## U.S. Stock Market 2024: Opportunities and Challenges for Global Investors

### Positive Signals from Wall Street

When it comes to the biggest investment opportunities, the U.S. stock market cannot be overlooked — it accounts for over 75% of the global market capitalization. This is the largest stock exchange in the world, with a total value exceeding $46.5 trillion as of Q3/2022. The system includes two main exchanges: the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) with a value of approximately $30.1 trillion and Nasdaq, which lists thousands of companies from various sectors.

With current U.S. stock prices, investors are witnessing a notable recovery cycle. After challenging periods from 2022-2023 due to inflation, the Russia-Ukraine war, and tightening monetary policies, the market has begun a strong rebound since October 2023.

### Key Indices and Performance Highlights

To monitor the market, investors need to understand the four most important indices:

**Dow Jones (DJIA)** was created in 1896 by Charles Dow, representing about 25% of the U.S. stock market value. This index includes 30 large companies and is closely watched to assess the overall economic situation. As of March 27, 2024, the Dow Jones stands at 39,411 points.

**S&P 500** was established in 1957, comprising the 500 largest publicly traded companies, accounting for up to 70% of the total market value. This index is considered the best benchmark for large-cap stocks worldwide. As of March 27, 2024, the S&P 500 is at 5,220 points.

**Nasdaq Composite** was founded in 1971, including over 3,000 listed companies, many of which are in technology and startups. This index tends to reflect investor sentiment toward the tech sector. On March 27, 2024, Nasdaq Composite recorded 18,210 points.

**Nasdaq 100** was introduced in 1985, selecting the top 100 companies on Nasdaq. This non-financial index focuses especially on Technology, Telecommunications, Biotechnology, Media, and Services sectors. The closing price on March 27, 2024, is 18,269 points.

### Impressive Performance Over the Past 5 Years

The U.S. stock market has shown remarkable figures. The S&P 500 increased by 85.78% over five years; Dow Jones rose by 54.13%; Nasdaq 100 surged by 147.43%. Major stocks also recorded outstanding gains: Microsoft (MSFT) up 256.33%, Apple (AAPL) up 261.33%, NVIDIA (NVDA) an impressive 1,908.58%.

### Notable Stocks in 2024

In 2024, some stocks have demonstrated spectacular performance. Journey Medical Corporation increased by 181.68%, Praxis Precision Medicines by 394.39%, Jin Medical International by 750%, Viking Therapeutics by 795.13%, Shockwave Medical by 828.8%, Lifeway Foods by 787%, Smith-Midland by 491.89%, and Intellinetics by 285.12%.

With current U.S. stock prices, leading tech companies like Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and Tesla continue to drive the market with positive news about AI, cloud computing, and energy transition.

### How to Trade U.S. Stocks

Investors wishing to participate in the market must comply with exchange regulations. For Vietnamese investors, due to current legal restrictions, the most common method is through margin trading — a form of Contract for Difference (CFD). This approach allows profit-making based on price differences without directly owning the securities, leveraging both upward and downward trends.

### Standard Trading Hours

Main exchanges operate from Monday to Friday. Standard trading hours are from 20:35 (Vietnamese time, summer) until 3:00 AM the next day. Outside regular hours, after-hours trading occurs from 3:00 AM to 5:30 AM. Pre-market trading (Pre-market) runs from 19:00 to 20:35. Indices like the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 have extended trading hours from Monday to Saturday.

### Future Market Outlook

The outlook for stock prices in the U.S. depends on two main factors. First is the monetary policy of the Federal Reserve (Fed). Investors are expecting interest rate cuts in 2024-2025. According to Goldman Sachs forecasts, the Fed will implement three rate cuts in 2024 and four in 2025, bringing long-term rates to 3.25-3.5%.

Second are geopolitical events. The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and potential Middle East conflicts pose risks to the market. When these events escalate, investors often shift to safe-haven assets like gold or Bitcoin, which can slow down the rise of U.S. stocks. Some experts suggest that if Middle East conflicts escalate, the market could decline by 7-10%.

### Recovery Trend from Q4/2023

After turbulent months, since October 2023, indices have shown clear signs of recovery. Dow Jones increased by 5.59% in the first three months of 2024. The S&P 500 rose nearly 10% during the same period. Nasdaq Composite gained 2.28% just in March 2024. Nasdaq 100 demonstrated the most impressive performance, rising 24.17% in the last six months of 2023 and early 2024, breaking the 16,000 level in November and surpassing 18,000 in March.

However, the indices show signs of plateauing, possibly forming a bottom before a new growth phase. It is crucial for investors to stay well-informed about market conditions, understand current stock prices, and the influencing factors to make sound investment decisions.

### Conclusion

The U.S. stock market has proven its resilience and strong recovery potential. With major companies like Apple, Microsoft, Tesla, Amazon, and Google continuing to lead, along with prospects of interest rate cuts, investment opportunities remain broad for traders with clear strategies. However, geopolitical risks and global economic volatility still require investors to be cautious and constantly update market information.