MarketBeat Week in Review – 03/17 - 03/21

Stocks got a mid-week boost after the Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged. However, a poor earnings report from FedEx Inc. (NYSE: FDX) had stocks drifting lower and set for another week of losses. Investors are trying to price in uncertainty regarding the Trump administration’s tariffs, which are set to go into effect on April 2. The risk of a recession continues to hover over the market.

Next week, investors will get the latest reading on the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) index. It’s likely to confirm that the pace of inflation is slowing, but it will also take some time before the rate reaches the Federal Reserve’s preferred 2% target.

The trends are towards a broader correction. However, there are always opportunities to keep your portfolio in good shape. And the MarketBeat team of analysts is here to help. Here are some of our most popular articles from this week. 

Articles by Jea Yu

The weight loss drug sector continues to attract investors. This week, Jea Yu wrote about Viking Therapeutics Inc.'s (NASDAQ: VKTX) potential game-changing GLP-1 offering. Although their offering is still in the clinical trial stage, Yu explained why it has a chance to take market share from Wegovy and Zepbound and what that could mean for VKTX stock.

President Trump’s energy policy may be good for consumers, but it hasn’t been great for oil stocks. However, Yu gave investors four reasons why lower oil prices could be a bullish signal for Occidental Petroleum Corp. (NYSE: OXY). 

Yu also wrote about The Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS), which is executing a turnaround plan centered on its streaming business. Yu gave investors four reasons to believe the plan is working and why the company may still be a solid sum-of-its-parts company. 

Articles by Thomas Hughes

Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (NASDAQ: AMD) stock has sunk as it fell behind in the GPU market. However, Thomas Hughes pointed out AMD's opportunities in other critical markets and why technical signals suggest the stock is a buy.

As the AI revolution continues to spur data center capacity, Hughes explained why Oracle Corp. (NYSE: ORCL) will be a major player as a data center hyperscaler. As one of his five reasons, he reminded investors that Oracle’s future growth is not being reflected in the stock price. 

Hughes also wrote about how market sentiment and momentum favors large, blue-chip companies with solid fundamentals. As investors make a flight to safety, Hughes highlighted three fundamentally sound companies that are solid choices to find growth. 

Articles by Sam Quirke

It’s been a rough start to 2025 for the Magnificent Seven stocks, but this week Sam Quirke explained why it may be time for investors to start paying attention to Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN), which looks attractive after a recent pullback. 

Costco Wholesale Corp. (NASDAQ: COST) is another growth stock that’s become more attractively priced after a recent correction dropped it below the $1,000 per share level. Quirke highlighted recent analyst sentiment that correlates to a technical signal and pointed to COST stock reclaiming its recent highs. 

Qualcomm Corp. (NASDAQ: QCOM) has been one of the most underappreciated chip stocks, even after posting record revenue and strong earnings. But Quirke explained why the company’s fundamentals look too good for investors to ignore, particularly as they look for alternatives to overvalued technology stocks.

Articles by Chris Markoch

Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: PLTR) is setting up as a case of the irresistible force meeting the immovable object. Bearish sentiment on the stock remains strong due to the company’s lofty valuation. However, this week, Chris Markoch highlighted Palantir’s new deal with Archer Aviation Inc. (NYSE: ACHR) to build the AI foundation for Archer’s eVTOL aircraft. The partnership is the latest in a series of wins for Palantir.

Last week’s Continuing Resolution (CR) passed by Congress proposes an increase in defense spending. That’s a shot in the arm to investors who have been holding off on buying defense stocks. Markoch offered three defense stocks for investors to consider.

The threat of tariffs and a possible recession make consumer discretionary stocks tough buys. But Markoch wrote about the different challenges faced by Dutch Bros Inc. (NYSE: BROS) and Starbucks Corp. (NASDAQ: SBUX) and which stock, if any, is worthy of some buzz from investors.

Articles by Ryan Hasson

One of the major stories of the week was gold’s push over $3,000 an ounce. While big, round numbers always excite investors, it’s important to understand why the price is moving higher. That's what Ryan Hasson did in this article, which also explains how investors can get involved with buying and owning gold.

Cybersecurity stocks continue to be attractive as artificial intelligence accelerates the threat to organizations. Hasson wrote about industry leader Palo Alto Networks Inc. (NASDAQ: PANW), which is reporting strong demand for its Next-Generation Security products, justifying its premium stock price.

Space stocks continue to be compelling investments as private companies become more integrated into the federal government’s space programs. One of the darlings of the space sector is Rocket Lab USA Inc. (NASDAQ: RKLB). This week, Ryan Hasson explained why analysts are bullish on RKLB stock, which suggests retail investors may want to buy the current dip.

Articles by Gabriel Osorio-Mazilli

Super Micro Computer Inc. (NASDAQ: SMCI) has been a contrarian play for investors in 2025. Due to accounting concerns, the stock fell sharply while the broader market rallied. But in March, the script has been flipped, and SMCI is outperforming the market. Gabriel Osorio-Mazilli explained why the market loves SMCI stock, including its exposure to international markets.

Adobe Inc. (NASDAQ: ADBE) stock has been dropping since it delivered earnings on March 12. The company beat on revenue and earnings but sold the stock because they hoped for more. Osorio-Mazilli explained what analysts are saying and whether ADBE stock is a Buy, Sell, or Hold.

Airline stocks are frequently out of favor with investors as buy-and-hold stocks. But if you’re willing to take flight when opportunities present themselves, Osorio-Mazilli highlighted the balance sheet and management of fuel costs as two reasons Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) may triple in stock price despite a premium valuation.

Articles by Leo Miller

The success of the SpaceX mission to the International Space Station reminds investors of the potential reward in space stocks. Of course, there will be risks along the way. That was evident with Intuitive Machines Inc. (NASDAQ: LUNR) after its Athena lunar lander tipped sideways upon landing on the moon’s surface. However, contrary to the popular saying, failure is an option in a sector that is pushing boundaries. And Leo Miller explained why investors with a high risk tolerance might find a reward in LUNR stock.

The past few years have conditioned investors to buy any dip in technology stocks. But in 2025, it’s more important than ever to know why a stock is dropping. That’s the question Miller took on this week in assessing the recent sell-offs with AppLovin Corp. (NASDAQ: APP) and Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co. (NYSE: HPE) and which of the two may be ready to rebound.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (NYSE: TSM) is one of the latest companies to announce a significant investment that will bring some of the company’s manufacturing to the United States. Before you consider buying TSM stock, you’ll want to read Miller’s assessment of the pros and cons of this investment and what it could mean for the TSM share price.

Articles by Nathan Reiff

Quantum computing stocks are starting to heat up again. This came after D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NASDAQ: QBTS) announced it had achieved quantum supremacy for the first time. Nathan Reiff explained why this is a significant milestone for those who follow the sector, but it doesn’t accelerate the timeline for D-Wave to have commercial sales or to be profitable.

Semiconductor stocks have been under pressure on concerns of lower demand. While much of the attention goes to companies like NVIDIA Corp. (NASDAQ: NVDA), Reiff highlighted three smaller chip stocks and explained the catalysts that may mean they won’t stay under the radar for long.

Reiff also highlighted two stocks that have attracted the attention of short sellers. Short selling is a normal part of investing, but when a stock is heavily shorted, it can be an opportunity if the company’s underlying fundamentals tell a different story. Are the bulls or the bears right in the case of these two stocks?

Articles by Sarah Horvath

Energy stocks have continued to be tough investments as the price of oil drifts lower. Sarah Horvath reminded investors that in volatile times, fundamentals are more important than ever and pointed investors to three energy stocks that have cheap valuations, pay solid dividends, and have solid institutional interest.

If you want more dividend stocks to consider, Horvath highlighted three that are raising their dividends and receiving bullish attention from analysts.

Finally, this week, cryptocurrency stocks are down in tandem with Bitcoin and altcoins. However, there’s a difference between cryptocurrency and the technology that underpins it. That’s why Horvath wrote about the opportunity that may exist in four blockchain stocks.

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