Our 3 best and worst stocks over the past month as Fed rate cut speculation swirled

Market Overview - The stock market reached record highs as Wall Street anticipated a Federal Reserve interest rate cut, which was confirmed with a quarter percentage point reduction, the first since December 2024 [1] - The S&P 500 advanced nearly 3% and the Nasdaq rose approximately 2.5% from the last meeting on August 14 to Wednesday's close, achieving seven all-time highs in the past 23 sessions [1] Portfolio Performance Winners - Palo Alto Networks: Increased by 17% due to a better-than-expected quarterly earnings report, surpassing expectations across key metrics [1] - Broadcom: Rose by 11.2% following a strong earnings report and a significant order from a mystery customer for $10 billion in custom AI chips [1] - Eli Lilly: Gained 11.1% after positive trial results for its GLP-1 obesity drug and plans to build a $5 billion plant in Virginia [1] Laggards - Starbucks: Decreased by 10.6% amid rising coffee futures and a slower-than-expected turnaround under CEO Brian Niccol [1] - Danaher: Fell by 8.2% due to weakness in the healthcare sector and challenges in the Chinese market affecting its diagnostics business [1] - Boeing: Dropped by 8% following comments from CEO Kelly Ortbger about delays in certification for the 777X, although viewed as a potential buying opportunity [1]