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The Schwab US Dividend Equity (SCHD) ETF stock has held steady this month even as the blue-chip indices like the Nasdaq 100 and S&P 500 crashed. The SCHD ETF stock was trading at $28.45 on Monday, up by about 6% from the lowest level this year. So, is it a good stock to buy this year?

SCHD has headwinds and tailwinds

The SCHD ETF stock has moved sideways in the past few days. It has faced numerous headwinds and tailwinds this year. 

The biggest headwind is that the US has embarked on major changes, including the ongoing tariff issues by Donald Trump. He has announced tariffs on goods from key countries like Mexico, Canada, and China. 

These tariffs will have an impact on most companies in the SCHD. However, the impact of these tariffs will be limited because of its constituents. The biggest firms in the fund are the likes of Abbvie, Amgen, Pfizer, and Bristol Myers Squibb. 

The other top companies in the fund, like Cisco Systems, Chevron, and PepsiCo, will also be less affected by these tariffs. 

The other big headwind is that there is a risk that the SCHD ETF will be impacted the potential slowdown of the American economy. A recent report by the Atlanta Fed estimates that the economy will contract by over 2% this year. 

On the positive side, American companies are expected to continue reporting strong earnings. According to FactSet, the estimated earnings growth of this quarter will be 7.3%, marking the seventh-straight quarter of earnings growth. 

Is SCHD ETF a good investment?

The SCHD ETF has become one of the best-known funds among investors because of its strong dividend growth. Data shows that it has a dividend yield of about 3.50%, providing consistent growth metrics.

The fund has a dividend growth rate of about 11% in the past ten years. Its five-year growth rate was about 11.60%, which is much higher than most dividend funds. 

Still, there are concerns that US bond yields have remained above 4% in the past few weeks. The ten-year yield rose to 4.28%, while the 30-year and 2-year stood at 4.58% and 4%, respectively.

Some investors believe investing in these US Treasuries makes sense because they offer a higher yield. However, the challenge is that these treasuries will remain volatile as the Federal Reserve delivers its interest rate decisions. 

However, the SCHD ETF offers better returns because of the stock performance. For example, $100,000 invested in US Treasury bonds 12 months ago would now be worth about $4,400. On the other hand, a similar amount invested in the fund would be worth over $12,000. 

Read more: SCHD outlook for 2025: blue chip dividend ETF faces turbulence

SCHD ETF stock price analysis

SCHD chart by TradingView

The weekly chart shows that the SCHD ETF stock has been in a strong uptrend in the past few months. It has formed an ascending channel that connects the lowest and highest swings since April 2023. 

The index has moved above the 50-week and 100-week Exponential Moving Averages (EMA), a bullish sign. Also, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) and the MACD indicators have pointed upwards. 

Therefore, the outlook for the SCHD ETF share price will likely keep rising as bulls target the all-time high of $29.38. A move above that level will point to more gains, in the coming months.

The post SCHD ETF stock faces headwinds and tailwinds: is it a buy? appeared first on Invezz

Asia-Pacific markets opened mixed on Monday, reflecting lingering volatility from a turbulent global trading week.

Investors remained on edge as US tariff policies under President Donald Trump continued to inject uncertainty into financial markets.

At the same time, fresh economic data from China and Japan added further complexity to the regional outlook.

Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 increased 0.24% in choppy trade, while the broader Topix index slipped 0.26%, reversing earlier gains.

Meanwhile, Japan’s 10-year government bond yield hit a fresh multi-year high, adding pressure on policymakers amid concerns over rising inflation.

Data showed that Japan’s cash earnings climbed 2.8% year-on-year in January, cooling from December’s 4.4% rise.

In South Korea, the Kospi index gained 0.47%, while the small-cap Kosdaq advanced 0.53%.

Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.24% in its final trading hour after closing at a six-month high in the previous session.

China’s stock markets faced losses, with Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index dropping 2.11% and the mainland’s CSI 300 falling 0.83%.

Over the weekend, China’s consumer inflation fell below zero for the first time in 13 months, signaling deflationary risks.

The consumer price index (CPI) declined 0.7% year-on-year in February, reversing from a 0.5% gain in the prior month, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics.

Further rattling sentiment, Beijing imposed retaliatory tariffs on Canadian agricultural goods after Ottawa levied duties on Chinese-made electric vehicles, steel, and aluminum products last year.

China announced a 100% tariff on Canadian rapeseed oil, oil cakes, and peas, alongside a 25% duty on aquatic products and pork.

In response, China’s Zhengzhou rapeseed meal futures surged over 5% on Monday, reflecting market concerns over supply disruptions.

India’s benchmark indices opened higher, with the Nifty 50 rising 0.32% and the BSE Sensex climbing 0.43%, tracking positive momentum from Wall Street’s Friday rebound.

The S&P 500 rose 0.55%, the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.7%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 222.64 points, or 0.52%.

Meanwhile, South Korean steelmakers felt the heat ahead of fresh US tariffs on steel imports.

Hyundai Steel shares plunged as much as 8.79% on Monday, with industry reports highlighting concerns over excess Chinese steel supply and a slowdown in South Korea’s construction sector.

The company has reportedly begun offering voluntary layoffs to technical workers to mitigate financial strain.

In the cryptocurrency market, Bitcoin extended its decline, plunging over 7% to $80,142.75.

The drop followed President Trump’s executive order establishing a strategic bitcoin reserve under the US Treasury Department.

The move, which mandates a full audit of federal digital asset holdings, cements bitcoin as a long-term strategic asset while prohibiting sales from the government’s estimated 200,000 bitcoin stockpile.

Japan’s real cash earnings fell 1.8% year-on-year in January, marking the sharpest decline since February 2024.

While rising cash earnings theoretically support the Bank of Japan’s goal of fueling a wage-price cycle, the real wage drop underscores persistent inflationary challenges.

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Asana (ASAN) stock price has imploded in the past few weeks, falling by over 34% from its highest point in 2024. It has dropped to a low of $18.3, and is hovering at its lowest swing since December 6. Is ASAN a good company to buy ahead of the upcoming quarterly and annual results?

Asana earnings ahead

Asana stock price will be in focus on Monday as the technology company publishes its financial results.

Historically, its stock tends to have some big moves after publishing its quarterly results. It jumped by over 40% in December when it released strong financial results and boosted its forward guidance. It dropped by 15% in September and May after releasing its numbers. 

Wall Street analysts are optimistic that the company continued growing slowly in the last quarter. The average estimate is that its revenue rose by almost 10% in Q4 to $188 million.

While the last quarter’s numbers are important, investors often look at a company’s guidance to determine the next price action. Analysts expect the guidance for the current quarter will be $190 million, while the annual revenue will be $723 million. 

The most recent results showed that the company’s growth continued. Its revenue rose by 10% to $183.9 million in Q3’25, while its loss continued to narrow. The company had a net loss of $57.3 million, down a bit from the $61.8 million it had lost a year earlier. 

Read more: Expensive Asana stock price could surge by 195% in 2025

Asana growth is slowing

However, while these results were better than expected, they also demonstrated that the era of its strong growth was ending. 

There are two potential reasons for this. First, Asana operates in a highly competitive industry, competing with Wrike, Jira, Smartsheet, Trello, and Monday.com. 

Most companies interested in these solutions already have their service provider, and in many cases, they rarely change. As such, the future growth in terms of customer additions will likely be slow.

Second, companies, especially in the technology vertical are facing substantial challenges, a trend that may continue this year because of Donald Trump’s tariffs. These issues mean that the company will likely struggle adding more customers in the coming years.

The other major challenge is its AI Studio, a solution that enables companies to build and launch AI agents easily. For example, companies are using these agents to translate content across numerous languages and execute complex workflows. 

Asana’s AI Agent is the company’s first consumption-based pricing product, which will provide higher revenues in the future. However, it is still too early to predict whether the business will help to supercharge Asana’s growth trajectory.

Is ASAN stock cheap or expensive ahead of earnings?

Asana is a company valued at over $4 billion, and its annual revenue for 2025 is expected to be $723 million, followed by $802 million in 2026. 

These numbers mean that the company has a forward price-to-sales of about 5, which is higher than other similar companies. 

Asana is not making profits yet, meaning that it does not have a price-to-earnings ratio for now. However, we can estimate its future net profit margin by comparing it with other SaaS companies like Salesforce, Adobe, and Servicenow. CRM has a margin of 16%, while Adobe has 25%, and Servicenow has 13%. 

As such, assuming that it can achieve a 25% profit margin, its annual profit would be $201 million, meaning that it has a hypothetical multiple of 20, which is not all that expensive. 

Asana has a revenue growth rate of 10% and a present net income margin of minus 36%, giving it a rule of 40 metric of minus 26%. That is a sign that the stock is a bit overvalued.

Asana stock price analysis

ASAN stock chart by TradingView

The daily chart shows that the ASAN share price has crashed in the past few months. It has dropped from a high of $24.43 in February to the current $18.25. 

The stock has crashed below the key support at $18.45, the neckline of the double-top pattern. It has dropped below the 50-day moving average and the 50% Fibonacci Retracement point.

Asana share price has found support at the 200-day moving average. Therefore, the key support and resistance levels to watch will be at $16.80 and the 50-day moving average at $20.

The post Asana stock price forecast ahead of earnings: is it a good buy? appeared first on Invezz

The JPMorgan Equity Premium Income ETF (JEPI) stock price has pulled back in the past few weeks as American equities slumped. JEPI has slumped by about 2% from its highest point this year. Its total return rose by 2.30% this year, compared to the S&P 500 index, which has dropped by 1.73%.

What is the JEPI ETF?

The JPMorgan Equity Premium Income ETF is a popular covered call that has about $40 billion in assets.

It aims to generate returns by investing in 130 American companies in the S&P 500 index, including popular blue-chip firms, including blue-chip names like Abbvie, Progressive, Visa, NVIDIA, Meta Platforms, Amazon, and Analog Devices.

After investing in these companies, JEPI applies the covered call concept to generate returns. It does this by writing or selling the S&P 500 index call options and receiving a premium, which it returns to investors through monthly dividends. 

JEPI is beloved because of its higher dividend payouts to investors. It has a dividend yield of about 7.3%, much higher than the S&P 500 index, which pays about 2% annually. 

The fund is often seen as a better alternative to S&P 500 index ETFs like the Vanguard S&P 500 (VOO) and the SPDR S&P 500 (SPY) ETF in periods when the stock market is facing turbulence. It does this because of the premium it receives when it writes call options on the S&P 500 index.

JPMorgan Equity Premium Income is facing risks

The JEPI ETF is facing several risks that may affect its performance this year. First, there are concerns that Donald Trump’s trade war will affect corporate earnings this year. A good example of this is in the automobile industry, where companies like GM and Ford may see rising costs and weaker demand. 

Companies in other industries will see higher costs. For example, Trane Technology, a company that manufactures HVAC and other related solutions in countries like China and Taiwan will have higher fees.

However, unlike the S&P 500 index, most companies in the portfolio will not be highly affected by these tariffs. These include companies like Salesforce, American Express, ServiceNow, and ExxonMobil. 

JEPI stocks also faces another risk in that corporate earnings may slow down in the next few quarters. This slowdown will likely be because of the ongoing performance of the American economy, which may go through a recession. 

Further, while JEPI pays a higher dividend return than the S&P 500 index, its total return has always lagged. As shown below the total return of the JEPI ETF in the last three years has been 30% compared to the VOO ETF’s 43%. 

JEPI vs VOO ETF chart by SeekingAlpha

JEPI ETF stock has a technical risk

JEPI stock by TradingView

The JPMorgan Equity Premium Income has another technical risk that may push it lower in the coming months. The daily chart shows that the JEPI ETF formed a double-top pattern at $60, and whose neckline is at $56. A double-top is a popular bearish pattern that often leads to further downside.

The stock has crashed below the 50-day moving average, a sign that bears are in control for now. Therefore, the combination of tariffs and the double-top pattern points to further downside in the coming months. If this happens, the next level to watch will be at $56, down by 3.65% below the current level.

The post JEPI ETF is beating the S&P 500 index, but a risky pattern has formed appeared first on Invezz

LATAM’s cryptocurrency landscape continues to grow.

This week, a key development was Colombia’s new initiative to regulate crypto activities in response to increasing risks and challenges.

Meanwhile, Nexo and Sphere partnered to significantly reduce cross-border payment settlement times in Latin America, cutting them from days to just hours.

Colombia’s new regulatory framework for crypto activities

Colombia announced a project to regulate the digital assets activities in the country.

This initiative was led by one of the few advocates of blockchain technology, Senator Gustavo Moreno.

Cointelegraph reported that the plan aims to promote innovation in blockchain projects while protecting users.

It emphasizes the importance of regulation in emerging financial technologies.

Since more than 5 million Colombians carried out operations with cryptocurrencies and close to 50 trillion Colombian pesos (about $13.3 billion) were traded in the last year, concerns about scams and illegal activities are growing.

Moreno stressed that the lack of a good legal framework means that many Colombians are exposed to fraud.

This is where the proposed legislation comes in, he said.

The goal is to promote blockchain technology, regulate the industry, and establish a framework that prioritises transparency and user protection.

These initiatives are crucial for boosting consumer and investor confidence in Colombia’s crypto market and advancing blockchain technology across many industries.

Nexo and Sphere partner to transform cross-border payments in LATAM

To advance the cross-border payment landscape in Latin America, Nexo, a digital asset platform, announced its strategic partnership with Sphere, a provider of scalable blockchain-based solutions.

The partnership is designed to offer a fast, low-cost, and regulation-compliant settlement.

According to Cointelegraph, the collaboration aims to help make it more convenient to conduct international commercial payments.

At the center of this partnership is the concept of “almost instant settlement,” since Sphere’s infrastructure decreases the payment settlement time from days to hours.

Nexo and Sphere are accelerating payment processes for businesses dealing with the growing pain of cross-border transactions by offering a more cost-effective and convenient solution.

According to both Nexo and Sphere, this partnership is crucial in a rapidly changing fintech landscape, particularly in regions affected by economic uncertainty.

This partnership connects legacy and digital assets for faster transaction speeds whilst remaining compliant, said Savina Boncheva, COO of Nexo,

MERGE Buenos Aires: blockchain and Web3 convention set for 2025

Organizers of the event told Cointelegraph that the gathering “will present the most relevant innovations of blockchain and Web3 technology in Argentina.”

The goal is to establish Buenos Aires as the hub for one of today’s most disruptive sectors.

MERGE Buenos Aires aims to unify tech culture and business, inspired by the success of its last edition in Madrid, where it brought over 2,500 attendees and 250 international experts together.

This planned event will enrich cooperation between stakeholders.

MERGE Buenos Aires will unite the leaders of the largest technology and financial corporations, the most promising startups, legacy institutions, and government figures from around the world for three days.

Participants will discuss technology transformation policies aimed at integrating traditional finance and cryptocurrency to meet global financial needs.

The post LATAM crypto update: Colombia plans crypto regulations, Nexo and Sphere to reduce cross-border payment times appeared first on Invezz

US stocks are going through a rough patch amidst concerns the Trump tariffs will lead to inflation and may even trigger an all-out trade war.

While the pressure is being seen across the board, from small to large-cap names alike, there are three “best-in-class” stocks that are particularly worth buying on the recent weakness, according to Jay Woods – the chief global strategist of Freedom Capital Markets.

Woods’ list of best stocks to buy on the dip includes Amazon, Goldman Sachs, and Exxon.

Let’s take a closer look at what each of these three has in store for investors in 2025.

Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ: AMZN)

Woods agreed in a recent CNBC interview that Trump tariffs continue to be a concern for Amazon.

Still, the market veteran recommended “looking at what they’ve done consistently over time” and load up on the e-commerce behemoth as it’s “best in class”.

Amazon stock has declined nearly 20% since early February. Currently trading at approximately $200 per share, it remains above its 200-day moving average, which Wood highlighted as a favorable risk-reward setup on “Power Lunch.”

The strategist dubbed recent pullback in AMZN an opportunity to buy a quality stock at a deep discount, adding, “$200 is a great level, and then, if this market accelerates, anything cheaper [is a] great opportunity.”

Goldman Sachs Group Inc (NYSE: GS)

Shares of the multinational investment bank have declined approximately 15% over the past three weeks, which Jay Woods described as a buying opportunity in the interview.

Trump tariffs and what they may mean for US stocks in the near to medium term have removed focus from a well-founded expectation that “mergers and acquisitions are going to happen” in 2025.

That’s the bull thesis for Goldman Sachs shares, said Woods, adding “I don’t for a minute believe that this isn’t a good place to enter the stock over the long term.”

A healthy 2.11% dividend yield makes GS stock all the more exciting to own at current levels.

Exxon Mobil Corp (NYSE: XOM)

While Exxon hasn’t had a pronounced dip like the ones we’ve seen in Amazon and Goldman Sachs in recent weeks, Woods still dubbed the $107 level “a great entry spot” on Friday.

Freedom Capital’s chief strategist sees XOM shares hitting $120 in the coming months which signals potential upside of nearly 13% from here.

Woods likes Exxon stock also for the strength of the company’s financials. In late January, the oil and gas behemoth reported better-than-expected quarterly results on the back of increased output from Permian and Guyana.  

Note that Exxon shares currently pay a rather lucrative dividend yield of about 3.68% as well.

The post Top 3 ‘best-in-class’ stocks to buy on the recent pullback appeared first on Invezz

While bearish sentiment due to OPEC+ production increases and demand concerns are causing oil prices to fall, this decline is likely to be temporary.

“Oil markets are feeling a strong bearish bias after OPEC+ announced the gradual return of barrels from April, while the anticipated supply losses from US President Trump’s sanctions and tariffs are yet to be considered serious given the administration’s flip-flopping,” said Mukesh Sahdev, Rystad Energy’s global head of commodities market.

We project the drop in prices will be temporary and OPEC+ will take corrective measures as the crude time spreads fall below $0.50 per barrel and the market flirts with contango.

Oil prices experienced a decline over the past two days, with Brent crude oil prices briefly falling close to $69 per barrel. 

This decrease was triggered by a combination of factors. 

OPEC’s decision weighs on crude markets

Primarily, market sentiment was negatively impacted by the US government imposing tariffs on Mexico and Canada. 

This news raised concerns about potential trade disruptions and their subsequent impact on global economic growth and oil demand.

Additionally, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies, collectively known as OPEC+, confirmed their decision to increase oil production starting in April

This announcement further contributed to the downward pressure on oil prices, as an increase in supply is generally expected to lead to lower prices, all else being equal.

“OPEC+ therefore no longer seems willing to give up market share to support the price,” Barbara Lambrecht, commodity analyst at Commerzbank AG, said in a report. 

Sources say that internal conflicts have also contributed to the issue, as Kazakhstan significantly exceeded its production target in February, according to Lambrecht. 

In the short term, the supply effect is limited.

Tariffs set on ice but crude remain under pressure

The US tariffs that were initially scheduled to be implemented on Canadian and Mexican goods have been temporarily suspended, resulting in a minor recovery in prices. 

Goods from Canada and Mexico that comply with the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement will be exempt from the 25% tariffs for a month starting Thursday.

The tariffs had gone into effect on Tuesday.

However, crude oil prices continue to face downward pressure.

Despite the suspension, Canada’s retaliatory tariffs remain in effect, and China is poised to implement its retaliatory tariffs in the upcoming week.

“The market is feeling the weight of a supply overhang, with OPEC+ barrels set to flood an already well-supplied system, keeping a lid on any meaningful price recovery,” Sahdev added.

“Also, the news of higher flows from Kazakhstan and Iraq are influencing markets,” he said.

Supply overhang

Higher production of crude oil by OPEC+, starting April, is likely to face weak demand across the world. 

“As a result, the IEA is likely to predict an even larger oversupply in its new monthly report, which will be published next Thursday,” Lambrecht said. 

“OPEC+ is banking on demand holding steady but adding more oil at this point risks tipping the market further out of balance and runs the risk of the market flipping into contango,” Sahdev noted.

The International Energy Agency forecasts that crude oil supply from non-OPEC+ countries is likely to increase by 1.5 million barrels a day in 2025. 

Source: EIA

This forecast outstrips overall demand growth, which has been pegged at 1.1 million barrels a day by the IEA this year. 

Starting in April, eight OPEC countries that voluntarily reduced their daily oil production by a total of 2.2 million barrels since the start of 2024 will gradually increase their daily output. 

The increase will be 140,000 barrels per month, and includes a production target increase for the United Arab Emirates.

“This prospect has put considerable pressure on oil prices,” Lambrecht said. 

Oil prices may rise

“While the delay in tariffs has provided a brief sigh of relief, the market is still walking a tightrope between policy uncertainty and oversupply concerns,” Sahdev said. 

The OPEC+ member states require increased revenue. 

However, if supply exceeds demand, prices may decline. Therefore, OPEC+ must maintain a delicate balance to achieve their revenue goals without causing further price drops, according to Rystad Energy.

Traders will be guided by macroeconomic indicators in the coming weeks, with inflation trends, interest rate decisions, and global GDP growth shaping demand.

Sahdev added:

For now, crude remains in a fragile position, and unless demand picks up or production is reined in by OPEC+, prices may struggle to find solid footing.

The price of Brent crude will probably rise again in the latter half of the year, due to the US government tightening sanctions on Iran, according to Commerzbank’s Lambrecht.

Rystad Energy views that the strong bearish sentiment will be short-lived.

It is important to note that while February had the lowest refinery crude demand, refinery run growth could increase by 3 million barrels per day between now and August, according to Rystad.

The post Oil price weakness seen as short-lived despite supply concerns, say analysts appeared first on Invezz

The Invesco QQQ ETF has plunged and moved below the 200-day moving average as concerns about the equities market rose. The fund, which tracks the popular Nasdaq 100 index, dropped to a low of $480, down by almost 10% from its highest level this year. So, what next for the blue-chip tech ETF?

QQQ ETF technical analysis

The daily chart shows that the QQQ ETF surged to a record high of $540 in February and then suffered a harsh reversal to the current $490. It formed a double-top chart pattern at around $540, and has now retreated below the neckline at $499. A double top is one of the most bearish patterns in the market. 

The QQQ stock has crashed below the important support at $500, the highest swing in July 2024. Most importantly, it has moved below the 200-day Weighted Moving Average (WMA) and is now attempting the 200-day Weighted Moving Average (WMA).

The WMA indicator is seen as a more accurate moving average because it focuses mostly on the most recent period. Moving below that level is usually a bearish sign in the market. 

Further, the Relative Vigor Index (RVI), Percentage Price Oscillator (PPO), and the Awesome Oscillator (PPO) have all pointed downwards. 

The index will likely continue falling as sellers target the extreme oversold level of the Murrey Math Lines point at $453. That price action would point to about 7.5% decline from the current level.

On the flip side, a move above the crucial resistance level at $515 will invalidate the bearish thesis in the market. 

QQQ ETF stock chart | Source: TradingView

Why the Nasdaq 100 index has crashed

There are three main reasons why the Nasdaq 100 index has crashed in the past few weeks. First, the most obvious reason is that Donald Trump has decided to go full-throttle with implementing tariffs against key allies like Canada and Mexico and foes like China. These 25% tariffs will likely lead to substantial challenges for companies and individuals. 

Trump is not backing down as he has promised to implement reciprocal tariffs in April. These tariffs involve implementing similar tariffs to those other countries levy on the United States. While some tariffs may drop in this case, there is a likelihood that many others will go up.

US GDP growth concerns

Second, the QQQ ETF has crashed as concerns about the US economy remain, with a model by the Atlanta Fed estimating that the economy will contract by 2.4% in the first quarter. This model uses data from the Census Bureau, the Institute of Supply Management (ISM), and the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) to predict the economic growth in a period. 

A weak economic growth is, in theory, bullish for the Nasdaq 100 index because it signals that the Federal Reserve will need to act and start cutting interest rates. Indeed, the falling bond yields and the US dollar index signal that most analysts anticipate that the Federal Reserve will deliver more cuts this year. 

The risk this time is that the economy is contracting as inflation remains elevated. Recent data showed that the headline consumer price index (CPI) rose to 3% in January.

AI bubble starting to burst?

The other main concern is that the AI industry that has boosted US tech stocks in the past few years is starting to burst as growth slows. One key issue is that Chinese companies like DeepSeek, Tencent, and Alibaba are using fairly cheap technology to build highly advanced AI models. 

These fears explain why the top AI stocks have started to plunge. Palantir stock price has crashed by about 35% from its highest level this year, while NVIDIA is down by 26%. Other smaller AI stocks like SoundHound and C3.ai have plunged by double digits. Therefore, the market will likely need a new catalyst to continue doing well.

The post QQQ ETF stock forecast as Nasdaq 100 index crashes below 200 EMA appeared first on Invezz

The artificial intelligence (AI) industry has propelled the US equities market in the past few years. Its strong growth has helped to propel many companies higher, with NVIDIA’s market cap jumping to over $3 trillion. 

Recently, however, there are signs that the AI bubble is bursting, which will affect some of the top performers. This article highlights the top AI stocks to sell to avoid long-term losses.

AI stocks to sell now to avoid losses

Investors are typically driven by fear and greed. As such, these investors tend to crowd sectors showing substantial promise. In the late 1990s, the theme was dot-com companies that were doing well. This ended in early 2000s as the dot com bubble burst. 

Most recently, cannabis stocks like Tilray Brands, Cronos, and Canopy Growth surged as investors anticipated that the indusry would boom after the US legalization. All these stocks have tanked, with the MSOS ETF that tracks the biggest American companies in the industry, falling by over 94% from its all-time high.

Read more: Whatever happened the cannabis stock bubble? What next?

The electric vehicle industry is another one that boomed as many companies sought to mirror Tesla’s performance. Today, most EV stocks like Rivian and Lucid have imploded, while companies like Canoo and Fisker have filed for bankruptcy. 

This view can also be explained in terms of the Wyckoff Theory, which identifies the four phases that stocks go through. Stocks initially go through the accumulation phase, followed by the markup where stocks surge as the fear of missing out (FOMO) intensifies. They then go through the distribution and the markup. 

Some of the top AI stocks to sell to avoid huge losses in the future are Palantir Technologies (PLTR), SoundHound AI (SOUN), and CrowdStrike (CRWD).

Palantir Technologies (PLTR)

Palantir Technologies is one of the top AI stocks to sell to avoid losses in the long term. It has already crashed by over 30% since our last warning on the company. 

The main issue with Palantir is its valuation considering that its market cap surged to over $230 billion recently. It has now retreated to about $200 billion but remains highly overvalued. 

While Palantir Technology’s business is booming its forward PE ratio of 147 is much higher than the S&P 500 index average of 22. It is also much higher than other companies in the index that are doing well. 

Palantir is still growing, with analysts expecting that the revenue will grow by 37% in Q1 and 32% in 2025. Even with this growth, it is hard to justify this valuation. There are also signs that the stock has moved into the distribution phase of the Wyckoff Theory.

CrowdStrike (CRWD)

CrowdStrike is one of the top AI stocks to sell before it drops further. It has already plunged by over 27% from its highest level this year, and is hovering at its lowest level since November last year.

CrowdStrike’s business is doing well, with its revenue rising by 25% to $1.06 billion in the fourth quarter. Its annual recurring rate rose by 23% to $4.24 billion. Analysts expect that the revenue will grow by 21% this year and 21.85% in 2026. However, its valuation is still high since it has a forward PE ratio of 97, much higher than the S&P 500 average of 21.

Read more: Why CrowdStrike’s weaker guidance could be a smart buying signal

SoundHound AI (SOUN)

SoundHound is another top AI stock to sell even as it plunged by over 60% from its all-time high. The most recent results showed that the company’s business was still doing well as its revenue rose by 101% to $34.5 million. 

This revenue growth brought its annual figure to over $84 million. Analysts expect that its revenue will grow by 96% this year to $166 million, followed by $215 million next year.

The challenge, however, is whether the company can continue its momentum profitably now that competition is rising.

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The USD/CHF exchange rate has plunged as the US dollar index (DXY) crashed to its lowest level in months and as traders moved to the safety of the Swiss franc. It retreated to a low of 0.8750 on Friday, its lowest level since November last year. It has crashed by 4.3% from its highest level this year.

Swiss franc as a safe haven

The Swiss franc has surged against the US dollar and other currencies because of its role as a safe haven.

This role has grown in the past few weeks because of the actions by Donald Trump, which have shocked the business community. 

Trump has implemented large tariffs on the biggest US trading partners like Canada, Mexico, and China. 

These tariffs risk moving the global economy to a recession this year as logistical challenges rise. 

The Swiss franc is often seen as a safe haven asset because of Switzerland’s neutrality on key issues. Switzerland is also one of the strongest economies in Europe, with its trade surplus rising. 

The USD/CHF exchange rate also retreated after Switzerland published low inflation numbers. According to the statistics agency, Swiss inflation plunged to the lowest level in four years.

The headline CPI rose 0.3% in February, helped by cheaper imports as the Swiss franc strengthened. These numbers mean that the Swiss National Bank may need to slash interest rates again later this year. 

Some analysts worry that the SNB may need to push interest rates negative in a bid to devalue it. The bank likes a weaker currency to help manufacturers sell their goods to Europe cheaply.

The market now anticipates that the SNB will slash rates from 0.50% to 0.25% in the next meeting this month, and to zero in June. 

Read more: USD/CHF: Here’s why the Swiss franc is firing on all cylinders

US inflation data ahead

The next key catalyst for the USD/CHF pair will be the upcoming US consumer inflation data scheduled on March 11. 

Economists expect these numbers to show that the headline consumer inflation dropped from 0.5% in January to 0.3% in February on a YoY basis. Core inflation is expected to remain unchanged at 3.3%.

Most economists expect that US inflation will keep rising in the next few months because the US has added tariffs for key goods. For example, an iPhone price will need to rise by at least 25% because it is manufactured in China. 

These expectations have pushed many analysts to predict that the Federal Reserve will slash interest rates three times later this year.

USD/CHF technical analysis

USDCHF chart by TradingView

The daily chart shows that the USD/CHF exchange rate has been in a strong downward trend in the past few days. It has crashed from a high of 0.9200 to 0.8800, the lowest swing since December 10 last year.

The pair has dropped below the 50-day and 200-day moving averages. Additionally, the Awesome Oscillator has turned red in the next three consecutive days, while the Relative Strength Index (RSI) has moved below 50. 

Therefore, the USD to CHF pair will likely continue falling as sellers target the next key support at 0.8610, the lowest swing on November 5. The stop-loss of this trade will be at the psychological point at 0.900.

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