Stock market performance in 2025 surprised to the upside as this bull market continued to impress the masses. The themes we saw last year appear to be carrying over into the new year, a positive sign that this multi-year rally still has legs.Inflation measures have come down markedly from their 2022 peaks. This week’s release of the December CPI report showed headline inflation rose 0.3% over the prior month and 2.7% on an annual basis, with both figures matching expectations.On a “core” basis, which strips ...

Core Viewpoint - The investment case for Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) appears promising despite recent stock declines, particularly due to advancements in the artificial intelligence (AI) sector [1][2]. Group 1: Market Challenges and Opportunities - AMD has faced significant challenges, losing over 60% of its value in the past 13 months due to industry struggles and tariff-related concerns [1]. - The U.S. government's efforts to restrict GPU supplies to China may lead to potential charges of up to $800 million for AMD [2]. Group 2: Revenue Growth and Segment Performance - The data center segment, which includes AI accelerators, generated $12.6 billion in revenue, marking a 94% year-over-year increase, significantly outweighing the estimated tariff-related charges [3]. - Analysts project AMD's overall revenue growth rate to increase from 14% last year to 23% by 2025, indicating a positive outlook for the company [5]. Group 3: Competitive Positioning - Major tech companies like Meta Platforms and Microsoft have opted for AMD's MI300 accelerator over Nvidia's offerings, showcasing AMD's competitive edge in the market [4]. - AMD plans to release the MI350 this year and the MI400 in 2026, which are expected to enhance its capabilities in the AI sector [4]. Group 4: Valuation and Future Prospects - AMD's forward P/E ratio stands at 19, suggesting that while the stock is not currently cheap, it has potential for future growth [5]. - The current selling pressure on AMD stock may be overdone, with expectations that it could reach all-time highs in the coming years as it competes more aggressively in the AI accelerator market [6].