MarketBeat Week in Review – 10/21- 10/25

Equities were mixed this week; the Dow turned lower, but the S&P and the NASDAQ finished higher. In fact, the NASDAQ hit a record high on Friday buoyed by the strong earnings report from Tesla.  

Overall, it’s been a strong October, and next week may be more of the same. Investors will start to get earnings reports from the “big tech” companies. And the growth in AI spending being announced by some chip makers is likely to set the bar high.  

On the other hand, investors will also get the first read on third-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) on Wednesday. Then, on Thursday, the October reading of the Personal Consumption Expenditure (PCE) index will be released. These will be among the last economic indicators the Federal Reserve will get before their November meeting. Any sign that inflation is reheating would all but ensure that the Fed will stick to its plan for a 25 basis point cut.  

 Articles by Jea Yu 

Artificial intelligence (AI) continues to be one of the hottest sectors in which to buy. However, the rapid growth of this sector has created monopolies as a lack of competition is allowing best-in-class companies to capture significant market share. This week, Jea Yu highlighted three AI companies with over 90% market share and explained why they’re not likely to lose their lead anytime soon. 

Of course, one of those stocks is NVIDIA Corp. (NASDAQ: NVDA). Yu explained why, despite being a worthy competitor, Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (NASDAQ: AMD) has significant work to do before threatening NVIDIA’s market leadership. 

Yu also turned to the energy sector and explained why two energy stocks are surging after the companies received significant contracts from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The contracts are designed to promote the growth of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).  

Articles by Thomas Hughes 

After a mostly bearish reaction to its robo-taxi announcement, Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA)needed to deliver a solid earnings report. Thomas Hughes analyzed a mostly bullish report but explained why investors should still buy dips and sell rips while waiting for its future technologies to emerge.  

Oil has been a poor investment this year, but the same can’t be said for two other areas of the energy sector. Hughes explained why demand for nuclear energy is soaring and gave investors three stocks to play the trend. 

Continuing in the energy sector, Hughes analyzed the outlook for three natural gas stocks. Demand is likely to be bullish for several years, and Hughes highlighted three companies that have bullish catalysts including the ability to reward investors with high-yield dividends. 

Articles by Sam Quirke 

One of most closely watched earnings reports next week will come from Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ: META). This week, Sam Quirke explained what’s been driving the stock’s strong performance in 2024 and why a pre-earnings sell-off may provide a good buying opportunity. 

Turning to the cybersecurity sector, Quirke looked at Palo Alto Networks Inc. (NASDAQ: PANW). The company may look overvalued by some fundamental measures, but with no sign of slowing demand, PANW stock may make new highs by the end of the year.  

The transition into Web 3.0 is boosting the demand for development services from companies like GitLab Inc. (NASDAQ: GTLB). Quirke explained why the stock’s 35% surge since August may be just the beginning, as the stock’s performance is backed by bullish analyst sentiment and a solid technical setup. 

Articles by Chris Markoch 

Buying the dip is a proven investment strategy. However, finding oversold stocks that are ready to rally can be tricky. This week, Chris Markoch gave investors five stocks that are oversold by technical measures but may be ready for a strong rally.  

Markoch also examined the recent dip in Palantir Technologies Inc. (NYSE: PLTR) stock. Some of that dip can be attributed to a sharp increase in short interest. However, as Markoch explained, nothing fundamentally has changed; however, the price action may be choppy prior to the company’s earnings report in early November.  

Articles by Ryan Hasson 

Speculative traders may have noticed the 400% surge in Monopar Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: MNPR)stock. Ryan Hasson explained the reason for the clinical biotech company’s recent performance and why the stock is still a high-risk but potentially high-reward opportunity.  

Chinese stocks have cooled somewhat after a strong rally sparked by the announcement of the Chinese government’s stimulus measures. This week, Hasson took on the question of whether you should consider buying the dip. He gave two names that should get strong consideration if you're interested.  

Utilities stocks have pulled off an impressive feat of going from worst to (almost) first in terms of stock performance. Hasson explained why the utilities sector is red-hot and why it’s likely to remain that way into 2025; and why these three utilities stocks should be on your radar.  

Articles by Gabriel Osorio-Mazilli 

Bank stocks are expected to be among the winners as the Federal Reserve begins to lower interest rates. That’s one reason that Gabriel Osorio-Mazilli believes investors should be looking at SoFi Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: SOFI). The stock is up nearly 45% since the Fed’s rate-cutting cycle began, and Osorio-Mazilli explained why it won’t take much for SOFI stock to have a major surge.  

One reason Osorio-Mazilli is bullish on SOFI stock is the potential for a short squeeze. Sticking with that theme, he analyzed three of the stocks that Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (NYSE: GS) believes show the best conditions for a short squeeze.  

Market sentiment has been risk-on for most of this October run. However, Osorio-Mazilli explained why certain trends point to a rotation away from growth stocks, and with value stocks gaining momentum, you may want to make some adjustments to your portfolio heading into 2025.  

Articles by Leo Miller 

You may not be familiar with Serv Robotics Inc. (NASDAQ: SERV). Still, Leo Miller explained why it may be worth your time to become familiar with this company that is changing the nature of food delivery. The company isn’t profitable yet, but it has the backing of NVIDIAto help pull it across the finish line. 

Talen Energy Corp. (NASDAQ: TLN) is one of the best-performing stocks of 2024, yet it also may be relatively unknown to investors. The company is an independent power producer that is playing a key role in addressing the demand for nuclear energy. The likelihood of future demand growth and the company’s recent contract with Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) is another tailwind for the stock.  

Turning his attention to blue chip consumer staples stocks, Miller explained why even though Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) stock is up more than 56% this year, the stock still looks like an attractive buy. The company continues to grow its market share, invest in new technologies, and find new avenues for growth.  

Articles by Nathan Reiff 

Income-oriented investors understand the benefit of compounding on their portfolios. However, many of these investors would like the benefits of dividend investing without having to choose individual stocks. As Nathan Reiff explained, that’s a perfect application for an exchange-traded fund (ETF). Reiff analyzes three of the top dividend ETFs and why investors should consider them. 

On the other end of the investing spectrum, space stocks are becoming one of the best sectors for growth-oriented investors. Rocket Lab Inc. (NASDAQ: RKLB) is among the top performers. However, Reiff explained with the stock up more than 170% in the last 12 months, a little caution may be warranted.  

Finally, the future may belong to robotaxis. But as Tesla indicated, that future may be years away. Reiff explained why it’s a good time to consider investing in Uber Technologies Inc. (NYSE: UBER), as its business model and profits look safe for now.  

The article "MarketBeat Week in Review – 10/21- 10/25" first appeared on MarketBeat.