AI-related stocks have rallied the hardest over the past two years. So it’s not surprising that they’ve also declined the fastest in the latest market pullback. However, AI stocks have sold so quickly and so heavily that they’re now looking oversold. Markets could see anything from a V-shaped bounce, to a gradual recovery to new all-time highs if the news cycle gets less pessimistic. In the short-term, a bounce in stocks could be an ideal time to buy some AI plays. That especially applies to companies moving in the AI space that are beating on earnings right now. Software player A...

Markets are pricing in a higher chance of a recession. That’s led to fast deleveraging by hedge funds, sending the market into a tailspin. But some companies are more recession-resistant than others. Investors can hold up during a fearful market with more recession-resistant companies. That includes goods and services that have strong demand, no matter what the economy is doing. Investors who buy these companies during periods of fears can earn reasonable returns while the economy sorts itself out. For instance, plumbing-equipment distributor Ferguson (FERG) fell following its latest...

Investor expectations for AI’s performance have slid in recent weeks. That’s amid the rise of new AI programs such as China’s DeepSeek, which claims to use fewer resources, and amid a growth scare in the general market. Either way, the AI trend is still on track to grow, irrespective of the price and valuation of many tech stocks. But it’s also a sign that investors should focus on AI-adjacent opportunities right now instead. One such opportunity? Cloud services. AI demand will keep cloud services growing strong, but it’s already a high profit-margin business for many tech firms. ...

Over the past few years, consumers have become more price conscious about many goods, but have continued to spend on services. Experiences such as travel and vacations have continued to thrive, and still look like strong trends. However, consumers may potentially want to start looking for deals there. Companies that can cater to consumers looking for a deal may be able to see continued strength as this trend shifts towards bargain hunting. For vacations, that could be a boon for Airbnb (ABNB). The company’s growth has been strong over the past few years, and new plans to drive innova...

While investors fear the potential impacts of tariffs and a slowing economy, some companies are better positioned than others. There’s some fear in the retail space, from the one-two punch of rising unemployment and higher-priced goods due to tariffs. While that may impact retailers and consumers, chances are the companies with the best industry pricing will feel the pinch the least. They’re the companies that could hold up relatively well amid the current market fears. Retailer Costco (COST) has recently taking a hit, as earnings narrowly missed expectations. But Costco’s business m...

The recent market pullback has come at the tail end of earnings season. Most companies have beaten their earnings expectations, and some have even shown that corporate America remains strong. But rising uncertainty means that even great companies are taking a hit now. That fear is hitting the tech space particularly hard. Technology companies have been leading the market higher over the past two years, and now a more defensive market posture is leading to a big pullback in tech names. That’s even true of companies reporting solid earnings and which still have strong long-term potenti...

Earnings season continues to give investors a snapshot of a company’s performance. It’s also a time when well-run companies can continue a string of earnings beats. The real story, however, is the market reaction, not just to earnings, but to guidance. Companies are getting more cautious in their outlook amid a pullback in government spending, and as inflation remains sticky. While many companies are still performing well, cautious guidance can still send shares reeling in the short term. The latest company reporting great earnings and taking a divide? CrowdStrike Holdings (CRWD). Th...

Consumer spending makes up the vast majority of the economy. Over the past few years, consumers have been spending more on travel and vacations, and less on items like home goods. However, even while spending less overall, increased total consumer spending means that there are still opportunities in the retail sector. One sign is the fact that major retailers continue to report strong earnings, even if current conditions mean they also have to report weak guidance. That disconnect may be creating a buying opportunity in the short-term. Retailer Target (TGT), for instance, recently be...

The stock market has hit a pocket of volatility. That’s normal for this time of year. But added economic uncertainty, such as the implementation of tariffs, are creating some wilder swings. Investors looking for steadier returns may find it with a different asset, gold. The metal has been trending higher so far this year. And its pullbacks have been more mild than high-flying tech stocks. Many see the metal continuing higher, and likely breaking $3,000 per ounce in the months ahead. Investors have several ways to play gold’s trend higher. They can buy the physical metal itself, or an...

As the market reassesses the value of AI and other high-flying tech stocks, a market rotation is underway. It’s going from the digital back to the physical. Defensive stocks such as consumer goods and healthcare companies have been faring well. So too have companies that produce materials for physical infrastructure. That’s in-line with long-term infrastructure spending globally, and a trend that’s likely to continue and benefit companies related to that investment. For instance, Ireland-based materials producer CRH (CRH), recently reported strong growth, albeit with some short-term ...