MarketBeat: Week in Review 1/31 – 2/4

Volatility remained the name of the game for stocks led once again by the tech sector. However, as of Friday morning, to paraphrase a popular idiom, Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) was giving back what Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:FB) took away. Friday also brought the monthly jobs report. By any measure, it was a good report. However, the markets are struggling to find direction. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note briefly climbed to 1.9%. The strong number, along with wage increases, is likely to provide fuel for inflation. And that means the Fed will be looking to put that fire out. Next week's earnings will remain a focus of the markets. And the MarketBeat team will continue to track the events that are affecting the market and share their insights on how you can be a profitable trader or investor.

Articles by Sean Sechler                                                                                                                                                                

One strategy to manage the volatility that comes from owning individual stocks is to buy exchange-traded funds (ETFs). These have many of the benefits of mutual funds while allowing investors to fine-tune their diversification into specific sectors (technology, energy, financials, etc.). Sean Sechler gives investors three ETFs that provide exposure to sectors that are likely to show strong growth in 2022. Sechler also reminded investors that whenever the market posts a significant decline, it can be an opportunity to buy quality stocks at a sizable discount. And Sechler provided three stocks that he views as no-brainer buys during this recent market downturn. Sechler was also looking at stocks that have recently posted strong earnings. Earnings season gives investors a scorecard on how companies and sectors are performing. While there can be outliers, rising profits generally lead to stock price growth. With that in mind, Sechler gave investors three stocks to buy based on earnings beats.

Articles by Jea Yu                                                                     

There’s no amount of pixie dust that can make the stock performance of Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS) sparkle. It’s been a tough 12 months and it’s only gotten worse at the start of 2022. However, Jea Yu points out that the company is expanding the reach of its Disney+ streaming service. And, at some point, the company will likely be able to show the strength that comes from the synergy of its components. With earnings coming up, prudent investors may want to have DIS stock on their watch list. One stock that is bucking the bearish trend in 2022 is General Mills (NYSE:GIS). Yu points out that the company is facing the same supply chain and logistics disruptions as other companies. However, GIS stock is a safe defensive play in the midst of inflation. Investors looking for a contrarian play may want to look at Foot Locker (NYSE:FL) stock. The stock has been dipping despite the company’s strong earnings report in November. With earnings scheduled for the end of February, it may be time for investors to consider a position in FL stock.

Articles by Thomas Hughes                                                 

For investors who may be wondering when the reversal for Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD) would come, Thomas Hughes explains that your wait may be over. Shares of AMD stock are up nearly 13% after the chipmaker reported a double beat in their February 1 earnings report. The company’s products remain in demand in high-growth sectors such as gaming and data centers. Another stock that is gapping up sharply after earnings is United Parcel Services (NYSE:UPS). The company simply delivered a stellar report including a hefty dividend increase that leads Hughes to believe UPS stock will be a bullish play for the rest of the year. Hughes was also looking at Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) which is on the rise after what appears to be a premature dip on mixed earnings. Investors looking to buy a stock that is trading at a deep discount to the S&P 500 will want to look at ABT stock.

Articles by Sam Quirke

Sam Quirke was eyeing two of the biggest tech stocks for different reasons. In an up-and-down week for tech stocks, Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) was a shining star. Shares of the tech giant posted a strong earnings report that confirmed the stock’s recent upswing. Analysts were left to believe Apple may be able to keep inflation at bay for a couple more quarters which should continue to make AAPL stock a buy. Then there’s Netflix NASDAQ: NFLX. Shares of the much-maligned FAANG stock are down 32% from the beginning of the year. However, it wasn’t long ago that NFLX shares were down by 39%. Quirke believes this is because the stock may have found a bottom and investors are now looking at the long-term growth story for the stock.  Quirke didn’t express quite as much bullishness for Southwest Airlines (NYSE:LUV) stock. However, he outlines why investors have a lot to consider with the airline stock which has weathered the 2022 sell-off better than other stocks.

Articles by Melissa Brock

Will they or won’t they and by how much? Those are the questions that investors are mulling regarding the Federal Reserve and interest rate hikes. At least a few rate hikes seem to be a near certainty. That would bode well for bank stocks. Melissa Brock weighs the pros and cons of different banks for investors and gives them three bank stocks to before interest rates rise. Brock was also looking at peer-to-peer lending stocks. This is a growing segment of the market that dovetails with the area of financial technology (fintech). Brock provides an overview of how peer-to-peer lending works and gives her three picks for sector stocks to buy in 2022. Another sector that Brock was looking at is gaming. This was a market that generated over $177 billion in revenue last year. Brock gives investors insight into what to look for in gaming stocks and her three picks for gaming stocks to buy.