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Software Stocks May Rebound

U.S. software and IT services stocks could continue their recent recovery, according to a note from Goldman Sachs’ prime brokerage division.

The sector has faced significant declines this year, with valuations dropping sharply amid shifting market sentiment. However, a recent uptick suggests potential for further gains despite high levels of investor skepticism.

Data indicates that hedge funds currently hold unusually large short positions in software and IT services companies, reflecting expectations of continued weakness. At the same time, long positions remain near historic lows.

Analysts believe that the imbalance between bearish positioning and improving market performance could support additional upside if sentiment shifts.

The outlook highlights ongoing volatility in technology equities as investors reassess growth prospects in a changing economic environment.

AI Trade Fractures as Investors Turn Selective

The global artificial intelligence trade is splintering as investors grow more selective, weighing soaring capital spending, rising debt and uncertainty over who will ultimately profit from the technology. After an initial surge that lifted nearly all AI-linked assets, markets are now drawing sharper distinctions across stocks, sectors and regions.

One clear divide has opened between hardware “picks and shovels” and software firms. Shares of enterprise software and data companies such as ServiceNow and Salesforce have fallen sharply, while chipmakers and data-centre suppliers have proved more resilient. Strategists say investors are increasingly differentiating between companies that enable AI and those whose business models could be disrupted by it.

The famed “Magnificent Seven” are also no longer moving in lockstep. Heavy spending announcements by Microsoft, Meta Platforms, Alphabet and Amazon have triggered mixed share price reactions, as markets focus less on scale and more on returns. Fund managers warn that spending without clear payoff is no longer rewarded.

Regionally, South Korea has emerged as a standout winner as investors pile into memory-chip makers tied to AI infrastructure. The rally in Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix reflects growing conviction that memory demand will be a critical bottleneck in AI expansion. Together, these trends suggest the AI trade is evolving from a broad theme into a far more discriminating market.

AMD falls as dour forecast shows cracks in AI trade

Shares of Advanced Micro Devices slid after the chipmaker issued a cautious quarterly sales outlook, reviving investor concerns about its ability to challenge AI leader Nvidia. AMD forecast first-quarter revenue of about $9.8 billion, slightly above expectations but down from the prior quarter, signaling uneven momentum in its AI-driven growth.

The reaction came amid broader market anxiety over artificial intelligence spending, as investors question whether massive outlays are translating into near-term productivity gains. While AMD benefited from a late boost in China-bound AI chip sales, analysts noted that without those deliveries its data center results would have fallen short.

AMD executives said demand for next-generation AI servers should accelerate in the second half of the year, including shipments to OpenAI. Still, the muted outlook contrasted sharply with upbeat signals from AI server makers, highlighting growing scrutiny over which companies can turn AI demand into sustained earnings growth.