Investors look past AI hype to long-term opportunities from government spending

Core Insights - Major investors are shifting focus from the AI boom to long-term government spending driven by geopolitical, technological, and demographic pressures [1] - Asset managers are diversifying investments into infrastructure, energy transition, healthcare, and defense to leverage fiscal stimulus from governments [1][2] Government Fiscal Policies - The U.S. tax-cut and spending bill is projected to add trillions to government debt, extending tax cuts, increasing funding for border security and defense, while reducing Medicare and Medicaid [3] - Europe is also significantly increasing fiscal support, highlighted by Germany's €500 billion ($586 billion) infrastructure fund and NATO members' commitments to raise defense spending to 3.5% of GDP [3] Market Performance and Trends - Fiscal stimulus is a critical factor influencing financial market performance, with unprecedented fiscal commitments expected to drive structural realignment in markets for years [4] - The S&P 500 index has risen nearly 14% this year, primarily due to AI-related momentum, while Europe's STOXX 600 has seen more modest gains of 9.5% [5] - The aerospace and defense index in Europe has surged almost 68%, indicating that fiscal priorities are boosting defense and industrial sectors despite the AI-dominated market [6]