(Beijing)

If one thing has been clear over the last couple of years, it is that US-China relations are getting worse. It started earlier in Trump’s term and has escalated in a tit-for-tat battle over the last couple years. Some refer to it as a great “uncoupling” while others say it is a new cold war. Whatever you call it, there are a handful of sectors that will do well as the situation unfolds. One such sector is automation and robotics companies. These companies are likely to do very well as US businesses are forced to re-shore manufacturing from China and seek out automation to make the return more economical.

FINSUM: A major decoupling will be a very ugly event. US companies do $500 bn of sales in China each year. The automation play makes sense. Check out the Robotics ETF (ROBO).

(New York)

Real estate, especially residential real estate, is one of the sectors that has held up much better under COVID than many expected. With such hefty job losses, many thought early on that the market might suffer seriously. However, home prices have held steady, and in a bullish sign, homebuilders are feeling very confident. The bullishness in the sector seems to stem from a pair of factors—desire for single family homes during COVID, and exceptionally low interest rates. The Homebuilders index rose to a measure of 78 in August, up from 72 in July, setting a record that goes back to 1998.

FINSUM: This is a great sign for homebuilding stocks, and the economy more generally. It is a sign that the American consumer—at least the subset that is in the market for houses—is holding up okay. That said, it is the lower end of the socioeconomic hierarchy than seems to be suffering the most from COVID lockdowns.

(San Francisco)

Large cap tech has been doing great and getting tons of media attention. Within the big rise, though, Apple has seen relatively less attention. The reality is that it may be time to buy. Historical studies have shown that the best time to buy Apple stock is in advance of new iPhone releases, and it is now confirmed that a new iPhone is coming soon. And it is not just any iPhone, it is Apple’s first 5G iPhone, which the company said on a recent earnings call would start shipping in October.

FINSUM: Research has shown that the 90-day period preceding the launch of a new phone is an ideal time to buy. Seems like a good opportunity to consider Apple.

(Memphis)

FedEx and other logistics providers have risen alongside other stocks, but their gains have not been nearly as prolific as some of the ecommerce providers they service. However, that may be about to change. Multiple Wall Street analysts are changing their tune on the company, saying that the stars are aligning for the stock. In particular, UPS is starting to raise prices, which will help FedEx with profitability alongside the huge explosion in ecommerce volumes that has coincided with people staying at home. Furthermore, as a vaccine is developed, FedEx and other logistics providers will need to deliver millions of doses of vaccines, which will be another boost.

FINSUM: Two big factors here really—UPS and USPS are raising prices, allowing breathing room for FedEx; and…FedEx is a leader in temperature-controlled shipping, which is what will be needed for vaccines.

(Washington)

Many articles have been written about which stocks and sectors will do well or poorly if Trump or Biden wins/loses. Generally speaking, these articles are useful but repetitive. A more interesting idea is to look at the sectors/assets that will do well no matter who wins. With that in mind, here are a few ETFs poised to thrive when either candidate emerges victorious. One surprising area that should prosper in either scenario is clean energy. Biden plans to invest heavily in the area, but even if he does not win, this group of companies have finally become profitable. Couple that with rising pro-green public sentiment, and their long-term outlook is positive. Another area is infrastructure stocks. Both Biden and Trump have big infrastructure spending plans in their agenda ($1.3 tn vs $1 tn), so that appears to be a win-win.

FINSUM: Just as there are winners in either situation, there are also losers. Pharma, for instance, would be under attack in either presidency.