Shares of Coca-Cola (KO +3.66%) rose on Friday as investors rotated into low-risk stocks.
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Traders are bailing out of tech stocks
The artificial intelligence (AI)-fueled rally in technology stocks may be a bit stretched.
After a few words from Nvidia CEO were enough to send a mega-cap stock like Marvell Technology up over 30% in a day, astute investors began to question whether AI mania was nearing a near-term peak.
With the Nasdaq Composite down more than 4% as of 3:33 p.m. ET on Friday, we may be getting our answer.
What triggered the sell-off in tech stocks?
Any number of factors could have sparked the decline. Here are two that stand out.
On Monday, Alphabet's $80 billion share sale announcement reminded investors that the AI build-out comes at a staggering cost.
And on Wednesday, Broadcom's financial results showed that even the top AI chipmaker's revenue could fall short of Wall Street's lofty expectations.
When AI market leaders and former highfliers began to pull back, many traders headed for the exits.
NYSE: KO
Key Data Points
Shelter from the storm
Coca-Cola's stock price, in contrast, is up more than 4%. Investors' appreciation of battle-tested business models with little exposure to AI disruption is rising. That's putting the beverage giant and dividend stalwart back on their radars.
During a consumer conference on Thursday, chief financial officer John Murphy said Coca-Cola was working to make its drinks more affordable for budget-strained shoppers. The purveyor of soda, juice, tea, coffee, and bottled water is experimenting with can sizes, price points, and single-serve options to appeal to a wide range of customers at different income levels.
