Succinct Summation of Week’s Events 9.25.20 (plus 8 Best Consumer Staples Stocks)

Below is the weekly summation, the main positive being that the markets began the recovery from the deep sell off, the main negative (besides the political news) being that jobless claims continue on the rise.  The bonus this Sunday night is the latest issue of U.S. News Invested.  When the stock market is unstable, the best place to be is in the so-called "defensive" stocks, that is the traditional conventional stocks that are the backbone of the economy -- industrials, utilities, real estate, consumer staples.  And courtesy of U.S. News Invested, this week we have a fresh list of the best and most highly rated stocks in that arena.  For your consideration ... 

Succinct Summation of Week’s Events 9.25.20

September 25, 2020 5:30pm by Barry Ritholtz

Succinct Summations for the week ending September 25th, 2020

Positives:

1. Markets Avoid deep selloff, recover for the week;
2. New home sales came in at an annual rate of 1.011M in August, above expectations.
3. Home mortgage rose 3.0% w/o/w, above the previous decrease.
4. Home refinance apps rose 9.0% w/o/w, above the previous decrease.
5. Existing home sales came in at an annual rate of 6.000M in August.

Negatives:

1. POTUS tees up a post-election civil war.
2. Jobless claims rose 4k w/o/w from 866k to 870k.
3. Chicago Fed National Activity index came in at 0.79 for August, below expectations.
4. PMI Composite is at 54.4 in September.
5. New orders for durable goods rose 0.4% m/o/m, below expectations.

September 25, 2020 View in Browser Invested Advice, rankings and stock market news for investors.

Happy Friday, investors! September's volatility continued yesterday as markets ended the trading day slightly higher. TODAY'S FEATURED STOCK STORY 8 Best Consumer Staples Stocks With 5-Star Morningstar Ratings With so much unpredictability and uncertainty in both the economy and the stock market these days, investors looking to play defense with their portfolios can always count on high-quality consumer staples stocks. Unlike cyclical stocks, consumer staples companies produce household goods, food, beverages and other products that are always in demand, even during an economic downturn. The top consumer staples stocks generate steady earnings and revenue numbers throughout the ups and downs of the economic cycle, and many pay sizable dividends. Here are eight consumer staples stocks to buy that have five-star value ratings from Morningstar: 1. British American Tobacco (ticker: BTI). Analyst Philip Gorham says conventional tobacco will likely continue to drive the profits and the cash flow needed to support British American's 7.6% dividend for at least the next 10 years. However, tobacco companies know the future hinges on electronic cigarettes and other next-generation products. 2. Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD). It's the world's largest brewer and the parent company of Budweiser, Beck's and Corona. CEO Carlos Brito reportedly plans to leave the position in 2021 after 16 years at the helm. Gorham says Brito's exit will mark the end of an era of consolidation in the brewing industry. Click here to continue. Top-rated consumer staples stocks: British American Tobacco (BTI) Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD) Coty (COTY) Imperial Brands (IMBBY) Ingredion (INGR) Coca-Cola Femsa (KOF) Pilgrim's Pride Corp. (PPC) Molson Coors Beverage Co. (TAP)