The Week’s Investing News Roundup: Dividend Kings, Utility Stocks, 3M, Verizon and More

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  • Hopes for quick interest rate cuts dwindled this past week.
  • The Federal Reserve’s Beige Book revealed a resilient consumer but a cooling labor market.
  • The IMF warned that AI could take 40% of jobs worldwide. One in four CEOs say they expect layoffs due to AI this year. And AI was a top focus at Davos 2024.
  • Apple discounted iPhones in China and also overtook Samsung as the world’s largest smartphone maker.
  • Washington state sued to block the Kroger-Albertsons merger, and a judge blocked the JetBlue-Spirit Airlines merger. Also, the EU blocked the iRobot acquisition by Amazon.
  • Tesla cut more prices, and Elon Musk wants more control over Tesla.
  • Google layoffs continued, with more to come. Macy’s and Wayfair also had layoffs.
  • Nelson Peltz has launched a proxy war on Disney.
  • And Red Sea attacks have become a bigger issue for the supply chain than the COVID-19 pandemic was.

The Seven Highest-Yielding 2024 Dividend Kings to Buy and Hold Forever

Seven of the highest-yielding Dividend Kings, including AbbVie, Altria and 3M, make sense now for investors looking for top stocks to buy and hold forever.

Five Big Dividend-Paying Utility Stocks to Buy Right Now

Utility stocks were hit hard as interest rates went higher in 2023, but that could change this year. American Electric Power, Exelon and these other top dividend-paying utility stocks may benefit.

Six of the Best Dividend ETFs to Buy in January

With the potential for interest rates to decline as 2024 rolls on, buying six top exchange-traded funds makes sense for investors looking for dependable passive income.

How Safe Is Verizon Stock’s 6.8% Dividend?

Many analysts see Verizon as a value trap, with its generous dividend as the main draw for investors. See this assessment of how safe its dividend appears to be based on a variety of metrics.

How Safe Is 3M Stock’s 5.5% Dividend?

Will 3M lose its status as a Dividend King or will it continue rewarding shareholders with generous dividends and share buybacks? Here is an assessment of how safe its dividend appears to be based on a variety of metrics.

Five of the Safest High-Yield Dividend Stocks

Investors looking for high-yielding stocks that are safe investment ideas may want to look at Kohl’s, Western Union and these other top companies that have strong business models.

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