Final Trades: Rocket Companies, American Express, SLB and Parker Hannifin

The article highlights the "Final Trades" segment from the Investment Committee, focusing on their top stock picks for the second half of the year. The featured companies are Rocket Companies, American Express, SLB, and Parker Hannifin. This segment aims to provide viewers with actionable investment insights.

Morning Trend | American Express volume warms up, can the main uptrend in consumer finance begin?

American Express rebounded during last night's trading session, with increased volume igniting community enthusiasm. The pre-holiday consumption window combined with unusual movements in the financial sector has led short-term funds to take aggressive positions, making financial stocks a market hotspot. "Is the credit leader going to trend upward?" The community is buzzing with discussions about opportunities. On the performance front, there is a double boost: strong U.S. credit card consumption + retail & employment data exceeding expectations, which has led to a rapid influx of funds into the sector. As a top player in credit payments, American Express has seen major players increase their bets on the recovery of winter business travel and e-commerce, directly enhancing stock selection logic. In terms of market performance, there has been a midday surge + moderate increase in volume, marking another window for capital to enter. Technical analysts are tracking the daily K chart, with a clear upward momentum, and MACD and KDJ are resonating in sync, strengthening the bullish drive. Coupled with recent buying waves, the sector shows signs of short-term amplification. However, the rotation within the sector is very fast; if financial stocks decline and volume shrinks, the main players may withdraw, turning potential benefits into a sell-off in an instant. Community traders generally advise—pay attention to the sustainability of trading volume + the synchronization of emotional heat. For a major upward wave to start, strong funds must take over; otherwise, insufficient volume could lead to a sudden drop. The rhythm of consumer finance needs to be right; as long as the upward wave can continue, short-term opportunities will keep arising, but those following the trend must also be ready to exit to guard against risks. Capturing the resonance of consumer + financial sentiment is the main logic that current market funds are focused on

3 Underrated Amex Platinum Perks Frequent Travelers Should Know About

The American Express Platinum Card offers numerous annual perks that frequent travelers might overlook. This article highlights three specific underrated benefits: an annual $209 CLEAR® Plus Credit for faster airport security, up to $200 in annual airline fee credits to offset incidental charges, and $120 in annual Uber One credits, supplementing existing Uber Cash benefits. These perks, combined with other travel benefits, can significantly alleviate the card's $895 annual fee.

The S&P 500 Index closed up 0.3% preliminarily, with the energy sector rising 1.8%, the financial sector up 1.2%, the consumer discretionary sector up 0.8%, the telecommunications sector up 0.2%, and the technology sector down 0.4%. The Nasdaq 100 Index closed up 0.2% preliminarily, with Microchip Tech rising 12.7%, ON Semiconductor up 10.8%, Marvell Technology up 7.6%, Meta down 1.1%, Micron and Microsoft down 2.3%, Regeneron Pharma down 2.5%, PayPal down 2.7%, TTD down 3.2%, and Netflix down 4.9%. UnitedHealth rose 4.9%, Goldman Sachs rose 2.6%, McDonald's, American Express, and Amgen all rose at least 2%, NVIDIA down 1%, and Boeing down 1.5%

Can AXP Keep Its ROE Shining While Expenses Climb the Ladder?

American Express (AXP) has maintained a high return on equity (ROE) despite rising expenses due to strategic investments in growth, brand visibility, and digital expansion, alongside disciplined credit management. While expenses for AXP and its competitors like Visa (V) and Mastercard (MA) are increasing, American Express leverages innovation and customer engagement to sustain strong returns and has returned significant value to shareholders through buybacks and dividends. AXP's stock has outperformed its industry year-to-date, and its valuation and earnings estimates suggest continued growth.