CNBC’s Jim Cramer advises that investors refrain from panicking about how U.S.-Iran tensions may impact the market and to look for potential buying opportunities in the coming days. The “Mad Money” host takes a look back at the top components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 to project what’s to come in 2020. Later in the show, Cramer recommends some oil stocks worth buying as controversy in the Middle East boils.
Iran gives us ‘something new to worry about’
Protesters burn US flags as they shout slogans against the United States during a demonstration following a US airstrike that killed top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani in Iraq, in Islamabad on January 3, 2020.
Aamir Quereshi | AFP | Getty Images
CNBC’s said Friday he did not expect 2020 to “start off with such a bang.”
The major U.S. stock averages all fell less than 1% during the session after stocks were dragged down by the latest developments in the Middle East. Late Thursday, reports came out that Iranian military leader Gen. Qasem Soleimani was killed by a U.S. airstrike in Baghdad.
“The Iran situation has given us something new to worry about,” the “Mad Money” host said, “but the economy remains strong, so strong that let’s just try to stay opportunistic, please, as we head into the first full week of a fabulous new decade.”
He went on to deliver his game plan for the coming week.
Dow Jones top performers
Traders wearing 2020-themed glasses work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, U.S., on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2019.
Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images
On the second trading day of 2020, Cramer reviewed last year’s best performers on the and gave his predictions for the current trading year.
The Dow, alongside the other two major indexes, surged double digits in the banner year of 2019. The 30-stock index of blue-chip companies gained 22.3% to close the year at 28,538.44.
“There aren’t enough large capitalization stocks with good growth, bountiful dividends, and big buybacks that really benefit from a stronger global economy,” the host said. “Many of those stocks are in the Dow, and I think these 10 are most emblematic of the upside potential in 2020 as long as the current environment persists, which is exactly what I’m expecting.”
S&P 500 top performers
Lisa Su, CEO, AMD
Scott Mlyn | CNBC
Cramer took a look at last year’s run in the S&P 500 to lay out his thoughts on how the top performers would play out over the coming year in trading.
The , which tracks 500 large-cap public stocks, posted a gain of 28.9% in 2019, its largest advance since 2013.
“When you look at last year’s best performers in the S&P 500, you see a lot of companies with phenomenal management that were unfairly written off as losers and then came roaring back, thanks in part to improving fundamentals driven by the CEOs,” the host said. “I think the ones that are riding powerful secular trends have a lot more room to run.”
Oil stocks worth buying
Daniel Acker | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Cramer’s lightning round
In Cramer’s lightning round, the “Mad Money” host zips through his thoughts about callers’ favorite stock picks of the day.
: “I think Shake Shack had a really, really good quarter and the shack is back and I think it’s O.K. to buy, although I have to tell you is the cheapest burger company.”
: “I don’t like that particular kind of REIT ’cause I don’t know what they’re in.”
Questions for Cramer?
Call Cramer: 1-800-743-CNBC
Want to take a deep dive into Cramer’s world? Hit him up!
Mad Money Twitter – Jim Cramer Twitter – Facebook – Instagram
Questions, comments, suggestions for the “Mad Money” website? madcap@cnbc.com