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 (NYSE:ACM) 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 (NYSE:VMC) 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 (NYSE:VRT) 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. (NYSE:GEV) 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. (NYSE:URI) 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.
While we acknowledge the potential of URI to grow, our conviction lies in the belief that some other AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than URI and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
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