Good MorningStocks pulled back the prior week as near-term hurdles obscured the long-term view. The hurdles include tariffs, inflation, interest rates, and slowing earnings growth among S&P 500 companies. Even so, the long-term outlook is for earnings growth to be sustained through the end of 2026 or longer, driven by broadening economic strength. The risk is that the FOMC will have to revert to rate hikes and induce a recession to stave off inflation.
This week's hurdles include earnings reports from the major retailers and a critical inflation read on Friday. The retail reports will likely show strength in Q4 but have weak guidance for 2025, aligning with Walmart's tepid outlook. The PCE price index will likely confirm that inflation is sticky, and the FOMC is unlikely to cut interest rates this year. The silver lining is that economic conditions, including labor markets, remain healthy and underpin an outlook for corporate earnings, cash flow, and capital return growth. Featured: Sell these "safe" blue chips immediately (Ad) 
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Consumer Staples | |
A stock’s dividend yield is a key metric to consider when shopping for long-term, sustainable income picks. Dividend payments are a delicate dance for investors; offering a dividend that’s too high could put the future of the company at risk while cutting dividends too severely could p... 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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Consumer Discretionary | |
Genuine Parts Company (NYSE: GPC) is a Dividend King worth buying in 2025 because its stock is trading at long-term lows, the stock has value relative to peers, and the dividend is at the high end of the historical range. Trading near $120, this stock pays more than 3.0% and can be expected to c... Read the Full Story |
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Industrials | |
The industrials sector, represented by the Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF (NYSEARCA: XLI), has been a quiet outperformer so far in 2025, posting a 5.2% gain compared to the benchmark’s 4.3%. What’s even more notable is that the sector ETF’s current positioning suggests the pot... 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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Energy | |
As U.S. inflation rates heat up again, investors are scurrying to store assets in traditional hedges. One of the most consistently well-performing sectors in environments of high inflation is energy, which has beaten inflation 74% of the time between the years 1973 and 2024.
With an annual real... Read the Full Story |
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Markets | |
Unity Software Inc. (NYSE: U) recently saw its stock price experience a jump, leaving investors wondering if this marks the beginning of a sustained rally or a temporary blip on the radar. After closing at $21.47, shares gapped up to $24.68 at the open on February 20, 2025, following the company... 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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Materials | |
DuPont de Nemours Inc. (NYSE: DD) is a leading industrial materials and specialty chemicals company that has been a surprising beneficiary of the AI boom. The basic materials sector leader manufactures products used in many industries, including construction, healthcare, transportation, electron... Read the Full Story |
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Finance | |
As earnings season winds down, a notable trend has emerged in the markets: several mega-cap stocks have underperformed year-to-date (YTD). In contrast, several mid-to-large cap stocks with strong retail followings have delivered superior returns. This shift in market dynamics is significant, given... Read the Full Story |
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Communication Services | |
In 2024, shareholders of The Trade Desk (NASDAQ: TTD) made out handsomely. The advertising technology stock achieved a return of over 63%. However, things have been far from peachy in 2025. The stock price is down nearly 36% so far this year as of the Feb. 20 close, led by a 32% drop after it re... Read the Full Story |
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Healthcare | |
Gilead Sciences Inc. (NASDAQ: GILD) stock surged to a new 52-week high at $106.69 recently on its fourth quarter of 2024 earnings release. After being asleep for so many years, the stock has finally found interest again, hitting price levels not seen in a decade. The medical sector company was m... Read the Full Story |
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Industrials | |
SolarEdge Technologies (NASDAQ: SEDG) stock recently experienced a surge, fueled by a fourth-quarter 2024 earnings report that showed revenue exceeding expectations. This positive development stands in stark contrast to the broader solar industry, which is currently navigating a period of consider... Read the Full Story |
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Monday's Early Bird Stock Of The Day GE Vernova LLC, an energy business company, generates electricity. It operates under three segments: Power, Wind, and Electrification. The Power segments generates and sells electricity through hydro, gas, nuclear, and steam power. Wind segment engages in the manufacturing and sale of wind turbine blades; and Electrification segment provides grid solutions, power conversion, solar, and storage solutions. The company was incorporated in 2023 and is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. | | View Today's Stock Pick |
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