This pick list highlights constituents of the Morningstar US Mid Cap Index that we believe offer investors the best risk-adjusted return prospects. The market capitalization range for U.S. mid-caps typically falls between $1 billion and $8 billion and represents 20% of the total capitalization of the U.S. equity market.

Carnival is the largest global cruise company, with 92 ships in service at the end of fiscal 2023. Its portfolio of brands includes Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America, Princess Cruises, and Seabourn in North America; P&O Cruises and Cunard Line in the United Kingdom; Aida in Germany; Costa Cruises in Southern Europe. It's currently folding its P&O Australia brand into Carnival. The firm also owns Holland America Princess Alaska Tours in Alaska and the Canadian Yukon. Carnival's brands attracted nearly 13 million guests in 2019, prior to covid-19, a level it reached again in 2023.

Carnival Corp. is a global cruise and vacation company primarily serving North America, the U.K., Germany, southern Europe, and South America. The company's portfolio of cruise brands includes names such as Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, P&O Cruises, Seabourn, Costa, AIDA, and Cunard.

Stocks are starting the new month and final quarter of the year on a down note after a stellar last quarter. This week is the one in the month when we get day after day of reports on the labor market, now the key focus of the Federal Reserve. The general consensus among economists is that the labor market is cooling. The JOLTs report this morning was counter to that view, with job openings up slightly in August, but this is unlikely to change minds on the bigger picture on labor. Tomorrow, we get the ADP private payrolls report. Friday is the grand finale with the September Jobs report.