Back to top

View the PFP Archive

Plus 5 New Strong Buys for Today
Kevin Matras   
Profit from the Pros
By Kevin Matras
Executive Vice President
Zacks Investment Research
  

Stocks End Mixed As The Market Looks To Put A Tough First Half Behind It

Stocks ended narrowly mixed yesterday with the Dow up modestly, while the S&P and Nasdaq finished with a tiny loss.

But they are all down for the week at the moment. And headed for a down month with only one more trading day left in June.

Volume is already starting to thin out as we're looking at another 3-day weekend with the markets closed on Monday, July 4th, for Independence Day.

But until then it's business as usual.

Yesterday's final estimate on Q1 GDP came in at -1.6% vs. the previous estimate of -1.5% and views for -1.4%. Final sales to domestic purchasers were still up strongly at 3.0%, even though it was down from the previous estimate of 3.9%.

So the negative print for Q1 is in the record books.

We'll soon know how Q2 fared. At the moment, the GDP Now forecast by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, is estimating 0.30%. That's up from last week's 0.00%, but down from the 2.5% estimate a couple of months ago.

But as I mentioned yesterday, of even more interest is what's ahead.

While it's clear the economy slowed quite a bit in the first half, many still have solid growth forecasts for the second half.

The Fed is forecasting full-year GDP to come in at 1.7% this year, and 1.7% again next year. And St. Louis Fed President, James Bullard, in an interview earlier this month, said he does not see a recession this year or next. And that he sees a "pretty good second half," driven by "strong consumption this year."

So the Fed is looking for growth.

In other news, MBA Mortgage Applications were up 0.7% with purchases up 0.1% and refi's up 1.9%.

Corporate Profits for Q1 showed a 15.2% y/y increase. That's down from the last estimate of 15.7%. But that's still a solid gain.

The State Street Investor Confidence Index slipped to 94.6 from last month's upwardly revised 97.2. In total, that was a global decrease of -2.6 points. The European component came in at 57.6, down -10.6 points. The Asian component came in at 88.8, down -4.8 points. And the North American component came in at 97.1, down -2.5 points.

Today we'll get another look at the economy with Weekly Jobless Claims, the Personal Income and Outlays report (PCE Index), and the Chicago PMI report.

In the meantime, traders will be trying to consolidate last week's gains and steadying the market.

In spite of a tough first half, there are plenty of positives in the market that have been virtually ignored. And eventually, the market will have to take notice. Especially with valuations having fallen to more than 2-year lows. Many are racing in to grab those bargains while they can, hence last week's rally.

But you need to know what to look for?

If you're searching for new stocks to get into at these low prices, then be sure to read our latest commentary...

You Can Beat The Market, Even In Times Like This

Best,

Kevin Matras

Executive Vice President, Zacks Investment Research

Sponsor

Just Released: 4 Stocks for Biggest Upside in Q3

Four Zacks experts each announce their single favorite stock to gain the most in the next three months:

Stock #1: Earnings soared +128.45 in 90 Days. Closing Acquisition in Market's Hottest Sector

Stock #2: Agribusiness Giant Addresses Global Food Shortage and Rides Surging Prices

Stock #3: Small-Cap Shipper Is a Compelling Play as Europe Moves Away from Russian Natural Gas

Stock #4: Record Sales Growth for Automotive Supplier as People Fix Cars Rather Than Buy New Ones

Today, you are invited to download the private Ultimate Four Special Report that names these stocks and spotlights why their gain potential is so exceptional.

See Stocks Now >>

Most Popular Articles from Zacks.com

Image: Bigstock

This Small-Cap Innovator is Flying High

Don't let the name fool you; there is nothing small about their profit-making abilities and historical performance. Read More »

Image: Bigstock

3 Stocks to Watch From the Business Information Industry

Pandemic-induced demand spike for solutions that ensure risk mitigation, cost reduction and productivity improvement should help the industry prosper. Read More »

Image: Bigstock

5 Stocks to Buy as Markets Head Toward Worst 1H in 50 Years

Despite these strong headwinds, these corporate bigwigs have kept the banner flying high and provided double-digit returns in first-half 2022. Read More »

Image: Bigstock

Are Amazon Shares Worth a Look Post-Split?

Of the six analysts that have revised their quarterly estimates over the last 60 days, four have lowered their outlook. Read More »

Image: Bigstock

Screening for the Best Growth Stocks in Summer of 2022

Each of these stocks carries a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy) combined with a high Zacks Growth Style Score. Read More »

Sponsor

Your Exclusive Access to Today's Top ETFs

Use Zacks ETF Rank to help you select the very best ETFs for your portfolio. This quantitative ratings system takes into account asset class forecasts as well as several ETF-specific factors. All to give you a comprehensive account of a fund's potential before you invest your money.

See Today's Top-Ranked ETFs >>

Image: Bigstock

Bull of the Day: The Chef's Warehouse (CHEF)

Despite the weak market, bulls are feasting on this sizzling stock. Read More »

New Zacks Strong Buys for June 30th

Here are 5 stocks added to the Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) List today. Read More »

 

Download our app for convenient on-the-go access to even more—daily and weekly newsletters published by Zacks experts, proprietary research and tools, and Portfolio Tracker on Zacks.com.

Download our Zacks App for Apple iOS
Download our Zacks App for Android

Visit Success Stories to hear how Zacks research, tools and portfolios help our members outperform the market.