Good MorningEquity markets continued to advance into all-time-high territory following the initial reading of Q4 GDP. The read came in hotter than expected, which is good news at face value but poses a risk for the market. The economy continues to be resilient despite high FOMC interest rates and is sustaining higher-than-wanted inflation. The GDP included cooler inflation data, but it is rear-looking. The more important inflation data is due today may tell a different tale.
Analysts expect the PCE price index to show core inflation accelerate compared to the prior month. If so, it will confirm the suspicion that inflation is not tamed and the FOMC will keep rates higher for longer than is currently expected. This means the FOMC may not make the first rate cut until later in the year, raising the risk of damaging the system and sparking a recession. Until then, the trend in the S&P 500 is upward and not likely to end without a change in the fundamentals. Featured: Sell these "safe" blue chips immediately (Ad) 
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Technology | |
Wall Street has high expectations for Palantir Technologies Inc. (NYSE: PLTR) when it reports fourth-quarter and full-year results on February 5. The data analysis and data-mining software maker is forecast to earn eight cents a share on revenue of $603.48 million for the fourth quarter.
Those wo... Read the Full Story |
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From Our Partners | | Porter Stansberry nearly canceled the entire project. When he first saw the claimed returns - only one down year in nearly two decades and total gains of almost 2,000% - his immediate reaction was disbelief.
It took a trusted friend's personal vouching for Emmet Savage and a face-to-face trip to Ireland to change his mind. The full documentary, Investigating Project Prophet, is now live. | | Watch the full story and see the verified track record for yourself |
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Communication Services | |
Semiconductor stocks are on a long-term uptrend that began on October 22, with analysts seeing more room for the sector to run.
Plenty of recent developments have investors smashing the "buy" button.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (NYSE: TSM) stock gapped up nearly 10% on January 1... Read the Full Story |
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Markets | |
Bank stocks and other financials tracked in the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSEARCA: XLF) are rallying to two-year highs, with Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS) among the leaders.
Heavily weighted sector components Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE: BRK.B) and JPMorgan Chase & Co. ... Read the Full Story |
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From Our Partners | | Moderna's stock doubled in a single day after its cancer vaccine hit key Phase 3 goals, and Merck jumped too. But according to a former Steve Cohen fund manager, the next big opportunity is not Moderna or Merck.
It is a different kind of company tied to a technology already backed by Elon Musk, Sam Altman, Jeff Bezos, and Peter Thiel. Nvidia's Jensen Huang says it will have a dramatic impact on daily life, while Anthropic's CEO believes it could unlock a century of medical progress in just ten years.
Nature Magazine estimates its potential value at $367 trillion globally, and it is already rolling out across the United States. | | Click here to learn about this new era of medical technology |
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Finance | |
Retail banking has gone through a digital transformation over a decade or two. The advent of mobile banking has been the key driver of thinning foot traffic at physical bank branch locations, resulting in the perpetual closure of bank branch offices as more consumers migrate to online and digital ... Read the Full Story |
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Markets | |
Few buzzwords have garnered more attention in the financial services industry lately than "fintech." Every week, a new finance product or startup seems to be attempting to utilize automation, artificial intelligence, or data analysis to serve clients better.
But what are fintech companies exactl... 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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Healthcare | |
Abbott Laboratories (NYSE: ABT) share price fell following its Q4 2023 results, but investors should be cheering the news. The decline is a response to a report that was largely as expected, with the expectation being healthcare industry normalization and return to growth. The takeaway is that COV... Read the Full Story |
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Technology | |
Super Micro Computer (NASDAQ: SMCI), a major standout in the tech stock arena, experienced a remarkable 36% surge last Friday, reaching a new all-time high after the stock broke out of a multi-month consolidation.
The catalyst behind this surge was the release of preliminary financial results fo... Read the Full Story |
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Consumer Discretionary | |
If the last year of price cuts and sluggish sales weren’t enough to tip off the market to the fact the EV bubble has burst, Tesla’s (NASDAQ: TSLA) Q4 results and outlook for 2024 should do it. The company isn’t ailing per se; it is still growing, but the Wild West days of ramping... Read the Full Story |
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Industrials | |
Having put in what looked like a bottom last October, investors in 3M Co (NYSE: MMM) would have been looking ahead to 2024 with bullish optimism. Sure, the stock had sunk 60% since the summer of 2021, but with equities back in favor, 3M shares finished 2023 with a decent 30% rally. They’d al... Read the Full Story |
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Technology | |
Whether you’re new to or are experienced with stock options trading, you’ll always be exposed to the Greeks on any stock that has options contracts in any stock sector. We're not referring to the people, fraternities, or sororities, but the options Greek symbols that accompany every op... Read the Full Story |
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Friday's Early Bird Stock Of The Day Talos Energy Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the exploration and production of oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids in the United States and Mexico. It also engages in the development of carbon capture and sequestration. Talos Energy Inc. was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas. | | View Today's Stock Pick |
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