Look, if you were looking for stocks with growth potential in 2024, this has been a very interesting year for the Brazilian market. Let me share some observations I made about how things unfolded.

2023 was way too intense. After that chaos with Americanas and its hidden debts and everything, we saw the stock market get a scare. But then came the good news: the fiscal framework was approved, the tax reform started to take shape, and interest rates dropped significantly. By the end of the year, everything was more positive, with the Ibovespa rising and the real recovering.

For 2024, the expectation was for a more stable year, without explosive growth but with favorable trends. The taxation of international purchases was an interesting point because it benefited domestic retail. And that’s where the story of stocks with growth potential comes in.

The sectors that drew the most attention were technology and AI. Samsung and Nvidia focusing on hardware to optimize artificial intelligence, Google expanding Bard, Microsoft with Copilot. All of this indicated that tech companies could gain significant space. Commodities were also in the spotlight, mainly due to geopolitical instabilities affecting the supply of oil and iron ore.

Now, about specific stocks. For those seeking long-term gains, Vale was a solid bet. The mining company was showing good numbers, iron ore prices were high, and there were promises of dividend yields above 8%. Isa Cteep was also reliable, an energy concessionaire with a 12% yield. And of course, Banco do Brasil, that asset everyone respects.

Small caps were more interesting for those willing to take higher risks. Smart Fit had real growth, already up 50% the previous year. PetroReconcavo also attracted interest in the oil sector. Unifique in the south of the country was consolidating after buying Vex.

But if you wanted quick gains, that was another story. Magazine Luiza was too risky but had potential. Bemobi and PRIO were names circulating among more aggressive traders. These stocks had volatility to generate quick profits but also to burn the portfolio.

The whole point was that stocks with growth potential during that period depended a lot on your profile. If you were conservative, you stuck with safe dividends. If you were willing to take risks, there were opportunities in small caps and recovery companies. And if you were really aggressive, there were those more volatile assets that could explode or plummet.

My advice? The most important thing was to define what kind of portfolio made sense for you because each approach required a different strategy. You couldn’t apply the same logic everywhere. Growth potential stocks exist in various segments, but timing and selection depend heavily on where you want to direct your capital.