In this article, we look at the 10 Best Stocks to Buy for Global Infrastructure Spending.
Global infrastructure spending is entering a long investment cycle as governments and companies upgrade the physical systems needed for electrification, AI, transport, industrial reshoring, and urban growth. PwC expects annual global infrastructure spending to rise from $4.4 trillion in 2024 to $6.9 trillion by 2050, with cumulative investment reaching $151.1 trillion over the period. Transport and power are expected to account for about half of that spending, while annual investment in data center buildings is projected to more than double to $252 billion by 2027.
The spending case is not limited to new roads, bridges, and airports. It increasingly includes power grids, substations, cooling systems, equipment rental, building materials, engineering services, and digital infrastructure. The International Energy Agency has said grid investment needs to nearly double by 2030 to more than $600 billion per year to meet national climate targets, while McKinsey has framed AI data center development as a $7 trillion infrastructure build-out.
For investors, that puts attention on companies positioned across the infrastructure supply chain, from machinery and aggregates to electrical equipment, engineering contractors, and data center infrastructure providers. These stocks offer exposure to the capital spending behind a more electrified, connected, and capacity-constrained global economy.
Methodology
For this article, we screened infrastructure-related companies with exposure to global capital spending across construction equipment, power grids, building materials, engineering services, equipment rental, steel, and data center infrastructure. We then ranked the selected stocks in descending order of short interest as a percentage of float.
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10. AECOM (NYSE:ACM)
Short Percentage of Float: 4.79%
AECOM (NYSE:ACM) is one of the best stocks to buy for global infrastructure spending. On May 12, the company said it supported the completion and opening of the Fanling Bypass (Eastern Section), the first major transport infrastructure project delivered in Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis. The approximately four-kilometer, dual two-lane carriageway links the Fanling North New Development Area to Fanling Highway, with the project expected to ease congestion in Fanling town center, improve regional connectivity, and support a planned population of about 95,100 residents in Fanling North. AECOM said peak-hour travel times are reduced by up to 10 minutes.
The project also strengthens AECOM’s case as a global infrastructure engineering play rather than just a conventional design contractor. The company said the bypass used Hong Kong’s first horizontal bridge rotation to position a 140-meter, 7,000-ton bridge over the East Rail Line overnight, cutting construction time by about 12 months. AECOM also highlighted the world’s first structural use of ultra-high-strength S960 steel in footbridges, as well as 4D BIM, LiDAR, AI-assisted monitoring, prefabrication, robotic welding, and 3D swept-path analysis.
AECOM is a global infrastructure consulting firm that provides advisory, planning, consulting, architectural, and engineering design, construction, and program management, and environmental services for transportation, buildings, water, energy, and environmental markets.
9. Vulcan Materials Company (NYSE:VMC)
Short Percentage of Float: 3.43%
Vulcan Materials Company (NYSE:VMC) is one of the best stocks to buy for global infrastructure spending. The company’s latest update gives the stock a direct link to public construction activity, since aggregates are core inputs for roads, highways, bridges, commercial projects, and other infrastructure work. On April 29, Vulcan said first-quarter aggregates shipments rose 5% from a year earlier, supported by large projects, continued growth in public construction activity, and more typical weather in some markets. The aggregates segment also posted a 12% increase in gross profit to $400 million, while freight-adjusted selling prices rose 3.5% on a reported basis.
The infrastructure angle also extends into the company’s 2026 outlook. Vulcan reaffirmed its full-year adjusted EBITDA outlook of $2.4 billion to $2.6 billion, with CEO Ronnie Pruitt citing a healthy backlog supported by large projects and public construction activity. That makes Vulcan a direct materials-side beneficiary of infrastructure spending, particularly where public-sector construction remains resilient even as private demand can move with rates and broader economic cycles.
Vulcan Materials Company is the nation’s largest supplier of construction aggregates, primarily crushed stone, sand, and gravel, and is also a major producer of aggregates-based construction materials, including asphalt and ready-mixed concrete.
8. Vertiv Holdings Co (NYSE:VRT)
Short Percentage of Float: 3.12%
Vertiv Holdings Co (NYSE:VRT) is one of the best stocks to buy for global infrastructure spending. The company’s latest move strengthens its exposure to AI and high-performance computing infrastructure, where power density and heat management have become central bottlenecks. On April 27, Vertiv said it acquired Strategic Thermal Labs LLC, a specialist in advanced liquid-cooling technologies. The company said the deal adds expertise in cold-plate design, server-side liquid cooling, and high-density thermal validation, helping Vertiv improve system-level performance, reliability, and lifecycle outcomes in liquid-cooled environments.
The acquisition fits Vertiv’s broader thermal-chain strategy as AI workloads push data center infrastructure toward higher-density designs. Vertiv said Strategic Thermal Labs will strengthen its ability to simulate and emulate real high-density compute conditions, optimize the interaction between the thermal chain and power train, and support customers through design, integration, commissioning, and lifecycle operations. That gives Vertiv a direct role in one of the fastest-growing corners of infrastructure spending: the buildout of power, cooling, and continuity systems needed to support AI and cloud capacity.
Vertiv Holdings Co provides hardware, software, analytics, and ongoing services for data centers, communication networks, and commercial and industrial facilities, with a portfolio spanning power, cooling, IT infrastructure solutions, and services from the cloud to the edge of the network.
7. GE Vernova Inc. (NYSE:GEV)
Short Percentage of Float: 2.90%
GE Vernova Inc. (NYSE:GEV) is one of the best stocks to buy for global infrastructure spending. The company has had multiple recent project updates tied directly to power infrastructure, with the cleanest global angle coming from India. On May 4, GE Vernova said it secured an order from Megha Engineering & Infrastructures Limited to deliver nine 150-MW pumped-storage units for the 1.35-GW Upper Sileru hydropower plant in Andhra Pradesh. The project is expected to be completed by 2030 and will be among India’s largest pumped-storage hydropower projects. GE Vernova said the plant will be able to store and supply electricity equivalent to the annual needs of about three million Indian homes.
The order fits the infrastructure-spending theme because pumped storage is effectively grid-scale energy infrastructure, not just generation equipment. GE Vernova said the facility is expected to help balance growing solar and wind capacity on India’s national grid, while supporting grid reliability, peak-demand management, and frequency regulation. The company also said its scope includes design, engineering, manufacturing, testing, supply, transportation, and supervision of erection, testing, and commissioning for the nine units and related systems.
GE Vernova Inc. is a global energy company with Power, Electrification, and Wind segments, supported by accelerator businesses. The company says its installed technology base helps generate about 25% of the world’s electricity.
6. United Rentals, Inc. (NYSE:URI)
Short Percentage of Float: 2.46%
United Rentals, Inc. (NYSE:URI) is one of the best stocks to buy for global infrastructure spending. The equipment rental company’s latest update tied its 2026 outlook to demand from large projects and key customer verticals, which aligns with the infrastructure-spending theme, as contractors often rent equipment for major construction, industrial, utility, and public works projects rather than owning every machine they need. On April 22, United Rentals reported first-quarter total revenue of $3.985 billion, including rental revenue of $3.419 billion, and said rental revenue increased 8.7% year-over-year. The company also raised its full-year 2026 outlook, with expected total revenue now in the range of $16.9 billion to $17.4 billion.
The strongest infrastructure signal came from management’s comments and fleet plans. CEO Matthew Flannery said the higher guidance was supported by momentum into the busy season and customer opportunities “particularly within large projects and key verticals.” United Rentals also lifted its 2026 gross rental equipment purchase outlook to $4.4 billion to $4.8 billion, up from its prior range of $4.3 billion to $4.7 billion. Specialty rentals revenue rose 13.8% year-over-year to $1.190 billion, adding another layer to the case as complex projects often require specialized equipment and jobsite services.
United Rentals, Inc. says it is the largest equipment rental company in the world, with a store network nearly three times the size of any other provider and locations in 49 U.S. states and ten Canadian provinces.
5. Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. (NYSE:MLM)
Short Percentage of Float: 2.41%
Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. (NYSE:MLM) is one of the best stocks to buy for global infrastructure spending. The company’s April 30 update gives the stock a direct materials-side link to infrastructure demand, especially through aggregates, which are used across construction and public works projects. Martin Marietta said first-quarter revenue rose 17% year-over-year to $1.36 billion, while aggregates shipments increased 12.4% to a first-quarter record 43.9 million tons. CEO Ward Nye said organic aggregates shipment growth of 7% exceeded expectations, helped by an early construction-season start in the Midwest and Colorado, as well as strong infrastructure and heavy nonresidential demand across the company’s footprint.
The company is also reshaping its portfolio around aggregates. On February 23, Martin Marietta completed an asset exchange with QUIKRETE, acquiring aggregates operations that produce about 20 million tons annually in Virginia, Missouri, Kansas, and Vancouver, British Columbia. On April 19, it also signed a definitive agreement to acquire New Frontier Materials, a St. Louis-area aggregates-led producer with more than 8 million tons of annual aggregates output. That makes the story less about one quarter and more about expanding supply in construction-materials markets tied to infrastructure and heavy nonresidential demand.
Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. is an American-based supplier of aggregates and other building materials, with operations across 28 states, Canada, and The Bahamas. The company also operates a Specialties business that provides high-purity magnesia and dolomitic lime products for environmental, industrial, agricultural, and specialty applications.
4. Eaton Corporation plc (NYSE:ETN)
Short Percentage of Float: 2.06%
Eaton Corporation plc (NYSE:ETN) is one of the best stocks to buy for global infrastructure spending. The company’s latest update tied its growth directly to electrical infrastructure demand, especially in data centers and power management. On May 5, Eaton said first-quarter sales rose 17% year-over-year to a record $7.5 billion, while organic sales increased 10%. The strongest infrastructure signal came from its Electrical businesses: Eaton said the twelve-month rolling average of orders in Electrical Americas rose 42% organically, driven by data center momentum, while total Electrical Americas backlog at the end of March was up 44% from March 2025. Electrical Global backlog was also up 73% year-over-year.
The update supports Eaton’s role in the global buildout of power systems, data centers, utilities, and industrial infrastructure. The company also closed its acquisition of Boyd Thermal during the quarter, adding liquid-cooling components and systems for data centers, aerospace, and other end markets. That strengthens Eaton’s grid-to-chip positioning as AI and high-performance computing projects require tighter integration of power distribution, backup systems, and cooling infrastructure.
Eaton Corporation plc (NYSE:ETN) says it makes products for the data center, utility, industrial, commercial, and institutional, machine building, residential, aerospace, and mobility markets, serving customers in 180 countries.
3. CRH plc (NYSE:CRH)
Short Percentage of Float: 2.03%
CRH plc (NYSE:CRH) is one of the best stocks to buy for global infrastructure spending. The company’s latest concrete infrastructure angle comes from water, not just roads and aggregates. On April 30, CRH said it had entered into an agreement to acquire Axius Water, a North American provider of specialized water quality solutions, for $0.7 billion. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2026, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals, and CRH said it will strengthen its position as a leading water infrastructure player in the United States.
The acquisition fits CRH’s broader push into connected infrastructure markets. In the same update, the company said it was investing $0.9 billion across nine value-accretive acquisitions, including Axius Water, while also agreeing to divest three non-core businesses for a combined consideration of about $1.9 billion. That makes the story more about portfolio reshaping toward infrastructure-linked markets than about one quarter’s earnings.
CRH plc (NYSE:CRH) says it provides building materials across aggregates, cementitious, roads, and water, helping deliver transportation, water, and reindustrialization projects worldwide.
2. Nucor Corporation (NYSE:NUE)
Short Percentage of Float: 2.02%
Nucor Corporation (NYSE:NUE) is one of the best stocks to buy for global infrastructure spending. The stock’s infrastructure case received a fresh company-specific catalyst on May 1, when Nucor announced that Nucor Steel Lexington was officially open. The North Carolina rebar micro mill has the capacity to produce 430,000 tons of rebar annually, and the company said the facility will help supply roads, bridges, and infrastructure using recycled steel sourced in North Carolina.
The opening gives Nucor a direct materials-side link to infrastructure demand, since rebar is used to reinforce concrete in roads, bridges, buildings, and other structures. The project was originally announced in April 2022 as a roughly $350 million investment serving the South Atlantic/I-85 corridor from Maryland to Georgia, with Nucor saying at the time that federal infrastructure spending was expected to increase regional rebar demand. That makes the new mill more than a capacity addition; it strengthens Nucor’s ability to supply infrastructure-heavy construction markets from a localized production base.
Nucor Corporation is North America’s largest and most diversified steel and steel products producer and the largest recycler of any material in North America. The company’s steel and fabricated steel portfolio includes products such as beam, plate, rebar, sheet, joists, decking, piling, solar products, transmission poles, and warehouse racking.
1. Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT)
Short Percentage of Float: 1.78%
Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT) is one of the best stocks to buy for global infrastructure spending. The company’s latest infrastructure-related catalyst came on April 29, when ProPetro Holding Corp.’s PROPWR unit entered into a strategic framework agreement with Caterpillar to purchase up to 2.1 gigawatts of incremental power-generation assets by 2031. PROPWR agreed to buy at least 1.5 GW of added capacity, with the option to bring the total to about 2.1 GW over five years. Combined with roughly 550 megawatts previously ordered, PROPWR is positioned to deliver about 2.6 GW of power generation capacity by year-end 2031 and to be fully deployed in 2032.
The agreement supports Caterpillar’s role in infrastructure beyond heavy machinery, especially as data centers, oil and gas operations, and industrial customers require reliable on-site power. Caterpillar said the deal reflects demand from data centers and other energy-intensive applications, with the company supporting PROPWR through power generation technologies and global execution scale.
Caterpillar Inc. is the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, off-highway diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines, and diesel-electric locomotives.
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