The stock trading activity of members of Congress continues to be closely watched by retail investors. A senator who does not regularly buy stocks recently disclosed buying two consumer staples stocks.
Senator Buys Consumer Staples Stocks
Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) recently disclosed several stock transactions in April 2026, as reported by the Benzinga Government Trades page.
Here were the two purchases disclosed by Peters:
- April 23: Bought $1,000 to $15,000 in J.M. Smucker Co (NYSE:SJM) stock
- April 23: Bought $15,000 to $50,000 in PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP) stock
Consumer staple stocks are often purchased and do well during times of recession and when consumers are hurting financially.
While the stock market indexes are at records, Peters may be betting on higher inflation and consumers spending less on luxury items and focusing on food.
PepsiCo stock is up 6.8% year-to-date in 2026, while J.M. Smucker stock is up 3.8% year-to-date in 2026.
Peters Trading History
The recent stock purchases are rare for Peters, given his history.
The senator bought only two stocks in 2025 and bought no stocks in 2024. Peters typically discloses buying and selling of municipal securities and corporate bonds and doesn't buy as many stocks as other members of Congress.
In the past, Peters has been supportive of legislation to ban members of Congress from buying and selling stocks and other investments.
Photo: iQoncept / Shutterstock
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