It’s smooth sailing through the end of the year, right? That might be the hope of many investors following a drama-filled election season and uncertainty around Fed rate hikes.
With November 5th and a recent FOMC gathering in the rearview mirror, we can (at least for a little while) focus on economic fundamentals and the state of the corporate landscape.
Looking Back on a Bullish Year
Politics and monetary policy aside, 2024 appears poised to be among the most bullish years on record. So far, the S&P 500 is up by more than 25% with still several weeks to go.1
What’s more, the mid-November through December stretch often greets investors with cheer and additional upside.2 While we can never know for sure how price action will unfold, a calm stretch before 2025 might be on many market participants’ wish lists.
A Shifting Business Landscape
Those in the C-suites of the world’s biggest companies can’t put their feet up just yet, however. As we have detailed throughout the year, the prospect of active capital markets post-election and the potential for more aggressive capex plans means the balance of Q4 will likely be a busy one for CEOs and CFOs.
The potential for reduced regulatory conditions combined with healthy corporate balance sheets could lay the foundation for increased M&A activity, a more vibrant IPO market, and bolder investment initiatives among multinational corporations. President-Elect Trump’s promise to place high tariffs on China is a risk, though.
Macro Concerns & Clean Energy In Focus
Wall Street analysts might also want clues on the health of small businesses. Though corporate conferences broadly focus on happenings with the world’s biggest firms, conditions on Main Street with mom-and-pop shops are pivotal to the domestic employment situation. Concerns remain surrounding the deceleration of monthly job growth over the past year-plus.3 Conferences centered on small-cap stock ideas and cyclical niches of the US economy might be particularly insightful in the weeks ahead.
Another industry in focus will be clean energy – an area that was already stressed amid higher interest rates and is now seen under possible threat from the new administration. We noticed several conferences on the docket focused on that space.
All About Tech?
But let’s face it – tech still seems to dominate the world. As capex spending goes among the AI hyperscalers, so goes the global economy (at least that has been the zeitgeist for the last two years). Major conferences that bring together executives from the mega-cap tech companies will be in the spotlight as usual.
All that and more at investor conferences and events as we put a bow on 2024. Here are the headline gatherings:
Information Technology & Communication Services
November 13: Cantor Crypto, Digital Assets & AI Infrastructure Conference
November 18: JP Morgan Global TMT Conference
November 19: Needham 18th Annual Networking, Communications & Security Conference
November 20: Needham 6th Annual Virtual Infrastructure, Data Analytics Software, and Cloud Communications Conference (virtual)
November 20: Barclays Global Automotive and Mobility Tech Conference
November 20: Morgan Stanley European Technology Media and Communications Conference
December 2: UBS Annual Global Technology and AI Conference
December 3: Wells Fargo 8th Annual TMT Summit
December 11: Barclays 22nd Annual Global Technology, Media, and Telecommunications Conference
Health Care
November 18: Stifel Healthcare Conference
November 19: Jefferies 15th Annual London Global Healthcare Conference
November 19: Wolfe Research 6th Annual Healthcare Conference
December 3: Citi 19th Annual BioPharma Conference
December 3: Citi Global Healthcare Conference
December 3: Piper Sandler 36th Annual Healthcare Conference
December 3: Evercore ISI 7th Annual HealthCONx Conference 2024
December 11: Mizuho Medical Device and Healthcare Services Summit 2024
Consumer Discretionary & Consumer Staples
November 13: Bank of America Consumer and Retail Conference
November 19: Jefferies Miami Consumer Conference
November 20: Needham 4th Annual Consumer Tech Conference
December 3: Morgan Stanley Global Consumer and Retail Conference
December 10: Citi Consumer Conference
Financials & Real Estate
November 13: Piper Sandler East Coast Financial Services Conference
November 18: NAREIT REITworld Annual Conference 2024
November 20: JP Morgan European Financials Conference
December 3: Bank of America Securities Leveraged Finance Conference
December 4: UBS Global Real Estate CEO/CFO Conference
December 10: Goldman Sachs U.S. Financial Services Conference
December 10: Jefferies Real Estate Conference
Industrials
November 19: NYSE Industrials Investor Access Conference
November 20: Deutsche Bank Global Space Summit (virtual)
November 20: Baird Defense & Government Conference
December 3: Goldman Sachs Aircraft Leasing Conference
December 3: UBS Global Industrials and Transportation Conference
December 5: Morgan Stanley Business Services, Leisure & Transport Conference
Energy & Utilities
November 19: Jefferies Energy Transition Conference
November 20: Wolfe Research Virtual Global Energy Conference (virtual)
November 21: Jefferies Virtual Power Equipment Conference (virtual)
November 21: Wolfe Research Inaugural Oil & Gas Conference
December 4: Jefferies Renewables and Clean Energy Conference
December 4: Janney Montgomery 2nd Annual Clean Energy Investment Symposium 2024
December 6: Bank of America Clean Energy Symposium Day (virtual)
December 10: Wells Fargo 23rd Annual Midstream, Utility & Renewables Symposium
Materials
November 19: Roth 4th Annual AgTech Answers
December 3: Bank of America European Materials Conference
December 3: Citi Basic Materials Conference
December 12: Jefferies Battery Storage & Materials Virtual Conference (virtual)
Regional
November 14: Bank of America Europe, Middle East, and Africa EMEA Conference
November 19: JP Morgan UK Leaders Conference
November 19: Goldman Sachs CEEMEA Annual 1×1 Conference
November 20: Morgan Stanley 23rd Annual Asia Pacific Summit
November 25: Bank of America European Credit Conference
December 2: Goldman Sachs 16th Annual European Industrials and Autos Week Conference
Investor Specific & Multi-Sector
November 13: Wolfe Research Wealth Symposium
November 13: JP Morgan Equity Opportunity Forum
November 14: JP Morgan Ultimate Services Investor Conference
November 18: Raymond James Small Cap Summit
November 22: Deutsche Bank C-Suite Management Call Series
December 4: Wolfe Research 2nd Annual Small and Mid-Cap Conference
December 4: Goldman Sachs Industrials & Materials Conference
December 9: Raymond James TMT and Consumer Conference
Sources:
1 SPDR S&P 500 ETF, StockCharts, November 13, 2024, https://schrts.co/
2 Something for the bulls: November is typically the best month for the stock market, CNBC, Brian Evans, October 31, 2023, https://www.cnbc.com
3 U.S. economy added just 12,000 jobs in October, impacted by hurricanes, Boeing strike, CNBC, Jeff Cox, November 1, 2024, https://www.cnbc.com
Twitter: @ChristineLShort
The author may hold positions in mentioned securities. Any opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author, and do not in any way represent the views or opinions of any other person or entity.
