AI, Oil Spike and the Growth Stock Sell Off

Is the worst of the stock market correction now behind us?  This of episode provides a framework for navigating short term volatility in the stock market while staying focused on long term opportunities in artificial intelligence, cloud computing and disruptive technologies.  Host of AlphaTarget PULSE, Puru Saxena, and the panel unpack the evolving macro landscape as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East begin to ease, equity markets rebound, and a major artificial intelligence development raises new questions about the future of growth stocks and technology.  With growth stocks and disruptive stocks down 50 to 70% and sentiment still fragile, the team explores whether markets are forming a durable bottom and what needs to happen next to confirm it.  The panel explores:  Geopolitics, oil and the stock market: How shifting rhetoric between the US and Iran, alongside early signs of de-escalation, is driving volatility across the stock market, oil and currencies. The team explains why crude prices remain the key variable for inflation and broader business stability.  Market positioning and the case for a bottom: Why extreme positioning, elevated put call ratios and widespread hedging created the conditions for a sharp rally. The discussion focuses on whether this signals a turning point for investing or a pause before another leg down.  AI infrastructure and the storage bottleneck: Why the next constraint in artificial intelligence may not be compute or cloud computing capacity, but storage. The team explores how inference and data generation are driving demand across the technology stack.  AI breakthroughs and implications for software: What Google’s latest compression innovation means for memory efficiency and whether it changes the outlook for software and AI infrastructure. The panel discusses how this could reshape demand across parts of the technology ecosystem.  Tech valuations and growth stocks: Why software and semiconductor valuations have compressed sharply and how current levels compare to historical norms. The team assesses whether growth stocks now offer attractive long term opportunities.  Hyperscalers, capex and the AI cycle: How major technology companies continue to invest heavily in artificial intelligence and cloud computing, and why this spending is creating a divide between short term skepticism and long term conviction.  Software disruption and the role of AI agents: Why parts of the software ecosystem may face pressure from AI driven automation, and which areas of technology, particularly infrastructure and cybersecurity, are more likely to remain resilient.  AlphaTarget PULSE brings you timely, institutional-grade insights on markets, business, technology and investing. Every other Friday, our Founder Puru Saxena (veteran money manager and Founder of money management firms in Hong Kong) and our highly experienced analysts (ex-Citibank, Societe Generale, Peel Hunt, Berenberg, Motley Fool) cut through the noise and dissect markets, disruptive business trends, technological developments and opportunities, revealing where the smart money is investing.  AlphaTarget PULSE is a production of AlphaTarget, a premier research firm which specialises in uncovering disruptive, rapidly growing companies in the public markets, equipping investors with actionable insights to stay ahead in today's ever-evolving business landscape. Our firm is trusted by a wide range of investors including individuals, family offices, financial advisers, funds and wealth managers and our research subscription educates and empowers investors to make smarter decisions.