U.S. stocks were higher on Thursday morning. Initial jobless claims were 212,000 for the latest week, unchanged from the previous-week's revised level. Ongoing unemployment was 1,812,000, virtually unchanged from the previous week. The Dow was up 0.5%, the S&P 500 rose 0.4% and the Nasdaq gained 0.3%. Crude oil is trading above $82 per barrel and gold rose $9 to $2397 per ounce.

In this edition, European interest-rate cuts on the horizon; firm opportunities among drug and biopharma firms; and reports Tesla's affordable vehicle will be canceled; and Lazard, PVH, and Genmab.

This pick list highlights constituents of the Morningstar US Large Cap Index that we believe offer investors the best risk-adjusted return prospects. Stocks of large-cap companies where neither growth nor value characteristics predominate. Stocks in the top 70% of the capitalization of the U.S. equity market are defined as large cap.

We see what we believe are some great opportunities right now in Healthcare -- and we like the sector overall. Argus Director of Research Jim Kelleher, CFA, recently completed his quarterly sector review and raised Healthcare sector to Over-Weight from Market-Weight. The healthcare environment is undergoing rapid transitions, and we now see an unfolding period of significant promise and opportunity. Our newly-favored stance is based on resumption of deferred medical procedures and significant new quality-of-life drugs and treatments. The category is broad and has underperformed the S&P 500 over the past year. The Healthcare sector ETF (XLV) is up 15% over the past year compared to a gain of 31% for the S&P 500. We see opportunity here to pick up some steady companies, with big brands and solid financials. These companies are science-focused and enhance lives. They are innovators. In our list this week, we look across several subsectors within the Healthcare sector and pull out some leaders we like. These stocks also are included in our Focus List and Model Portfolios, as noted below.

Stocks edged higher on Thursday morning following new economic data. The advance reading of U.S. GDP came in at 3.3%, down from 4.9% in 3Q but well ahead of the expected 2%. GDP was boosted by increases in consumer spending in both goods and services. On the housing front, new home sales for the month of December rose 8% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 664,000. The median sales price of new houses sold in December 2023 was $413,200. The average sales price was $487,300. The Dow rose 0.2%, the S&P 500 was up 0.5% and the Nasdaq gained 0.6%. Crude oil traded above $76 per barrel, while gold fell to $2015 per ounce.

Rapidly rising inflation in 2022 knocked stocks into a bear market. While growth strategies suffered the most, value strategies also declined. Even bond prices were lower last year. Stocks have recovered thus far in 2023, but gains have been largely driven by only a handful of high-tech companies. Inflation remains high and the Fed continues to raise rates. Is a recession in the offing? With all the uncertainty, is it time for investors to cash in their chips? We note that investors exit the stock market at their own peril, as long-term returns from equities consistently have outpaced long-term returns from other asset classes, such as fixed income and cash. Argus believes that Min Vol is an all-weather strategy that is timely in any investing climate. Academic literature and, more to the point, returns history, indicate that Min Vol can deliver market-matching returns on an absolute basis and superior returns on a risk-adjusted basis over various time periods.

Black Friday. Cyber Monday. The retailers are out in force, with a massive marketing push to win dollars during this prime shopping time during the holidays. Just like retail, some stocks are seemingly at a big discount right now. Yes, we have our own Black Friday on Wall Street. But shop with care. We look for quality companies with solid books, proven track records, and strong management. This week, we used the Argus screening tool to create a list of companies that have clean balance sheets, high levels of profitability, and that we think are also undervalued and offer possible buying opportunities. We sorted the Argus stock universe for companies with a BUY rating, a market cap over $8 billion, and the highest financial strength ratings. Then we looked for those that are furthest away from their 52-week highs, and thus likely offering the deepest discounts. The resulting list is weighted towards Financial. That's not surprising based on the beating that the Financial sector took earlier this year after the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank. Here is our list of recommended Black Friday Stock Deals for November 2023.

According to the advance estimate released today by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Gross Domestic Product expanded in the third quarter at an annualized rate of 4.9%. That's ahead of forecasts and at the fastest rate of growth since the stimulus-fueled quarters of 2021. Areas of strength in the quarter included Personal Consumption Expenditures on Services, which rose at a 3.6% rate; Personal Consumption Expenditures on Durable Goods, which rose at a 7.6% rate; Investment into Intellectual Property Products, which advanced at a rate of 2.6%; Exports, which climbed at a 6.2% rate; and Government Spending, which rose 4.6%. Inventories also increased. Segments of the economy that struggled or worked against GDP growth included Investment into Equipment (down 3.8%) and Imports (up 5.7%). The GDP report also contains data on inflation. The PCE Price Index increased 2.9% in the third quarter, compared with an increase of 2.5% in the second quarter. Excluding food and energy prices, the PCE Price Index increased 2.4%, compared with an increase of 3.7% in the previous quarter. In our view, the report this morning indicates that the consumer sector remains a strong driver of overall GDP, even in the wake of the Federal Reserve's rate-hike campaign. But we do expect the higher rates will soon have an impact on the consumer. Our forecasts for the next few quarters call for slower GDP growth as the benchmark government 10-year yield hovers around 5.0% and 30-year mortgage rates top 8.0%.

U.S. equites finished lower on Thursday while Treasury yields rose as investors digested comments by Fed Chair Powell. Mr. Powell warned that the central bank may need to hike rates as inflation is still too high but 'the committee is proceeding carefully,' hinting that rates could hold steady in November. The 10-year Treasury yield reached 5% for the first time since 2007. The S&P 500 closed 0.9% lower, the Dow was down 0.8% and the Nasdaq lost nearly 1%. Crude oil rose above $90 per barrel and gold was up to $1985 per ounce.

In this edition, analyzing new bank regulatory proposals; PFA may shake up atrial fibrillation ablation market; CEO change at Dollar General may make sense to frustrated investors; and Microsoft, Wells Fargo, and Anta Sports Products.

In this edition, global EV adoption rate to rise; patience will be rewarded for U.S. REIT investors; key takeaways from renewable energy conference; and Fortrea Holdings, Apple, and Bristol-Myers Squibb.

The first-quarter earnings season has passed the halfway mark with 292 (or 58%) of S&P 500 companies having reported results through August 1. An impressive 81% of those companies exceeded earnings expectations, while the blended (actual and still to report) earnings decline is now projected at 5.9%, according to Refinitv. The Consumer Discretionary sector still leads with 36% earnings growth, while Energy is now by far the weakest sector, with a 48% profit decline. Our analysts are always on the lookout for companies that boost their outlooks during earnings season. Management's ability to "raise guidance" can often be a catalyst to market-beating returns in the quarters ahead. Here is an initial list of BUY-rated companies in Argus Coverage for which management has raised guidance or increased its outlook during the 2Q23 EPS reporting season.

Rapidly rising inflation in 2022 knocked stocks into a bear market. While growth strategies suffered the most, value strategies also declined. Even bond prices were lower last year. Stocks have recovered thus far in 2023, but gains have been largely driven by only a handful of high-tech companies. Inflation remains high and the Fed continues to raise rates. Is a recession in the offing? With all the uncertainty, is it time for investors to cash in their chips? We note that investors exit the stock market at their own peril, as long-term returns from equities consistently have outpaced long-term returns from other asset classes, such as fixed income and cash. Argus believes that Min Vol is an all-weather strategy that is timely in any investing climate. Academic literature and, more to the point, returns history, indicate that Min Vol can deliver market-matching returns on an absolute basis and superior returns on a risk-adjusted basis over various time periods.

Argus Research believes that ESG investing is a smart option to consider. Companies committed to ESG values typically reflect positive traits from management which often translate into better business. ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) investing has come a long way and continues to grow. According to the Global Sustainable Investment Association, global assets under management in ESG strategies were $40 trillion in 2020, up from $23 trillion in 2016 and on track for $50 trillion by 2025. The discipline, originally known as Socially Responsible Investing, focused at first on excluding companies that conducted business in South Africa, or participated in industries such as tobacco, alcohol, and firearms. In time, the list of industries to avoid increased to include soft drinks, fast food, and oil and gas, among numerous others. But performance of these initial strategies lagged. Now, instead of merely identifying industries to avoid, the discipline promotes "sustainable" business practices across industries that have an "impact" on global issues such as climate, hunger, poverty, disease, shelter, and workers' rights. At Argus Research, we track ESG progress at specific companies as part of our Management analysis -- one of the six points in our proprietary Six-Point System for fundamental research. In addition to reviewing and measuring the ESG proclamations from companies under coverage, we partner with an ESG research firm, JUST Capital, and leverage its analysis and insights. JUST Capital's mission is to drive measurable corporate change to create a stakeholder-centric form of capitalism that reflects the priorities of the American public. JUST utilizes a combination of data-driven research and strategic engagement in an attempt to shift norms and practices in corporate America and the financial markets. JUST ESG Custom Ratings rank stocks in the Russell 1000 on criteria using a scale of 1-100. Drawing on the JUST Capital rankings, we have compiled focused lists of companies followed by Argus Research that are in position to have a "sustainable impact" on the environment, workplace, community, and marketplace. These firms have exemplary records of delivering on the bottom line, and also in improving the environment, contributing to community relations, and showing respect for their employees. We also have a theme model portfolio based in part on ESG criteria. To build the Argus U.S. ESG Theme Model Portfolio, we apply financial concepts such as industry diversification, income generation, risk reduction, and growth at a reasonable price to our various lists. In addition, all stocks must be on the Argus BUY list. For more on JUST Capital's criteria, please visit the JUST Capital website, www.justcapital.com. For more information on the Argus companies, please see our Analyst Reports at www.argusresearch.com. Here are some of the stocks that are currently in the Argus U.S. ESG Theme Model Portfolio.

The Vickers Top Buyers & Sellers is a daily report that identifies the five companies the largest insider purchase transactions based on the dollar value of the transactions as well as the five companies the largest insider sales transactions based on the dollar value of the transactions.

U.S. Gross Domestic Product expanded in 2Q at an annualized rate of 2.4%, exactly in line with our forecast and ahead of the consenus outlook for a 2.0% expansion, according to the advance estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Areas of strength in 2Q included Personal Consumption Expenditures on Services, which rose at a 2.1% rate; Investment into Intellectual Property Products, which advanced at a rate of 3.9%; Investment into Structures, which rose 9.7%; Investment into Equipment, which rebounded to a 9.7% growth rate; and Government Spending, which was up at a 2.6% pace. Segments of the economy that struggled included Exports-Goods; Consumer Spending on Durable Goods; and Inventories. The report also contains data on inflation. The PCE price index increased 2.6% in 2Q, compared with an increase of 4.1% in 1Q. Excluding food and energy prices, the index increased 3.8%, compared with an increase of 4.9% in the previous quarter. In our view, the report indicates that the Federal Reserve's rate hikes are already having an impact on economic conditions, initially affecting the housing market and manufacturing, and now impacting exporters. But the consumer remains resilient, with the rebound in investment into equipment a clear bright spot. Our forecasts for 2023 call for slower GDP growth in the second half due to the impact of the Fed's rate hikes, but a recession is not yet a foregone conclusion.

Stocks edged higher on Tuesday morning as investors awaited earnings from Microsoft and Alphabet after the close. Consumer confidence data was stronger than expected. The Conference Board said that its consumer confidence index rose to 117.0 in July, up from 110.1 in June and above the Bloomberg consensus forecast of 112.0. The reading was the highest in two years. The Dow was flat, the S&P rose 0.1%, and the Nasdaq rose 0.3%. Crude oil traded near $79 per barrel, while gold fell slightly to $1961 per ounce.

Rapidly rising inflation in 2022 knocked stocks into a bear market. While growth strategies suffered the most, value strategies also declined. Even bond prices were lower last year. Stocks have recovered so far in 2023, but gains have been driven largely by only a handful of high-tech companies. Inflation remains high and the Fed continues to raise interest rates. Is a recession in the offing? With all the uncertainty, is it time for investors to cash in their chips? Perhaps not yet. We note that investors exit the stock market at their own peril, as long-term returns from equities consistently have outpaced long-term returns from other asset classes, such as fixed income and cash. As well, those returns are from eras when the 10-year Treasury bond yield was much higher than the current 3.8% level. So what's a potential equity strategy for investors amid all the uncertainty? Argus believes that Min Vol is an all-weather strategy that is timely in any investing climate. Academic literature and, more to the point, returns history indicate that Min Vol can deliver market-matching returns on an absolute basis and superior returns on a risk-adjusted basis over various time periods. We have designed a portfolio of companies followed by Argus Research analysts that are BUY-rated and have impressive Min Vol characteristics of low beta, high yield, high market cap, strong balance sheets, and low risk profiles. Some of the stocks featured in the portfolio are listed below.

Sustainable Impact Investing, or ESG investing, is gaining traction not only with Argus Research clients but also with the global investment community. BlackRock CEO Lawrence Fink, who oversees approximately $9 trillion in assets, announced in January 2020 that his firm would be investing in companies that are making progress on sustainability. He doubled down in his January 2021 letter, calling on company managements to disclose their plans for making their businesses "compatible with a net-zero economy" by 2050. As assets have flowed in over the past 40 years, Sustainable Impact Investing has evolved. The discipline, originally known as Socially Responsible Investing, focused at first on excluding companies that conducted business in South Africa, or participated in industries such as tobacco, alcohol, and firearms. Performance of these initial strategies lagged, and the approach has been modified. Now, instead of merely identifying industries to avoid, the discipline promotes "sustainable" business practices across all industries that can have an "impact" on global issues such as climate, hunger, poverty, disease, shelter, and workers' rights.

According to the advance estimate released today by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Gross Domestic Product expanded in 1Q at an annualized rate of 1.1%, just below our forecast of 1.4%. Areas of strength in 1Q included Personal Consumption Expenditures on Services, which rose at a 2.6% rate; Personal Consumption Expenditures on Durable Goods which rose at a 16.9% rate after having contracted the previous three quarters; PCE-Services, up 2.3%; Investment into Intellectual Property Products, which advanced at a rate of 3.8%; Investment into Structures, which rose 11.2%; Net Exports, as Exports-Goods grew 10%; and Government Spending, which was up at a 4.7% pace. Segments of the economy that struggled included Investment in Equipment (down 7.3%); Exports-Services (down 5.5%); and Inventories. The GDP report also contains data on inflation. The PCE price index increased 4.2% in 1Q, compared with an increase of 3.7% in 4Q. Excluding food and energy prices, the PCE price index increased 4.9%, compared with an increase of 4.4% in 4Q. In our view, the report this morning indicates that the Federal Reserve's rate hikes are already having an impact on economic conditions, initially affecting the housing market and now slowing manufacturing growth. But the consumer remains resilient, with the pick-up in durable goods spending a clear bright spot. Our forecasts for 2023 call for slow GDP growth due to the impact of the Fed's rate hikes, but a recession is not a foregone conclusion.

The S&P 500 (SPX) continues to trend toward several important pieces of resistance following the rally off the March 13 intraday low of 3,809. First, the SPX is right at trendline resistance off the peak since August. Back in the latter part of February, the index had broken down out of a bearish wedge, backtested the lower line of the pattern, and continued lower. From the February 2 closing high to the recent closing low, the index gave up almost 8%, or 324 points. Based on the size of the wedge, a minimum target was down at 3,656 -- which the index didn't come close to hitting.

In this edition, global oil inventories face future; feeling the internet's backbone; and initiating coverage of Qualys; and Lithium Americas, Bausch & Lomb and Macy's.

In this edition, railroads may be in for a bumpy ride; ESG has some opportunities; biotechs innovate; and Constellation Brands, Autodesk, and Tencent.

In this edition, railroads may be in for a bumpy ride; ESG has some opportunities; biotechs innovate; and Constellation Brands, Autodesk, and Tencent.

For our list this week, we are focusing on the Healthcare Sector, which we rank as one of our favorites with an Over-Weight rating. Healthcare was an outperformer in 2022, falling only 4% while the S&P 500 dropped 19%, but has lagged in the early weeks of 2023. We think the recent relative weakness may offer a buying opportunity. Post-COVID, consumers are more willing to spend on lifestyle enhancements along with necessary spending on life-saving treatments. In addition, the survival of the Affordable Care Act has kept the ranks of insured U.S. citizens above the historical average, further increasing consumer spending on healthcare services and products. Meanwhile, companies with experience in diagnostic testing, vaccines, and antiviral medicines, as well as suppliers of protective equipment and other hospital products, have benefited from efforts to contain the pandemic. The sector accounts for 14.7% of the S&P 500, and includes companies in the pharmaceuticals, medical devices, healthcare services, and insurance industries. Here's our list of Argus BUY-rated Healthcare stocks that are large-cap and have solid books. We sorted by the largest percentage from the 52-week high.

Stocks were mostly higher in volatile trading on Thursday morning, led by the Energy and Consumer Discretionary sectors. GDP data was stronger than expected. In its advance estimate, the Commerce Department said that the U.S. economy expanded at a 2.9% annualized rate in 4Q, above the Bloomberg consensus forecast of 2.6% though down from 3.2% growth in 3Q. The Dow was flat, the S&P rose 0.3%, and the Nasdaq rose 0.7%. Crude oil rose nearly 2% to $81.50 per barrel, while gold fell $17 to $1926 per ounce.

Rapidly rising inflation 2022 knocked stocks into a bear market. While growth strategies suffered the most, value strategies also declined. Even bond prices were lower last year. Volatility, which has dropped from the highs of 2020, still has not returned to pre-COVID levels. Is it time for investors to cash in their chips? We note that investors exit the stock market at their own peril, as long-term returns from equities consistently have outpaced long-term returns from other asset classes, such as fixed income and cash. As well, those fixed-income returns are from eras when the 10-year Treasury bond yield was much higher than the current 3.5% level. So what's a potential equity strategy for investors amid all the uncertainty? Argus believes that Min Vol is an all-weather strategy that is timely in any investing climate.

Sustainable Impact Investing, or ESG investing, is gaining traction not only with Argus Research clients but also with the global investment community. BlackRock CEO Lawrence Fink, who oversees approximately $9 trillion in assets, announced in January 2020 that his firm would be investing in companies that are making progress on sustainability. He doubled down in his January 2021 letter, calling on company managements to disclose their plans for making their businesses "compatible with a net-zero economy" by 2050. As assets have flowed in over the past 40 years, Sustainable Impact Investing has evolved. The discipline, originally known as Socially Responsible Investing, focused at first on excluding companies that conducted business in South Africa, or participated in industries such as tobacco, alcohol, and firearms. Performance of these initial strategies lagged, and the approach has been modified. Now, instead of merely identifying industries to avoid, the discipline promotes "sustainable" business practices across all industries that can have an "impact" on global issues such as climate, hunger, poverty, disease, shelter, and workers' rights.

U.S. Gross Domestic Product expanded in the third quarter at an annualized rate of 2.6%, this according to the "advance" estimate released today by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The positive data point halts a string of two consecutive quarters during which GDP contracted. Pockets of strength in the third quarter included Personal Consumption Expenditures on Services, which rose at a 2.8% rate; Investment into Equipment and Intellectual Property Products, which advanced at rates of 10.8% and 6.9%, respectively; Net Exports, as Exports grew 14.4% and Imports declined 6.9%; and Government Spending, which was up at a 2.4% pace. Segments of the economy that struggled included PCE-Durable Goods (down 1.2%); PCE-Nondurable Goods (down 0.8%); Residential Investment (-26.4%); and Investment in Structures (-15.3%). The GDP report also contains data on inflation. The PCE price index increased 4.6% in 3Q, compared with an increase of 7.1% in the second quarter. Excluding food and energy prices, the PCE price index increased 4.5%, compared with an increase of 4.6% in the second quarter. In our view, the report this morning indicates that the economy can avoid a recession, as long as interest rates don't go too much higher.

Inflation Marches on as the Market Tries to Stabilize

Healthcare is a sector that includes many categories and investing disciplines. It is innovative, can be either growth or value, and can involve start-ups or mature companies. A healthcare company can be built around one product that is leveraged in broad and creative ways, or a company with depth, breadth and products that have many touchpoints. Many of the companies are truly science-based, some with managers who are stronger as scientists than as executives running a company; others have scientists focus on science while practiced managers mind the books. The Healthcare sector accounts for 15% of the S&P 500, with an overall market cap of $1.4 trillion dollars. Subsectors include Biotechnology, Healthcare Distributors, Healthcare Equipment, Healthcare Supplies, Life Sciences Tools and Services, Managed Healthcare, and Pharmaceuticals. We think investors should Over-Weight the sector and consider allocating about 15% of their diversified portfolios to stocks in the sector. Healthcare is slightly outperforming the S&P 500 thus far in 2022, with a loss of 14% compared to the 25% loss for the S&P 500. The following are some Argus BUY-rated Healthcare companies. The stocks were selected using the Argus screening tool and the following criteria: BUY-rated; large-cap (greater than $8 billion market capitalization); a Financial Strength rating of Medium-High or High; and paying a dividend. We feel these companies currently are best in class for the sector. Some are also part of our model portfolios (Growth & Income, Equity Income, Growth, and Institutional).

Rapidly rising inflation in 2022 has knocked the stock market into a bear market. While growth strategies have suffered the most, value strategies also have declined. Even year-to-date bond prices are lower. Volatility, which has dropped from the highs of 2020, still has not returned to pre-COVID levels. Is it time for investors to cash in their chips? We note that investors exit the stock market at their own peril, as long-term returns from equities consistently have outpaced long-term returns from other asset classes, such as fixed income and cash. As well, those returns are from eras when the 10-year Treasury bond yield was much higher than the current 3.0% level. So what's a potential equity strategy for investors amid all the uncertainty? Argus believes that Min Vol is an all-weather strategy that is timely in any investing climate. Academic literature and, more to the point, returns history, indicate that Min Vol can deliver market-matching returns on an absolute basis and superior returns on a risk-adjusted basis over various time periods.

The U.S. GDP growth rate contracted in 2Q22 at an annualized rate of 0.9%. Combined with the 1Q decline of -1.6%, this marks two consecutive quarters of GDP decline -- one of the technical definitions of a recession. There were fewer pockets of strength in 2Q than in 1Q, though we note that Consumer Spending on Services rose 4.1%, Capital Investment into Intellectual Property Products rose 9.2%, and Exports increased 18%. Segments of the economy that struggled included PCE-Durable Goods (-2.6%), PCE-Nondurable Goods (-5.5%), Investment into Equipment (-2.7%) and Government Spending (-1.9%). The PCE price index increased 7.1%, compared with an increase of 7.1% in 1Q. Excluding food and energy prices, the PCE price index increased 4.4%, compared with an increase of 5.2% in 1Q. The report this morning clearly shows an economy that is weakening. But with unemployment so low and jobs growth so strong, we doubt that any recession will be especially long or deep.

Stocks were mixed on Friday morning, as gains in most sectors were offset by sharp declines in Communication Services. Snap shares fell more than 35% after the social media company missed its already lowered revenue guidance. Verizon also fell 6% after posting below-consensus EPS and lowering its full-year guidance. On the positive side, American Express rose nearly 5% after reporting better-than-expected 2Q results. The Dow rose 0.3%, the S&P was flat, and the NASDAQ fell 0.4%. Crude oil rose slightly to $97 per barrel, while gold traded near $1730 per ounce.

Stocks were mixed on Friday morning, as gains in most sectors were offset by sharp declines in Communication Services. Snap shares fell more than 35% after the social media company missed its already lowered revenue guidance. Verizon also fell 6% after posting below-consensus EPS and lowering its full-year guidance. On the positive side, American Express rose nearly 5% after reporting better-than-expected 2Q results. The Dow rose 0.3%, the S&P was flat, and the NASDAQ fell 0.4%. Crude oil rose slightly to $97 per barrel, while gold traded near $1730 per ounce.

Sustainable Impact Investing, or ESG investing, is gaining traction not only with Argus Research clients but also with the global investment community. BlackRock CEO Lawrence Fink, who oversees approximately $9 trillion in assets, announced in January 2020 that his firm would be investing in companies that are making progress on sustainability. He doubled down in his January 2021 letter, calling on company managements to disclose their plans for making their businesses "compatible with a net-zero economy" by 2050. As assets have flowed in over the past 40 years, Sustainable Impact Investing has evolved. The discipline, originally known as Socially Responsible Investing, focused at first on excluding companies that conducted business in South Africa, or participated in industries such as tobacco, alcohol, and firearms. Performance of these initial strategies lagged, and the approach has been modified. Now, instead of merely identifying industries to avoid, the discipline promotes "sustainable" business practices across all industries that can have an "impact" on global issues such as climate, hunger, poverty, disease, shelter, and workers' rights.

ESG Stocks

Markets have faced difficult times before, with challenging economic environments, wars, disease, banking and housing crises, and inflation much worse than we are seeing now, to name but a few. Of late, stock investors had it very good for a very long time -- but now, finding opportunities requires much more work. There is no secret sauce, but there are principals that are worth reviewing: 1) diversify; 2) look for strong management; 3) look for solid balance sheets; 4) do your homework; and 5) adapt. To assemble this week's list, we looked across several sectors that historically are considered to be the most-shielded from high inflation and high interest rates. We then cross-referenced our coverage universe for companies where our analysts recently raised target prices; that have an Argus Financial Strength rating of at least Medium-High; and that pay dividends of least 3%. Some companies also are featured in our model portfolios (Growth & Income, Equity Income, Growth, and Institutional). Here is our list of companies we believe to be recession-proof, all of which are rated BUY at Argus.

Stocks were mixed on Wednesday morning as investors weighed another round of 1Q earnings reports and new housing market data. Netflix shares plunged more than 35% after the company posted a decline in net subscribers in 1Q and projected further losses in the second quarter, while Procter & Gamble rose more than 2% following better-than-expected fiscal 3Q results and an increase in its full-year sales guidance. On the housing front, the National Association of Realtors said that U.S. existing home sales fell 2.7% to a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 5.77 million units in March, below the Reuters consensus forecast of 5.80 million. The Dow rose 1.0%, the S&P rose 0.5%, and the Nasdaq fell 0.3%. Crude oil rose 1% to $103.50 per barrel, while gold fell $4 to $1956 per ounce.

Our rating on the Healthcare sector is Over-Weight. Consumers are now more willing to spend on lifestyle enhancements along with necessary spending on life-saving treatments. In addition, the survival of the Affordable Care Act has kept the ranks of insured U.S. citizens above the historical average, further increasing consumer spending on healthcare services and products. Meanwhile, companies with experience in diagnostic testing, vaccines, and antiviral medicines, as well as suppliers of protective equipment and other hospital products, should benefit from efforts to contain the pandemic. The sector accounts for 13.7% of the S&P 500, and includes companies in the pharmaceuticals, medical devices, healthcare services, and insurance industries. The sector is outperforming the market thus far in 2022, with a gain of 1.3% through early April, while the S&P 500 has declined 6%. The following are examples of how we use our analysts' Healthcare sector ideas in our Focus List and Model Portfolios. All stocks are rated BUY at Argus.

In 2021, several major corporations announced that they were splitting into pieces, and we don't think the dismantling of conglomerates has run its course. Last year, industrial icon General Electric decided to split into three companies, with one focused on Aerospace, one on Healthcare, and one on Power/Energy. Pharmaceutical titan Johnson & Johnson also announced it is planning to carve off its consumer division and focus just on drugs and devices. These companies, which took generations to build, have abruptly concluded that their best growth opportunities exist for them as smaller, more-nimble, and more-focused companies. Former conglomerate United Technologies blazed this trail in 2020. UTX, now Raytheon Technologies, or RTX, is now three listed firms, with focuses on Aerospace, HVAC and Elevators. This split-up has most favored the HVAC company Carrier Global Holdings Corp. (CARR), which has risen more than 200%. The other businesses are only slightly trailing the broad market. We think investors can benefit from these transactions if they look closely at the resulting companies and focus on the balance sheet, management, and earnings transparency. Companies that potentially fit this theme for 2022 include the following.

The onset of the coronavirus in 2020 knocked stocks into a bear market. Though equities recovered, the U.S. economy is about to slow down and COVID-19 cases are rising again as virus variants spread. Volatility, which has dropped from the highs of 2020, still has not returned to pre-COVID levels. Daily prices can swing wildly, as they did three times in 2021 when stocks dropped 4%-5% in a matter of a few days. Is it time for investors to cash in their chips? We note that investors exit the stock market at their own peril, as long-term returns from equities consistently have outpaced long-term returns from other asset classes, such as fixed income and cash. As well, those returns are from eras when the 10-year Treasury bond yield was not sub-2.0%. So what's a potential equity strategy for investors amid all the uncertainty? Argus believes that Min Vol is an all-weather strategy that is timely in any investing climate. Academic literature and, more to the point, returns history indicate that Min Vol can deliver market-matching returns on an absolute basis and superior returns on a risk-adjusted basis over various time periods.

Stocks rose strongly on Wednesday morning, recovering from Tuesday's selloff, as investors awaited the Fed's policy statement and comments from Fed Chair Jerome Powell this afternoon. Housing market data was positive. The Commerce Department said that U.S. new home sales rose 11.9% in December to a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 811,000, above the Bloomberg consensus forecast of 760,000. The Dow rose 1.0%, the S&P 1.4%, and the Nasdaq 2.1%. Crude oil traded near $88 per barrel, while gold fell $20 to $1832 per ounce.

Stocks rose on Tuesday morning following solid earnings from Walmart and Home Depot and better-than-expected retail sales data. The Commerce Department said that U.S. retail sales rose 1.7% in October, up from 0.8% growth in September and above the Reuters consensus forecast of 1.4%. Sales were also up 16.3% from the prior year. The Dow rose 0.5%, the S&P 0.5%, and the Nasdaq 0.6%. Crude oil traded near $81 per barrel, while gold fell $9 to $1857 per ounce.

This edition features European banks; California utilities; traditional payment firms; and notes from Johnson & Johnson, Green Thumb Industries, and new coverage Lithium Americas.

The United States economy is full of innovation. It has to be. Manufacturing industries that dominated the economy decades ago - textiles, televisions, even automobiles to a large degree - have moved overseas, where costs are lower. Yet the U.S. economy, even during the pandemic, has expanded to record levels. If U.S. corporations weren't innovating, the domestic economy would not be growing and capital would not be flooding into the country. Consider that U.S. GDP was approximately $1 trillion in 1930 but nearly $23 trillion at the end of 1H21. That's growth of 23-times. Meanwhile, the U.S. population has grown less than three-times during that time span, to 320 million from 120 million. The delta between GDP growth and population growth has been driven, in large part, by innovation. In addition, the value of listed corporations on U.S. stock exchanges at the end of 2020 was approximately $41 trillion, according to SIFMA, representing 38% of global equity market capitalization, while U.S. GDP represented only 26% of global GDP. The current low level of interest rates and the relatively high level of the dollar both attest to the confidence that global investors have in the innovative U.S. economy.