Friday Charts: I Double Dare You To Ignore This Trend

It’s Friday in the Trend Trader Daily Nation…

And that means it’s time to embrace the adage that a picture is worth a thousand words.

Each Friday, I’ll be showing you a simple chart to convey an important investment insight.

With one quick glance, you’ll be up to speed — and more importantly, you’ll be poised to profit.

This week, I’m picking up where we left off yesterday. I’ll be revealing a major trend taking shape in the semiconductor sector that every investor (this means you!) should be paying attention to.

Plus, I’ll share one of my favorite ways to profit from it.

So let’s get to it…

Sorry Pessimists, But This Chart Proves The Chip Boom Is Back

Nearly every indicator in the markets is heading south this week, but not this one:

The three-month growth in semiconductor equipment shipments.

This is the equipment required to make more chips. It’s at the front of the value and supply chains, and therefore, it represents the first small step required to bring about big growth.

To see what I mean, look what’s happening to the red line at the far right of this chart…

As you can see, semiconductor equipment shipments are soaring, and this surge points to boom times ahead. For chips, and for chip stocks.

A Lasting (Positive) Impact on Semiconductor Demand

And I’m all the more convinced of it after reading McKinsey & Company’s latest market analysis.

In short, the world’s most trusted consultancy expects the increase in working, studying, and communicating from home to have “a lasting [positive] impact on semiconductor demand and open new possibilities for existing products and services.”

McKinsey believes demand will increase for chips that “enable servers, connectivity, and cloud usage as online collaboration grows”…

And it believes demand will vastly increase for chips that power the technologies required to facilitate the paradigm shift in consumer behavior in a post-Covid world.

Prepare for a Profit Bonanza

This paradigm shift includes contactless solutions, which I’ve written about before…

And it includes home sensors, automated-delivery solutions, and digitizing lagging sectors such as healthcare, government, and defense.

Or as Clark Tseng, director of Industry Research and Statistics at SEMI said, “With the pandemic accelerating digitization to transform businesses and their delivery of services worldwide, we expect continued growth over the next two years.”

Translation: Prepare for a profit bonanza!

In fact, the last time this market indicator started spiking higher, back in early 2009, most chip equipment stocks doubled within a year.

That includes one of my favorites, Lam Research Corporation (LRCX), which I’ve written about before. (Hint, hint).

I double dare you to ignore this trend and miss out on the profit opportunity again.

P.S. Do you have a favorite chart or indicator you’d like me to analyze in upcoming Friday editions? If so, fire up the Pat Benatar and “hit us with your best shot” by replying directly to this email.

Ahead of the tape,

Lou Basenese