DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Here's why investors can expect returns in the S&P 500 this year after 2022's stock market bloodbath.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

This time last year, the S&P 500 was coming off its all-time closing high, which had arrived on 2022's first day of trading. It's only happened four times, but when the S&P 500 sees back-to-back losing years, the second is always worse. Traders work on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, U.S., March 2, 2020. And if you look at Bank of America's Sell Side Indicator, a year in the green for the S&P 500 seems to be in the cards. Morgan Stanley just revamped a nine-stock list that's beaten the S&P 500 by 18% over time.

☆ Buy these 30 stocks that are all on track to outperform a 'flattish' market in 2023, according to RBC, which says it's safe to bet on Facebook parent Meta this year
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Marley Jay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

RBC says its list of 30 favorite global stocks has steadily outperformed over the past 3 years. The group is made up of Global Head of Research Graeme Pearson, Head of US Research Mark Odendahl, Head of Canadian & APAC Research André‐Philippe Hardy, and Head of European Research & Global Head of Research Product Management Michael Hall. Painful as that is, its benchmark, the MSCI World Net Total Return Index, suffered an even bigger loss of 18.4%. Since the end of 2019, the firm adds that the top 30 list "has delivered a total return of +23.2%, above the benchmark at +15.6%." The 30 stocks are ranked here from lowest to highest based on the total return (share price and dividends) that RBC expects them to deliver in 2023.

☆ The S&P 500 could return 16% in 2023 as a contrarian indicator sends bullish signals, says Bank of America
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Bank of America's Sell Side Indicator is nearing a "Buy" signal, as Wall Street sentiment remains bearish on stocks. The indicator is part of the firm's forecast for 16% returns in the S&P 500 in 2023. BofA's Sell Side Indicator, which tracks strategists' average recommended allocation for stocks, is nearing a "Buy" signal, and is part of the firm's view for 16% returns in the S&P 500 in 2023. In 2022, the average recommended allocation to stocks fell by 6 percentage points, and the S&P 500 shed more than 19%. In the note, BofA analysts pointed out that Wall Street recommended underweighting equities through the bull market of the 1980s and 1990s, as well as the 2009-to-2020 bull market.

Jan 3 (Reuters) - A look at the day ahead in Asian markets from Jamie McGeever. China firing on something approaching all cylinders would offer a much-needed boost to the world economy this year. In the near term, however, China COVID fears may overshadow the long-term benefits and weigh on sentiment accordingly. A cautious start to the year for markets, and a gloomy Chinese PMI report, would come as no surprise. Three key developments that could provide more direction to markets on Tuesday:- Australia manufacturing PMI (December)- China Caixin manufacturing PMI (December)- U.S. manufacturing PMI (December)Reporting by Jamie McGeever in Orlando, Fla.; Editing by Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ China funds with energy bets stand out in a bleak year
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SHANGHAI, Dec 30 (Reuters) - Chinese fund managers who made big bets on energy companies are celebrating a year that was brutal for many of their peers. Huang Hai, who manages three funds for Wanjia Asset Management, far outperformed the market by wagering on energy stocks such as CNOOC , China Shenhua Energy (601088.SS) and Shaanxi Coal (601225.SS). Energy companies including Shaanxi Coal, Shanxi Lu'an Environmental Energy (601699.SS), Guanghui Energy (600256.SS) and Shenhua Energy are among her fund's top 10 holdings. A Chinese index fund that tracks the Dow Jones U.S. The Lion Oil and Gas Energy Equity Fund, which invests in global energy funds under China's outbound QDII scheme, delivered a return of 53% for domestic investors.

☆ Inside climate tech's record-breaking year where the energy crisis, new regulation, and a maturing debt market helped European startups raise $17.5 billion
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( Tasmin Lockwood | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Climate tech was a clear green shoot in a tumultuous 2022 but there will be a delayed correction. But there has been one green shoot: Climate tech. "We've just gotten started when it comes to climate tech," Emitwise's Cozzi said. Many climate tech companies have raised at high valuations, said Magda Lukaszewicz, principal at Balderton Capital. Energy and infrastructure companies are tipped as winners, while pure software plays may see some consolidation, climate tech investors and founders said.

☆ What retail investors are investing in and what to expect for 2023
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-25 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

It's been a tough year for retail investors — and it's not necessarily expected to get any easier in 2023. "Post-Covid overall net inflow of retail investors has tripled, and almost quadrupled, and stayed there." When it comes to individual stocks, retail investors are buying companies such as Tesla , Apple and Nvidia , according to Vanda Research. Retail investors will likely stick with their game plan into 2023, said Vanda Research's Iachini. "We struggle to see retail investors going back to speculation or doubling down on risky bets to try to make up their losses," he said.

☆ Tom Lee says there's a chance the Fed pauses hiking for all of 2023, sparking a massive stock rally
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( John Melloy | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Fundstrat sees that coming in at 4.4%, also below current Wall Street expectations. "Fed framework likely changes to 'predictable Fed' as inflation is now operating near their long-term goal of 2%," wrote Lee in the note this week. "This would be a massive dovish pivot, in our view, and could mean Fed pauses entirely in 2023 (maybe)." Lee's call is well outside expectations on Wall Street. Volatility easing to spark big rally The next piece of the Lee's theory is that as the Fed changes its policy, stock market volatility will collapse.

☆ A top 1% performing fund manager explains why history proves the S&P 500 will fall another 30% in the next 3-to-9 months — and shares 11 compelling stocks to buy in 2023 that will power through a rece
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Lisa Kailai Han | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

He foresees the S&P 500 falling another 30% and bottoming within the next three to nine months. Abate shared 11 compelling stocks to buy to mitigate looming recessionary risks. But with the looming threat of a recession, Abate believes that the days of big contrarian trade ideas are now behind us. Especially "idiosyncratic stocks that have kind of already felt the pain of a downturn, so even if a recession happens, their backlogs can get them through recessionary conditions." Two biotechnology names Abate noted as standout idiosyncratic ideas are Biogen (BIIB) and Gilead (GILD).

☆ Tesla has surpassed Apple as retail investors' favorite stock in 2022, research firm says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Carla Mozée | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Tesla has become the most purchased single stock in 2022, edging out tech behemoth Apple, said research firm Vanda. Cumulative net retail purchases in Tesla stock exploded by 424% to $15.41 billion this year. Flows into Tesla stock picked up as the price has fallen during a historic sell-off. For its part, Apple stock has lost 23% during the year. But in singling out Tesla, Vanda pointed to its reach, saying the stock makes up about 11% of the average retail portfolio.

☆ Morningstar shares 2 trades they say will deliver 7% yearly returns over the next decade, even after accounting for inflation — and breaks down why the 60/40 portfolio strategy is starting to look att
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( William Edwards | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

But the sell-offs have put both asset classes in a better position to succeed for the long-term, Straehl said in a recent note. While communication services stocks have largely sold off this year, the sector is now the most attractive in the market, Straehl said. The Vanguard Communication Services ETF (VOX) provides exposure to the communications services sector. The second trade Straehl said will deliver 7% real returns over the next 10 years is emerging market stocks. The stocks are in a more favorable place valuation-wise than developed market stocks, Straehl said.

☆ Is China set for a rebound in 2023? Wall Street pros weigh in — and reveal how to trade it
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Zavier Ong | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Morgan Stanley turned bullish on China stocks for the first time in nearly two years, upgrading China to overweight versus emerging market stocks on Dec. 4 as the country embarks on a "clear path set towards reopening." 'Good long-term play' John Leiper, chief investment officer at Titan Asset Management, thinks now might be a good time for investors to snap up Chinese stocks. Leiper believes Chinese stocks represent a good long-term play given solid structural drivers, overly negative sentiment, and attractive valuations. Meanwhile, Goldman Sach s estimates a full reopening could drive 20% upside for Chinese stocks . HSBC is another major bank to turn upbeat on Chinese stocks, saying "after a tough year, things can only get better − and we believe they will."

☆ The 'pain trade' is for stocks to rally because investors are so bearish, Bank of America says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-13 | by ( Jesse Pound | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A big rebound for the stock market could prove unwelcome news to many professional investors, according to Bank of America. "We say Jan/Feb 'pain trade' is up for bond yields & risk assets. ... [fund manager survey] investors say best performing asset in '23 to be government bonds & most overweight bonds vs stocks since Apr'09," the note said. While stocks are well off their lows of the year, investors appeared to turn bearish again in recent weeks. There were some signs in the survey that investors were starting to become less bearish, according to Bank of America.

Money manager positioning on the CME's copper contract shifted back to a net long at the start of November for the first time since early May. Bulls remain conspicuous by their absence, waiting to see how Doctor Copper prices the confusing combination of Western recession and tentative recovery in China. The bounce has forced an unwind of fund short positions, which have more than halved to 31,177 contracts as of last Tuesday. Bears have retracted their claws on both exchanges but there's been no corresponding surge in bullish exuberance among fund managers. Investment fund and other financial net positioning on LME copperRECOVERY AND RECESSIONFunds' reticence to commit to copper is understandable given the market is trying to price two conflicting trends.

☆ Kyrsten Sinema was doing the GOP a favor by blocking Democrats' taxes on the wealthy. Now a Republican-controlled House will have to fight that battle.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-10 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema repeatedly threw cold water on Democrats' plans to raise taxes on the wealthy. Now that Sinema is officially becoming an independent, Democrats still likely won't be able to pass anything. However, the House — which has to pass any legislation that would include hikes — will soon be controlled by Republicans. Raphael Warnock's reelection in the Georgia runoff also gave Democrats an opening to work around Sinema. Republicans are very tax averse, already mounting opposition to a 15% minimum tax on big multinational corporations like Amazon and Facebook.

☆ A rare fund in the green this year succeeds by betting on stocks that work even in a recession
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

As investors brace for more volatility in 2023, one fund beat the market this year by betting on stocks that work even in a recession. The fund's current portfolio managers started at the fund in June 2019. The select portfolio has a 0.680% expense ratio, and a minimum initial investment of $1,000. Contrarian flair For the portfolio managers, one of the stock picks that best exemplifies their investing style is Las Vegas Sands . Through it all, the portfolio managers advise keeping a long-term time investment horizon and patience, especially in a volatile macroeconomic backdrop.

☆ Stocks are likely to get smacked down in the first half of 2023 before markets improve
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Patti Domm | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The outlook for next year is a bit better for stocks, but the first half sounds like it could be downright ugly. The strategist expects lows to be retested due to what could be a significant decline in earnings as interest rates rise. Jeff Kleintop, Charles Schwab's chief global investment strategist, expects a shallow recession may already have begun. He predicts the first half will be worse for stocks than the back half of the year, with a choppiness similar to the past six months. Calvasina expects small caps to be an area of outperformance, and she still sees value in energy and financials.

☆ Peter Thiel thinks Elon Musk is a ‘fraud,’ and 6 other unexpected details about the billionaires' love-hate relationship
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Dorothy Cucci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Thiel and his allies conspired against Musk and replaced him as PayPal CEO while Musk was on his honeymoon. In a new biography, Max Chafkin shares surprising details about Thiel and Musk's relationship, through all of its ups and downs. Here are seven surprising details about Musk and Thiel that provide a glimpse into their long and often-fraught relationship. A source who spoke to both men said that Musk thinks Thiel is "a sociopath," and Thiel considers Musk "a fraud." Musk and Thiel, while longtime collaborators, are fundamentally opposites: Musk is considered an outgoing, eccentric risk-taker, and Thiel is known as a cautious introvert.

REUTERS/Thomas PeterBEIJING, Nov 29 (Reuters) - The rare street protests that erupted in cities across China over the weekend were a referendum against President Xi Jinping's zero-COVID policy and the strongest public defiance during his political career, China analysts said. Public dissatisfaction with Xi's zero-COVID policy, expressed on social media or offline in the form of putting up posters in universities or by protesting, is Xi's biggest domestic challenge since the 2019 protests in Hong Kong against an extradition bill. Although this authoritarian arrangement allowed Xi to be more powerful, it also contains vulnerabilities, as exposed by the protests, analysts said. "If he lets go, it would mean that his past zero-COVID policy has completely failed and he would have to take responsibility for it. Xi tried tweaking the zero-COVID policy with the release of "20 measures" last month, in an attempt to standardize prevention measures nationwide and make them friendlier to residents and to the economy.

☆ Analysis: China protests highlight Xi's COVID policy dilemma - to walk it back or not
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

REUTERS/Thomas Peter/File PhotoBEIJING, Nov 29 (Reuters) - The rare street protests that erupted in cities across China over the weekend were a referendum against President Xi Jinping's zero-COVID policy and the strongest public defiance during his political career, China analysts said. Public dissatisfaction with Xi's zero-COVID policy, expressed on social media or offline in the form of putting up posters in universities or by protesting, is Xi's biggest domestic challenge since the 2019 protests in Hong Kong against an extradition bill. Although this authoritarian arrangement allowed Xi to be more powerful, it also contains vulnerabilities, as exposed by the protests, analysts said. "If he lets go, it would mean that his past zero-COVID policy has completely failed and he would have to take responsibility for it. Xi tried tweaking the zero-COVID policy with the release of "20 measures" last month, in an attempt to standardize prevention measures nationwide and make them friendlier to residents and to the economy.

☆ ‘Wednesday’ Review: Addams Family Adolescence
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-23 | by ( John Anderson | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

TV’s original goth girl gets her own show on Wednesday called “Wednesday” and starring Jenna Ortega as Wednesday. As in Addams. The Addams Family has enjoyed so many manifestations that the natural question isn’t how far the new eight-episode series strays from all the other TV shows, movies or what cartoonist Charles Addams created in 1938. Ms. Ortega (“Jane the Virgin”) is a charismatic performer playing a character who is decidedly anti-charisma, so that’s an accomplishment; she has a face that triumphs over deadpan. But the people behind the show, among them director Tim Burton , may have to reassess how morbid and contrarian they want their girl to be.

☆ Meme-stock billionaire Ryan Cohen explains why he bet on GameStop and dumped Bed Bath & Beyond in a new interview. Here are the 10 best quotes.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( Theron Mohamed | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Ryan Cohen reflected on his GameStop bet and explained his sudden sale of Bed Bath & Beyond stock. Chewy's billionaire cofounder emphasized the impact of higher interest rates on investors. "Higher interest rates are a game changer. "Before, you had 0% interest rates so there really was no discount rate, and there really wasn't much of a difference between long-term cash flows and short-term cash flows. Now you have a real discount rate, you've got the 10-year Treasury north of 4%, so the value of short-term cash flows is much greater than long-term cash flows."

☆ Morning Bid: Bucking the trend
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

With an anxious look at China's worsening COVID surge, the U.S. dollar appears revitalized just as speculators turn against it for the first time this year. Peak interest rates, peak COVID, peak energy all get discussed as themes for 2023, along with recession risks, a return of bonds and a cresting of the supercharged dollar - which has already given back almost half its near 20% surge this year. With one eye on Federal Reserve meeting minutes later in the week, futures markets continue to nudge peak Fed rates next year further above the 5% level. Also anxious about the unfolding property bust, China's central bank and banking and insurance regulator said domestic banks should step up credit support for the economy. The dollar also got a lift from the widening crypto shock, with bitcoin falling back below $16,000 on Monday.

Workers at Google and other big tech companies in recent years have clashed and protested over politics and racial and gender equity. "We've always been proud to host external speakers at Google, as they provide great opportunities for learning and connection for our employees," Google spokesman Ryan Lamont told Reuters. Rivals such as Meta Platforms Inc (META.O) also have policies for inviting speakers. At Google, speakers have included then-U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama, celebrity chef Ayesha Curry and former basketball star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. At least one of the critics suggested inviting for balance Rajiv Malhotra, according to an internal message.

☆ Stagflation is now the consensus view on Wall Street for 2023 as investor sentiment remains historically bearish, Bank of America says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Matthew Fox | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The consensus view on Wall Street is that stagflation will plague the stock market in 2023, according to Bank of America. A survey from the bank found that 92% of fund managers expect a period of high inflation and low economic growth next year. The bearish outlook comes as cash levels sit near record highs, signaling the lingering bearish sentiment. That dynamic sets contrarian investors up for a solid trade, as investor sentiment remains historically bearish. Other sentiment indicators are also showing overwhelmingly bearish sentiment among investors, like the weekly AAII Investor Sentiment survey.

Search resuls for: "contrarian"

25 mentions found