Quantum computing stocks have been on an absolute tear, making this group one to watch closely as we head into 2025.
These companies are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, solving problems and processing workflows traditional computers never could.
From AI and cybersecurity to drug discovery, quantum computing has emerged as a critical driver of innovation. And with plenty of public companies operating in the space, quantum stocks offer an exciting investment opportunity.
IonQ $IONQ stands out as a leader in this revolution, fueling a surge of investor enthusiasm.
When assessing risk appetite and the health of the market, several approaches come to mind. One of my favorites is comparing Consumer Discretionary stocks with their Consumer Staples counterparts.
Discretionary stocks represent products or services consumers spend their "extra" income on—like leisure activities, retail, and other non-essential goods.
In contrast, Staples are those companies whose products and services we continue purchasing regardless of economic conditions. These include essentials like toothpaste, laundry detergent, beer, soda, and cigarettes.
Historically, Staples outperform significantly when markets face pressure, which makes sense given their necessity-driven demand.
As 2024 comes to a close, I want to take a moment and share some of the most important lessons I learned this year.
Here are ten of them, in no particular order.
1. Skin in the Game: Don’t be afraid to trade—there are no excuses not to start. Today’s world offers countless platforms and opportunities with low barriers to entry. While this field demands a willingness to take risks, you don’t need to invest everything at once. If fear of loss is holding you back, begin with a small portion of your capital. Taking that first step is essential, as true learning only happens through action and experience.
2. Embrace Relative Strength: By identifying and buying the strongest performers in the market, you position yourself to capture alpha and ride the momentum of the true leaders.
3. Keep It Simple: Simplicity breeds clarity and confidence. Overcomplicating strategies often leads to hesitation, doubt and overfitting. Keep your...
With the year coming to a close, I want to share what I believe is the most important chart to consider as we head into 2025.
When it comes to the most critical stocks, it's all about tech. This has been the case for at least the last decade and a half.
Mega-cap tech not only dominates U.S. indexes, but these stocks also play a major role in most investors' portfolios.
The same is true for semiconductors, which serve as both a benchmark for the technology sector and a barometer for the broader market. They are also the posterchild of the ongoing AI revolution.
By evaluating relative trends, we gain insight into leadership and can also assess the market's overall health.
Take a look at the long-term view of Technology $XLK and Semiconductors $SOX relative to the S&P 500 $SPX.
Higher highs and higher lows are what make an uptrend. When that stops being the case, it's time to reassess.
Let's step back and take a look at the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The diverse mega-cap index makes a great benchmark for the broader market.
Right now, the Dow is sitting at a critical Fibonacci extension level, around 42,000. That also lines up with the July highs, adding more weight to this key area.
If the Dow stays above 42,000, the uptrend is alive and well and there's nothing to be overly concerned about.
But if it slips below that level, things could get messy and it'll be time to prioritize strategies that thrive in that kind of environment.
This would also send the Dow toward a lower low on short-term timeframes, calling the ...
If you've been paying attention this year, you've likely heard about failed tops. They've been everywhere, teasing traders with bearish setups that never materialize.
Here's how it usually plays out. When support breaks, short-sellers rush to pile on, driving prices lower. But then, the market pulls a fast one. Prices creep back above those broken supports, squeezing shorts and forcing them to cover. Meanwhile, the longs panic, rushing to re-enter.
The latest chatter has been about a potential head-and-shoulders top in Nvidia $NVDA. But let's be real—the bulls are taking back control, and this setup is looking more and more like another false alarm.
Here are three key levels I’m watching in the coming days:
The VWAP from the August 5th lows at $126.50: This level is the bulls' final line of defense. Prices rebounded from it last week, but a clear break below could trigger a much sharper decline.
The neckline of the pattern at $132: Price is currently holding above this level, keeping the bias to the upside and the bulls in the...
With downside volatility picking up this week, some of you might be wondering if we are on the cusp of a significant market downturn, or is this just another dip that buyers will eventually step into?
It’s worth remembering that every big move starts small, but not every small move turns into something bigger.
That’s where credit spreads come into play—they act as a reliable barometer of market health, offering insights into investor sentiment and risk appetite.
One effective way to measure them is by analyzing the ratio of the High-Yield Bond ETF $HYG to the Treasury Bond ETF $IEI.
When investors are willing to take on more risk, this ratio typically trends higher. On the other hand, when caution takes over and safety becomes the priority, credit spreads widen, and this ratio declines.
Bears showed up after the FOMC announcement, and the market got sold aggressively with every sector finishing lower on the day.
The S&P 500 plunged 2.95%, its worst drop in over two years. Small-caps, banks, and industrials have now given back all of their post-election gains, joining a growing list of groups to do this.
And the VIX spiked sharply, recording its second-largest single-day move in history.
On days like today, analysts are checking under the hood and assessing market internals to see how significant the damage is.
Here’s one of my go-to charts for this. It shows the percentage of S&P 500 stocks at 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-month lows:
New lows are expanding over shorter timeframes, hinting at growing weakness under the surface. Today marked the highest reading in the percent of 1-month lows since March 2023.
From time to time, I like to play devil's advocate as part of an exercise to identify potential wrenches and better understand the market environment we might be heading into.
One "cheat code" I've picked up over the years is to assess Consumer Staples stocks on a relative basis.
As the ultimate defensive sector, Staples are the safe-haven that investors hide out in when the broader market comes under pressure.
So far this cycle, we haven't seen investors run to these stocks for safety. That said, the ratio is at a critical juncture as we speak.
The chart below highlights Consumer Staples $XLP relative to the S&P 500 $SPY, currently at a major support level marked by the dot-com bubble lows.
While XLP/SPY is testing a logical area where buyers might step in, we have yet to see any reversal activity.
If XLP/SPY starts to catch a bid here, it could signal defensive rotation, and...