I've been observing how the markets have evolved since 2024, and there's something interesting worth analyzing: which were really the best-performing stocks and what we can learn from that.

Back in 2024, when the markets were in an upward phase and inflation was starting to ease, many wondered which stocks to buy. I was also on that search, so I thoroughly reviewed the most solid candidates of the moment.

Alphabet always seemed like a fascinating case to me. With that 58% appreciation year after year and its aggressive move into AI with Gemini, the company had all the numbers in its favor. What caught my attention was its P/E ratio of 29, quite a bit lower than the sector average that exceeded 35. That indicated real room for growth. Its over $77 billion in free cash flow gave it the financial flexibility to innovate without worries. The 11% increase in revenue from the previous quarter showed that the business model remained robust.

Nvidia was another case I couldn't ignore. With nearly 90% market share in AI chips, its position was virtually dominant. The 239% growth in 2023 was spectacular, and although 2024 started more moderate with that initial 15%, the technical momentum remained very strong. GPUs continued to be in high demand, and its expansion into gaming and automotive solidified its fundamentals.

Then there was Novo Nordisk, which surprised me quite a bit. The anti-obesity drug sector wasn't something many were clearly seeing at that time. But the numbers spoke for themselves: 57% growth in 2023, and the projected market of $44 billion by 2030 was huge. With Ozempic as its star product and a portfolio diversifying into hemophilia and Alzheimer's, the company was well positioned.

Berkshire Hathaway represented the opposite: stability. Warren Buffett with his conservative approach, $157 billion in cash, and that beta of 0.64, meaning less volatility than the overall market. The 25% growth in 2023 was solid without being spectacular, but the point was resilience.

Broadcom also deserved attention. The 108% in 2023 was impressive, but what really mattered was its strategic move: the acquisition of VMware. That shifted them beyond pure semiconductors into enterprise software, diversifying risk. The $36 billion in revenue in 2023 and projections of 40% growth for 2024 were serious.

Now, if someone wondered which stocks to buy in that context, the key was understanding your investment horizon. For those playing short-term, CFDs offered volatility to take advantage of, especially with central bank moves and geopolitical events. But it required discipline: clear stop-loss orders, constant analysis, risk management.

For those thinking medium and long-term, the strategy was different. You had to look for companies with solid fundamentals, credible projections, and diversify. Concentrating everything in a single stock was risky; spreading across various sectors and company sizes made much more sense.

The lesson I see now, looking back from 2026, is that those 2024 analyses captured real trends. AI, health, technology, semiconductors... those sectors remained relevant. The important thing was not to get carried away by daily fluctuations but to focus on the long-term trend.

If someone today wonders which stocks to buy or how to build a portfolio, the principles remain the same: rigorous analysis, diversification, patience, and alignment with real global trends.