Benzinga examined the prospects for many investors’ favorite stocks over the last week — here’s a look at some of our top stories.
The three major averages posted weekly gains, with the S&P 500 rising 1.36% and up over 19% for 2024, while the Dow gained 1.62% and the Nasdaq advanced 1.49%.
The Federal Reserve cut interest rates by 50 basis points in September, surprising many economists who expected a smaller 25-basis-point reduction.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell emphasized the need to act early to support the labor market, noting that strong employment requires proactive measures. While hinting at potential future cuts, Powell framed this move as a recalibration rather than a broader policy shift, stressing data-driven decision-making.
Benzinga provides daily reports on the stocks most popular with investors. Here are a few of this past week’s most bullish and bearish posts that are worth another look.
The Bulls
“Palantir ‘Key Enabler’ Of Clients’ Businesses, Says Bullish Analyst, As CEO Alex Karp Touts 10-Fold Growth From Current Levels,” by Shanthi Rexaline, highlights Palantir Technologies Inc‘s PLTR potential tenfold growth as CEO Alex Karp emphasizes the company’s role in accelerating client success, with BofA Securities maintaining a bullish outlook and a $50 price target.
“Walmart Division Sam’s Club Raises Wages For Hourly Associates: A Strategic Move To Stay Ahead In Retail,” by Anusuya Lahiri, details Walmart Inc.‘s WMT Sam’s Club wage increase for nearly 100,000 frontline workers, with hourly pay rising 3%-6% as part of a strategy to enhance worker retention and performance.
"Dogecoin Will Outperform Bitcoin In 2025, Vows Trader: Here’s What The ‘Follower Effect’ Means,” by Khyathi Dalal, shares a crypto trader’s belief that Dogecoin DOGE/USD will outperform Bitcoin BTC/USD in 2025, benefiting from its rapid growth and leveraging Bitcoin's trajectory via the “follower effect.”
For additional bullish calls of the past week, check out the following:
Qualcomm Analyst Sees Opportunity In ‘Regaining Share With Samsung’ After Apple Revenue Squeeze
Nvidia Considers $165M OctoAI Acquisition, Aims to Strengthen AI and Cloud Dominance
The Bears
“Apple iPhone 16 Pre-Orders Show Possible Low Demand, One Sign Could Point To Company Break With This Employee Rule,” by Chris Katje, highlights concerns over weaker-than-expected demand for Apple Inc‘s AAPL iPhone 16, with an analyst citing early pre-order data of 37 million units and employee discounts available unusually early as potential warning signs.
"Home Depot Agrees To Settlement, While Overbought Signals Warn Of Potential Sell-Off," by Mark Putrino, reports on Home Depot Inc‘s HD nearly $2 million settlement for overcharging allegations. At the same time, technical indicators suggest the stock may face a sell-off due to overbought conditions.
"Brace For Stagflation After Fed’s Benevolence, Warns Analyst, Raising 5 Corporate Red Flags: ‘Inflation Is Transitory Mistake All Over Again’," by Shanthi Rexaline, discusses Gordon Johnson‘s warning that the Federal Reserve‘s recent rate cuts could lead to stagflation, citing downturns at Skechers U.S.A., Inc. SKX and FedEx Corp. FDX as red flags.
For more bearish takes, be sure to see these posts:
EXCLUSIVE: Options Expert Warns Of ‘Terrible Week’ After Friday’s Triple Witching
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This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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