That Makes 70 Record Highs For The Dow In 2017

Remember, the latest episode of the Zacks Ultimate Strategy Session will be available for viewing no later than Thursday, December 21st. Sheraz Mian, David Bartosiak, Tracey Ryniec, Brian Hamilton and Dr. John Blank will cover the investment landscape from most every angle in this informative event.

Don't miss your chance to hear:

• Sheraz and Tracey Agree to Disagree on what can derail the rally and the downside risks to the market in 2018
• David and Brian answer your questions in Zacks Mailbag
• Sheraz and Brian choose one portfolio to give feedback for improvement
• And much more

So be sure to mark your calendar then log on to Zacks.com and bookmark this page.


With tax cuts seemingly on track for passage (possibly by the end of this week), the market had an opportunity to show off a bit on Monday. Each of the major indices finished at all-time highs, which included the 70th record close of the year for the Dow. Meanwhile, the NASDAQ peeked its head above 7,000 momentarily before ending the day slightly below that mark. It was a great way to begin the last week heading into Christmas.

Specifically, the Dow was up 0.57% to 24,792.2. The NASDAQ soared 0.84% to 6994.8, while the S&P increased 0.54% to 2690.2. Each of these indices could potentially end 2017 at milestones if the Dow crosses 25,000, the NASDAQ finishes above 7000 and the S&P eclipses 2700.

“Stocks pushed higher today as a snag free weekend provided investors calm that the tax bill will get done. I would put it at a 99% probability that a bill is singed by the end of the year. Markets were comforted by that notion and continued their bullish trek higher,” said Jeremy Mullin in Counterstrike.

In the portfolios, Healthcare Innovators revisited a stock that brought a 70% return earlier this year and is still one of the best choices in the immune-oncology space. Also, Black Box Trader swapped out five positions this week, and got three positive returns along the way. Learn more in the highlights section below:

Today's Portfolio Highlights:

Healthcare Innovators: The portfolio enjoyed a 70% return from Juno Therapeutics (JUNO) back in August… and analyst price target hikes after the company report in November sent it surging further. But recent views about clinical data have brought shares down 30% in the past 3 weeks, giving Kevin the perfect opportunity to get back into this immune-oncology leader. The editor has always liked this company, which is why he made JUNO one of this portfolio’s inaugural picks back in April. And he still considers it an “excellent investment play on the immune-oncology space”. Read the complete commentary for A LOT more information on this addition and its institutional interest.

Black Box Trader: Half of the portfolio was replaced this week, and most of the deleted stocks were positive. The positions that left today included:

• PBF Energy (PBF, +6.9%)
• KBR Inc. (KBR, +5.4%)
• Guess Inc. (GES, +1.5%)
• MasTec Inc. (MTZ)
• Prudential Financial (NYSE:PRU)

The new buys that replaced these names were:

• Holly Frontier Corp (HFC)
• Delek Holdings (DK)
• Dollar Tree (NASDAQ:DLTR)
• Restoration Hardware (RH)
• United Natural Foods (UNFI)

Read the Black Box Trader’s Guide to learn more about this computer-driven service designed to take the emotion out of investing.

Zacks Confidential: Right now, Brian Bolan is doing what every investor should be doing: getting a game plan together for 2018. The Home Run Investor had a very good 2017, and Kevin Matras wants Brian to explain how he plans to do it all over again in the New Year. In this week’s Zacks Confidential, the editor explains why he thinks the market is headed even higher and the importance of diversification in any portfolio. Read the article and get three stock picks by clicking: What Will Drive Home Run Investor in 2018.

Insider Trader: "Every time I see the data and it doesn't show people pouring into the stock market, I get giddy. Because that means we still have a way to go before this stock market turns bubblicious.

"Remember, bull markets don't just fizzle out. They end in a blaze of glory. They end with speculation and greed.

"We're just in a normal bull market right now. It's not any different than that of the 1980s and early to mid-1990s." -- Tracey Ryniec

Momentum Trader: "Perhaps the most boring rally I’ve seen in quite some time hit the stock market today. I figured it would be a slow news day as my train was pretty much empty on the way in. It’s that time of year where people try to ditch the office to go Christmas shopping. Traders on the street pretty much dialed it in early in the morning then put things on autopilot. We gapped up at the open and remained pinned near the start for most of the session.

"Expect to see volume start to subside over the next few days. We may get one huge, big volume day celebrating anything that happens on Capitol Hill but I wouldn’t expect much more than that. If the sideways movement today was any indication of what the week will bring then it will be a bit of a snoozer." -- Dave Bartosiak

All the Best,
Jim Giaquinto

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