It may have been a wilder ride for the semiconductor stocks and the broader AI trade in 2025. But for the many brave investors who stayed the course, it's been a rewarding year, with the VanEck Semiconductor ETF ( NASDAQ:SMH), my favorite "thermometer" to gauge the heat of the semiconductor stocks, gaining close to 50% on the year. Undoubtedly, with Dr. Michael Burry of The Big Short fame, likely sticking with his bearish bets (and views) of AI for the new year,
For the most part, the big hedge funds have been mostly net sellers of stocks in recent quarters. And while it may seem ominous to have many smart money managers ringing the register this year, I'd argue that profit-taking and rotating capital into some of the more defensive areas of the market is only smart. Of course, taking a bit of capital off the risk-on AI trade for some cheaper, less-loved names comes with the risk of missing out on additional upside,