AI and Markets

I am a structural disbeliever in the US superstar stocks because these winners of the previous technology, Web 2.0, are unlikely all to be the winners of the latest technology, AI. But I would suspend my disbelief if the Magnificent-7 index reaches a new high and the bursting AI-bubble configuration is broken. Plus, a new recommendation is to overweight Global Healthcare (IXJ).

This week, our three screeners cover: Favoring European equities over US equities, cybersecurity stocks, and large caps with large moves in their BCA Score. 

Despite our bearish predisposition towards stocks, we are open-minded to anything that could challenge our thesis. As such, in this report, we review five upside scenarios for equities.

Are you sure you are in a trade war-induced selloff and/or recession? Or, is America – writ large – the bubble? Fed a steady dose of fiscal profligacy over the past five years, the US economy and its various associated assets have become fat and complacent. As such, the end of the fiscal gravy train – our signature macro call for 2025 – is what is causing the underlying weakness, with the Big Tech – the biggest beneficiary of US Exceptionalism – now buckling.

Our message? The tech bros are lying to you. The AI revolution is not positive for Big Tech, not at their current valuation. Play the rotation, even if a (mild) recession may be afoot, as we have been saying throughout 2024.

In Section II, Jonathan presents a checklist that investors can use to confirm whether AI’s purported productivity gains are real. The checklist does not currently suggest that artificial intelligence is meaningfully boosting productivity growth. US equity valuation reflects very significant optimism about AI, underscoring the profound risk facing equity investors if the narrative about AI shifts in a pessimistic direction.