In 2025, global stock markets experienced a year of volatility and regional disparities, with notable shifts in market leadership and investor sentiment. While the US stock market benchmark, the S&P 500, faced challenges with modest returns due to trade tensions and a weaker US Dollar, other regions shone brightly. European equities, particularly in Germany, Spain, and Poland, posted some of the strongest gains, buoyed by increased government spending on defense and infrastructure, and lower valuations that attracted global capital. Asia also witnessed strong performances, with Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index leading the pack amid a tech-driven rally.
The dynamic in 2025 was largely shaped by accelerating interest in artificial intelligence and technology sectors, robust corporate earnings, and key policy movements such as anticipated Federal Reserve rate cuts. Emerging markets benefited from favorable currency trends and a weakening dollar, while commodities like gold and silver saw record-setting rallies as investors sought inflation hedges and diversification.
The best stocks to buy in 2025 were Palantir with a year-to-date gain of over 107%, driven by strong growth in data analytics and AI platforms, and Newmont Corp. (NEM), with nearly 100% gain, benefiting from rising commodity prices and safe-haven demand. The best stocks to buy in Europe were from sectors like energy, defense, and ESG-focused companies. Leading companies from the industrial and financial sectors were the best stocks to buy in the Middle East.
This complex backdrop set the stage for a strategic selection of the best stocks to invest in for 2026, emphasizing the importance of thematic investing and geographic diversification. This is a detailed guide on the best stocks to watch in 2026, blending expert analysis, market data, and strategic insights to help traders and investors make informed decisions.
With NAGA platforms and apps, investors can access thousands of stocks listed on major global stock exchanges, including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Bucharest. They can buy the best stocks for their portfolio with ownership or trade them via CFDs.
20 of the Best Stocks for 2026
After a wild ride for the best stocks in 2025, what's next in the new year? Picking the best stocks to buy in 2026 isn't about making predictions, but it's about choosing high-quality companies with growth prospects and good value for shareholders. Furthermore, it's essential to pick stocks for 2026 from a variety of market sectors and regions. That way, investors can diversify their portfolios and avoid overexposure of one type of stock.
In 2026, several megatrends will significantly impact stock performance. Artificial intelligence (AI), renewable energy, semiconductor innovation, and digitization are among the strongest drivers. Companies leading these sectors offer promising investment potential, underpinned by accelerating demand and technological progress.
Some of the Best Stocks in 2026 for Growth Investors
Growth stocks are often contrasted with income stocks, which investors buy for their consistent dividend payments, and value stocks, which investors buy in the hope that their prices will rebound from a recent setback. Top growth stocks to watch include:
- Nvidia (NVDA): A dominant player in semiconductor manufacturing, powering AI, gaming, and data centers. NVDA’s revenue growth continues to soar, supported by strong fundamentals and innovation leadership.
- Palantir Technologies (PLTR): Specializing in data analytics and AI platforms, Palantir benefits from expanding government and commercial contracts with promising earnings growth.
- Rigetti Computing (RGT): An emerging quantum computing firm promising exponential advancement in computational power, poised for rapid expansion.
Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. All historical data, including but not limited to returns, volatility, and other performance metrics, should not be construed as a guarantee of future performance.
To find some of the best growth stocks to buy, usually investors are screening for high EPS growth and revenue growth (sometimes called sales growth). They also screen for high PE ratios and non-dividend-paying stocks to further refine their search to potentially some of the best stocks to buy today due to the share price momentum and aggressively reinvesting money in their own growth.
Some of the Best Growth Stocks for 2025
Some of the Best Stocks in 2026 for Value Investors
Investors sometimes make the mistake of associating value with an inexpensive valuation. Although valuation is part of the equation, the best value stocks are companies that deliver promises to investors, usually through dividend increases and earnings growth. Some of the best stocks to consider in 2026 include:
- Alibaba Group (BABA): Despite regulatory challenges, Alibaba remains a compelling value play given its market dominance and long-term growth potential in Asia.
- Howmet Aerospace (HWM): Positioned well to benefit from aerospace industry growth.
- Robinhood Markets (HOOD): Offers potential value as it capitalizes on expanding retail investor trends.
Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. All historical data, including but not limited to returns, volatility, and other performance metrics, should not be construed as a guarantee of future performance.
Instead of purely looking at value, investors should also look other crucial criteria like momentum and quality fundamentals.
Some of the Best Stocks in 2026 for Income Investors
Instruments like money market funds experienced significant inflows this year amid elevated interest rates. However, dividend stocks are expected to be back in focus in 2026, amid hopes for interest rate cuts.
Leading dividend stocks for stability and yield include:
- Eli Lilly (LLY): A biotechnology leader with a growing dividend backed by a strong product pipeline and robust cash flow.
- First Solar (FSLR): Renewable energy company offering steady dividends amid the transition to clean power.
- Broadcom (AVGO): A tech giant combining growth potential with attractive dividend yields.
Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. All historical data, including but not limited to returns, volatility, and other performance metrics, should not be construed as a guarantee of future performance.
Income investors love high dividend yields. Unfortunately, those yields often come with unacceptable trade-offs in the form of significant risk and/or low overall growth prospects. That's not always the case, though, as there are always some top dividend stocks to watch.
Some of the Best dividend stocks 2026
Best Stocks by Sectors
As investors seek growth and stability, focusing on key sectors with strong tailwinds can uncover some of the best stock opportunities in 2026. Understanding these sector dynamics is essential to building a resilient and forward-looking portfolio. Some of the best stocks by sectors are:
- Semiconductors: Beyond Nvidia, companies like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM) and AMD will continue to benefit from global chip demand.
- Energy: The shift to renewables makes companies like First Solar and NextEra Energy critical names to watch.
- Gold: As a hedge against market volatility and inflation, gold miners and ETFs attract increased investor interest.
Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. All historical data, including but not limited to returns, volatility, and other performance metrics, should not be construed as a guarantee of future performance.
Monitoring these sectors closely is essential for building a well-rounded portfolio in 2026, as companies leading in semiconductors, renewable energy, and gold offer unique advantages in innovation, sustainability, and market stability—key drivers for future returns.
Best Stock Opportunities Worldwide
As investors seek to optimize their portfolios, understanding regional market dynamics is essential to uncovering the best stock opportunities worldwide. Different regions offer unique sector strengths and growth catalysts shaped by economic policies, innovation trends, and geopolitical factors.
- US Stocks: Technology and biotech sectors dominate, with clear leaders accessible on the NAGA platform.
- Asian Stocks: China's ongoing digital expansion and India’s growing economy provide fertile ground for growth investors.
- European Stocks: ESG-compliant companies and financial services provide stable options.
- Saudi Arabia Stocks: Economic diversification under Vision 2030 creates a unique opportunity in energy and industrial sectors.
Leveraging the strengths and trends of each region allows investors to construct resilient, diversified portfolios tailored to capture growth across global markets, making platforms like NAGA ideal for accessing these varied opportunities seamlessly.
*Note: Our top stocks are picked not necessarily the best by size or any other singular factor, but are picked based on analysts' coverage, valuation, market capitalization, dividend pay-outs, and more. Please be advised that this doesn't mean that they're the best stocks to invest in.
Are these the best stocks to invest in right now?
Not necessarily. These are some of the best stocks to watch in 2026 based on analyst coverage, and defensive and recovery opportunities. But that doesn't mean that they're the best stocks to invest in. Predicting the future of even the current top-performing stocks is a job even the pros haven’t yet mastered. The best stocks to buy for your portfolio aren’t necessarily the best stocks for someone else’s portfolio.
These stocks may go up during 2026 or for a while (or not) but doing at least some basic personal research allows you to confidently judge whether to invest, when to invest, and how much. Inevitably, even the best stocks go down sometimes, so you’ll need your knowledge to decide whether to stick with the company or sell.
For example, if you invest only in the best–performing stocks in the past quarter or year – without understanding the company, the industry, and its competitive situation – you’re likely to wind up buying high and selling low. You’ll tend to chase whatever is hot now, but then sell once it cools off.
How to find the best stocks to buy now?
Choosing good stocks for your portfolio is a relatively time-consuming task, and you need to look beyond performance metrics like the ones on this page. Yes, it's a solidly good sign if a stock is able to outperform during periods of market volatility and the broad market declines. However, as mentioned above, several other factors must also be considered.
Beyond your own personal risk tolerance and how long you plan to invest, strategic investors do significant research into a company before buying its stock. They perform fundamental analysis, which involves looking at the company's financial statements and considering how economic factors might influence the stock's future performance.
Many investors also do technical analysis of a stock, which means analyzing historical movements in the stock's price to attempt to predict future movements. If you want to go this route, we have detailed overviews of how to buy stocks and how to trade stocks, including key terms to know.
An alternative to chasing the best stocks to buy now
If all the above sounds like a lot of work, it is. The fact that picking stocks is so difficult leads many investors to turn to exchange-traded funds (ETFs), which bundle many stocks together.
When individual stocks come together into a diversified portfolio via index funds, they have a lot of power: The S&P 500 index — which includes approximately 500 of the largest publicly traded companies in the U.S. — has posted an average annual return of nearly 10% since 1928. An S&P 500 index fund or ETF will aim to mirror the performance of the S&P 500 by investing in the companies that make up that index. Likewise, investors can track the DJIA with an index fund tied to that benchmark. If you want to cast a wider net, you could purchase a total stock market fund, which will hold thousands of stocks.
That generally means using funds for the bulk of your portfolio — Warren Buffett has famously said a low-cost S&P 500 ETF is the best investment most Americans can make — and choosing individual stocks only if you believe in the company’s potential for long-term growth.
Some of the Best ETFs for نوفمبر 2025
Trade and invest in stocks with NAGA
Investing and trading are both ways to get exposure to the best stocks of 2026. Even though both offer the potential to benefit from the financial markets, they differ fundamentally.
Invest in some of the best stocks of 2025
Investing means that you will own the physical shares of stocks and funds until you decide to sell them. When investing, you need to commit to the full value of the investment upfront. If your shares are worth more when you sell them than when you bought them, you’ll make a profit. But, if the price has declined, you’ll incur a loss. While the profit potential is technically unlimited, your losses are capped at your full initial outlay.
You might want to invest in some of the best stocks of 2025 if:
You’re interested in buying and selling assets (stocks and ETFs)
You’re focused on longer-term growth
You want to build a diversified portfolio
You want to take ownership of the underlying asset
You want to gain voting rights and dividends (if paid)
Trade some of the best stocks of 2025
Trading, on the other hand, enables you to predict share price movements without owning the underlying asset – and you can go long or short. This means that you can speculate on rising as well as falling prices. You also don’t need all the capital upfront, as you’ll trade using leverage. All you need to open a position is a small deposit called a margin. Keep in mind that leverage magnifies both potential profits and possible losses. This makes it vital that you manage your risk properly.
Do you want to practice trading? Open a NAGA demo account to trade in a risk-free environment.
You might want to trade some of the best stocks of 2025 if:
You are interested in speculating on the underlying price of the assets
You want to trade rising and falling markets – going long and short
You want to leverage your exposure
You want to take shorter-term positions
You want to hedge your portfolio
You want to trade without owning the underlying asset
Free resources
Before you start investing in the best stocks for your portfolio and needs, you should consider using the educational resources we offer like NAGA Academy or a demo trading account. NAGA Academy has lots of trading and investing courses for you to choose from, and they all tackle a different financial concept or process – like the basics of analyses – to help you become a better trader or make more informed investment decisions.
Our demo account is a suitable place for you to learn more about leveraged trading, and you’ll be able to get an intimate understanding of how CFDs work – as well as what it’s like to trade with leverage – before risking real capital. For this reason, a demo account with us is a great tool for investors who are looking to make a transition to leveraged trading.
