BlockBeats news, on July 24, data showed that the 30-day correlation between U.S. major capital expenditure companies and the semiconductor index (SOX) has dropped to near zero, the lowest level in at least 4.5 years, falling sharply from +0.78 in April and well below the average of +0.60 since 2022.
Since early June, semiconductor stocks have risen while the shares of major AI infrastructure spenders have fallen, indicating that investors no longer view chip manufacturers and hyperscale data center builders as the same trade—chipmakers are benefiting from AI demand, while spending companies face questions about returns.
Analysis suggests that the next phase of AI trading will be determined by profitability rather than investment scale, and hyperscalers must demonstrate that their massive expenditures generate sufficient returns.
