2024’s Winners and Losers

Key takeaways

The S&P 500 displayed strong growth in 2024, with AI-related companies featuring prominently among winners.
United Airlines stands out as an unexpected top performer, driven by improved operations and strategic investments.
The weight loss drug sector experienced a downshift in 2024 as market expectations adjusted.
Assets like Bitcoin and gold gained popularity as investors sought protection amidst inflation fears.
Several major companies faced significant challenges, particularly in the retail sector, reflecting an uneven economic landscape.
Investors should stay curious and open to new indicators and insights for smarter investment choices moving forward.

Summary

2024's Market Highlights

Asit Sharma and Ricky Mulvey take a retrospective look at the S&P 500, noting that it finished the year up by approximately 24%, significantly outperforming its typical annual returns. They discuss the top five performers of 2024: Palantir, Vistra, Nvidia, United Airlines, and Axon Enterprise, emphasizing the common theme of AI-driven growth among these winners.

The Unique Case of United Airlines

In an intriguing twist, the hosts highlight United Airlines as an outlier among the top performers, discussing its strong performance despite not being an AI-focused company. They attribute its success to improved operational investments, an uptick in passenger traffic, and smarter revenue strategies, suggesting a redemption story for a previously overlooked company.

Weight Loss Drugs and Market Sentiment

The conversation shifts to the weight loss drug sector, exploring both Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk's performance in 2024. The hosts highlight a slowdown after a significant 2022, suggesting that investor expectations may have been overly optimistic, leading to a recalibration of these stocks amidst ongoing long-term potential.

Asset Returns amidst Inflation Concerns

The podcast also dives into a broader market sentiment, addressing a return to traditional assets like Bitcoin and gold amid concerns over fiat currency valuation and inflation. The discussion notes a significant rise in these assets as investors seek safe havens due to growing fiscal deficits and global economic uncertainties.

Analyzing the Losers of 2024

Ricky and Asit analyze the major losers of 2024, including Walgreens, Intel, and Dollar Tree. They discuss the challenges facing these companies, such as increased competition, operational inefficiencies, and a tough retail environment. The hosts emphasize how these losses reflect a broader economic imbalance.

Investing Discoveries for the Future

The hosts conclude the discussion with personal investing discoveries, including new AI tools and sentiment analysis platforms. They encourage listeners to keep exploring innovative investment avenues and indicators for more informed decision-making in 2025.

Show notes

The S&P 500 finished the year up about 24%, more than double the index’s average annual return.

(00:49) Asit Sharma and Ricky Mulvey check in on the year in investing. They discuss:

- What most of the biggest winners in the S&P 500 had in common.
- Why more investors bought gold and Bitcoin in 2024.
- A tough stretch for Walgreens Boot Alliance.
- Their favorite investing discoveries from the past year.

Companies discussed: PLTR, VST, UAL, NVDA, AXON, LULU, NFLX, WBA, INTC, DLTR

Host: Ricky Mulvey
Guest: Asit Sharma
Producer: Mary Long
Engineer: Desireé Jones
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