HSBC Upgrades Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META) to Buy Amid Cloud Computing Push

• HSBC has upgraded its rating on Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META) to Buy, signaling increased confidence in the technology company's outlook.
• Meta Platforms is strategically entering the cloud computing market, with a potential $10 billion deal to lease its infrastructure to AI research lab Anthropic.
• The stock has demonstrated strong market performance, rising 18% in July, supported by positive technical analysis indicators like the Relative Strength Index (RSI).

On July 17, 2026, analyst firm HSBC upgraded its rating on Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META) to Buy from a previous rating of Overweight. Meta Platforms, a leading technology company known for its social media and advertising businesses, is now looking to enter the cloud computing market by renting its powerful computer systems to other firms.

The upgrade comes as Meta Platforms is reportedly in early talks to lease its computing infrastructure to the AI research lab Anthropic. As highlighted by The New York Times, this potential deal could be valued at as much as $10 billion. Anthropic requires significant computing power to train its AI models due to a global shortage of necessary hardware.

This potential partnership is part of a larger strategy for Meta Platforms. CEO Mark Zuckerberg previously confirmed the company was considering selling its excess cloud capacity to other businesses, as reported by Bloomberg. To support this new venture, Meta Platforms plans to invest up to $145 billion in capital expenditures this year to expand its data centers.

HSBC's new rating was posted when the stock price was $644.26. On the day of the news, Meta Platforms' stock traded at $646.01 after recovering from an earlier drop. The stock has performed well, rising 18% since the start of July, which is significantly better than the S&P 500 market index over the same period.

The stock's Relative Strength Index (RSI) is in the mid-50s. The RSI is an indicator that measures the speed and change of price movements. A reading in this range suggests there is strong buying interest in the stock, which aligns with the positive analyst rating and recent company developments.