2026-01-18 14:22:14

The U.S. stock market in 2026 is quietly rewriting the rules. The once "Big Seven" tech giants are now charting their own paths, with their correlations dropping to nearly zero. These former market favorites saw five of them underperform the S&P 500 in 2025.

Numbers tell the story. At the start of 2026, the "Big Seven" index rose only 0.5%, while the S&P 500 increased by 1.8%, and the equal-weighted S&P index surged by 3.62%. What does this indicate? It shows that market money is flowing elsewhere.

The logic behind this is very realistic. The expected earnings growth rate for the "Big Seven" in 2026 is only 18%, the lowest in three years, narrowing the gap with the other 493 companies, which are growing at 13%. In other words, these tech giants are no longer the absolute growth engines. The market is beginning to open its eyes, no longer captivated by the "long-term hype" of AI investments, but instead questioning: what real returns can these massive capital expenditures actually generate?

The clearest signal comes from retail investors. Ordinary investors are pouring into non-"Big Seven" tech stocks at a 3.7 standard deviation level. They are voting with real money.

This shift means the U.S. stock market is transitioning from a "concentration bull market" to a "fundamentals bull market." The halo around tech giants is fading, but the overall market foundation is becoming healthier, and systemic risk is decreasing. For investors, it’s time to abandon the lazy mindset of "buying the Big Seven as a package" and start doing serious homework to select truly competitive individual stocks.

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GasFeeNightmare

· 01-21 12:50

The seven giants are having a tough time this round, finally being dethroned by the market.

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ForkThisDAO

· 01-21 04:24

The seven giants are really about to be reshuffled this time, retail investors are voting with their feet. Honestly, I'm already tired of the "buy the seven giants and never lose" logic, and finally someone dares to say it out loud this time. The AI hype has been going on for so long; it's time to see the real return rates.

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AirdropHunterKing

· 01-18 14:52

Hi, the seven giants really underperformed this time. I’ve been saying all along that you shouldn’t go all-in on these big companies. What’s that called? It’s just a lack of research. Retail investors are now starting to flock to other tech stocks, which I understand. Money needs to flow into places with potential.

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MEVHunter_9000

· 01-18 14:48

The seven giants are really becoming senior stocks, and the market is in a rebellious phase.

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BugBountyHunter

· 01-18 14:47

Are the seven giants really about to fall behind? I don't think so, let's wait and see in the second half of the year. Buying the beaten-down tech stocks feels quite risky. Retail investors are pouring in with a 3.7 standard deviation? Feels like a sign of another wave of being cut. No way, AI returns haven't even shown yet, why are they starting to sell off? Spreading out this portfolio actually disperses the risk more; in the long run, it might not be a bad thing. Clearly, it's the fund managers switching tracks; retail investors are just following the trend. Wait, is it true that the weight has increased by 3.62%? Why isn't anyone hyping this? The seven giants are really struggling; maybe sticking together is better, diversification just makes it more exhausting. It's actually the AI bubble starting to burst, I saw it coming a long time ago. I want to pick the best stocks, but what should I choose? Still can't see clearly.

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governance_lurker

· 01-18 14:46

Retail investors are moving, money is shifting, is the era of the seven giants finally coming to an end? --- This time, I’m not following the trend to buy the seven giants at the bottom. It really feels like the sentiment has changed. --- Haha, finally someone realizes that the "long-term big pie" of AI investment isn’t enough. I’ve thought for a while that this was questionable. --- The gap between 13% and 18% is narrowing… what does that mean? It indicates that other stocks are starting to have a chance. --- The equal-weighted index surged by 3.62%, this data is indeed wild. --- Lazy thinking needs to change; the era of doing homework has arrived. --- The meaning of retail investors voting with their feet is that they’re no longer eating the "seven giants’ package." --- Correlation has dropped to near zero? Does this mean the previous linkage effect is gone too? --- The lowest growth rate is 18%, big money is no longer attractive. --- Real money voting is the most honest; a 3.7 standard deviation influx into small caps shows how much they look down on the seven giants.

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MetaNeighbor

· 01-18 14:28

Someone finally spoke out, the Seven Giants really can't hold up anymore. Retail investors have all moved to other stocks, the data is right here. Give up on lying flat and buying the Seven Giants, it's time to think carefully about stock selection. The AI hype has been going on for so long, it's time to see real returns. This round of transition is really happening, it feels like the previous consensus is about to break down.

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