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Carl Delfeld

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I think the 0.25% raise by the Fed yesterday will be followed by a pause. Won’t it be nice when stocks fluctuate primarily around company performance rather than actions by the Fed? Elsewhere, Xi and Putin meet in Moscow in a sign of solidarity and challenge to the U.S. and the West. Novo Nordisk (NVO) is up 10 points this week while today we have a new emerging market recommendation from a country with one of the strongest currencies of 2023.
Lower manufacturing costs south of the border could cut U.S. reliance on China and set the stage for growth in Mexican stocks and the economy.
Market struggles resumed as Fed Chairman Jerome Powell continues to warn of interest rate hikes as inflation concerns linger. MP Materials (MP) was downgraded to sell last week as Elon Musk’s Investor Day comments raised questions about future demand for MP’s rare earths. Most Explorer stocks were steady as Polestar (PSNY) posted strong revenue growth and an ambitious sales target for 2023. This week’s recommendation is a smart way to play China’s emerging market rebound.
MP Materials (MP), a rare earths mine and processor, is down about 11% this morning.
Tesla dominates the U.S. EV markets but China’s BYD has them beat in numbers sold. Let’s look closer at the battle of BYD vs. Tesla.
Although it may not be evident in the negative headlines, America (and its stock market) runs on optimism. That, plus a little patience, is key for portfolio outperformance.
America’s economy has been resilient in the face of rising interest rates, pushing the 10-year Treasury to the cusp of 4%. Earnings have been pretty good but ironically, the threat of too strong an economy, or a recession, seems to be weighing on markets. Our Exscienta (EXAI) was stopped out while Centrus Energy (LEU) was up 14% yesterday after positive earnings.
Exscientia (EXAI) is down about 10% this morning.
Rare earths are critical inputs to next-generation technology, and sourcing them domestically (or at least from an ally) is a U.S. priority. These rare earth stocks stand to benefit.
Exscientia (EXAI) pulled back yesterday but is recovering this morning.
As Congress struggled with raising the debt ceiling, the excess of Federal spending over tax revenue totaled $459 billion through the first four months of the fiscal year (started October 1, 2022). Meanwhile, the strong dollar is a drag on multinational earnings. Today, we explore a fascinating company and stock that leverages artificial intelligence to accelerate biotech development.
Perhaps a slogan that best represents American history as well as the American stock market might be - “America Runs on Optimism.”
China has grown its economy at twice the rate of the U.S. since the beginning of the pandemic, but wage growth there could soon lead to a new leader: India.
Although it’s stock price is down nearly 90% in the last two years, this beaten-down battery stock offers potentially game-changing technology that could give it some serious upside.
Investing like a tycoon requires that you think independently, use the best information at your disposal, and act boldly where others are fearful.
Tesla doesn’t look sick to me. Last night it reported Q4 net income of $3.69 billion and revenue of $24.3 billion, up 59% and 37%, respectively, from a year earlier. Tesla sold 405,278 vehicles, up 31% from a year earlier and stated it knows it needs to produce cheaper EVs to become a bigger automaker. With EVs on the brain, this week we go to Sweden for an under-the-radar electric vehicle maker that is gaining momentum based on performance and styling.
With shares down 97% in the last two years and a valuable partnership with an auto major, this EV battery stock is a speculative play with a big upside.
As we move into 2023, Explorer stocks are performing well as volatility is muted. My goal is to seek a balance between conservative and aggressive ideas so that you can select a blend that is appropriate for your circumstances and goals. I believe at some point in the first half of this year, markets will turn upward as more reasonable valuations will reignite investor interest. Today we return to a synthetic graphite idea that was a profitable trade about a year ago.
Securing inputs for the next generation of technology is critical to American primacy, and potentially highly profitable for these 2 metals stocks.
As we finish a tough year for stocks we should guard against pessimism since interest rate hikes should slow and level out and lower valuations for growth stocks could ignite a rally. Explorer stocks had little news as we sell one holding and are close to selling MP Materials (MP) as well. This week we go back to a small-cap medical technology stock trading at an attractive price.
Want to invest like a tycoon and take big swings in what should (hopefully) be a much better 2023? Here are 10 ways to do it.
The Fed raised benchmark interest rates a half a point and signaled more to come. Elsewhere, scientists studying fusion energy at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory have crossed a huge milestone in reproducing the power of the sun in a laboratory. Explorer positions showed relative strength, led again by Kraken (KRNKF). Today we go to Britain for a historic and strategically important company, brand, and stock selling for a bit over $1 a share.
China isn’t the largest market for global coffee stocks but Starbucks and Luckin Coffee are both making big bets on ongoing growth.
Centrus Energy (LEU) shares were largely unchanged as the company is well positioned to benefit from growth in next-generation nuclear technology, helping provide reliable and carbon-free electricity. This is still a buy for aggressive investors.
Avoiding debt or managing existing debt is generally good advice, but it’s also a recipe for missed opportunities and a life of adequacy and not abundance.
Rare earths and strategic metals are critical for next-generation energy and technology, which makes these rare earths stocks critical for America’s rivalry with China.
One of our stocks surprised markets on the downside with poor third-quarter numbers while two others were up 15% and 16%. Crypto hit heavy turbulence as the stock market slipped rather than soared on the midterm election results of an underwhelming GOP wave, uncertainty, and expected gridlock over the next two years. Elsewhere, the United Nations projects that next week, the world’s population will exceed 8 billion, and this leads to a new Explorer, recession-resistant, agribusiness idea this week.
Ford (F) reported a down third quarter, but Explorer stocks had a good week with all positions in the black. MP Materials (MP) and Oracle (ORCL) were up 11%, and SQM rose 8%.

The headline of today’s GDP report will likely be more upbeat than the two previous negative growth numbers, instead showing that third-quarter GDP grew at about a 2% annualized pace.

But beneath these numbers, investor sentiment, economic trends, and geopolitical risks are not all that encouraging.

How should investors take all this in and execute a strategy to exploit the situation?
A tough week for markets as concerns over recession, persistent inflation, and geopolitical tensions grow. Explorer stocks were not spared as they all pulled back with exception of Oracle (ORCL) and micro-cap Kraken Robotics (KRKNF). New restrictions on chip-related sales to China hit semiconductor stocks. An almost $8 billion deal by Brookfield Renewable Partners and uranium producer Cameco to buy nuclear services firm Westinghouse is the latest sign of revival in nuclear power after years of decline. The matchup would create something of a Western nuclear powerhouse, pairing a key nuclear power service provider with the largest publicly traded uranium company and one of the world’s biggest owners of wind and solar projects.

This week we sell two positions and go to Japan for a conservative, high quality play on an overlooked but critical part of the electric vehicle revolution.

All three major U.S. indexes were up around 2% yesterday as the Bank of England stepped in to stabilize the pound, but the recovery looks fragile as sentiment remains mixed at best in the short term. Explorer stocks drifted lower this past week and we remain defensive looking for asymmetric plays where the upside potential exceeds downside risk.