The rotation gets extreme–Dow hits record intraday high while NASDAQ Composite falls into a correction

The rotation gets extreme–Dow hits record intraday high while NASDAQ Composite falls into a correction

Two indexes will tell you what you need to know about today’s stock market action. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, driven by cyclicals, vaccine recovery, and consumer stocks rose to an intraday record high. After a slight retreat at the end of the session, the Dow finished ahead 0.97% on the day. The NASDAQ Composite, on the other hand, weighed down by technology and growth momentum stocks dropped 2.41% on the day to fall into a full correction from the February 12 closing high.

Everything is down this morning! I’m nibbling at these stocks

Everything is down this morning! I’m nibbling at these stocks

Yesterday tech tumbled but utilities, commodities like copper and even gold, and many “vaccine recovery” plays gained. Today almost everything is down.
Which to me is a sign that this now 6-day downturn is getting closer to an end. Right now, as of 1:30 a.m. in New York the NASDAQ is off another 2.32%. The brings the drop from the mid-february high to 6%. A little more than half way to a 10% correction. I don’t think we’re at the bottom yet. But I am looking for growth stories–which is not the same as “momentum growth stocks”–where the selling has created an opportunity.

A wild day for stock gains–although you wouldn’t know it from the indexes

A wild day for stock gains–although you wouldn’t know it from the indexes

At the close today the Standard & Poor’s 500 was down 0.19%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended dead even. The NASDAQ Composite “soared” 0.07%. It wasn’t until you looked at the Russell 2000 small cap index that you saw any signs of what a wild day it was. That index, so economically sensitive these days, finished ahead 2.04%. Don’t look to the usual suspects if you’re seeking big winners today.

Adding Applied Materials to my Jubak Picks Portfolio on chip shortage

Adding Applied Materials to my Jubak Picks Portfolio on chip shortage

As I noted in my January 13 video “4 picks for the chip shortage,” investors are looking at shortage of silicon chips that has hit the auto industry especially hard and that argues for a multi-year increase in capital spending to expand chip production at foundry companies such as Taiwan Semiconductor (TSM). As the world’s largest supplier of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, Applied Materials will see its revenue climb as a result of that capital spending. The company’s equipment can be found at almost every major step in cap manufacturing (with the exception of lithography) from chemical and physical vapor deposition to etching to defect-inspection scanning electron microscopes. The stock is up 60.04% in the last year, as of the close on January 13 with most of that gain coming in the last 3 months where the stock is up 51.9%. The shares are already a pick in my long-term 50 Stocks Portfolio where they’re up 91.8% from December 31, 2017. Today, I’m adding Applied Materials to my Jubak Picks Portfolio.

Finding 5 clues for tomorrow in today’s stock market action

Finding 5 clues for tomorrow in today’s stock market action

Yes, the big indexes were down today, January 4, with the Standard & Poor’s 500 off 1.48% at the close; the Dow Jones Industrial Average down 1.25%; and the NASDAQ Composite lower by 1.47%. But I think we can find some clues about tomorrow’s action–and the moves over the next month or more–from taking a look at individual stocks and sectors.

Stocks try another rotation again today–I’m not sure this one will stick with employment claims and August jobs report still due this week

Stocks try another rotation again today–I’m not sure this one will stick with employment claims and August jobs report still due this week

At the close today, the Standard & Poor's 500 was up another 1.54%. Putting this question at the top of many investors' and traders' minds: Is there any way to participate in this blow out rally without real adding an unacceptable amount of risk? The 5.83% drop in...