Hottest 3 Things Happening in the Stock Market Right Now

September has started with a bang for investors.

Author:: Brian Sozzi
Publish date:: Sep 1, 2017 10:51 AM EDT

The below plan August jobs report is boring to cover. Here's what hot.

Coca-Cola About to Make a Monster Deal?

The Coca-Cola Co. (KO) - Get Report may be working on a deal to finally swallow energy drink maker Monster Beverage Corp. (MNST) - Get Report .

At least that was the thinking of TheStreet's founder and Action Alerts PLUS portfolio manager Jim Cramer. Coca-Cola, the Atlanta-based beverage giant, has a 16.7% stake in Monster.

On his Twitter Inc. account, Cramer noted that Monster shares reached an all-time high of $56.25 on Thursday, Aug. 31, suggesting that a Coca-Cola takeover could be in the works.

Under the new leadership of CEO James Quincey, Wall Street has been anxiously awaiting Coca-Cola to make a deal that jump-starts sluggish growth. Coca-Cola closed on its transaction to acquire a 16.7% stake in Monster for $2.2 billion on June 12, 2015, so a full takeover would be a possible next step.

Read the full story here.

How much caffeine does your favorite energy drink have?

Car Sales Don't Fall Off a Cliff

General Motors Co. (GM) - Get Report sales in August increased 7.5%, blowing away analysts' expectations of a 1.9% increase for the month.

GM snagged a 0.5 point uptick in retail market share for the auto industry with a push for crossovers and SUVs that began last month. The company also improved inventory figures, ending August with an 88-day supply, down from a 104-day supply in July.

Ford Motor Co. (F) - Get Report sales in August dropped 2.1%, a narrower-than-expected decline compared to analysts' expectations of a 2.4% sales decrease.

Ford ended August with slightly higher inventory than last month, managing an 81-day supply vs. a 77-day supply in July. Truck sales were up 9.3%, but SUV sales decreased 11.3% due to fleet sales timing, Ford said.

Read full story here.

So Starts September

Here's a non-consensus view of six popular stocks that Doug Kass thinks would make great short candidates for the balance of 2017.

Amazon (AMZN) - Get Report

Amazon has been a juggernaut over the past decade, but the company now faces existential threats from political and antitrust headwinds that could inhibit its aggressive growth plans.

The shares are down some $130 from their recent peak, while Amazon is also showing technical strain.

Starbucks (SBUX) - Get Report

Slowing U.S. comparable-store sales argue that Starbucks is reaching saturation in the United States, its primary market.

Food sales are also stalling, while recently issued profit guidance looks disappointing relative to analysts' consensus estimates. The stock's recent performance has disappointed investors and Starbucks is approaching multi-month lows.

Read full story here.

Listen to what Jim Cramer said about Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Latte.

Jim Cramer and the AAP team holds a position in Starbucks for their Action Alerts PLUS Charitable Trust Portfolio. Want to be alerted before Cramer buys or sells SBUX? Learn more now.

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