By John Persinos
For investors, Christmas seems to have arrived early.
President Trump reportedly signed off on a phase one trade deal with China to roll back tariffs. Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (aka, the "British Trump") secured a decisive election victory that paves the way for Britain to quickly leave the European Union. The twin events propelled global stocks higher yesterday.
In pre-market futures trading Friday morning, the three main U.S. stock market indices were all poised to open sharply higher. However, Beijing today was coy about the supposed trade deal and wouldn't confirm.
As of this writing today, politics is in the driver's seat. In addition to trade policy and the UK election, the impeachment of President Trump remains a wild card that could roil stocks.
On Monday, I'll provide a wrap-up of this momentous week and what it means for the rest of December. But right now, I want to address a reader letter that I think gets to the heart of the matter:
"I'm trying to digest the news about trade policy, the British election, impeachment, and what have you. I just want to make investment decisions for the long term that rise above these changing conditions. Can you point me in the right direction?" - Jason M.
Jason, don't get whipsawed by the news. The following investment trends will continue to unfold, regardless of which political party occupies the White House or 10 Downing Street.
Liberation from politics...
5G technology. The existing standard of 4G accelerated the smartphone boom by allowing a single device to handle a multitude of functions. But 5G's reach will extend far beyond phones.
5G will facilitate the Internet of Things (IoT) by allowing several interconnected electronic devices and machines to communicate with each other instantaneously at ultra-fast speeds.
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5G adoption enjoys a multi-year upward trajectory. That spells opportunity for the shareholders of the chipmakers, telecoms, systems builders, and device makers that benefit from lightning quick connectivity. For our new report on how to profit from 5G, click here.
Medical information technology. In the booming health care field, cost containment is the name of the game. Federal and state regulators increasingly mandate the use of information technology to digitize and analyze patient records. Software firms in this space enjoy long-term tailwinds.
Robotics/automation. Increasingly integrated with artificial intelligence (AI), robotics/automation is permeating a wide variety of industries.
The International Federation of Robotics (IFR) estimates that over 2.5 million industrial robots are at work this year, representing an average annual growth rate of 12% between 2016 and 2019. But it's not just manufacturing; programmable robots are spreading through myriad aspects of daily life.
Next-generation power providers. The migration from coal to natural gas and renewable energy confers many environmental advantages, but it also represents a watershed in the power generation sector. Long-term plays include natural gas producers, liquefied natural gas (LNG) shippers, and renewable power suppliers.
Technology for 3D-sensing. Makers of chips and other components that support three-dimensional sensors embedded in smartphones face growing demand. These capabilities are crucial to the exploding field of virtual/augmented reality, which is migrating beyond video games and into commercial applications.
Chipmaker stocks have gotten clobbered lately because of trade sanctions against the sector, but when the tariffs eventually end, these beaten-down stocks should swing sharply higher. We're getting indications this week that at least some tariffs will get rescinded.
Aerospace/defense innovators. Rising military tensions in regional hot spots are fueling greater Pentagon expenditures. However, the large-cap contractors are overvalued and vulnerable to trade risk. Better bets are smaller defense firms that specialize in "next-generation" electronics that integrate weapons systems within IoT.
Read This Story: Weapons of Mass Wealth
The House and Senate this week approved an authorization bill that greatly increases defense expenditures for 2020. That spells long-term opportunity for growth investors. The aerospace/defense sector also serves as a portfolio hedge, because it's recession-resistant.
Immunological treatments. Immunotherapy is on the cutting edge of medical science, as researchers try to find ways to get the body to fight cancer by itself, eliminating the need for costly and painful techniques such as chemotherapy and radiation. Small biotechs with new immunotherapy drugs in the pipeline are poised for big gains.
Breakthrough tech in e-commerce. We're seeing the inclusion of ultra-sophisticated technology, notably AI and IoT, with online shopping. The results include features such as visual search tools and "deep learning" capabilities that make it faster and easier for shoppers to find and buy what they want.
Here comes Santa Claus...
In the final weeks of this month, conditions are ripe for a "Santa Claus Rally." Strong employment growth, low gasoline prices, rising home prices, and reduced household debt have buoyed consumer spending throughout the year, counterbalancing global uncertainty.
Despite healthy demand from shoppers, inflation has been kept in check by falling energy prices and a strong U.S. dollar that makes imports less expensive for U.S. consumers.
Extreme market volatility will likely continue into the new year. Bet on mega-trends with sustainable momentum. That way, your portfolio is less vulnerable to tariffs and election results.
To be sure, it's not all that easy to pinpoint mega-trends in the heat of battle. The daily news can mislead you with drama and distractions. But I've just steered you toward several investment themes with strong, lasting appeal.
Invest in the future. That way, if the latest trade deal falls through or if the "British Trump" makes a mess of Brexit, you can still rest easy.
Questions or comments? Drop me a line: mailbag@investingdaily.com
John Persinos is the managing editor of Investing Daily.
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