Market Performance: December 02, 2023.

The top stocks have the performance of well-run companies, a steady performance, and the potential for future growth. They typically have strong fundamentals: consistent earnings, prudent levels of corporate debt, and an edge in their markets.

These stocks don't just offer the prospect of capital appreciation as their stocks rise but often distribute dividends for those seeking passive income. In addition, top stocks turn over more shares and thus have plenty of liquidity to reduce your transaction costs.

Investors often compare top stocks against the Russell 3000 Index, a broad measure of the U.S. stock market comprising 3,000 large publicly traded companies or 96% of the investable U.S. equity market. 1

Over the past 12 months, the benchmark has gained 14.9%, while its leading two components have each risen by more than 400%.

This Money Mistake Feels Like It's Saving You Cash, But It Could Be Costing You Instead

“Spaving is the act of spending money to save money,” Andrea Woroch, a consumer finance and budgeting expert, told HuffPost. “But just because something is on sale doesn’t mean it’s a good deal if you don’t need it. That $10 sweater is still $10 coming out of your bank account or being added to a credit card that can accumulate interest.”

Spavers can’t resist a sale, as it fosters the idea that you are saving money in the long term by spending money now that you wouldn’t have spent otherwise.

You might end up buying things that you don’t really need just to get a good deal. Woroch noted that sales create a sense of urgency with buzzy terms like “one day only,” “limited time, “daily deal” and “flash sale” ― making customers feel like they’ll waste a rare opportunity if they don’t pounce.

For some people, spaving leads to credit card debt, which can mean paying interest that far exceeds whatever was saved in the sales deal.

Cash is still king, says Barclays. Here are its recommendations.

Benchmark Treasury yields are back within several basis points of their highest level in about 16 years. And stocks don’t like it. Early futures action on Thursday points to the S&P 500 recording a third day of losses in a row.

It’s a picture that strategists at Barclays, led by Ajay Rajadhyaksha, think leaves both stocks and bonds looking unattractive.

They expect weakness in U.S. economic growth in the first half of 2024 as excess savings are depleted, but this may still require the Federal Reserve to keep interest rates higher for longer relative to the market’s current expectations. Weak demand from China means many commodities may struggle too.

Even though Barclays is not keen on equities, its third theme is that U.S. stocks will outperform the rest of the world. “[W]ith China flirting with deflation and Europe with stagnation, U.S. stocks (and Japan to a degree) should benefit from the ‘there is no alternative’ phenomenon,” says the bank. Also, the negative U.S earnings revision cycle has likely troughed, while those developed market more sensitive to China, such as Germany’s DAX , will struggle.

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