AI-Driven Shopping Surge Influences Black Friday — These Tech ETFs Could Gain Advantage

AI's Role in Retail: Artificial intelligence has become a crucial intermediary in retail, significantly influencing consumer behavior during Black Friday shopping, with AI-driven traffic to retail websites increasing by over 800%.

Impact on Spending: U.S. online spending reached $11.8 billion on Black Friday, a 9.1% increase from the previous year, while e-commerce growth outpaced in-store sales, highlighting the effectiveness of AI in product discovery and deal-hunting.

ETFs Benefiting from AI: Technology-focused ETFs, such as the iShares U.S. Technology ETF and Global X Artificial Intelligence & Technology ETF, are positioned to benefit from the growing reliance on AI in retail, as they include major companies like Apple, Amazon, and Microsoft.

Consumer Behavior Trends: Despite increased spending, consumers purchased fewer items per order due to higher prices and inflation concerns, indicating a cautious approach to holiday shopping, with expectations for Cyber Monday to set new records.