Market Overview - Wall Street ended the first day of July 2025 on a mixed note, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq falling while the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained slightly [1] - The contrasting movements in the major stock indices were influenced by opposing forces, including a feud between President Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, and the U.S. Senate's passage of Trump's tax bill aimed at stimulating economic growth [2] Investment Opportunities - Amid market uncertainty, there is a potential opportunity to invest in low-leverage stocks that are not expensive and can provide a protective shield during turbulent times [3] - Suggested low-leverage stocks include Novartis (NVS), Alamo Group (ALG), ArcelorMittal (MT), Bilibili (BILI), and Sterling Infrastructure, Inc. (STRL) [3][10] Low-Leverage Stocks - Low-leverage stocks are characterized by a lower debt-to-equity ratio, indicating reduced financial risk and improved solvency [7][8] - Investing in low-leverage stocks is recommended to avoid significant losses during economic downturns [6][7] Company Highlights - **Novartis (NVS)**: Recently completed the acquisition of Regulus Therapeutics, enhancing its drug portfolio. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for NVS's 2025 sales suggests a 7.3% improvement from 2024, with a long-term earnings growth rate of 7.9% [15][16] - **Alamo Group (ALG)**: Completed the acquisition of Ring-O-Matic, expanding its product offerings. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ALG's 2025 earnings indicates a 7.2% year-over-year improvement [17][18] - **ArcelorMittal (MT)**: Signed an agreement to sell operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, allowing a focus on higher-growth areas. The company has a long-term earnings growth rate of 49.8% [19] - **Bilibili (BILI)**: Reported a 24% year-over-year revenue increase and a 58% improvement in gross profit for Q1 2025. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its 2025 sales indicates a 12.1% improvement from 2024 [20][21] - **Sterling Infrastructure (STRL)**: Announced the acquisition of CEC Facilities Group, enhancing its service portfolio in high-growth markets. The company has a long-term earnings growth rate of 15% [22][23]

Key Takeaways NVS, ENSG, MTZ, BILI and STRL are highlighted as low-leverage picks amid geopolitical market stress. Each stock reflects a favorable Zacks Rank and VGM Scores. Low debt-to-equity ratios make these stocks potentially safer during economic downturns or uncertainty. All three major U.S. stock market indices suffered a fall of more than 1% on June 13 following the exchange of missile strikes between Israel and Iran, which sent almost all global stock markets into the red.  The dismal performance ...

The major U.S. stock indices ended May 13 on a higher note, buoyed by easing trade tensions between the United States and China. Softer-than-expected inflation data released yesterday also helped boost investors’ optimism after the two nations agreed to a 90-day tariff pause earlier this week.  Such positive market sentiment might pave the way for investors to rush into trading on Wall Street. However, considering that the tariff pause is only for 90 days and the global market dynamics change daily, the U.S ...

All three major stock indices of Wall Street ended in the green on April 24, primarily boosted by better-than-expected earnings anticipation from a handful of tech biggies, including Alphabet and Intel. This came as a momentary relief for investors, considering that U.S. President Trump’s tariff announcements had created quite a stir in the global stock market in recent weeks. The general market consensus is that investors still expect volatility to prevail on Wall Street, which makes them extra cautious wh ...