Defensives Rallied as AI Disruption Concerns Persist

Liridon Gila, CFA, Portfolio Manager, discusses the S&P 500's decline of -0.8% in February as the market broadening and sector rotation continued, and defensive stocks generally rallied on perceived "safety" from the AI disruption risks. He highlighted three near-term potential catalysts including 1) ongoing concerns over AI-driven disruption, 2) an escalation of geopolitical tensions, and 3) uncertainty over monetary policy and persistent inflationary trends. He expects quality to outperform in 2026 as markets continue to digest the disruptive impact of AI, the Fed continues to ease rates, and the valuation gap between mega-cap growth and the rest of the market remains elevated.