MarketBeat Week in Review: 12/11 - 12/15

Key Points

• The rally kicked into high gear after the Federal Reserve indicated they may consider rate cuts in 2024. 
• The week ended with the last of four triple witching days that frequently add volatility. 
• Here are some of our most popular articles from this week.   

This week, the rally in equities that started in November kicked into high gear. First, the market got benign results from the CPI and PPI. Then, the Federal Reserve held rates steady, indicating it may consider rate cuts in 2024. 

However, the week ended with the last of the four triple-witching days when stock options, futures and options contracts expire on the same day. 

That event aside, conditions favor stocks to rally into 2024 and maybe beyond. The rate on the 10-year Treasury note continues to decline, and oil prices, while rallying, are still below forecasted levels. 

The next few weeks will likely be quieter, and you may take some time away. When you're ready, we'll be here. Here are some of our most popular articles from this week. 

Articles by Jea Yu 

'Tis the season for tax harvesting, when investors sell their losing stocks and buy more of their winners. However, that selling pressure can be a catalyst for growth in January. Jea Yu gives investors three tax-loss stocks primed for a January recovery. 

Investors in the EV sector got some good news from Nio Inc. NYSE: NIO. The Chinese battery EV maker reported higher-than-expected deliveries in the third quarter. Yu explains what the company needs to do to get back on a path to profitability. 

And another week brings another investment idea around the obesity drug craze. This week, Yu wrote about Altimmune Inc. NASDAQ: ALT. This small-cap company has a weight-loss drug in clinical trials that can provide the benefits of drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro without some of the unwanted side effects that can cause users to stop treatment. 

Articles by Thomas Hughes 

With earnings season wrapping up, it's time to look at winners and losers. One way to do that is to look for the stocks getting the most upgrades from analysts. This week, Thomas Hughes writes about four of the most upgraded retail stocks and what investors should expect from these stocks in the next few months. 

Investors looking to invest in the semiconductor and AI sectors may wonder if any company is ready to challenge Nvidia Corporation NASDAQ: NVDA for supremacy. This week, Hughes outlines why Advanced Micro Devices NASDAQ: AMD is making inroads in that department. The company's investor day forecasts were likely baked into the stock, but analysts are starting to bid the stock higher. 

In a recurring theme in 2023, Adobe Inc. NASDAQ: ADBE fell sharply after the software maker issued weak guidance for the coming year. However, Hughes writes that the sell-off was overdue and explains why this may be a buy-the-dip opportunity for patient investors. 

Articles by Sam Quirke 

One of the week's most closely watched earnings reports came from Oracle Corporation NYSE: ORCL. Sam Quirke explains why the report won't reverse the selling pressure the stock's been under since September. However, it's setting ORCL stock for a solid buy-the-dip opportunity for long-term investors. 

Quirke also wrote about the bullish analyst coverage that Domino's Pizza NASDAQ: DPZ is receiving after its Investor Day. Trading near its 52-week high, Quirke explains what investors should look for before they open or add to a position. 

Domino's isn't the only stock benefiting from analyst upgrades. Quirke gave the investors a list of three stocks that are getting holiday cheer from analysts. 

Articles by Chris Markoch 

As artificial intelligence heats up, many companies have been making a concerted effort to mention AI in their earnings reports. This week, Chris Markoch outlines some research explaining which companies benefit from these mentions and which may not. 

Markoch was also writing about the investing phenomenon known as the Santa Claus rally — a bullish period between Christmas and New Year's that frequently happens, but not always. Markoch gives investors three stocks ready for a Santa Claus rally in 2023. 

If your idea of a stock going to the moon leads you to space stocks, Markoch suggests closely looking at Rocket Lab USA Inc. NASDAQ: RKLB. The stock has been under pressure after a failed launch, but with several catalysts on its path to profits, it may be time for speculative investors to climb on board. 

Articles by Kate Stalter  

Suppose you want to invest in artificial intelligence (AI) without chasing AI stocks like Nvidia or Microsoft Corp. NASDAQ: MSFT higher. In that case, Kate Stalter offers up two little-known AI stocks that may offer investors a growth opportunity for investors who missed out on the first wave of AI-generated growth. 

Stalter also wrote about the recovery of Boeing Co. NYSE: BA. The stock has been one of the biggest winners since the market began recovering in October 2023. The stock recently was in a buy zone and may get bid higher by analysts. 

And while electric vehicles (EVs) are still likely to be the future wave, Ford Motor Co. NYSE: F recently reminded investors that it may be time to cool expectations. The company cut back its forecast for its F-150 Lightning EV trucks despite cutting prices for the Lightning in July 2023. 

Articles by Ryan Hasson 

The risk-on sentiment has reentered the market. Ryan Hasson points out that this makes stocks showing high short interest increasingly popular. The hope is that a wave of bullish sentiment can create conditions for a short squeeze. Hasson gives investors three stocks with high short interest that may be candidates for such a move. 

If your risk appetite is satisfied by traditional tech stocks, Hasson offers up three tech stocks that are outperforming the market but loved by analysts. It's a good sign that these stocks may have a longer runway than investors expect. 

Conversely, it's been a bad year for some blue-chip stocks. However, Hasson writes about four beaten-down consumer stocks that appear ready for a turnaround based on recent analyst upgrades. 

Articles by Gabriel Osorio-Mazilli 

Regarding stocks with high short interest, Gabriel Osorio-Mazilli wrote about how the high-short interest on SoFi Technologies NASDAQ: SOFI creates a potential short squeeze. The company has to meet robust earnings expectations, but if the company does, this could be one stock you don't want to miss. 

Warren Buffett has been active again, and as Osorio-Mazilli writes, that's one reason to pay attention to the construction sector. The sector is recovering after being down for most of 2023, and Osorio-Mazilli offers up three construction stocks to consider now. 

Osorio-Mazilli also reminds investors that when doing your research, the story behind a stock needs to align with the numbers. In this case, he gives us three stocks trading at higher volume, and there are good reasons for the renewed interest. 

Articles by MarketBeat Staff 

The start of winter in much of the country might have you thinking about tropical locations like Hawaii. As it turns out, so is Alaska Air Group Inc. NYSE: ALK. The airline announced a plan to acquire Hawaiian Holdings for approximately $1.9 billion. The move comes at a time when Hawaii tourism is starting to heat up after being struck by the pandemic. 

The staff also looked at the small-cap coffee company Westrock Coffee Company, LLC NASDAQ: WEST. The stock is up after news that Starbucks NASDAQ: SBUX may be losing its grip on the Chinese coffee market. The stock is also benefiting from an outsized volume of insider buying.