Despite potential hikes in interest rates and the Federal Reserve's policies causing uncertainty among investors, analysts at Wedbush believe the tech sector's rally, driven by artificial intelligence (AI), can continue. This optimism is reflected in the Nasdaq's substantial gains this year, soaring by 31% compared to the S&P 500's 16% rise on Tuesday.
Over the past 18 months, the Fed has raised interest rates to their highest levels in a generation as part of its efforts to control inflation. This has led to an increase in bond yields, with the yield on the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury bond remaining above 4%, a level unseen since the financial crisis of 2008-2009. Despite speculation about a potential rate hike in November, Wedbush analysts suggest that rate cuts could be on the horizon in 2024.
The tech sector has been outperforming due to investors' enthusiasm for AI. According to analysts led by Dan Ives at Wedbush, this optimism is driven by AI technology which has played a key role in boosting the tech sector in 2023. They predict a new stage of the rally is emerging with significant AI-driven growth in the tech industry anticipated over the next 12-18 months.
Large-scale players like Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), Google, and Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) are expected to benefit from increased enterprise spending on AI. The analysts also foresee an improved environment for software, chips, and digital media growth next year, with the impact of the AI cycle starting with cloud service providers such as Amazon and Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL).
Ives has given Outperform ratings and bullish price targets to tech companies such as Amazon, Alphabet, and Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) which have shifted towards AI. Wedbush predicts that Amazon's shares will rise to $180 from below $140, Alphabet's stock will increase to $160 from $138, and Meta's shares will go up to $350 from below $303.
Other stocks like Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA), favored on Wall Street due to its exposure to AI, and Microsoft are also expected to rally. The analysts predict Nvidia's shares will rise to $600 from $440, and Microsoft's shares are predicted to increase to $400 from $329.
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