A fresh storm of uncertainty?
Israel’s strikes on Iran prompted fresh geopolitical questions to end the trading week. The immediate reaction had investors taking a risk-off approach, while safe havens such as gold surged (alongside oil). This story is developing and has many unknowns, but amid the selling, I spoke to several investors on Friday who felt that the market worries would ultimately be short lived. Jimmy Lee of The Wealth Consulting Group told me he was buying stocks and his message was to “stay calm”
So what happens to oil from here?
I spoke to geopolitical and oil expert Robert McNally of Rapidan Energy Group who said if things calm down, he would expect WTI to get back into the $60’s. And if things escalate for an extended period of time, prices in his opinion could reasonably move past $100. That’s quite a range, but it’s definitely a volatile situation — stay tuned.
Energy stocks to buy after oil’s surge?
We caught up with Sam Stovall, Chief Investment Strategist at CFRA who flagged three U.S. energy stocks that the analyst team at his firm favors — Exxon Mobil, Diamondback Energy and EOG Resources.
11 founder-led stocks to buy?
Are stocks of founder-led companies better investments? Research suggests yes. We explored the topic in our latest Ticker Take video and spoke with top analysts and investors, who shared an exclusive list of stocks they like because of the founder factor. Check it out. And subscribe!
3 stocks with good value?
I spoke with Barry Schwartz of Baskin Wealth Management, who shared three stocks that he thinks represent good value, but haven’t shined as brightly as others in the past few years. 1) Adobe, which sold off post-earnings on AI anxiety — Schwartz thinks AI will make the company even stronger. He also likes 2) Alimentation Couche Card and 3) CCL Industries.
Consumer stocks to buy?
I also spoke with Nik Modi, Global Co-Head of Consumer Research at RBC Capital Markets. If you’re looking for some consumer stock with solid earnings and safety, he recommended three names — Procter and Gamble, Church and Dwight, and Primo Brands
Visa, Mastercard in trouble?
The companies have been huge winners for investors over the years. There are fresh concerns though that merchants will increasingly embrace stablecoins to bypass the traditional fees of card-based systems. This is a developing story to watch…
Quantum Leap?
Some big news in the world of quantum computing — those computers that are infinitely more powerful than your laptop and, which could revolutionize all sorts of industries, including medicine. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, who himself is leading the AI revolution, said at the VivaTech conference in Paris that quantum computing is reaching an inflection point. Now, remember, this is the same executive who at the start of the year predicted quantum computers might not be useful for another 20 years. That news has led to fresh investor interest in many of the quantum computing stocks. On my Ticker Take YouTube channel, we recently reviewed 9 of the companies at the center of the quantum computing story. Check it out!
Weight loss drugs taking a big bite out of food industry?
Will weight loss drugs, like Ozempic and Monjauro, completely shake up the food industry? A growing number of Wall Street experts say yes — and, that it could impact your investment portfolio, especially if you invest in fast food companies or snack makers.
Bloomberg recently surveyed users of GLP-1 medications in the United States and found that more than half of the respondents are now eating two meals a day instead of 3 meals a day before they started taking the drugs.
Bloomberg analysts say the U.S. snack industry generates more than $181 billion in sales each year, and the analysts believe the trend could impact companies such as PepsiCo, which has the largest market share in snacks, according to research firm Euromonitor.
And last week, analysts at Redburn Atlantic put out cautious investor reports on McDonald’s and Domino’s Pizza, warning those businesses could increasingly be impacted.
Meanwhile, the weight loss drug phenomenon is changing everything from portion sizes to packaging. For example Conagra — which owns the Healthy Choice brand — has rolled out new labelling, which describes some foods as GLP-1 friendly.
Silver’s starring role
And, move over gold. Silver stocks are starting to shine. After trailing the S&P/TSX Gold Index for much of the year, the S&P/TSX Silver Index has risen more than 20% this month — easily outpacing the gold names. Why? Paul Wong, a market strategist with Sprott Asset Management said in a recent report that gold has lost some appeal as market uncertainty has come down, leading some investors to branch out to the laggard metal. Wong notes it still offers some of the inflationary protection traits of gold, but is also an industrial commodity, so it’s used in areas such as electronics and manufacturing. He thinks the price could test $42 an ounce in New York trading.
Companies with standout gross margins?
I took a closer look at a list of companies that Wall Street analysts believe will see gross margins of more than 75% this year. They include: ServiceNow, Atlassian, Eli Lilly, Palantir, Meta, MSCI, Intuit, Synopsys, Fortinet, CoStar Group, Salesforce, Zscaler, Autodesk, Adobe, Constellation Software, Cadence Design Systems, Fair Isaac, Workday, Palo Alto Networks, Crowdstrike , NextEra Energy, AppLovin, Airbnb, Coinbase and Roblox.
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Disclaimer: this content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or professional advice. Always consult a qualified professional regarding your individual situation.