UBS' Fowler Says Parts of Nasdaq Look 'Outright Cheap'

Watch on YouTube ↗  |  August 14, 2026 at 12:56  |  2:33  |  Bloomberg Markets
Speakers
Gerry Fowler — Chief Strategist, UBS Investment Bank

Summary

UBS strategist Gerry Fowler argues markets are in an unprecedented growth era driven by top-line sales growth and margin expansion. He says parts of the Nasdaq look outright cheap, views the summer de-risking in tech and AI trades as over, and expects investors to lean back into those trades as volatility drops. He also dismisses capex fears, pointing to a $2.4 trillion cloud revenue backlog that should support cloud sales growth.

  • Fowler sees an unprecedented earnings and growth era in the US and Europe.
  • Parts of the Nasdaq that have not yet hit highs are described as outright cheap on sales growth.
  • Summer de-risking in Nasdaq tech, Korea AI trades, and winner names appears over.
  • Single-stock volatility fell from above 50% to the mid-30s, allowing more leverage.
  • Fowler expects investors returning from holiday to lean back into tech and AI trades.
  • Fowler rejects the view that AI capex is excessive and cites CapEx rising to $650 billion.
  • Cloud revenue backlog rose by $1 trillion to $2.4 trillion, equal to 100% of existing cloud revenue.
  • Cloud revenue growth is seen as priced more cheaply than at any time since 2011.
Ideas
Gerry Fowler Chief Strategist, UBS Investment Bank 0:51
De-risking over; lean back into tech.
Technology names in the Nasdaq and AI-related trades in Korea were heavily de-risked into summer, but that de-risking appears over; with single-stock volatility dropping from above 50% to the mid-30s, leverage models now allow funds to add risk, and Fowler expects investors returning from holiday to lean back into the same tech and AI trades.
Gerry Fowler Chief Strategist, UBS Investment Bank 1:39
Cloud backlog supports cheap cloud growth.
The worry that AI-related capex was excessive is not true: CapEx has grown to about $650 billion from $300 billion a year ago while cloud revenue backlog has risen by $1 trillion to $2.4 trillion, roughly 100% of existing cloud revenue, and that backlog is set to convert into revenue over the next few years, supporting cloud businesses and causing sales growth that is priced more cheaply than at any time since 2011.
Up Next

This Bloomberg Markets video, published August 14, 2026, features Gerry Fowler discussing EWY, Nasdaq technology names, AI trade, Cloud businesses, QQQ. 2 trade ideas extracted by AI with direction and confidence scoring.

Speakers: Gerry Fowler  · Tickers: EWY, Nasdaq technology names, AI trade, Cloud businesses, QQQ