How to Profit from This Panic

[Zacks | Our Research. Your Success.] WeekendWisdom Tactics that Work in Good Markets and Bad [Kevin Cook - Editor] How to Profit from This Panic By: Kevin Cook January 5, 2019 --------------------------------------------------------------- Earlier this week, I described the [4 Major Fears]( eating at the insides of this market—and why it was setting up a huge buying opportunity. Since then, Apple's warning and a big ISM Manufacturing miss delivered a tag-team blow to the emerging bounce off of S&P 2350—the site of a 20% correction for the US benchmark. Lump those reveals under two of my "major fears," namely, Growth Peak and Trade Angst. And just when it looked like stocks would head back down to test the lows—as if investors are running for the hills on full-blown recession hysteria—on Friday morning we heard some important words of flexibility from Fed Chair Jay Powell. So is the correction finally over? Or should we listen to the bears and get ready for another 10-20% downside, since the average bear market/recession scenario produces a 35% swoon? Or, as I have suggested, has this just been a gigantic overreaction destined to correct itself upward when money managers realize the error of their panic and come swooping in for bargains all around? Let's look at 3 things that need to happen this month to establish a market low we can live with, and profit from, for the next 6-12 months… 1) US Growth Saves the World We know that Q4 economic growth will slow from its hot pace of over 3.5% in Q3, but by how much? The peak in growth has definitely been evident in one pulse of the world's largest consumer economy: housing. Sales of new single-family houses in October were about 9% below September and 12% below the October 2017 seasonally adjusted annual rate of 618,000. We saw this growth peak begin to show up in the housing stocks first this summer as they continued a steady decline, unable to move higher with the broader market. And Thursday we got a big current read on growth expectations from the ISM manufacturing index which not only dropped 5 points to 54.1, but missed expectations by the most since January of 2014. Granted, this data is a survey of purchasing manager sentiment about their economic outlook and activity, so it can have behavioral and emotional volatility—especially after the S&P 500 dropped 15% in the first 15 trading days of December up to Christmas Eve. And at 54, it's still in expansion territory. The crucial question here is this: are expectations "catching down" to how much of a slowdown is in the works? Some finally are. Two months ago, Goldman Sachs chief equity strategist David Kostin thought that the October market correction was an overreaction with the ISM so strong near 60. Last weekend, before this latest plunge, the bank lowered their GDP forecast for 2019 to under 2%. Bottom line: If institutional investors are waking up and smelling the coffee here, they will also be lowering their 2019 earnings estimates from overly-optimistic 9% growth to something more in line with 2% GDP growth. And that should put a panic bottom in stocks this month or next, depending on our next two criteria. Overall, US stocks will remain the cleanest investing landscape in a messy global picture and I want to buy that panic. Continue reading… [This Sector Could Be This Year's Top Performer]( Research indicates one sector is poised to deliver a crop of the best-performing stocks you'll find anywhere in the market. Breaking news in this space frequently creates quick double- and triple-digit profit opportunities. These companies are changing the world – and owning their stocks could transform your portfolio in 2019 and beyond. Recent trades from this sector have generated +98%, +119% and +155% gains in as little as 1 month.¹ [See 7 Breakthrough Stocks Now »]( 2) The Fed Saves the Day Large investors need to hear a message from the Federal Reserve this month that they are very cognizant of not only a growth slow-down here and abroad, but also theimpacts of steadily tightening monetary policy on financial conditions. Interest rate-sensitive cyclical industries and credit markets have already felt the squeeze of this tightening. While a rate cut any time soon is out of the question, a "big pause" in the pace of hikes and a nod toward flexibility about balance sheet liquidation will be very welcome. When the Jay Powell Fed indicated last month that the current $50 billion in asset "run-off" (maturity without replacement) of Treasury bonds and MBS (mortgage-backed securities) was on "autopilot," investors reacted very negatively. In Friday morning's Powell chat with his old bosses Bernanke and Yellen – aided by great questions from the NYT reporter – he clarified his beliefs and signaled that the central bank will be "patient" in its approach to monetary policy and has "no preset path" for raising rates or adjusting the balance sheet. This seems to have at least temporarily assuaged the fears of those who see him as an inflation hawk out to pop all bubbles. But Friday morning also brought very strong data on jobs and wage growth, which will keep pressure on the FOMC to raise rates no matter what the market thinks or bets. So we need to listen to other member speeches and interviews in the next few weeks to get a better feel for their outlook. Our data-dependent Fed will also have a lot of it to look at this month, from housing and credit conditions to the start of earnings season which will reveal corporate results, sentiment, and outlooks about global trade and US economic health. They even get a first look at Q4 GDP on the morning before their next official statement and Powell's press conference Jan 30. Bottom line: The messaging before the next 2-day Fed-fest is really what counts here. The market needs to know the Fed "gets it" and soon. Anymore uncertainty headed into that event will put more pressure on stocks. Which will continue to present fantastic opportunities for both long-term investors and shorter-term volatility fans. 3) Credit Markets Save the Hysteria As high-yield credit spreads have "blown out" (widened) by a significant margin, companies in need of financing for operations or to roll existing debt have been hampered, if not shut out. A credit spread is the difference in yield between two bonds or notes of similar maturity but different credit quality. And as I discussed earlier this week, tightening financial conditions that lead to financial market stress fractures can often be the leading indicators, if not the tipping points, for an economic recession. The negative feedback loop here, of course, is that falling stocks lead to tighter financial conditions, more worry, less risk-taking and lending, and ultimately further negative pressure on equities. This is the kind of financial contraction that invites the "R" word. While some "bond kings" are worried over what this vicious cycle is telling us about the end of the economic expansion, many other big quantitative managers like Robert Michele, chief investment officer and global head of fixed income at JPMorgan Asset Management, believe that the Fed already "gets it" and will not hike rates at all in the first half of the year. Bottom line: Investors recognizing that the Fed's Dec 19 Dot-Plot is not a policy prescription—as much as a guesstimate based on old data—will take the pressure off of credit spreads as the rest of the market gets it. And while stocks and growth estimates may fall a bit further, the combination of any two of these fears stabilizing will inevitably turn the third component. Why This Correction is Different Together, these three "saves" will provide greater visibility to see past the uncertain impacts of trade policy and negotiations. But as it still evolves, the speed and magnitude of this stock market correction would lead any reasonable observer to think a recession must surely be on the way. And yet the economy slowing from 3% to 2% growth does not a recession make. So what gives? If it's so rare for a 20%+ correction to not coincide with an economic downturn—and foretell a stock market wipeout of 35% or greater—how can I be so sure we come out of this soon? While I can't guarantee these "saves" happen, what I can do is describe how every cycle is unique. We are coming off of an unprecedented monetary experiment after the last financial crisis. And coming off of that QE-driven reflation of economic activity and assets, stock market participants experienced complacency which turned to panic. They ran, and are still running, for the exits because they are sure there's a fire. But the only things really up in flames are their portfolios. Maybe this has created what is commonly called a "cyclical bear market" without a recession. But odds are, it has also created one of the best buying opportunities in years, with 25% upside in the S&P 500 index, and hundreds of individual stocks that will clobber that potential—especially as cash balances among money managers have risen dramatically and won't all go into bonds. Where to Look for Lucrative Buying Opportunities Today Right now, I am making shopping lists for stocks "on sale" in two sectors that I consider among that class of potential high double-digit winners: Technology and especially Biotechnology. The Biotech sector is projected to surpass $775 billion in size by 2024 as scientists continue to redefine the treatment and prevention of thousands of diseases. New developments almost sound like science-fiction. For example, just a few years ago, no one would have imagined we would be able to "edit" human DNA to eliminate HIV/AIDS. There are a handful of biotech stocks I believe are positioned for particularly strong performance this year. Earlier this week, I released a new Special Report called The Century of Biology: 7 Biotech Stocks to Buy Now to help you take advantage of my favorite opportunities in this booming sector. Just days later, one of the companies I highlighted saw a bigger BioPharma giant swoop in to buy them for a 50% premium. You're invited to [download this urgent report today](. Other Biotech stocks I've recently recommended to my readers have generated gains of +98%, +119% and +155% in as little as 1 month.¹ Because of the recent market pullback, there are some great entry points right now. In my estimation, this could be the fastest way to grow your wealth in 2019 and beyond. But don't delay. The deadline to download The Century of Biology is midnight Sunday, January 6. [Check out these stocks now »]( Good Investing, [Kevin Cook - signature] Kevin Cook Kevin, Senior Stock Strategist at Zacks, is a leading expert in biotech and medical stocks. He provides commentary and recommendations for Zacks' investment portfolio, Healthcare Innovators. ¹The results for the trades listed above are not (or may not be) representative of the performance of all selections made by Zacks Investment Research's newsletter editors. This free resource is being sent by [Zacks.com](. We look for investment resources and inform you of these resources, which you may choose to use in making your own investment decisions. Zacks is providing information on this resource to you subject to the Zacks "Terms and Conditions of Service" disclaimer. [www.zacks.com/disclaimer](. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. The Zacks #1 Rank Performance covers the period beginning on January 1, 1988 through December 3, 2018. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank # 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit [( for information about the performance numbers displayed above. Zacks Emails If you would prefer to not receive future profit-producing emails from [Zacks.com]( the primary purpose of which is the commercial advertisement or promotion of a commercial product or service, then please [click here]( and confirm your request. If you have trouble with the unsubscribe link, please email support@zacks.com. Zacks Investment Research 10 S. Riverside Plaza, Suite 1600 Chicago, IL 60606