Insider buying tends to get more attention than insider selling. Indeed, Peter Lynch famously noted that 'insiders might sell their shares for any number of reasons, but they buy them for only one: they think the price will rise.' Up until recently, 2024 was a very good year for equity investors, with all-time highs booked on a regular basis. So as insiders grew increasingly cautious over the past few months, it was easy to assume they were simply taking a little off the top. But about four weeks ago, the caution became more pronounced, and we noted in recent commentaries that 'insiders have increased their selling activity;' and then 'insiders continue to...cash in;' and then insider sentiment is 'deeply into bearish territory.' Finally, last week, we detailed that certain sell/buy ratios from Vickers Stock Research were at their most-bearish levels since February of 2023. So insider caution turned into a bearish stampede. More important (and keeping in mind the words of Peter Lynch) is the following: Are insiders starting to think that prices are again attractive? Not yet. Current insider-sentiment readings from Vickers remain very bearish for a third week, with the action on the NYSE especially bleak. Meanwhile, the Insider Index from Vickers now sits at its most-bearish reading since August of 2021. This will all turn eventually -- and we plan to call it out. But for now, playing defense remains the order of the day it seems. On a sector basis, selling by insiders last week was greatest in Information Technology, with shares valued at $114 million sold versus roughly $19 million bought. Buying outpaced selling in Communication Services. This week, analysts at Vickers highlighted insider transactions of interest at Appian Corp. (NGM: APPN) and The St. Joe Co. (NYSE: JOE)

This pick list highlights constituents of the Morningstar US Large Cap Index that we believe offer investors the best risk-adjusted return prospects. Stocks of large-cap companies where neither growth nor value characteristics predominate. Stocks in the top 70% of the capitalization of the U.S. equity market are defined as large cap.

AI is being used as a tool to make Financial sector companies more profitable. The sector is using AI for financial planning, underwriting, trading, and fraud protection, among other areas, allowing professionals to reduce time working on mundane tasks and instead focus on core tasks that drive their businesses. Financial advisors are using AI to draft financial plans and portfolios for clients, identifying patterns in spending and savings habits. In trading, AI allows algorithms to analyze large sums of data and historical trends in order to recognize patterns and movements in markets. Since it uses an algorithm, AI can digest and analyze huge sums of information in order to make trades faster, smarter, and more accurate. AI also is used in underwriting. By scanning a company's historical data and identifying trends, "AI-driven underwriting systems" can automate risk assessment, such as optimal loan-to-value and debt-to-income ratios. But artificial intelligence may be the most impactful in identifying and combating credit-card fraud. Card companies use AI models that analyze data patterns and customer spending habits almost instantly. As a result, suspicious payments or transactions are flagged immediately -- and the amount of time it takes for both the company and the customer to identify suspicious activity is decreased significantly. We believe that the use of AI will continue to grow and will help Financial sector companies be more successful. Here is a list of Argus BUY-rated stocks in the Financial sector that are leaders in the use AI.

This pick list highlights constituents of the Morningstar US Large Cap Index that we believe offer investors the best risk-adjusted return prospects. Stocks of large-cap companies where neither growth nor value characteristics predominate. Stocks in the top 70% of the capitalization of the U.S. equity market are defined as large cap.

Following an extended period of bearish activity among insiders at companies listed on the Nasdaq, there is now a developing increase in caution from corporate executives, directors, and beneficial owners at companies that list on the NYSE. Indeed, the NYSE insider-transaction data from Vickers Stock Research has now grabbed the cautious lead from the Nasdaq. On that front, the NYSE One-Week Sell/Buy Ratio from Vickers has jumped to 6.97 from last week's 3.38, causing the NYSE eight-week reading to climb to 4.03 from last week's 3.54.

This pick list highlights constituents of the Morningstar US Large Cap Index that we believe offer investors the best risk-adjusted return prospects. Stocks of large-cap companies where neither growth nor value characteristics predominate. Stocks in the top 70% of the capitalization of the U.S. equity market are defined as large cap.

This pick list highlights constituents of the Morningstar US Large Cap Index that we believe offer investors the best risk-adjusted return prospects. Stocks of large-cap companies where neither growth nor value characteristics predominate. Stocks in the top 70% of the capitalization of the U.S. equity market are defined as large cap.

Stocks were mixed on Thursday after core PCE came in as expected. Prices rose 0.3% in January, bringing annual inflation to 2.4% -- down from 2.6% last month. Core PCE rose 0.4%, which brings the annual rate to 2.8%, down from 2.9% last month. Prices for services increased 0.6%, while goods prices decreased 0.2% and energy prices fell 1.4% from December. Initial jobless claims rose by 13,000 to 215,000 for the week ended February 24. The S&P 500 was up 0.1%, the Dow fell 0.2% and the Nasdaq gained 0.3%. Crude oil traded near $79 per barrel and gold was up $11 to $2053 per ounce.

This pick list highlights constituents of the Morningstar US Large Cap Index that we believe offer investors the best risk-adjusted return prospects. Stocks of large-cap companies where neither growth nor value characteristics predominate. Stocks in the top 70% of the capitalization of the U.S. equity market are defined as large cap.

This pick list highlights constituents of the Morningstar US Large Cap Index that we believe offer investors the best risk-adjusted return prospects. Stocks of large-cap companies where neither growth nor value characteristics predominate. Stocks in the top 70% of the capitalization of the U.S. equity market are defined as large cap.

This pick list highlights constituents of the Morningstar US Large Cap Index that we believe offer investors the best risk-adjusted return prospects. Stocks of large-cap companies where neither growth nor value characteristics predominate. Stocks in the top 70% of the capitalization of the U.S. equity market are defined as large cap.

In this edition, Nasdaq, Intercontinental Exchange transformation is more than meets the eye; 3M faces critical but not existential PFAS threat; Valeo in the right parts at the right time; and PVH, Snowflake, and Maplebear (Instacart).

Stocks fluctuated in volatile trading on Thursday morning, but were nearly flat at midday. Disney shares rose 7% after the company reported better-than-expected fiscal 4Q EPS and announced plans to cut an additional $2 billion in expenses. Disney and other content providers, including Netflix and Paramount, also benefited from a tentative agreement ending the Hollywood actors strike. On the employment front, first-time claims for state unemployment benefits fell by 3,000 to a seasonally adjusted 217,000 for the week ended November 4, slightly below the Reuters consensus forecast. The Dow was flat, the S&P rose 0.1%, and the Nasdaq rose 0.2%. Crude oil rose 1% to $76 per barrel, while gold traded near $1968 per ounce.

Vickers Stock Research, a subsidiary of Argus Research Group, tracks and analyzes insider trading and institutional stock ownership trends. Institutions must file a Form 13F to report their holdings, and it is due 45 days after the end of calendar quarters. So these forms have now come in from 2Q23. We like to review the 13Fs of major activist investors, including Carl Icahn, Trian Fund Management, Jana Partners, and ValueAct Holdings, among others, in order to determine their core holdings and new purchases. Activist investing has evolved in recent years and is now less about generating a short-term return on an underpriced stock and more about achieving long-term returns through an active management/investor partnership. Activists have made progress in the past year with high-profile investments into companies such as Fedex and Union Pacific. According to Vickers, here are some recent new purchases and key holdings of activist investors, as well as other high-profile money managers such as Warren Buffet of Berkshire Hathaway and Ken Griffin of Citadel Advisors LLC.

Stocks fell on Tuesday morning on concerns about more weak economic data from China, along with unexpected interest rate cuts by the Chinese central bank, and potential downgrades of several major U.S. banks by Fitch. Retail sales data were stronger than expected. The Commerce Department said that U.S. retail sales rose 0.7% in July, up from 0.3% in June and above the Reuters consensus forecast of 0.4% growth. The Dow fell 0.7%, the S&P 0.7%, and the Nasdaq 0.6%. Crude oil fell nearly 2% to $81 per barrel, while gold traded near $1942 per ounce.

This pick list highlights constituents of the Morningstar US Large Cap Index that we believe offer investors the best risk-adjusted return prospects. Stocks of large-cap companies where neither growth nor value characteristics predominate. Stocks in the top 70% of the capitalization of the U.S. equity market are defined as large cap.

This was one of our 10 Investment Themes for 2023 and remains relevant, as the S&P 500 is up 13% year-to-date. The long-term trend in the U.S. stock market has been higher; since 1980, stocks have turned in a positive performance almost 80% of the time. The average annual gain has been 13%. That was not so in 2022. Yes, the S&P 500 set an all-time record. But it peaked on January 3 and the rest of the year was downhill. The stock market entered a bear market in June 2022. Bond returns weren't much better, as spiking inflation pushed long-term interest rates higher and the Fed raised short-term rates to try to bring inflation down. The turmoil posed a challenge for Wall Street firms, as investment returns were dismal, the IPO market dried up, and M&A activity disappeared. By year-end, Wall Street firms such as Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley were announcing layoffs. We are more optimistic for the financial markets in 2023. Equity valuations are lower in the wake of the selloff in 2022. There is pent-up demand for IPOs and M&A once the environment improves. Finally, consensus expectations call for weak earnings and investment returns in 2023, setting markets up for a positive surprise. As the outlook improves, we think that investor demand will pick up for investment banks, exchange operators, and money-management firms. We recently raised our sector rating on Financial Services to Over-Weight. Stocks in our coverage universe that we believe are positioned to benefit include the following.

Vickers Stock Research, a subsidiary of Argus Research Group, tracks and analyzes insider trading and institutional stock ownership trends. Form 13-Fs, which institutions must file to report their holdings, are due 45 days after the end of calendar quarters, and have now come in from 1Q23. We review the 13Fs of the major activist investors, including Carl Icahn, Trian Fund Management, Jana Partners and ValueAct Holdings, among others, in order to determine their core holdings and new purchases. Activist investing has evolved in recent years and is now less about generating a short-term return on an underpriced stock and more about achieving long-term returns through an active management/investor partnership. Activists have made progress in the past year with high-profile investments into blue-chip companies such as FedEx Inc. and Union Pacific. Based on Vickers data, here are some recent new purchases and key holdings of Activist investors, as well as other high-profile money managers such as Warren Buffet of Berkshire Hathaway and Ken Griffin of Citadel Advisors LLC.

Stocks were mostly lower on Tuesday morning following disappointing retail sales data. The Commerce Department said that U.S. retail sales rose 0.4% in April, up from a decline of 0.7% in March but below the Reuters consensus forecast of 0.8% growth. On the earnings front, Home Depot shares fell after the company reported a decline in 1Q sales and earnings and lowered its full-year guidance. The Dow fell 0.7%, the S&P fell 0.3%, and the Nasdaq rose 0.1%. Crude oil traded near $71 per barrel, while gold fell $16 to $2007 per ounce.

Last week in this space, we reported on weekly insider sentiment that suggested a pullback in stock prices was possibly in order, this after a very strong January. This week, the data on insider sentiment, reported by Vickers Stock Research, is again of concern.

The long-term trend in the U.S. stock market has been higher. Since 1980, stocks have turned in positive performances almost 80% of the time. The average annual gain has been 13%. That was not the case in 2022. Sure, the S&P 500 set an all-time record. But it peaked on January 3, and the rest of the year was downhill. The stock market technically entered a bear market in June. Bond returns weren't much better, as spiking inflation pushed long-term interest rates higher and the Federal Reserve raised short-term rates to try to bring inflation under control. The turmoil in the marketplace posed a challenge for Wall Street firms, as investment returns were dismal, the IPO market dried up, and M&A activity disappeared. By year-end, Wall Street firms such as Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley were announcing layoffs. Looking ahead, we are more optimistic for stocks in 2023. For one thing, equity valuations are lower in the wake of the sharp sell-off in 2022. For another, there is pent-up demand for IPOs and M&A, once the environment improves. Finally, consensus expectations call for weak 2023 earnings and investment returns, setting the markets up for a positive surprise. As the outlook for financial firms improves, we think investor demand will pick-up for investment banks, exchanges, and money management firms. Stocks in our Universe of Coverage that are in position to benefit include the following.

Stocks rose on Tuesday morning amid more comments on rate hikes from Fed officials and earnings reports from major retailers. Best Buy shares rose 10% after the company posted above-consensus 3Q revenue and EPS, and raised its full-year sales outlook. Dollar Tree shares fell 10%, despite solid 3Q results, as the discount retailer said that 2022 earnings would come in toward the low end of its guidance range. The Dow rose 0.8%, the S&P 0.6%, and the Nasdaq 0.1%. Crude oil rose 2% to $81.50 per barrel, while gold traded near $1745 per ounce.

Monday Tee-Up: Key Inflation Data, CPI & PPI

While stocks sank for seven weeks, several of the major indices hit key support levels. The S&P 500 hit a 38.2% retracement of the rally off the March 2020 lows on May 20 (down near 3,800) and bounced sharply. That carried into last week, with the index jumping 6.6% (the biggest one-week gain since March).

Stocks plunged on Thursday amid rising tensions over Ukraine. Speaking at the United Nations, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that he expected Russia to create a pretext for an invasion and to attack Ukraine in the coming days. Meanwhile, Russia continued to assert that it was withdrawing its troops and had no plans to invade. Along with the Ukraine news, investors weighed earnings reports from Walmart and Nvidia and new housing market and employment data. First-time jobless claims rose to 248,000 for the week ended February 12, up from 225,000 a week earlier and above the consensus forecast of 218,000. The Dow fell 1.78%, the S&P 2.12%, and the Nasdaq 2.88%. Crude oil traded near $92 per barrel, while gold jumped $29 to $1900 per ounce.

The onset of the coronavirus in 2020 knocked stocks into a bear market. Though equities recovered, the U.S. economy is about to slow down and COVID-19 cases are rising again as virus variants spread. Volatility, which has dropped from the highs of 2020, still has not returned to pre-COVID levels. Daily prices can swing wildly, as they did three times in 2021 when stocks dropped 4%-5% in a matter of a few days. Is it time for investors to cash in their chips? We note that investors exit the stock market at their own peril, as long-term returns from equities consistently have outpaced long-term returns from other asset classes, such as fixed income and cash. As well, those returns are from eras when the 10-year Treasury bond yield was not sub-2.0%. So what's a potential equity strategy for investors amid all the uncertainty? Argus believes that Min Vol is an all-weather strategy that is timely in any investing climate. Academic literature and, more to the point, returns history indicate that Min Vol can deliver market-matching returns on an absolute basis and superior returns on a risk-adjusted basis over various time periods.

Stocks were mixed on Thursday morning amid continued concerns about accelerating inflation. Disney shares fell more than 7% after the company posted disappointing fiscal 4Q earnings and much lower than expected growth in Disney+ subscriptions. The Dow fell 0.2%, the S&P rose 0.2%, and the Nasdaq rose 0.8%. Crude oil rose slightly to $81.50 per barrel, while gold traded near $1864 per ounce.

This pick list highlights constituents of the Morningstar US Large Cap Index that we believe offer investors the best risk-adjusted return prospects. Stocks of large-cap companies where neither growth nor value characteristics predominate. Stocks in the top 70% of the capitalization of the U.S. equity market are defined as large cap.

This pick list highlights constituents of the Morningstar US Large Cap Index that we believe offer investors the best risk-adjusted return prospects. Stocks of large-cap companies where neither growth nor value characteristics predominate. Stocks in the top 70% of the capitalization of the U.S. equity market are defined as large cap.

This pick list highlights constituents of the Morningstar US Large Cap Index that we believe offer investors the best risk-adjusted return prospects. Stocks of large-cap companies where neither growth nor value characteristics predominate. Stocks in the top 70% of the capitalization of the U.S. equity market are defined as large cap.

Stocks rose on Thursday morning following new weekly employment data. The Labor Department said that first-time claims for state unemployment benefits fell to 385,000 for the week ended July 31, down from 399,000 a week earlier but slightly above the Bloomberg consensus of 383,000. The Commerce Department reported that the U.S. trade deficit rose 6.7% to a record $75.7 billion in June, driven by a sharp increase in imports. The consensus forecast was $74.1 billion. The Dow rose 0.6%, the S&P 0.5%, and the Nasdaq 0.6%. Crude oil rose to $69 per barrel, while gold traded near $1805 per ounce.

The onset of the coronavirus in 2020 knocked the stock market into a bear market. Though stocks have recovered, the U.S. economy is about to slow down and COVID-19 cases are rising again as virus variants spread. Volatility, which has dropped from the highs of 2020, still has not returned to pre-COVID levels. Daily prices can swing wildly, as they did during two consecutive days in mid-July when the Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeted more than 1,000 points. Yet investors exit the stock market at their own peril, as long-term returns from equities consistently have outpaced long-term returns from other asset classes. Argus believes that Min Vol is an all-weather strategy that is timely in any investing climate and can deliver market-matching returns on an absolute basis and superior returns on a risk-adjusted basis over various time periods.

This pick list highlights constituents of the Morningstar US Large Cap Index that we believe offer investors the best risk-adjusted return prospects. Stocks of large-cap companies where neither growth nor value characteristics predominate. Stocks in the top 70% of the capitalization of the U.S. equity market are defined as large cap.

The Federal Reserve decided to maintain the federal funds rate at rock bottom 0.00-0.25% at its latest Open Market Committee meeting. The action (or non-action) had been expected, given the current high level of unemployment. But traders have been worried about rising inflation rates as the U.S. vaccine program progresses and the economy reopens. The vote to keep rates steady was unanimous -- for now. The Fed also is maintaining its $120 billion/month asset-purchasing program, in an attempt to keep long-term rates under control and markets functioning smoothly. Looking ahead, though, the central bank is in a position in which the majority of the bankers forecast the first change in the federal funds rate in 2023, with perhaps even two hikes that year. We note that inflation forecasts for the Fed have increased to a rate of 3.4% for 2021, compared to the March projection of 2.4%. But this bout of inflation is expected to be temporary, and pricing pressures are forecast by the Fed to fall next year back to 2.1%. At Argus, we expect to see inflation calm over the next year, leading to one rate hike by the Fed in 2023. We also look for the Fed's asset-purchasing program to start to taper slowly in the spring of 2022.

This pick list highlights constituents of the Morningstar US Large Cap Index that we believe offer investors the best risk-adjusted return prospects. Stocks of large-cap companies where neither growth nor value characteristics predominate. Stocks in the top 70% of the capitalization of the U.S. equity market are defined as large cap.

Our rating on the Financial Services sector is Over-Weight. With market optimism rising on positive vaccine developments and the new administration in Washington, interest rates have started to move higher at the long end of the yield curve. We expect banks to benefit from wider net-interest margins and lower loan-loss provisions as the economy normalizes, and insurance companies to generate higher income in their investment portfolios. The sector now accounts for 11.4% of the S&P 500. Over the past five years, the weighting has ranged from 10% to 17%. We think the sector should account for 12%-15% of diversified portfolios. Here is how we use our analysts' Financial Services sector ideas in our Focus List and Model portfolios. All of the following stocks are rated BUY at Argus.

This pick list highlights constituents of the Morningstar US Large Cap Index that we believe offer investors the best risk-adjusted return prospects. Stocks of large-cap companies where neither growth nor value characteristics predominate. Stocks in the top 70% of the capitalization of the U.S. equity market are defined as large cap.

The stock market was flat to down last week. Tech stocks and blue chips performed similarly, with tech narrowly outperforming. During Friday's session, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 186 points, or 0.54%. The S&P 500 was down 0.72%, and the Nasdaq Composite was down 0.85%. For the week, the DJIA was down 169 points, or 0.50%, the S&P 500 was up 0.02%, and the Nasdaq Composite was down 0.39%. Year-to-date, the DJIA is up 10.68%, the S&P 500 is up 11.32%, and the Nasdaq Composite is up 8.34%.

The United States economy is full of innovation. It has to be. Manufacturing industries that dominated the economy decades ago - textiles, televisions, even automobiles, to a large degree - have moved overseas, where costs are lower. Yet the U.S. economy, prior to the pandemic, had expanded to record levels. And now, the U.S. Healthcare industry is mobilizing to improve COVID-19 testing, treatments and vaccines. Consider that U.S. GDP was approximately $1 trillion in 1930 but nearly $22 trillion at the end of 2019. That's growth of 22-times. Meanwhile, the U.S. population has grown less than 3-times during that time span, to 320 million from 120 million. The delta between GDP growth and population growth has been driven in large part by innovation. In addition, the value of listed corporations on U.S. stock exchanges at the end of 2020 was approximately $32 trillion, representing 41% of global equity market capitalization, while U.S. GDP represented only 25% of global GDP. The current low level of interest rates (the benchmark 10-year Treasury bond yield is 1.1%) and the relatively high level of the dollar both attest to the confidence that global investors have in the innovative U.S. economy.

What's up with bitcoin? Certainly the price of the cryptocurrency itself, which has risen more than 62% year-to-date and has more than quadrupled over the past year. Digital currencies are moving more toward the mainstream. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell has indicated the central bank will be looking into a "digital dollar" and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has commented that a digital security could result in faster, safer and cheaper payments. We don't have an investment rating for bitcoin as it does not always trade on investment fundamentals, but here are a few stocks that stand to benefit from the uptrend and increased visibility. All are rated BUY at Argus.

Stocks fluctuated on Thursday in choppy trading as investors weighed weekly employment data, a continued decline in new U.S. coronavirus cases, and a warning from President Biden about challenges from China. The Labor Department reported that both first-time and continuing unemployment claims fell from the prior week, though both readings were above consensus forecasts. After the close, Disney posted an unexpected fiscal 1Q profit amid strong growth in Disney+ subscribers. The Dow fell 0.02%, the S&P rose 0.17%, and the Nasdaq rose 0.38%. Crude oil fell more than 1% to $58 per barrel, while gold fell $17 to $1826 per ounce.

We recently upgraded our rating on the Financial Services sector to Over-Weight. With market optimism rising on positive vaccine developments and the presidential transition, interest rates have started to move higher at the long end of the yield curve. We expect banks to benefit from wider net interest margins and lower loan-loss provisions as the economy normalizes, and insurance companies to generate higher income in their investment portfolios. The sector accounts for 10.4% of the S&P 500, down from 16.3% following the exclusion of REIT stocks. Over the past five years, the weighting has ranged from 9% to 17%. We think the sector should account for 11%-12% of diversified portfolios. The Financial sector is underperforming the market thus far in 2020, with a loss of 9.6%. It slightly outperformed in 2019, with a gain of 29.2%, and underperformed in 2018, with a loss of 14.7%. Here is how we use our analysts' Financial Services sector ideas in our Focus List and Model portfolios. All of the following stocks are rated BUY at Argus.

The Federal Reserve announced that it expects to keep interest rates at the current level of 0%-0.25% until "labor market conditions have reached levels consistent with the committee's assessments of maximum employment and inflation has risen to 2% and is on track to moderately exceed 2% for some time." With the unemployment rate at 6.7% while COVID-19 cases are surging, and core measures of inflation just above 1.1%, we think the Fed will watch from the sidelines and keep the fed funds rate low until at least 2022. But that doesn't mean the central bank won't be busy. The Fed will continue to increase its holdings of Treasury securities by at least $80 billion per month and of agency mortgage-backed securities by at least $40 billion per month. These purchases help foster smooth market functioning and accommodative financial conditions, supporting the flow of credit to households and businesses. One thing we don't expect the Fed to do is to lower interest rates below zero. Although that strategy has been implemented in some countries, it is not clear to Chairman Powell that the tool works. Further, he does not think it is appropriate in the U.S., given the country's dependence (corporations and investors) on the money market mutual fund segment of the market.

The onset of the coronavirus earlier this year knocked the stock market into a bear market. Though stocks have recovered, the U.S. economy is still in recession and COVID-19 cases are spiking as the weather turns colder and people head indoors. Volatility, which was low in early 2020 after a robust year for equities in 2019, has spiked higher, and has remained elevated. Is it time to cash in the chips? We note that investors exit the stock market at their own peril, as long-term returns from equities consistently have outpaced long-term returns from other asset classes such as fixed income and cash. As well, those returns are from eras when the 10-year Treasury bond yield was not sub-1.0%. So what's a potential equity strategy for investors amid all the uncertainty? Argus believes that Min Vol is an all-weather strategy that is timely in any investing climate. Academic literature and, more to the point returns history, indicate that Min Vol can deliver market-matching returns on an absolute basis and superior returns on a risk-adjusted basis over various time periods. Stocks included in our Min Vol model portfolio and typically industry leaders and have received a high score from our A6 Quant Model on Financial Strength and a low score on Risk. Stocks in the portfolio include the following.

Stocks closed October with their worst week since the early days of the pandemic. In spite of a positive week for 3Q20 earnings and better-than-expected 3Q20 GDP, markets were slammed by concerns about possible lockdowns related to the rising tide of coronavirus infections. As polls tighten, investors are also worried about an inconclusive and contested election, something that slammed markets in the year 2000. Selling was harshest in tech names, but few areas were spared. On Friday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 158 points, or 0.6%. The S&P 500 dropped a sharper 1.2% and the Nasdaq Composite was hit the hardest, down 2.5% on the day. For the full week, the Dow was down 6.5%, the S&P 500 was down 5.6%, and the Nasdaq was down 5.5%. For the year-to-date, the DJIA is down 7.1%, the S&P is up just 1.2%, and the Nasdaq is up 21.6%. Over the past 52 weeks, the Dow is down 3.1%, the S&P 500 is up 6.6%, and the Nasdaq is up 35.4%.