Artificial intelligence (AI) is boosting the US stock market, with megacap stocks such as Microsoft, Google parent Alphabet, Nvidia, Apple and Meta platforms responsible for the majority of the S&P 500’s 9% year-to-date return. About 25% to 50% of the gains are due to optimism around AI, according to DataTrek Research. Societe Generale has predicted removing the top 20 stocks linked with AI from the S&P 500 would reduce the index’s performance by 10%. Analysts view AI as a major driver of future productivity and profit, citing generative AI as producing margin-expanding productivity gains.
Gold prices fall on profit-booking
Gold prices in Kolkata experienced a nearly 3% drop, falling to ₹88,401 per 10 gm, triggering a surge in demand from wedding shoppers and bullion
April 8, 2025