It was a year of ups, downs, and everything in between. It was also a year marked by global economic uncertainty and a shakeup of some of the hottest investment sectors.
Yet as 2019 winds down, a clear picture emerges. Markets recovered and hit new records after falling steeply at the end of 2018. The US-China trade war escalated and came back down multiple times. Gold prices rallied, cannabis stocks fell, and small-cap investors found as many success stories as they did failures.
As the largest investor hub in Canada, Stockhouse received amazing amounts of traffic to the investor discussion Bullboards. Here are the top six most-viewed company Bullboards in our most popular sectors.
Though it’s not as big as some of the competition, it’s no surprise that
Aphria Inc. (
TSX:APHA,
Forum) sits at the top of the cannabis Bullboards. Throughout the crazy up-and-down year that the sector had, with many major LPs overpromising and underperforming, Aphria served as a beacon for investors looking for success in the industry.
Still, it was weighed down by second-place
Aurora Cannabis Inc. (
TSX:ACB,
Forum) and the other majors. As the top sector for Stockhouse investors for 2019, you can bet a lot of eyes will be looking for recovery in 2020.
The top six most-viewed companies in the metals and mining Bullboards spanned a few different minerals, but 2019 was the year for gold. Four of the top companies were gold producers, including the runaway favorite
Royal Nickel Corp. (
TSX:RNX,
Forum), which had an extremely volatile year of positive discoveries and negative results. With prices expected to keep rising, expect gold companies to top the list next year as well, though Palladium and Rare Earths plays are gaining steam as well.
The volatility of small-caps on the healthcare Bullboards gave us a mix of success stories and setbacks on the top six most-viewed chart for 2019, but in the end the crown had to go to
Liminal BioSciences Inc. (
TSX:LMNL,
Forum). If you’re not familiar with the name Liminal, you might be with the company’s former moniker,
Prometic Life Sciences, which it shifted away from later in the year.
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After suffering a staggering drop caused by a massive loss and financial instability, it was dropped by analysts and investors alike, had shares diluted, and was massively restructured. Now it sits as a potential miracle recovery stock, not unheard of, but unlikely.
Was it a good or bad year for energy stocks? Depends who you ask, and where you look. Crude prices had a net increase for the year after dropping below $50.00 in January, natural gas traded on the lower side, and results for energy companies were all over the place.
Stockhouse interest in the sector is incredibly diverse, with investors finding value propositions across the board, but the most-viewed on the energy Bullboards this year was a larger name and relative success,
Crescent Point Energy Corp. (
TSX:CPG,
Forum). Though the Canadian oil and gas producer had a rocky year at first, a successfully lauded sale boosted its value and helped end the year on a high note.
There was less interest in the industrials Bullboards than other sectors on Stockhouse, but there was plenty of interest in
Bombardier Inc. (
TSX:BBD.B,
Forum). After the Canadian manufacturer’s significant rise and quick drop in share price towards the end of 2018, there was heightened investing interest in the company as it looked to recover. Each fiscal quarter performance has dragged the stock along with it, but after one year the Bullboards are clearer on what the future holds.
Investing in small-cap tech stocks is a tricky gambit for many investors, but well-versed Stockhouse users sought out value in everything from well-known start-ups to unknown micro-caps. Though each month gave us largely different leaders on the most-viewed tech Bullboards with varying stories,
Patriot One Technologies Inc. (
TSX:PAT,
Forum) ended up at the top of the yearly chart. Interestingly, the company started off the year in the same way it is exiting it, at a low point. Does that mean it will rise again in 2020, or that its popularity will dwindle alongside its share price? Only time will tell.
Finally, we close out by looking at two December occurrences that potentially shake-up the markets. The first is tax-loss selling season, in which investors sell off some losing stocks to offset capital gains made in the year, and we polled Stockhouse users to see how they participate.
For the remainder of the year, our Investor Pulse Poll looks at an effect called the “Santa Claus Rally.” While many enjoy holiday breaks over the end of December, the still-active public markets have shown a propensity for stock prices to increase into the start of the new year. Do you believe we’ll see a “Santa Claus Rally,” or that the rally even exists at all?
Head to the homepage or click the image below to cast your vote!
(Click image to go to the poll)
That does it for the last edition of Buzz on the Bullboards for 2019. We’re already getting excited for what 2020 will bring to Stockhouse, from new hot sectors and rising small-cap opportunities to the crazy shakeups and out-of-nowhere stories that captivate the markets. For previous editions of Buzz on the Bullboards:
click here.