A Much-Needed Educational Piece about So-Called “Spot Bitcoin ETFs”

Eight years after the first application for a “Spot Bitcoin ETF” was filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), ten of them started trading on January 11, 2024.  The landmark decision was precipitated by Grayscale’s legal victory against the SEC in 2023. Sponsors of the nine so-called “ETFs” include well-known firms like Ark … Read more

The Terrible Ten

“The Magnificent Seven” was the most popular sobriquet among stock market strategists, portfolio managers and reporters in 2023.  Stocks such as Google, Nvidia, Tesla, Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, Apple dominated performance and volume charts.  Almost unnoticed, Broadcom pushed its way to 4th in Market Cap in the Nasdaq and more than doubled in price last year … Read more

A November to Remember While Recession Warnings Persist

Despite all the negative-to-flat market expectations from Wall Street specialists and other pundits that frequent CNBC for 2023, the recession they feared did not manifest itself, soft landing or otherwise. The economy continued to be strong enough to avoid negative GDP growth. S&P 500 Index ETFs, including SPLG, continue to outperform other broad-based benchmark ETFs … Read more

Using Emerging Internet and Technology ETFs to Identify Stock-Buying Opportunities

The “Magnificent Seven” has now replaced “FAMANGs” as the nickname for current market leadership.  It is also a somewhat deridingly used term for the “overpriced” stocks hated by value managers.  Holdovers include Apple, Amazon, Microsoft and Google.  Gone is Netflix.  New are Nvidia and Tesla while Facebook had a facelift to be renamed Meta. As … Read more

Reviewing the 3rd Quarter While Looking Ahead to Year-End

The third quarter of 2023 is now history.  The September effect overwhelmed mildly positive returns in July and August to submerge all six benchmark indexes we monitor quarterly into the red.  Although the order of best to worst varies among the six indexes, one commonality is having September as the worst historical month, both in … Read more

Combining Cyber-analysis and ValuEngine Model Forecasts for e-Commerce Companies

Analysis of the e-Commerce sector including SQ, LYFT, OSTK, VRSN, DOCU, IBUY. The purchase of the remains of the bankrupt Bed Bath and Beyond franchise by Overstock.com epitomizes the continued demise of brick-and-mortar stores succumbing to the efficiencies of e-Commerce.  It’s a continuing rather than a new story but the trend seems inexorable.   This thought … Read more

Screening for Timely and Liquid Stocks with Yield and EPS Growth

ValuEngine’s ratings from 1 (Strong Sell) to 5 (Strong Buy) are based upon our predictive model’s assessment of which stocks will appreciate most in price during the next 12 months on a percentage basis.  As such, it will sometimes favor small stocks with a lower base for its highest ratings.  Also, since it is price-appreciation … Read more

Semiconductor Stocks and ETFs – Is the Trend Still Your Friend?

Artificial Intelligence related stocks led the way robustly in the first half of 2023 with Nvidia (NVDA) leading the way.  The general consensus among major strategists cautions that the steep price increases of such stocks is characteristic of a market bubble.  Furthermore, for those who must be invested in equity, they suggest using growth stocks … Read more

How Have Expert Stock Selection ETFs Performed in this Decade Thus Far?

Throughout my career, I’ve heard professional investors assert that index funds are fine for bull markets but in volatile-to-down markets, active management will outperform.  SPIVA (S&P vs. Global) published research available from S&P Global has demonstrated that this was not true for actively managed mutual funds for 2022, and less true for the 2020-2022 period.  … Read more

Ill-Defined Outcomes – Results of a Research Study on Downside Mitigation ETFs

2022 provided a litmus test for ETFs designed to shield Investors from the full impact of a major stock market decline. The bad news is that half of them failed.  The good news is that three of them actually did perform in line with their objectives. These are the results of a recent study that I co-authored … Read more