stock market analysis websites

Seeking Alpha - Stock Market Analysis & Tools for Investors

• Commodities

Latest News

• - U.S. hikes royalty fees for drilling on federal lands for first time in a century
• - Israel says Iran has launched drones, U.S. says operation 'likely to unfold' over hours
• - Most ‘buy now, pay later’ users have come across issues, survey shows
• - J&J cough syrup recall classified as most serious in South Africa
• - Fundstrat's Tom Lee sees S&P 500 potentially ending the year at 5,700 points
• - Coinbase appeals key point in SEC lawsuit

U.S. hikes royalty fees for drilling on federal lands for first time in a century

Israel says iran has launched drones, u.s. says operation 'likely to unfold' over hours, most ‘buy now, pay later’ users have come across issues, survey shows, j&j cough syrup recall classified as most serious in south africa, fundstrat's tom lee sees s&p 500 potentially ending the year at 5,700 points, coinbase appeals key point in sec lawsuit, trending analysis.

10 Dividend Aristocrat Bargain Buys Yielding As Much As 9.4%

Bristol Myers Squibb: Seriously Undervalued At Peak Pessimism (Rating Upgrade)

Rivian: Accelerating Into The Big Leagues

Broadcom: Cash Out Now

Apple: Why I Sold All My Shares

How To Invest $100,000 Today With Peace Of Mind

Earn Up To 8% While Living The American Dream

S&P 500: The Momentum And Fundamentals Point To The Downturn - I'm Going Short

Enterprise Products: SPOT Is A Game Changer

Don't Touch Trump Media & Technology Group Stock With A 10-Foot Pole

NIO Stock: Nothing Is Over

Alibaba: I Was Fooled By The Valuation (Downgrade)

Trending news, intel's foundry is 'fully dependent' on its design team. that's a red flag, bofa says., tesla slashes price of fsd package by 50% in bid to boost subscription base, catalyst watch: boeing hearing, bitcoin halving event and new eyes on reddit, abbvie keeps humira market share near 100% despite biosimilars: report, volatility soars, with vix jumping to the highest level of 2024, mobileye picks up as wolfe research upgrades, citing no 'clear rival', major banks deliver eps beat this week to kick off q1 earnings; jpmorgan fy interest margin guidance unchanged - earnings scorecard, editors' picks, notable calls & insights, top gainers, in the news, most active, cryptocurrencies, latest articles, stock ideas, dividend investing, trending dividend stocks, upcoming exdates, dividends & income, etfs & portfolio strategy, investing strategy, manage email newsletters, u.s. equity markets, learn about investing, about seeking alpha.

Our mission: Power to Investors. We empower investors to make the absolute best investing decisions by leveraging our independent and balanced stock research, fundamental analysis tools, crowdsourced debate, reliable news, and actionable market data.

Our research is created by investors, for investors. It is carefully vetted by in-house editors, then read and debated by millions of people. Our stock coverage is wider and deeper than any other. We provide diverse opinions on each stock so that investors can weigh the bull and bear case and make an informed decision.

Our news enables investors to understand why the market and the stocks in their portfolio are moving or are about to move. Investors read our financial news to gain insight into stocks’ future earnings and price trajectory, and to find new and exciting opportunities.

Our data places professional-caliber tools in the hands of every investor. Our factor grades and quant rating summarize each stock’s characteristics, and SA analyst ratings provide a snapshot of our Analysts’ qualitative opinions.

Our community includes everyone from new investors to fund managers. By helping them to invest successfully, we help them to achieve life goals such as buying their first house, sending their children to college, and securing their retirement.

Become a Seeking Alpha Analyst

Seeking Alpha publishes research from thousands of analysts. Investors contribute articles to Seeking Alpha because they receive payment, exposure, fame, the opportunity to get feedback on their ideas, and the ability to run their own subscription research business in our Investing Groups.

Our analysts include professional investors and individual investors. We believe that individual investors are often underestimated, when many individual investors have better investment track records than professionals and possess valuable insights that can help other investors.

To become a Seeking Alpha Analyst, you must be accepted by our editors, who ensure our Analysts and articles meet our quality and compliance standards.

To become a Seeking Alpha Analyst, submit an article here.

Ever heard of Finviz*Elite?

Our premium service offers you real-time quotes, advanced visualizations, technical studies, and much more. Become Elite and make informed financial decisions.

Upgrade your FINVIZ experience

Join thousands of traders who make more informed decisions with our premium features. Real-time quotes, advanced visualizations, backtesting, and much more.

We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here . By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies, revised Privacy Policy and Terms of Service .

New to Zacks? Get started here.

Member Sign In

Don't Know Your Password?

• Zacks #1 Rank
• Zacks Industry Rank
• Zacks Sector Rank
• Equity Research

Mutual Funds

• Mutual Fund Screener
• ETF Screener
• Earnings Calendar
• Earnings Releases
• Earnings ESP
• Earnings ESP Filter
• Stock Screener
• Premium Screens
• Basic Screens
• Research Wizard
• Personal Finance
• Money Managing
• Real Estate
• Retirement Planning
• Tax Information
• My Portfolio
• Create Portfolio
• Style Scores
• Testimonials
• Zacks.com Tutorial

Services Overview

• Zacks Ultimate
• Zacks Investor Collection
• Zacks Premium

Investor Services

• ETF Investor
• Home Run Investor
• Income Investor
• Stocks Under $10
• Value Investor
• Top 10 Stocks

Other Services

• Method for Trading
• Zacks Confidential

Trading Services

• Black Box Trader
• Counterstrike
• Headline Trader
• Insider Trader
• Large-Cap Trader
• Options Trader
• Short Sell List
• Surprise Trader
• Alternative Energy

You are being directed to ZacksTrade, a division of LBMZ Securities and licensed broker-dealer. ZacksTrade and Zacks.com are separate companies. The web link between the two companies is not a solicitation or offer to invest in a particular security or type of security. ZacksTrade does not endorse or adopt any particular investment strategy, any analyst opinion/rating/report or any approach to evaluating individual securities.

If you wish to go to ZacksTrade, click OK . If you do not, click Cancel.

Don't Miss the Latest Market News

Get daily market news and analysis from Zacks Investment Research.

WELCOME TO ZACKS.COM

Zacks' 7 strongest buys for april, 2024.

Our experts just released their predictions for 7 stocks likely to climb the highest in the next 30-90 days. Hand-picked from 220 new Strong Buys, these "best of the best" stocks are spring-loaded and ready to soar. Recent picks have climbed as much as +67.5% within 30 days.

Our experts just released their predictions for 7 stocks likely to climb the highest in the next 30-90 days. Hand-picked from 220 new Strong Buys, these "best of the best" stocks are spring-loaded and ready to soar. Today's dip gives you a chance to snag these stocks at attractive prices. Recent picks have climbed as much as +67.5% within 30 days.

No cost. No credit card. No obligation to buy anything ever. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. We respect your privacy. Zacks Ultimate Member? Click here .

3 Secrets to Quick Profits This Earnings Season

Nothing can move a stock faster, up or down, than an earnings announcement. So with the season about to heat up, Dave Bartosiak has a few ideas to help align your portfolio for the weeks ahead.

Stocks To Buy BEFORE Earnings Reports

"ESP" formula predicts positive earnings surprises with unthinkable 80% accuracy.

Q1 Earnings Season Kicks Off Positively

We see the Q1 results from the major banks as good enough; not great, but definitely not bad either. Next week, the cycle picks up notable steam, with 41 S&P 500 companies on the reporting docket. How will the market react?

What Stocks Should You Buy Right Now?

A discussion about the economy, and where you should look to put your money in 2024: big caps or small?

What's Ahead for Nvidia ETFs?

Chip giant Nvidia (NVDA) has already entered correction territory this week. Although it recovered some of its strength later on, is there only limited upside potential?

Top Stock Reports for PepsiCo, Canadian Pacific Kansas City & MercadoLibre

Today's Research Daily features new research reports on 16 major stocks, including PepsiCo, Inc. (PEP), Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd. (CP) and MercadoLibre, Inc. (MELI).

3 Giant Tech Stocks to Buy in April and Hold Forever

Now the market turns its attention to Q1 earnings season. Some of the first big names in tech to report are the three stocks we dig into today.

AWS 4/12: Import/Exports Send Pre-Markets Lower; Big Banks Beat

Import Prices came in hotter than expected, while Exports came down considerably.

PFP 4/12: Nasdaq Up for the Week So Far, S&P Close By

While interest rate cuts have been pushed out by another couple of months, the economy remains resilient.

Volatility Spikes as Inflation Resurfaces: Stocks to Watch

Several stocks are bucking the recent selling pressure amid a hot inflation print.

More Commentary

Featured Zacks Rank Stocks

Learn to Profit from the Zacks Rank

Investment Ideas

3 Buy Rated Stocks to Consider as Earnings Approach

by Shaun Pruitt

Low Beta Tech Stocks to Consider for a Rebound Amid Heightened Market Volatility

by Tracey Ryniec

3 Railroad Stocks to Watch From the Challenging Industry

Googl, msft, amzn & meta pose threat to nvda with in-house chips, 4 stocks to buy from the booming water supply industry, 3 top-ranked value stocks to buy from the energy space, 4 ai stocks with ample growth potential to buy in 2024, 2 auto replacement stocks holding steady despite industry woes, sticky inflation delays rate cut expectations: 5 low-beta picks, 5 mid-cap stocks to buy in a volatile april, 5 top dividend growth stocks to counter volatility.

More Stock Commentary

Inverse ETFs to Play Now on Middle East Tension & Rising Rates?

Wall Street wavered this week on high inflation data which lowered chances of an imminent Fed rate cut. Plus, geopolitical tension in Middle East has weighed on stocks.

What's Ahead for Nvidia ETFs?

5 etfs leading the tech rebound: will the rally continue, 5 etfs to tap amazon's growth story.

More ETF Commentary

3 Balanced Mutual Funds to Buy as Inflation Stays Elevated

Invest in balanced mutual funds like STFBX, FBALX and HADAX to secure your portfolio against uncertain market conditions.

3 Large-Cap Value Funds to Buy as Inflation Resumes Climb

5 fidelity mutual funds to build a solid portfolio, 2 harbor mutual funds for superior returns.

More Mutual Fund Commentary

Retired? You Can Still Collect a Weekly Paycheck

Despite these problematic market conditions, this strategy has produced above-average returns with relatively low risk.

A Low-Risk FedEx Options Play into Earnings

Trading options qqq for a near-term bounce, profit regardless of market direction, earnings analysis.

The Q1 Earnings Season Kicks off Positively

Earnings preview.

by Sheraz Mian

We see the Q1 results from the major banks as good enough; not great, but definitely not bad either. Next week, the cycle picks up notable steam, with 41 S&P 500 companies on the reporting docket. How will the market react?

The 2024 Q1 Earnings Season Gets Underway

Earnings headlines, wells fargo (wfc) q1 earnings surpass estimates, costs rise, lovesac (love) q4 earnings & net sales miss estimates, up y/y, lakeland's (lake) earnings & revenues miss estimates in q4, progressive's (pgr) q1 earnings, revenues top, premiums rise y/y.

Get the First Calendar Made for Traders. Visit the Zacks Earnings Calendar

Reported Earnings Surprises

EPS Positive Surprises for Apr 12, 2024

EPS Negative Surprises for Apr 12, 2024

Upcoming Earnings ESP

This file is used for Yahoo remarketing pixel add

Due to inactivity, you will be signed out in approximately:

Make Smarter, Data-Driven Investment Decisions

5 Best Free Stock Analysis Tools for Investors

A tremendous amount of free stock research and analysis tools are available online.

Best Free Stock Analysis and Research

Getty Images | iStockphoto

It's best to do your homework before you pull the trigger on a stock option.

The U.S. stock market is off to a great start in 2024. Through Feb. 23, both the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq-100 are up more than 7% year to date (YTD). The Dow Jones Industrial Average is up nicely as well, though not as dramatically. That well-known index has gained just over 3% YTD.

You may be thinking about taking money off the sidelines and investing in this red-hot market. If you have a long-term time horizon, that's probably a good idea. The equities markets go up and down, but historically, good quality stocks tend to appreciate over time.

Before you pull the trigger on that stock you've got your eye on, you need to do a little homework first. It's smart to review past performance, become familiar with company fundamentals , learn about management and get an independent, third-party opinion before you place a buy order.

The problem is, high-quality stock analysis tools and professional research can be very expensive. Where can a retail investor go for high-level stock research and helpful analysis tools without breaking the bank?

Thankfully, there are plenty of investing resources that any investor can access for free. Here are some of the best places to conduct your equity research at no cost to you:

• Your online broker.
• TradingView.
• Morningstar at the public library.
• S&P Global Market Intelligence.

Your Online Broker

Most brokerage platforms provide their clients with reasonable access to their proprietary equity research as well as valuable analysis tools such as charting and backtesting utilities. Generally, the larger and more established the broker, the better the research. You can expect excellent quality research, tools and advice to be included on platforms like E*Trade, which is owned by Morgan Stanley (ticker: MS ), TD Ameritrade, owned by Charles Schwab Corp. ( SCHW ) and Merrill Edge, owned by Bank of America Corp. ( BAC ), and the online brokerage of Charles Schwab Corp. ( SCHW ), which includes features from the recently acquired TD Ameritrade. Popular online and app-based brokers like Interactive Brokers Group Inc. ( IBKR ) and Robinhood Markets Inc. ( HOOD ) get high marks in this department as well.

Broker-provided research reports are usually only one or two pages long and are well worth reading. You'll also find easy-to-access tools like stock screeners and news feeds as well.

Just log on to your account and look for a tab or button that says "research." Most systems are designed to be highly intuitive and user-friendly. If you run into difficulty accessing their tools or research, just contact customer service via chat, email or phone.

Did you know that a public company's financial filings and virtually all other government-mandated reports are public information and can be accessed by anyone, at any time free of charge? It's true. And it makes the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) an excellent free resources for stock research.

The SEC doesn't publish research reports or give opinions on stocks, but through its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System, called EDGAR for short, it does catalog and provide free access to every document a public company files with that regulatory agency.

Want to know a stock's revenue, profit, expenses or cash flow for the latest quarter or for the last few decades? Are you curious about the CEO's compensation? It's all on EDGAR for you to download and view, and it's very easy to find. Just navigate over to the SEC's website and click on the "filings" tab. From there, page down to the EDGAR - Search and Access . There you can navigate to a search that works for you, and an incredible wealth of information is available with a few clicks of your mouse.

TradingView

There is a category of investment analysis websites broadly called charting platforms. That name, however, is insufficient in light of all they offer and all the free investing tools they provide. With more than 50 million users, TradingView is among the most popular charting and investing platforms on the internet.

TradingView is a comprehensive combination of charting, analysis and research tools. All members have access to breaking news, historical investment data and the site's social network. It offers premium subscriptions for a reasonable fee, but investors can conduct a surprising amount of in-depth research with basic access which is available for free.

You can view customizable charts with multiple layers of pricing, volume and trend data , you can screen stocks by market capitalization, stock market sector and other criteria, and you can develop your own strategies and ideas and test them in various hypothetical situations. Beyond the research capabilities, TradingView offers an opportunity to communicate and learn from other investors on the platform.

It will ask you to open an account by registering with an email and password, but access isn't temporary or on a trial basis. You can use the many free tools for as long as you want and upgrade to premium only when you're ready.

Morningstar at the Public Library

A standard library card can be your key to an incredible amount of free market research. Many public libraries around the country maintain a premium subscription to Morningstar as well as other professional investment research outlets. Like almost all public library resources, Morningstar equity research is free to registered members.

Check with your local or state library system to see if it has Morningstar. While you're at it, look for other subscription-based research companies like CFRA or Zacks. Chances are they will have one or more. Once you've confirmed it has what you're looking for, dust off your old library card – or apply for a new one for free – and start browsing the catalog of investment resources.

In most cases, you won't even have to visit a physical library branch. Modern libraries offer members access to Morningstar online at no additional cost. You can download detailed financial and analyst reports, use the available portfolio and stock screening tools, and benefit from the educational resources Morningstar produces, all for free.

S&P Global Market Intelligence

S&P Global is one of the most respected research firms in the world. Institutional investors pay tens of thousands of dollars a year for premium access to its S&P Capital IQ research and trading platform. Those exorbitant price levels are out of reach for most retail investors but, thankfully, S&P offers many market insights and research online for free.

The Research & Insights page of S&P's website is loaded with articles, posts, notes and news that can be an invaluable resource to the small investor. Some information requires you have an account, but you can create one for free to access those reports. The site is updated several times a week so the data and information is always current.

You'll find sophisticated but accessible market intelligence on sectors from tech to health care and everything in between. The page has a search bar in the upper right corner so you can quickly find exactly what you're looking for.

Click on the "subscribe now" button and you'll be directed to the S&P newsletter subscription hub. There you can sign up for any of dozens of professional quality investment industry newsletters on a wide variety of subjects. Free research will be delivered to your email inbox on a monthly basis at no cost and with no obligation.

Best Long-Term Stocks to Buy Now

Glenn Fydenkevez Feb. 12, 2024

Tags: investing , stock market , money , financial literacy , Morgan Stanley , TD Ameritrade , Charles Schwab , Bank of America , Interactive Brokers Group

The Best Financial Tools for You

Credit Cards

Personal Loans

Comparative assessments and other editorial opinions are those of U.S. News and have not been previously reviewed, approved or endorsed by any other entities, such as banks, credit card issuers or travel companies. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired.

Subscribe to our daily newsletter to get investing advice, rankings and stock market news.

See a newsletter example .

You May Also Like

10 best value stocks to buy now.

Ian Bezek April 12, 2024

Water Stocks and ETFs

Matt Whittaker April 12, 2024

7 Stocks Jeff Bezos Is Buying

Jeff Reeves April 12, 2024

Is It Time to Invest Internationally?

Kate Stalter April 11, 2024

Cheap Dividend Stocks to Buy Under $10

Wayne Duggan April 11, 2024

5 Best Large-Cap Growth Stocks

Glenn Fydenkevez April 11, 2024

7 Dividend Kings to Buy and Hold Forever

Tony Dong April 11, 2024

5 Socially Responsible Investing Apps

Coryanne Hicks April 10, 2024

7 Diabetes and Weight Loss Drug Stocks

Brian O'Connell April 10, 2024

7 Best Socially Responsible Funds

Jeff Reeves April 10, 2024

Fidelity Mutual Funds to Buy and Hold

Tony Dong April 10, 2024

Dividend Stocks to Buy and Hold

Wayne Duggan April 9, 2024

What Is a Stock Market Correction?

Marc Guberti April 9, 2024

If You Invested $10,000 in SMCI IPO

6 of the Best AI ETFs to Buy Now

Tony Dong April 9, 2024

7 Best Cybersecurity Stocks to Buy

Glenn Fydenkevez April 8, 2024

How Bitcoin Mining Is Evolving 

Matt Whittaker April 8, 2024

9 of the Best Bond ETFs to Buy Now

Tony Dong April 8, 2024

10 Best Tech Stocks to Buy for 2024

Wayne Duggan April 8, 2024

About the Methodology

U.S. News Staff April 8, 2024

We couldn’t find any results matching your search.

Please try using other words for your search or explore other sections of the website for relevant information.

We’re sorry, we are currently experiencing some issues, please try again later.

Our team is working diligently to resolve the issue. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

When Will the Fed Cut Interest Rates? Here Are the Latest Predictions

The latest inflation data was a setback for hopes of an interest rate cut at the Federal Reserve’s June meeting.

U.S. Consumer Sentiment Drops More Than Expected, Inflation Expectations Rise

2 unstoppable stocks to buy and hold forever, scaling today's carbon markets: a new market blueprint for 2024.

Nasdaq releases survey of 130+ carbon market decision-makers

Popular Topics

A Question Can Change the World

Discover how Nasdaq is challenging the status quo to advance economic progress for all.

Trading Bitcoin? Here Are Exchanges Offering the Best Conditions for Spot Traders

• Dmytro Spilka

Think Nvidia's Stock Price Is Too High? Maybe Not, According to 1 Wall Street Analyst

Here Are All 27 of Warren Buffett's Billion-Dollar Bets in Berkshire Hathaway's $370 Billion Portfolio

Whether you're just starting out or looking to brush up on your investing skills, we'll help you make smarter decisions about saving, investing and protecting your money.

This data feed is not available at this time.

Market Events

Upcoming events.

• IPO Calendar
• SPO Calendar
• Stock Splits

Explore how Nasdaq-100 leaders are transforming their industries and the future.

Pre Opening

Event Heading

Subscribe to nasdaq+ for full access.

Exclusive content, detailed data sets, and best-in-class trade insights to rewrite your portfolio for tomorrow.

Symbol Search

Most active by dollar volume, market volume, most advanced, most declined, where the voices of the market meet.

From technology to digital assets and more, TradeTalks explores the trends that are shaping the global markets.

TradeTalks Video Series

Broadcasting live from Nasdaq MarketSite and beyond, our series features engaging conversations with top industry leaders.

Sign up for the TradeTalks newsletter to receive your weekly dose of trading news, trends and education. Delivered Wednesdays.

Envision a Future - Fueled by Innovation, Technology and Expertise.

Featured Solutions

Capital Markets Trading & Connectivity

Nasdaq Marketplace Services Platform

Nasdaq Governance Solutions

The market is moving. Keep up.

Market makers.

Insights and analysis on the transformative forces shaping the global economy.  

How Retail Tracked the Rally

• Phil Mackintosh

Keeping the Pulse on the IPO Market

• Apr 4, 2024

Weekly Insights from Nasdaq Chief Economist Phil Mackintosh

Each week, Phil Mackintosh examines the biggest influences disrupting and driving the global markets — from industry-shaping technology and trends to evolving policies, market-moving IPOs and beyond.

Subscribe to Market Makers to get the latest on the influences driving the global markets, every Thursday, in your inbox

• Type a symbol or company name. When the symbol you want to add appears, add it to My Quotes by selecting it and pressing Enter/Return.

These symbols will be available throughout the site during your session.

Your symbols have been updated

Edit watchlist.

• Type a symbol or company name. When the symbol you want to add appears, add it to Watchlist by selecting it and pressing Enter/Return.

Opt in to Smart Portfolio

Smart Portfolio is supported by our partner TipRanks. By connecting my portfolio to TipRanks Smart Portfolio I agree to their Terms of Use .

Stock Market News More News

It's not just gold. Commodities from copper to cocoa are seeing huge gains in 2024.

• "This is your classic late-cycle rally in commodities," Carlyle's Jeff Currie told CNBC, as raw materials are shooting higher across the sector.

The stunning strength of the US economy means the soft landing may already be here, Evercore founder says

• "Arguably, the soft-landing already has happened," one Wall Street veteran says. citing the outperformance of the US economy relative to others.

AI will spark massive disruptions to labor markets and there's no social safety net that can contain the fallout, University of Chicago professor says

• American workers face a "day of reckoning" as the economy shifts to an AI-fueled labor force, one University of Chicago professor warns.

Buy these 23 stocks set to be long-term leaders while earnings crush estimates this year, according to strategists who've crafted a market-beating portfolio

• Stocks have temporarily run out of steam heading into a pivotal Q1 earnings season. Here are 23 companies set to dominate for years, according to BMO.

Markets Now April 14, 2024

Stocks all stocks.

There's a global shortage of stocks that will backstop the market for the foreseeable future

"We are just not going to have enough issuance to satiate the pools of capital that need to put money to work in equity markets," Josh Brown said.

Stock market today: Dow drops 475 points as Israel braces for potential attack from Iran

Investors were unimpressed with first-quarter earnings results from the mega-banks, with shares of JPMorgan declining by more than 6%.

Jamie Dimon warns that markets are 'too happy' and failing to price in a possible US downturn

"The chance of bad outcomes is higher than people think," JPMorgan chief Jamie Dimon told reporters on a call Friday.

Oil prices spike as markets fear escalation of Middle East conflict amid reports of Israel bracing for attack by Iran

"If push comes to shove between Israel and Iran, $100 or more is likely," Market veteran Ed Yardeni said on the oil price surge.

Stock market today: futures mixed ahead of JPMorgan, BlackRock earnings

Wall Street was eager for good news from the banks on Friday after a hot inflation report dashed hopes of an imminent cut to interest rates.

• S&P 500

Biggest Gainers

Biggest losers, indices all indices.

Stock market today: Tech leads rebound as traders move on from CPI and brace for earnings

US stocks rebounded Thursday, moving past inflation fears that triggered a sell-off in Wednesday's session as investors look toward earnings season.

Investors should immediately buy the stock market's post-CPI dip with a June rate cut still on the table, Fundstrat says

"Would you believe that this was actually a very good CPI report? I think there's a single chart that would explain it," Fundstrat's Tom Lee said.

The stock market's best-case interest rate scenario is in tatters after March CPI

Not only are the number of rate cuts dwindling among bank forecasts, but Larry Summers warns the odds of another hike have risen after March CPI.

Bonds All Bonds

Currencies all currencies, commodities all commodities.

2 reasons Apple's stock still has 25% upside despite struggling to start 2024, according to JPMorgan

JPMorgan holds a $210 price target on Apple, expecting iPhone volumes to accelerate in 2026 thanks to an AI-led upgrade.

Stock market today: Indexes edge higher after CPI-led rout as wholesale inflation shows improvement

US stocks trimmed losses Thursday after a big sell-off in the prior session, as a key inflation gauge rose less than anticipated in March.

ETFS All ETFS

*Most traded ETFs, Performance 3 months

• Get 7 Days Free

Market Indexes

U.s. market barometer, u.s. stock market closed, morningstar us market index.

Stocks ended the day lower on Friday, with the Morningstar US Market Index losing 1.5%, led by declines in basic materials stocks.

All 11 stock sectors ended the day lower on Friday. Losses were led by basic materials , which was down 1.78%; and technology , down 1.75%.

Morningstar Style Box

The Morningstar Style Box also closed down across the board on Friday. Mid value stocks fared the best with a 1.29% decline while small growth trailed the rest of the style box with a 2.06% decrease.

Apple ( AAPL ) was the most-actively traded stock as of Friday‘s close, gaining 0.86% to $176.55 per share. Among other actively traded stocks, Intel Corp ( INTC ) was down 5.16% to $35.69, NIO Inc. ( NIO ) was down 7.85% to $4.11, and Tesla ( TSLA ) was down 2.03% to $171.05 per share.

Featured Markets and Investing

• Markets Brief: What Fewer Rate Cuts Could Mean for Stock Valuations
• What’s Happening In the Markets This Week

• 10 Top-Performing Dividend Stocks for the Quarter
• 3 Dividend Stocks for April 2024

• 5 Top Dividend Stocks to Buy From the Best Managers
• Investment Opportunities in the Biopharma Industry

Market Movers

Most active stocks, top stock gainers, biggest stock losers, morningstar stock sectors, latest markets and investing.

Is the Stock Market Cheap or Expensive

Undervalued

Global Market Barometer

Market-cap weighted vs. equal weighted returns.

Do You Have the Wrong Index Funds for 2024’s Stock Market?

There are growing expectations that equal-weighted funds will shine in 2024.

Market Outlooks and Quarter-End Insights

2023 In Review and 2024 Market Outlook

2024 Market Outlook: What a ‘Return to Normal’ Means for Stocks

15 Charts On the Surprise ‘Everything Rally’ for 2023

The Risks Ahead for 2024 and How Investors Can Manage Them

Top-Performing Stocks of 2023

The Worst-Performing Stocks of 2023

How Bond Funds Fared in 2023

Active Equity Funds’ Triumphs and Trials Over the Past Year

Related stock market news - dow jones today, herbalife completes $1.6 billion secured refinancing to strengthen balance sheet, s&p/tsx composite index ends the week 1.64% lower at 21899.99 — data talk, bovespa index ends the week 0.67% lower at 125946.09 — data talk, s&p merval index ends the week 2.48% higher at 1244523.75 — data talk, ipc indice de precios y cotizaciones ends the week 2.63% lower at 56565.92 — data talk, adrs end lower, leju holdings ltd. declines 72%, djia falls 2.37% this week to 37983.24 — data talk, s&p 500 falls 1.55% this week to 5123.41 — data talk, more articles and videos.

Sponsor Center

/ The best trades require research, then commitment.

Where the world does markets.

Join 50 million traders and investors taking the future into their own hands.

Market summary

Editors' picks.

See all editors' picks ideas  

Indian stocks

Trade ideas.

See all stocks ideas  

Community trends

Highest volume stocks, most volatile stocks, stock gainers, stock losers, indian stocks news, world stocks.

See all world ideas  

World biggest companies

World largest employers, world stocks news.

See all ETF ideas  

Most traded

Highest aum growth, highest returns, highest dividend yields.

See all crypto ideas  

Crypto market cap ranking

Tvl ranking, crypto gainers, crypto losers, crypto news, forex and currencies.

See all forex ideas  

Currency indices

Futures and commodities.

See all futures ideas  

Energy futures

Metals futures, futures news.

See all bonds ideas  

Indian bonds

See all trade ideas  

Pine scripts

See all scripts  

Educational ideas

See all educational ideas  

Video ideas

See all video ideas  

Trading and brokers

See all brokers  

Academics used AI and machine learning to test 29,000 financial ratios. Here's the metric they found was the best predictor of stock-market returns.

• Alejandro Lopez-Lira, along with colleagues, used machine learning to test 200 investing theories.
• They also set the algorithm up to seek out ratios with better performance returns. 
• The algorithm identified a specific ratio involving sales from acquisitions and rental expenses.

Determining the best predictors of stock-market returns is like seeking the Holy Grail for investors. The problem is that the number of deciding factors can seem limitless, while the human power to test them all is not.

It may take an academic two years to test and publish findings for a financial theory, said Alejandro Lopez-Lira, an assistant professor of finance at the University of Florida who has been studying the capabilities of machine learning and artificial intelligence to see how useful technology can be in the stock-picking process.

In a previous study, he fed ChatGPT news headlines to determine if it could discern between buying or shorting a stock based on whether it perceived the information to be positive or negative for a company. The exercise produced a 512% return .

In this round, Lopez-Lira, along with Andrew Y. Chen, a principal economist at the Fed, and Tom Zimmermann, a professor for data analytics in economics and finance at the University of Cologne, tried to test the viability of 200 previously published academic investing theories using a machine learning algorithm to backtest for performance. They also allowed the algorithm to come up with its own ratios in an attempt to determine whether there are better indicators of stock-market performance.

Studies on financial theories are key in developing investment strategies and have helped establish ways to gain a competitive advantage in the market. But Michael Robbins, the author of "Quantitative Asset Management: Factor Investing and Machine Learning for Institutional Investing," says what works in theory may not always work in practice, and these results should be taken with a grain of salt. Investors and traders need to consider things such as market frictions that can delay the execution of a trade, like the ability of a broker to execute transactions. In the real world, fees and taxes could impact your gains, depending on how much you buy and sell.

Using the standard statistical programming language R and a hand-coded algorithm, they began to backtest peer-reviewed theories within their original sample period and outside it for an overall test period from 1985 to 2022. They then compared the results to alternative outcomes that the algorithm determined had similar or better returns within the same periods to see whether age-old academic investing guidelines are optimal or if there are better predictors of stock-market returns.

The study used 242 accounting variables from companies. Examples of variables included sales, market value, and cost of goods. The data points were then scaled using ratios to correlate a company's sales revenue to other variables, such as its size. The combination of different ratios led to roughly 29,000 possibilities, Lopez-Lira noted. An average of 3,300 companies were fed into the algorithm. Companies were rebalanced annually during the first quarter of every year after the annual earnings releases for the previous year were posted.

The minimum performance requirement for gains that meant the academic and algorithmic predictors were economically significant was 15 basis points monthly or 5% yearly.

Related stories

In one example, a 1993 study called "Common risk factors in the returns on stocks and bonds," originally tested between 1963 and 1990, concluded that the book-to-market variable is a predictor of high returns. It has been widely used as part of investing strategies for decades, Lopez-Lira said. However, the algorithm determined that 171 different accounting and financial ratios performed just as well within the sample period, and some even better after 1993.

Best-performing metric

In an additional step, Lopez-Lira fed the algorithm stocks from the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, and the Nasdaq Stock Market to find a ratio that showed the highest return. The result was initially counterintuitive: the buy signal was for publicly traded companies that experienced a drop in sales from other companies acquired during the previous year. The algorithm chose to divide sales from acquisitions by the publicly traded company's previous year's rental expenses to compare it to a fixed expense and determine company size relative to sales.

The backtest was run from 1985 to 2022, and the portfolio rebalanced companies in May of each year to account for annual earnings releases. On average, 62% of the names remained in the portfolio in the following year. The average monthly returns gained from buying companies based on this outcome was 0.38% for the years preceding 2012 and 1.03% after 2012. The book-to-market variable theory returned 0.62% per month before 2012 and less than 0.1% after 2012, which suggests its performance lagged the algorithm's metric in more recent years, according to results provided by Lopez-Lira.

The algorithm's final metric was:

"Inverse of Change in[Acquisitions sales contribution]/lag[Rental expense]"

Lopez-Lira noted that the algorithm they hard coded doesn't really know why a certain ratio performs well. It only detects that this is a very good predictive variable both in the sample period and outside it. And while the output isn't likely due to chance, there's no guarantee that this ratio will continue to perform well, he added.

Lopez-Lira referred to ChatGPT to ask why this ratio may have performed well. Its response was in line with his conclusion: the algorithm is picking up on negative human sentiment toward a temporary setback, which happens when companies have unexpected negative outcomes from acquiring a new company. The result is a sell-off that makes the stock undervalued or cheaply priced.

ChatGPT also noted that it could indicate inefficiencies in integrating acquisitions, overpaying for acquisitions, or a strategic misalignment.

Robbins added that there are two parts to this. First, he agrees that it's likely because investor sentiment is fickle and often short-sighted. However, management teams who make decisions about an acquisition often do their research and are playing the long game. Over time, their business plan could be proven correct.

In another part of ChatGPT's response, it acknowledged a similar conclusion:

"The market might not fully appreciate the future potential of companies with a low metric, especially if these companies are in the process of optimizing their acquisition strategies or renegotiating their rental agreements. The market might be overly focused on past performance and not on the potential for turnaround."

Robbins said that the equation suggests that the signal is stronger if the rental expense is small. These companies are more likely to show up on either the list to short or long the stock. This might exclude many types of companies, including those that have multiple brick-and-mortar branches, locations in big cities where rent is expensive, as well as real estate and industrial companies.

But all this is guessing. Robbins noted that traditionally, academics begin with a theory for why certain company fundamentals could be good predictors of stock market returns before testing them. Data mining for results and then coming up with a theory for the best-performing ratios is more challenging because there could be numerous reasons a researcher could come up with. More importantly, it might not mean anything. So you could rack your brain trying to find the theory behind it and there may be no theory, he said.

Robbins added that it's easy to find successful ratios by data mining thousands of possibilities because it discovers new information that's not widely used, but once it goes mainstream, it loses its advantage. Whether these findings can be put to work depends, says Robbins. It's definitely not a strategy an amateur trader would want to try. But proprietary trading shops or quantitative hedge funds that have pods each trading on a different strategy can.

"But you have to manage them properly," Robbins said. "It's a management exercise, not a money-making exercise. You have all these different strategies. If one of them is losing money, stop it right away. If somebody's making money, you let them keep making money. And if you keep doing that systematically with a lot of strategies over time, you'll make money."

ChatGPT's response to the use of the metric to trade:

"A long-short portfolio sorted inversely on this metric aims to exploit these potential mispricings. By going long on companies with a low metric (betting on their undervaluation and potential for turnaround) and shorting companies with a high metric (betting against their possible overvaluation and unsustainable growth rates), investors can potentially capture high expected returns. This strategy hinges on the belief that the market is not efficiently pricing the future potential of companies based on their current acquisition efficiency relative to rental expenses. Over time, as the market corrects these mispricings, the portfolio is expected to generate significant returns."

Watch: How Twitter panic took down Silicon Valley Bank

• Main content

Stock analysis and screening tool for investors in India.

Or analyse: Sandur Manganese Shilchar Tech Kovai Medical NGL Fine Chem Permanent Magnet Pix Transmission RACL Geartech Rossell India Shivalik Bimetal

More From Forbes

A disappointing trump media stock (djt) analysis.

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Linkedin

A reminder that risk accompanies return

The March and April SEC filings provide the information needed to analyze the Trump Media merger. Unfortunately for the new shareholders coming from Digital Acquisition, the result is disappointing.

What happened? Four negative developments

First , after an enthusiastic 2021-22 market environment, conditions turned negative in 2023. The delay decreased interest, so the merger actions slowed, and the Digital Acquisition stock stagnated.

Digital Acquisition stock chart through Trump Media merger

Second , Digital Acquisition expenses remained high, made worse by a misleading SEC filing that ended up costing an $18M settlement. That amount, along with the expenses, ate into the money that would transfer over to Trump Media in the case of a merger.

Third , Trump Media was running negative earnings, with moderate revenues and large expenses. As a result, they turned to private loans to keep the firm afloat, meaning the company's shareholder (equity) balance was getting more negative.

Fourth , there began a questionable strategy used by both Digital Acquisition and Trump Media management as they sought money. The idea was to raise cash by offering a conversion into new, bargain-priced shares of stock when/if the merger was completed. The result was the lenders received stock for repayment, not cash. Trump Media used convertible promissory notes, and Digital Acquisition used other convertible items.

Best High-Yield Savings Accounts Of 2024

Best 5% interest savings accounts of 2024, what is wrong with that.

That strategy undermines the value of all shareholders that bought the Digital Acquisition shares at full market value. Look at it this way:

Digital Acquisition was shrinking the per share assets behind the IPO shares. Management has a duty to protect shareholders, not to take advantage of them.

Trump Media took the strategy a step further. The merger was not complete, so they were offering conversion into something they did not own.

So, how big a deal are those convertible borrowings?

Very. It is visible in the March 25 8-K filing, on page C-7, under "Note 5 — Loss Per Share." Their table shows all the new shares coming together because of the merger:

All the sources of Trump Media shares

Now to the book value

Shareholders undoubtedly remember the Digital Acquisition IPO at $10 per share. And we know that money was in trust, earning interest. Perhaps forgotten is that there was a "founder" position that equaled a quarter of the offering at a near-zero cost. Therefore, spreading that $10 over all shares drops the per share book value to $8.

However, as discussed above, there have been sizable Digital Acquisition expenses, so the book value in the merger was $7.60.

Now to the bad news. Coming into the merger, Trump Media had negative book value. Worse, the number of original Trump Media shares was three times the number that came from Digital Acquisition. That pushed the per share book value down to $1.88. Include the other shares in the tables above, and the book value drops further.

The bottom line: Do not expect magic from the cash infusion

Trump Media has been struggling with low revenues compared to expenses. Moreover, the common stock is approaching the 200M shares shown in the tables above (up from the pre-merger 87M). Therefore, without a significant improvement in growth and revenues, it will be a challenge to maintain its high price.

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions