Core Viewpoint - Positive developments for major technology stocks are emerging early in 2026, benefiting investors in tech-focused ETFs like Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) and Invesco NASDAQ 100 ETF (QQQM) [1] Group 1: Company Developments - Nvidia (NVDA) received significant praise at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), being the largest holding in QQQ and QQQM [2] - Apple (AAPL) and Alphabet (GOOGL) announced a partnership where Apple Foundation Models will utilize Google's Gemini models and cloud technology, enhancing user experiences while maintaining privacy standards [2] - Alphabet's market capitalization surpassed $4 trillion for the first time, making it the fourth U.S. company to achieve this milestone, joining Apple, Microsoft, and Nvidia [3] Group 2: Analyst Insights - Goldman Sachs reiterated a "buy" rating for Microsoft (MSFT) and raised its price target from $630 to $655, indicating a potential upside of approximately 35% [3] - Analyst Gabriela Borges noted that Microsoft's strategic investments are designed to create opportunities for significant upside while minimizing risks associated with specific vendors or approaches [4] - Palantir (PLTR) was upgraded by Citi from "neutral" to "buy," with a new price target of $235, up from $210, as it is seen as a beneficiary of AI expansion, particularly in defense and national security [4][5]

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Core Insights - ETFs are recommended as an effective way for new investors to achieve diversification and start investing [1] - A consistent investment strategy, such as dollar-cost averaging, can lead to significant wealth accumulation over time [2] ETF Analysis - **Vanguard 500 ETF**: This fund tracks the S&P 500 and includes 500 of the largest U.S. companies, providing a strong foundation for most investors' portfolios. It has generated an average annual return of 14.8% over the last decade and 23% over the past three years [3][5] - **Vanguard Growth ETF**: This ETF focuses on growth stocks and has produced a yearly return of 17.5% over the past 10 years and 32.5% over the last three years [6] - **Invesco QQQ Trust**: Tracking the Nasdaq-100 index, this ETF has generated an average return of 19.4% over the last decade and 32.9% over the past three years, heavily weighted towards tech stocks [6] - **Global X Artificial Intelligence & Technology ETF**: This ETF offers exposure to international AI companies, with nearly 35% of its portfolio in international stocks. It achieved a 32% return in 2025 and an average of 36.4% over the past three years [7][8] - **Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF**: This fund focuses on companies that can maintain and grow their dividends, with a forward yield of 3.8% and an average annual return of 11.5% over the past decade [9][11]

Core Insights - Invesco Ltd. reported preliminary month-end assets under management (AUM) of $2,169.9 billion, reflecting a 0.7% increase from the previous month [1] - The firm experienced net long-term inflows of $7.7 billion during the month, with non-management fee earning net inflows of $6.1 billion and money market net outflows of $0.7 billion [1] - AUM was negatively impacted by unfavorable market returns, which decreased AUM by $23 billion, while foreign exchange and reinvested distributions increased AUM by $25.4 billion [1] AUM Breakdown - As of December 31, 2025, the total AUM was $2,169.9 billion, with specific categories as follows: - ETFs & Index Strategies: $630.2 billion - Fundamental Fixed Income: $311.5 billion - Fundamental Equities: $298.4 billion - Private Markets: $130.7 billion - China JV: $132.5 billion - Multi Asset/Other: $69.7 billion - Global Liquidity: $189.7 billion - QQQ: $407.2 billion [2] - The AUM figures for previous months were $2,154.3 billion for November 30, 2025, and $2,166.6 billion for October 31, 2025 [2] Historical Context - Approximately $15 billion in India-based AUM was reclassified to Multi-Asset/Other prior to the sale of Invesco's majority interest in October 2025, at which point these assets were removed [3] - The China JV investment capability now only represents assets under management in Invesco's China joint venture [3] Company Overview - Invesco Ltd. is a leading global asset management firm with $2.1 trillion in AUM as of September 30, 2025, serving clients in over 120 countries [4]

Core Insights - Zacks Premium offers tools for investors to enhance their stock market engagement and confidence through various research services [1] - The Zacks Style Scores are designed to complement the Zacks Rank, providing additional metrics for stock selection [2] Zacks Style Scores Overview - Stocks are rated from A to F based on value, growth, and momentum, with A being the highest score indicating a better chance of outperforming the market [3] - The Style Scores are categorized into four types: Value Score, Growth Score, Momentum Score, and VGM Score, each focusing on different investment strategies [3][4][5][6] Value Score - The Value Score helps investors identify undervalued stocks using financial ratios such as P/E, PEG, and Price/Sales [3] Growth Score - The Growth Score assesses a company's future potential by analyzing earnings, sales, and cash flow trends [4] Momentum Score - The Momentum Score identifies optimal times to invest based on price trends and earnings estimate changes [5] VGM Score - The VGM Score combines the three Style Scores to highlight stocks with attractive value, growth potential, and positive momentum [6] Zacks Rank Integration - The Zacks Rank utilizes earnings estimate revisions to aid in stock selection, with 1 (Strong Buy) stocks historically yielding an average annual return of +23.9% since 1988 [7] - There are over 800 stocks rated 1 or 2, making it essential to use Style Scores for effective selection [8] Stock to Watch: Invesco Ltd. (IVZ) - Invesco, headquartered in Atlanta, GA, has AUM of $2.1 trillion as of September 30, 2025, and operates in over 20 countries [11] - IVZ holds a 3 (Hold) rating on the Zacks Rank and has a VGM Score of A, indicating solid performance potential [11] - The stock has a Momentum Style Score of B, with an 8.8% increase in share price over the past four weeks and an upward revision in earnings estimates [12]

Core Insights - Gold reached a record high of nearly $4,600 an ounce due to escalating political tensions in the U.S. and unrest in Iran, driving investors towards safe-haven assets [1] Group 1: Political and Geopolitical Factors - The Federal Reserve faced grand jury subpoenas from the U.S. Justice Department, raising concerns about the independence of U.S. monetary policy amid political disputes [2] - Protests in Iran have intensified geopolitical risks, contributing to increased demand for precious metals as uncertainty in global geopolitics and oil markets rises [3] - President Trump's comments regarding potential actions on Iran and NATO have further added to market unease [3] Group 2: Economic Indicators and Market Expectations - A softer-than-expected U.S. jobs report has led to expectations of at least two interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve this year, supporting the gold market [4] - Central bank demand, particularly from BRICS nations and emerging economies, is driving a global trend of de-dollarization, resulting in record levels of sovereign gold purchases [5] Group 3: Investment Trends and Predictions - Gold is projected to potentially reach $10,000 an ounce by 2030, driven by factors such as Fed rate cuts, trade tensions, and declining confidence in the U.S. dollar [6] - Ray Dalio has recommended that investors allocate up to 15% of their portfolios to gold, highlighting its role as a hedge against monetary debasement and geopolitical uncertainty [7] Group 4: Performance of Gold and Other Safe-Haven Assets - Gold ETFs like SPDR Gold Trust (GLD) have shown significant gains, with a 68.7% increase over the past year and a 3.2% rise year-to-date [6] - Other safe-haven assets have underperformed, with the Invesco DB US Dollar Index Bullish Fund (UUP) declining about 8.4% over the past year, while gold remains a more attractive option [10] Group 5: Investment Opportunities in Gold ETFs - Investors looking to capitalize on the bullish trend in gold may consider gold ETFs such as SPDR Gold Trust (GLD), iShares Gold Trust (IAU), and SPDR Gold MiniShares Trust (IAUM) [11]

Core Viewpoint - The article compares two small-cap growth ETFs, the iShares S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth ETF (IJT) and the Invesco S&P SmallCap 600 Pure Growth ETF (RZG), highlighting their differences in cost, performance, risk, and portfolio composition. Cost & Size - RZG has an expense ratio of 0.35%, while IJT has a lower expense ratio of 0.18% [2][3] - The one-year return for RZG is 12.99%, compared to IJT's 5.75% [2] - RZG offers a dividend yield of 0.36%, whereas IJT provides a higher yield of 0.9% [3] - RZG has assets under management (AUM) of $104.83 million, significantly smaller than IJT's AUM of $6.29 billion [2] Performance & Risk Comparison - RZG experienced a maximum drawdown of 38.33% over five years, while IJT had a lower drawdown of 29.24% [4] - An investment of $1,000 in RZG would grow to $1,199 over five years, whereas the same investment in IJT would grow to $1,266 [4] Portfolio Composition - IJT holds 342 stocks, with significant sector weights in technology (20%), industrials (19%), and healthcare (17%) [5] - RZG tracks a "pure" growth methodology with 135 stocks, heavily weighted towards healthcare at 27% [6] - Top holdings for IJT include Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals, Armstrong World Industries, and InterDigital, each under 1.4% of assets [5] - RZG's top positions are Progyny, ACM Research, and ARMOUR Residential REIT [6] Investment Implications - RZG focuses on "pure" growth stocks, using a growth score based on sales growth, earnings change to price ratio, and momentum, leading to fewer total holdings compared to IJT [7] - Over the last 12 months, RZG has outperformed IJT, but over the last five years, IJT's return of 21% surpasses RZG's 13.43% [9] - For short-term gains, RZG may be preferable, while IJT is better for long-term gains, lower expenses, broader exposure, and higher dividend yield [10]

Core Insights - Investing is accessible at any age and time, emphasizing the importance of compounding and suggesting exchange-traded funds (ETFs) as a viable option for building a resilient portfolio in 2026 [1][2] ETF Overview - ETFs have low risk, provide diversification, and were dominant in 2025, with expectations to continue this trend in 2026 [2] - Recommended ETFs for 2026 include Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO), Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (VIG), and Invesco NASDAQ 100 ETF (QQQM) [2] Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) - VOO attracted a record inflow of $143 billion in 2025 and achieved an impressive 85.94% return over three years [3][5] - The ETF consists of approximately 500 stocks, with a 0.03% expense ratio, and has a significant allocation to technology (34%), followed by financials (13%) and communication services (11%) [4][6] - Major holdings include Nvidia and Apple Inc., which together account for 14% of the portfolio, alongside other top companies like Alphabet, Microsoft, and Amazon [5][6] Performance Metrics - VOO has delivered a cumulative 3-year return of 85.94% and a 5-year return of 95.80%, with a compound annual return of 17% since its inception in 2010 [6] - The ETF has rebalanced quarterly to maintain high-quality company inclusion and has gained 19.5% over the past year, currently trading at $638.31 [6][7]

Core Insights - The S&P 500 reached a new record high at the end of the first full trading week of 2026, indicating strong market performance [1] - Historical analysis shows significant drawdowns, with a notable drop of approximately 57% from the peak in October 2007 to the trough in March 2009 during the Global Financial Crisis [1] - The S&P 500 has shown resilience, taking over five years to recover to a new all-time high after the financial crisis [1] Performance Analysis - The S&P 500 is up 1.76% year-to-date, while the S&P Equal Weight Index, which equally weights the same constituents, is up 3.14% year-to-date, indicating a divergence in performance between the two indices [4] - The S&P 500 has been above its 50-day moving average since December 18, 2022, and above its 200-day moving average since May 12, 2022, suggesting a bullish trend [2] Volatility Insights - The S&P 500 experienced its largest intraday price volatility of 10.77% on April 9, 2022, since December 24, 2018, highlighting periods of significant market fluctuations [3] - The average percent change from the intraday low to high over the past 20 days is 0.72%, indicating moderate volatility in recent trading sessions [3]

Core Insights - ESG ETFs have seen significant inflows, adding billions in late 2025, indicating a strong interest in sustainable investing among advisors and retail investors [1][2] - The political landscape around ESG investing has shifted, allowing for renewed focus on ETFs like the Invesco ESG Nasdaq 100 ETF (QQMG) [2] - QQMG achieved a return of 22.17% in 2025, demonstrating that investors can achieve total returns while adhering to ESG principles [3] Investment Potential of QQMG - QQMG, launched in October 2021, has favorable sector allocations that position it as a potential winner in 2026 [4] - Morningstar's research highlights that the highest ESG risks are in energy and utilities, while technology and real estate present lower risks; QQMG allocates nearly two-thirds of its weight to tech stocks and has no exposure to energy stocks [5]