Preparing for a Year of Global Uncertainty

A mixed day... So calm it's uneasy... Preparing for a year of global uncertainty... Buckle up for volatility... Don't overlook commodities... The case for higher oil prices... A refuge from the storms... [Stansberry Research Logo] Delivering World-Class Financial Research Since 1999 [Stansberry Digest] A mixed day... So calm it's uneasy... Preparing for a year of global uncertainty... Buckle up for volatility... Don't overlook commodities... The case for higher oil prices... A refuge from the storms... --------------------------------------------------------------- Onward... Today didn't quite look like a full-fledged resumption of "bull season," but it wasn't all that troubling of a performance in the markets, either... The major U.S. indexes finished mixed, with the S&P 500 down slightly. Bond yields remained steady, with the 10-year Treasury continuing to hover near 4%. The headline economic notes of the day were some shoulder-shrugging news about jobs. Another report this morning, from payroll processor ADP, showed that private-sector jobs in the U.S. grew by 164,000 in December, above Wall Street expectations. Plus, initial jobless claims – new people seeking unemployment benefits – fell to a two-month low in the final week of 2023, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. All in all, the labor market isn't cratering, but it's continuing what appears to be a gradual weakening. Investors will next digest the monthly "nonfarm payroll" report for December, with an updated unemployment rate, tomorrow morning. The relative calm today, though, is somehow uneasy... I (Corey McLaughlin) mentioned earlier this week that one of the things on the top of my mind at the start of 2024 is November's presidential election – and what influence everything about it might have on the markets. I'm not the only one... As our colleague Whitney Tilson wrote [in his free daily newsletter yesterday]( the 2024 election was the most frequently cited worry among Investopedia readers in a recent poll... ahead of war in the Middle East, a recession, inflation, interest rates, or anything else. Incidentally, Stansberry Research senior analyst Alan Gula covered the subject of the upcoming election at length in the latest editions of our Portfolio Solutions products, released Tuesday. If you're a Portfolio Solutions subscriber or Stansberry Alliance member, you ought to [check it out](. Among other things, Alan analyzed how the present economy and/or folks' perception of it could sway election results in November, and vice versa. And he talked about why politics might play a larger role in the markets as the year goes on. As Alan wrote... The bond market has been focused on continued disinflation and the prospect of Fed rate cuts. And as my colleague Matt Weinschenk illustrated in the monthly briefing [which we touched on [in the Digest yesterday]( the stock market just had a fantastic year, with a sharp move higher in the past two months. However, at some point, the U.S. financial markets may start to appreciate the risk of a disorderly or ambiguous political outcome and a further fraying of our nation's social fabric. That could spell volatility and potentially sharp declines in the stock market. This is yet another reason why we're staying cautious for 2024. Again, subscribers and Stansberry Alliance members can find links to the latest updates of our Portfolio Solutions strategies in your inbox or [on our website](. And we'll be keeping an eye on political developments this year. There won't be any shortage. And looking abroad... Two wars with global economic implications are already ongoing. Of late, terror attacks have been happening nearly every day in the Middle East that threaten to escalate tensions between interested nations. This could reverse the progress made in curtailing inflation, which would influence central bank interest-rate policy... and expectations for stocks and other risk assets. As I detailed on Tuesday and touched on yesterday, spiking shipping rates related to attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea are a reality. So, too, is uncertainty around global energy supply and demand. After spiking by more than 3% yesterday, oil prices have been down slightly in the past 24 hours, back in trend with a 20% sell-off since the end of September. As Stansberry Research analysts Brian Tycangco and Bill McGilton wrote [in the latest issue of our Commodity Supercycles advisory]( published last night... Brent crude (the international standard) is trading around $76 per barrel today. That's sharply lower from the almost $97 per barrel it was trading at toward the end of September. The sell-off reflects worries about a slowing economy in the U.S. and China. While the pandemic is behind China and the country's economy is rapidly springing back to its former self, both countries are seeing less energy demand in the fourth quarter than previously forecast. What's next? Recession? Stagnation? Another war? Something else? Nobody has a crystal ball, of course, but you can prepare for the possible outcomes... Seeking gains in a year of global uncertainty... Most investors tend to focus on stocks. And our team is always searching for opportunities to buy shares in high-quality businesses at good prices. Fewer folks are interested in bonds, and especially the kind of corporate bonds our colleague Mike DiBiase follows [in Stansberry's Credit Opportunities](. When panic grips the market, these bonds go on sale. When times are calm, we also typically see even less talk about commodities. But these assets and the businesses and stocks associated with them, like energy companies, might be worth familiarizing yourself with or revisiting as we look ahead at a year of global uncertainty. First of all, they touch almost every business in one way or another – and can provide tremendous opportunities for profits if you're familiar with trends many other people overlook. As Brian and Bill explained in the latest issue of Commodity Supercycles... Our portfolio touches on nearly every part of the energy sector. Whether it's oil and gas production, selling the "picks and shovels" to these energy companies, or renewable energy... we're prepared to profit from a host of trends in the sector. Second, as we've seen lately, uncertainty can be good for these businesses as questions emerge about global supply and supply chains. The case for higher oil prices... Plus, Brian and Bill expect energy prices are likely to rise again this year and beyond. As they wrote... In 2024, the U.S. Department of Energy ("DOE") forecasts oil demand to grow 1.3% to more than 102 million barrels per day ("bpd"). But it only expects production to increase by 0.6%. In other words, demand growth will outstrip supply growth. Over the longer term, oil cartel OPEC expects oil demand to reach 110 million bpd by 2028 and 116 million bpd by 2045 based on strong demand from developing countries. And that takes growing renewable-energy demand into account. OPEC estimates it will take $14 trillion in investment between now and 2045 to meet demand targets. Meanwhile, supply pressure continues in the near term with production cuts from Saudi Arabia and OPEC+ that we have no doubt will continue into 2024. In the issue, Brian and Bill went on to cover everything from the U.S. oil and gas producers, big and small, that are primed to keep rewarding shareholders... to their favorite European energy-infrastructure stock... a coal business... the latest trends in nuclear energy... and an update about gold, too... If you're interested at all in what has been going on with commodities lately and where things could go, the latest issue of Commodity Supercycles is a must-read. Existing subscribers and Stansberry Alliance members can find it [here](. Finally, don't miss our 'emergency briefing'... Without giving too much away, this broadcast touches on another sector worth considering today – for a multitude of reasons. An analyst who has recommended more 10X winners than anyone else in our company's history says several potential catalysts are converging right now... He has rushed to put together a free emergency briefing to get all the information out before what he calls perhaps the most lucrative money-making opportunity of 2024 passes by. It's a chance to make incredible gains no matter what else is happening in the world... a refuge from the storm of inflation, war, energy prices, and the overall economy. [Click here for all the details now](. And one important note for Stansberry Alliance members: You are welcome to watch this free broadcast, but you can also find all the details about this opportunity and how to take advantage of it in your inbox. --------------------------------------------------------------- Recommended Links: [Here's What You Missed Yesterday]( With uncertainty on our readers' minds, we called everything else off to begin the new year with an extremely time-sensitive warning from the analyst who has posted over a dozen 1,000%-plus winners since 2020. He reveals what to expect in 2024... and exactly what you should be doing with your money to prepare. [Click here for details](. --------------------------------------------------------------- [Billionaires Now FLOODING Into Gold]( Ray Dalio, John Paulson, and many others all recommend you own gold right now. But did you know there's another huge investor (worth more than all the world's billionaires COMBINED) buying gold by the ton? That's why the best move to make right now could be this little-known gold investment (which you can get started with for just $5). [Click here for the No. 1 gold recommendation](. --------------------------------------------------------------- New 52-week highs (as of 1/3/24): Cencora (COR) and Phillips 66 (PSX). In today's mailbag, feedback on [yesterday's Digest]( which included commentary on airline-related "Fed speak"... Do you have a comment or question? As always, e-mail us at feedback@stansberryresearch.com. "Memo to Richmond Fed President Thomas Barkin: If you're 'heading to the wrong airport', maybe you shouldn't be flying the plane." – Subscriber William S. All the best, Corey McLaughlin Baltimore, Maryland January 4, 2024 --------------------------------------------------------------- Stansberry Research Top 10 Open Recommendations Top 10 highest-returning open positions across all Stansberry Research portfolios Stock Buy Date Return Publication Analyst MSFT Microsoft 11/11/10 1,277.5% Retirement Millionaire Doc MSFT Microsoft 02/10/12 1,171.5% Stansberry's Investment Advisory Porter ADP Automatic Data Processing 10/09/08 844.0% Extreme Value Ferris wstETH Wrapped Staked Ethereum 02/21/20 771.1% Stansberry Innovations Report Wade WRB W.R. Berkley 03/16/12 658.4% Stansberry's Investment Advisory Porter BRK.B Berkshire Hathaway 04/01/09 550.3% Retirement Millionaire Doc HSY Hershey 12/07/07 467.5% Stansberry's Investment Advisory Porter AFG American Financial 10/12/12 410.1% Stansberry's Investment Advisory Porter BTC/USD Bitcoin 01/16/20 376.5% Stansberry Innovations Report Wade PANW Palo Alto Networks 04/16/20 317.6% Stansberry Innovations Report Engel Please note: Securities appearing in the Top 10 are not necessarily recommended buys at current prices. The list reflects the best-performing positions currently in the model portfolio of any Stansberry Research publication. The buy date reflects when the editor recommended the investment in the listed publication, and the return shows its performance since that date. To learn if a security is still a recommended buy today, you must be a subscriber to that publication and refer to the most recent portfolio. --------------------------------------------------------------- Top 10 Totals 4 Stansberry's Investment Advisory Porter 3 Stansberry Innovations Report Engel/Wade 2 Retirement Millionaire Doc 1 Extreme Value Ferris --------------------------------------------------------------- Top 5 Crypto Capital Open Recommendations Top 5 highest-returning open positions in the Crypto Capital model portfolio Stock Buy Date Return Publication Analyst wstETH Wrapped Staked Ethereum 12/07/18 1,701.2% Crypto Capital Wade ONE/USD Harmony 12/16/19 1,137.5% Crypto Capital Wade POLYX/USD Polymesh 05/19/20 1,052.3% Crypto Capital Wade BTC/USD Bitcoin 11/27/18 1,038.0% Crypto Capital Wade MATIC/USD Polygon 02/25/21 851.5% Crypto Capital Wade Please note: Securities appearing in the Top 5 are not necessarily recommended buys at current prices. The list reflects the best-performing positions currently in the Crypto Capital model portfolio. The buy date reflects when the recommendation was made, and the return shows its performance since that date. To learn if it's still a recommended buy today, you must be a subscriber and refer to the most recent portfolio. --------------------------------------------------------------- Stansberry Research Hall of Fame Top 10 all-time, highest-returning closed positions across all Stansberry portfolios Investment Symbol Duration Gain Publication Analyst Nvidia^* NVDA 5.96 years 1,466% Venture Tech. Lashmet Microsoft^ MSFT 12.74 years 1,185% Retirement Millionaire Doc Band Protocol crypto 0.32 years 1,169% Crypto Capital Wade Terra crypto 0.41 years 1,164% Crypto Capital Wade Inovio Pharma.^ INO 1.01 years 1,139% Venture Tech. Lashmet Seabridge Gold^ SA 4.20 years 995% Sjug Conf. Sjuggerud Frontier crypto 0.08 years 978% Crypto Capital Wade Binance Coin crypto 1.78 years 963% Crypto Capital Wade Nvidia^* NVDA 4.12 years 777% Venture Tech. Lashmet Intellia Therapeutics NTLA 1.95 years 775% Amer. Moonshots Root ^ These gains occurred with a partial position in the respective stocks. * The two partial positions in Nvidia were part of a single recommendation. Editor Dave Lashmet closed the first leg of the position in November 2016 for a gain of about 108%. Then, he closed the second leg in July 2020 for a 777% return. And finally, in May 2022, he booked a 1,466% return on the final leg. Subscribers who followed his advice on Nvidia could've recorded a total weighted average gain of more than 600%. You have received this e-mail as part of your subscription to Stansberry Digest. If you no longer want to receive e-mails from Stansberry Digest [click here](. Published by Stansberry Research. You’re receiving this e-mail at {EMAIL}. 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