The Nasdaq 100 is hovering near its record high levels thanks to investor optimism around strong corporate earnings and a lower-than-expected rise in core inflation. Because the index’s performance is expected to remain strong this year, despite fears surrounding the spread of the COVID-19 Delta variant, we think three prominent members of the index, Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM), Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:REGN), and Workday (NASDAQ:WDAY), should generate exceptional returns. Let’s discuss.Last week, the Nasdaq 100 recorded modest gains and is currently hovering near its all-time high, fueled by a softer-than-expected inflation report and robust second-quarter corporate earnings results. Furthermore, with the weekly jobless claims declining for a third straight week, and the growing notion that recent price increases are transitory, investors are brimming with optimism.
While this suggests that the financial markets are no longer concerned with inflation, rising COVID-19 cases in various parts of the world due to the spread of the Delta variant could keep the stock market volatile for now. However, Chief Investment Officer Xian Chan of HSBC noted that the broad success of vaccination programs should continue driving the economic recovery in the second half of the year.
Given this backdrop, investors remain bullish about prominent Nasdaq 100 stocks that have recently helped the index climb to an all-time high. Qualcomm Incorporated (QCOM), Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (REGN), and Workday, Inc. (WDAY) are three such stocks. They have gained substantially over the past few months and are well-positioned to maintain the momentum in the near term.