Blackrock: AI Investment Faces Higher Bar as Investors Demand Returns - FJElite

Investor scrutiny of AI spending is intensifying as four years of rapid investment have pushed earnings expectations sharply higher. Rising capex is increasingly weighing on free cash flow, turning it negative for some companies, while the Nasdaq has suffered its worst month since March 2025. The key question is now whether AI spending can translate into sufficient growth, profitability and returns to justify current expectations.

Despite the near-term caution, the longer-term AI investment thesis remains intact. US equities have been downgraded to neutral to lock in gains, while emerging-market equities remain favoured through exposure to bottlenecks in the AI buildout. Attention also turns to October US jobs data, with a still-tight labour market and further wage pressure posing a risk to core services inflation.