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The U.S. stock market tends to rise, notwithstanding a pullback or correction from time to time. The long-term upward trajectory has a foundation in the country's democratic political system and its market-based, capitalist economic system that is relatively transparent and rewards innovation. In theory, the stock market efficiently allocates the nation's capital, generating solid returns over economic cycles. And then there is September. Indeed, our analysis of monthly S&P 500 returns going back to 1980 indicates that September is now the only month with an average loss. Now not every September is negative. The month has a "win percentage" of 46%. But there have been some bombs, including 2022 (-9.3%), 1986 (-8.5%), 2001 (-8.2%), 2002 (-11%), 2008 (-14%) and 2011 (-7.2%). Last year, the S&P 500 fell 5.0% in the month, and 2022 was a 4.8% loser. September is a transition month: the August doldrums are over and corporations get back into gear after Labor Day. The IPO market typically picks up. The Federal Reserve meets, which can add to volatility. And, sometimes ominously, the third-quarter earnings season approaches. By the end of 3Q, companies are pretty sure if they are (or are not) on track to meet their financial targets. If they are not and they pre-warn about disappointing results, investors can be quick to sell not just a company but an entire sector.

The Vickers Top Insider Picks is a daily report that utilizes a proprietary algorithm to identify 25 companies with compelling insider purchase histories based on transactions over the past three months.

Global stocks are gaining, if not at the pace of domestic equities. While the S&P 500 has risen 17% year to date, the EAFA index of large- and mid-cap stocks based in countries other than the U.S. and Canada has gained 9.5%. Over the past five years, the performance gap has been wider, with the S&P 500 advancing 94% compared to a 32% gain in EAFE. But the underperformance has given global stocks a valuation advantage, particularly in the area of dividends. Consider that the EAFE dividend yield of 2.9% is 170 basis points higher than the comparable S&P 500 dividend yield. We think global dividend stocks now offer opportunity, particularly given the endless speculation over the direction of interest rates in the U.S., which has created market-timing headaches for equity income investors, who have endured recent wide swings in prices for rate-sensitive equity in areas such as utilities, REITs and MLPs. In our view, investing in international income stocks is one way to increase portfolio diversification while reducing sensitivity to volatile U.S. interest rates. Investing in overseas stocks carries its own set of risks, including the impact of currency exchange and geopolitical turmoil. But there are also a number of positives in this asset class for U.S. investors, including a wide selection of companies that pay dividends, robust industry diversification, and, as we have mentioned, higher yields and lower valuations. Argus has recently boosted its global coverage, and recommends the following international dividend stocks, each of which has at least a long-term BUY rating from an Argus analyst. Note this list of approximately 25-30 companies offers exposure to eight of the 11 major industrial sectors. The list includes companies from 10 countries.

The Vickers Top Insider Picks is a daily report that utilizes a proprietary algorithm to identify 25 companies with compelling insider purchase histories based on transactions over the past three months.