This pick list highlights constituents of the Morningstar US Large Cap Index that we believe offer investors the best risk-adjusted return prospects. Stocks of large-cap companies where neither growth nor value characteristics predominate. Stocks in the top 70% of the capitalization of the U.S. equity market are defined as large cap.

Earnings news is the big driver today. All the action is mostly in individual stocks reacting to whether last quarter was positive or negative, plus any intel on outlook. The major indices are muted though small caps are showing momentum higher.

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.

This pick list highlights constituents of the Morningstar US Large Cap Index that we believe offer investors the best risk-adjusted return prospects. Stocks of large-cap companies where neither growth nor value characteristics predominate. Stocks in the top 70% of the capitalization of the U.S. equity market are defined as large cap.

This pick list highlights constituents of the Morningstar US Large Cap Index that we believe offer investors the best risk-adjusted return prospects. Stocks of large-cap companies where neither growth nor value characteristics predominate. Stocks in the top 70% of the capitalization of the U.S. equity market are defined as large cap.

This pick list highlights constituents of the Morningstar US Large Cap Index that we believe offer investors the best risk-adjusted return prospects. Stocks of large-cap companies where neither growth nor value characteristics predominate. Stocks in the top 70% of the capitalization of the U.S. equity market are defined as large cap.

With earnings season in full swing, the volume of insider transactions has fallen to seasonal lows, with only 615 transactions meeting the criteria for inclusion in Vickers Weekly Insider Report. While that is down from the recent weekly high of 2,284 transactions, there is still noteworthy data to consider.

Energy may be an Under-Weight sector based on our model, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be in diversified portfolios. Energy now accounts for 3.7% of S&P 500 market cap; over the past five years, the weighting has ranged from 2% to 10%. We think investors should consider allocating 3%-4% of their diversified portfolios to the Energy group. The sector is outperforming thus far in 2024, with a gain of 14.8% compared to a 7.4% increase in the S&P 500. It underperformed in 2023, with a decline of 4.8%. The sector includes the major integrated firms, as well as exploration & production, refining, and oilfield & drilling services companies. Here are the Energy companies that either are on our Focus List or are used in our model portfolios.

This pick list highlights constituents of the Morningstar US Large Cap Index that we believe offer investors the best risk-adjusted return prospects. Stocks of large-cap companies where neither growth nor value characteristics predominate. Stocks in the top 70% of the capitalization of the U.S. equity market are defined as large cap.

This pick list highlights constituents of the Morningstar US Large Cap Index that we believe offer investors the best risk-adjusted return prospects. Stocks of large-cap companies where neither growth nor value characteristics predominate. Stocks in the top 70% of the capitalization of the U.S. equity market are defined as large cap.

In this edition, we explore if Generac's clean energy strategy holds water; light vehicle demand in China; and the near-term oil and gas supply market; and FMC, Spirit AeroSystems, and Green Thumb Industries.

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 S&P 500 (SPX) hit its recent an all-time high (ATH) after more than two years and in a bull market that has been running for almost 15 months. Indeed, the full recovery from the 2022 bear market took a long time (over 500 trading days) when viewed historically. We reviewed data going back to the 1950s, looking at times when it took at least a year to make new ATHs after a bear market. The results have been quite bullish when projecting out nine months to a year.

Stocks headed higher on Wednesday morning ahead of this week's economic data. Both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq are tracking for record highs, helped by stocks such as Netflix (NFLX), ASML Holdings (ASML) and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD). The Dow rose 0.3%, the S&P 500 was up 0.7% and the Nasdaq gained 1.2%. Crude oil traded above $75 per barrel, while gold fell $8 to $2018 per ounce.

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.

Dividend income is often overlooked amid gyrations in the stock market. But dividends are an important element of return. Dividend income accounted for 42% of the total return of the S&P 500 between 1930 and 2012, according to Hartford Funds. And that's just the average. In some of those decades, dividends accounted for more than 50% of total returns and even 100% of returns. More recently, dividends have accounted for a smaller portion of returns, at around 15%-20%. Not all dividends are created equal, though, and it is important to understand the difference between the two main categories: high-yield stocks and dividend-growth stocks. High-yield stocks typically have dividends that pay out in the 5%-8% range. Though the income appears attractive, the share prices of high-yield stocks may be at risk. Dividend-growth stocks typically have lower yields, often in the 1.0%-2.5% range. But the lower-yielding dividends are not likely to be a huge component of cash flow, leaving management teams with other value-additive options for deploying cash. Further, while the yields are not as high, management teams may be more likely to boost the payouts over time, as earnings grow.

On Thursday, oil (WTI) closed at $71.65/barrel, up 3% on the day. Crude had dropped to $67.70 on Wednesday, its lowest level since late June, and has done a round trip for more than five months, rising from $67 to $95 in late September and then falling back again. The COT data has improved as prices have come down, and it's possible oil has completed a five-wave correction. WTI needs to break the bearish trendline (off the peaks since September) that comes in around $74.50 when projecting out a week. That would create a false breakdown, which is generally bullish. In addition, we'd like to see a series of higher highs and higher lows to confirm a trend change.

We have an Under-Weight rating on the Energy Sector. Companies in the sector saw their earnings crushed in the last quarter and things looks bad for this quarter as well. Still, there are individual names we like and there is a trend of consolidation in the sector, all of which has piqued our interest. Exxon Mobil is buying Pioneer Natural and Chevron is buying Hess. We think this might prompt other big oil companies to look around as well. We think Conoco Phillips could be in the market to scoop up a smaller company (possibly Devon, EOG, or Marathon Oil). We don't think there will be any regulatory hurdles, as consolidation could lead oil prices to retreat, which would help the overall U.S. economy as inflation is still high in many areas. So it would seem to be in the government's interest to allow these deals to go through. Energy accounts for only about 3%-4% of total S&P 500 capitalization, but the sector often acts as a hedge to the broader market -- so having exposure to the group is important. Energy tends to zigs when the S&P 500 zags. Indeed, in 2022, the S&P 500 declined 19.4% while the Energy sector advanced 59%. In the August-October period of 2023, the S&P 500 fell more than 8% while the Energy sector declined only 3%. The following is a list of names we like overall in both Oil and Energy.

Stocks edged lower on Monday morning as investors awaited a heavy week of earnings from major Tech companies along with key inflation data from the Commerce Department on Friday. The consensus estimate currently calls for the core personal consumption expenditures price index or PCE, the Fed's preferred measure of inflation, to rise 3.7% from the prior year in September, down slightly from 3.9% in August. While the inflation rate has slowed from 5.1% in September 2022, it remains above the central bank's 2.0% target. The Dow, the S&P, and the Nasdaq were all down about 0.2%. Crude oil fell 1% to $87 per barrel while gold fell $9 to trade near $1985 per ounce.

Wednesday was another rough and tumble day for the stock and bond markets. After one-day of negative correlation, markets are back in sync. The S&P 500 lost 1.3%, the Nasdaq fell 1.6%, the Nasdaq 100 (QQQ) fell 1.3%, and (after a strong Tuesday) the S&P MidCap 400 and the Russell 2000 dropped over 2%. The 10-year Treasury yield finished at another recovery high of 4.9%, as did the five-year yield, closing at 4.93%. The two-year yield closed at 5.22%, also a new high. The yield curve (two/10 spread) closed at -32 basis points, as the march to reinversion continues.

This pick list highlights constituents of the Morningstar US Large Cap Index that we believe offer investors the best risk-adjusted return prospects. Stocks of large-cap companies where neither growth nor value characteristics predominate. Stocks in the top 70% of the capitalization of the U.S. equity market are defined as large cap.

It was breakdown city for the major stock indices on Tuesday, as August and September are living up to their historical tendency for price weakness. Since its July 31 closing high, the S&P 500 is down almost 7%. Since July 18, the Nasdaq has dropped 9% and the Nasdaq 100 (QQQ) is off 8%.

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.

When we expand our view from daily charts to monthly charts, price action looks almost too simplistic. There are long-term bull markets, intermediate- to long-term corrections and bear markets, and periods of sideways action. We see what we call "market platforms" during corrections/bear markets; market tops, which we call ceilings; violent bottoms and tops with very little price structure, known as "V" bottoms (which generally are very bullish, but hard to recognize); and parabolic tops, which generally do not end well.

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.

This pick list highlights constituents of the Morningstar US Large Cap Index that we believe offer investors the best risk-adjusted return prospects. Stocks of large-cap companies where neither growth nor value characteristics predominate. Stocks in the top 70% of the capitalization of the U.S. equity market are defined as large cap.

With July 2023 now in the books, the S&P 500, Nasdaq, and Nasdaq 100 have all risen for five consecutive months, tacking on 16%, 25%, and 31%, respectively. For the month, the "500" rose 3%, the Nasdaq, Nasdaq 100 and S&P MidCap 400 all gained 4%, and the Russell 2000 popped 6%.

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.

Last week, we noted that weekly insider-sentiment data from Vickers Stock Research was 'almost' exactly what we'd expect at the start of earnings season, with insiders cautiously positioning themselves for weeks in which they would be on the sidelines because of trading restrictions. But our 'almost' was the result of a significantly bearish one-week sell/buy ratio from insiders at companies that trade on the Nasdaq. That ratio was 13.20 on a scale where anything over 2.50 is bearish, and we wondered if insiders were concerned about a 'buy the rumor, sell the fact' response from investors once earnings reports started to flow in. Now, we can comment on what was indeed a volatile week for the Nasdaq - one that did not overly impact the broader index itself, but did feature headline-grabbing drops for some high-profile stocks.

Crude oil is trying to wake up again from its lengthy eight-month slumber, with WTI climbing back near $75/barrel on Tuesday. Since its recent bottom of $67.70 on June 27, we have seen a 10.6% jump in nine days. For WTI, that is very common, so let's not get too excited yet — there's a lot more chart repair needed to turn the oil trend back to bullish.

This pick list highlights constituents of the Morningstar US Large Cap Index that we believe offer investors the best risk-adjusted return prospects. Stocks of large-cap companies where neither growth nor value characteristics predominate. Stocks in the top 70% of the capitalization of the U.S. equity market are defined as large cap.

Dividend income is often overlooked amid gyrations in the stock market. Thus far in 2023, market bulls are boasting about first-half S&P 500 returns that may top 15%. No one is very focused on the broad market index's 1.6% current yield. But dividends are an important element of return. Dividend income accounted for 42% of the total return of the S&P 500 between 1930 and 2012, according to Hartford Funds. And that's just the average. In some of those decades, dividends accounted for more than 50% of total returns and even 100% of returns. More recently, dividends have accounted for a smaller portion of returns, at around 15%-20%. In 2018, dividend payments softened the blow when most market indices declined as the Fed hiked rates. The pattern was repeated in 2022. Not all dividends are created equal, though, and it is important to understand the difference between the two main categories: high-yield stocks and dividend-growth stocks.

Dividend growth is among our most important themes for 2023, and stretches across industries. We think companies that raise their dividends consistently at a double-digit rate are sending off three important signals amid the recent market volatility: 1) the company's balance sheet is strong enough to pay a dividend; 2) management is clearly focused on providing shareholder returns; and 3) management is confident enough in the near-term outlook to raise the payout aggressively. This third factor is especially important during periods of economic weakness and an outright earnings recession. Here are stocks that meet our double-digit dividend test and are on the Argus BUY List. They are also holdings in our Dividend Growth Separately Managed Account and in the Dividend Growers Total Return Trust, sponsored by SmartTrust.

Stocks fell on Monday morning as investors awaited results later this week from a range of major companies, including Alphabet, Microsoft, and Amazon. Coca-Cola shares rose modestly after the company reported stronger-than-expected first-quarter sales and earnings, helped by price increases. Bed Bath & Beyond plunged 35% following its bankruptcy filing. The Dow fell 0.2%, the S&P 0.3%, and the Nasdaq 0.9%. Crude oil rose 1% to $79 per barrel while gold rose $3 to $1994 per ounce.

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 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 rose on Monday morning, led by gains in the Technology and Communication Services sectors. The Conference Board reported that its Leading Economic Index fell 1.0% in December after a 1.1% decline in November. The decline was greater than the Reuters consensus, which called for a drop of 0.7%. Salesforce shares rose 4% on news that activist investor Elliott Management had taken a multibillion dollar stake in the company. The Dow rose 0.8%, the S&P 1.1%, and the Nasdaq 1.6%. Crude oil traded near $82 per barrel, while gold fell $5 to $1923 per ounce.

Stocks slumped throughout 2022, as the S&P 500 entered a bear market in June and closed 19% lower for the year. Value stocks generally outperformed during the year, as the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 9% while the Nasdaq Composite dropped 33%. The leading sectors were value-oriented, such as Energy, Utilities, Consumer Staples, and Financial Services. The average stock in the Argus Universe of Coverage declined 13% during the year, and the median stock declined 15%. The average BUY-rated stock dropped 11%, while the average HOLD-rated stock fell 17%. Will investors continue to favor value in 2023? Will high inflation drive continued outperformance in Energy?

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 rose on Monday morning as investors weighed more third-quarter earnings reports and new manufacturing and services data. S&P Global said that its U.S. composite purchasing managers' index fell to 47.3 in October from a final reading of 49.5 in September, the fourth straight monthly decline. In China, the National Bureau of Statistics reported that GDP rose at a 3.9% rate in the third quarter, up from just 0.4% in 2Q and above the Reuters consensus forecast of 3.4%. The release was delayed from its originally scheduled date of October 18. The Dow rose 1.2%, the S&P 1.0%, and the Nasdaq 0.4%. Crude oil traded near $85 per barrel, while gold fell slightly to $1656 per ounce.

In this edition, P&C insurers face mixed bag, investors urged to bet on Caesars, and a look at European Integrated Oils, and Verizon, Schlumberger, and Tenet healthcare

Last week was the busiest of the quarter for earnings, with many sharp stock-price moves following above- or below-consensus results or changes in guidance. Through July 26, Refinitiv noted that 133 S&P 500 companies had reported earnings, with 76% beating expectations, above the long-term average of 66%. The blended (actual for those reporting and consensus for those still to report) growth rate is 6.2%, near the 5.6% expectation and indicating the "beats" have not been robust. But the sour mood coming into the quarter is being greeted with relief that profit shortfalls and lowered guidance are not rampant. Our analysts always look for companies that boost outlooks during earnings season. Raising guidance can be a catalyst for strong returns in the quarters ahead. Here is an initial list of BUY-rated companies in Argus coverage with raised guidance or increased outlooks during the 2Q22 EPS reporting season.

Stocks were mixed on Monday morning at the start of another busy week for earnings, which will include reports from Alphabet, Microsoft, Pfizer, and Exxon. Investors will also see another Fed interest rate hike along with economic commentary on Wednesday. A 75-basis-point increase is widely expected. As of midday on Monday, the Dow rose 0.3%, the S&P was flat, and the Nasdaq fell 0.4%. Crude oil rose slightly to $95 per barrel, while gold fell $11 to $1716 per ounce.

After getting up on one knee, the stock market was rocked Tuesday and is on its back once again. At least none of the indices made new lows. The S&P 500 gave back 2%, the Nasdaq surrendered 3%, and the QQQs plunged 3.1%. As a minor positive, breadth was not terrible -- with NYSE advancers/decliners at -1,476 and NYSE volume/total volume and NYSE advancers/total issues at 73%.

Gold and silver have been in the doghouse over the past three months, following gold's peak at $2,079/oz. and silver's top at $27.50/oz. We think there were two key reasons for the weakness: a strong rally in the U.S. Dollar Index and the spike in interest rates. The greenback was at $97 in early March and ripped to $105 by May 12. The five-year yield was at 1.6% in early March. By late April/early May, the note had exceeded 3%. That is called a "perfect storm" in intermarket technical analysis. We thought the metals were supposed to be an inflation hedge. No! They are a hedge against a falling currency.