Small- and mid-cap stocks (SMID), despite bursts of outperformance, have underperformed large-caps year to date - as they have over the past five years. But they may be in a better position to generate market-beating returns going forward. SMID companies tend to focus on domestic markets, so their businesses could be less disrupted by the fallout from unrest in the Middle East, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, issues in China, or other geopolitical developments. As well, the prices of SMID stocks generally are lower than the prices of large-caps. SMID stocks can be risky, but despite those risks, diversified investors look to have exposure to small- and mid-caps based on the long-term performance record. We estimate that 20% of the U.S. stock market's capitalization is comprised of SMID stocks.

Wisconsin-based Oshkosh is an industrial manufacturer of specialty vehicles and truck bodies. The company has 12 brands and three reporting segments: Access Equipment, Defense, and Vocational. The company has approximately 18,000 employees. The shares are a component of the S&P 400 Mid-Cap Index.

On Tuesday, stocks passed their first test of the week with flying colors after a better-than-expected PPI print. The S&P 500 (SPX) popped 1.7%, the Nasdaq ripped higher by 2.4%, and the Nasdaq 100 jumped 2.5%. The indices are close to turning a number of short- to -intermediate-term technical indicators back to bullish, and quickly. It is now clear that the big downside reversal and weak close on August 7 was one of those nasty fake-out days that are so often seen at intermediate-term bottoms and tops. Technicians love these fake-out days and love even more that the reversal from recent panic lows is taking the shape of a 'V,' a favorite technical bottom (NOT!). From August 7 through August 13, the SPX jumped 4.5%, the biggest four-day gain since early November 2023, when the market was emerging from the July-to-October pullback. Since August 6, the index has seen daily gains of 1%, 2.3%, and 1.7%, which is pretty impressive. The bear flags that we thought might be developing on the major indices were blown up on Tuesday although we still might be working on a bearish wedge. But for that to happen, stocks would need to turn down very quickly. The SPX has climbed back above its 21-day exponential moving average (EMA) after losing it on August 1, and the five-day/13-day EMA crossover is very close to turning back to bullish as the index approached both a 61.8% retrace and the 50-day (which are in the 5,452 to 5,460 region). The four-day pop for the Nasdaq 100 is 6.4%, the best such run since November 2022 when the ETF (QQQ) was bottoming. The five-/13-day EMA cross is close to turning bullish, the momentum downtrend has been busted, and a 50% take-back at 463.50 is very near.

The Portfolio Selector features the Argus Focus List, a group of 30 "best idea" stocks generated and regularly updated by Argus' analysts and investment policy committee. It also includes the director of research’s monthly investment strategy column, stock recommendations and sector picks, economic forecasts, and an asset allocation model. This month, the Focus List additions are DuPont de Nemours Inc (DD); GE Vernova Inc. (GEV); Palantir Technologies Inc (PLTR); Dicks Sporting Goods, Inc. (DKS) and the Focus List deletions are ASML Holding NV (ASML); Linde Plc. (LIN); Oshkosh Corp (OSK); TJX Companies, Inc. (TJX).