ZACKS·2025-11-17 14:42Market Performance - Major U.S. indexes showed mixed performance last week, with the Nasdaq Composite, S&P 500, and Dow Jones Industrial Average declining by 2.7%, 1.4%, and 0.5% respectively [1] - Investors are shifting focus from high-valuation technology and AI stocks to more defensive sectors due to market volatility [1] Federal Reserve and Economic Data - The end of a 43-day government standoff has reduced political risks, but delays in key economic data releases have created uncertainty for the Federal Reserve and investors [2] - The Fed is balancing economic growth and inflation, with inflation remaining above the 2% target and a resilient labor market casting doubt on December rate cut expectations [2] Zacks Research Performance - Zacks Research has provided guidance that led to significant stock performance, with Macy's shares increasing by 14.9% since its upgrade to Zacks Rank 1 on September 18, outperforming the S&P 500's 2.2% increase [3][4] - Fresnillo plc also saw a 7.2% return since its upgrade to Zacks Rank 1 on September 19, compared to the S&P 500's 1.8% increase [4] Zacks Model Portfolio Returns - A hypothetical portfolio of Zacks Rank 1 stocks returned +8.64% in 2025 through September 1, outperforming the S&P 500's +7.60% [4] - The Zacks Model Portfolio has outperformed the S&P 500 index by over 12 percentage points since 1988, with an annualized average return of +23.8% compared to +11.3% for the S&P 500 [5] Specific Stock Performances - United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) shares increased by 32.4% after its Zacks Recommendation was upgraded to Outperform [7] - Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) gained 35.9% over the past 12 weeks, while CACI International Inc. (CACI) returned 20.1% during the same period [10] Earnings Certain Admiral Portfolio (ECAP) - The ECAP returned -1.30% in Q3 2025, underperforming the S&P 500's +8.1% gain, and +2.72% year-to-date compared to the S&P 500's +14.84% [15] - The portfolio aims to minimize capital loss by holding shares of companies with a proven track record of earnings stability [16] Earnings Certain Dividend Portfolio (ECDP) - Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) returned 10.9% over the past 12 weeks, while UnitedHealth Group (UNH) increased by 5.9% [18] - The ECDP returned -0.01% in Q3 2025, underperforming the S&P 500's +8.1% gain [20] Top 10 Stock Portfolio - MasTec, Inc. (MTZ) has jumped 41.2% year-to-date, outperforming the S&P 500's 14.7% increase [22] - The Top 10 portfolio has produced a cumulative return of +2,553.1% since 2012, significantly outperforming the S&P 500's +545.2% [24]