247Wallst·2026-01-02 14:54Core Viewpoint - The stock market is expected to see continued strong performance, with equity returns projected at around 17% for 2025, marking the third consecutive year of double-digit returns for investors [1] Group 1: Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) - AMD has been a standout performer in the semiconductor sector, with a year-to-date increase of 80% [3] - The company is benefiting from a shift among enterprises towards a multi-vendor approach, moving beyond reliance on Nvidia, and has a strong product lineup including AI GPUs and EPYC CPUs [5] - Recent earnings showed a 46% year-over-year growth in revenue and a 30% growth in earnings, with a gross profit margin of 54% [6] Group 2: Alphabet (GOOG) - Alphabet has achieved a 65% return year-to-date in 2025 and is expected to continue strong performance into 2026 [7] - The company's Q3 earnings showed a 16% increase in revenue and a 33% increase in net income, driven by higher-margin businesses [8] - Alphabet's Google Cloud business is growing at a rate of 34%, which could offset declines in cash flow from search [8] - The company is positioned as a significant player in AI, with investments in AI technologies and its own Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) that could enhance its cloud infrastructure [9]