Benzinga·2026-01-05 11:33Core Viewpoint - Veteran investor Louis Navellier warns against the recent "junk rally" in low-quality stocks and advises a shift back to quality stocks with strong earnings growth as the 2026 financial year begins [1][2] Group 1: Market Trends - Navellier highlights a fourth-quarter mean reversion where previously underperforming stocks led the market, which he deems unsustainable [2] - He anticipates a "big flip" in January, where quality companies with accelerating sales and earnings will regain market leadership [2] Group 2: Stock Picks - Navellier's top pick is Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ: NVDA), expecting a 66.7% increase in sales and a 71% jump in earnings due to new chip sales to China [4] - He is also bullish on Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: PLTR), forecasting a 64.1% earnings surge as a leading "AI implementer" for government contracts [4] - Seagate Technology Holdings PLC (NASDAQ: STX) and Celestica Inc. (NYSE: CLS) are highlighted as beneficiaries of the data center boom, with earnings expected to rise 37.6% and 58.1%, respectively [5] Group 3: Economic Outlook - Navellier expresses concern over the broader economy, predicting deflation as the primary story for 2026, citing falling rental costs, declining condo prices, and low energy prices [6] - He argues that the Federal Reserve needs to cut rates by at least 100 basis points to prevent a deeper economic slowdown [6] Group 4: Market Performance - In 2025, the S&P 500 increased by 16.65%, while the Nasdaq Composite and Dow Jones gained 20.54% and 13.38%, respectively [7] - The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE: SPY) was up 0.24% at $684.82, and the Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ: QQQ) advanced 0.52% to $616.29 in premarket trading [7]