Amazon stock hits record, lights up ETFs

Published: Friday, October 31, 2025 at 10:19 pm

Amazon Stock Soars to Record High, Fueling ETF Gains

Amazon's stock price surged to a record high on Friday, climbing over 9% following the release of robust quarterly results. The company's cloud computing division, Amazon Web Services (AWS), was a key driver of this success, experiencing a double-digit increase in sales, reaching $30 billion.

CEO Andy Jassy highlighted the accelerating growth of AWS, noting a 20.2% year-over-year increase, the highest in nearly three years. He expressed optimism about future growth, citing a backlog that reached $200 billion by the end of the third quarter, excluding several new deals announced in October. Jassy emphasized AWS's appeal to customers seeking robust functionality, security, and operational performance for their core and AI workloads.

Jassy, who took over as CEO in July 2021, has focused on expanding Amazon's cloud computing presence while maintaining the competitiveness of its retail operations, including Whole Foods. Earlier in the week, the company announced it would eliminate 14,000 corporate jobs.

Despite the recent gains, Amazon's stock has advanced approximately 11%, trailing the Nasdaq's 23% rise and the S&P 500's 16% increase. The last time the stock traded near these levels was in February 2025.

The strong performance of Amazon has significantly impacted exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Over 600 ETFs list Amazon as a top holding. ETFs have experienced a record year, with inflows exceeding $1 trillion in October, a milestone typically reached around December. Several consumer discretionary ETFs, including those from Global X, ProShares, Fidelity, and Vanguard, have significant allocations to Amazon.

BNN's Perspective:

The surge in Amazon's stock, driven by the success of AWS, underscores the ongoing shift towards cloud computing and its impact on the broader market. While the job cuts are concerning, the company's strategic focus on cloud services appears to be paying off, benefiting both Amazon and the ETFs that hold its shares. This highlights the importance of adapting to evolving market trends and the potential for growth in the tech sector.

Keywords: Amazon, AWS, stock, ETFs, cloud computing, quarterly results, CEO, Andy Jassy, sales, growth, record high, Nasdaq, S&P 500, consumer discretionary, exchange-traded funds, job cuts, retail, Whole Foods

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