Goldman Sachs: AI-Driven Breakout Rally Has Room to Extend if Earnings Season Remains Strong

On April 13, Louis Miller, head of Goldman Sachs' global equity customized basket business, pointed out that the current momentum indicators have not yet entered the overbought territory. As long as the fundamentals during the upcoming earnings season remain robust, this AI-driven breakout rally still has ample room to extend, especially in the AI infrastructure sector. The market consensus estimates that the year-over-year EPS growth rate for information technology stocks will reach as high as 44% in the first quarter of this year, which is undoubtedly the core catalyst for this season. Despite recent volatility in gold prices, Goldman Sachs maintains its baseline forecast that gold prices will reach $5,400 per ounce by the end of this year. The three main drivers supporting this aggressive target are: the ongoing diversification demand from global central banks, the normalization of speculative positions, and the expectation that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates by 50 basis points within the year. In this macroeconomic context, gold mining companies have indeed benefited from positive operating leverage, significantly improved free cash flow, and the potential to increase dividends.