Z-SYMBOLS

A day after bad news of an economic slowdown in China, officials talk up China’s Internet giants

A day after bad news of an economic slowdown in China, officials talk up China’s Internet giants

Today, Tuesday May 17, China’s top economic official, Vice Premier Liu He, said that the government will support the development of digital economy companies and their public stock listings. The comments delivered after a symposium with the CEOs of some of the country’s largest private technology companies came just a day after the National Bureau of Statistics reported that industrial output fell 2.9% in April from April 2021, and that retail sales contracted 11.1%. Financial markets in China and the United States interpreted the remarks as a public show of support for China’s Internet companies

Everything EV was up today on news of soaring new registrations

Everything EV was up today on news of soaring new registrations

New registrations for electric vehicles jumped 60% in the first quarter of 2022 from the first quarter of 2021. according to Experian Automotive. Electric vehicles made up an all-time record 4.6% of the total market. The news was even more positive given that overall new vehicle registrations were down 18% in the quarter from the first quarter of 2021.

Today it looks more like a bear market rally

Today it looks more like a bear market rally

In my weekend Saturday Night Quarterback I said that this week would, probably, answer the question of whether Friday’s big bounce was just a bounce, the start of a buy on the dip rally, or even a bear market rally with a bit of staying power. Two days into the week I think the market action is moving in favor of a bear market rally, one of those often quite powerful upside moves that punctuate extended bear markets.

Please watch my new YouTube video: Trend of the Week Another Battery Investment

Please watch my new YouTube video: Trend of the Week Another Battery Investment

My one-hundredth-and-thirty-fifth YouTube video “Trend of the Week: Another Battery Investment” went up today. This week I’m looking at investments by fossil-fuel companies, such as Koch Industries, in battery technology stocks. Koch’s venture arm has made several investments–committing significant amounts of cash–in battery companies. Koch Industries isn’t alone. Big commodity trader Glencore seems to be following the same course. That company recently committed $200 million toLi-Cycle (LICY), a stock I’ve covered before and which has been pounded along with other battery and alternative energy stocks. The question for individual investors is whether they have as long a time horizon–and as big a tolerance for risk–as these big energy and commodities players.

My 5 sells for Monday morning

My 5 sells for Monday morning

I don’t know if Friday’s bounce will continue into the new week. I think the summer season is likely to be positive for revenue at many companies–travel, airlines, Las Vegas–but I don’t like the longer term fundamentals in the economy. Inflation is going to be harder to reduce than Federal Reserve rhetoric and Wall Street sentiment now credit. And there is a good chance of a recession in 2023. But I’m not looking for some kind of crash from here–at least not before a recession tests the credit markets in 2023. We’re on the edge of a bear–the Standard & Poor’s 500 was down 18.1% from its all time high as of the close on Thursday–or in a bear–for the technology stocks of the NASDAQ. The typical pattern from here is for a continued decline to be punctuated by sharp rallies and bounces (like Friday) until we put in the ultimate bottom (certainly after a few more Federal Reserve interest rate increases.)
We’re not there yet. This downward trend in equity markets is likely to continue for a while in my opinion. So what am I trying to accomplish with these sells?

Another pattern from Friday to suggest this is a bounce and not a bottom

Another pattern from Friday to suggest this is a bounce and not a bottom

I can’t find Big Pharma stock in the green during Friday’s big rally. Which makes me question the staying power of Friday’s move. If the day’s gains were the result of a market bottom, wouldn’t everything be up? Even the very defensive drug stocks? Not as much as the tech losers of 2022 but still if the market had bottomed I’d expect these stocks to be in the green too. More evidence, I think, for my thesis that Friday was the result of technical trading in an over-sold market.

Watch my YouTube video: Quick Pick Middleby

Watch my YouTube video: Quick Pick Middleby

My one-hundredth-and-thirty-fourth YouTube video “Quick Pick Middleby” went up today. My Quick Pick this week is Middleby (MIDD), a manufacturer of restaurant equipment. I’ve been following the company for 20 years, during which time they’ve pursued basically the same slow and steady strategy of acquiring smaller players in their market area (where they are the largest player) and them using Middleby’s marketing leverage to grow sales at the acquisition. The stock took a hit on its recent announcement that it expects to feel the impacts of inflation and supply chain difficulties. It’s difficult to catch a falling knife, but I think this stock is a good buy long term and I am adding it back to my 50 Stocks Portfolio, which has a holding period of 5 plus years.

Adding PepsiCo to my Dividend Portfolio on payout increase and demonstrated pricing power

Adding PepsiCo to my Dividend Portfolio on payout increase and demonstrated pricing power

Last week PepsiCo (PEP) declared a quarterly dividend of $1.15 a share, up about 7% from $1.075 a share. That brings the dividend yield up to 2.7%, almost exactly Coca-Cola’s (KO) 2.72% yield. On the basis of that yield and the pricing power that the company demonstrated in first quarter earnings I’m adding the stock to my Dividend Portfolio. I think it’s a good pick for a period of high inflation and uncertain economic growth.

First Quantum Minerals announces big copper, nickel expansion

First Quantum Minerals announces big copper, nickel expansion

With copper and nickel prices near all-time highs and fears that the rapid growth of production of battery-powered cars would result in a severe nickel shortage, on Sunday First Quantum Minerals (FQVLF) announced that t would expand it Kansanshi copper mine in Zambia and begin work on the new open pit nickel Enterprise mine.

Saturday Night Quarterback says, For the week ahead expect…

Saturday Night Quarterback says, For the week ahead expect…

It’s likely that the current “disagreement” about how fast Russian oil production is falling will be resolved in favor of “pretty fast” despite spin from Moscow. Which would mean that Friday’s jump in oil prices–West Texas Intermediate crude gained 2.165 to $110.60 a barrel–will continue. And so will Friday’s rally in oil stocks. ConocoPhilips (COP), for example, was up 4.69% on Friday. Pioneer Natural Resources (PXD) gained 5.35%.

Please watch my new YouTube video: “Market gives Fed a raspberry”

Please watch my new YouTube video: “Market gives Fed a raspberry”

My one-hundredth-and-thirtieth YouTube video “Market gives Fed a razzberry” went up today. Yesterday, the Fed announced that it would raise rates by 50 basis points but that it was not looking to raise by 75 at the June or July meetings. In response, the market had a huge rally, especially in tech stocks, as it had b been widely assumed that those meetings would see the larger 75 basis-point increase. All that has changed today, when upon second thought the market no longer likes this news, with the S&P 500 and NASDAQ Composite giving back all the gains they made yesterday plus a little more. I look at a few specific stocks, like Amazon and Advanced Micro Devices, and talk about why I think the selloff in tech stocks is going to continue.