Best Stocks to Buy Now: A Money Morning Weekly Recap
By Diane Alter, Contributing Writer, Money Morning•
Best stocks to buy for the week ending Jan. 3, 2014: After closing out 2013 with stellar gains and numerous records - 52 all-time highs for the Dow, 45 for the S&P 500 Index, and 66 for the Russell 2000 - investors ushered in 2014 with a muted welcome.
The Dow dropped 135 points, or 0.8%, last Thursday, marking the first time since 2008 the blue-chip benchmark finished in the red on the first trading of the year. For the week, the 30-stock average lost 0.05%. The S&P 500 ended the first week of 2014 lower by 0.54%, and the Nasdaq was off 0.27%.
Trading was light in the shortened week, with many investors and traders still on extended holiday. Money Morning, however, remained hard at work bringing readers the latest news, best investment ideas, and best stocks to buy now. Here's a recap:
Your 2014 Investment Watch List: In 2013, with the Dow turning in its best performance since 1995, the S&P 500 since 1997, and the Nasdaq since 1999, gains were indeed broad-based. Money Morning gurus are also boasting some hefty gains from their shared stock picks. For example, Chief Investment Strategist Keith Fitz-Gerald uncovered a whopping 80% gain for readers of his Money Map Report with an insurance company recommendation that also rewards investors with a hearty dividend. Meanwhile, Defense & Technology Specialist Michael A. Robinson delivered an enormous 100% return with a political-proof defense contractor. As we kick off 2014, Money Morning experts shared some company names, sectors, and industries they're watching. This is one story you can't afford to miss.
Many cautious and reluctant investors missed last year's record-breaking rallies and are now kicking themselves for sitting on the sidelines. Money Morning Event Trading Specialist Shah Gilani advises those who want to jump into stocks to start buying now, but to also be aware of the risks. With a correction due, and likely in 2014, Gilani recommends several solid performers that also sport attractive dividend yields. And in the event of a pullback, Gilani says to be prepared to buy the dips. Find the stocks he named and how to navigate 2014 in Making Money in a Generational Bull Market.
Technology was a favorite sector here at Money Morning last year. Those who acted on some of our banner recommendations saw double-digit profits. The S&P Technology Group gained a hefty 25.85%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index soared some 33.5%. We also featured a number of the 257 tech IPOs (536 companies overall went public in 2013), sharing our experts' insight on the good, the bad, and the downright ugly. The good news for investors is that tech gains should continue this year as a plethora of new tech-based products and services continue to make their way to the market. Money Morning Defense & Tech Specialist Michael A. Robinson shares how investors can power up their portfolios with a number of companies poised to outperform in 2014. Get all the details and all the best tech stocks to buy here.
One of last year's best performers was Amazon.com Inc. (Nasdaq: AMZN) stock. Its meteoric rise defied skeptics and delighted shareholders. Buoyed by a host of new product launches and initiatives, increased interest in its cloud computing services, and talk of delivery by drones, shares soared some 60% in 2013. The big question now is whether the e-commerce and online retailing behemoth can keep up the pace and log even more highs in 2014. Money Morning Chief Investment Strategist Keith Fitz-Gerald joined FOX Business' "Varney & Co." to share his views and expectations for Amazon going forward. He also offered what he calls "an exciting proposition." It's all here.
Money Morning was quick to recognize the upside potential in cybersecurity stocks last year, sharing a number of stories on trends in the industry, takeovers, and potential targets. For 2014, we remain keen on the red-hot sector - and with good reason. On Day 3 of the New Year, one of the largest cybersecurity deals to date was inked when FireEye Inc. (Nasdaq: FEYE) bought privately held Mandiant for $1.05 billion in stock and cash. We filled readers in on all the deal's details, explained what it means for the combined companies, and noted some sector names positioned to benefit as global cybersecurity investments continue to grow. We also shared several names to watch as potential takeover targets, as well as some to keep an eye on for possible IPOs.