Stocks went from tricks to treats with Friday’s strong rally following a steep sell-off on Halloween. November tends to be one of the market’s strong months, and solid results from the major oil stocks helped get the month off to a strong start. Equities also got a boost from a weak jobs number. There was noise in the report due to strikes and the two hurricanes that ripped through the Southeastern United States. Still, the weak jobs number likely cements a 25-bps rate cut from the Federal Reserve next week, which will be bullish for stocks. In addition to the Fed meeting, next week will (hopefully) bring some clarity on the U.S. presidential election as well as the makeup of Congress for the next two years. Investors should expect volatility, but there will be opportunities regardless of the outcome. You can count on the MarketBeat analysts to stay on top of the stocks and stories that are moving markets. Here are some of our most popular articles from this week. Articles by Jea Yu A key obstacle that could slow down the AI revolution is, ironically, old-school electricity. There simply isn’t enough power to meet the demands of data centers. That's why nuclear energy is back in vogue and this week Jea Yu wrote about two companies developing small modular reactors (SMRs) that could be the fast, cheap, and safe alternative this sector needs. Sticking with emerging technologies, Yu analyzed QuantumScape Corp. (NYSE: QS) which is almost ready to begin commercial production of its solid-state battery that could revolutionize the electric vehicle sector. And it’s always news when you hear that one sector leader, in this case The Cigna Group (NYSE: CI) is looking to acquire a competitor, in this case Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM). Yu explained why it makes sense, why the deal is far from a sure thing, and what that means for the stocks. Articles by Thomas Hughes One of the major stories from this week was the accounting scandal facing Super Micro Computer Inc. (NASDAQ: SMCI). An independent auditing firm has resigned because it didn’t want to be associated with the financial statements prepared by Super Micro executives. Hughes explained what investors need to know right now and what Super Micro needs to do to regain investor trust. On an optimistic note, this week, investors began hearing from many of the leading technology stocks. One of those reports came from Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT). Hughes explained how analysts felt about the report and why MSFT stock offers a buying opportunity and could even hit an all-time high. The last two months of a calendar year tend to be bullish for stocks. If you’re looking for short-term gains, Hughes analyzes two stocks positioned for double-digit gains in 2025. Articles by Sam Quirke It would surprise many investors to know that one of the best-performing stocks of 2024 is International Business Machines (NYSE: IBM). The company’s stock is up 35% in 2024 and has recently pulled back from an all-time high. Sam Quirke analyzed why IBM stock is moving higher, why analysts are still bullish, and at what price you may want to get involved with IBM stock. One thing investors can take away from big tech this earnings season is that a lot of money will be invested in artificial intelligence. Quirke noted that’s one reason why investors were selling Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ: META) after a solid earnings report. However, even though it may be years before investors will see the monetary payoff from AI, Quirke explained why this pullback looks like a buying opportunity. When Warren Buffett quipped to “be greedy when others are fearful,” he may not have had The Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA) in mind. However, Quirke wrote this week that analysts are beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel for the beleaguered company. And while the payoff may be years away, taking a long position in BA stock may reward patient, long-term investors. Articles by Chris Markoch Should investors still believe that as Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) goes, so goes the market? Chris Markoch explained that the company’s earnings report says a lot about investor sentiment. Specifically, Apple delivered a very good earnings report, but the stock fell because investors were looking for more. However, Markoch explained why this is more of a trade opportunity that shouldn’t impact long-term investors. Weight loss stocks have been some of the biggest winners this year. That’s why speculative investors may want to pay attention to Viking Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: VKTX). The biotech company will deliver clinical trial results for its GLP-1/GIS drug candidates. Patient investors will want to monitor the results for its oral GLP-1 drug, which may define the next generation of this rapidly growing category. Markoch also wrote about the big dip in Evolv Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: EVLV) as the result of prematurely recorded revenue. As Markoch explained, this is not like the accounting scandal affecting Super Micro Computer, but investors should pay attention to the company’s upcoming earnings report to make sure the worst is over. Articles by Ryan Hasson Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOGL) has underperformed the other Magnificent Seven stocks this year. However, Ryan Hasson wrote this week why, despite ongoing challenges, the tech giant has several catalysts that may be signaling the start of a bullish year-end rally. Financial stocks have had a strong month, lifted by strong earnings and the beginning of the Federal Reserve’s rate-cut program. This week, Hasson highlighted two of the big finance stocks that are no-brainer options for investors looking for growth, value, and income potential. Real estate stocks may be another sector offering an opportunity in 2025. No matter who wins the presidency, it’s likely there will be a surge in new home construction. When you couple that with the likelihood of lower interest rates, it could be time to get exposure. Hasson made the case for three housing stocks that stand out in the sector. Articles by Gabriel Osorio-Mazilli Oil stocks delivered solid earnings to end the week. And if you read Gabriel Osorio-Mazilli's article about three oil stocks to watch ahead of earnings, you may be sitting on some nice profits to end the week. However, if you didn’t get in before earnings, Osorio-Mazilli's article explained why analysts believe this is only the beginning of a months-long run for oil stocks. November and December are historically strong months for stocks. And even with stocks looking expensive, Osorio-Mazilli gave investors three stocks that have catalysts if there is a melt-up rally to end the year. If you listen to the financial news, you may believe that inflation is all but licked. However, there are clear signs that inflation is likely to move higher before it gets tamed. That’s why Osorio-Mazilli identified three inflation trades for investors to watch carefully in the coming months. Articles by Leo Miller It was a rough week for chip stocks, but Leo Miller analyzed the sector and explained why there have been overperformers and underperformers. This week, Miller highlighted three chip stocks that fit into the latter category and analyzed why analysts believe they may be ready to outperform in 2025. Miller also looked at a different way to play the chip sector. That comes from ASML Holding NV (NASDAQ: ASML), which makes lithography equipment for chip makers. The company lowered its 2025 guidance citing weak demand. However, Miller explained why the market may be overreacting to the news and why the stock is starting to look undervalued. One way to identify stocks that may be ready to rally is by paying attention to stocks trading around their 52-week highs or lows. This week, Miller looked at three stocks trading significantly off their 52-week highs, but with catalysts that could mean growth will soon be accelerating. Articles by Nathan Reiff Gold has been one of the best-performing asset classes in 2024. But with gold near all-time highs, some analysts remind investors why they shouldn’t ignore silver, which is also having a strong year. This week, Nathan Reiff analyzed the pros and cons of three ways to gain exposure to silver. Reiff also analyzed the news of a joint venture between General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) and Lithium Americas Corp. (NYSE: LAC). This is part of a trend in which EV makers are partnering with lithium miners to ensure they will have an adequate supply of lithium to meet the anticipated demand for electric vehicles. As the year begins to wind down, many investors start to think about rebalancing their portfolios. Some investors turn to exchange-traded funds (ETFs) as a way to diversify their portfolios while mitigating risk. But that can come with fees that eat away at your profits. That’s why you’ll want to read Reiff’s analysis of three ETFs offering market-beating returns with low administrative fees. | 
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