*Performance since 7/1/2022. For more details on the performance calculation and methodology of Alpha Picks, click here. |
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► 2024 was a banner year for the markets amid the AI frenzy and the Fed cutting interest rates; the S&P 500 gained 23%, the Nasdaq rose 30%, and the Dow gained nearly 13%.
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► Although major indexes rallied in 2024, the last four trading days of the year delivered a losing streak, marking the longest year-end decline since 1966. Will this continue into 2025?
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► Consumer spending continued to drive the economy, with retail spending climbing 4.1% year-over-year compared to 1.6% in 2023.
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► Crypto trends remain in focus as Bitcoin surged to an all-time high of over $108,000, then slid back to around $95,000, more than a 110% gain to close out the year. Gold and silver also experienced gains of 24.5% and 21.5%, respectively.
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► New Year's cyberattacks in the U.S. may contribute to market uncertainty and volatility. Russia's Christmas attack on Ukraine and ongoing tensions in the Middle East maintain concerns over global energy security and heightening geopolitical tensions.
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Top Stocks 2025: Virtual Investing Forum |
Join us on January 8 as Seeking Alpha's VP of Quantitative Strategy, Steven Cress, reveals his 2025 Top 10 Stock Picks. Gain essential insights for the year ahead, backed by the proven data-driven approach that led his 2024 picks to outperform the S&P 500 by over 125%.*
Plus, hear exclusive strategies and Stock Picks from three top
Investing Group leaders. |
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*Performance as of December 6, 2024. Past performance is no guarantee for future results. Subject to Seeking Alpha's Events Policy as available here: https://about.seekingalpha.com/events-policy. |
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Global Market Movements and Sector Performance |
2024 brought significant developments across global markets, capping off a banner year and quarterly gains despite economic shifts, policy changes, and geopolitical events. Read More. |
U.S. security and defense are back in the spotlight following New Year's domestic attacks in New Orleans, Louisiana, and Las Vegas, Nevada. Defense spending has been in the spotlight over the last few years amid war in the Middle East and Russia-Ukraine. Read More. |
The Communications Sector (XLC) closed out 2024 as the top-performing sector, gaining 34% as investors favored tech-related growth stocks like Meta, Alphabet (GOOGL) (GOOG), and Netflix (NFLX). Read More. |
Value Stocks vs. Growth Stocks
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Value stocks outperformed their growth counterparts over the last week, likely driven by the increase in long-term rates, which has greater impacts on growth stocks and forward-looking earnings and valuations. Read More. |
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Crypto continues to be a focal point, and potential 2025 tailwinds from Trump's support of crypto initiatives are anticipated to have a lasting impact on regulation and market sentiments. Read More. |
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The U.S. Dollar Index (DXY) remains strong, ending 2024 with a gain of over 6%. The U.S. Presidential election results gave the greenback a significant boost, as it continues to outperform many major currencies. Read More. |
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2024 experienced mixed performance across some of the major economies. In the developed world, the U.S. was an outlier, with Q3 GDP rising 2.7% annually. Canada's economy grew 1.5% over the same period, while the United Kingdom, Australia, and Japan notched 1.0%, 0.8%, and 0.5%, respectively. |
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► FOMC: The Fed reduced interest rates by 50 basis points in Q4, and December's FOMC offered insights into its outlook for 2025—a potentially more cautious approach to monetary easing, maintaining a target range of 4.25% to 4.50%. The committee suggested fewer rate cuts in 2025 than previously anticipated, which could lead to sustained higher rates for a longer period, causing long-term bond yields to surge.
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► Inflation: Inflation remains sticky, with November's headline CPI at 2.7% y/y, an increase of 0.3%, and core CPI (excluding food and energy) remaining at 3.2% to solidify persisting inflationary pressures.
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► Labor Market: 227,000 jobs were added in November, above expectations, and the unemployment rate experienced a 0.5% increase for an overall unemployment rate of 4.2%.
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| Commercial Metals Company (CMC) |
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| RPM International Inc. (RPM) Inspire Medical Systems, Inc. (INSP) Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. (CALM) |
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| Jefferies Financial Group Inc. (JEF) Albertsons Companies, Inc. (ACI) |
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| U.S. Markets Closed - Obs. President Jimmy Carter |
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| U.S. Labor Report - Unemployment |
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*Performance is as of January 3, 2025. Alpha Picks adds two stocks per month - on the closest business day to the 1st & 15th. Alpha Picks removes stocks based on rating thresholds (i.e., when a rating changes to a sell). Performance is calculated and reported daily using time-weighted returns. For more details on the performance calculation and methodology of Alpha Picks, click here.
Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Alpha Picks does not take account of your objectives or your financial situation and does not offer any personalized investment advice. Any content and tools on the platform are offered for information purposes only. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker, U.S. investment adviser, or investment bank. |
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https://email-st.seekingalpha.com/oc/629888ce0c4303264f02dffemo6s9.1vrvk/37491939 |
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