Markets

Every major U.S. stock index has taken a step backward since the start of December. U.S. equities have reversed course this month because of inflationary pressures, the omicron variant, and year-end tax-loss harvesting. What's the best strategy to navigate this chaotic market? Dividend stocks are always worth owning as part of a well-rounded portfolio. Equities that dole out regular dividends to shareholders, after all, can smooth out the rough patches during volatile periods in the market. What's more, these types of stocks come with a built-in level of safety because of their attractiveness as passive income vehicles. Which dividend stocks are must-owns right now? The top pharma stocks Amgen ( NASDAQ:AMGN ) , Bristol Myers Squibb ( NYSE:BMY ) , and GlaxoSmithKline ( NYSE:GSK ) are all worth adding to your portfolio soon. Here's a look at the key features associated with each of these three rock-solid dividend plays . Image source: Getty Images. 1. … [Read more...] about 3 Must-Own Dividend Stocks in This Chaotic Market

While you might not like what I'm about to say, it's the truth: A stock market crash or steep correction may be brewing . Since the beginning of 1950, the benchmark S&P 500 has undergone 38 double-digit percentage declines, equating to roughly one every 1.9 years. Even though Wall Street doesn't strictly adhere to averages, it's important to recognize that crashes and corrections are a normal part of the investing cycle. On the other hand, dips in the market are also an incredible opportunity to pick up high-quality stocks at a discount. While there are numerous investing strategies that can make you richer over time, dividend stocks have a proven track record of outperforming their non-dividend-paying peers. Since dividend stocks are almost always profitable and time-tested, they're the perfect way to put money to work in a volatile market. If a stock market crash does occur in 2022, the following four dividend stocks would make for perfect buys. Image source: … [Read more...] about 4 Perfect Dividend Stocks to Buy if There’s a Stock Market Crash

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin The value vs. growth trade is in full swing as we enter 2022. After years of growth stock outperformance, many are calling for value stocks, or stocks that are cheap based on earnings, cash flows, assets or sales, to finally have their day in the sun and regain their market beating ways. In this article, I outline the case for value investing and highlight the two dozen or so stocks that score highest based on a time-tested value methodology I run at Validea . A quick sampling of recent headlines gives us an indication of where the experts are at when it comes to value over growth given where we are in the economic and market cycle. · Great Stock Rotation Has Legs, Wall Street Pros Sa y, Bloomberg · Cheap Stocks to Finally Have Their Day in 2022, Investors Say , Bloomberg · 2022 is going to be a great year for value stocks: Ariel's John Rogers , CNBC · The stock market has been flipped upside down in 2022. , … [Read more...] about The 25 Cheapest Value Stocks In The Market Today

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin The last time the Federal Reserve tried to taper its money-printing ways, the S&P 500 dropped 20% in 11 weeks. I’m not sure if the sequel is going to be any kinder to “America’s ticker,” the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) SPY . It’s time to prepare. The best time to sell speculative, profitless positions was last week. The second-best time is probably now, with Jay Powell set to stop his bond buying and start raising rates in the next couple of months. I know many dividend investors are feeling smug, and rightly so. We made a bunch of money from Powell’s printing, and now our dividend darlings appear set to attract “basic” investors from the land of crypto and tech. But not all dividend payers are safe today. Some are anything but, and will be washed out alongside the speculative junk. (We’ll name two of these dangerous dividends below.) But first, a toast. Powell Has Been Good to Us One day we may raise a … [Read more...] about 2 Dangerous Dividends That’ll Be Wiped Out In ’22

- A + A KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 20): Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) maintained its overnight policy rate (OPR) at 1.75% in its first monetary policy committee (MPC) meeting for the year. The central bank in a statement on Thursday (Jan 20) said the MPC considers the current stance of monetary policy to be appropriate and accommodative. "Fiscal and financial measures will continue to cushion the economic impact on businesses and households and provide support to economic activity. "The stance of monetary policy will continue to be determined by new data and their implications on the overall outlook for inflation and domestic growth," it elaborated. BNM added that headline inflation averaged 2.3% for the period of January-November last year and expected average headline inflation in 2022 to remain moderate as the base effect from fuel inflation dissipates. Meanwhile, underlying inflation as measured by core inflation is expected to edge upwards as economic activity … [Read more...] about BNM maintains OPR at 1.75% in first MPC meeting for 2022

- A + A KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 20): The Malaysia Competition Commission (MyCC) said it will continue to monitor PLUS Malaysia Bhd and Touch 'n Go Sdn Bhd in relation to the implementation of the radio frequency identification (RFID) technology along PLUS highways to ensure they do not breach competition laws. “Taking into account the special responsibilities arising from the dominant positions of both enterprises in the relevant markets, MyCC will continue to monitor the situation from time to time and when any competition concern is identified, the Competition Act 2010 will be enforced," the competition regulator's chief executive officer Iskandar Ismail said in a statement. "Secondly, it is pertinent to remember that innovation-related markets can create uncertainty. Thus, MyCC will work closely with the government to ensure these changes will always serve the consumers’ best interest,” he added. The RFID system implemented by PLUS, the country's largest highway … [Read more...] about I am watching you, MyCC tells PLUS, Touch ‘n Go on implementation of RFID

- A + A SYDNEY (Jan 20): Australian employment raced ahead in December as the jobless rate fell to its lowest point since 2008, showing strength that should help the economy weather the current surge in coronavirus cases across the country. Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Thursday showed employment jumped 64,800 in December, topping market forecasts of a 43,300 rise and adding to November's record jump of 366,000. The unemployment rate fell to 4.2%, from 4.6% in November, the lowest reading since August 2008, when the jobless rate bottomed out at 4%. The ABS noted that to find a result under 4% you needed to go back to the 1970s. Investors reacted by nudging the local dollar up to US$0.7228 on wagers of an early rate increase from the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), which has been seeking to drive unemployment to 4% or lower to lift wage growth after years of sub-par gains. The blistering growth in jobs hit a speed bump this month, however, as a … [Read more...] about Australia jobless number dives to lowest since 2008 as case builds for rate rise

- A + A SINGAPORE (Jan 20): A small blank-cheque firm backed by state investor Temasek made its Singapore debut on Thursday, marking the first such local listing as Singapore steps up a drive to emerge as a key venue for listings of this type. This came four months after Singapore Exchange (SGX) allowed special-purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) or shell firms to list, easing proposed rules in response to market feedback. The listing of Vertex Venture's SPAC also marks the first major debut of such vehicles in Asia since the frenzy seen in the United States in early 2021 prior to regulatory changes there. "As the first SPAC in Singapore, we had to tread through difficult and unchartered waters," Chua Kee Lock, chief executive officer of Vertex Venture, a Temasek subsidiary, told company executives, bankers, and lawyers at a listing ceremony. With an eye on sectors such as cybersecurity and fintech, Vertex Technology Acquisition Corp raised S$200 million … [Read more...] about Singapore lists first SPAC as Asia investors warm up to blank-cheque firms

- A + A KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 20): CIMB Group Holdings Bhd's indirect 99.99%-owned subsidiary CIMB Bank Bhd on Thursday (Jan 20) issued its US$500 million (RM2.09 billion) worth of debt notes on the Singapore Exchange (SGX). According to CIMB Bank's filing with the SGX on Thursday, the US$500 million debt notes, which pay an annual interest rate of 2.125%, will be listed and quoted on the SGX's Bonds Market at 9am on Friday (Jan 21). It added that the US$500 million debt notes will mature in 2027. The bank, however, did not elaborate on its plans on how to use the proceeds from the bond issue. At Bursa Malaysia as of the time of writing, CIMB's share price fell six sen or 1.13% to RM5.27, giving the bank a market capitalisation of about RM53.87 billion. Over the past one year, the stock has gained 31% from RM4.04. Lam Jian Wyn … [Read more...] about CIMB Bank to issue US$500m bonds for SGX listing

- A + A KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 20): Manulife Investment Management (Manulife IM) says Malaysia’s accelerated vaccination rates, which was faster than what the market had anticipated, combined with increased government spending ahead of the next general election could support domestic demand amid the lingering effects of the pandemic. At a media briefing on Thursday (Jan 20), Manulife IM’s Head of Macro Strategy (Asia), Sue Trinh said the outlook for Asian countries in 2022 is a mixed bag as the cyclical macro conditions are favourable for reopening and recovery in Taiwan, select Asean countries such as Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia, as well as Japan. “Structurally, the Asian region has a lot of work to do to recoup lost output due to the pandemic. The biggest concern remains weak consumer demand which will be exposed by the looming downturn in export growth. “On the other hand, Asia’s milder inflation expectation comes down to one simple factor — … [Read more...] about Accelerated vaccination rates, higher govt spending to support domestic demand, says Manulife IM