Charts Indicate This Communication Services ETF May Be Poised for a Breakout
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Dec 17 2025
0mins
Source: CNBC
XLC's Bullish Formation: The State Street Communication Services Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLC) is showing a bullish setup with a potential breakout above a key level, which could lead to new all-time highs.
Sector Composition: The communication services sector, comprising about 10.5% of the S&P 500, is heavily influenced by a few mega-cap stocks, particularly Alphabet, Meta, Netflix, and Disney, which together account for nearly 40% of XLC.
Recent Performance Drivers: Recent strength in XLC has been attributed to stocks like TKO Group, Fox Corp., Warner Bros. Discovery, and Comcast, which have been making higher highs and lows, contributing to the ETF's upward movement.
Breakout Potential: For XLC to achieve a significant breakout, it must surpass the 118 level, which would enhance the likelihood of a sustained upward trend across the sector.
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Analyst Views on META
Wall Street analysts forecast META stock price to rise
44 Analyst Rating
37 Buy
6 Hold
1 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 568.430
Low
655.15
Averages
824.71
High
1117
Current: 568.430
Low
655.15
Averages
824.71
High
1117
About META
Meta Platforms, Inc. is building human connections, powered by artificial intelligence and immersive technologies. The Company's products enable people to connect and share with friends and family through mobile devices, personal computers, virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR) headsets, augmented reality (AR), and wearables. It also helps people discover and learn about what is going on in the world around them, enabling people to share their experiences, ideas, photos, videos, and other content with audiences ranging from their closest family members and friends to the public at large. The Company's segments include Family of Apps (FoA) and Reality Labs (RL). FoA segment includes Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp and Threads. RL segment includes its virtual, augmented, and mixed reality related consumer hardware, software and content. Its product offerings in VR include its Meta Quest devices, as well as software and content available through the Meta Horizon Store.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Stock Price Volatility Reasons: As of June 10, Meta's stock has fallen over 13%, primarily due to regulatory issues and investor doubts about AI spending, although its market cap remains above $1 trillion with a forward P/E ratio of just 18, indicating potential undervaluation.
- Regulatory Challenges: The enforcement of the Digital Markets Act in Europe poses a threat to Meta's margins, particularly regarding changes in data policies and potential fines, which creates pressure on the company's short-term performance.
- Commitment to AI Strategy: Despite facing challenges, CEO Mark Zuckerberg is committed to investing in AI infrastructure, and while these capital expenditures may be hard to justify, a successful AI strategy could further enhance advertising business growth.
See More
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- Stock Volatility: As of June 10, Meta's stock has dropped over 13%, primarily due to increasing regulatory issues and investor skepticism regarding spending on artificial intelligence, leading to diminished market confidence in its future performance.
- Strong Advertising Revenue: Despite challenges, Meta's advertising revenue exceeded $55 billion in Q1 2026, with total revenue reaching $56.3 billion, demonstrating the robust influence of its advertising platform, which reaches nearly half of the global population.
- Attractive Valuation: With a market cap exceeding $1 trillion, Meta's forward P/E ratio stands at just 18, and its PEG ratio is 0.82, indicating that its stock may be undervalued, making it appealing for long-term investors.
- AI Strategy Risks: Although Zuckerberg is committed to investing in AI infrastructure, skepticism regarding the justification of such expenditures has increased following the failure of the Metaverse initiatives, suggesting that the company may face greater regulatory and market pressures in the short term.
See More
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- Peace Agreement Reached: The U.S. and Iran have finalized a peace deal aimed at an immediate and permanent end to hostilities, with Trump announcing its completion on social media, marking a significant shift in regional dynamics that could stabilize the global economy.
- Positive Market Reaction: The news of the agreement has triggered a global stock market rally, with U.S. stock futures surging and the Nikkei leading gains in the Asia-Pacific region, reflecting investor optimism about future economic prospects.
- International Support: Leaders from the U.K., France, Germany, and Italy issued a joint statement welcoming the agreement, viewing it as an opportunity to restore regional stability and global economic health, and expressing readiness to lift sanctions contingent on Iran's verifiable actions.
- Trade War Concerns: Despite the positive impact of the peace deal, Trump warned of a potential new trade war with France, demanding the repeal of a digital tax on U.S. tech companies or facing 100% tariffs on French wines, highlighting the complexities of international trade relations.
See More
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- Tariff Threat: President Trump has warned that France must eliminate its 3% tech 'sales tax' or face a 100% tariff on U.S. imports of French wines and champagnes, a threat issued ahead of this week's G7 summit, indicating U.S. dissatisfaction with France's tax policies.
- Tax Background: The digital services tax, approved by French lawmakers in 2019, imposes a 3% levy on gross revenues generated in France by large tech companies, primarily targeting U.S. giants like Amazon, Meta, and Alphabet, reflecting France's assertion of tax sovereignty in the digital economy.
- Economic Impact: French wine exports to the U.S. amount to about $2 billion annually, representing one-fifth of the French wine industry's total global sales, and Trump's tariff threat could significantly harm the French economy, especially amid the current global economic recovery.
- International Relations Strain: Trump's remarks not only escalate trade tensions between the U.S. and France but may also affect the atmosphere at the G7 summit, potentially influencing the direction of international trade policies, particularly in the realm of digital economy cooperation.
See More
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- Strong Market Demand: Despite being priced at over 90 times its 2025 revenue and posting a $4.9 billion net loss, SpaceX's IPO was oversubscribed, with retail investors reportedly submitting over $70 billion in orders, reflecting enthusiasm for the space and AI sectors.
- Surge in AI Spending: The four largest tech companies are projected to increase capital expenditures by 77% to $725 billion in 2023, and despite cash flow pressures, with Amazon's free cash flow down 95%, demand for cloud computing and data centers remains robust.
- Uncertain Future Outlook: While the demand for AI is immense, many corporate generative AI pilot projects have yet to yield measurable returns, prompting investors to carefully assess the relationship between future profitability and current high valuations.
See More
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- Record IPO: On June 12, SpaceX completed the largest initial public offering (IPO) in history, raising approximately $75 billion at a valuation of $1.75 trillion, more than double any previous stock market debut, indicating strong market confidence in its growth potential.
- Significant Stock Surge: By the closing bell, SpaceX's stock jumped 19%, elevating the company's market value above $2 trillion, reflecting investor optimism regarding its potential in the artificial intelligence sector and robust market demand.
- Surge in AI Spending: Amid SpaceX's IPO, the four largest tech companies are projected to spend about $725 billion on capital expenditures this year, a 77% increase from last year, highlighting the sustained strong demand for AI technologies despite high valuations and uncertain profitability.
- Divergent Market Outlook: While some analysts warn that the current high valuations and substantial losses may signal a market peak, others argue that the immense market demand and ongoing investments will drive future profit growth, prompting investors to carefully assess risks and opportunities.
See More
