Benzinga examined the prospects for many investors' favorite stocks over the last week — here's a look at some of our top stories.

U.S. markets capped a turbulent week as key economic data showed jobs rising and inflation easing, but stocks barely moved overall amid mounting investor anxiety and sector-specific sell-offs. Despite solid labor figures and softer consumer prices that could eventually support Federal Reserve rate cuts, major indexes ended the week with limited gains as risk-off sentiment grew. Automakers including posted mixed earnings results that added nuance to the market's direction, with some industrial names outperforming while broader equity demand remained capped.

Investor fears centered on a widening "AI scare trade," with traditionally resilient segments such as trucking and logistics stocks plunging sharply after an AI firm's new freight efficiency platform spooked markets. Major transportation names saw steep losses, part of a broader rotation out of labor-intensive business models perceived as vulnerable to automation. Real estate and other old-economy sectors were also hit as traders fretted over potential AI-driven disruption beyond software.

The sell-off underscored growing anxiety that artificial intelligence could upend more than just tech companies, spreading to freight, logistics, and commercial services and pressuring equities that had previously been considered defensive. Market breadth deteriorated as investors reassessed sector exposures and rotated into assets perceived as less susceptible to automation risks, leaving stocks to grapple with a mix of solid economic data and heightened uncertainty about the impact of rapidly advancing AI technologies.

Benzinga provides daily reports on the stocks most popular with investors. Here are a few of this past week's most bullish and bearish posts that are worth another look.

The Bulls

"Cloudflare Stock Charges Higher On Q4 Earnings Beat Driven By AI Demand," by Adam Eckert, reports that Cloudflare Inc. (NYSE:NET) shares climbed after the internet-infrastructure company posted a fourth-quarter earnings and revenue beat driven by strong AI-related demand, with total revenue up roughly 22% year-over-year and adjusted earnings per share topping estimates, as management highlighted robust enterprise cloud adoption and expanding margins that helped lift investor sentiment despite broader tech sector volatility.

"Cisco Reports Better‑Than‑Expected Q2 Results, Raises FY26 Outlook," by Adam Eckert, reports that Cisco Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO) delivered stronger‑than‑expected second‑quarter earnings and revenue as demand for networking and security solutions remained resilient, with management raising its full‑year 2026 outlook on robust backlog and improving services trends, sending the stock higher as investors reacted to improving execution and guidance that exceeded Wall Street expectations.

"Bill Ackman: Meta Stock, Alphabet, Amazon Part Of ‘Magnificent 7' For 2026," by Surbhi Jain, reports that hedge‑fund manager Bill Ackman highlighted Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:META), Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) and Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) as leading components of the so‑called "Magnificent 7" stocks poised to outperform in 2026, citing strong AI execution, robust balance sheets and secular growth drivers that could sustain long‑term earnings expansion, a stance that helped lift sentiment among long‑term growth investors despite near‑term market volatility.

For additional bullish calls of the past week, check out the following:

Applied Materials Beats Q1 Estimates, Issues Strong Guidance, Shares Surge

Viking Therapeutics Stock Climbs After Q4 Report: Details

Why Is QuantumScape Stock Soaring Monday?

The Bears

"Tech Stocks Hit $500 Billion Wipeout As Cisco Margins, Memory Shortage Weigh," by Adam Eckert, reports that major tech stocks collectively erased roughly $500 billion in market value as concerns mounted over narrowing margins at Cisco Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO) and production slowdowns in the memory‑chip supply chain, with traders citing weaker demand signals and inventory imbalances at key suppliers as headwinds that pressured shares across networking, semiconductor and enterprise tech segments amid broader market volatility.

"Lyft CEO Fires Back As Stock Tanks — What Do They Want?," by Adam Eckert, reports that Lyft Inc. (NASDAQ:LYFT) shares slid as investors reacted to disappointing engagement metrics and rising competitive pressure, prompting CEO David Risher to publicly defend the company's strategy, emphasizing efforts to improve unit economics, increase driver retention and accelerate profitable growth while arguing critics lack understanding of Lyft's long‑term roadmap, a stance that helped temper some selling even as caution persisted among traders.

"AppLovin Stock Slides Despite Q4 Earnings Beat," by Adam Eckert, reports that AppLovin Corp. (NASDAQ:APP) shares dipped after the mobile‑software company posted a fourth‑quarter earnings and revenue beat driven by solid demand for its user‑acquisition and monetization platforms, but investors focused on weaker guidance and slowing bookings growth as margins compressed, leading traders to pare positions despite the top‑line outperformance.

For more bearish takes, be sure to see these posts:

Pinterest Stock Dives After Hours: Q4 Double Miss, Weak Outlook Drags Down Shares

Tech Stocks Sink In February: Why History Says This Drop Was Coming

Why Is Carvana Stock Falling On Wednesday?

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