Stocks End Lower, 2 More Trading Days Left In The Year

Plus 5 Just-Added Strong Buys Stocks End Lower, 2 More Trading Days Left In The Year [Kevin Matras - EVP - Photo] Profit from the Pros By Kevin Matras Executive Vice President Stocks End Lower, 2 More Trading Days Left In The Year [Stocks End Lower, 2 More Trading Days Left In The Year]Image: Bigstock Stocks closed lower yesterday with all of the major indexes down by -1% or more. News of China's easing Covid restrictions and the expected economic benefits that will bring, did little to help the U.S. markets. In fact, it may have hurt, as infection rates rise and fears that more Chinese travel could export the virus to other countries. In other news, the Pending Home Sales Index was down -4.0% m/m vs. views for -0.5%. The index itself came in at 73.9 vs. last month's 77.1 and estimates for the same. The Richmond Fed Manufacturing Index came in at 1 vs. last month's -9 and the consensus for -6. The Survey of Business Uncertainty showed employers expecting 4.45% sales growth over the next 12 months. Fine growth rate, but it was lower than last month's expectations of 4.69%. They put employment growth at 4.28%, which was actually a bit higher than last month's forecast of 4.23%. And the State Street Investor Confidence Index fell by -14.4 points to 75.9. The North American component fell by -16.4 points to 72.2. Asia fell by -4.1 points to 86.9. But the European component rose by 10.8 points to 102.6. Today we'll get Weekly Jobless Claims, the EIA Natural Gas Report, and the EIA Petroleum Status Report. So far, the so-called Santa Claus rally looks to be a bust, along with the seasonal tendency for December to be one of the strongest months. With only 2 more trading days to go, it's not looking good for either. Stocks are still up for the quarter (with the exception of the Nasdaq). So that's an improvement from the first 3 quarters of the year. But stocks are still headed for their worst year since 2008. Interestingly, given all of the volatility, the best strategy for some stocks this year, just might have been buy and hold. Even when the market hit its lows, if you had the right stocks with the strongest fundamentals, you likely would have fared better. Not only did they hold up the best on the way down, but they bounced back quicker on the way up. And you barely would've had to lift a finger. But buy and hold investing doesn't mean just buying anything and hoping for the best. Too many long-term investors see their hopes dashed when their once promising investment turns sour and they scramble to cut losses. But closer inspection usually shows those mistakes could've been avoided with a little extra knowledge at the outset. Finding long-term core holdings that you can buy and hold, and weather the storm during the worst of times, and effortlessly cash in during the best of times, is an investor's dream. If you want to live that dream right, be sure to read our latest commentary... [Avoiding the 3 Pitfalls of 'Buy & Hold' Investing]( Best, [Kevin Matras - Signature] Kevin Matras Executive Vice President, Zacks Investment Research [Announcing Zacks Top 10 Stocks for 2023]( Position your portfolio for outperformance with our most powerful long-term recommendations. From a universe of more than 4,000 stocks these 10 have been handpicked as the best buy-and-hold stocks for the year. Since 2012, our Top 10 portfolios have TRIPLED the market. While the S&P 500 gained +287.4%, Zacks Top 10 Stocks skyrocketed +884.5%. Be among the first to see the new stocks when they're released Tuesday, January 3. [Click to Get Access »]( Most Popular Articles from Zacks.com [Biotech: 3 Profitable Bios Worth Owning]( We take a closer look at three top biotech stocks that have attractive future prospects. [Read More »]( [3 Under-$3 Consumer Staple Stocks Wall Street Analysts Recommend Buying]( As demand for staple products remains fairly stable, these companies remain relatively well placed even during economic downturns and market turbulence. [Read More »]( [5 Textile-Apparel Stocks Worth a Watch Despite Rising Inflation]( While industry players are grappling with high input costs, brand strength bodes well for these stocks. [Read More »]( [Forget Micron (MU), Buy These 3 Semiconductor Stocks Instead]( These stocks have a favorable combination of a Growth Score of A or B and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy). [Read More »]( [3 Top Performing Blue-Chips of 2022]( Consistently providing reliability and the ability to operate profitably in both good and bad times, blue-chip stocks can shield investors against the market’s abrupt moves. [Read More »]( [This Tiny Company Could Shake the EV Industry]( Zacks Aggressive Growth expert Brian Bolan has pinpointed a manufacturer from America's heartland that's gearing for a monster ride. It's ramping up production of an affordable, "working man's" rival to Tesla at exactly the right time. Soaring gas prices and desire for energy independence are priming to drive the EV market to $1 trillion in 5 years. For now, Brian's recommended company is selling below $5/share, and it's currently filling a crucial niche. Profit potential rivals Tesla in its early days. [See This Stock Now »]( [Bull of the Day: ADT (ADT)]( Sticky subscription revenue helps smooth the EPS curve on this stock. [Read More »]( [New Zacks Strong Buys for December 29th]( Here are 5 stocks added to the Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) List today. [Read More »]( More Zacks Resources Mobile App Download our app for convenient on-the-go access to even more—daily and weekly newsletters published by Zacks experts, proprietary research and tools, and Portfolio Tracker on Zacks.com. [Download our Zacks App for Apple iOS]( [Download our Zacks App for Android]( Zacks Members' Success Stories Visit [Success Stories]( to hear how Zacks research, tools and portfolios help our members outperform the market. Get all of our market insights and much more when you connect with us. [Visit Zacks on Facebook]( [Follow Zacks on Twitter]( [See Zacks videos on YouTube]( [Join Zacks on LinkedIn]( [Read Zacks Commentary on StockTwits]( 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 of Service". [www.zacks.com/terms_of_service]( 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 September 12, 2022. 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