CMC Markets has identified five sectors it believes have strong potential to deliver above-average investment returns and operate independently from traditional market cycles. The firm has dubbed these industries the "Furious Five": artificial intelligence, energy, robotics, defence, and store-of-value assets such as gold and bitcoin.

According to CMC Markets, each of these sectors benefits from long-term structural trends that are reshaping economies and investment markets. Large technology companies, having spent nearly $400 billion on capital expenditures in 2025, are expected to continue investing heavily into 2026. This extended spending is anticipated to drive growth across the Furious Five industries.

Jason So, institutional sales manager at CMC Markets, emphasized that investors should look beyond headline companies within these sectors to identify opportunities across the broader value chains. For instance, within artificial intelligence, investors might consider chipmakers, semiconductor manufacturers, infrastructure providers, and cloud platforms, in addition to AI software developers.

So also highlighted the interconnected nature of these sectors, which enhances their appeal as an investment theme. The infrastructure demands of AI, for example, are expected to fuel growth for data centre operators and cloud service providers, as rising demand for computing power—especially to support agentic AI models—creates severe supply constraints. This expansion of data centre capacity is projected to increase demand for energy infrastructure, thus benefiting the energy sector within the Furious Five.

Geopolitical tensions are driving increased defence expenditure, notably on advanced technologies such as drones. These drones integrate AI and robotics, linking defence spending to two other Furious Five themes. CMC Markets noted that automation, propelled by AI, is increasingly transforming physical industries, including transportation, manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and workforce management.

The current geopolitical environment is also boosting interest in store-of-value assets like gold and bitcoin, as investors seek havens amid heightened uncertainty.

CMC Markets characterizes the Furious Five as long-term structural trends, distinct from typical market cycles. So described them as a "super heat map" within the market, advising investors to balance respect for these trends with discipline in entry points, position sizing, and risk management. He cautioned about risks including regulatory changes, execution failures by companies, and concentration risk from overcrowding in these popular themes, which could lead to inflated valuations.

To assist investors, CMC Markets offers tools that categorize assets within the Furious Five, enabling users to track and filter investment opportunities more effectively. Customized watchlists alert investors to changing market conditions, helping to identify sectors that may be undervalued or overlooked at any given time.

Additionally, CMC provides access to global Contracts for Difference (CFD) markets via a single account, including over 250 U.S. stocks and cryptocurrency CFDs available around the clock on weekdays. Its platform integrates third-party insights from providers such as Morningstar and TradingView, offering performance analytics, predictive data, and risk profiles designed to support informed decision-making. Morningstar services are available to both stockbroking and CFD clients, while TradingView Charts are limited to stockbroking clients.

Through these offerings, CMC Markets aims to help investors navigate the disruptions and opportunities presented by the rising momentum of the Furious Five industries.