The 20-year Treasury bond, a laggard on the government debt curve since its re-introduction in 2020, topped 5% Wednesday for the first time since 2023. The move looks to be fueled by concern that President-elect Donald Trump’s policies on tariffs and tax cuts will lead to wider deficits and rekindle inflation.
The Institute for Supply Management’s index of services advanced 2 points to 54.1 last month. That show of strength in the economy–readings above 50 indicate expansion–was enough to push stocks lower as the markets began to price in a delay in the next interest rate cut from the Federal Reserve until July The measure of prices paid for materials and services rose more than 6 points to 64.4, suggesting that the drop in the inflation rate in the service sector–about 70% of the U.S. economy–might be over.
Last year, Nvidia’s stock experienced a 16% increase over the 10 days following the beginning of the huge Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. This year Nvidia (NVDA) CEO Jensen Huang is scheduled to deliver the opening keynote speech at 6:30 p.m. Las Vegas time. (That’s 9:30 New York time.) I’d expect a couple of volatile days for Nvidia shares following Huang’s talk.
Today January 2, Tesla (TSLA) reported a big miss on fourth quarter deliveries. And an overall yearly drop in deliveries. For 2024, Tesla delivered 1.78 million vehicles, missing analyst estimates for 1.8 million, and a total below 2023’s 1.8 million vehicles delivered. It was the first year-over-year drop for Tesla. Shares fell 6.08% in the regular session on January 2. Meanwhile, China’s BYD (BYDDY) reported global deliveries of approximately 4.3 million passenger cars in 2024. Though 2.5 million of those were hybrids, BYD’s pure EV total was around 1.76 million for the year. Certainly within knocking distance of Tesla. The causes?
And on the subject of natural gas.
On Wednesday, January 1 Russian energy company Gazprom said it was no longer sending gas across Ukraine because that country had decided it would not renew a deal allowing Russian gas to transit its territory. The action ends an energy supply route that dates back some 60 years.
About 5% of the supply of Europe’s natural gas flows through Ukraine. Despite the ongoing Russian invasion,Ukraine had continued to allow Russian oil and gas to cross its territory to serve its European neighbors. That generated revenue for Kyiv and Moscow to use in funding that war. This moves comes as the United States is facing a major cold wave that could persist into mid-January
More than time to make the sells to harvest tax losses for 2024. It’s especially important if the volatility in some of 2024’s favorite stocks. like Nvidia (NVDA) let you to sell and then re-buy and then make sell again in 2024. Keep in mind the “wash sale” rule. The wash sale rule prohibits claiming a loss on a security if you buy the same or a “substantially identical” security within 30 days before or after the sale. Which is only a difficulty if you think that a stock you’re selling today is likely to have a huge rally by February 1. I think there are quite a few sell candidates where the shift in policy from the out-going Biden Administration to the incoming Trump Administration make getting caught in a regret rally is extremely unlikely.
What you need as an investor and what your portfolio needs is a road map to the likely events of the beginning of this new administration. And a take on what those events are likely to mean for the financial markets–and the prices of stocks and bonds. And recommendations on what moves to make to respond to the events of the first 100 days of a Trump Administration. Which is what this Special Report is all about. Here /i’ll give you an investor’s calendar to the first 100 days of Trump; a run-down of the likely effects on the financial markets of the events in the first 100 days; and recommendations for moves that you should make with your portfolio.
On Monday, December 9, I added Cheniere Energy (LNG) to my Special Report “10 New Stock Ideas for an Old Rally” and added it to my Jubak Picks Portfolio. Here’s what I wrote then:
Today’s Quick Pick is Cheniere Energy, (LNG). Cheniere liquifies natural gas and sells it globally. The stock is up about 32% YTD. The company is about to put seven more units of natural gas production on line, and it looks like they’ll be selling and distributing that gas, as scheduled, by the end of the year. This will mean more revenue from an actual plant producing more LNG, not the idea or a theory that more gas will maybe be put out soon. The incoming Trump Administration will be light on regulation for natural gas and there is rising demand from data centers looking to guarantee their own energy needs. I already own the stock but if I didn’t I’d certainly be adding it to my portfolio right now.
Today I added Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-B) as Pick #9 in my Special Report “10 New Ideas for an Old Rally.” Here’s what I wrote in that Special Report.
Today I made Verizon the sixth pick in my Special Report “3 Strategies and 1O Picks for a Yield Drought.” Here’s what I wrote.
The Biden administration has proposed making GLP-1 weight loss drugs free for low-income people and retirees who qualify as obese. Expensive drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound, which cost $1,000 a month, would be covered for the 40% of the U.S. population who qualify as obese. Currently, the federal plans only cover the drugs when patients have other conditions caused by obesity, such as diabetes, heart disease. The leading drugs are made by Eli Lilly (LLY) and Novo Nordisk (NVO). Shares of Eli Lilly were up 4.55% today while Novo Nordisk rose 1.50%. The incoming Trump Administration will have to decide whether to move ahead with the plan. You can either think of this as a smart piece of health care policy or an effort to jam up an incoming administration that already faces challenges in devising coherent policy on healthcare. I go with the “jam ‘em up” theory myself.
