MarketBeat Week in Review – 11/18 - 11/22

Key Points

• Stocks were set for a weekly gain of at least 1% as retail sales showed a resilient consumer and NVIDIA delivered another strong earnings report.  
• Investors shrugged off geopolitical concerns as they became more confident about a rate cut in December.  
• Next week, the markets will be closed on Thursday and will close early on Friday. 

Stocks moved higher this week, with all the major exchanges on track for a weekly gain of at least 1%. The rally started on Tuesday when retail sales showed a surprisingly strong consumer. It picked up steam on Wednesday when NVIDIA reported earnings. Initially, investors sold the news from the report but quickly jumped back in, reigniting the tech trade. 

Investors are also looking past geopolitical concerns as they become more confident that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates by 25 basis points in December. However, that’s also stoking concerns about higher inflation. That is showing up in the price of Bitcoin which may hit the psychologically important $100,000 mark as well as gold which remains near all-time highs.  

Next week will be a short week with the markets closed on Thursday for the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States. Markets will also close at 1:00 p.m. the day after Thanksgiving.  

Articles by Jea Yu 

This week, Jea Yu reminded investors that a negative reaction to corporate earnings is often an overreaction. In that case, investors can find opportunities, as Yu points out, with two tech stocks that present buy-the-dip opportunities after they sold off sharply after their quarterly earnings reports.  

Sticking with technology stocks in the business services sector, Yu also explains why Grab Holdings Inc. NASDAQ: GRAB is a must-buy stock after delivering its first-ever net profit that aligns with bullish technical signals.  

2024 has been a year when many companies split their stocks. While this does nothing for the value of a stock, it has the effect of making shares more attractive for retail investors, and companies typically do this at a time when there’s bullish momentum. With that in mind, Yu analyzes three stocks that appear likely to split their stock in 2025.  

Articles by Thomas Hughes 

One of the biggest stories of the week came from NVIDIA Corp. NASDAQ: NVDA, which delivered its quarterly earnings report on Wednesday. Thomas Hughes was closely watching the report and explained why investors should be bullish on the company’s guidance and not get too caught up with slowing growth. 

Snowflake Inc. NYSE: SNOW was another technology stock making a big move this week. Analysts are raising their price targets after the company’s earnings report showed a beat on the top and bottom lines and raised guidance from its deal with Anthropic. 

The melt-up in technology stocks is also giving investors a second chance to get in on two Magnificent 7 stocks that are pulling back but are still in the middle of a bullish uptrend.   

Articles by Chris Markoch 

Palantir Technolgies Inc. NYSE: PLTR stock shot higher after the company announced it was moving to the NASDAQ. However, Chris Markoch explains why there’s more to this story, and that’s why this expensive stock may have room to run. 

Markoch also wrote about the rally in Tesla Inc. NASDAQ: TSLA stock. This came after the incoming Trump administration expressed interest in making federal regulatory guidelines on autonomous driving a priority. Tesla stock remains a proxy for Elon Musk, but right now, it’s a Trump trade worth making.  

And after a disappointing 2024, next year may be the year when copper adds luster to your portfolio. As Markoch explains, that’s why investors will want to own Freeport-McMoRan Inc. NYSE: FCX which would be a clear winner as demand for copper increases.   

Articles by Ryan Hasson 

During weeks like this, it can be easy to fall victim to the fear of missing out (FOMO). However, Ryan Hasson reminded buy-and-hold investors that there are some solid choices for their capital. This week, Hasson focused on five dividend ETFs that provide a mixture of market-wide exposure, high-yield income and a focus on defensive stocks.  

It’s been a strong year for biotech stocks, but Hasson explains why a drop in one of the leading biotech ETFs is discouraging for the long-term trend. Stock pickers may find some winners, but uncertainty about public health policy and regulatory guidelines are just two of the broader sector's headwinds.   

Articles by Gabriel Osorio-Mazilli 

Is the long-awaited rally in oil finally here? Gabriel Osorio-Mazilli explains the signs that are pointing in that direction. He also gives investors three oil stocks that can provide similar, but different upside narratives. 

If oil prices rise, it could have a domino effect on other sectors. One of those would be the international shipping sector. Osorio-Mazilli highlights three shipping stocks that are positioned to break out on higher oil prices.  

Osorio-Mazilli also wrote about the recent rally in cryptocurrency. As Bitcoin approaches 100k, there may be some FOMO among investors who are wondering how to gain exposure to this emerging sector. Osorio-Mazilli explains why MicroStrategy Inc. NASDAQ: MSTR and Coinbase Global Inc. NASDAQ: COIN give investors two ways to get involved in cryptocurrency without exposure to the digital currency itself.  

Articles by Leo Miller 

The chip sector continues to be an area of focus for 2025. But while much of the focus, rightfully, goes to stocks like NVIDIA, Leo Miller highlighted several chip stocks for investors to consider for their dividend potential. And the three chip stocks that Miller highlights have the added benefit of having recently increased their dividend payments.  

Staying in the chip sector, Monolithic Power Systems Inc. NASDAQ: MPWR may not be a household name, but the company’s products are needed for every part of the chip market. The stock has come under pressure on concerns about future growth, but as Miller explains those concerns appear to be overblown and may signal a strong buying opportunity.  

An extension of the chip sector can be found in robotic stocks like Symbiotic Inc. NASDAQ: SYM. The stock is up more than 50% since its earnings report in August. But Miller explains why SYM stock still offers more upside in 2025.   

Articles by Nathan Reiff 

Oil and housing are two areas of the economy that are expected to lead the economic recovery. This week, Nathan Reiff offered investors options for both sectors. In the oil sector, Reiff steers investors to three under-the-radar oil stocks that look undervalued based on their potential for operational expansions. 

The housing market remains at the mercy of interest rates. But homebuilders work on the demand side of the equation. Lower interest rates make it more cost effective to build and Reiff analyzes three homebuilder stocks that investors should buy now for growth later in 2025.  

Finally, the end of the year has many investors looking to rebalance their portfolio with uncertainty surrounding the reality – and not the rhetoric – of a Trump administration. That can make high-yield dividend stocks a safe haven. Reiff offers up three high-yield dividend stocks for investors to consider.