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The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: DISH Network, Magna International and Hologic

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For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – December 1, 2020 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: DISH Network Corporation , Magna International Inc. (MGA - Free Report) and Hologic, Inc. (HOLX - Free Report) .

Here are highlights from Monday’s Analyst Blog:

OPEC+ Meets: Global Week Ahead

Kicking off this Global Week Ahead, OPEC countries and Russia meet (via webcam) for a two-day meeting.

This virtual OPEC+ meeting convenes against the backdrop of a month-long oil price rally.

Looking across all of 2020, the price of oil has more than doubled, after tumbling below $20 a barrel and hitting 21-year lows last April.

Last Friday, the price of Brent crude oil closed near $48 a barrel. The WTI oil price traded a tad above $45 a barrel. Monday’s pre-market was little changed from that.

Announcing an OPEC+ plan — to add 2 million barrels of oil a day back on the global market — poses a supply risk to this fragile oil price recovery.

On the other hand, maintaining deep production cuts limits the income collected by OPEC+ members.

Splitting the difference, most oil analysts expect OPEC+ to stand pat.

Down the road, Goldman Sachs, a respected authority on the global oil market, believes in this forward look: The oil market is ripe for a comeback in 2021 – after a “winter speed bump” of renewed Covid-19 restrictions – as demand for natural resources returns.

However, other observers are less convinced.

Next are Reuters’ five world market themes, reordered for equity traders.

(1) OPEC+ Meets: Will They Delay Oil Output Raises?

OPEC and its allies had been due to raise oil output by 2 million barrels per day (bpd) from January to ease the record supply cuts that were implemented as crude prices slumped earlier in 2020.

But when the group — known as OPEC+ — meets on Nov. 30-Dec. 1, it is expected to delay those output increase plans by at least three months.

While crude futures have rallied to eight-month highs near $50 a barrel, OPEC+ is reportedly still considering delaying the increase because rising Libyan production and continued restrictions on movement are seen capping energy prices.

Sources tell Reuters a rollover of current 7.7 million bpd curbs until end-Q1 has support within the group. Analysts seem to agree — most reckon a rollover of at least three months is necessary to bring down high oil inventory levels.

(2) Friday’s Nonfarm Payroll Data Will Be Closely Watched

An explosion in new COVID-19 infections and business restrictions have been undermining the U.S. labor market recovery so Friday’s November payrolls figures will be closely watched.

Last month saw 638,000 new jobs amid signs the economy was healing from the pandemic-induced downturn. But it was the smallest gain since the jobs recovery started in May, and left employment 10.1 million below its February peak.

November is likely to be the seventh straight month of jobs gains, but expectations are that only 520,000 jobs were added.

(3) Pitfalls Facing Risk Markets… to Year-end

It has been a year many would prefer to forget and a month of 2020 yet remains — one replete with events that could trip up markets.

Here they are:

Dec. 1: A month before the UK-EU transition deal ends.

Dec. 8: Deadline to complete U.S. state-level vote recounts and court contests over the election.

Dec. 10: European Central Bank meets and should increase emergency stimulus.

Dec. 11: U.S. government funding lapses unless lawmakers agree a 12-bill spending package.

Dec. 10-11: EU council meeting. Issues are Brexit and the risk that Poland and Hungary will scupper an EU stimulus spending plan.

Dec. 14: The U.S. electoral college votes, with the risk that some “faithless” electors break the rule requiring them to vote in line with the popular vote.

Dec. 15-16: U.S. Federal Reserve meets. Will it expand bond-buying or signal a yield cap?

Dec. 28: European Parliament could vote on any Brexit deal.

(4) Eurozone Consumer Prices Come Out

Eurozone consumer prices are likely to have fallen further in November — a 0.3% year-on-year drop is expected from Tuesday’s “flash” reading.

The numbers won’t surprise the ECB, which expects inflation to average -0.2% year-on-year in Q4. But a fourth straight month of negative price growth may not sit well — ECB chief economist Philip Lane warned recently against tolerating low inflation.

And while a COVID-19 vaccine may lift growth prospects, it may not do much for inflation -- inflation-adjusted bond yields remain deeply negative. The data will only reinforce the need for more stimulus and that will come in December, with the ECB seen expanding bond-buying and cheap loans for banks.

(5) Japan Unveils Its Budget

Japanese trend-setters are protecting themselves against COVID-19 with diamond and pearl-studded masks. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga’s ruling party will spend big too, draft budget plans due to be presented to parliament show.

The draft contains plans for green investment and extended subsidies for households and businesses.

Upcoming data will show what impact previous stimulus packages of 234 trillion yen had. We could see an expansion in factory output and possibly the first signs of retail sales growth.

Top Zacks #1 Rank (STRONG BUY) Stocks

My picks this week are diversified across industries.

(1) Dish Network: Yes. The Cable TV company. This is a $36 a share stock with a market cap of $18.9B. I see a Zacks Value score of B, a Zacks Growth score of C and a Zacks Momentum score of F.

(2) Magna International: This is an Auto Parts supplier. This is a $62 a share stock with a market cap of $18.4B. I see a Zacks Value score of A, a Zacks Growth score of B, and a Zacks Momentum score of A.

(3) Hologic: This is a Medical Instruments company. This is a $69 a share stock, with a market cap of $17.9B. I see a Zacks Value score of C, a Zacks Growth score of B, and a Zacks Momentum score of A.

The first one has a very poor Zacks Momentum score. The second two picks have the very best Zacks Momentum scores.

If following the money is your game, pay attention.

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Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.


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