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Goldman Sachs Names Alibaba Top China Cloud Pick as Pentagon Listing Creates Friction

Goldman Sachs flagged Alibaba as its preferred stock in China's cloud and data center sector on June 16, even as the Pentagon added the company to a list of firms allegedly supporting China's military.

Embedded in Rongcheng Zhuoyue Business Hotel, the western end of Aowei Rd.
Embedded in Rongcheng Zhuoyue Business Hotel, the…      Alibaba Headquarters    N509FZ / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
By Free News Press Editorial Team
Published June 20, 2026 at 2:03 PM PDT

Goldman Sachs identified Alibaba as one of its preferred China internet stocks heading into the second half of 2026, calling it the top pick in China's cloud and data center sector. The endorsement came on June 16, according to a report by Yahoo Finance, and arrived alongside a separate geopolitical complication that has kept the stock under pressure.

Goldman Sachs said Alibaba is well-positioned to benefit from stabilizing consumption trends in China and from expectations of an earnings recovery heading into year-end. The investment bank also argued that the company's earnings-per-share downgrade cycle is nearing a bottom, and that any reversal in that trend could act as a catalyst for share price support and a broader inflection through the remainder of the year.

At the same time, Alibaba was added to the Pentagon's list of firms allegedly supporting China's military. China's Commerce Ministry pushed back against the designation, opposing the move and urging Washington to reverse the decision.

Alibaba operates across e-commerce, cloud computing, logistics, and digital media. It is frequently described as the Amazon of China and runs an expansive ecosystem of internet platforms that connect businesses and consumers across global markets.

The combination of a bullish Goldman call and a Pentagon listing creates a split picture for investors. On one side, the company's financial profile shows potential improvement in earnings momentum and a strong position in cloud infrastructure. On the other, the military designation adds regulatory and reputational uncertainty, particularly for US-based investors navigating exposure to Chinese technology companies.

JPMorgan has also weighed in on Alibaba, though the specific content of JPMorgan's position was not detailed in the available source material beyond the framing of Alibaba as one of the best falling stocks to invest in, according to analyst assessments.

The stock continues to draw attention from major investment banks as China's internet sector searches for a floor after an extended period of earnings pressure and regulatory scrutiny.

​位于中兴立交东南侧的阿里巴巴中心.杭州滨江园区。
​位于中兴立交东南侧的阿里巴巴中心.杭州滨江园区。      Alibaba Group    Charlie fong / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)