Top-Performing Stock ETFs

Plus: 4 utility stocks to profit from the AI boom, top-performing dividend stocks, a new bond market playbook. [Morningstar](?utm_source=eloqua&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter_smartinvestor&utm_content=53967&elqTrackId=2f82f95c5dfc43f597aea46cb127722d&elq=90ced66c54e244b79fccc7d535c7225a&elqaid=53967&elqat=1&elqCampaignId=27372) [Smart Investor] Smart Investor [Tom Lauricella, chief markets editor]( Connect with Tom on [LinkedIn]( [Tom Lauricella] this week's newsletter: - [Top-Performing Stock ETFs for April]( - [10 Top-Performing Dividend Stocks of]( - [Magnificent 7 Stocks Earnings Updates: AI Remains the Focus]( - [Job Gains Slow In April, but Too Soon to Say the Trend Has Changed]( - [Higher Interest Rates Stick Around]( - [4 Utility Stocks to Play the AI Data Center Boom]( - [For Bond Investors, Delayed Rate Cuts Calls for a Different Playbook]( - [Where We See Opportunities After an Ugly Month for Stocks]( Finally, a little bit of good economic news for the markets. For the first time this year, [the monthly jobs report]( came in softer than expected. That’s not to say it was weak, but it at least went in a direction that keeps Federal Reserve interest rate cuts on the table at some point this year. As Morningstar chief US economist Preston Caldwell notes, the monthly jobs reports are notoriously volatile. For more of his take on the subject and why he’s not reading too much into the April data, [click here](. The jobs report came two days after the latest Fed policy meeting. There, as expected, rates were held steady and [Fed officials signaled]( they are looking for more clarity on inflation before cutting rates. Check out Ivanna Hampton’s [interview with Caldwell on the Fed meeting]( and the outlook for interest rates. The soft jobs report notwithstanding, sticky inflation and delayed rate cuts have dimmed a previously rosy outlook for the 2024 bond market. As Sarah Hansen writes, this landscape is calling for a different playbook [for bond investors, but opportunities remain](. Stocks have also had a tough run, but as Morningstar chief US market strategist David Sekera notes, the selloff has the overall market back in fair value territory. He offers an outline of where Morningstar’s analysts [see attractively priced stocks](. Meanwhile, earnings season continues to roll along. We’ve got quarterly results from [Apple]( [Amazon]( [Novo Nordisk]( and [Albemarle](. Looking at the Magnificent Seven, all but Nvidia have reported, and we’ve pulled our coverage [together into one story](. Of course, one of the big themes this earnings season has been the ripples from the artificial intelligence boom. One [area that’s getting a lot of attention]( is the need to power all those AI-training data centers and that means more electricity. For a more complete look at Morningstar’s take on first-quarter earnings, [check out our new company earnings page](. Lastly, we’ve got our month-end wraps on dividend stock performance. Hasbro and NRG Energy [were among the winners for April](. We also have a look at the months [best]( and [worst]( US stock ETFs. In the champions circle for April: Global X SuperDividend US ETF and Simplify Volatility Premium ETF. As always, check out our [Markets page]( for our latest coverage and live stock market updates, along with our [weekly calendar]( of key upcoming data and events. [Top-Performing Stock ETFs for the Month]( [Top-Performing Stock ETFs for the Month]( Global X SuperDividend US ETF and Simplify Volatility Premium ETF were among the best-performing ETFs in April 2024. Bella Albrecht, Lauren Solberg [Get the List]( Share: [facebook]( [twitter]( [linkedin]( ADVERTISEMENT [media]( [media] Markets and the Economy [Higher Interest Rates Stick Around ]( [Higher Interest Rates Stick Around]( Fed makes a change to its bond holdings, while mortgage and other borrowing costs remain elevated. Preston Caldwell, Ivanna Hampton [For Bond Investors, Delayed Rate Cuts Demand a Different Playbook]( [For Bond Investors, Delayed Rate Cuts Demand a Different Playbook]( Fixed income offers opportunities even as yields remain high. Sarah Hansen [Job Gains Slow In April, but Too Soon to Say the Trend Has Changed]( [Job Gains Slow In April, but Too Soon to Say the Trend Has Changed]( Despite a softer jobs report, Fed is seen as needing more evidence before accelerating rate cuts. Tom Lauricella [Powell Unfazed By Sticky Inflation, but Rate Cuts Are Far Off]( [Powell Unfazed By Sticky Inflation, but Rate Cuts Are Far Off]( Fed chair says policy is still restrictive, even as price pressures rose in the first quarter. Preston Caldwell [Why the End of Quantitative Tightening Matters]( [Why the End of Quantitative Tightening Matters]( Fed officials are debating how to end the policy. Marta Norton [10 Top-Performing Dividend Stocks of the Month]( [10 Top-Performing Dividend Stocks of the Month]( Hasbro and NRG Energy are among April 2024′s high-yielding winners. Bella Albrecht, Lauren Solberg [Best- and Worst-Performing Stocks of April 2024]( [Best- and Worst-Performing Stocks of April 2024]( Snap and GE rank among the best stocks for the month, while the worst include Intel and Sirius XM. Bella Albrecht [Worst-Performing Stock ETFs for the Month]( [Worst-Performing Stock ETFs for the Month]( ARK Innovation ETF and Renaissance IPO ETF were among the worst-performing ETFs in April 2024. Bella Albrecht, Lauren Solberg [4 Utility Stocks to Play the AI Data Center Boom]( [4 Utility Stocks to Play the AI Data Center Boom]( Dividend-paying Entergy and Southern Co. are among the best-positioned for rising electricity demand. Diana Anghel [Magnificent 7 Stocks Earnings Updates: AI Remains the Focus]( [Magnificent 7 Stocks Earnings Updates: AI Remains the Focus]( Recapping Morningstar analysts’ takes on earnings for these key drivers of stock market performance. Sunniva Kolostyak [Winners and Losers In the Spot Bitcoin ETF Race]( [Winners and Losers In the Spot Bitcoin ETF Race]( Despite crypto’s reputation, investors have gone mainstream with bitcoin ETFs. Gabe Alpert [After Earnings, Is Meta Stock a Buy, a Sell, or Fairly Valued?]( [After Earnings, Is Meta Stock a Buy, a Sell, or Fairly Valued?]( With Mark Zuckerberg’s emphasis on AI investment, here’s what we think of Meta stock. Michael Hodel [After Earnings, Is Alphabet Stock a Buy, a Sell, or Fairly Valued?]( [After Earnings, Is Alphabet Stock a Buy, a Sell, or Fairly Valued?]( With accelerating revenue growth and its AI push, here’s what we think of Alphabet’s stock. Michael Hodel [After Earnings, Is Verizon Stock a Buy, a Sell, or Fairly Valued?]( [After Earnings, Is Verizon Stock a Buy, a Sell, or Fairly Valued?]( With price increases driving revenue gains, here’s what we think of Verizon stock. Michael Hodel [After Earnings, Is Boeing Stock a Buy, a Sell, or Fairly Valued?]( [After Earnings, Is Boeing Stock a Buy, a Sell, or Fairly Valued?]( After a turbulent start to the year, here’s what we think of Boeing stock. Nicolas Owens [After Earnings, Is Ford Stock a Buy, a Sell, or Fairly Valued?]( [After Earnings, Is Ford Stock a Buy, a Sell, or Fairly Valued?]( With an improved earnings outlook, here’s what we think of Ford’s stock. David Whiston [After Earnings, Is Tesla Stock a Buy, a Sell, or Fairly Valued?]( [After Earnings, Is Tesla Stock a Buy, a Sell, or Fairly Valued?]( With the affordable vehicle update and price cuts, here’s what we think of Tesla stock. Seth Goldstein [After Earnings, Is Microsoft Stock a Buy, a Sell, or Fairly Valued?]( [After Earnings, Is Microsoft Stock a Buy, a Sell, or Fairly Valued?]( With strong third-quarter results, here’s what we think of Microsoft stock. Dan Romanoff [After Earnings, Is AT&T Stock a Buy, a Sell, or Fairly Valued?]( [After Earnings, Is AT&T Stock a Buy, a Sell, or Fairly Valued?]( With improved free cash flow, here’s what we think of AT&T stock. Michael Hodel [After Earnings, Is GE Aerospace Stock a Buy, a Sell, or Fairly Valued?]( [After Earnings, Is GE Aerospace Stock a Buy, a Sell, or Fairly Valued?]( With higher margin expectations and a strong franchise, here’s what we think of GE Aerospace stock. Nicolas Owens [5 Undervalued Stocks to Buy to Play a Little Defense]( [5 Undervalued Stocks to Buy to Play a Little Defense]( Plus, what we’re watching in the markets this week and new research on Meta, Tesla, and Microsoft. David Sekera, Susan Dziubinski [Charlie Munger and How Not to Invest]( [Charlie Munger and How Not to Invest]( Reflections ahead of Berkshire Hathaway’s first annual meeting after Munger’s death. Mathew Hodge Chart of the Week [Where We See Opportunities After an Ugly Month for Stocks]( [Where We See Opportunities After an Ugly Month for Stocks]( Our US stock market outlook and valuation for May 2024. David Sekera [Find Out More]( Share: [facebook]( [twitter]( [linkedin]( Recent Earnings [Apple: A Weak 2024, but Optimism for 2025]( [Amazon: AWS Growth Accelerates and Profit Margins Improve]( [Albemarle: We Expect Improved Results In the Rest of Year Following Cyclically Low Profits]( [Novo Nordisk: Raised Fair Value Estimate Still a Contrast to Market Overenthusiasm]( [Amgen: Obesity Drug Update Is Highly Encouraging]( [Eli Lilly: Strong Weight-Loss Drug Sales Expand Margins]( [Pfizer: Solid Results Supported by Steady Tracking Toward $4 Billion In Cost Cuts]( [Coca-Cola: Solid Volume On Innovation and Digital Engagement]( [Marathon Petroleum: No Change to Competitive Position, but Shares Look Expensive]( [Starbucks: Not a Lot to Like About Results as Global Traffic Sputters]( [Mastercard: A Stable Environment Highlights the Firm’s Strengths]( [Morningstar Company Reports]( For a complete look at Morningstar’s take on first-quarter earnings, check out our new company earnings page and discover actionable insights today. Get Top Stock Picks and Market Insights Every Week on The Morning Filter. Every Monday morning, Susan Dziubinski sits down with Morningstar Chief U.S. markets strategist Dave Sekera to discuss what's on his radar, new Morningstar research, and stock picks or plans for the week ahead. [Watch Now.](morningstar/streams?utm_source=eloqua&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter_smartinvestor&utm_content=53967) Stay connected: [twitter]( [facebook]( [linkedin]( [instagram]( [YouTube]( [Apple News]( [View online]( | [See all newsletters]( | [Share your feedback]( [Unsubscribe]( from this newsletter. Or update your [email preferences](. © 2024 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 22 W. Washington St. Chicago, IL 60602