AI race's leadership changeup, options, and meme stocks: What investors need to know

Big Tech & AI Leadership - Big tech experienced a pullback and uneven recovery, with a perceived shift in leadership [1] - A macro rotation from tech to defensives occurred in November, with healthcare outperforming IT by the largest spread in 20 years, driven by potential rate cuts [2] - Leadership within tech is shifting towards Nvidia and "team Open AI" (Microsoft, etc), while investors are re-evaluating other players like Google and Amazon in the generative AI space [3] Magnificent Seven (Mag 7) ETF - The Magnificent Seven ETF (MAGS) offers equal-weight exposure to the Mag 7 stocks, providing diversification among big cap tech leaders [5] - MAGS rebalances quarterly, selling winners and buying losers to maintain equal-weight exposure [6] Options Market Impact - The options tail is now wagging the equity dog, with single stock options influencing intraday stock movements [7] - Options volume, particularly in smaller single stocks, can act as a price setter, leading to significant intraday swings [8] - Leveraged options trades can amplify both upside and downside movements in stocks [8][9] Meme Stock ETF - The meme ETF is designed for investors interested in speculative areas of the market, offering access to a basket of meme stocks [12] - Meme stock activity is influenced by the macro environment and individual risk appetite, experiencing volatility related to rate cut expectations [12][15] - Some meme stocks exhibit outsized trading volume relative to their market cap, indicating active trading [14]