Where to Invest Capital in 2025: Strategy to Identify Solid Stock Options

The volatility that has dominated 2025 presents both challenges and windows of opportunity for those who know where to look. Following tariffs implemented by Washington—from the 10% base up to 50% toward the European Union—global markets experienced significant corrections that, paradoxically, have created attractive entry points across multiple sectors.

The current scenario combines trade uncertainty with structural demand in technology, energy, and health. Knowing which companies to invest in requires going beyond short-term trends: it necessitates identifying firms with solid margins, sustained innovation, and adaptability in a protectionist environment.

Investment Opportunities: The Pillars of a 2025 Portfolio

Technology Sector: Where the Future Is Defined

The technology sector concentrates the greatest catalysts. NVIDIA dominates chip manufacturing for artificial intelligence with astronomical margins, although it has fallen 17% from its highs. TSMC, with net sales of €28.3 billion in 2024 and gross margins of 51.3%, remains essential in any portfolio seeking exposure to advanced semiconductors.

ASML Holding deserves particular attention. As the sole provider of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines, it controls a critical link in the production chain. In the first quarter of 2025, it recorded €7.7 billion in sales with a record gross margin of 54%, and projects revenues between €30 billion and €35 billion for the entire year. The 30% decline in its value over recent months represents more of a valuation correction than a fundamental deterioration.

Microsoft reported revenues of $245.1 billion in 2024, with 16% growth and operating margins of 46%. Despite antitrust investigations by the FTC, the company is aggressively investing in AI and cloud computing. Azure grew 33% in the quarter ending April 2025, confirming that demand for cloud services remains robust. The 20% correction from all-time highs could present an attractive re-entry point.

( Technology in China: Resurgence After Regulations

Alibaba is experiencing a notable resurgence after years of regulatory pressure. Its Taobao and Tmall platforms dominate Chinese e-commerce, while AliExpress facilitates international expansion. The group announced a three-year plan of $52 billion for AI infrastructure and cloud computing.

In the first quarter of 2025, revenues reached 236.45 billion yuan, with adjusted net profit growing 22%, driven by an 18% increase in its Cloud Intelligence division. Although the stock has retreated 35% from 2024 highs, the company maintains double-digit growth in key segments. Taking advantage of depressed valuations now could capture significant value when political volatility stabilizes.

) Financial Sector: Beneficiaries of Elevated Interest Rates

JPMorgan Chase, the largest U.S. bank, has advanced 23.48% since the beginning of 2025. Its market capitalization of $822.61 billion reflects operational strength and the capacity to benefit from a high-rate environment. Diversification across commercial banking, investment, and card services allows risk distribution while capitalizing on favorable interest margins.

Energy and Commodities: Defensive Cash Flow Generators

Exxon Mobil maintains solid operating margins amid elevated oil prices, reporting a 4.3% return since the start of the year. BHP Group, specializing in iron ore, copper, and nickel, benefits from sustained demand from emerging economies, with a cumulative increase of 3.46%.

Luxury and Consumer Goods: Gradual Recovery from Depressed Levels

LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton operates with a diversified portfolio including Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Givenchy, Fendi, Bulgari, and Sephora. In 2024, it reported revenues of €84.7 billion with an operating margin of 23.1%. Although it suffered declines of 6.7% in January and 7.7% in April due to U.S. tariffs and slowdown in China, it identifies growth opportunities in Japan ###double-digit sales in 2024###, Middle East (+6% regional), and India with new store openings.

The stock correction offers an entry point into a leading company that already implements digital strategies—the AI platform Dreamscape personalizes pricing—to adapt its model to new environments.

( Health: Structural Growth in Diabetes and Obesity

Novo Nordisk, a Danish leader in diabetes and obesity treatments, achieved sales of $42.1 billion in 2024 )+26% annually###. Despite a 27% drop in March due to competition from Eli Lilly and mixed clinical trial results, it maintains margins of 43% and a promising pipeline with the dual GLP-1/amylin molecule that achieved 24% weight loss in early studies.

The acquisition of Catalent for $16.5 billion in December 2024 expanded its manufacturing capacity. The deal with Lexicon Pharmaceuticals for $1 billion added a new mechanism of action against obesity. Global demand for these therapies maintains long-term growth prospects, even in a competitive environment.

( Automotive: Hybrids and Electrification

Toyota provides stability through leadership in hybrid vehicles and advances in electric and hydrogen technologies. Tesla represents accelerated growth in electric vehicles, though it has accumulated a 21.91% decline since the start of the year.

Practical Strategy: How to Select Companies to Invest In

In a context of tariffs and trade tensions, asset selection should follow specific criteria:

Sectoral and Geographic Diversification: Prioritize balanced exposure among technology )growth###, finance (cash flow), energy (defensive), and consumer (resilience). Distributing investments across the U.S., Europe, and Asia reduces regional risks.

Financial Strength: Opt for companies with operating margins above 20%, manageable debt ratios, and positive cash flow. Current corrections have separated speculation from fundamental value.

Innovation as a Differentiator: Leading companies in AI, advanced semiconductors, and digitalization maintain structural demand regardless of the economic cycle. ASML, TSMC, Microsoft, and NVIDIA exemplify this principle.

Adaptability to Tariffs: Companies with strong domestic operations or less dependence on international trade (LVMH with physical stores, Novo Nordisk with high-value products) show greater resilience.

Methods to Execute Investment in 2025

Investors have multiple channels:

Individual Stocks: Direct access through authorized brokers. Requires research but allows maximum control over portfolio composition.

Investment Funds: Combine various thematic stocks (by sector, country, or strategy). Facilitate entry for investors without time for detailed analysis, though they limit individual choice.

Derivatives (CFDs): Enable amplification of exposure with leverage or hedging positions. Require strict discipline given current volatility; they magnify both gains and losses.

In a scenario where trade policies can change rapidly, combining traditional stocks with hedging positions (bonds, gold) provides defensive balance while maintaining exposure to sectors with growth potential.

Final Considerations for Investing in 2025

The year 2025 marks a transition from a cycle of record returns toward greater volatility and uncertainty. This does not invalidate rational investing; it redefines it.

The key is to maintain a balanced focus: diversify both sectorally and geographically, preserve positions in safe assets to absorb declines, and avoid impulsive decisions after corrections. Strategic flexibility—periodically reviewing exposure based on political and economic changes—distinguishes investors who protect capital from those who suffer unnecessary losses.

Where to allocate resources depends on individual profile, time horizon, and risk tolerance. But the universal premise is: in 2025, up-to-date knowledge of the political-economic environment and rigorous identification of companies with solid fundamentals are necessary conditions for any sound investment decision.