Jubak Picks

Solar stocks rocket higher on Day 2 of the post-Fed meeting rally

Solar stocks rocket higher on Day 2 of the post-Fed meeting rally

Among today’s big stock market winners today: SolarEdge Technologies (SEDG), the biggest maker of inverters used in turning sunlight into electricity, closed up 16.67%, and Sunrun (RUN), a leader in the installation of residential solar systems, closed up 19.92%. This rally had absolutely nothing to do with any news out of the recently ended COP28 United Nations Climate Conference. It was a pure reaction to the signs in yesterday’s Dot Plot from the Federal Reserve that the central bank was looking to cut interest rates at least three times in 2024. Makes perfect sense.

Moderna shares jump today on positive results in skin cancer vaccine trials

Moderna shares jump today on positive results in skin cancer vaccine trials

Shares of Moderna (MRNA) closed up 925% today, December 14. A personalized vaccine developed by Merck and Moderna helped prevent the recurrence of severe skin cancer for three years, according to new results released today. Patients with severe melanomas who got the vaccine and Merck’s cancer drug Keytruda were 49% less likely to die or have their cancer return than those who got Keytruda alone. The news is especially important for Moderna.

Moderna shares jump today on positive results in skin cancer vaccine trials

Special Report: 10 Great Growth Stocks that Are Getting Greater–today my 6th pick Danaher

GREATER Growth Stock Pick #6: Danaher (DHR). Danaher is a smart (that’s key) serial acquirer–and asset divester–in the life sciences space. And that makes this stock very interesting in an environment where small, young life sciences companies might be looking for help/rescue/acquisition because they can’t raise capital in a tough part of the credit cycle. I like Danaher now, as well, because the stock looks to have just about completed its re-rating after a spike in sales during the Covid pandemic led to over enthusiasm about the stock.

Gold hits record high–Don’t chase gold; buy gold stocks

Gold hits record high–Don’t chase gold; buy gold stocks

Gold (for February 2024 delivery) was trading at $2087 an ounce on New York Comex today, December 1. That easily beats the old record high of $2051.50 an ounce back in August 2020. The shiny metal is up 12% from $1830 an ounce in early October. The SPDR Gold Shares ETF (GLD), which holds gold, is up 2.53% in the last month as of November 30. History, and the price action on the Gold Shares ETF, tells us that at this point in a strong gold rally, it doesn’t pay to chase gold itself, but it does pay to buy shares of gold miners.

So how low can lithium prices go? When do you buy battered lithium stocks?

So how low can lithium prices go? When do you buy battered lithium stocks?

At least the hand-over-fist selling of lithium stocks stopped for a day. Albemarle (ALB), the big and low-cost producer, did experience another 0.43% drop today, November 29. But that was still way better than the 6.3% plunge on Monday. And shares of Lithium Americas (LAC) and qm (SQM) managed gains of 1.38% and 0.98%, respectively. There’s no mystery to the drop. Lithium prices have continued to fall. As o Monday, Chinese prices for lithium carbonate have dropped 20% so far in November and 75% for 2023 to date.

GM pops on dividend hike and share repurchase–selling out of Jubak Picks portfolio

GM pops on dividend hike and share repurchase–selling out of Jubak Picks portfolio

Shares of General Motors (GM) are up 11.39% today, November 29, on news that the company will boost its dividend by 33% (to 12 cents a share from 9 cents) and repurchase $10 billion of shares. I’m selling my position in the stock in my 12-18 month Jubak Picks Portfolio. That position is now down 10.03% since I added it to the portfolio on October 4, 2022. I don’t see anything in this report that changes the fundamentals of GM’s car business. Yes, the company demonstrates today with its biggest-ever buyback plan that its legacy gas-powered vehicle business throws off tremendous amounts of cash. Now. But the company has pulled back on many of the expensive investments that would have brought GM into the electric vehicle future.

Nvidia, last of Magnificent 7 reports: These stocks are driving the market

Nvidia, last of Magnificent 7 reports: These stocks are driving the market

On Monday Nvidia (NVDA) hit an all-time high. For 2023 through November 17, Nvidia and the other 6 stocks in the Magnificent Seven–Apple (AAPL), Alphabet (GOOG), Microsoft (MSFT), Amazon (AMZN), Meta (META), and Tesla (TSLA)–have gained more than 70%. The other 493 stocks in the Standard & Poor’ 500 are up 6% for that same period.

The big pay off for Eli Lilly is still ahead

The big pay off for Eli Lilly is still ahead

On Wednesday the Food and Drug Administration approved Mounjaro from Lilly, as an obesity drug, after clinical trials showed that patients lost an average of 18% of their body weight. The drug will be marketed as Zepbound in the obesity market. This puts Lilly into direct competition with the wildly popular Wegovy weight-loss drug from Novo Nordisk (NVO)

The small-cap Russell 2000 is up 8.5% in a week–time to go short

The small-cap Russell 2000 is up 8.5% in a week–time to go short

On Monday, I will add to my short position in the small-cap Russell 2000 by buying more of the ProShares Short Russell 2000 ETF (RWM) for my Jubak Picks Portfolio. This buy will give me two positions in the ProShares Short Russell ETF. The first position, added to the portfolio on July 23, 2023 is up 0.08% as of the close on November 3. Why go all in on shorting the Russell now?

Step #8 in my Special Report: Sell DE, CAT and BHP tomorrow

Step #8 in my Special Report: Sell DE, CAT and BHP tomorrow

Today I posted Step #8 in my Special Report: 8 Steps to Protect Your Portfolio from the Global Debt Bomb. I recommended selling Deere (DE), Caterpillar (CAT), and BHP Group (BHP) out of portfolios ahead of rising yields i the bond market. (In the case of Deere, I said I would keep my position in my long-term portfolio but sell the position in my 12-18 month portfolio.) Here’s what I posted in my Special Report