards of $2.9 trillion. By mid-2022, hit by rising inflation and an aggressive rate-hiking cycle by the Federal Reserve, the entire…
Artificial intelligence investing can be as volatile as it is promising, largely due to the intense competition and rapid pace of innovation within the industry. To manage these risks, diversification becomes crucial. Imagine you own shares in just three AI companies, and one of them sees its value halve. That could potentially lead to a significant reduction in your portfolio’s…