Technology
The Two High-Growth Sectors That Could Outperform Tech
Over recent years, there has been no bigger opportunity for investors than technology.
The FAANG stocks alone have gained over $1 trillion in market capitalization since 2014 – and these stocks, along with other tech movers and shakers, have helped propel indices to constant new highs.
Growing Competition
While tech shows no signs of letting up on its dominance over markets, investors should know about two other multi-billion dollar sectors nipping at its heels. In today’s infographic, done in conjunction with SmallCapPower, we’ve highlighted the macro investment cases behind tech as well as these other high-growth areas: battery metals and cannabis.
For those interested, they’ve also published a watch list of nine stocks with double or triple-digit growth in these sectors.
The infographic highlights three of the top performing stocks in these sectors YTD. Don’t forget to see the full list of nine stocks.
Secular Trends
Like technology, the battery metals and cannabis sectors have upside attached to secular trends that are changing our world.
Technology: “Software is eating the world”
Battery Metals: The green energy revolution
Cannabis: Legalization and decriminalization of cannabis products
As a result, all of these sectors are poised to continue expanding at rapid rates:
Tech | Batteries | Legal Cannabis | |
---|---|---|---|
Market size (2016) | $880B | $57.0B | $6.7B |
Market size (2021e) | $1.03T | $82.9B | $20.4B |
Increase (%) | 17% | 45% | 204% |
It’s worth mentioning that above projections are based on the overall IT sector, the rechargeable batteries market, and the legal cannabis market.
Further, it’s also important to recognize that individual subsectors within tech are growing much faster than the overall market as a whole, such as the blockchain, IoT, cybersecurity, SaaS, AI, and VR/AR.
Sustainable Growth Drivers?
While there’s no shortage of hype around tech, battery metals, or cannabis, it is also clear that all of these markets will only grow in importance over time.
In technology, for example, the slower-moving verticals like healthcare, government, finance, and education are only starting to get disrupted. The blockchain is in its early days and will touch many aspects of life, and AI alone is expected to have a $15.7 trillion impact by 2030.
Meanwhile, the green revolution is driving the future importance of battery metals like lithium, cobalt, nickel, and graphite. As EV penetration grows, so does lithium-ion battery use – and these metals are all needed to make them work.
Finally, the trajectory of legalized cannabis seems difficult to stop. In multiple states, cannabis is already available for recreational use – and in recently-legalized places like Canada and California, the recreational shops will open up very soon. However, the cannabis industry is still in its infancy, and many millions of people are still expected to gain access yet. This, like the other two industries, creates a fast-growing opportunity for both business and investors.
Technology
Mapped: Internet Download Speeds by Region
North America and East Asia have the speediest internet.
Mapped: Internet Download Speeds by Region
This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.
In today’s fast-paced world, internet speed isn’t just a convenience—it’s the driving force behind how we work, play, and connect.
In this map, we illustrate median download speeds in each global region, based on data from the World Bank’s Digital Progress and Trends Report 2023.
North America and East Asia Have the Speediest Internet
According to the World Bank, download speeds in high-income countries increased significantly between 2019 and 2023, while speeds in lower-income countries stagnated.
As of 2022, North America and East Asia have the speediest internet.
Region | Median mobile download speed (Mb/sec) | Median fixed broadband download speed (Mb/sec) |
---|---|---|
East Asia & Pacific | 90 | 171 |
Europe & Central Asia | 44 | 85 |
Latin America & the Caribbean | 26 | 74 |
Middle East & North Africa | 36 | 36 |
North America | 83 | 193 |
South Asia | 27 | 43 |
Sub-Saharan Africa | 16 | 15 |
This difference in broadband speeds can mainly be attributed to investment.
In 2020, nearly 90% of global telecommunication investment came from East Asia and the Pacific, Europe and Central Asia, and North America. These regions not only concentrate the highest-income population but also the top technology hubs.
Meanwhile, low- and middle-income regions such as Latin America and the Caribbean, South Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for less than 10% of total investment.
Most of the investment is directed towards fiber optic and 5G mobile networks. According to the mobile industry association GSMA, mobile operators alone are projected to invest more than $600 billion between 2022 and 2025, with 85% of the total allocated for 5G.
In 2023, broadband speeds in high-income countries were 10x faster for fixed connections, and 5x faster for mobile connections compared to those in low-income countries.
Fixed broadband connections, which provide high-speed internet to residences or businesses, reached 38% of the population in high-income countries. In comparison, fixed broadband penetration was only 4% of the population in lower-middle-income countries and almost zero in low-income countries.
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