After a Year of Setbacks, Market Eyes a Comeback

Since its year-to-date low on Oct. 12, the S&P 500 has fully embraced a year-end rally.

Through the first nine and a half months of 2022, the index was hampered by losses exceeding 25%. It has since gained back around 14%.

And despite ongoing interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve and persistent — albeit marginally subsiding — consumer inflation, strong Black Friday retail numbers provide hope for a Santa Claus rally this month.

In fact, Black Friday saw a record $9.12 billion in online spending. This has reinvigorated investor sentiment, which now stands at 40.4% bearishness to conclude the month after beginning November at 47%.

With Fed Chairman Jerome Powell now signaling that the central bank could begin to slow the pace of its interest rate hikes before year’s end, the market rallied 3.47% after his Wednesday speech through the close.

For ideas on how to best allocate investment dollars heading into 2023, and how to potentially benefit from this ongoing rally, here are this week’s top stories from our team of editors and analysts.

How to Play the ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ Trend

The number of purchases made using “buy now, pay later” is increasing dramatically, and its popularity is projected to surge to ~900 million users by 2027. By 2030, the BNPL market is forecast to be worth $3.27 trillion. Editorial Director Dawn Pennington explains how this credit card alternative is bolstering spending and how investors can take advantage.

VIDEO: Income Investing Roundup

With the Consumer Price Index remaining around a four-decade high, the Fed has enacted a series of dramatic interest rate increases. This week, Financial News Anchor Jessica Borg provides a roundup of four inflation- and income-focused videos to help investors find yield.

3 Reasons Oil Is Poised to Pump

December is historically a profitable month for oil. Senior Analyst Sean Brodrick believes a bottom for the commodity is near and discusses two exchange-traded funds that provide broad exposure to the energy sector.

Super-Sized Gains

McDonald’s posted strong Q3 results in November thanks to a big investment in digital strategies and the ability to pass along higher costs to customers. Pulitzer Prize winner Jon D. Markman explains how the fast-food giant is heading toward an all-digital, self-serve future and why it remains a “Buy.”

Why EV Makers Will Win

The future of transportation is all-electric vehicles, and with the prices of lithium and other battery metals skyrocketing, investors would be remiss to not take advantage. Senior Editor Tony Sagami reports on how, thanks to government mandates and high battery-replacement costs, EV makers are going to be extremely profitable.

What Believers Are Buying

The debate rages on about when the Fed may pause interest rate hikes or push them even higher than anticipated, but one camp believes we’ve already seen peak inflation. According to Financial News Anchor and Analyst Kenny Polcari, these sectors are poised to see an influx of buying.

Until next time,

Jordan Chussler
Managing Editor
Weiss Ratings Daily

About the Managing Editor

Jordan Chussler is the Managing Editor for a team of research analysts and senior editors. He oversees the development and production of trading and investment products and services reporting on traditional equities, including stocks, ETFs, income vehicles, options and private equity. He is a 15-year veteran of the digital publishing industry and also serves as a contributing writer for Weiss Ratings Daily.

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