In November, I used United Parcel Service (UPS) to send a valuable package to a friend... I took every precaution to ensure a smooth delivery.

A Bad Customer Service Bot Helped Signal This Hated Stock's Rebound By Ethan Goldman, junior analyst, Chaikin Analytics In November, I used United Parcel Service (UPS) to send a valuable package to a friend... I took every precaution to ensure a smooth delivery. But it turned into a customer service nightmare. I upgraded to a desktop computer on an early Black Friday special. And this friend was looking for a new computer. So she was ecstatic when I offered to ship her my old laptop. I meticulously wrapped layers of foam and cardboard around the computer. And I shipped it via UPS. A few days and a thousand miles later, my friend received the laptop. She opened the layers of packaging to find something odd. My protective packaging wasn't enough. The box had a small dent. And something cracked the screen in transit. Thankfully, I spent extra to insure the laptop for this exact reason. I spent days using the online portal that UPS provides for these claims. But the site often gave me conflicting information. And instructions weren't totally clear. Finally, I decided to call the UPS customer service line... The interaction was surprisingly smooth. And I got most of my questions answered. But the customer service agent said something that didn't sit right with me... I asked the agent how I would receive the payout on my claim. The voice on the line said to contact an e-mail address ending at "gmail.com." Now, I was expecting a website... or an official UPS e-mail. Nevertheless, I sent my inquiry to the address given. Within minutes, my e-mail provider told me this e-mail address didn't exist. Folks, it didn't take me long to figure out what happened. I wasn't speaking to a person... The "person" answering my questions was an AI agent. Now, UPS eventually figured out my claim. And I got a paper check in the mail soon after. But in hindsight, there were a few "tells" that I wasn't speaking to a human before the false e-mail... I wasn't subject to a maze of menus to connect to an agent. The line rang only twice before connecting. There was no background noise. The agent's speech was a little "too perfect." And another "tell" was UPS's stock. Now, this may sound strange. So let me explain... Recommended Links: What You Missed Last Week A 50-year Wall Street veteran – who called the COVID-19 crash, the 2022 bear market, and the 2023 bank panic – says a rare January "trigger" could determine whether 2026 is a wealth-building year for you or a devastating setback. It has 100% accuracy since 1950. Click here now for the full story (and TWO free stock recommendations). Gold Hoarding Could Send Gold EVEN HIGHER Many are wondering why so many countries are frantically buying gold right now. The truth is that this is just the beginning of a much larger story... one that could send gold soaring to even bigger highs in the coming months. But the best way to cash in on gold's upside potential might surprise you. One firm says this stock (less than $50) could be the best way to get started. The Power Gauge Spots Strategic Changes at UPS Logistics companies like UPS and FedEx (FDX) face growing competition from retailers like Amazon (AMZN) and Walmart (WMT). In fact, Amazon passed UPS by package volume in 2022. And the gap is only getting bigger. As you can guess, this has weighed on UPS's stock. Late last year, shares of the company were trading at their lowest point in five years. Of course, the Power Gauge took note as the stock fell... UPS's relative strength versus the broad market has been almost entirely negative since late April 2023. The stock has also been in mostly "bearish" territory since then. In late April 2023, the stock was already roughly 20% below its post-pandemic high in early 2022. But UPS fell even more... By mid-October last year, UPS sat more than 60% below its 2022 high. Heck, up to that point, the stock had already spent nearly all of 2025 firmly in "very bearish" territory. So, it makes sense that UPS's management was ready for a turnaround... On October 28, the company announced its best earnings-per-share surprise since the fourth quarter of 2021. This third-quarter surprise was due in part to a couple of the company's initiatives... The UPS "Fit to Serve" initiative cut about 14,000 positions. And "Efficiency Reimagined" closed another roughly 34,000 roles. AI systems now handle many of these cut positions – much like the customer service agent I talked to. And investors loved what they heard in the earnings report. Shares of UPS are up roughly 27% over the past three months. And in mid-December, the stock's relative strength finally jumped back into the green. The earnings surprise also helped send UPS back into "neutral" territory in the Power Gauge. You can see the full story with the stock over the past five years in the chart below... To be clear, the Power Gauge is still flashing caution on UPS right now... The stock currently has a "neutral" overall rating in our system. Put simply, UPS has surged higher. But the Power Gauge still sees issues "under the hood." So I wouldn't rush to buy shares of UPS right now. But I recommend keeping an eye on the stock... and the Power Gauge for a stronger positive signal on it. Good investing, Ethan Goldman   Editor's note: For better opportunities right now, Chaikin Analytics founder Marc Chaikin just went on camera to share a major story... In short, he says that a strange market signal with 100% accuracy since 1950 could blindside millions of investors. But it could also hand you the stock opportunity of a lifetime. As Marc says, the winds of the market are changing. And he has a brand new "Top Ten" report that covers the stocks poised for major upside in 2026. Get the full details – including how to get access to Marc's list – right here. Market View Major Indexes and Notable Sectors     # Hld:     Bullish     Neutral     Bearish Dow 30 +0.51% 7 17 6 S&P 500 +0.66% 121 250 129 Nasdaq +1.0% 21 51 28 Small Caps +0.76% 646 961 282 Bonds +0.66% Materials +1.6% 5 17 4 — According to the Chaikin Power Bar, Small Cap stocks are more Bullish than Large Cap stocks. Major indexes are mixed. *  *  *  * Sector Tracker Sector movement over the last 5 days Consumer Discretionary +5.12% Materials +4.64% Industrials +2.5% Energy +2.23% Consumer Staples +2.01% Financial +1.46% Information Technology +1.28% Health Care +1.16% Communication +0.86% Real Estate +0.3% Utilities -1.55% *  *  *  * Industry Focus Mining Services 24 10 1 Over the past 6 months, the Mining subsector (XME) has outperformed the S&P 500 by +59.46%. Its Power Bar ratio, which measures future potential, is Very Strong, with more Bullish than Bearish stocks. It is currently ranked #1 of 21 subsectors and has moved up 1 slot over the past week. Top Stocks AA Alcoa Corporation CDE Coeur Mining, Inc. CMC Commercial Metals Co *  *  *  * Top Movers Gainers SNDK +12.81% BLDR +12.01% INTC +10.8% VST +10.47% LEN +8.85% Losers LVS -4.77% CSGP -4.68% DDOG -3.97% LULU -3.9% EQR -3.87% *  *  *  * Earnings Report Reporting Today Rating Before Open After Close Earnings Surprises No significant Earnings Surprises in the Russell 3000. *  *  *  * You have received this e-mail as part of your subscription to PowerFeed. If you no longer want to receive e-mails from PowerFeed, click here. You're receiving this e-mail at ignoble.experiment@arconati.us. For questions about your account or to speak with customer service, call +1 (877) 697-6783 (U.S.), 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Eastern time or e-mail info@chaikinanalytics.com. Please note: The law prohibits us from giving personalized financial advice. © 2026 Chaikin Analytics, LLC. All rights reserved. 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