Are stocks set to rip higher in the second half of 2024? Or will investors be in for a nasty October surprise? Market timing is tricky at any time, but particularly at a time when a single data point can swiftly swing investor sentiment from positive to negative or vice versa. That may be of interest to traders. However, buy-and-hold investors tend to follow a different plan.
And that plan frequently includes finding blue chip stocks under $100. Blue-chip stocks can have their moment, but they’re generally viewed as tried-and-true (read: boring) stocks. They have large market caps, they tend to underperform the markets in bull markets.
However, they can also limit losses in bear markets. And they pay a consistent, and often growing, dividend. As valuations continue to rise, it’s becoming harder to find blue-chip stocks under $100, but not impossible.
Here are three companies that investors should consider no matter what happens during the rest of the year. Alcoa (AA) Alcoa (NYSE: AA ) is one of the oldest American companies that continues to be an industry leader in manufacturing bauxite, alumina and aluminum products. How you feel about AA stock will depend largely on how you feel about aluminum demand.
Through the first quarter of 2024, consumers suggested that demand was still cautious. However, the long-term outlook for aluminum looks bullish. It’s one of the key materials needed in automotive and renewable energy applications .
Both sectors are being dragged down a.
