Good MorningEquities advanced on Thursday, extending the week's Santa Claus Rally to about 0.75%. The rally may continue on Friday, but it looks unlikely we'll see a new all-time high on the S&P 500 until next year. As robust as the outlook is for 2024, there are concerns that earnings growth will not be as good as forecasted and that the FOMC may tip the economy into recession. Because it takes 12 months or longer for FOMC policy changes to take full effect, the impact of rate hikes in the first half of 2023 are still working their way through the system and could cause a marked contraction in activity come January.
The question on every trader's mind is what will happen with the S&P 500 index on Tuesday when the new trading year starts. One risk is that enough traders will sit on the sidelines, waiting to see what happens, causing a self-fulfilling prophecy. In that scenario, downside momentum could build quickly, leading the market into a full-blown correction. Featured: Small Colorado Company (Backed by Sam Altman) Could Save U.S. Power Grid (Ad) 
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Finance | |
Interest rates, set by the Federal Reserve (aka “the Fed”), have widespread economic influence. When the Fed changes rates, it affects the cost of borrowing, investment decisions, savings returns, housing markets, bond prices, currency values, stock prices and overall economic activity... Read the Full Story |
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From Our Partners | | Marc Chaikin, founder of Chaikin Analytics, says two forces - AI disruption and fracturing global trade - are triggering a historic wealth transfer already underway in 2026. Household names like Intuit (-57%), Boston Scientific (-49%), and Tractor Supply (-40%) are cratering, while lesser-known companies like Sandisk (+573%) and Rackspace (+444%) surge.
Chaikin has identified specific stocks he believes investors should sell before they fall further - and the names may surprise you. He's also pinpointing a company tapped as Nvidia's self-driving partner and a potential AI megadeal that could split into three high-growth stocks.
Stream his free presentation to get every buy and sell recommendation with no membership or credit card required. | | Watch Marc Chaikin's free presentation and get his full buy-and-sell list today |
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Consumer Staples | |
The clean energy revolution continues accelerating as the world embraces the global decarbonization movement. There are many forms of clean energy, each doing its part to limit greenhouse gases and improve sustainability.
Ethanol is a triple threat as a clean, green and sustainable energy source... Read the Full Story |
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Consumer Discretionary | |
With the S&P 500 index on the verge of hitting an all-time high and many others already there, it's no surprise that investors are enjoying strong year-end rallies. Indeed, all signs point to 2023 being the strongest year since before the pandemic.
Considering how we started the year with re... Read the Full Story |
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From Our Partners | | TradeSmith CEO Keith Kaplan warns that AI's rapid rise has a dark side, threatening American jobs and livelihoods. He says now is the time to prepare before September 30th.
TradeSmith has invested $17 million in AI tools and built a platform used by 180,000 traders worldwide. One user, Stephen, credits it with building a $2.95 million retirement portfolio. | | See where Kaplan says to move your money before September 30th |
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Consumer Staples | |
Energy drink maker Celsius Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: CELH) has been a fast mover since its 2017 IPO and may offer an early buy opportunity.
The Celsius chart shows the stock consolidating above its 50-day moving average, advancing 5.82% on December 26 and another 5.23% on December 27.
Heavier-tha... Read the Full Story |
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Technology | |
You might not think of Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) as a leader in the cybersecurity space, but the company has been making big strides in that part of the tech industry.
As with many business shifts, Microsoft increased its focus on security after a 2021 incident in which hackers accessed ema... Read the Full Story |
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From Our Partners | | Gold is hitting record highs, but most investors are leaving income on the table. A $15 fund is quietly paying out up to $1,152 a month to regular investors - no mining stocks, no options, no physical metal required.
Chief Income Strategist Tim Plaehn calls it a breakthrough strategy that transforms gold's rally into reliable monthly payouts. The next distribution is just days away. | | Discover the gold income fund before the next payout date |
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Consumer Discretionary | |
Perhaps no other industry better exemplifies the “worst to first” phenomenon than cruise lines.
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE: RCL) and Carnival Corp. & plc (NYSE: CCL) are among 2023’s top 10 best gainers in the S&P 500, while Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (N... Read the Full Story |
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Consumer Discretionary | |
Sure, the S&P 500 has come on strong since late October, but if you compare the three-month performance of the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSEARCA: SPY) versus the SPDR Portfolio S&P 600 Small Cap ETF (NYSEARCA: SPSM):
SPY: +12.30%
SPSM: 17.52%
In the past month, small-cap outperfo... Read the Full Story |
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Technology | |
Synopsys Inc. (NASDAQ: SNPS), maker of semiconductor design software, created a buzz recently when it offered to buy engineering software maker Ansys Inc. (NASDAQ: ANSS).
Synopsys isn’t a newcomer to the chip design world, and has been making a name for itself with AI technologies, but it&r... Read the Full Story |
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Healthcare | |
Bristol Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY) is on a buying spree, announcing two acquisitions in less than a week.
On December 22, the pharma giant said it was acquiring Karuna Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: KRTX) for $330 per share in cash, for a total equity value of $14 billion.
A few days later, ... Read the Full Story |
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Energy | |
With interest rates slated to come down by the end of 2024, it's time to look at high-yielding stocks. Stocks with yields above 4% should outperform bonds over the coming years, as they provide similar yield returns with the possibility of capital growth. The odds for capital growth should go up f... Read the Full Story |
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Monday's Early Bird Stock Of The Day Exelon Corporation, a utility services holding company, engages in the energy distribution and transmission businesses in the United States and Canada. The company is involved in the purchase and regulated retail sale of electricity and natural gas, transmission and distribution of electricity, and distribution of natural gas to retail customers. It also offers support services, including legal, human resources, information technology, supply management, financial, engineering, customer operations, transmission and distribution planning, asset management, system operations, and power procurement services. It serves distribution utilities, municipalities, and financial institutions, as well as commercial, industrial, governmental, and residential customers. Exelon Corporation was incorporated in 1999 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. | | View Today's Stock Pick |
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