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August 17, 2026 - AI’s Hardware Boom Is Surging—But the U.S. Consumer Is Cracking
Wall Street is pricing an AI infrastructure supercycle—but beneath the headline strength, the American consumer is beginning to fracture.
In this episode of Market Pulse, we examine the widening divide between surging demand for AI hardware and the deteriorating financial position of U.S. households. Technology investment, data-center spending, and semiconductor momentum continue to support the market’s most powerful growth narrative, even as weaker consumer activity raises questions about how durable the broader economy—and the equity rally—really is.
We break down what this divergence means…
The skinny
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