Good MorningEquity markets started the holiday-shortened week on a sour note, with the S&P 500 down more than half a percent at the session's low. The move was led by mega-cap techs like Apple, Netflix, and Meta Platforms, which all fell more than 1% on fears of higher-for-longer interest rates.
The FOMC remains on track to begin cutting rates in 2024, but the timing remains questionable because the inflation data is still hot. The latest data suggests the cool-down in inflation stalled and may not recede until later in the year. The risk now is that inflation won't recede significantly soon, leading the FOMC to hike and not cut rates.
The S&P 500 struggles to gain traction in 2024. The first three weeks of the trading year are characterized by directionless movement as equity markets spin their collective wheels. The broad market index remains below the critical resistance at the all-time high and may not set a new high soon. The caveat is that earnings season is upon us, and earnings trump all. A solid season and an outlook for sequential earning improvements throughout the year may be all it takes to lift the S&P 500.
Featured: The case for trading fewer setups, not more (Ad) 
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Medical | |
When markets become uncertain about the economy's direction and stocks trend in a bumpy and indecisive pattern, some sectors usually attract investment dollars because of their perceived safety. Now that the Federal Reserve (the Fed) has pointed to potential interest rate cuts in 2024, you can fin... Read the Full Story |
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From Our Partners | | Oracle runs 15,000 stocks through the same filter every single day, scanning for precise setups before the opening bell - no emotion, no guesswork.
Tim Bohen, Lead Trainer at StocksToTrade, is walking through this week's flagged setups and showing exactly how the scanner works in a live training right now. | | Watch the scanner in action and join the live training now |
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Retail/Wholesale | |
Outdoor and lifestyle products maker Solo Brands Inc. (NASDAQ: DTC) has grown a cultlike following under its many brands. The consumer discretionary sector company initially started by offering an ultralight and portable camp stove called the Solo Stove Lite, which could boil water in less than 10... Read the Full Story |
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Medical | |
Medtronic PLC (NYSE: MDT), a member of the medical sector and the healthcare industry, received U.S. FDA approval for its implantable medical device called the Percept PC Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) system on January 8. This system includes the PC neurostimulator, BrainSense technology and SenSig... Read the Full Story |
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From Our Partners | | Every morning before the market opens, a scanner called Oracle runs through 15,000 stocks and scores the setups — so there's already a plan in place by 6:15 a.m.
Lead Trainer Tim Bohen of StocksToTrade is walking through exactly how Oracle works and how regular traders are using it in a training running right now. | | Watch the Oracle training now and see how the scanner works |
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Technology | |
Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ: AMD) isn’t getting the attention some stocks in the semiconductor industry are, but it should not be counted out. Multiple factors suggest a solid upside in 2024; it could top 50% by year-end. Among the factors are the rise of AI, demand for data center infras... Read the Full Story |
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Medical | |
The new year brings a clean slate heading into the fourth-quarter earnings season. Companies can usually gauge if their previous forecasts were in line or need to be adjusted to warn or prepare investors ahead of time.
Some companies may partake in the guidance shuffle dance, purposely lowballin... Read the Full Story |
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From Our Partners | | The U.S. government has taken roughly a 10% stake in Intel, negotiated a 15% cut of Nvidia and AMD chip sales to China, and reportedly received a 5% ownership offer - worth around $40 billion - from the most valuable AI company on earth.
Porter Stansberry calls it the New U.S.A.I. - a state-backed arrangement where Washington and a handful of tech giants are fused at the balance sheet. A small number of companies get pulled inside. Everyone else gets frozen out, including names sitting in your index fund right now. | | Watch the documentary to see which companies are on the right side |
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Technology | |
Buy now, pay later (BNPL) leader Affirm Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: AFRM) is having a 20% off sale that may be one of the best bargains in retail.
After riding a nine-week win streak to $52.48 on December 27, Affirm shares closed at $41.79 on Friday as traders continued to take profits — one of ... Read the Full Story |
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Finance | |
Results from the big banks have the financial sector on the cusp of a correction. The news isn't bad, but strengths were priced into the market, setting it up for a healthy and needed reset. The takeaway from the data is that business remains sound, the consumer is resilient and cash flow is ample... Read the Full Story |
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Medical | |
Surgery Partners Inc. (NASDAQ: SGRY) is a leading healthcare services provider that owns and operates over 180 outpatient surgical centers in 31 states. Its integrated delivery model includes surgical facilities and ancillary services comprised of anesthesia services and multi-specialty physician ... Read the Full Story |
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Transportation | |
The Houthi attacks on cargo ships in the Red Sea have caused widespread disruptions and economic ramifications for the transportation sector, with cargo and dry bulk shipping and oil/energy sector comprised of the oil and gas industry impacting global trade supply chains. The Red Sea plays a cruci... Read the Full Story |
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Consumer Discretionary | |
As investors face another uncertain year in the market, it could be time to look at small- and mid-cap stocks. That means looking at stocks that are listed on the Russell 2000 index. The Russell 2000 index comprises the 2,000 smallest stocks in the Russell 3000 index.
Historically, these stocks... Read the Full Story |
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Wednesday's Early Bird Stock Of The Day Graco Inc. designs, manufactures, and markets systems and equipment used to move, measure, control, dispense, and spray fluid and powder materials worldwide. The Contractor segment offers sprayers to apply paint to walls and other structures; two-component proportioning systems that are used to spray polyurethane foam and polyurea coatings; and viscous coatings to roofs, as well as markings on roads, parking lots, athletic fields, and floors. The Industrial segment provides liquid finishing equipment, paint circulating and supply pumps, paint circulating advanced control systems, plural component coating proportioners, and accessories and spare parts; equipment that pumps, meters, mixes and dispenses sealant, adhesive, and composite materials; and gel-coat equipment, chop and wet-out systems, resin transfer molding systems and applicators, and precision dispensing solutions. It also offers powder finishing products to coat powder finishing on metals under the Gema and SAT brands. The Process segment provides pumps to move and dispense chemicals, water, wastewater, petroleum, food, lubricants, and other fluids; pressure valves used in the oil and natural gas industry, other industrial processes, and research facilities; and chemical injection pumping solutions for injection of chemicals into producing oil wells and pipelines. It also supplies pumps, hose reels, meters, valves, and accessories for fast oil change facilities, service garages, fleet service centers, automobile dealerships, auto parts stores, truck builders, and heavy equipment service centers; and systems, components, and accessories for the automatic lubrication of bearings, gears, and generators in industrial and commercial equipment, compressors, turbines, and on- and off-road vehicles. It sells its products through distributors, original equipment manufacturers, and home center channels, as well as to end-users. The company was incorporated in 1926 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. | | View Today's Stock Pick |
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