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The pre-Christmas shopping season intensified on Black Friday, which this year fell on November 29, with many retailers extending their discounts for days or even weeks. A growing preference for online shopping is once again evident, with mobile purchases dominating, according to U.S. data. Meanwhile, declining interest in visiting brick-and-mortar stores highlights the need for retailers to find new ways to engage customers.

Arguably one of the most talked-about companies on Wall Street this year, NVIDIA released its quarterly financial results on November 20, 2024. Once again, the company exceeded expectations, more or less doubling its revenue and profit compared to the previous year. Despite a projected slowdown in revenue growth due to delays in delivering its latest artificial intelligence (AI) chipsets, investors continue to view NVIDIA's stock as among the most attractive on the market.

Dell Technologies, best known for its personal computers, has seen impressive overall revenue growth in the past fiscal period, but the sales in its personal computer segment have declined. However, a market recovery is expected in not-too-distant future, supported by artificial intelligence (AI). Additionally, Dell is building a reputation in AI-optimized servers. Its stock has had a turbulent year, but the price trajectory remains positive.*

Retail giant Walmart has released its third-quarter earnings, which not only exceeded expectations but also demonstrated the company’s readiness for the peak holiday season. This led to an increase in full-year forecasts. Following the announcement, shares hit an all-time high, but they are attractive to investors mainly due to their stability and consistent financial performance of the retailer.* The company continues to be synonymous with retail resilience and efficiency, despite the challenges it is likely to face in the near future.

The post-election market rally, which took over U.S. markets, has spilled over into the cryptocurrency world, with Bitcoin setting new records nearly every day.* Investors who had previously avoided these assets found an opportunity to explore them in 2024 through newly launched Bitcoin-associated Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs). The largest of these, the iShares Bitcoin Trust by financial assets manager BlackRock, has already surpassed the volume of the renowned gold-tracking fund.