Stocks Finance And Beyond

Just a handful of stocks are responsible for the stock market’s rally this year. The so-called Magnificent 7 stocks are responsible for 73% of the S&P 500 gains this year. If you eliminate the performance of the top 10 stocks in the index, the rest are performing at break-even. But that’s what can happen when investors

Global defense spending hit a record high of $2.24 trillion in 2022. The Russia-Ukraine conflict and East Asia tensions are influencing increases in military expenditure. These geopolitical dynamics spell a favorable operating environment for the best defense stocks. The war in Ukraine has already depleted arms inventories for the U.S. and European nations. As we

Plenty of stocks have rebounded in 2023, with Nasdaq 100 up about 35%, emphasizing the dominance of blue-chip giants. Blue-chip companies offer strong business models and consistent returns, often with increasing dividends, making them appealing to conservative investors. Diversifying portfolios with these world-class stocks can provide stability during market turbulence, even for risk-tolerant investors. Accordingly,

Here we go again. Crude oil prices are once again marching higher after Saudi Arabia and Russia extended their voluntary production cuts to the end of this year. Brent crude oil, the international standard, is now trading above $90 a barrel. That’s up nearly 30% from this spring when crude prices were struggling to stay

Regarding cybersecurity, the rapid proliferation of artificial intelligence produces great risks and tremendous opportunities. Among the risks are “data poisoning,” which involves hackers corrupting the data used to train AI systems, and the theft by hackers of “AI models.” By stealing the models, the hackers can replicate the systems’ behavior and carry out harmful activities. But luckily,

Stocks that offer shareholders great dividends are pretty rare. While it is true that about three-quarters (75%) of companies in the benchmark S&P 500 index pay a dividend, the average yield is only 1.54%. Few companies raise their dividend payments consistently, and dividends may get cut when times get tough. Right now, only 67 stocks

With inflation taking center stage once again, it’s becoming clear that consumers are prioritizing wants and needs. One of those “non-discretionary” expenses is healthcare, which makes it a good time to look for healthcare stocks to buy.   But this is more than a short-term story. According to the Population Reference Bureau, the number of

The stock market continues to roar ahead in 2023. The S&P 500 is up 17% year to date and sits only 6% below making a new all-time high. That is one of the prerequisites for an official declaration of a bull market. It has also led to emergence of stocks the smart money is selling.

The global buzz around medical cannabis stocks just got a whole lot louder. The corridors of the U.S. health sector are abuzz with the federal Health and Human Services Department urging the government to re-evaluate its hard stance on marijuana effectively. They’re recommending a shift of marijuana from the stringent “Schedule I” category – a

Summer is unofficially over, but what a difference a year makes. The S&P 500 lost 19% in 2022 yet has rallied 17% higher since the end of July. And if you look at how far the popular index has come from its lows, up 26%, that constitutes a bull market run to many. But it also means

One of the many ways that the global economy and investing changed during the pandemic was a greater appreciation for the supply chain. People who never considered how a retailer got their goods from the other side of the world had a greater awareness of shipping companies and shipping stocks to buy. While Covid-19 will

Railroad stocks are often under-appreciated, despite delivering strong top-line and EPS growth over the last decade. While the industry faces macroeconomic uncertainties, investors should take a look at the best railroad stocks to buy. Railroads are one of the most safe and efficient ways to transport goods across state lines and through country borders. The global

While the phrase “disruptor” may not be as widely used as it was during the height of pandemic-era boom in tech stocks, admittedly it’s still used way too often. However, this remains an apt descriptor for SoFi Technologies (NASDAQ:SOFI), no matter your view on SOFI stock. Moreover, if you currently have a bearish view on