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May 28, 2025

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The Best Five Sectors, #20

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Technology Back in Top-5

Last week’s market decline of 2-2.5% (depending on the index) has led to some notable shifts in sector performance and rankings.

This pullback, coming after a strong rally, is changing the order of highs and lows on the weekly chart — a particularly significant development, at least for me.

Let’s dive into the details and see what’s flying around in the market.

The composition of the top five sectors has seen some notable changes. Here’s how it stands now:

The big surprise here is Technology making its way into the top five, displacing Consumer Staples (now at #6). This shift suggests a gradual move from a more defensive positioning to sectors that are more cyclical and economically sensitive.

Another eye-catching move comes from Consumer Discretionary, jumping from #10 to #7 — a significant leap, albeit still in the bottom half of the ranking. Real Estate and Materials saw minor shifts, while Energy dropped to #10 and Health Care remains at #11.

  1. (1) Industrials – (XLI)
  2. (4) Communication Services – (XLC)*
  3. (3) Utilities – (XLU)
  4. (2) Financials – (XLF)*
  5. (6) Technology – (XLK)*
  6. (5) Consumer Staples – (XLP)*
  7. (10) Consumer Discretionary – (XLY)*
  8. (7) Real-Estate – (XLRE)*
  9. (8) Materials – (XLB)*
  10. (9) Energy – (XLE)*
  11. (11) Healthcare – (XLV)

Weekly/Daily RRG Analysis

The weekly Relative Rotation Graph (RRG) provides some interesting insights:

  • Utilities maintains very high readings, but Consumer Staples (highest on RS-Ratio ranking) is likely to be pushed down by weak daily chart readings.
  • Industrials continues to push further into the leading quadrant with stable momentum.
  • Financials and Communication Services are inside the weakening quadrant but have room to curl back towards leading.
  • Technology, despite having the second-lowest RS-Ratio reading, is rapidly improving with a strong RS-Momentum heading over recent weeks.

Remember, the ranking combines daily and weekly readings.

Technology’s high daily chart reading is propelling it into the top five, while Consumer Staples’ weak daily reading is pushing it out.

Industrials: The Leader Holding Strong

XLI is now pushing against its all-time high, just below 145. After two weeks of attempts, last week’s slight market decline confirms that this resistance level has worked.

We’re now looking for where any potential decline might stop and form a new low. The gap area from two weeks ago seems to be a good support area to watch.

The relative strength line breaking out of its consolidation formation continues to drag the RRG lines higher. XLI, for good reason, remains the strongest sector at the moment.

Communication Services: Stable Relative Uptrend

XLC is continuing its move higher with remarkable stability. The uptrend in the RS line is still valid, currently testing the lower boundary of the rising channel.

Due to the lack of upward relative momentum in recent weeks, both RRG lines are now pointing lower.

However, the RS-Ratio line remains well above 100, keeping the XLC tail on the right-hand side of the RRG.

Utilities: Testing Resistance

XLU is pushing against overhead resistance but has yet to manage a decisive break higher.

With defensive sectors under pressure, it’s questionable whether this breakout will happen in the short term.

The RS line versus SPY is dropping back into its trading range, unable to break away decisively. This drop is causing the RS-Momentum line to roll over and start pointing lower.

It’s the recent strength in relative strength that’s keeping Utilities inside the leading quadrant for now.

Financials: At a Crossroads

The Financial sector seems to be respecting the old rising support line as resistance, with the market dropping off that line last week and now trading around $50.

This move is affecting the relative strength line, which has returned to the lower boundary of the rising channel — a level that needs to hold to maintain a positive outlook for XLF.

The RS-Ratio line is stable around 102.50, high enough to keep Financials on the right-hand side of the graph.

The RS-Momentum line has just dropped below 100, positioning the XLF tail inside the weakening quadrant, but with enough room to curl back up before hitting lagging.

Technology: The Week’s Winner

XLK saw a significant jump two weeks ago and has since returned to test the old resistance area as support. If last week’s decline continues, there’s a bit more room to the downside — $220 seems to be a good level to watch for support, marking the bottom of the gap range from two weeks ago.

The jump has pushed the relative strength line above its falling resistance line, a good sign that seems to be breaking the relative downtrend in place since mid-last year.

This is changing the characteristics of the relative strength move for the Technology sector.

For now, it has only pushed the RS-Momentum line above 100, moving XLK into the improving quadrant on the weekly RRG, but it’s already starting to drag the RS-Ratio line higher.

Portfolio Performance

We’re clawing back some of the losses from recent weeks. The underperformance of almost 6% last week has now shrunk to 4.6%. Still behind the benchmark, but closing in again and narrowing the gap.

It’s a long-term game, so we keep pushing forward. So far, nothing out of the ordinary. Let’s wait and see whether we’ve seen the low in underperformance and how long it will take to return to SPY’s performance since inception.

#StayAlert –Julius

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Is It A Pullback? Or is More Downside Ahead?

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Get the latest stock market update with Mary Ellen McGonagle. Learn key downside signals, how to manage pullbacks, and which earnings reports could impact the market next week.

In this week’s episode, Mary Ellen reviews where the markets currently stand and what to watch for to signal further downside. She also highlights ways to combat inevitable pullbacks and shares the key earnings reports that are likely to move the markets in the upcoming week.

This video originally premiered May 23, 2025. You can watch it on our dedicated page for Mary Ellen’s videos.

New videos from Mary Ellen premiere weekly on Fridays. You can view all previously recorded episodes at this link.

If you’re looking for stocks to invest in, be sure to check out the MEM Edge Report! This report gives you detailed information on the top sectors, industries and stocks so you can make informed investment decisions.

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Mixed Signals on the Charts? RRG Reveals Market Rotation Tension

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Confused by mixed market signals? Follow along as Julius analyzes sector rotation, asset rotation, and global market trends using daily and weekly Relative Rotation Graphs (RRGs).

In this video, Julius puts the current sector rotation in perspective on both weekly and daily Relative Rotation Graphs (RRGs). He also examines asset rotation and the position of the U.S. markets in relation to international equities.

This video was originally published on May 27, 2025. Click on the icon above to view on our dedicated page for Julius.

Past videos from Julius can be found here.

#StayAlert, -Julius

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Smarter Options Trading Starts Here! StockCharts + OptionsPlay

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In this video, Chip Anderson, President of StockCharts, sits down with Tony for a conversation in the StockCharts studio! During this in-depth Q&A session, Chip and Tony explore the powerful features that make the OptionsPlay add-on a must-have for options traders using the StockCharts platform. They discuss the integration of the StockCharts Scanning Engine with OptionsPlay strategies—showcasing how this tool enhances your ability to find trade setups quickly and effectively.

This video premiered on May 23, 2025.

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Larry Williams on the Fed, Interest Rates & Markets! What’s Next?

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In this must-see market update, Larry Williams returns with timely stock market analysis, trading insights, and macroeconomic forecasts. Discover what’s next for the Federal Reserve, interest rates, and inflation — and how it could impact top stocks like Tesla (TSLA), Nvidia (NVDA), Apple (AAPL), and consumer staples (XLP).

This video originally premiered on May 27, 2025. Watch on StockCharts’ dedicated Larry Williams page!

Previously recorded videos from Larry are available at this link.

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Investing

Larisa Sprott: Gold, Silver Early in Cycle, Smart Money Buying Now

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Larisa Sprott of Sprott Money and Argo shares her thoughts on the gold and silver markets, saying she sees the ‘smart money’ continuing to gravitate toward these metals.

In her view, price dips present a chance to get in at lower levels.

Securities Disclosure: I, Charlotte McLeod, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Alzheimer’s Disease Treatment Stocks: 3 Biggest NASDAQ Companies

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Alzheimer’s disease treatment stocks are focused on Alzheimer’s disease, a degenerative brain disorder that results in declining memory and thinking skills and typically affects people in their mid-60s.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, neurons in other areas of the brain also begin to deteriorate as Alzheimer’s disease gets worse, resulting in the loss of basic human functions and overall cognitive impairment.

This condition affects more than 7 million people in the US alone; it’s also the most common form of dementia and is the seventh leading cause of death in America. Treatments are available to alleviate Alzheimer’s disease symptoms, but there are currently none that affect the underlying causes of this neurodegenerative disease.

Alzheimer’s disease therapies that have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) include: rivastigmine by Novartis (NYSE:NVS); galantamine, developed by Janssen, a division of Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ); donepezil by Pfizer (NYSE:PFE); and memantine by AbbVie (NYSE:ABBV).

Since there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, death is often the result for patients as the ailment causes brain deterioration. And unfortunately, Alzheimer’s disease is rising in prevalence — a report from Grand View Research suggests that the global Alzheimer’s disease treatment market will be worth a significant US$15.57 billion by 2030 as more patients need treatment, and as more investments are made in biomarkers for diagnosis and drug development.

1. Biogen (NASDAQ:BIIB)

Market cap: US$18.43 billion
Share price: US$125.81

The first NASDAQ-listed Alzheimer’s drug company on this list is Massachusetts-based Biogen, a pioneer in the field of neuroscience. The firm is focused on developing, manufacturing and marketing therapies aimed at treating serious neurological, neurodegenerative, autoimmune and rare diseases.

The global biotechnology firm’s research areas include Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. However, the launch of Biogen’s FDA-approved Alzheimer’s disease drug Aduhelm faced a lot of pushback in 2022, both from the market and from Congress, over what was viewed as a hasty fast-track approval process and exorbitant costs to patients.

Biogen gave it another go with Leqembi (lecanemab-irmb), its amyloid-beta monoclonal antibody for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, which the FDA approved in 2023 under its accelerated approval pathway. The drug was jointly developed by Biogen and Tokyo-based pharmaceutical company Eisai (OTC Pink:ESALF,TSE:4523). It is for patients with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia, and is the first drug shown to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease to win FDA approval.

In January 2025, Leqembi received another FDA approval, this time for intravenous maintenance dosing for early-stage Alzheimer’s. Later, in April, the European Commission granted Leqembi Marketing Authorization in the EU for the treatment of mild early-stage Alzheimer’s disease.

That same month, the FDA granted fast track designation to Biogen’s investigational tau-targeting therapy BIIB080 for the treatment of Alzheimer’s.

Biogen’s earnings report for Q1 shows that first quarter global in-market sales of Leqembi reached approximately US$96 million, including US in-market sales of approximately US$52 million.

2. Acadia Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ACAD)

Market cap: US$3.68 billion
Share price: US$21.98

Acadia Pharmaceuticals specializes in neuroscience and neuro-rare diseases. The biotech’s product portfolio includes the first and only FDA-approved drug to treat hallucinations and delusions associated with Parkinson’s disease psychosis, as well as the first and only approved drug in the United States and Canada for the treatment of Rett syndrome.

Acadia’s clinical-stage pipeline includes drug candidates targeting Prader-Willi syndrome and Alzheimer’s disease psychosis.

The company expects to enroll its final patient in its RADIANT Phase 2 study of ACP-204 in Alzheimer’s disease psychosis by early 2026 and release topline data in mid-2026.

According to the company, there are currently no approved treatments for hallucinations and delusions associated with Alzheimer’s disease psychosis.

3. Anavex Life Sciences (NASDAQ:AVXL)

Market cap: US$642.85 million
Share price: US$7.53

Anavex Life Sciences is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing treatments for neurodegenerative, neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, schizophrenia, Rett syndrome and other central nervous system disorders.

Anavex’ lead drug candidate, Anavex 2-73 (blarcamesine), has successfully completed Phase 2a and a Phase 2b/3 clinical trials for Alzheimer’s disease.

In early January, the company announced positive topline safety and efficacy data from more than three years of continuous treatment with blarcamesine for early Alzheimer’s disease patients. Later that month, Anavex announced it had been issued a US patent for the treatment.

Securities Disclosure: I, Melissa Pistilli, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Investment Protection Agreement with the Ecuador Government on Challenger’s El Guayabo Project

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Challenger Gold Limited (ASX: CEL) (‘CEL’ or the ‘Company’) is pleased to announce it has entered into an Investment Protection Agreement (“IPA” or “the Agreement”) with the Government of Ecuador for its 100% owned El Guayabo Project (“El Guayabo” or “the Project”). Under the terms of the IPA, the Government of Ecuador has granted CEL legal protections including stability of the regulatory framework, resolution of disputes through international arbitration, and protection of CEL’s investment.

The IPA covers US$75 million in investment from CEL encompassing expenditures from CEL’s initial acquisition of the project in 2019 and expenditure incurred until the end of 2027. It has an initial term of 8 years and is renewable. Key incentives and protections under the IPA include:

  • Regulatory stability and protection from changes to the current legal framework
  • The legal framework at the time of execution will continue to apply if the terms are more favourable to the project owner than any potential new framework
  • The IPA guarantees rights including non-discriminatory treatment, property protection, and legal certainty
  • International arbitration, should there be any disputes in relation to the Project, with the seat of arbitration in London under the rules of the International Chamber of Commerce

Commenting on the Investment Protection Agreement, CEL Managing Director, Mr Kris Knauer, said

“The completion of the Investment Protection Agreement is a significant development for the Project..

The IPA provides certainty with respect to the legal framework governing the Project, including stable mining regulations and fiscal terms, and security of title and investment for the term of the agreement. Additionally, it provides protection from all forms of confiscation and a mechanism for international arbitration should there be any disputes related to the project.

The IPA is also timely given recent corporate action in Ecuador as we take steps to monetise our Ecuador assets following the significant resource upgrade from 4.5 million ounce1 to 9.1 million ounces1,2,3.‘

Click here for the full ASX Release

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Phase 1 Drill Program – Operational and Geological Progress Update

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McLaren Minerals Limited (ASX: MML) (‘McLaren’ or ‘Company’), is pleased to provide a further update on the phase 1 Drill Program at its wholly owned McLaren Titanium Project in the western Eucla Basin, Western Australia. This update is driven by the completion of geological interpretation of all the drilling during this campaign, in the absence of laboratory results.

Highlights

McLaren Titanium Project

  • 192 drill holes completed for a total of 4,067 metres, on time and without incident
  • Significant extensions of prospective sediments outside of currently known resource boundaries observed during drilling:
    • North extension: approximately 2,200m wide, avg. 14m thick (max 23m),
    • Central zone eastern extension: 800m wide, avg. 20m thick (max 23m),
    • Southern zone: 2,600m wide, avg. 10m thick (max 15m).
  • Metallurgical and geological samples submitted to IHC and Diamantina Laboratories
  • Geological work has improved confidence in deposit morphology and is expected to reduce future drilling costs
  • Strong community support confirmed within an established mining region

McLaren Mineral Sands Managing Director, Simon Finnis, commented:

“While we have not yet received any assays, phase 1 has delivered strong confidence to our team regarding this project. The most recent interpretation not only confirm the integrity of our geological model, but importantly, demonstrates the scale of the opportunity ahead. Defining substantial potential for mineralisation outside the current Resource boundary positions us well for future resource growth. We’ve also made solid ground operationally—drilling was completed on time, we’ve brought costs down, and we’re seeing strong local support. Taken together, these outcomes give us a great deal of confidence as we move toward the next phase of work and continue building long-term value for shareholders.”

Click here for the full ASX Release

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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