The Dow Jones today moved 80 points lower in pre-market hours as trade tensions continued to dominate investor sentiment. Despite a solid day of earnings on Wednesday that renewed market optimism, the Dow shed 42 points by Wednesday's market close. Investors continue to worry about the fallout from the ongoing spat between China and the United States on trade. However, you don't have to - if you know how to profit.
Here are the numbers from Wednesday for the Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq:
Index
Previous Close
Point Change
Percentage Change
Dow Jones
24,657.80
-42.41
-0.17%
S&P 500
2,767.32
4.73
0.17%
Nasdaq
7,781.51
55.93
0.72%
Now, here's a closer look at today's Money Morning insight, the most important market events, and stocks to watch.
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Money Morning Insight of the Day
The Nasdaq is sitting at an all-time high. The Dow is sliding due to concerns that the market is too frothy. Where on earth can you invest for any serious gains in this environment?
We have you covered. This week, we did our digging into the numbers, and we have found three stocks that could surge 80% or more in the months ahead. Let's dig into them as the market opens... right here.
The Top Stock Market Stories for Thursday
While the Dow continues to slide, the Nasdaq is locking in fresh gains. The Nasdaq hit an all-time record Wednesday thanks to a new record from Facebook Inc. (Nasdaq: FB). The social media giant popped above $200 per share after it announced that its Instagram platform now has 1 billion users - nearly a seventh of the world's population. The company also announced the launch of Instagram TV, a new platform for "long-form, vertical video."
Snap Inc. (NYSE: SNAP) continues its slide into financial straits. Shares of Snapchat's owner fell almost 4% Wednesday after Facebook announced its new user base total. Several analysts used Facebook's announcement as an opportunity to downgrade SNAP stock, a list that included Needham & Co. and Cohen. The stock has declined more than 8% over the last two days. Don't buy it - the company is a "Banana Republic."
Marijuana stock pricespopped on Wednesday after Canada's Senate approved a bill that would legalize cannabis across the entire country. Canada is now the second country in the world - and first in the G7 - to fully legalize marijuana. The good news is that the delay in this process thanks to hang-ups over certain amendments. That delay has created an opportunity for smart investors to get in before this summer, when Canada goes full legal. Read here for our full list of the best marijuana stocks to own.
Starbucks Corp. (Nasdaq: SBUX) is taking it in the teeth from investors. Shares plunged 10% yesterday after the company slashed its guidance and fell to its lowest level since November 2016. Though the company said it plans to increase its dividend and buybacks, financial engineering doesn't appear to be the antidote to customers souring on the product.
Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS) has made an even more aggressive offer for the assets of Twenty-First Century Fox Inc. (NYSE: FOXA). The new offer is $71.3 billion in cash and stock, with Disney paying $38 per share to Fox. The deal tops the $65 billion cash offer from rival Comcast Corp. (Nasdaq:CMCSA).
Look for additional earnings reports from Red Hat Inc. (NYSE: RHT), Carnival Corp. (NYSE: CCL), Darden Restaurants Inc. (NYSE:DRI), Barnes & Noble Inc. (NYSE: BKS), Jamba Inc. (Nasdaq: JMBA), Commercial Metals Co. (NYSE: CMC), Patterson Cos. (Nasdaq:PDCO), and Methode Electronics Inc. (NYSE:MEI).
Garrett Baldwin is a globally recognized research economist, financial writer, consultant, and political risk analyst with decades of trading experience and degrees in economics, cybersecurity, and business from Johns Hopkins, Purdue, Indiana University, and Northwestern.