The U.S. stock market is ending 2025 near record highs, but today’s tape is choppy: a fresh Federal Reserve rate cut is colliding with worries that AI spending is turning into a bubble. [1]
Against that backdrop, investors are asking a familiar question: what are the best stocks to buy now in the U.S. market? Below is a news‑driven, research‑heavy look at eight U.S. stocks that many analysts and institutions see as compelling ideas to research in December 2025.
Important: This article is for information and education only. It is not personalized financial advice. Always do your own research and consider speaking with a licensed adviser before investing.
Quick takeaways
- Macro backdrop: The Fed has just cut rates by 25 bps, but most banks still expect more easing in 2026, even as regulators and investors fret about an AI‑driven bubble. [2]
- Core themes: AI chips and cloud, AI infrastructure, obesity drugs, autos and capital markets in a rate‑cut world, and defensive consumer staples. TechStock²
- Top names to research now:
Nvidia (NVDA), Microsoft (MSFT), Alphabet (GOOGL), Vertiv (VRT), Eli Lilly (LLY), General Motors (GM), Goldman Sachs (GS), Campbell’s (CPB). TechStock²
The market backdrop on December 11, 2025
1. Fed cut + cautious outlook
The Federal Reserve has just delivered a 25‑basis‑point rate cut, and its projections still show only one further cut penciled in for next year. Nonetheless, major brokerages including Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo and Barclays are forecasting a total of about 50 bps of cuts in 2026, with some houses expecting the first move as early as January. [3]
That mix of easier policy but cautious messaging has left markets pricing modest additional easing while acknowledging that growth and inflation could still surprise.
2. AI boom vs. AI bubble fears
Today’s big negative catalyst is Oracle: the company guided to sharply higher AI spending, which spooked investors and revived “AI bubble” comparisons to the dot‑com era. Oracle stock dropped more than 11% and pulled down other AI leaders like Nvidia, Broadcom, Microsoft and Amazon in pre‑market trading. [4]
So we’re in a classic late‑cycle situation:
- Valuations are rich.
- AI capex is enormous and still accelerating.
- Macro policy is shifting toward easing again.
That’s the context for picking selective, diversified “best stocks to buy now” rather than simply chasing whatever AI name is up the most.
How this “best stocks to buy now” list was built
The eight U.S. stocks below aren’t random ticker symbols. They’re drawn from:
- Current research lists and screeners (e.g., curated “best stocks to buy now” lists that presently highlight Vertiv, Goldman Sachs and Campbell’s). [5]
- Fresh news catalysts during the week of December 8–11, 2025: rate cuts, China export policy shifts, clinical‑trial readouts, dividend announcements and earnings beats. TechStock²+1
- Forward‑looking forecasts: Wall Street price targets and earnings projections out to 2026–2030. TechStock²+2Forbes+2
We’ve also tried to diversify by theme:
- AI chips & cloud platforms
- AI infrastructure (data‑center “picks and shovels”)
- Obesity and metabolic health
- Rate‑cut beneficiaries in autos and capital markets
- Defensive income from staples
Again: this is a menu of ideas, not a ready‑made portfolio.
1. Nvidia (NVDA): AI chip king with a fresh China catalyst
Nvidia is still the center of gravity for the entire AI boom. Its GPUs power hyperscale data centers, model training and inference across tech giants and startups alike.
What’s new right now?
- China export shock: The U.S. government is now allowing Nvidia to ship its powerful H200 AI chips to approved customers in China, with Washington taking a 25% revenue share on those exports. [6]
- Chinese demand lining up: Reuters reports that ByteDance and Alibaba are already preparing orders for H200s, pending Beijing’s final sign‑off, underscoring how critical these chips are for Chinese AI ambitions. [7]
- Anti‑smuggling software: Separately, Nvidia just unveiled location‑verification software to help ensure its chips aren’t illegally resold into restricted markets, using confidential computing and network‑latency signals to estimate where a GPU is actually running. [8]
- Stock reaction: After Trump publicly touted the H200 export shift on social media, Nvidia briefly added around $200 billion in market value as shares spiked toward $190 in after‑hours trading. [9]
On fundamentals, Nvidia’s latest quarter showed Q3 2025 revenue of about $57 billion, up roughly 62% year‑on‑year, with over $51 billion coming from the data‑center segment. Net income grew more than 65% year‑on‑year, reflecting extraordinary operating leverage. [10]
Forecasts and valuation
- A recent forecast from 24/7 Wall St argues that Nvidia’s path to $500 per share by 2030 is “clear, albeit not guaranteed,” citing the H200 China deal and continued AI demand. [11]
- A separate analyst note highlighted a consensus 12‑month target around $133 (post‑split), suggesting upside from current levels but emphasizing volatility and execution risk. [12]
Why NVDA is on many “best stocks to buy now” lists
- Dominant share in high‑end AI accelerators
- Massive, multi‑year AI infrastructure capex from hyperscalers
- New policy tailwind from partially reopened China sales
- Rich but still growth‑supported earnings profile
Key risks:
AI bubble worries, extremely high expectations, geopolitical risk around export controls, and potential competition from Google TPUs and custom chips at Microsoft and Amazon. [13]
2. Microsoft (MSFT): AI + cloud powerhouse with a $23B spending wave
Microsoft remains one of the cleanest, diversified ways to play AI, with Azure, Microsoft 365, GitHub and security all embedding AI features.
Today’s headlines: scrutiny and spending
- Regulatory heat: Microsoft stock has been under pressure after U.S. state attorneys general and other regulators raised concerns about AI chatbots and safety, triggering a modest pullback. [14]
- $23 billion AI build‑out: In the last 48 hours, Microsoft confirmed a $23 billion wave of new AI data‑center investments, including $17.5 billion in India over four years and more than C$7.5 billion (~$5.4 billion) in Canada over the next two years. [15]
- Reuters notes that these projects are part of a broader arms race in which U.S. cloud providers are on pace to plow hundreds of billions of dollars into AI‑focused data centers. [16]
At the same time, Microsoft just paid out a $0.91 quarterly dividend today (Dec. 11), a 10% year‑on‑year increase, continuing its long streak of annual hikes. [17]
Adoption and AI usage data
Microsoft released its first Copilot Usage Report 2025, analyzing 37.5 million conversations. The study finds that Copilot is heavily used for work and technical topics during the day and shifts toward health and personal questions on mobile at night, supporting the company’s narrative that Copilot is becoming a “vital companion” rather than a niche tool. [18]
Forecasts and valuation
- MarketBeat and other aggregators show a consensus 12‑month target around $625–$632, implying roughly 30% upside from prices in the high‑$470s. TechStock²+1
- A December 8 forecast from 24/7 Wall St models MSFT at about $563 by the end of 2025 and nearly $900 by 2030, assuming double‑digit earnings growth. TechStock²
Investment case in a sentence:
Microsoft offers blue‑chip exposure to AI infrastructure, enterprise software and cloud, combining strong growth with a modest but rising dividend.
Key risks:
Regulatory scrutiny over AI, enormous capital‑spending commitments, slower‑than‑expected monetization of Copilot (current adoption estimates are still low relative to Office’s 400‑plus‑million user base), and general market valuation risk. [19]
3. Alphabet (GOOGL): The AI chip “sleeper” with a $900B TPU opportunity
Alphabet has quietly transformed from “AI laggard” to one of the strongest AI plays in the market.
Fresh catalysts
- TPUs as a $900B “secret sauce”: Bloomberg and other outlets highlight Alphabet’s in‑house AI chips (TPUs) as a potential $900 billion revenue opportunity over time if sold widely, not just used in Google’s own data centers. [20]
- Meta chip talks: Reuters and multiple tech outlets report that Meta is in talks to spend billions on Google TPUs, first renting capacity in 2026 and then buying chips outright from 2027. [21]
- Valuation milestone: Alphabet’s market cap is closing in on $4 trillion, which would make it the fourth company in history to reach that level, driven by AI‑fueled growth in search, YouTube, and cloud. [22]
- New AI infrastructure chief: Google has just appointed Amin Vahdat as its new chief technologist for AI infrastructure, with capex projected to exceed $90 billion by year‑end 2025, underscoring the scale of its AI computing build‑out. [23]
Why GOOGL stands out now
- Multiple growth engines: ads, cloud, productivity tools, hardware, and now AI chips sold to third parties. TechStock²+1
- Market sees Alphabet as a relatively cheaper “Magnificent Seven” name, with a forward P/E in the low‑30s despite strong AI‑driven earnings growth. TechStock²+1
Key risks:
Regulatory pressures on search and ads, heavy AI capex that could compress margins in the short run, and execution risk in competing with Nvidia in data‑center silicon.
4. Vertiv (VRT): Data‑center “picks and shovels” to the AI gold rush
If Nvidia sells the shovels of the AI gold rush, Vertiv sells the power and cooling systems that keep those shovels running.
Recent numbers
- Q3 2025 net sales rose 29% year‑on‑year to about $2.68 billion, driven by AI‑linked data‑center demand. Organic growth was around 28%, while adjusted EPS jumped more than 60%. [24]
- Management raised full‑year EPS guidance and signaled that AI‑related demand should remain strong into 2026, backed by a large order backlog. [25]
Analysts and outlets like Kiplinger now list Vertiv among their “best stocks to buy now” due to its leading position in liquid cooling and AI‑dense data‑center infrastructure, as well as a key partnership with Nvidia. [26]
Big picture
As Blackstone’s leadership and other infrastructure investors keep pointing out, data centers remain one of the most attractive real‑asset plays in the world thanks to power constraints and long‑term AI demand. [27] Vertiv is one of the few pure‑play ways to express that theme in equities.
Key risks:
Execution in a complex industrial business, potential slowdown or delay in big AI projects, tariff and supply‑chain issues, and a stock that has already rerated higher on the AI narrative. [28]
5. Eli Lilly (LLY): Obesity‑drug leader with another big trial win
Obesity and metabolic disease are arguably the other mega‑theme of this decade, and Eli Lilly is at the center of it.
New data this morning
- Today (Dec. 11), Lilly reported that its next‑generation obesity drug retatrutide delivered an average 28.7% weight loss in a late‑stage trial for patients with obesity and knee osteoarthritis—outperforming its current blockbuster Zepbound. The trial also showed meaningful pain relief. [29]
- Retatrutide is a once‑weekly injection targeting three hormone receptors (GLP‑1, GIP and glucagon), earning it the nickname “triple G” and reinforcing expectations that it could surpass existing GLP‑1 therapies. [30]
Massive scale already
- On November 21, Lilly became the first drugmaker ever to reach a $1 trillion market value, cementing its status as a weight‑loss powerhouse. [31]
- GLP‑1 drugs such as Mounjaro and Zepbound already generate over $10 billion per quarter, more than half of the company’s revenue, with demand still outstripping supply. TechStock²+1
Pipeline work on oral obesity drugs and next‑generation incretins suggests Lilly could extend its lead well into the late 2020s, even as competition from Novo Nordisk and emerging biotechs intensifies. TechStock²+1
Key risks:
Valuation (Lilly trades around 50x forward earnings), regulatory scrutiny on pricing, and scientific/competitive risk if rivals deliver better efficacy or safety.
6. General Motors (GM): Contrarian value play in an “EV winter”
While many pure‑play EV stocks have struggled, legacy automakers with profitable trucks, SUVs and hybrids are back in favor—and GM is a standout.
Fresh Wall Street upgrade
- On December 8, Morgan Stanley upgraded GM from Equal‑Weight to Overweight/Buy and raised its price target from $54 to $90, a roughly 67% jump, citing better capital discipline and a pivot toward profitable vehicles. [32]
- GM shares have rallied sharply in recent months, but Morgan Stanley still sees the stock as undervalued relative to its cash‑flow potential and capital‑return plans. TechStock²+1
Fundamentals
Recent quarters show:
- Solid revenue growth in the high single digits
- Adjusted EPS around $2.80 in Q3, beating expectations
- A large buyback program and a restored dividend, signaling management confidence in free‑cash‑flow durability. TechStock²
Why GM shows up on “best stocks to buy now” checklists
- Classic re‑rating story: moving from highly discounted to more fairly valued as investors accept that EVs will evolve alongside profitable combustion and hybrid vehicles rather than replacing them overnight. TechStock²+1
- Beneficiary of a gentler rate environment, which supports auto financing and consumer demand if the economy avoids a deep recession. [33]
Key risks:
Cyclical exposure to the U.S. economy, labor costs, regulatory shifts (e.g., emissions and safety), and uncertainty about the long‑term balance between EVs, hybrids and ICE.
7. Goldman Sachs (GS): M&A, IPOs and a rising dividend
With the Fed edging into a rate‑cut cycle and animal spirits returning, Goldman Sachs is well placed to benefit from stronger dealmaking, IPOs and trading volumes.
Latest commentary from management
- At a conference this week, CFO Denis Coleman said 2025 is on track to be the second‑biggest year in history for announced M&A, and he expects momentum to continue into 2026, helped by a revival in private‑equity deals. [34]
- MarketBeat and other outlets note that Goldman shares have recently hit new 52‑week highs, supported by improving earnings and optimism about fee income. [35]
Dividend and valuation
- GS currently yields about 1.8% with an annual dividend around $16 per share, and has raised its dividend for 14 consecutive years—a strong signal of balance‑sheet strength and shareholder‑friendly capital policy. [36]
In a world where the Fed is cutting but growth has not collapsed, investment banks often see a sweet spot: lower rates support valuations and financing, while rising risk appetite boosts deal flow. [37]
Key risks:
A sharp equity market correction, credit stress (for example from over‑leveraged AI or commercial real estate bets), and ongoing regulatory/political scrutiny of large banks. [38]
8. Campbell’s (CPB): Boring, beaten‑up, and yielding around 5%
After a year dominated by trillion‑dollar tech and obesity‑drug stocks, a canned‑soup company can feel painfully dull. That’s exactly why income‑seeking investors are paying attention to Campbell’s.
What just happened
- On December 9, Campbell’s reported better‑than‑expected first‑quarter sales and profit as consumers cooked more at home amid economic uncertainty. [39]
- The company maintained its full‑year outlook, but the stock fell roughly 5–6% after management acknowledged further price hikes to offset tariffs and inflation, making CPB one of the S&P 500’s biggest losers that day. [40]
Income story
- The board recently declared a $0.39 quarterly dividend, payable February 2, 2026, which translates to a dividend yield around 5%+ at current prices according to several analyses. [41]
In other words, investors are being paid an above‑market yield to own a staple‑goods business that tends to hold up reasonably well when consumers trade down or stay home.
Key risks:
Muted long‑term growth, the possibility that changing diets or GLP‑1‑driven weight‑loss trends reduce demand for some packaged foods, and the chance that CPB turns into a “value trap” if margins can’t improve. TechStock²+1
How to use this list
A “best stocks to buy now” list is not a command to buy every ticker immediately. Here’s how to turn ideas into a plan:
- Start from asset allocation
Decide how much of your portfolio belongs in stocks vs. cash/bonds, before picking individual names. - Map ideas to themes
- AI core & platforms: Nvidia, Microsoft, Alphabet
- AI infrastructure: Vertiv
- Health & obesity: Eli Lilly
- Rate‑cut beneficiaries: General Motors, Goldman Sachs
- Defensive income: Campbell’s
- Size positions realistically
Volatile names like NVDA can move 5–10% in a day on headlines. Consider capping single‑stock positions to a small percentage of your portfolio unless you’re comfortable with concentrated risk. - Consider dollar‑cost averaging
With indices near all‑time highs and Fed policy still in flux, phasing in over weeks or months can reduce the chance you buy everything at a short‑term peak. - If stock‑picking feels overwhelming, use ETFs
Broad U.S. index funds, AI‑and‑cloud ETFs, healthcare ETFs and dividend ETFs can give you exposure to these themes without having to pick winners and losers.
Final word
Today’s market is a tug‑of‑war between AI euphoria and bubble anxiety, between rate cuts and valuation risk. The eight stocks above capture the main narratives driving Wall Street right now—AI chips, AI infrastructure, obesity drugs, autos, banks and defensive staples—each with fresh December 2025 news and forward‑looking forecasts behind them.
References
1. www.reuters.com, 2. www.reuters.com, 3. www.reuters.com, 4. www.reuters.com, 5. www.kiplinger.com, 6. www.reuters.com, 7. www.reuters.com, 8. www.reuters.com, 9. investorsobserver.com, 10. 247wallst.com, 11. 247wallst.com, 12. www.forbes.com, 13. www.reuters.com, 14. finance.yahoo.com, 15. www.reuters.com, 16. www.reuters.com, 17. news.microsoft.com, 18. microsoft.ai, 19. www.investors.com, 20. www.bloomberg.com, 21. www.reuters.com, 22. www.reuters.com, 23. www.reuters.com, 24. finance.yahoo.com, 25. stockstory.org, 26. www.kiplinger.com, 27. www.reuters.com, 28. www.datacenterdynamics.com, 29. www.reuters.com, 30. www.reuters.com, 31. www.reuters.com, 32. gmauthority.com, 33. www.reuters.com, 34. www.investing.com, 35. www.marketbeat.com, 36. dividendstocks.cash, 37. www.reuters.com, 38. www.reuters.com, 39. www.investing.com, 40. www.reuters.com, 41. www.thecampbellscompany.com
