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 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.

Stocks fell on Thursday on hotter-than-expected inflation readings. In February, headline PPI rose 0.6%, up from 0.2% in January and ahead of the expected 0.3% increase -- with nearly two-thirds of the increase attributed to a rise in prices for final-demand goods. A 4.4% rise in energy prices during the month was the main factor in the increase in final-demand goods, contributing over one-third of the increase. PPI rose 0.4% in February, down from 0.6% last month but ahead of the expected 0.2% increase. U.S. retail sales in February were up 0.6%, following the 0.8% decline in January. The Dow fell 0.2%, the S&P 500 was down 0.3%, and the Nasdaq lost 0.1%. Crude oil traded above $81 per barrel, while gold fell $18 to $2162 per ounce.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

Based in Dallas, Pioneer Natural Resources is one of the top E&P companies in the Permian Basin in West Texas. The company explores for and produces oil, natural gas and NGLs.

Recession Fears Fade away as Earnings, Economy Deliver

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.

It's as if some stock-market deities snapped their fingers a few days ago, and now everything is good again. At times, markets love to play Jekyll and Hyde, scaring investors after everyone is all in and then pulling an about-face and charging back higher. The S&P 500 (SPX), the Nasdaq, and the Nasdaq 100 (QQQ) all popped back above their 50-day averages on Tuesday, with the SPX rising 1.5%, the Nasdaq leaping 1.7%, and the QQQs ripping higher by 2.2%. In three days, the SPX is up 2.8%, the Nasdaq has added 3.6%, and the QQQs have jumped 3.8%.

Monday Tee Up: Walmart's Turn

Once again, the stock market was faced with higher interest rates and a higher U.S. Dollar Index (USD). Generally, this is not a good scenario for stocks, especially after the run we have had since March. Higher yields and a rallying greenback also led to some weakness in gold and silver. Investors also may be sitting on their hands, as this is another big earnings week with AAPL and AMZN reporting later in the week.

The volume of weekly insider transactions reported by Vickers Stock Research remains very low, as earnings season is in full swing. For the past few weeks, we've noted that, among the low volume, the vast majority of transactions have been the result of preplanned sales by corporate executives, directors and beneficial owners. That remains the case this week, as preplanned sales again make up the largest number of insider transactions.

Stocks were mixed on Tuesday morning as investors weighed new housing market and consumer confidence data. S&P Case-Shiller said that growth in U.S. home prices continued to slow. Prices rose 5.8% from the prior year in December, down from 7.6% growth in November and the smallest year-over-year gain since mid-2020. Consumer confidence fell. The Conference Board said that its consumer confidence index fell to 102.9 in February, down from 106.0 in January and below the Reuters consensus forecast of 108.5. On the earnings front, Target posted stronger-than-expected fiscal 4Q results but offered cautious full-year guidance. The Dow fell 0.3%, the S&P rose 0.1%, and the Nasdaq rose 0.2%. Crude oil rose 2% to $77 per barrel, while gold traded near $1832 per ounce.

Dividend growth is among our most-important investment themes in 2023, and stretches across industries. At this stage of the economic and market cycles, Argus recommends that investors pay close attention to dividend growth. We think consistent -- and accelerated -- dividend growth at a company gives three important signals to investors: 1) the company's balance sheet is strong enough to pay a dividend; 2) management is mindful of shareholder returns, which include dividends; and 3) a significant dividend increase can be a message from management that the near-term outlook for the company is promising, even during a pandemic. In particular, we like companies that have grown their dividends at an average double-digit pace over the past five years. Stocks on our BUY list that meet this test include the following.

Dividend income, an important element of total return, is often overlooked amid gyrations in the stock market. Between 1930 and 2012, dividend income accounted for 42% of the total return of the S&P 500, according to Hartford Funds. And that's just the average. In some decades, dividends accounted for more than 50% of total returns and even 100% of returns. More recently, dividends have accounted for 15%-20% of returns. Still, in 2018, dividend payments softened the blow when most market indices declined as the Federal Reserve hiked rates. The pattern was repeated in 2022 as well. Not all dividends are created equal, though, and it is important to understand the difference between the two main categories: high-yield stocks and dividend-growth stocks.

Stocks soared on Thursday morning after lower-than-expected inflation data raised prospects for a slowdown in Federal Reserve rate hikes. The Labor Department said that its core consumer price index, excluding food and energy costs, rose 6.3% from the prior year in October, down from 6.6% in September and below the Bloomberg consensus forecast of 6.5% growth. The Dow jumped 2.7%, the S&P 4.1%, and the Nasdaq 6.1%. Crude oil rose to $87 per barrel, while gold rose $33 to $1747 per ounce.

The stock market showed some promise after the huge October 13 reversal and subsequent rally into early Tuesday October 18, but stocks lost their very short-term mojo. After a loss on Wednesday, the S&P 500 rallied about 40 points (1%) early on Thursday -- but then sold off for the rest of the day, declining 80 points at the low for the day. This scenario (strength in the morning and weakness for the rest of the day) is exactly the opposite of what bulls want.

There was no follow through on Thursday, as the stock market tanked -- giving up gains from Wednesday. As they say, "easy come, easy go." The S&P 500 fell 2.1% on Thursday, while the Nasdaq and Nasdaq 100 (QQQ) declined almost 3%. The SPX fell to a marginal closing low, while the other two majors tested June lows and held for now.

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) got smashed on Wednesday, falling 5.5% to $82/barrel, the lowest level since January. Just six days ago, crude almost hit $98 on an intraday basis. The stock market certainly benefited from the decline in oil and gasoline (which was down 4%) and probably also the move lower in the U.S. Dollar Index. Gasoline futures are off over $1.00 from their June highs and are back to the top of the range they traded in before Russia invaded Ukraine.

Stocks rose on Wednesday morning as investors awaited Fed Chair Jerome Powell's speech in Jackson Hole on Friday. Peloton shares rose more than 17% on news of a distribution partnership with Amazon, while Nordstrom dropped 19% after the retailer said that it would clear unsold inventory and lowered its full-year sales and earnings guidance. The Dow rose 0.4%, the S&P 0.5%, and the Nasdaq 0.8%. Crude oil rose 1% to $94.50 per barrel, while gold traded near $1766 per ounce.

Market breadth continues to improve, both on an intermediate- and long-term basis. As we've discussed before, there have been numerous recent breadth thrusts on all the major indices. After seeing very washed-out breadth in May and June, the current opposite status is a welcomed event. This pattern of extreme oversold breadth to extreme overbought breadth is a hallmark of a stock-market bottom after a major correction or bear market.

Dividend income, an important element of total return, is often overlooked amid gyrations in the stock market. Between 1930 and 2012, dividend income accounted for 42% of the total return of the S&P 500, according to Hartford Funds. And that's just the average. In some decades, dividends accounted for more than 50% of total returns and even 100% of returns. More recently, dividends have accounted for 15%-20% of returns. Still, in 2018, dividend payments softened the blow when most market indices declined as the Federal Reserve hiked rates. The pattern is being repeated in 2022 as well. Not all dividends are created equal, though, and it is important to understand the difference between the two main categories: high-yield stocks and dividend-growth stocks.

This is among our most important themes for 2022, and stretches across industries. We think companies that consistently raise their dividends at a double-digit rate are sending off three important signals amid the recent market volatility: 1) the company's balance sheet is strong enough to pay a dividend; 2) management is focused on providing shareholder returns; and 3) management is confident enough in the near-term outlook to raise the payout aggressively. The third factor is especially important as the pandemic upended the nation's recent record of long-term economic growth. Here are 19 stocks that meet our double-digit dividend test and are on the Argus BUY List. They are also holdings in our Dividend Growth Separately Managed Account and in the Dividend Growers Total Return Trust, sponsored by SmartTrust.

Over the past seven days, the stock market has been stuck in the mud. On May 27, the S&P 500 closed at 4,158. Yesterday, the index closed at 4,116. The intraday range during those seven days has been 4,074 to 4,178. The seven-day rate of change is -1%. Are investors sitting on their hands until Friday's report on CPI? Could be, as volume on the SPYs, QQQs, S&P 400 MidCap (MDY), and Russell 2000 (IWM) has been well below the 20- and 50-day averages. For the most part, volume has fallen on these indices over the past five to seven days, for some in a straight line.

Maybe, just maybe, we could see a counter rally in the bond market, with rates finally heading lower after a torrid run since late 2021/early 2022. The entire yield curve, from two-year to 30-year, has fallen a bit over the past couple of weeks. While the uptrend for yields remains unbroken, we could see some relief for the stock market, and especially the higher-beta names and indices that were in danger of seeing further bear-market losses.

Stocks rose on Tuesday morning as investors weighed new retail sales data and awaited more public comments from Fed Chair Jerome Powell. The Commerce Department said that U.S. retail sales rose 0.9% in April, in line with the Reuters consensus forecast. March retail sales were also revised up to 1.4% growth from a prior 0.7%. On the earnings front, Walmart shares fell 9% after the retailer posted disappointing 1Q earnings and lowered its full-year guidance. The Dow rose 0.6%, the S&P 1.1%, and the Nasdaq 1.3%. Crude oil traded near $115 per barrel, while gold rose $5 to $1819 per ounce.

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.

Tuesday saw more carnage on Wall Street, with the Nasdaq, QQQs, and Russell 2000 (IWM) all closing at bear-market lows. Three S&P sectors finished at new closing lows: Technology (XLK), Financials (XLF), and Communication Services (XLC). The S&P 500 finished with a 2.8% thrashing, and is off 6.4% in the past four days, the largest such decline since the pandemic began. Both the Nasdaq and QQQs lost about 3.9%.

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 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.

We recently raised our rating on the Energy sector to Over-Weight from Market-Weight. Already strong demand for petroleum products (related to global reopening) is now exacerbated by the war in Ukraine, which has led to broad sanctions on Russia and may exclude this major supplier from the global energy markets. Although we expect other counties to add to supply, we expect energy prices to remain elevated at least through year-end. Energy accounts for 3.6% of S&P 500 market cap; over the past five years, the weighting has ranged from 2% to 10%. We think investors should consider allocating 4%-5% of diversified portfolios to the group. The sector is outperforming thus far in 2022, with a gain of 32.3%. It also outperformed in 2021, with a gain of 47.7%. It underperformed in 2020, with a loss of 37.3%, and in 2019, with a gain of 7.6%. Here are some of the Energy sector companies that are on our BUY List. Some also are featured in our model portfolios (Growth & Income, Equity Income, Growth, and Institutional) and in our Focus List.

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 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.

Stocks fell on Tuesday morning as Russia escalated the crisis in Ukraine by sending troops into two Eastern breakaway regions. Meanwhile, consumer confidence data fell to a five-month low. The Conference Board said that its consumer confidence index fell to 110.5 in February from 111.1 in January, though the reading was slightly above the Reuters consensus forecast. The Dow fell 1.0%, the S&P 0.8%, and the Nasdaq 1.3%. Crude oil rose to nearly $93 per barrel, while gold traded near $1900 per ounce.

This edition features Harmonic Drive, our oil markets outlook, Western Union, and Masco, Compass Minerals, and Zimmer Biomet