The market has shown strong performance overall, with the S&P 500 up nearly 26% year to date. However, in the past thirty days, it has experienced a slight decline of 1%. A notable sell-off occurred between December 17 and 19, which contributed to some volatility. Since then, the market has been fluctuating, with prices rising and falling as investors continue to navigate the uncertainty.
Optimism for High Growth Despite High Rates and Debt
In a CNBC interview, Alan Rechtschaffen, Senior Portfolio Manager at UBS Global Wealth, stressed that he maintains a positive outlook on market growth, emphasizing that the current market sell-off is driven by a lack of faith rather than fundamental issues. He noted that the positivity surrounding the market will improve as President Trump’s policies take effect.
Rechtschaffen acknowledged concerns over high interest rates and high debt levels but argued that the Fed’s goal of lowering rates, combined with efforts to reduce spending and increase efficiency, will lead to high growth. He is particularly optimistic about sectors like technology, utilities, and financials, which he believes will benefit from a focus on new energy sources and deregulation. Although valuations are higher than usual, Rechtschaffen believes that with the right efficiencies in place, the market could see a 10% rise, offering opportunities for investors willing to take risks in this promising period.
Fed’s Shifting Rate Path Sparks Concerns in the Market
The path of rate cuts in 2025 is creating uncertainty for Wall Street as the Fed’s outlook shifted last week, now forecasting two cuts instead of four. The possibility of a rate hike has not been ruled out if inflation re-accelerates. San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly told Yahoo Finance’s Brian Sozzi that adjustments could be made depending on data, but she doesn’t see inflationary pressures at the moment. However, she isn’t ruling out anything.
On Yahoo Finance’s Catalysts, Max Wasserman of Miramar Capital said that he believes the economy is stronger than anticipated, with GDP growth around 3% and inflation at 2.7%, which reduces the need for aggressive rate cuts. He also suggested that a rate hike could become more likely in the second half of 2025 if inflation remains persistent.
Wasserman advised a more cautious approach in portfolio management, favoring de-risking strategies, such as taking profits from top-performing stocks and focusing on dividend stocks. He also recommended staying short-term on bonds, as rising interest rates could pressure longer-duration bonds. Additionally, he expressed concerns about potential inflationary policies from the incoming administration, such as changes to immigration or tariffs, which could further strain the economy and complicate the Fed’s path forward.
8 Best Low Risk Stocks To Buy
Our Methodology
For this article, we used the Yahoo Finance stocks screener to identify 30 companies with the largest market cap and a 5-year beta (monthly) between 0.2 and 0.8. Next, we narrowed our list to 8 stocks most widely held by institutional investors. The 8 best low-risk stocks to buy are listed in ascending order of their hedge fund sentiment.
Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).
8 Best Low Volatility Stocks To Buy Right Now
8. Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM)
5-year Beta (Monthly): 0.56
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 75
Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM) is a leading tobacco company that has significantly diversified its portfolio beyond traditional cigarettes. Through internal investments and strategic acquisitions, the company has expanded into next-generation products such as heat-not-burn tobacco, electronic vapor, and nicotine pouches. A key move in this direction was the 2022 acquisition of Swedish Match, which brought the Zyn brand under its ownership.
Additionally, Philip Morris (NYSE:PM) gained the rights to sell IQOS products in the U.S. from Altria, positioning itself well in the rapidly growing market for next-generation tobacco products. This shift aligns with the broader growth potential of the sector, as the next-generation tobacco products market is projected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 10% from 2021 to 2028, according to Data Bridge Market Research.
IQOS, which was launched in Japan over a decade ago, has become a significant revenue driver for Philip Morris (NYSE:PM). The product now generates more than $10 billion in annual net revenues for the company and is available in over 70 markets worldwide, with 30.8 million adult users. Furthermore, in the third quarter, the company’s smoke-free business contributed 38% of total revenue and 40% of gross profit, with its share continuing to grow.
7. Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ)
5-year Beta (Monthly): 0.52
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 81
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) is a leading healthcare company engaged in the research, development, manufacturing, and sale of a broad range of healthcare products. While the company continues to navigate ongoing talc-related litigation, which has been an issue for several years, the outcome of these cases remains uncertain.
Despite these challenges, Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) has leveraged its strong financial position and excess free cash flow to pursue acquisitions. This year, the company allocated $18 billion to acquire Shockwave Medical, V-Wave, and several drug development companies. These acquisitions have strengthened its MedTech and Innovative Medicines platforms, complementing its ongoing investments in research and development.
In the third quarter, Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) posted its second consecutive quarter of sales exceeding $14 billion, with 11 key brands showing double-digit growth. In the MedTech space, the company has secured a leadership position in four of the fastest-growing cardiovascular intervention markets.