**Market Insights and Updates**
As we enter the new month, Wall Street is bracing for a potential downturn, despite the S&P 500’s impressive 5.5% gain in the third quarter. Historically, September is the worst month of the year, but this time around, it brought a welcome surprise. With the seasonally bullish period approaching, investors are keeping a close eye on the market.
**Fed Watch**
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell has signaled that the central bank is not on a preset easing course, hinting at smaller rate moves in the future. The next major event that could impact the Fed’s decisions and the stock market is the upcoming September employment report, set to be released on Friday.
**Stock Highlights**
Several stocks are making headlines, including:
* Meta Platforms and Alphabet, which received buy ratings from Pivotal Research with price targets of $780 and $215, respectively.
* Medtronic, whose price target was raised to $92 by Citi, although analysts remain cautious.
* GE Healthcare, which has been performing well in recent times, thanks to its newly FDA-approved diagnostic agent and the tailwind from Fed rate cuts.
* Danaher, which received an overweight buy rating from Stephens with a $315 price target, driven by expectations of a pickup in biotech funding and Chinese economic stimulus.
* Apple, which is reportedly experiencing weak demand for its new iPhone 16, although some analysts are skeptical of these claims.
* Anheuser-Busch Inbev, which was upgraded to buy from neutral by Citi, sparking speculation about a potential large buyback.
* Netflix, whose price target was raised to $760 by KeyBanc, making it one of the top-performing FANG stocks.
* Disney, which was downgraded to a market perform hold rating by Raymond James due to concerns about its moderating parks business.
* Boeing, whose price target was cut to $110 by Wells Fargo, amidst ongoing factory worker strikes and reports of a potential $10 billion equity raise.
**Industry Updates**
The International Longshoremen’s Association has gone on strike, affecting East Coast and Gulf Coast union port workers. This has prompted companies like Costco and Home Depot to prepare for the work stoppage.
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