<div id="readability-page-1"><div> <h2>Key Points</h2><ul><li>MercadoLibre stock is down right now, but it has massive long-term opportunities.</li><li>Walmart stock is a defensive play, and it's crushing the market right now.</li><li>10 stocks we like better than MercadoLibre ›</li></ul>The market had one of its inevitable dips when oil prices soared before the recent Iran war ceasefire. It's on its way back up, and the S&amp;P 500 is roughly flat year to date. However, the ceasefire looks fragile, and the markets will be sensitive to continued oil volatility.While investors might choose to stay out of the markets when there's volatility, that's not necessarily the right path for everyone. It could be a great opportunity to buy top stocks on the dip, and it could also be an opportunity to scoop up shares of great protective stocks if you don't have them, or enough of them, in your portfolio.Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an &#34;Indispensable Monopoly&#34; providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue »If you have $1,000 availble to spend and need either one, I recommend MercadoLibre (NASDAQ: MELI) as a top stock to buy on the dip, and Walmart (NASDAQ: WMT) as an excellent asset to own in periods of volatility.<img src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://g.foolcdn.com/image//query-dXJsPWh0dHBzOi8vZy5mb29sY2RuLmNvbS9lZGl0b3JpYWwvaW1hZ2VzLzg2NDkyMi9tZXJjYWRvbGlicmUtYW5kLXdhbG1hcnQtbG9nb3Mtb3Zlci1jb21wYW55LWltYWdlcy5wbmcmdz03MDA?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" width="700" height="466" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://g.foolcdn.com/image//query-dXJsPWh0dHBzOi8vZy5mb29sY2RuLmNvbS9lZGl0b3JpYWwvaW1hZ2VzLzg2NDkyMi9tZXJjYWRvbGlicmUtYW5kLXdhbG1hcnQtbG9nb3Mtb3Zlci1jb21wYW55LWltYWdlcy5wbmcmdz03MDA"/>Image source: The Motley Fool. <h2>1. MercadoLibre: Huge opportunities in e-commerce and fintech</h2>MercadoLibre operates an e-commerce platform similar to Amazon and serves 18 countries in Latin America. This is a region that's still underpenetrated in e-commerce, and the company is constantly improving its value proposition to boost the shift to online shopping.It's working, and the company continues to add active customers at a rapid pace, as well as generate higher gross merchandise volume and everything that comes along with the shift, like increased items per buyer and higher purchase frequency. Even better, the region still lags other countries, giving MercadoLibre a wider opportunity.It's a similar situation with fintech. Management notes that its region has been &#34;poorly served by the traditional financial system,&#34; if at all, and MercadoLibre's digital wallet has become massively popular. Less than 20% of the population in Mexico has a credit card, and less than 40% of the Argentine population has one. MercadoLibre is harnessing the opportunity with an easy-to-use platform that goes around the traditional system.MercadoLibre took a hit to profits in the fourth quarter with some heavy investments, and the stock was down 12% this year. That presents an opportunity to buy on the dip, although with $1,000, you can only buy fractional shares.<h2>2. Walmart: The discount supermarket model</h2>Walmart stock, on the other hand, is up almost 14% this year, crushing the market. Walmart, as a discount retailer, is a defensive play. When there's a recession, people rely on it even more. However, it's really an all-weather stock. It's the largest physical retailer of its kind, with an unmatched 5,000-plus store base, and it's increasingly reaching more types of shoppers.For example, it has shifted its merchandise lines to comprise healthier and more upscale options, which attracts a more affluent consumer who may not have shopped at Walmart in the past. The e-commerce business reinforces that by offering a larger selection of products than what's available in the brick-and-mortar stores. E-commerce has been a major growth driver, up 24% year over year in the fiscal 2026 fourth quarter.Walmart is also a Dividend King, which makes it reliable as an anchor stock that offers value no matter what's happening in the stock market at any moment. Walmart is the kind of stock that provides safety in challenging times and value at all times.<h2>Should you buy stock in MercadoLibre right now?</h2> Before you buy stock in MercadoLibre, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and MercadoLibre wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $555,526!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,156,403!* Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 968% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 191% for the S&amp;P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of April 14, 2026. Jennifer Saibil has positions in MercadoLibre and Walmart. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon, MercadoLibre, and Walmart. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. </div></div>

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The article discusses two stocks worth buying with $1,000 amid market volatility: MercadoLibre and Walmart. MercadoLibre, despite a recent dip, offers significant long-term growth potential in e-commerce and fintech across Latin America. Walmart, on the other hand, has performed well, up 14% this year, and is considered a defensive stock that thrives in recessionary periods. The piece emphasizes the importance of investing during market dips and highlights the potential of both companies in their respective sectors.

- MercadoLibre stock is experiencing a downturn but presents significant long-term potential in e-commerce and fintech within a growing Latin American market.  
- Walmart stock is performing well as a defensive investment, having increased nearly 14% this year, supported by its diverse merchandise and strong e-commerce growth.  
- Despite recommendations to consider top-performing stocks, MercadoLibre remains a buy on dips, while Walmart offers reliability as a consistent value investment.

nasdaq

Walmart

Mercadolibre

ProShares Online Retail

VanEck Retail ETF

Global X E-commerce ETF

SPDR S&P Retail ETF

Global X Fintech

iShares US Consumer Staples ETF

Amplify Online Retail ETF

KraneShares 2x Long MELI Daily ETF

Market on Sale: 2 Stocks Worth Buying With $1,000 Amid the Chaos