Investors who believe a slowdown in the economy is coming should look at the Vanguard Russell 2000 ETF (VTWO), which tracks the small-cap Russell 2000 index,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2025/07/30/is-the-vanguard-russell-2000-etf-a-buy-now/">writes</a>&nbsp;the Motley Fool contributor Chris Neiger. Small caps tend to bounce back faster after tough economic times than larger ones, but investing in the VTWO has its drawbacks: In the words of Neiger, the fund is "mostly missing out" on the AI boom.

Motley Fool makes arguments for and against investing in Vanguard Russell 2000 now

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STIF Societe anonyme

RaySearch Laboratories AB

The period from 2021 to 2024 proved challenging for European small-cap stocks. Amid a prolonged phase of tight monetary policy in the eurozone and underperformance relative to the U.S., investors largely overlooked the Old World's smaller companies. Over that period, the MSCI Europe Small Cap index rose just 2.6%, including a nearly 27% drop in 2022. By comparison, the iShares STOXX Europe 600 UCITS ETF gained 39.7%, while the MSCI World index advanced 46.0%.

Why European small caps are back on investors’ radar in 2025

Peloton Interactive, Inc.

Shares of exercise equipment and media company Peloton Interactive <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/PTON/">jumped</a> nearly 19% today, July 30. Swiss bank UBS <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/30/peloton-rips-higher-after-ubs-says-the-stock-could-surge-nearly-80percent.html">upgraded</a> its rating on the stock to "buy" and raised its target price. This comes a week before Peloton is due to report quarterly earnings. UBS says it sees signs of stabilization in the business, which took off during the pandemic but has since largely lost momentum.

UBS upgrades rating and TP on Peloton ahead of FY4Q25 earnings; shares jump

Nebius Group N.V.

Lamoureux strategist opts for stable AI infrastructure



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Argan, Inc.

NVIDIA Corporation

Microsoft Corporation

Shares of the mid-cap Argan, which provides construction services to the energy sector, have more than tripled over the last 12 months, "smashing" the world's most valuable company, Nvidia, in terms of performance,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.investors.com/research/how-to-find-the-best-stocks-to-buy/argan-stock-smashes-nvidia-meta-tesla-magnificent-seven-stocks/">notes</a>&nbsp;the <i>Investor's Business Daily</i>. It argues that now is a good time to buy Argan stock ahead of a new breakout.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Mid-cap 'data center stock' Argan triples in LTM, trouncing Nvidia

Super Micro Computer, Inc.

In July, investor attention shifted away from tech giants and AI toward small-cap stocks that had long lingered in the shadow of Big Tech. Since the start of July, the Russell 2000 index has climbed 3.8%. By comparison, the S&amp;P 500 has gained 3.0%, the Nasdaq Composite 4.0%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average 1.7%, according to FactSet data. The outperformance suggests a broader market rotation is underway: from high-valuation tech names to more economically sensitive sectors.

Small caps outpacing the S&P 500 in July: What's driving the rally and will it last?

Coinbase Global, Inc.

Cryptocurrency exchange securities fell in price on Monday for the sixth consecutive trading session


"Time to lock in profits": analyst advised to sell Coinbase shares before the report

Apple Inc.

The current quarter could be a bottom for Apple from which the company can push back, bank analysts said


'Pretty negative sentiment': why BofA advises buying Apple against the risks


NIKE, Inc.

Nike's stock jumped nearly 5 percent in trading on July 28

Just buy it: why does JPMorgan expect Nike stock to rise more than 20%?

FreightCar America, Inc.

Noble Capital Markets has raised its <a href="https://www.channelchek.com/news-channel/freightcar-america-rail-updating-our-forward-estimates-and-increasing-our-pt">target price</a>&nbsp;for  railroad freight car manufacturer FreightCar America by nearly 19%. The company now looks set to produce more railcars and&nbsp;higher-margin types than Noble had previously forecast.&nbsp;

Noble raises TP on railcar manufacturer FreightCar by about 19%, keeps 'outperform'

Telomir Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Zacks says take a look at the stock ahead of human trials of Telomir's primary drug early next year



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