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☕️ The markets could be ready to rip… higher!

Apr 28, 2025

Howdy! 👋

The S&P 500 is holding steady – some up, some down - ahead of big tech earnings later this week.

I think there’s a good case to be made that the markets could rip higher… which is going to catch a lot of folks by surprise.

It won’t be pretty and there are very likely one or two sizable shocks ahead, but sharply higher, nonetheless.

You’ve got to be in to win… or you won’t.

Here’s my playbook.

1 – The markets could rip higher at the stroke of a pen

Tech numbers later this week don’t even have to be all that great… traders simply need certainty.

Here’s my take with the super-savvy Stuart Varney ahead of this morning’s opening bell. (Watch)

2 – Buy the best, ignore the rest

People are so focused on what could go wrong, that they fail to see what’s going right.

A topic I alluded to in yesterday’s Sunday Short. (Watch)

Think about it.

All three indices are up substantially since early April. The S&P 500 is +10.89%, the Nasdaq +13.85%, and the Dow +6.56% as of Friday’s close.

Stocks I favour - and that the One Bar Ahead® Family knows well - have done considerably better in many cases…having run 22.3%, 28.44% and 45.86% higher respectively over the same time frame also as of last Friday’s close.

People play not to lose because they think they’re being smart.

That’s a shame.

Imagine how differently your portfolio could look if you played to win!

You don’t need to take big risks or do anything crazy… just focus.

My philosophy is simple.

Buy the best, ignore the rest (because it tends to pay way better over time). 

Hopefully you have a handle on what I’m saying - and I say that very simply because the overwhelming majority of investors don’t. And if you’d like some help upping your game, I’ll be here.

3 – Can IBM reinvent itself (again)?

IBM pledged a massive $150 billion U.S. investment over five years—including $30 billion specifically aimed at bolstering domestic manufacturing of quantum and mainframe computers, doubling down on AI and advanced computing leadership. (Read)

Time to buy IBM?

You could and you may do alright if that’s your goal; I’d rather take a far more focused approach to AI. Call me crazy but…

The question you want to ask yourself is whether you want to bet on a) legacy player that has underperformed the S&P 500 for the past decade and b) is reinventing itself yet again or c) concentrate on a purer play ushering the world into our future that could 5X in 5 years?

I’d rather go with the future every time if that’s the tradeoff.

Speaking of which, OBAers… the May issue and a new recommendation will be out this Friday if things go according to plan! We’ll also be taking a deep dive into one of my favorite high probability options strategies, a look at how diagramming your investments could lead to greater profit potential. And more, of course.

4 – Treasury Secretary Bessent just dropped a major hint

Bessent says the first trade deal could hit this week or next. (Read)

Keith’s Investing Tip: Smart money never waits for headlines to invest; it positions ahead of ‘em – aka… Keith’s Rule of the Back Page. People waiting for front page news tend to be a day late and a dollar short. Often quite literally.

5 - Cybersecurity just got a $180M vote of confidence

Atlassian, Snowflake, and Workday just backed cybersecurity startup Veza in a fresh $108 million funding round, highlighting how aggressively big cloud companies are doubling down on security. (Read)

Why?

Because AI-driven threats aren’t coming—they’re multiplying like rabbits on Red Bull.

Ten years ago, cybersecurity was niche. Today, it’s boardroom priority #1—and quickly becoming investor priority #1 as well.
Cybercrime is projected to become a staggering $24 trillion problem by 2027.
AI-powered attacks now occur roughly every 39 seconds, according to GetAstra.
Data breaches cost companies an average of $4.45 million per incident (IBM), yet many remain undisclosed due to reputational harm and regulatory scrutiny.
Corporate and government cybersecurity budgets are surging to unprecedented levels.

My favorite cybersecurity stock—a longtime OBA favorite—has delivered a whopping 468.65% return over the past five years, crushing the S&P 500’s 105.22% return over the same period. Just this past year, it's up 37.70%, again outpacing the S&P's 9.15%.

Over three years, it’s more than doubled the broader market’s performance (107.80% vs. 37.07%), and I see this advantage accelerating.

Yet another case of, “buy the best ignore the rest!”

MyPOV: Cybersecurity isn’t just an investment—it’s a critical necessity. Executives with virtually unlimited budgets understand this. If you’re not actively investing in cybersecurity, it’s time for a serious rethink.