UPDATE: Weekend reads: Stocks for the Biden presidency
By Philip van Doorn
Also, your own fancy condo down south, retirement planning and Zoom's path to making investors a lot of money
Now that it is clear that Joe Biden will become president on Jan. 20, investors are thinking ahead -- with enthusiasm. The S&P 500 index was up 5% from the close on Election Day through Nov. 12.
Michael Brush listed 23 stocks and ETFs (https://www.marketwatch.com/story/these-23-stocks-and-etfs-will-benefit-from-the-6-most-important-changes-for-stock-market-investors-under-biden-11605051311) he expects to benefit from important trends during Biden's time as president.
Continuing her retirement planning series (https://www.marketwatch.com/column/help-me-retire), Alessandra Malito helps a 31-year-old engineer who expects to eventually switch to a job with a lower salary but wants to make sure he will still have enough money for retirement (https://www.marketwatch.com/story/im-a-31-year-old-engineer-who-wants-to-shift-to-a-lower-paying-job-one-day-what-rate-of-return-do-i-need-to-sustain-my-retirement-savings-11605116232) under various economic scenarios.
Many investors are interested in doing good while making money, focusing on environmental, social and governance criteria. But many 401(k), 403(b) and other employer-sponsored retirement plans don't include ESG funds. Debbie Carlson explains how to get around that (https://www.marketwatch.com/story/heres-how-you-can-add-sustainable-investments-to-your-401-k-holdings-even-if-your-plan-doesnt-include-esg-funds-11605224091).
Silvia Ascarelli helps a New Jersey couple plan their retirement move to Florida (https://www.marketwatch.com/story/we-want-to-retire-to-florida-or-a-florida-type-atmosphere-and-buy-a-condo-with-lots-of-amenities-for-250000-where-should-we-go-2020-11-12). Which community would you select?
For help finding your retirement destination, try the MarketWatch retirement location tool (https://www.marketwatch.com/graphics/best-place-to-retire/#division) for customized suggestions.
BioNTech SE (BNTX) and Pfizer Inc. (PFE) had excellent news this week -- their COVID-19 vaccine was 90% effective in a Phase 3 trial (https://www.marketwatch.com/story/biontech-and-pfizer-say-their-covid-19-vaccine-candidate-is-90-effective-2020-11-09). Analysts expect similar successes from other major pharmaceutical developers, such as Moderna Inc. (MRNA) and AstraZeneca PLC (AZN.LN). But Michael Brush suggests looking beyond big pharma to a group of "public-space stocks (https://www.marketwatch.com/story/these-are-the-non-pharma-winners-and-losers-from-the-pfizer-vaccine-results-11604970629)" he believes will pop during an "economic melt-up" as vaccines are deployed.
Read on:Buy these 5 consumer stocks as investment alternatives to Amazon (https://www.marketwatch.com/story/buy-these-5-consumer-stocks-as-investment-alternatives-to-amazon-11605201815)
Value stocks have outperformed growth stocks by a wide margin over the past two weeks. Mark Hulbert is skeptical that this will be sustained, writing that he is has "lost track of how many similar pronouncements have been made over the last 15 years, each of which turned out to fail." But based on history, he expects value stocks to rally during Joe Biden's first 100 days as president (https://www.marketwatch.com/story/why-the-biden-administrations-first-100-days-will-likely-see-a-rally-in-value-stocks-2020-11-13).
More on value stocks:
We are less than two weeks from Thanksgiving, and the U.S. count of new COVID-19 cases continues to hit new records, underscoring concerns that the holiday may be a superspreader event (https://www.marketwatch.com/story/coronavirus-update-us-again-shatters-daily-case-record-as-experts-worry-holidays-will-be-superspreader-event-2020-11-13). Here are practical safety guidelines for your gathering (https://www.marketwatch.com/story/can-i-visit-family-for-thanksgiving-or-christmas-your-pandemic-holiday-travel-questions-answered-2020-09-17?mod=home-page) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
More on holiday travel:Five questions to ask before getting on a plane (https://www.marketwatch.com/story/can-you-catch-covid-19-from-sitting-in-the-middle-seat-on-a-flight-5-questions-about-air-travel-safety-during-the-pandemic-11605148578)
The yield on 10-year U.S. Treasury bonds was 0.90% Friday afternoon. That is, of course, very low. Then again, the yield was much higher, relatively speaking, than a week earlier, when it was 0.77%. When interest rates rise, bond prices decline. Stocks can be forced down as well. William Watts explains the relationship between interest-rate movements and stock-market performance (https://www.marketwatch.com/story/heres-when-rising-yields-become-a-problem-for-the-stock-market-11605285084).
Shares of Zoom Video Communications Inc. (ZM) are up nearly fourfold this year, as so many business meetings have gone online. Bernstein analyst Zane Chrane makes the case that even from here, Zoom's revenue, and its stock, can rise exponentially (https://www.marketwatch.com/story/zoom-video-is-the-second-coming-analyst-says-11605197027).
CD Moriarty explains how dangerous it can be to follow free advice (https://www.marketwatch.com/story/skip-these-free-sources-of-financial-advice-they-will-cost-you-dearly-11605124402) about how to manage your money.
Want more from MarketWatch? Sign up for this and other newsletters (https://www.marketwatch.com/newsletters?mod=article_inline), and get the latest news, personal finance and investing advice
-Philip van Doorn; 415-439-6400; AskNewswires@dowjones.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
November 14, 2020 16:58 ET (21:58 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2020 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.