Editor's note: The markets and our Chaikin Analytics offices will be closed Monday, January 19, for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. As a result, we won't publish our Chaikin PowerFeed e-letter that day. Look for your next issue on Tuesday, January 20.

Editor's note: The markets and our Chaikin Analytics offices will be closed Monday, January 19, for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. As a result, we won't publish our Chaikin PowerFeed e-letter that day. Look for your next issue on Tuesday, January 20. Crumbling Infrastructure Costs Americans More Than Just Money By Marc Chaikin, founder, Chaikin Analytics Every four years, the American Society of Civil Engineers ("ASCE") publishes a report card on America's infrastructure... The latest version came out last year. Overall, it gave our country's infrastructure a "C" grade. You see, the ASCE analyzes 18 different infrastructure categories as part of its report. These include areas like aviation, bridges, energy, public parks, and wastewater. Put simply, the folks at the ASCE look closely at everything. And unfortunately, the U.S. has been neglecting its infrastructure for decades. The roads category is one of the weak spots in the latest report card. It earned a "D+" grade. Only two categories – transit and stormwater – received lower grades. That's not really a surprise. Much of America's highway system was built decades ago – when our country had roughly half the population it does now. Meanwhile, freight trucks have gotten heavier. That increases the wear and tear on pavement. The ASCE highlighted multiple problems with America's roads... The obvious one is their condition. Nearly 40% of major U.S. roads are in poor or mediocre condition. That's barely better than in 2020. Additionally, the report estimates that these roads cost the average driver more than $1,400 per year in vehicle costs and lost time. Congestion and safety are also major issues. In its report, the ASCE estimates the typical driver lost 43 hours to traffic congestion in 2024. It also noted a shocking statistic...   The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates 40,990 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2023, an average of 112 deaths per day. The amount of people dying on America's roadways per year is equal to four airplanes full of passengers crashing every week. In fact, the ASCE noted in the report that the U.S. has the second-highest rate of traffic fatalities in the world. Only Colombia has more (on a per capita basis). The report included plenty of suggestions to help improve U.S. roads. But ultimately, it's all about money... In short, America needs to spend more on its roads. The ASCE says that we're facing a $684 billion funding gap over the next decade. Put simply, we need to spend hundreds of billions more to get our roads in decent shape. The good news is that the money has already started to flow... Recommended Links: Please, Heed This Big Warning for January 20 Days from now, we could see the market's biggest move of the year. That's the newest prediction from the man who warned about the 2025 crash three months before it unfolded. According to his disturbing January 20 evidence, you have just days to prepare for an event that could sweep the market and open the most lucrative trading opportunity in two decades. Click here to learn more, including two free 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. This Industry Restores America... and Makes Money Doing It Over the past four years, the U.S. has spent about $600 billion on improving its roads. More importantly, that spending got a big boost from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act ("IIJA"). The bill was signed into law in November 2021. It laid out roughly $1.2 trillion in total spending for a variety of U.S. infrastructure projects. About $350 billion of that funding is specifically for highways and bridges. And less than half of it has been spent so far. Folks, America's roads will need a lot of improvement over the coming years... Besides the clear demand, infrastructure is a "no brainer" topic for U.S. politicians. Better roads help strengthen our economy. They also result in less fatalities, lower vehicle costs, and faster freight deliveries. Plus, roadwork creates thousands of blue-collar jobs. That's something every politician wants to brag about. After decades of neglect, America is starting to play "catch up" when it comes to infrastructure spending. That means we can look forward to billions of dollars flowing into the construction industry. Here at the Chaikin PowerFeed, we've previously discussed the Construction and Engineering space. And there's a good reason for it... As I said, America hasn't kept its critical infrastructure up to date. It's more than our roads and energy grid that are crumbling throughout the country... America's bridges, water systems, and even waste-processing infrastructure are under threat as well. Folks, we don't even want to think about what happens if those critical facilities fail... or if the country experiences a devastating electrical failure. This fact nearly guarantees that large amounts of money will flow into Construction and Engineering stocks for years to come. Right now, the Power Gauge still says this industry is "strong." In fact, out of 44 rated stocks in the industry, 21 are in "bullish" territory. And only three are "bearish" or worse.  It won't be a straight line up for stocks in this space, of course. But it's a big, long-term trend to keep your eye on. Good investing, Marc Chaikin Market View Major Indexes and Notable Sectors     # Hld:     Bullish     Neutral     Bearish Dow 30 +0.59% 6 19 5 S&P 500 +0.27% 118 273 109 Nasdaq +0.36% 22 55 29 Small Caps +0.88% 689 931 268 Bonds -0.02% Utilities +1.02% 2 13 16 — According to the Chaikin Power Bar, Small Cap stocks and Large Cap stocks are Bullish. Major indexes are mixed. *  *  *  * Sector Tracker Sector movement over the last 5 days Consumer Staples +5.01% Utilities +3.86% Industrials +3.5% Real Estate +3.12% Materials +3.07% Energy +2.28% Information Technology +0.85% Consumer Discretionary -0.18% Health Care -0.73% Communication -1.08% Financial -2.74% *  *  *  * Industry Focus Pharmaceuticals Services 23 32 4 Over the past 6 months, the Pharmaceuticals subsector (XPH) has outperformed the S&P 500 by +22.74%. Its Power Bar ratio, which measures future potential, is Very Strong, with more Bullish than Bearish stocks. It is currently ranked #9 of 21 subsectors and has moved down 3 slots over the past week. Top Stocks ARVN Arvinas, Inc. AMLX Amylyx Pharmaceutica AMRX Amneal Pharmaceutica *  *  *  * Top Movers Gainers KLAC +7.7% VST +6.63% BLK +5.93% NRG +5.79% MS +5.78% Losers HOOD -7.79% COIN -6.48% DVN -4.22% BSX -3.96% CHTR -3.82% *  *  *  * Earnings Report Earnings Surprises GS The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. Q4 $14.01 Beat by $2.25 MS Morgan Stanley Q4 $2.68 Beat by $0.26 BLK BlackRock, Inc. Q4 $13.16 Beat by $0.97 JBHT J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. Q4 $1.90 Beat by $0.09 *  *  *  * 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. Any reproduction, copying, or redistribution, in whole or in part, is prohibited without written permission from Chaikin Analytics, LLC. 201 King Of Prussia Rd., Suite 650, Radnor, PA 19087. www.chaikinanalytics.com. Any brokers mentioned constitute a partial list of available brokers and is for your information only. Chaikin Analytics, LLC, does not recommend or endorse any brokers, dealers, or investment advisors. Chaikin Analytics forbids its writers from having a financial interest in any security they recommend to our subscribers. All employees of Chaikin Analytics, LLC (and affiliated companies) must wait 24 hours after an investment recommendation is published online – or 72 hours after a direct mail publication is sent – before acting on that recommendation. This work is based on SEC filings, current events, interviews, corporate press releases, and what we've learned as financial journalists. It may contain errors, and you shouldn't make any investment decision based solely on what you read here. It's your money and your responsibility.