environment

The Cost of Living in Hawaii in 2022

Figure out if you can live in paradise. Here’s what it really costs to live in Hawaii.

The post The Cost of Living in Hawaii in 2022 appeared first on The Rent. Blog : A Renter’s Guide for Tips & Advice.

The 8 Best Stock Investing and Trading Podcasts

If you want to build wealth in financial markets, education plays a big role. These podcasts are one of the most entertaining ways to learn.

10 Defensive ETFs to Protect Your Portfolio

It’s hard to blame investors for wanting to dive into a safe room following the S&P 500’s worst first half of a year since 1970. Fortunately, they can find the protection they seek via defensive exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

Sir John Templeton famously quipped that “the four most expensive words in the English language are ‘This time is different.'” But in 2022, it seems almost naive to say that the environment we’re in is something that investors have seen before.

  • SEE MORE Can AI Beat the Market? 10 Stocks to Watch

U.S. inflation just hit a 40-year high. The Federal Reserve is engaged in the most aggressive monetary policy tightening since the mid-1990s. The war in Ukraine has devastated the nation and unwound existing global supply chains for key commodities. Oh yeah, and there’s still the urgent climate crisis we’ve failed to address with heat waves shattering records yet again in 2022.

It’s worth admitting that over the very long term, stocks always recover and move higher. So, one way to get through the current volatility on Wall Street is to simply refuse to look at stock quotes for two or three years and hope things look better on the other side.

However, if you don’t have the self-control or inclination to just stick with the old large-cap stock funds that worked in the past, the following 10 defensive ETFs could be worth a look.

Data is as of July 30. Dividend yields represent the trailing 12-month yield, which is a standard measure for equity funds.

  • SEE MORE The 12 Best ETFs to Battle a Bear Market

Stock Market Today: S&P Suffers Worst First Half Since 1970

A broad down day for the major indexes put the cherry on the melted sundae that was the stock market’s first half of trading in 2022.

The S&P 500 declined 0.9% on Thursday to 3,785, securing a 20.6% decline for the year’s first six months – its worst such performance since bombing out by 21% during 1970’s first half.

  • SEE MORE The 15 Best Stocks to Buy for the Rest of 2022

A glimmer of hope for today’s hurting investors: That year, the S&P 500 followed up its implosion with a 26.5% rebound through New Year’s Eve. Whether we get the same remains to be seen, but Dan Wantrobski, technical strategist and associate director of research at Janney Montgomery Scott – who provided us with a potential market-bottom target yesterday – notes that the market is pretty oversold right now, and that we could at least see a short-term bounce.

“If one materializes, continue to watch for initial resistance first toward 4,100-4,200, then closer to the 4,400-4,500 zone [after that],” he says.

But for now, investors are licking their wounds.

“The S&P 500 reached an all-time high on the very first trading day of the year, but then promptly suffered through one of its toughest first-half performances ever, along with a pummeling in most major financial markets,” says Douglas Porter, chief economist for BMO Capital Markets. “The challenging environment started and ended with inflation – and the increasingly urgent central bank campaign to control it – further aggravated by the Ukraine invasion in late February.”

Now? Energy-driven supply shocks are forcing global growth expectations lower even as inflation remains red-hot.

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The market received a potential sign that price gains might moderate, though it wasn’t enough to lift investor spirits. The Bureau of Economic Analysis reported that the personal consumption expenditure (PCE) index for May rose 0.2% month-over-month (MoM), below expectations for 0.4%. Core PCE (which excludes food and energy, and is the Federal Reserve’s preferred measure of inflation) was up 0.3% MoM.

  • SEE MORE The 12 Best ETFs to Battle a Bear Market

“Most measures of inflation have likely peaked, although tight inventories of oil, gas, and diesel mean risks to energy prices are still to the upside.” says Bill Adams, chief economist for Comerica Bank. Still, “Americans are running faster just to stay even,” he adds, as rising costs of living absorbed all the increased spending power from added jobs and higher wages in May.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average followed the S&P 500 lower, dipping 0.8% to 30,775 – a 15.3% first-half loss. The Nasdaq Composite’s 1.3% drop to 11,028 locked in a massive 29.5% decline over 2022’s first six months.

YCharts

Other news in the stock market today:

  • The small-cap Russell 2000 declined 0.7% to 1,707.
  • U.S. crude oil futures dropped by 3.7% to $105.76 per barrel.
  • Gold futures edged 0.6% lower to $1,807.30 per ounce.
  • Bitcoin bled out by 6.7% to $18,895.16. (Bitcoin trades 24 hours a day; prices reported here are as of 4 p.m.) 
  • Pfizer (PFE, +2.9%) and BioNTech (BNTX, +5.0%) both popped after announcing late Wednesday that they had collectively reached a $3.2 billion deal to provide 105 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to the U.S. government.

Let Data do the Work?

Stock market investors don’t exactly have an easy path in the year ahead. Lindsey Bell, chief markets and money strategist for Ally Invest, provides a sobering outlook:

  • SEE MORE Smart Investing in a Bear Market

“Pessimism is everywhere you look. Consumers, business leaders, economists and my neighbors are all downbeat about the future of economic growth. Inflation has taken on greater significance in this view as the consumer inches ever closer to a tipping point on higher prices. The Fed’s commitment to tame inflation is leading to more confusion and uncertainty for investors. The greatest fear is that the Fed will force a recession by rapidly increasing interest rates.”

Obviously, 2022 has been a brutal year for most investors. So why not heed one of the rare strategies to do quite well?

Danelfin, an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven analytics platform, uses AI to analyze more than 900 fundamental, technical and sentiment data points per day for 1,000 U.S.-listed shares and 600 stocks listed in Europe. As we’ve checked in on it throughout the year, it has done well against the market – and especially well of late. The fintech’s top 10 stock picks generated a price return of 2.1% from March 11, which is the last time we looked at Danelfin’s picks. The S&P 500? It’s down 7.5% during that span.

Read on as we look at what Danelfin AI system says are the top stocks to watch right now.

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Cleaning Traditions from Around the World

Read up on eight of the most interesting cleaning traditions from around the world.

The post Cleaning Traditions from Around the World appeared first on The Rent. Blog : A Renter’s Guide for Tips & Advice.

COVID-19 And Its Impact On The Real Estate Market

As investors and home buyers are re-evaluating and sellers remain unsure of what’s next, it’s important to understand how the Coronavirus has impacted the industry, but also how real estate professionals are working to mitigate the impacts.

The post COVID-19 And Its Impact On The Real Estate Market appeared first on Homes.com.

Stock Market Today: Stocks Catch a Second Wind to Start Second Half

U.S. equities managed to escape negative territory Friday and finish in the black despite some downbeat economic data – a welcome beginning to 2022’s second half after a dreadful performance through the midway point.

Front and center Friday was the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) manufacturing index, which delivered its weakest reading in two years. The index’s June reading of 53.0, which was down considerably from May’s 56.1, fell well below economists’ forecasts for 54.5 and marked its lowest point since June 2020.

  • SEE MORE The 15 Best Stocks to Buy for the Rest of 2022

“The new orders component was particularly rough,” say Wells Fargo economists Tim Quinlan and Shannon Seery. “It slipped 5.9 points to 49.2, which marks the first contraction reading since May 2020, when the economy was coming out of pandemic-related lockdowns.”

The pair add that while the report demonstrates slower manufacturing activity, supply problems are continuing to ease. “In short, the report piles onto weaker consumer data received this week and signals investment spending is starting to weaken too.”

From a sector standpoint, utilities (+2.5%) and real estate (+1.8%) were among Friday’s biggest winners as investors appeared to chase yield. But the most noteworthy individual equities were heading in the other direction. Kohl’s (KSS, -19.6%) plunged after announcing it had ended its attempts to sell the company, putting the kibosh on Vitamin Shoppe owner Franchise Group’s plans to buy the struggling retailer. Kohl’s also reduced its second-quarter sales forecast.

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Meanwhile, computer memory firm Micron Technology (MU, -3.0%) warned that it expected its components for smartphones to decline by 5% year-over-year, and PC products to decline 10%. That weighed on the entire industry, as shown by an 3.5% decline in the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX).

  • SEE MORE The 12 Best ETFs to Battle a Bear Market

The broader markets, however, shrugged off early-session declines and finished with decent gains to kick off 2022’s second half. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 1.1% to 31,097, the S&P 500 improved 1.1% to 3,825, and the Nasdaq Composite climbed 0.9% to 11,127.

And remember: It’s a long weekend for investors, with the stock and bond markets both closed Monday for the Fourth of July.

YCharts

Other news in the stock market today:

  • The small-cap Russell 2000 gained 1.1% to 1,726.
  • U.S. crude oil futures rebounded by 2.5% to $108.43 per barrel
  • Gold futures, which momentarily dropped below the $1,800 mark, finished Friday down 0.3% to $1,801.50 per ounce.
  • Bitcoin recovered by 2.5% to $19,359.05 (Bitcoin trades 24 hours a day; prices reported here are as of 4 p.m.) 

Deals Have Gone Dormant

The possibility of recession isn’t just being felt in stock prices – it’s also being felt in dealmaking. Well, to be precise, a lack thereof. Says Quincy Krosby, chief equity strategist for independent broker-dealer LPL Financial: 

  • SEE MORE Smart Investing in a Bear Market

“As fears of an imminent recession rise, de-risking in capital markets continues as SPAC (Special Purpose Acquisition Companies) deals, which enjoyed tremendous investor enthusiasm while real rates were negative, continue to unwind. The IPO (initial public offering) calendar remains on hold until markets stabilize and risk appetite returns. Similarly, volume in private equity deals, as well as merger-and-acquisition announcements, have slowed as the overall investing environment faces a host of challenges associated with the global campaign to curtail inflation.”

The fix for that could be the very same thing that would help the stock market get back on its feet: a better-than-expected second-quarter earnings season.

That kind of upside surprise, of course, is no guarantee. So for now, caution is key – and investors looking for a little protection have a wealth of options. These 10 defensive ETFs, for instance, have widely outperformed the broader market and offer stability for anyone expecting more turbulence before the skies finally clear.

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Will Mortgage Rates Hit 7% Next?

It seems mortgage rates can’t catch a break in 2022, despite a few pullbacks here and there. However, those moments are often short-lived, and met with new highs not long after. The 30-year fixed started the year in the low 3% range, and has since surpassed 6%, depending on the mortgage lender in question. That… Read More »Will Mortgage Rates Hit 7% Next?

The post Will Mortgage Rates Hit 7% Next? appeared first on The Truth About Mortgage.

Should You Invest in a College Town Rental?

More and more parents are buying a college town rental when a child starts at a university to solve their housing needs for the next four years. Is this the right decision for you?

The post Should You Invest in a College Town Rental? appeared first on Homes.com.

Stock Market Today: Markets Steady, But Bed Bath, Cruise Lines Tumble

A slow macroeconomic news day resulted in one of the lowest-volume sessions of 2022, though a few individual equities endured more than their fair share of volatility.

The S&P 500, which finished with a small gain Wednesday, posted the index’s smallest intraday range for the year, according to Michael Reinking, senior market strategist for the New York Stock Exchange. “That bit of stability is welcome after the violent reversal seen during yesterday’s session, which saw the early 1% gain in the S&P 500 turn into a 2% loss when all was said and done.”

  • SEE MORE 5 Best Bond ETFs for 2022

Not so for the energy sector (-3.5%), where recent whipsawing continued. U.S. crude oil futures declined 1.8% to $109.78 per barrel as traders waited for news from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and their allies (together, OPEC+), which are meeting today and tomorrow. That clipped oil and gas stocks including Devon Energy (DVN, -6.1%) and APA (APA, -6.9%).

A few individual stocks hit the mat even harder. Bed Bath & Beyond (BBBY) fell 23.6% after announcing that quarterly revenues had plunged by 25% to a worse-than-expected $1.46 billion, and that same-store sales (revenues earned in stores open at least 12 months) were off by 24%. And worse –the ship just lost its captain, as BBBY said CEO Mark Tritton has left the company.

Another firm in troubled waters is Carnival (CCL, -14.1%), which dragged down the entire cruise line industry Wednesday after a price-target cut from Morgan Stanley. Analyst Jamie Rollo now sees the stock going to $7 per share (-32% from yesterday’s closing price), with a worst-case scenario in which a global downturn sends the stock to zero.

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“If there is a demand shock that causes trip cancellations or weak bookings … liquidity could quickly shrink,” he says.

Industrymates Royal Caribbean (RCL, -10.3%) and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH, -9.3%) swooned in sympathy.

  • SEE MORE European Dividend Aristocrats: 40 Top International Dividend Stocks

The major indexes didn’t move much, however. The Dow Jones Industrial Average improved by 0.3% to 31,029, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite slipped marginally to 3,818 and 11,177, respectively.

YCharts

Other news in the stock market today:

  • The small-cap Russell 2000 wasn’t nearly so calm, dipping 1.1% to 1,719.
  • Gold futures gave back 0.2% to end at $1,817.50 an ounce.
  • Bitcoin finished marginally higher to $20,255.00. (Bitcoin trades 24 hours a day; prices reported here are as of 4 p.m.) 
  • Teradyne (TER) slumped 5.2% after BofA Global Research analyst Vivek Arya downgraded the semiconductor equipment manufacturer to Neutral (Hold) from Buy. “We continue to think of Teradyne as a high-quality vendor and leader in the relatively duopoly market of semiconductor testing,” Arya says. “However, TER’s high exposure to Apple (~10% currently but has been 20-25% in the past) exposes the company to large volatility in iPhone demand and Apple design complexity.” He adds that TER’s high-growth industrial automation segment is exposed to any downturn in the global industrial economy and competition from Asia.
  • It was a volatile session for Nio (NIO), which was down nearly 8% at one point after short seller Grizzly Research issued a report accusing the electric-vehicle maker of an “audacious scheme” to “exaggerate revenue and profitability.” Nio replied in a statement, saying the report was “without merit,” bringing the shares close to breakeven in late-morning trading, although they still ended the day down 2.2%. CFRA Research analyst Lim Jian Xiong maintained a Buy rating on NIO, saying more disclosures from the company should be expected. “We think NIO’s EV portfolio expansion (3 SUV and 2 sedan models in 2022) will sustain its strong revenue momentum, drive an improvement in operating leverage, and support our projected turnaround in NIO’s business by Q4 2023,” the analyst added.

Trying to Call a Bottom Misses the Point

How low will the market go, and when will it hit its nadir? While there’s no crystal ball that has the exact answer to either of these questions, Dan Wantrobski, technical strategist and associate director of research at Janney Montgomery Scott, is happy to project a possible bottom, but he stresses that’s not the point.

  • SEE MORE The 10 Best Stocks for a Bear Market

“We still believe the U.S. equity markets are entering the bottoming process of a correction cycle that began well over a year ago,” says Dan Wantrobski, technical strategist and associate director of research at Janney Montgomery Scott. “There is still likely more volatility to come, and within such a framework, we continue to believe the 3,100-3,200 range is a distinct possibility for the S&P 500 in the weeks ahead (before a final low is confirmed).”

However, he says the goal here shouldn’t be to trade these markets on a short-term basis or try to pinpoint an exact bottom. “Rather, it should be to take advantage of significant multiple compression in valuations relative to the long-term growth prospects for the U.S. When viewed from this lens, we believe those investors with longer-term horizons can start to put some money to work in the current environment.” As in, now.

Thus, keep an eye on values. Kiplinger columnist James A. Glassman recently disclosed his own wish list of stocks to buy while they’re down. But the general thrust for investors right now is, if it’s high-quality and bargain-priced, now might be the time to bite – as long as you’re patient. Keep that in mind as you explore these 15 value stocks that seem ripe for a renaissance.

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