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Tom Hutchinson

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It’s ugly again. The market recovered from the 10% correction bottom earlier this month. But it plunged again below the earlier low on Monday as tariff issues have taken center stage.

Hopefully, stocks will bounce off the low again, but it isn’t looking good right now. The tariff deadline is this week, and uncertainties abound. It is yet unclear how many countries will be included in the reciprocal tariffs and to what extent there will be exceptions. The market may be happier about things by the end of the week. But if it isn’t, stocks will likely go lower.
Investor attention is rotating from the mega-cap growth stocks to the rest of the market which means other stocks, like these solid dividend payers, are set to outperform.
The markets are currently struggling in troubled waters, but these two safe stocks can thrive in any environment and help buoy your portfolio.
The S&P 500 officially hit correction territory last week, down 10% or more from the high. While the bulk of the selling might be near the end, stocks are unlikely to gain significant and lasting upside traction until current uncertainties dissipate.

Last week’s inflation report was good. The CPI number was better than expected and showed a decrease in the level of price increases for the first time in several months. The economy appears to be slowing, but investors are likely okay with that if there isn’t a recession. Those two things add up to lower interest rates. But the tariff uncertainty seems to be preventing any kind of positive new narrative from taking shape in the market.
Selling accelerated this week after last week was the worst since September. The S&P is down 4% YTD and at its lowest level in more than five months. The Nasdaq index is in correction territory, down more than 10% from the high.

The big issue seems to be tariffs. Tariffs on China, Canada, and Mexico are escalating. The new Canadian Prime Minister also appears to be taking a hard line, and it looks like the trade issues won’t be resolved for a while. But it’s also the fact that tariffs are hitting the economy at a vulnerable point as fears of a slowing economy are growing.
After a strong start to the year, February was a down month for the S&P 500. The index is just a little over 1% higher YTD. But the news is better than it may seem.

Sure, the market has been struggling. But it’s only because of technology, which is down over 5% YTD. Nine of the other ten sectors in the S&P are positive for the year. Some sectors are having very good years as Health Care is up over 8% and Consumer Staples and Financials are up over 7% YTD.
The former leaders are taking the back seat in this changing bull market, and these two undervalued dividend stocks look poised to help pick up the slack.
The market has been sideways for the past couple of months. It’s up YTD because of a rebound from the December swoon. But the S&P is still at about the same level it was in early December.

Earnings have been solid, averaging about 11% growth in the quarter as tech earnings moderate and the rest of the market catches up. Earnings are expected to average about 14% in 2025. But the solid earnings quarter is only helping the market hold serve in the face of higher interest rate expectations, tariffs, and a strong dollar.
Stocks continue to move higher despite more tariff news. A 25% tariff was announced over the weekend on all imported steel. But the market is so far taking the news in stride during a good earnings season.

We’ll see what happens with the tariffs. But whatever happens with this latest round, it is most likely that tariff issues will remain at least a background story for most of this year. Meanwhile, stocks are being buoyed by strong earnings.
It’s one thing after another. But stocks keep inching higher.

January featured the interest rate scare, as the ten-year Treasury hit the highest level since 2023, and the DeepSeek news, which called AI spending into question and sent related stocks reeling. Yet the S&P 500 finished the month up 2.7% with 10 of the 11 sectors higher for January. This week features more potential market-moving issues.
Growing demand for electricity, continued reliance on fossil fuels, and a new administration in the White House all spell more demand for natural gas, and these are two of the best natural gas stocks for the year ahead.
If consistent cash in your pocket isn’t reason enough to own monthly dividend REITs, here are some other attractive features of this type of investment.
A week ago, the market was teetering on the brink. But it teetered in the right direction.

The benchmark ten-year Treasury rate had soared above 4.8%, dangerously close to the late 2023 peak of about 5%. December CPI inflation was reported last week. A bad number could have thrust the 10-year rate above the peak, almost certainly prompting a selloff in stocks. But Wall Street was happy with the number and things went the other way.
Uh oh. The rally is in trouble.

The market sort of wobbled into January after a rough December. It started good but things turned a little ugly last week after a better-than-expected jobs report and worries about sticky inflation.
The market sobered up in December after a big post-election rally in November. The S&P fell 2.5% in the last month of the year. But January has started out with stocks up 2.2% already.

Technology is driving the market higher. The sector is taking off after Nvidia (NVDA) issued bullish statements about demand for its artificial intelligence chips. AI is a huge growth catalyst for the market’s largest sector and has proven it can drive the indexes higher all by itself. In fact, technology has been the primary catalyst for the S&P over most of this bull market. But things might be changing.
And we were having such a good time. Stocks were killing it in November after the election. But December turned out to be a real stinker.

Sure, the S&P 500 is only down about 1% over the past month. But that’s only because the big tech companies are still doing okay. The rest of the market is getting slapped around. Eight of the eleven S&P sectors are down in December. And many individual stocks are having a terrible month.
A new administration in Washington should drastically change the prospects for U.S. energy companies, and this liquid natural gas (LNG) company is poised to benefit.
The post-election bounce is over. But stocks could still finish the year higher. These are good times. The S&P 500 is up about 30% year to date. This adds to a 26% return for the index in 2023.
The market has been just great! The S&P 500 was up 5.7% in November and now has a 26.47% year-to-date return. This adds to the 26% market return last year.

Stocks were riding high, and the election provided a further boost as investors expect a higher level of economic growth going forward. The cyclical stocks have led the recent charge. The best-performing market sectors since the election are finance, consumer discretionary, and energy.
Rising Treasury yields and geopolitical risks raise the prospect of uncertainty in the market. These conservative dividend stocks can help you weather the storm.
With mortgage rates below their recent highs and an ongoing housing shortage, the future is looking bright for homebuilders, and this luxury builder is my favorite way to play it.
The market leveled off last week after the huge election surge. Stocks are trying to find a more sober post-election footing.

The S&P 500 was down very slightly last week after soaring 5% in the three days following the election. The initial reaction to the Trump victory was higher growth expectations and a surge in cyclical stocks countered by a spike in interest rates. We’ll see if those trends continue after the market fully digests the election.
The policy proposals of the new administration are raising the prospects for a Trump energy boom, and this natural gas stock is my favorite way to play it.
Donald Trump was elected President last Tuesday, and the market posted the best week of the year. The S&P 500 soared about 5% in the three days following the election.

Investors perceive his election will deliver stronger economic growth, primarily through deregulation and tax cuts. Although interest rates spiked higher on the expectation of a stronger economy, the market views the revised prognosis as overwhelmingly bullish, so far.
It’s all about the election right now.

The massive political event is sucking all the oxygen away from everything else. It’s worth noting that the Fed will meet and likely cut the Fed Funds rate this week. That will be the focus after the election is resolved, if it’s resolved.

I don’t get into the business of predicting political outcomes. That’s not my horserace. As of now, the markets seem to be leaning toward a Trump victory. That appears to be the more likely bet. But all that stuff favored Hillary even more so in 2016. We’ll see what happens.
It has been a great market for most of the last two years. But the bull market chops will be severely tested over the next couple of weeks.

The S&P 500 is within a whisker of the all-time high after rallying 22% YTD and over 60% in the past two years. The recent investor perception is that the Fed has begun a rate-cutting cycle that will last for two years, and the economy is still solid. That view will be put to the test this week.
Dividend stocks love lower interest rates, and these two dividend payers are among the best in the market.
The bull market is now two years old and shows no signs of stopping.

Since the bear market low in October of 2022, the S&P 500 has risen more than 60%. It has been powered by the artificial intelligence catalyst, a surprisingly resilient economy, and the peaking of interest rates. Overall earnings are projected to be strong, and the market could get a further boost from AI-specific earnings this quarter.
After another up week and a record close last Friday, the market is grappling with mixed signals.

Last week’s highly anticipated jobs report came in much better than expected. The previous two weak jobs reports had roiled the market as they stoked recession fears. But not this one. The market was initially thrilled but is now thinking twice about the situation.
The market is wrapping up another good month and quarter. The S&P posted strong gains in September, after three straight winning weeks in a row, following a rough first week. The index is also up nicely for the third quarter and near the all-time high with a better than 20% gain year-to-date.

The latest upward leg is being driven by cooling inflation, falling interest rates, and a still-resilient economy. We’re getting the rate cuts without the economic pain and an expected soft landing. What’s not to like?