Tech Stocks Rally After Weak Jobs Data (2024)

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose Wednesday after a weaker-than-expected jobs report. Meanwhile, Apple stock is breaking out past its latest buy point.

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Early Wednesday, payroll processor ADP delivered its National Employment Report. The U.S. economy added 103,000 jobs in November, below estimates for a 123,000 increase and down from October's 113,000 increase.

Dow Jones tech icon Apple (AAPL) broke out Tuesday, above a 192.93 cup-with-handle entry. That places the iPhone maker in a new buy zone. Shares rose 0.6% in morning action Wednesday.

Key earnings movers Wednesday morning include AeroVironment (AVAV), Asana (ASAN), MongoDB (MDB), Ollie's Bargain Outlet (OLLI) andToll Brothers (TOL).

AVAV stock dived 12% in early trade, while Asana shares plummeted nearly 18%. MDB stock tumbled more than 6%, as Ollie shares rallied 3% in early action. Finally, Toll Brothers shares climbed around 3% in morning trading.

Dow Jones Today: Oil Prices, Treasury Yields

After Wednesday's opening bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.3%, while the S&P 500 moved up 0.4%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite rallied 0.4% in morning action.

Among U.S. exchange traded funds, the Nasdaq 100 tracker Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) rose 0.4%, while the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) gained 0.35% early Wednesday.

The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury bond ticked lower to 4.15% Wednesday morning. On Tuesday, the benchmark settled at 4.17%, back at its lowest level since early September.

Oil prices threatened to extend a losing streak to five sessions Wednesday, as West Texas Intermediate futures lost more than 2%. WTI moved below $71 a barrel, its lowest level since early July.

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Stock Market Rally

On Tuesday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.2%, and the S&P 500 moved down 0.1%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite rose 0.3%.

Tuesday's Big Picture column commented, "A fightback by megacap tech stocks was a key feature of the day's action. Apple and Nvidia led the Magnificent Seven higher. Apple turned in a gain of 2.1%, as its valuation moved back above the magic $3 trillion mark in the process. It got a boost after iPhone assembler Foxconn raised its sales outlook."

Now is an important time to read IBD's The Big Picture column amid the continuing stock market rally. Be sure to read how to invest during the ongoing stock market uptrend.

Learn How To Time The Stock Market With IBD's ETF Market Strategy

Stock Market Today: Best Stocks To Watch

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and IBD Leaderboard stock Amazon (AMZN), along with IBD SwingTrader stock Cloudflare (NET) and MongoDB (MDB) — as well as Dow Jones stocks Boeing (BA),UnitedHealth (UNH) and Visa (V) — are among the best stocks to watch in the current market rally.

Boeing and Cloudflare are featured in this Stocks Near A Buy Zone column.

Get Real-time Buy And Sell Alerts On Stock Market Leaders With IBD Leaderboard

Dow Jones Stocks To Watch

Aerospace stock Boeing is rapidly approaching a cup base's 243.10 buy point. The stock dipped 0.3%, snapping a five-day win streak. BA stock rose 0.4% Wednesday.

Health care giant UnitedHealth remains above a handle entry at 546.78 after Monday's 0.4% gain. UNH stock dropped 0.6% Wednesday.

Payments leader Visa is in buy range above a 250.06 buy point in a cup base, according to IBD MarketSmith pattern recognition. V stock rose 0.6% Wednesday.

4 Top Growth Stocks To Watch In The Stock Market Rally

Stocks To Buy And Watch: MDB Falls On Earnings

IBD Leaderboard stock Amazon again regained its 145.86 buy point out of a cup base during Tuesday's 1.4% rise. Shares remain sharply above an early entry at 134.48. AMZN stock inched lower Wednesday morning.

Chip leader AMD is trying to break out past a 122.11 buy point in a cup with handle, according to IBD MarketSmith pattern recognition, but moved further below that entry Tuesday. Shares were up 2.6% Wednesday.

IBD SwingTrader stock Cloudflare remains above a 76.07 cup-base buy point after last week's breakout move. NET stock rose 0.3% Wednesday.

Lastly, MongoDB added to its recent breakout gains Tuesday, with a 2.5% gain. Shares closed above a handle entry at 412.67. But MDB stock toppled 6% Wednesday morning after the company's earnings report.

Best Stocks In Today's Stock Market Action

These are four best stocks to watch in today's stock market, including a Dow Jones leader.

Company NameSymbolCorrect Buy PointType Of Buy Point
Amazon (AMZN)145.86Cup base
UnitedHealth (UNH)546.78Handle entry
Cloudflare (NET)76.07Cup base
Advanced Micro Devices (AMD)122.11Cup with handle
Source: IBD Data As Of Dec. 6, 2023

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Magnificent Seven Stocks: Nvidia, Tesla

Among the so-called "Magnificent Seven" stocks, Tesla (TSLA) moved up 2.6% early Wednesday, while Nvidia (NVDA) climbed 0.5%.

Graphics-chip giant Nvidia rallied 2.3% Tuesday, as the stock bounced off its 50-day line, still about 2% below a 476.09 double-bottom entry.

Tesla stock rose 1.3% Tuesday, ending a four-day skid. Shares are rebounding from their key 50-day line, which is a potential support level. The stock's big double-bottom pattern has a 278.98 buy point.

Dow Jones Leaders: Apple, Microsoft

Two Dow Jones stocks in the Magnificent Seven, Apple and Microsoft (MSFT), traded higher ahead of today's stock market open.

Apple rallied 2.1% Tuesday, breaking out past a cup-with-handle entry at 192.93. Apple shares moved up 0.6% Wednesday.

Microsoft stock rebounded 0.9% Tuesday, moving further above a cup base's 366.78 buy point, but still in buy range. And MSFT stock was up 0.2% Wednesday morning.

Be sure to follow Scott Lehtonen on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @IBD_SLehtonen for more on growth stocks and the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

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Tech Stocks Rally After Weak Jobs Data (2024)

FAQs

How does job market affect stocks? ›

Slowing job growth may cause the Fed to reduce interest rates, which historically correlates with higher stock prices. On the other hand, job growth and low unemployment may spur the Fed to pump the brakes on economic growth by increasing interest rates, which typically depresses stocks.

What to do when your stocks are up? ›

If you don't sell too early, you'll sell too late. To lock in solid gains, sell while your stock is still going up. As IBD founder William J. O'Neil has said, "Your objective is to make and take significant gains and not get excited, optimistic, greedy, or emotionally carried away as your stock's advance gets stronger.

What stocks does Nancy Pelosi invest in? ›

8 Top Nancy Pelosi Stocks to Buy
  • Palo Alto Networks Inc. (ticker: PANW)
  • Nvidia Corp. (NVDA)
  • Apple Inc. (AAPL)
  • Microsoft Corp. (MSFT)
  • Alphabet Inc. (GOOG)
  • Tesla Inc. (TSLA)
  • AllianceBernstein Holding LP (AB)
  • Walt Disney Co. (DIS)

What stock did Warren Buffett buy? ›

In mid-2018, the board agreed to allow Buffett to buy shares of Berkshire Hathaway as long as both he and late Vice Chairman Charlie Munger agreed the stock was priced below its intrinsic value based on a conservative estimate.

How is the tech job market right now? ›

While tech layoff rates were indeed high in 2023, tech hiring rates are also very high, and tech workers are still in incredibly great demand. In job search site Indeed's 2023 annual ranking of U.S. “best jobs,” eight of the top ten jobs were tech jobs, and the outlook remains the same for 2024.

What job predicts the stock market? ›

A stock analyst is a type of financial analyst who makes predictions about the performance of the stock market, usually with a focus on the specific stocks a company or firm invests in.

Is the job market bad right now in 2024? ›

Our latest economic forecast for job growth, wage growth, and labor force participation. Summary: Nonfarm payrolls increased 303,000 jobs in March, but we expect the slowdown in job growth to renew. The unemployment rate averaged 3.8%; it's expected to rise mildly to 3.9% on average in 2024.

What is the 3 5 7 rule in trading? ›

What is the 3 5 7 rule in trading? A risk management principle known as the “3-5-7” rule in trading advises diversifying one's financial holdings to reduce risk. The 3% rule states that you should never risk more than 3% of your whole trading capital on a single deal.

What is the 10 am rule in stock trading? ›

Some traders follow something called the "10 a.m. rule." The stock market opens for trading at 9:30 a.m., and the time between 9:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. often has significant trading volume. Traders that follow the 10 a.m. rule think a stock's price trajectory is relatively set for the day by the end of that half-hour.

What is the 8 week hold rule? ›

The 8-week hold rule, developed by Investor's Business Daily (IBD), states that if a stock gains upwards of 20% within 1-3 weeks of a proper breakout, it should be held for eight weeks, as such stocks often become the market's biggest winners.

What are the seven stocks to buy and hold forever? ›

7 of the Best Long-Term Stocks to Buy and Hold
StockSectorTrailing 12-month dividend yield*
Abbott Laboratories (ABT)Health care1.9%
Stanley Black & Decker Inc. (SWK)Industrials3.5%
Atmos Energy Corp. (ATO)Utilities2.7%
T. Rowe Price Group Inc. (TROW)Financials4.3%
3 more rows
Apr 15, 2024

What is the Motley Fool's top 10 stocks? ›

See the 10 stocks

The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Chewy, Fiverr International, Fortinet, Nvidia, PayPal, Salesforce, and Uber Technologies. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: short June 2024 $67.50 calls on PayPal.

Who is the No 1 stock market king? ›

Rakesh Radheyshyam Jhunjhunwala (5 July 1960 – 14 August 2022) was an Indian billionaire investor, stock trader, and Chartered Accountant. He began investing in 1985 with a capital of ₹5,000, with his first major profit in 1986.

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