Tech ETF XLK Poised for Its Longest Rally Since 2020: Here's What You Need to Know
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Dec 09 2025
0mins
Source: NASDAQ.COM
ETF Performance: The SPDR S&P Information Technology ETF (XLK) has achieved a 10-day winning streak, gaining 3.5% last week, driven by stocks like NVIDIA and other chipmakers, rather than mega-cap tech companies like Meta and Alphabet.
Semiconductor Market Growth: The World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS) forecasts a 25% growth in the global semiconductor market for 2026, reaching $975 billion, with memory and logic sectors leading the growth.
Software Market Expansion: The global software market is projected to grow from $823.9 billion in 2025 to approximately $2.25 trillion by 2034, fueled by advancements in AI, cloud computing, and cybersecurity.
Investment Opportunities: The VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) and State Street SPDR S&P Software & Services ETF (XSW) are highlighted as strong investment options, with SMH rated as a "Strong Buy" and XSW as a "Buy" according to Zacks.
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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: 612.340
Low
655.15
Averages
824.71
High
1117
Current: 612.340
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.
Meta Platforms Shows Revenue Growth and AI Potential
- Strong Revenue Growth: Meta Platforms demonstrated robust revenue growth and healthy margins as of May 19, 2026, indicating ongoing optimization of its business model, although future cash flow pressures remain a concern.
- AI Advertising Engine Improvement: The company is beginning to show positive impacts of AI technology on its advertising engine, which not only enhances ad effectiveness but may also provide new momentum for future revenue growth, strengthening its competitive position in the market.
- Capital Expenditure vs. Profitability: Despite significant capital expenditures, the ability to achieve real monetization will be a key factor determining stock price direction, prompting investors to closely monitor execution to assess future cash flow performance.
- Investor Advisory: While Meta Platforms shows potential, the Motley Fool analyst team has not included it in their current list of top investment stocks, advising investors to carefully consider other high-return options in their decision-making process.
See More
Meta Launches Paid AI Subscription Plans
- Subscription Launch: Meta AI chatbot will offer two paid tiers, Meta One Plus at $7.99/month and Meta One Premium at $19.99/month, targeting high-frequency users to enhance user engagement and revenue potential.
- Global Expansion Strategy: The subscription plans are initially rolling out in Singapore, Guatemala, and Bolivia, with plans for further expansion, indicating Meta's proactive approach to capturing global market share and diversifying revenue streams.
- Social Platform Paid Plans: Meta has also introduced subscription plans for Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp globally, priced at $3.99 and $2.99 per month respectively, providing additional features to attract users and further expand its user base and revenue sources.
- Revenue Structure Analysis: Although subscription revenue remains a small part of Meta's overall income, with $1.29 billion in non-advertising revenue reported in Q1 compared to over $55 billion from advertising, this highlights the company's efforts and potential in diversifying its revenue streams.
See More
U.S.-Iran Negotiation Fluctuations Impact Markets
- Oil Price Plunge: Oil prices dropped over 5% on Wednesday after Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated that Washington was giving Iran talks 'every chance to succeed,' reflecting market sensitivity to diplomatic efforts and potentially impacting energy sector profitability.
- Escalation of Military Actions: New U.S. airstrikes in Iran targeted a military site deemed a threat to U.S. forces and commercial maritime traffic, adding uncertainty to the ongoing diplomatic negotiations and prompting investors to reassess risk levels in the market.
- Strong Tech Stock Performance: Shares of cloud-based AI and data platform company Snowflake surged 36% following a strong earnings report and a $6 billion investment plan in Amazon Web Services, showcasing investment enthusiasm and market confidence in the tech sector amid rising AI demand.
- Inflation Data Focus: Investors are closely watching the upcoming April inflation reading, which is expected to influence the Fed's future rate decisions, as Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari emphasized that lowering inflation remains a top priority, indicating market sensitivity to economic policy.
See More
Meta Launches Paid Subscription Services
- Paid Subscription Launch: Meta Platforms announced the global rollout of Facebook Plus, Instagram Plus, and WhatsApp Plus subscription services, requiring users to pay $3.99 and $2.99 monthly, which is expected to significantly enhance the company's revenue and profitability.
- Large User Base: As of the latest report, Facebook has nearly 3.1 billion monthly active users, with 2.1 billion accessing the site daily; even a small percentage opting for paid services could lead to substantial revenue growth for Meta.
- Enhanced Features: Subscribers will enjoy premium features such as enhanced profile customization and story insights, with Meta planning to introduce more features in the future to attract users and further increase engagement.
- Positive Market Reaction: Following the announcement, Meta's stock rose nearly 4% during the trading session, indicating investor optimism about the new service and reflecting confidence in the company's future growth potential.
See More
Zuckerberg Hints Meta May Enter Cloud Computing Market
- Cloud Computing Potential: At the shareholder meeting, Zuckerberg indicated that entering the cloud computing market is a viable option if Meta overspends on data centers and ends up with excess capacity, suggesting potential competition with Amazon and Microsoft in the future.
- Increased AI Investment: Meta raised its 2026 guidance for AI-related capital expenditures to between $125 billion and $145 billion, up from a prior range of $115 billion to $135 billion, and despite better-than-expected first-quarter earnings, shares fell 7%, reflecting market concerns over high spending.
- Resource Rental Possibility: Zuckerberg mentioned that Meta has not yet rented out computing resources as the company believes they are useful, but if overcapacity occurs, this option will be considered, demonstrating flexibility in resource management.
- AI Subscription Service Testing: Meta announced it will begin testing monthly subscription services priced at $7.99 or $19.99, initially available in Singapore, Guatemala, and Bolivia, marking the company's first charge for AI features and potentially opening new revenue streams for the future.
See More
Zuckerberg: Meta May Enter Cloud Computing Market
- Cloud Computing Potential: CEO Mark Zuckerberg stated at the shareholders meeting that entering the cloud computing market is on the table if Meta overspends on data centers and has excess capacity, potentially positioning Meta to compete with Amazon and Microsoft, thus expanding its business scope.
- Increased AI Investment: Meta raised its 2026 guidance for AI-related capital expenditures to between $125 billion and $145 billion, up from a prior range of $115 billion to $135 billion; despite better-than-expected Q1 earnings, shares fell 7%, indicating market concerns over high spending.
- Resource Rental Possibility: Zuckerberg mentioned that while Meta hasn't rented out computing resources yet, it remains an option if the company feels overbuilt, showcasing the company's flexibility and confidence in future resource utilization.
- AI Subscription Service Testing: Meta announced it will begin testing monthly subscription services for its Meta AI app and website, priced at $7.99 or $19.99 per month, marking the company's first charge to users and aiming to establish a long-term monetization model.
See More
Meta Platforms Shows Revenue Growth and AI Potential
- Strong Revenue Growth: Meta Platforms demonstrated robust revenue growth and healthy margins as of May 19, 2026, indicating ongoing optimization of its business model, although future cash flow pressures remain a concern.
- AI Advertising Engine Improvement: The company is beginning to show positive impacts of AI technology on its advertising engine, which not only enhances ad effectiveness but may also provide new momentum for future revenue growth, strengthening its competitive position in the market.
- Capital Expenditure vs. Profitability: Despite significant capital expenditures, the ability to achieve real monetization will be a key factor determining stock price direction, prompting investors to closely monitor execution to assess future cash flow performance.
- Investor Advisory: While Meta Platforms shows potential, the Motley Fool analyst team has not included it in their current list of top investment stocks, advising investors to carefully consider other high-return options in their decision-making process.
See More
Meta Launches Paid AI Subscription Plans
- Subscription Launch: Meta AI chatbot will offer two paid tiers, Meta One Plus at $7.99/month and Meta One Premium at $19.99/month, targeting high-frequency users to enhance user engagement and revenue potential.
- Global Expansion Strategy: The subscription plans are initially rolling out in Singapore, Guatemala, and Bolivia, with plans for further expansion, indicating Meta's proactive approach to capturing global market share and diversifying revenue streams.
- Social Platform Paid Plans: Meta has also introduced subscription plans for Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp globally, priced at $3.99 and $2.99 per month respectively, providing additional features to attract users and further expand its user base and revenue sources.
- Revenue Structure Analysis: Although subscription revenue remains a small part of Meta's overall income, with $1.29 billion in non-advertising revenue reported in Q1 compared to over $55 billion from advertising, this highlights the company's efforts and potential in diversifying its revenue streams.
See More
U.S.-Iran Negotiation Fluctuations Impact Markets
- Oil Price Plunge: Oil prices dropped over 5% on Wednesday after Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated that Washington was giving Iran talks 'every chance to succeed,' reflecting market sensitivity to diplomatic efforts and potentially impacting energy sector profitability.
- Escalation of Military Actions: New U.S. airstrikes in Iran targeted a military site deemed a threat to U.S. forces and commercial maritime traffic, adding uncertainty to the ongoing diplomatic negotiations and prompting investors to reassess risk levels in the market.
- Strong Tech Stock Performance: Shares of cloud-based AI and data platform company Snowflake surged 36% following a strong earnings report and a $6 billion investment plan in Amazon Web Services, showcasing investment enthusiasm and market confidence in the tech sector amid rising AI demand.
- Inflation Data Focus: Investors are closely watching the upcoming April inflation reading, which is expected to influence the Fed's future rate decisions, as Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari emphasized that lowering inflation remains a top priority, indicating market sensitivity to economic policy.
See More
Meta Launches Paid Subscription Services
- Paid Subscription Launch: Meta Platforms announced the global rollout of Facebook Plus, Instagram Plus, and WhatsApp Plus subscription services, requiring users to pay $3.99 and $2.99 monthly, which is expected to significantly enhance the company's revenue and profitability.
- Large User Base: As of the latest report, Facebook has nearly 3.1 billion monthly active users, with 2.1 billion accessing the site daily; even a small percentage opting for paid services could lead to substantial revenue growth for Meta.
- Enhanced Features: Subscribers will enjoy premium features such as enhanced profile customization and story insights, with Meta planning to introduce more features in the future to attract users and further increase engagement.
- Positive Market Reaction: Following the announcement, Meta's stock rose nearly 4% during the trading session, indicating investor optimism about the new service and reflecting confidence in the company's future growth potential.
See More
Zuckerberg Hints Meta May Enter Cloud Computing Market
- Cloud Computing Potential: At the shareholder meeting, Zuckerberg indicated that entering the cloud computing market is a viable option if Meta overspends on data centers and ends up with excess capacity, suggesting potential competition with Amazon and Microsoft in the future.
- Increased AI Investment: Meta raised its 2026 guidance for AI-related capital expenditures to between $125 billion and $145 billion, up from a prior range of $115 billion to $135 billion, and despite better-than-expected first-quarter earnings, shares fell 7%, reflecting market concerns over high spending.
- Resource Rental Possibility: Zuckerberg mentioned that Meta has not yet rented out computing resources as the company believes they are useful, but if overcapacity occurs, this option will be considered, demonstrating flexibility in resource management.
- AI Subscription Service Testing: Meta announced it will begin testing monthly subscription services priced at $7.99 or $19.99, initially available in Singapore, Guatemala, and Bolivia, marking the company's first charge for AI features and potentially opening new revenue streams for the future.
See More
Zuckerberg: Meta May Enter Cloud Computing Market
- Cloud Computing Potential: CEO Mark Zuckerberg stated at the shareholders meeting that entering the cloud computing market is on the table if Meta overspends on data centers and has excess capacity, potentially positioning Meta to compete with Amazon and Microsoft, thus expanding its business scope.
- Increased AI Investment: Meta raised its 2026 guidance for AI-related capital expenditures to between $125 billion and $145 billion, up from a prior range of $115 billion to $135 billion; despite better-than-expected Q1 earnings, shares fell 7%, indicating market concerns over high spending.
- Resource Rental Possibility: Zuckerberg mentioned that while Meta hasn't rented out computing resources yet, it remains an option if the company feels overbuilt, showcasing the company's flexibility and confidence in future resource utilization.
- AI Subscription Service Testing: Meta announced it will begin testing monthly subscription services for its Meta AI app and website, priced at $7.99 or $19.99 per month, marking the company's first charge to users and aiming to establish a long-term monetization model.
See More
