Semiconductors, the leading industry in the market since the AI boom started, soared 63% from October 30 until March 7, or in a little over four months. The group hung tough until finally cracking on Monday. The iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) sliced through its 50-day this week for the first time since last August and has given back 11% in 28 days since its last all-time closing high. The three-month August to October 2023 decline was 17%, and that was after the 80% surge from October 2022 until August 2023. At its peak on March 7, the SOXX was up 24% year-to-date, but is now up 10%. Nvidia has yet to touch its 50-day, but the stock got close on Wednesday.

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.

The first quarter of 2024 was rewarding for equity investors, as the S&P 500 increased 10.2%. Much of the market participated, as the S&P 500 Growth Index advanced 12.6% and the S&P 500 Value Index rose 7.4%. Leading sectors included Communication Services (+15.6%), Energy (+12.7%), Technology (+12.5%), Financials (+12%), and Industrials (+10.6%). The average stock in the Argus Universe of Coverage rose 8.0% during the year, and the median stock advanced 7.2%. The average BUY-rated stock increased 9.9%, while the average HOLD-rated stock gained 3%. Will the market's breadth hold up for the balance of 2024 or will investors revert to the so-called Magnificent 7? Will small-caps pick up their pace (the Russell 2000 was up "only" 4.8% in 1Q) or is the current bull-market rally due for a break, with some profit-taking coming into play? Given declining interest rates, we expect growth stocks to continue to lead stocks higher, while the risk of recession puts a premium on clean balance sheets, which are also more prevalent among large-caps. Investors seeking value are encouraged to focus on dividends and look for yields in the 3%-4% range. Here are the Top 10 Performers from the Argus Universe last quarter (including representatives of six of the 11 major sectors) as well as the Bottom-Five Performers.

Market trends often persist longer than most expect. That is why it can be a good idea for an investor to allocate capital toward the highest relative-strength opportunities. Over the long-term, this has made it very difficult to be a value investor. Back in the late 1970s, there were very few momentum investors, very few market technicians, and a whole lot of people in the financial world searching for value. Socks trading below book value, stocks trading for less than the cash on their balance sheet, and stocks trading for single-digit price/earnings ratios. It was a very different investment world.