The Vickers Top Buyers & Sellers is a daily report that identifies the five companies the largest insider purchase transactions based on the dollar value of the transactions as well as the five companies the largest insider sales transactions based on the dollar value of the transactions.

The Vickers Top Buyers & Sellers is a daily report that identifies the five companies the largest insider purchase transactions based on the dollar value of the transactions as well as the five companies the largest insider sales transactions based on the dollar value of the transactions.

The second quarter of 2024 was rewarding for equity investors, as the S&P 500 increased another 4% and has gained almost 15% year to date. Growth was the segment leader in 2Q, as the S&P 500 Growth Index advanced approximately 8% in the period while the S&P 500 Value Index declined slightly. Leading sectors included Information Technology and Communication Services, while sectors in the red for the past three months included Real Estate, Materials, Industrials, Financial, and Energy. The average stock in the Argus Universe of Coverage declined 2.4% during the quarter, while the median stock dropped 3.0%. The average BUY-rated stock declined 0.7%, while the average HOLD-rated stock gained 6.7%. Will the rally broaden in 2H24, or will investors keep focusing on Tech and Communications groups? Will small-caps pick up their pace (the Russell 2000 was up 1.8% in 1H24), or is the current bull market rally due for a break, with some profit-taking coming into play? Given declining interest rates, we expect growth stocks to continue to carry the bull market, while the risk of recession puts a premium on clean balance sheets, which are also more prevalent among large-caps. Investors seeking value are encouraged to focus on dividends and look for yields in the 3-4% range. Here are the top 10 performers from the Argus Universe last quarter, including, somewhat surprisingly, representatives of five of the 11 major sectors, as well as the five worst performers.

The Vickers Top Buyers & Sellers is a daily report that identifies the five companies the largest insider purchase transactions based on the dollar value of the transactions as well as the five companies the largest insider sales transactions based on the dollar value of the transactions.

The Vickers Top Buyers & Sellers is a daily report that identifies the five companies the largest insider purchase transactions based on the dollar value of the transactions as well as the five companies the largest insider sales transactions based on the dollar value of the transactions.

At midday Tuesday, all of the major indices were flashing red, though the losses were moderate at under 0.40% for all but the Russell 2000 (which was off a steeper 1.1%). Trading is cautious as fears of slowing economic growth in the U.S. are in play. Friday's nonfarm payrolls report is the big news for the week -- and traders seem unwilling to buy into (or sell) stocks before that data hits the tape. Elsewhere, the yield on the 10-year Treasury note was down another five basis points to 4.36%, oil was down 1% to $73 per barrel, and Bitcoin was up 1%.

The daily charts for the major indices all have a 'rolling-over' look, with the Nasdaq and Nasdaq 100 (QQQ) appearing to be ahead of the S&P 500 (SPX) for a break lower. As well, the news from the Middle East seems to be getting worse by the day -- but, so far, the U.S stock market and economy seem to be turning a blind eye to the potential implications. Crude oil prices, both WTI and Brent, aren't exploding, but have seen pretty good rallies. WTI hit $87.60/barrel at the end of last week from the low $70s just two months ago, while Brent almost reached $92 last week from $77 in early February.

The first quarter of 2024 was rewarding for equity investors, as the S&P 500 increased 10.2%. Much of the market participated, as the S&P 500 Growth Index advanced 12.6% and the S&P 500 Value Index rose 7.4%. Leading sectors included Communication Services (+15.6%), Energy (+12.7%), Technology (+12.5%), Financials (+12%), and Industrials (+10.6%). The average stock in the Argus Universe of Coverage rose 8.0% during the year, and the median stock advanced 7.2%. The average BUY-rated stock increased 9.9%, while the average HOLD-rated stock gained 3%. Will the market's breadth hold up for the balance of 2024 or will investors revert to the so-called Magnificent 7? Will small-caps pick up their pace (the Russell 2000 was up "only" 4.8% in 1Q) or is the current bull-market rally due for a break, with some profit-taking coming into play? Given declining interest rates, we expect growth stocks to continue to lead stocks higher, while the risk of recession puts a premium on clean balance sheets, which are also more prevalent among large-caps. Investors seeking value are encouraged to focus on dividends and look for yields in the 3%-4% range. Here are the Top 10 Performers from the Argus Universe last quarter (including representatives of six of the 11 major sectors) as well as the Bottom-Five Performers.

The Vickers Top Buyers & Sellers is a daily report that identifies the five companies the largest insider purchase transactions based on the dollar value of the transactions as well as the five companies the largest insider sales transactions based on the dollar value of the transactions.

Stocks pulled back on Friday morning as investors digested inflation data released this week and ahead of the Fed's policy decision next week. The Labor Department reported that U.S. import prices rose 0.3% in February, matching expectations and down from a 0.8% increase in January. Export prices rose 0.8% after advancing 0.9% in January. Prices for fuel imports advanced 1.8%, while nonfuel imports rose 0.2%. Meanwhile, manufacturing continued to decline. The Empire State Manufacturing Index fell to -20.9 in March from -2.4 in February and below expectations. New orders declined significantly, and employment and hours worked also fell. Input prices softened moderately, while output prices held steady. The University of Michigan consumer sentiment for the first weeks of March edged down to 76.5 from 76.9 in February. The S&P 500 fell 0.6%, the Dow was down 0.4% and the Nasdaq lost 0.9%. Crude oil traded just above $81 per barrel and gold was down $2 to $2165 per ounce.

Monday Tee Up: A Big Week