Market Turbulence Amid Tariff Uncertainty: AI Stocks to Watch

In 2025, tariffs and geopolitical tensions have significantly impacted technology and AI stocks. Notable companies, such as Vertiv and Nvidia, have experienced sharp declines, with their stocks down 50% and 30% from recent highs respectively.

Much of the market’s instability revolves around the anticipated “Liberation Day,” when President Trump is set to unveil an extensive and currently unspecified trade tariff package. Despite this impending announcement, U.S. stock indices have shown unexpected resilience, bouncing back after a sharp month-long selloff.

With valuations of many leading AI and tech stocks now appearing more attractive, today could be a “buy the news” opportunity. If the tariff measures announced are less severe than anticipated, it may pave the way for renewed optimism and serve as a compelling entry point for premier AI stocks. Below, I will highlight three AI stocks that stand out: Nvidia (NVDA), Vertiv (VRT), and Palantir Technologies (PLTR).

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Palantir Technologies: Leading Applied AI Stock

Palantir Technologies stands out in the AI sector, specializing in applied artificial intelligence and advanced data analytics. The company serves both government and commercial sectors with its software platforms—Gotham, Foundry, and Apollo—which are critical in fields like defense, healthcare, energy, and finance. This specialization grants Palantir a competitive edge with few rivals.

The firm is projected to achieve remarkable growth, with both sales and earnings expected to rise over 30% in 2025, followed by 25% in 2026. This solidifies Palantir’s status as one of the fastest-growing entities in the AI domain.

Despite the overall downturn in tech and AI stocks, Palantir has fared relatively well, with its shares up 15% year-to-date. This robustness makes it one of the few AI leaders still in positive territory for 2025. Although the stock trades at a high valuation of 150 times forward earnings, many investors see value in its growth potential, strong market position, and loyal customer base.

I am closely monitoring a technical pattern in PLTR stock. If it rises above $90, this might indicate further upward momentum, while a drop below $80 may suggest increased downside risk.

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Vertiv: Top Stock for Data Center Service Providers

Vertiv is a leading supplier of essential infrastructure and services for data centers, communication networks, and various industrial environments. The company is crucial to the digital economy, offering power, cooling, and IT management solutions that ensure efficient operation of data centers. As the demand for AI and cloud computing infrastructure expands, Vertiv emerges as a key player in this growth.

Strong fundamentals support Vertiv’s outlook, with sales expected to grow by 15% this year and 14% next year. Notably, earnings per share are predicted to increase at a remarkable annual rate of 27% over the next three to five years, one of the highest in the sector.

Despite a strong growth outlook, Vertiv’s shares trade at only 21 times forward earnings, below the overall market average and its own five-year median of 23.1 times. Additionally, a PEG ratio of 0.78 highlights an attractive valuation in relation to its growth prospects.

Vertiv is poised as a top investment opportunity amid the ongoing digital infrastructure boom.

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Nvidia: The King of AI Stocks

Nvidia remains the leading force in the AI landscape, often viewed as the stock to own for direct exposure to the flourishing artificial intelligence and data center expansions. The company’s graphics processing units (GPUs) are recognized as the premier choice for AI training and inference, solidifying its multi-year advantage over competitors in performance and software integration.

The growth forecast for Nvidia is robust, with sales anticipated to rise by 52% this year and 23% next year. Furthermore, long-term earnings per share are expected to expand at an impressive annual rate of 26% over the next three to five years, showcasing Nvidia’s critical role within the AI ecosystem.

While Nvidia is often considered a high-value stock, it currently trades at just 25 times forward earnings—substantially lower than its 10-year median of 45 times. Given its solid fundamentals, market leadership, and strategic relevance in the AI space, this valuation appears reasonable based on historical metrics.