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Our new list of the best stocks to buy now is heavy on tech, proving once again that the road to wealth is paved with tech. We've got five new stock picks from our investing and trading experts to get you on that road.
First, we take a look at a "pick-and-shovel" play in the booming legal marijuana industry.
Then, we'll see how marijuana legalization is making its way into the pharmaceutical industry, with potentially world-changing effects.
Next, we'll highlight a biotech firm that stands to gain in a more politically friendly environment.
Then we have a tech company that's helping chip manufacturers create the world's biggest supercomputer.
And finally, we'll look at a real estate trust that's bringing the brightest minds in science and technology together.
Here's our list of the best stocks to buy now.
Best Stocks to Buy Now No. 1: This Iconic Software Company Is Selling Picks and Shovels for Today's Gold Rush
Legal marijuana is an industry with incredible growth potential as legalization spreads across North America. And Nevada just showed us how that growth looks…
Less than two weeks after marijuana became legal for recreational use in Nevada, the state is already running out of product.
That's a problem for Nevada, which collects a 10% tax on cannabis sales. Sales of weed generated $500,000 for the state in just the first four days of legalization.
In order to keep that revenue coming in, Nevada's government has declared a state of emergency to address the roadblocks in the supply chain.
If Nevada's rollout is any indication, there are major events coming up soon for sales of legal pot. Legalization is expected in early 2018 for both Canada and California, the United States' most populous state.
A 2016 report by ArcView Market Research projects annual sales of legal marijuana in North America to grow from $6.7 billion in 2016 to $22.6 billion by 2021.
But if you want to cash in on the "Green Rush," as Money Morning Director of Technology & Venture Capital Research Michael Robinson calls it, you don't have to invest in cannabis producers themselves. You can opt for a "pick-and-shovel" play instead.
During the Gold Rush in the 1800s, some people got rich by finding gold and mining it. And some found nothing and simply ruined themselves. But a lot of others got rich by selling products like picks and shovels to miners.
If you want to take a similar approach to legal weed, look no further than software giant Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT).
Because pot is such a young and politically complicated industry, it's incredibly important that cannabis companies keep their affairs in good order and in compliance with regulations. Increasingly, Microsoft's Azure cloud computing service has been the tool they turn to.
The Next States to Legalize Marijuana
"Ever since June 2016," Michael writes, "Microsoft has used its ultra-powerful software and cloud services to become the go-to source for the cannabis industry."
Sales for Azure grew 93% in the last quarter. And Microsoft is in the process of shifting its core focus to cloud computing.
So along with the benefits of a stable organization with a long track record of growth, you can also get a piece of the nascent pot industry as it gets set to explode.
Best Stocks to Buy No. 2: This Pioneer in the War on Pain Is Nearing a Lucrative Milestone
About the Author
Stephen Mack has been writing about economics and finance since 2011. He contributed material for the best-selling books Aftershock and The Aftershock Investor. He lives in Baltimore, Maryland.
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