Mohamed El-Erian Warns AI Financing Strains Are 'Much Broader' Than Any Single Company, Market Commentator Warns 'Time Bomb' Could Affect Economy
Economist Mohamed El-Erian said Wednesday that growing strains in the artificial intelligence financing boom extend beyond any single company, warning that surging borrowing needs from technology companies and persistent government deficits are reshaping credit markets.
A Two-Way Feedback Loop
El-Erian, in a post on X, shared a Wall Street Journal front-page report on the rising cost of financing Meta’s AI spending, saying it points to “something much broader” unfolding across credit markets.
He described a “two-sided causality unfolding in real time” between rising funding needs fueled by tech capital spending and government deficits, and high interest rates driven in part by an imbalance between the supply and demand for capital.
Credit Markets Are Already Flashing Warning Signs
Hyperscalers are expected to spend about $700 billion on AI infrastructure in 2026, more than 75% higher than two years ago, leaving investors to question whether future AI returns can justify the industry’s massive spending and valuations.
Market commentator Bull Theory on X said investors were demanding a 41-basis-point higher risk premium to hold AI-related corporate bonds than other corporate debt.
It warned the AI boom had become a “time bomb” with the potential to ripple across the broader U.S. economy.
Nvidia’s Rising Debt Costs
The cost of insuring Nvidia Corp.‘s (NASDAQ:NVDA) five-year debt through credit default swaps recently climbed to about 82 basis points, nearly double its level a week earlier, Bull Theory added.
On Tuesday, “The Big Short” investor Michael Burry said Nvidia’s credit default swaps were “going parabolic” as the chipmaker’s circular spending reached “biblical proportions.”
According to a chart shared by Burry, the company’s swaps were up nearly 90% year-to-date.
Nvidia has reportedly signed data center leases worth up to $50 billion in Texas to support its neocloud partners, part of a financing arrangement that critics say helps fuel demand for the company’s AI chips while shifting costs off its balance sheet.
Price Action: NVDA closed 3.55% lower on Wednesday at $190.01 and reversed some losses to trade 0.65% higher in after-hours.
Benzinga edge rankings indicate NVDA has a Momentum score in the 41st percentile and a Growth score in the 98th percentile.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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