Sunbelt (SUNB.US) rides the wave of the "HALO" trend to go public in the United States, and the heavy asset industrial sector becomes a safe haven for funds.

It is noted that the equipment rental company Sunbelt Rentals Holdings Inc. (SUNB.US) officially debuted on the US stock market on Monday. Recently, investors have been flocking to companies that are heavy on assets, capital-intensive, and cannot be replaced by artificial intelligence. The company was previously listed in London under the name Ashtead Group Plc, and is now one of the largest companies in this industry to be listed in the US. As of last Friday, Ashtead's market value was approximately 22 billion pounds (about 30 billion US dollars). Sunbelt closed at $73.79 on the New York Stock Exchange on Monday, up 3%. According to the company, its closing price in London on Friday was 53.26, which is approximately $71.66. Before the focus shifted to the Iran conflict, the market had been selling off assets that were at risk of being disrupted by artificial intelligence tools, from real estate service companies to payment companies. Investors have instead been pouring into companies that manufacture or transport physical goods, driving the S&P 500 Industrial Index to new highs. Matt Maley, Chief Market Strategist at Miller Tabak + Co., said that stocks like Sunbelt "should perform well in the environment where people seek heavy asset exposure." In February, Ashtead's London-traded stock rose by 14%, about double the 7% gain of the benchmark FTSE 100 index. This was mainly attributed to the so-called "HALO" trading strategy - "heavy assets, low obsolescence" - gaining momentum. However, HALO is not a guarantee of success. Despite their double-digit growth in the first week of February, US peers United Rentals Inc. and Herc Holdings Inc. both lagged behind the S&P 500 Industrial Index's 10% rise in February. Market positioning in the US Sunbelt generates over 90% of its revenue from North America, and sees its move into the US market as a way to align its investor base with its business layout. Brendan Horgan, CEO of Sunbelt, stated that the company's specialty products (such as heavy generators and complex scaffolding) help them win business related to large construction projects like data centers and infrastructure projects. "This is a generational opportunity, not a one-time event," he said. "Large projects will become a significant component of our end market served during the rest of our careers."