Top 5 Industrial Conglomerate Stocks To Invest In Right Now

Top 5 Industrial Conglomerate Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Smiths Group PLC (SMGKF.PK)

Smiths Group plc is a technology company. It has five divisions: Smiths Detection, Smiths Medical, John Crane, Smiths Interconnect and Flex-Tek. The Company and its subsidiaries develop, manufacture, sale and support advanced security equipment, including trace detection, millimeter-wave, infrared, biological detection and diagnostics; mechanical seals, seal support systems, engineered bearings, power transmission couplings and specialist filtration systems, and medical devices aligned to specific therapies, principally airway, pain and temperature management, and vascular access. It also develops, manufactures, sells and supports specialized electronic and radio frequency products for the global wireless telecommunications, aerospace, defense, space, medical, rail, test and industrial markets, and engineered components, including ducting, hose assemblies and heating elements. In May 2011, it acquired the entire issued share capital of SDBR Comercio De Equipamentos De Seguanc a LTDA. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Daniel Lauchheimer]

  Currently, three main companies supply security equipment to the TSA - Safran (SAFRY.PK), Smiths (SMGKF.PK), and Level-3 Holdings (LLL). All three of these companies sell the whole range of their products to the TSA, with an ETD offering included. Recently, however, a new company, Implant Sciences Corporation (IMSC.PK) received approval from the TSA to begin selling their ETD equipment to airport security professionals. This approval has opened the door for IMSC to begin taking some market share away from the more established players in the US and beyond.

source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.seekpennystocks.com/top-5-industrial-conglomerate-stocks-to-invest-in-right-now.html

Canada’s Key LNG Players Form an Alliance

Last week's announcement of Russia's USD400 billion deal to export its natural gas to China has global liquefied natural gas (LNG) players scrambling.

The good news, as we noted last week, is that as staggering as the numbers are, the 30-year contract between Russia's state-controlled OAO Gazprom and the state-owned China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) will fulfill just 9 percent of projected Chinese gas demand by the time natural gas starts flowing through East Siberian pipelines toward the end of this decade.

And the Chinese are shrewd enough to know that the Russians are only as dependable as current exigencies allow. In other words, they understand the importance of diversification when it comes to meeting the country's critical energy demands. So while Canada's political and regulatory process is proceeding at a glacial pace, the country's relative stability is a welcome complement to its resource riches.

Besides China, the Asia-Pacific region includes other major consumers of natural gas, including Japan, South Korea, India and Malaysia, all of which will need Canadian LNG.

Still, this landmark deal means the LNG market just got even more competitive than it was already. And there's a real possibility that Canada could squander some of its advantages if politics continue to get in the way.

Fortunately, the companies involved in developing Canada's LNG export infrastructure are now even more motivated to do what it takes to expedite the approval process. To that end, the companies behind four of coastal province British Columbia's largest LNG export projects have formed the B.C. LNG Developers Alliance to lobby the government for sensible policymaking, help each other navigate the thorny approval process, and avoid duplicate efforts when it comes to the infrastructure itself.

According to The Globe and Mail, the group's four members are: Petronas-led Pacific No! rthWest LNG, Shell Canada Energy-led LNG Canada, BG Group PLC's Prince Rupert LNG, and the Kitimat LNG project, which is co-owned by the Canadian units of Chevron Corp and Apache Corp.

Three smaller LNG projects are also considering joining the group. The alliance might also team with the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers on issues related to drilling for natural gas.

For now, the fledgling group is not quite yet in launch mode. According to a representative from Kitimat LNG, alliance members are still working out the details involving governance, while staff need to be hired, including a leader, who will act as spokesperson for the group, as well as outside consultants.

The companies hope that by working together they'll be able to more easily secure the imprimatur of key constituencies, such as First Nations groups, environmentalists and labor unions, among others. Outreach efforts will include an LNG literacy program to address the sort of misconceptions that have hindered the approval process for other energy infrastructure projects, such as Enbridge's Northern Gateway pipeline.

And once they receive the blessing of these various groups, the companies behind these LNG projects could also negotiate with the provincial government as a collective entity, instead of on a one-on-one basis. There's a solid precedent for the collective approach, as it apparently helped facilitate the negotiations that led to the development of Alberta's oil sands.

Additionally, as these projects are approved, the alliance will also work toward ensuring a steady supply of skilled labor is available for both construction and operation, as labor shortages have plagued past ramp-ups in the energy sector.

According to a report issued last year by the B.C. Natural Gas Workforce Strategy Committee, LNG exports will require more than 100,000 new skilled workers: about 60,000 to build gas liquefaction plants starting in 2016 and 75,000 workers to operate them after they’! re built.!

Finally, LNG project stakeholders may even broker the sharing of certain pipelines, which would not only save on construction costs, but also help speed the approval process.

Nevertheless, the political and regulatory process remains formidable. And this likely means that only a few of the 14 LNG projects that have filed for export licenses with the country's National Energy Board will ever become operational.

For instance, according to Canada's Business News Network, Calgary-based investment bank Peters & Co Ltd believes that just one LNG export plant will be operational by the end of this decade, with "maybe" two on line by 2025.

AltaCorp Capital Inc notes that Petronas' Pacific NorthWest LNG and Shell Canada Energy's LNG Canada are the two presumptive leaders at the moment, though this could very well change, particularly if the provincial tax and compliance regime becomes so onerous that companies decide it's no longer economic to pursue these projects.

LNG projects must appease the provincial government, as well as the aforementioned constituencies, which enjoy considerable political clout. The B.C. government estimates the LNG industry will create at least 75,000 new jobs in the province, while it hopes taxes and royalties will help fund a CAD100 billion prosperity fund. At the same time, it hopes to allay the concerns of First Nations groups, as well as ensure that these projects are in compliance with stringent environmental regulations.

All of these demands add up. Companies investing in these massive multi-billion-dollar LNG projects must not only enjoy a rate of return that justifies their risk, but Asian buyers of LNG are becoming increasingly adamant that contracted commodities be delivered on time and within budget, as they've seen other developed-world energy projects hit by huge cost overruns.

The energy industry has already balked at the B.C. government's proposed tax of 7 percent on the income from LNG facilities after th! e recover! y of capital costs. That's just the latest tax on top of many others already proposed or in existence. And the resulting thicket of taxes has created extraordinary complexity for which the government still needs to provide clarity. That's not expected to happen until the B.C. legislature's fall session, at the earliest.

That timing is crucial, as Petronas is expected to make its final investment decision by year-end. And while the CEO's tough talk at a Vancouver energy conference last week may be just another negotiating tactic, there's definitely a point at which it will no longer make sense for the company to commit further resources to Canadian LNG.

Canada's federal government certainly is in favor of developing the country's LNG export market. And British Columbia clearly sees significant benefits for the province as well. But the provincial government is going to have to shake off its bureaucratic malaise by moving faster and making more concessions, or it will risk killing the golden goose.

First Take: Weak 1Q growth points to 2Q rebound

A quarterly contraction in the economy can set off anxiety-ridden thoughts of recession.

Take a breath and lighten up. The economy's 1% decline in the pace of growth last quarter will likely lead to a sharper bounce-back in the current quarter, economists say.

First of all, much of the shrinking economy was the result of sharply slower inventory-building by businesses, a development that was at least partly weather related. If not for the tepid stockpiling, the economy would have grown about 0.6% instead of contracting 1%.

REVISED GDP: Eonomy shrank at 1% annual pace in 1Q

EMPLOYMENT: Weekly jobless claims sink near 2007 low

Manufacturers try to match the parts they purchase and the products they make to anticipated sales. In the second half of last year, companies aggressively ramped up production and built up inventories, leading many economists to expect a snap-back effect in the first quarter.

Best Small Cap Companies To Buy Right Now

But Jim O'Sullivan, chief U.S. economist of High Frequency Economics, says inventories matched up with sales pretty closely late last year. In the first quarter, meanwhile, final sales to consumers, business, governments and others were weak, rising 0.6%. But the increase in inventories was far weaker.

While the slowdown in part was payback for the aggressive stockpiling last year, O'Sullivan believes harsh winter weather halted factory production even more than it crimped sales. Many manufacturers, in fact, reported that snowstorms had shuttered factories.

As a result, manufacturers churned out far fewer widgets, even fewer than what was warranted by the modest sales activity. Auto dealerships, for example, had far fewer cars sitting on their lots in the first quarter than in October through December, the Commerce Department said Thursday.

Economists, in turn, expect manufacturers and retailers to build up their stoc! ks in the current quarter more than they previously estimated to meet solid sales activity and to make up for the unexpectedly small additions in the first three months of the year.

Weather also impacted other sectors last quarter. Non-residential construction fell 7.5% and home building was down 5%.

And state and local government spending dipped 1.8%, vs. the 1.3% initially reported.

While not all of the declines can be chalked up to weather, much of it can be, economists say.

"The first-quarter contraction was quite obviously due to the unusually severe winter," says Paul Ashworth of Capital Economics.

And that means that construction of new homes and warehouses put off early this year is likely occurring in the current quarter.

O'Sullivan expects the economy to grow 4% in the second quarter, while many economists expect growth of 3% the rest of the year, up from the roughly 2% pace so far in the recovery.

Top 5 Performing Stocks To Watch Right Now

Top 5 Performing Stocks To Watch Right Now: Velti plc(VELT)

Velti plc provides mobile marketing and advertising solutions for mobile operators, ad agencies, brands, and media groups. The company?s Mobile Marketing Platform (MMP) helps businesses to plan, execute, monitor, and measure mobile marketing or advertising campaigns on various digital delivery channels, including Internet sites, SMS and MMS, mobile TV, mobile communities, mobile applications, location-based services, and mobile social networking. Its MMP also helps in the creation of mobile Websites, portals, blogs, content, iPhone applications, branded games, and mobile widgets; and in the mobile marketing through mobile clubs, mobile content, contests, couponing, alerts and tips, photo/text to screen, green screen, and image remix applications. In addition, MMP offers Mobile CRM solutions that help in the creation and management of mobile communities, mobile broadcasts, member management, segment management, member rewards, multichannel registration, and advanced profil ing. It has operations in Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Asia. The company was founded in 2000 and is based in London, the United Kingdom.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Another under-$10 name that's quickly moving within range of triggering a big breakout trade is Velti (VELT), which provides mobile marketing and advertising technology solutions that enable brands, advertising agencies, and mobile operators to implement interactive and measurable campaigns by communicating with and engaging consumers via their mobile devices. This stock has been destroyed by the bears so far in 2013, with shares off sharply by 91%.

  If you take a look at the chart for Velti, you'll notice that this stock recently gapped down big from over $1 a share to 33 cents per share with monster downside volume. Following that gap down, s! hares of VELT have started to consolidate and move sideways between 33 cents per share on the downside and 44 cents per share on the upside. Shares of VELT are spiking sharply higher on Thursday above some near-term support at 35 cents per share. That move is pushing this stock within range of triggering a big breakout trade above the upper-end of its recent sideways trading chart pattern.

  Market players should now look for long-biased trades in VELT if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance at 44 cents per share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above that level with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 2.02 million shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then VELT could easily explode higher and potentially re-test its gap down day high from August at 66 cents per share.

  Traders can look to buy VELT off weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some key near-term support levels at 35 cents to 33 cents per share. One can also buy VELT off strength once it clears 44 cents per share with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-5-performing-stocks-to-watch-right-now-2.html

Top Mid Cap Stocks To Invest In Right Now

Top Mid Cap Stocks To Invest In Right Now: InterDigital Inc.(IDCC)

Interdigital, Inc. engages in the design and development of digital wireless technology solutions. The company offers technology solutions for use in digital cellular and wireless products and networks, including 2G, 3G, 4G, and IEEE 802-related products and networks. It holds patents related to the fundamental technologies that enable wireless communications. The company licenses its patents to equipment producers that manufacture, use, and sell digital cellular and IEEE 802-related products; and licenses or sells mobile broadband modem solutions, including modem IP, know-how, and reference platforms to mobile device manufacturers, semiconductor companies, and other equipment producers that manufacture, use, and sell digital cellular products. InterDigital?s solutions are incorporated in various products comprising mobile devices, such as cellular phones, tablets, notebook computers, and wireless personal digital assistants; wireless infrastructure equipment, such as base stations; and components, dongles, and modules for wireless devices. The company was founded in 1972 and is headquartered in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Holly LaFon]

  The most disappointing investment in the portfolio for 2013 was InterDigital (IDCC). This stock declined approximately 28% during the year, despite posting roughly 25% operating margins. Our thesis on IDCC is that the company should benefit from its wireless technology patents as more smartphones and mobile tablets are connected to the in ternet. IDCC creates wireless technology, applies for patents for the technology it creates, and then licenses its technology to manufacturers who produce the aforementioned products. In the past, Nokia, Samsung, Apple, LG, and many other manufacturers hav e licensed the company's technology to use in their ! products and paid IDCC royalties.

• [By James E. Brumley]

  Endeavor IP isn't the only publicly-traded intellectual property enforcement company out there. It is, however, the only one to focus on quality over quantity. Whereas other players like patent portfolio names like InterDigital, Inc. (NASDAQ:IDCC) and Vringo, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRNG) will literally buy patents by the hundreds - perhaps sometimes without even knowing what some of those patents even cover - in an effort to arm itself with any and every possible patent for any and every contingency. Most are likely worthless, which means companies like InterDigital or Vringo may have wasted shareholder money by buying IP that isn't capable of bearing revenue.

source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-mid-cap-stocks-to-invest-in-right-now-2.html

Defense seeks lenient sentence for Martoma

NEW YORK — Lawyers for Mathew Martoma have asked a federal judge to impose a lenient sentence on the former SAC Capital trader for his conviction on what prosecutors called history's most profitable insider-trading conspiracy.

Martoma, an ex- financial lieutenant to billionaire hedge fund executive Steven Cohen, deserves punishment less harsh than the 15.7-year to 19.6-year prison term proposed by probation officials, defense attorney Richard Strassberg argued in legal memo filed late Tuesday.

Calling such punishment "irrational," Strassberg argued the recommendation was wrongly based on total SAC Capital gains from the insider trading, rather than Martoma's personal profits.

The attorney urged U.S. District Court Judge Paul Gardephe to weigh Martoma's devotion to his family and history of helping others. He also argued against any financial fines, and filed more than 100 support letters from the former trader's relatives and friends.

"Mr. Martoma is not perfect, but he is a good man," wrote Strassberg. "To prevent a sentence disparity; to recognize his lower level of culpability relative to other insider trading cases; to credit his lifetime of volunteer and charitable work ... we respectfully request leniency in his sentence."

Top Up And Coming Companies To Watch In Right Now

Martoma, 40, was convicted in February of conspiracy and two counts of securities fraud. Prosecution evidence showed he ingratiated himself with two doctors who gave him secret and disappointing information from tests on an experimental drug to treat Alzheimer's disease.

Martoma then called Cohen, setting in motion an SAC Capital sell-off that allegedly generated $276 million in profits gained and losses avoided, prosecutors charged.

The verdict, handed up by a seven-woman, five-man jury in Manhattan federal court, theoretically means the Florida father of three faces up to five ! years in prison term on the conspiracy count, and up to 20 years on each securities fraud charge. But the sentencing decision rests with Gardephe, who presided over the nearly month-long trial.

Federal prosecutors are scheduled to file their punishment recommendation before Martoma's scheduled June 10 sentencing.

Martoma was the eighth SAC Capital employee found guilty on insider-trading charges. The convictions played a central role in the hedge fund's guilty plea to similar charges in a record $1.8 billion November settlement that permanently bars it from handling investments for outsiders.

Martoma, who did not testify at trial, maintained he did nothing wrong. But prosecutors charged he obtained an illegal trading edge between 2006 and 2008 by getting secret evidence from drug trials on a drug being developed by pharmaceutical firms Elan and Wyeth.

Dr. Sidney Gilman, an Alzheimer's disease expert and the prosecution's star witness, told jurors he met regularly with Martoma through a company that linked matched financial professionals with expert researchers. Gilman, who chaired the safety monitoring committee for the Alzheimer's drug trial, admitted he gave inside information to Martoma because he came to regard the trader as a friend.

Dr. Joel Ross, a clinical investigator on the drug trial, similarly testified that he shared confidential information from the drug testing with Martoma.

Martoma's defense focused on challenging both doctors' credibility and accuracy. In particular, cross-examination questioning by Strassberg showed Gilman initially had no recollection of a key meeting in his University of Michigan office to discuss the drug trial results.

But federal prosecutors presented records of cell phone calls and other evidence that appeared to buttress the testimony of Gilman and Ross.

Cohen was not charged in the case ​— though Gilman testified that federal investigators once told him the SAC Capital founder was their ultimate target.

! Cohen ins! tead faces an administrative proceeding by the Securities and Exchange Commission for allegedly failing to provide proper supervision of Martoma and other employees who became involved in insider trading.

Why Pandora Looks Like A Dead-Money Investment

The number of companies which offer a music subscription or internet radio service seems to be growing larger every day. There's Pandora (P), which has proven to be exceptionally popular with its free ad-supported model and an ad-free subscription service. Then there's Spotify, which has a much larger library than Pandora and also offers a free ad-supported version. Pandora has about three times as many active users as Spotify does, but the company has also been around a lot longer. There's also iHeartRadio, which allows you to stream live radio, and the smaller Slacker Radio.

Here comes Google

This already crowded space got a new competitor recently as Google launched the Google Play Music All Access service. This new service is similar to Spotify, where users pay $10 per month to be able to stream an unlimited number of songs. But Google introduces some unique features, like the ability to merge your personal music library with the streaming catalog. This allows you to listen to songs which you already own in addition to Google's catalog all in the same place. The service also has a radio feature similar to Pandora's, where playlists are automatically generated.

Top Services Companies To Invest In Right Now

The benefit that Google has is its already large and ubiquitous ecosystem of products and services. With Android being the dominant OS in the mobile space integrating the new music service into Google Play gives the service a big advantage over the competition.

The problem with online music

Any business model which involves paying royalties to content owners in order to serve that content is not a very attractive one. A huge portion of the revenue which these companies generate is spent on royalties, and that fact is unlikely to change anytime soon. This means that profits, if they exist at all, will necessarily be small.

Pandora and Spotify pay royalties in different ways. While Spotify negotiates directly with the content owners Pandora pays a royalty rate which is determined by the federal government. So every time Pandora plays a song it must pay a fraction of a cent in royalties, and this is the reason that the company limits its free service to 40 hours per month.

Pandora's struggles

Most of Pandora's revenue comes from selling advertisements, but thus far costs have grown just as fast as revenue. In the most recent quarter revenue jumped by an impressive 54% year-over-year but operating income fell from $-8 million to $-14 million as costs rose. This is a fundamental problem with the business model which will not go away unless federal laws are reformed.

Buying Pandora stock essentially boils down to a gamble on the actions of the federal government regarding royalty rates. You're paying $2.8 billion for a company that is not profitable and will likely never be profitable unless laws are changed. And even if royalty rates come down Pandora faces an onslaught of competition. Pandora only has about 900,000 songs in its library compared to Spotify's 20 million, putting it at a major disadvantage.

What about Apple?

Apple (AAPL) has been long rumored to be working on a music streaming service. Apple's iTunes remains popular, with the service passing the 25 billion songs mark in February. But with Google launching a service it's likely only a matter of time before Apple joins the fray. Recently rumors have emerged suggesting that Apple is close to an agreement with Universal Music Group, the largest of the major record companies, on a streaming deal.

Apple's goal with the service will be similar to Google's - locking people into the companies' respective ecosystems. Apple's service will likely have some sort of iTunes integration, meaning that users of iTunes with considerable libraries will have a reason to choose Apple over the competition. Competing with both Google and Apple in an industry like this is not exactly a recipe for success.

The bottom line

Pandora is in a world of trouble. Not only is its current business model unable to turn a profit, competition from Google and likely Apple along with the current competition from companies like Spotify puts Pandora's future in jeopardy. Investing in Pandora is almost certainly a huge mistake.

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The Next 'Fiscal Cliff' Is Coming: 2 Stocks To 'Government-Proof' Your Portfolio

The U.S. Treasury will run out of money sometime in mid-October, and Congress won't return from its August vacation until Sept. 9. In addition to the debt ceiling, lawmakers still haven't passed a budget, and a government shutdown could derail the economy.

If you've just had a touch of deja vu, it's not because you are trapped in a Hitchcock thriller. It's because we've been here before -- and the consequences of political theater are coming back to haunt the markets.

Going into the last quarter of 2012, the buildup to the debt ceiling and "fiscal cliff" expiration in January sent the markets reeling. Between Sept. 14 and Nov. 15 last year, the S&P 500 index plunged 7.7% on partisanship and panic.

This Time May Be Different
The drama over the last fiscal cliff eventually ended, and toward the end of the year, I argued for investors to get back in the market on signs that the economy would do just fine and that the so-called cliff was more a molehill. Stocks are now up 16.5% since late last year.

Before you jump back into the markets, you should be aware that the game may have changed this time around.

Now the markets are looking at slowing corporate earnings growth and a government that will probably do more harm than good in the coming months. Excluding financials, earnings actually declined 3.1% for companies in the S&P 500 in this year's second quarter. Financials did well in the quarter largely on lower loan loss reserves, artificially and unsustainably propping up their performance.

As for the government, the House of Representatives has tried 40 times to overturn the Affordable Care Act but has yet to work on a bipartisan budget proposal. Now parties are positioning their chips for political Armageddon over upcoming fiscal debates.

We've gone from investing despite the government to building a portfolio that can withstand the 535 Stooges in Congress.

At the height of the fiscal cliff scare, there were few places investors could hide. Every single sector saw losses. The Technology Select Sector SPDR (NYSE: XLK) dropped more than 12.5%, and even the Health Care Select Sector SPDR (NYSE: XLV) booked losses of 2.6% over the period.  

But a small group of stocks was able to post gains because of strong business models and government-proof earnings. Two of those stocks may be your best bet this time around.

Between Sept. 14 and Nov. 15 last year, as investors rushed to companies with solid, government-proof revenue, Family Dollar (NYSE: FDO) gained 2.6%, and Kellogg (NYSE: K) surged 7.4%.

Family Dollar's more than 7,400 stores in 45 states focus on core categories like home products and consumer staples at discount prices. Its revenue is not as cyclical as other retailers and may actually increase with people buying at the less-expensive chain during periods of economic uncertainty. Sales have increased every year over the past decade, even through the financial crisis, and have maintained a 7.8% average annual growth rate. The shares have a beta of just 0.4 which means they have been less than half as volatile as the general market.

Shares of FDO plummeted in January on a first-quarter report that missed earnings expectations by almost 8%, but the stock has rebounded as management missteps have been corrected. Even with the sell-off, the shares have matched the market's performance since mid-September and should do relatively well amid any government-inspired market weakness. The stock is approaching my $74 price target but is still a good buy as a defensive position.

Kellogg's May 2012 acquisition of Pringles has helped diversify revenue for Kellogg, which has always been dependent on its cereal business. The company now earns 23% of net sales from its snacks segment. The company still earns most (63%) of its total sales in the United States but has started to diversify to Latin America, Europe and Asia. With its ability to build brands, it wouldn't surprise me if these smaller markets were to make a strong contribution in the future.

The company recently announced a management restructuring that could help streamline decision-making. Kellogg has continued to outperform and has beaten the S&P 500 by 12% since last September. The shares have gotten a little pricey at 23.3 times trailing earnings as investors have bought into the high dividend yield and strong price performance. Any weakness in the shares could present an opportunity to add to a position as revenue growth is fairly stable and the company has extremely strong cash flow. The price still has a way to go before my $68 price target and will churn out a 2.9% dividend in the meantime.

Risks to Consider: Despite their resilience against a government-induced sell-off in stocks, these two picks still present company-specific risks that should be diversified with a portfolio of other names. Look for other names with non-cyclical and government-resistant revenues to weather the upcoming storm.

Action to Take --> You may not be able to completely avoid the losses associated with the market volatility around the coming debt ceiling or fiscal cliff negotiations, but these two stocks are a good start to a defensive position with some great potential upside.

P.S. -- Given our dysfunctional government, predicting a reprise of the fiscal cliff fiasco wouldn't have surprised anyone last year. However, our latest report, "The 11 Most Shocking Investment Predictions For 2014," could surprise you -- and earn you surprising returns. Our previous predictions have returned up to 310% gains in a year. To hear our latest, click here.

Hot Heal Care Stocks To Watch For 2015

Hot Heal Care Stocks To Watch For 2015: Silver Spring Networks Inc (SSNI)

Silver Spring Networks, Inc., incorporated on July 3, 2002, provides a networking platform and solutions that enable utilities to transform the power grid infrastructure into the smart grid. The Company's networking platform provides two-way communications between the utility back office and devices on the power grid. In addition to its networking platform, it offers a suite of solutions that run on top of its network and complementary services, all of which is referred to as its Smart Energy Platform Its service offerings include professional services to implement its products, managed services and software as a service ( SaaS), to assist utilities with managing the network and solutions, and ongoing customer support. Its Smart Energy Platform consists of hardware, software and services and combines with devices manufactured by third-party partners to form end-to-end smart grid offerings.

The Company's solutions include advanced metering, which allows u tilities to automate a number of manual processes and improve operational efficiencies, offer flexible pricing programs to consumers, and improve customer service with faster outage detection and restoration; distribution automation, which provides utilities with real-time visibility into the health of the grid, enabling better management and control of power distribution assets to improve grid reliability, and demand-side management, which enables utilities to offer consumers a variety of programs and incentives to use energy more efficiently and reduce usage at times of peak demand. The Company markets its Smart Energy Platform directly to utilities around the world. The Company's network is composed of its hardware, such as access points and relays, its UtilOS network operating system, and GridScape software suite, which together provide utilities the ability ! to communicate with and control devices connected to the power grid.

The Company also offers a sui te of solutions that run on top of its network, including ad! vanced metering, distribution automation, and demand-side management. These solutions include additional hardware, such as its communications modules and bridges, and applications from UtilityIQ and CustomerIQ software. Its solutions combine with devices from the large number of third parties with whom it collaborates to form end-to-end smart grid offerings built on its network. In addition, itoffers a range of services that enable its utility customers to deploy, operate and maintain its networking platform and solutions. These service offerings include professional services to implement its products, managed services and SaaS to assist utilities with managing the network and solutions, and ongoing customer support.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Equities Trading DOWN
  Shares of Silver Spring Networks (NYSE: SSNI) were down 23.66 percent to $17.91 after the company issued downbeat Q4 forecast. Credit Suisse downgraded the stock from Outperform to Neutral and cut the price target from $26.00 to $23.00.

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  A technology stock that's quickly moving within range of triggering a big breakout trade is Silver Spring Networks (SSNI), which provides a networking platform and solutions that enable utilities to transform the power grid infrastructure into the smart grid. This stock has been on a hot streak over the last six months, with shares up by 22%.

  If you look at the chart for Silver Spring Networks, you'll notice that this stock has been uptrending strong for the last month and change, with shares moving higher from its low of $14.63 to its recent high of $22 a share. During that uptrend, shares of SSNI have been making mostly higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of SSNI within ! range of ! triggering a big breakout trade.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in SSNI if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $22 to $22.73 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 491,731 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then SSNI will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $23.90 to its gap down day high from August at $25.25 a share. Any high-volume move above $25.25 a share will then give SSNI a chance to re-fill some of that previous gap down zone that started near $32 a share.

  Traders can look to buy SSNI off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some key near-term support at $19.01 a share, or near $18 a share. One can also buy SSNI off strength once it takes out that breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

• [By John Udovich]

  Although small cap smart metering stock Silver Spring Networks Inc (NYSE: SSNI) recently soared on earnings, it also plunged yesterday after loosing out on important contract – meaning it might be time to take a closer look at it along with other smart metering stocks like Itron, Inc (NASDAQ: ITRI) or Echelon Corporation (NASDAQ: ELON) to see if they are smart investments.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/hot-heal-care-stocks-to-watch-for-2015.html

GM recalls 218,000 Optras, Aveos for fire risk

General Motors recalled another 218,000 cars today because they might catch fire.

The automaker says it has no immediate way to fix the problem.

The recall of 218,000 Chevrolet Aveo and Chevrolet Optra subcompacts from 2004-2008 model years is because they have potentially faulty light control modules that can overheat inside the dashboard, melt and ignite.

GM said it knows of "an unspecified number of fires due to the problem," but knows of no injuries or deaths.

GM says it is "still developing a plan to fix the problem" and will provide details as soon as possible.

STORY: GM recalls 2.4M for bags, belts, shifter cables, fires

Best Restaurant Companies To Own In Right Now

STORY: Any GM cars left to recall?

The two are different vehicles, but both were built in Korea by the former Daewoo, which now is GM Korea. The Aveo was imported into the U.S. Optra was imported by GM into U.S. territories. GM and NHTSA regard them as them two separate recalls, bringing to 29 the number of recalls so far this year.

The car company has recalled 18.88 million vehicles in the U.S. so far this year, including the latest action.

GM on Tuesday recalled 2.42 million cars in the U.S. for four different potential problems involving airbags, safety belts, engine fires, transmission cablesAveo. It said then that two more recalls were imminent.

General Motors stock looked like it was poised for a bull run six months ago -- heading into the holidays, the automaker's sales were up, and so was its stock. But 29 different recalls, all since February of this year, have erased big gains. Newslook

Matador Resources: Now That’s One Way to Derail a Stock

Now that’s one way to kill a stock’s upward progress.

Getty Images

Heading into today, Matador Resources (MTDR) had gained 40% so far this year, as the competitor to Anadarko Petroleum (APC) and EOG Resources (EOG) has boosted oil & gas revenue and oil production. Make that 32% after Matador Resources announced a secondary offering.

Wunderlich’s Irene Haas doesn’t understand what the big deal is:

Matador Resources Company announced on May 22, 2014 after the market close that it has commenced an underwritten public offering of 7.5 million of its common stock. This will enable Matador to keep a second rig in the Permian Basin for the rest of 2014, while keeping a 2-rig program in the Eagle Ford shale play. Part of the proceeds will be used for acreage acquisition and participation in non-operated wells in the Haynesville trend. In the interim, Matador intends to repay outstanding borrowings under its revolving credit facility. While the deal is slightly dilutive to NAV, earnings and cash flow, it enables the company to operate for the rest of 2014 without having to raise additional money while keeping the balance sheet clean. We reiterate our Buy rating on Matador.

Shares of Matador have dropped 5.9% to $24.62 at 2:08 p.m., while Anadarko Petroleum has dipped 0.2% to $101.36 and EOG Resources has gained 0.8% to $104.50.

Barclays fined $44M for handling of gold prices

Great Britain's top financial regulator hit Barclays Bank with a nearly $44 million fine Friday over lax controls that enabled a former bank trader to make improper trades in the gold market at a customer's expense.

The Financial Conduct Authority said former trader Daniel James Plunkett "exploited the weaknesses in Barclay's systems and controls" to influence the twice-daily process in which traders from four banks set or fix the official market price for gold.

Plunkett's transactions in 2012 boosted his own trading book by $1.75 million, the FCA said. The outcome also meant London-based Barclays was not required to make a $3.9 million payment to a customer, though the bank later compensated the client in full.

In addition to the bank penalty, the FCA fined Plunkett roughly $161,000 and banned him from work involving any regulated financial activity.

The enforcement actions mark the latest public development in a worldwide crackdown on suspected manipulation of financial benchmarks used to set interest rates or prices that affect millions of consumers. Along with focusing on the gold market, investigators are probing suspected rigging of foreign-exchange currency trading and Libor, the London Interbank Offered Rate used to set rates on trillions of dollars in mortgages, credit cards and many types of loans.

"We expect all firms to look hard at their reference rate and benchmark operations to ensure this type of behavior isn't being replicated," said Tracey McDermott, the FCA's director of enforcement and financial crime. "Firms should be in no doubt that the spotlight will remain on wholesale conduct and we will hold them to account if they fail to meet our standards."

Barclays Group Chief Executive Antony Jenkins said the bank regretted the episode and has strengthened its systems and controls to prevent any recurrence.

According to the FCA, Plunkett was a director on the Barclays precious metals desk and was responsible for pricing products linked to the cost ! of precious metals and managing the bank's related financial risk.

During the 3 p.m. price-setting on June 28, 2012, Plunkett placed orders designed to increase the likelihood that the price of gold would be set below $1,558.96.

Best Valued Stocks To Invest In Right Now

The benchmark ultimately was set below that threshold, which meant Barclays didn't have to make a $3.9 million payment to a trading customer. The customer sought an explanation from the bank after learning about the updated gold price.

When Barclays relayed the customer's concerns to Plunkett, he failed to disclose that he had placed the orders. Plunkett also misled the bank and FCA investigators, the regulator said.

Barclays and Plunkett ultimately agreed to a settlement with the FCA, which agreed to impose lower financial penalties as a result.

Contributing: Associated Press

10 Best Sliver Stocks To Invest In Right Now

Chinese Internet companies aren't racing back into fashion, but naysayers are starting to clear out of the world's most populous nation.

The market exchanges are out with their latest tallies on short sales, and the number of bearish wagers as of mid-April have been falling sharply for many of the country's bellwethers.

There were just 2.2 million shares of Dangdang (NYSE: DANG  ) sold short. That's a 52-week low for the Chinese e-tailer, and well below the 9.6 million shares that were sold short in May of last year. SINA (NASDAQ: SINA  ) also clocked in with a new low. There were just 1.8 million shares in bearish wagers against the online portal behind the Twitter-like SINA Weibo platform. There were 9 million shares sold short 10 months ago. Renren (NYSE: RENN  ) came in at 3.8 million shares sold short, near its low of 3.1 million just two weeks earlier. There were 24.9 million shares of Renren borrowed by skeptics of the leading social networking website operator in May of last year.

The exodus isn't universal. Youku Tudou (NYSE: YOKU  ) �had 11.2 million shorted shares as of mid-April. The leading video streaming website hasn't had this many naysayers since late last year.

10 Best Sliver Stocks To Invest In Right Now: S&W Seed Company(SANW)

S&W Seed Company engages in contracting the production of alfalfa seed varieties, processing the seeds, and marketing the certified seed to agribusiness firms and farmers worldwide. It also involves in the production of stevia leaf. The company primarily offers high fall dormancy (FD) alfalfa seed varieties, as well as markets and sells other varieties, including FD 7, 6, and 4 varieties. It sells the seed primarily to dealers and distributors who, in turn, sell primarily to hay and dairy farmers who grow hay for dairy cattle and other livestock; and through brokers. The company was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in Five Points, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Glenwoods]

  �PureCircle does not grow its own product, but is more of a holding company as it contracts farms scattered around the globe to grow stevia to certain specifications.� One such farm is the S&W SEED Co. (NASDAQ:SANW).� Toward the end of 2011, PureCircle, with a goal of developing stevia in the U.S. for the U.S market, entered into a five-year agreementwith the California-based grower of high-yield alfalfa seeds, to grow stevia to the company�� specifications.� Unfortunately the results have not matched expectationsas reported by S&W Seed:

10 Best Sliver Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Sino-Global Shipping America Ltd.(SINO)

Sino-Global Shipping America, Ltd., through its subsidiaries, provides shipping agency services for foreign ships coming to and departing from Chinese ports. Its services include preparing documents, husbanding vessels, working through customs issues, coordinating matters with port authorities, overseeing and settling cargo claims, tracking shipments, recommending trucking, warehousing, and complementary services. The company offers these services for bulk and break-bulk general cargo, and vehicle transport, as well as raw materials, such as crude oil, oil products, iron, manganese, and other metal ores in 76 ports in the People?s Republic of China. Sino-Global Shipping America, Ltd. was founded in 2001 and is based in Flushing, Virginia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By James E. Brumley]

  The recent strength from Sino-Global Shipping America, Ltd. (NASDAQ:SINO) and the now-renewed strength from Safe Bulkers, Inc. (NYSE:SB) would suggest those two stocks are among the very best ways to play the rebound currently unfurling in the shipping sector. And to be fair, both are fine companies in their own right. The top play in the dry goods maritime shipping arena, however, may well be Diana Shipping Inc. (NYSE:DSX). No, DSX isn't one of the fun and exciting small caps in the maritime shipping space. But, there's a lot to be said for size and stability, which SB and SINO can't offer.

Best New Stocks To Watch Right Now: Rutter Inc (RUT)

Rutter Inc. (Rutter) focuses on providing technologies and manufacturing solutions. The Company supplies technologies to improve efficiency and safety in the marine, defense, transportation, oil and gas sectors. The Company produces and globally markets enhanced radar systems, including oil spill detection, ice navigator, small target detection and wave-monitoring systems. The Company also offers a full range of outsource manufacturing services including: product engineering and design; materials management; manufacturing; sub-assembly; systems integration; project management; testing; logistics and documentation and provides full cycle customer support for all Company products and selected third party components/products that it manufactures under contract. Rutter�� sigma S6 radar signal processing products are designed to enable end users to detect and track objects which would not be visible with conventional radar equipment only. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Carla Mozée]

  U.S. stocks closed Monday�� session higher, led by small-cap and tech companies. Analysts noted that Wall Street�� trading volumes were the third-lowest this year, saying an absence of ��ad news��helped support gains. Among key benchmarks, the Nasdaq Composite (COMP) �rose 0.9%, and the Russell 2000 (RUT) index of small stocks ended 1% higher.

• [By Anora Mahmudova]

  The Russell 2000 index of small-cap stocks (RUT) � fell 32.30 points, or 2.8%, to 1,127.66. Panic-selling was evident from the jump in the volatility. The CBOE Vix index (VIX) � of implied volatility on the S&P 500 jumped 15% to nearly 16.

• [By Victor Reklaitis]

  Meanwhile, the Russell 2000 index (RUT) , a gauge of small-cap stocks, was up 20.88 points, or 1.9%, at 1,099.97. Some eyebrows were raised Wednesday when the Russell diverged, ending lower as the S&P 500 gained ground. The Russell, however, outpaced the S&P 500 on Friday, though it still slightly underperformed for the week, gaining 0.4%.

10 Best Sliver Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Provectus Pharmaceuticals Inc (PVCT)

Provectus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., incorporated on May 1, 1978, is a development-stage pharmaceutical company that is primarily engaged in developing ethical pharmaceuticals for oncology and dermatology indications. The Company develops and focuses to license or market and sells its two prescription drug candidates, PV-10 and PH-10. The Company has transferred all its intellectual property related to over the counter (OTC) products and non-core technologies to its subsidiaries and designated, such subsidiaries as non-core to its primary business of developing its oncology and dermatology prescription drug candidates. The Company focuses on developing its prescription drug candidates PV-10 and PH-10. The Company is developing PV-10 for treatment of several life threatening cancers, including metastatic melanoma, liver cancer, and breast cancer. The Company is developing PH-10 to provide minimally invasive treatment of chronic severe skin afflictions such as psoriasis and atopic dermatitis, a type of eczema. All of the Company's prescription drug candidates are in either the pre-clinical or clinical trial stage.

PV-10

As of December 31, 2011, the Company is developing PV-10, a sterile injectible form of rose bengal disodium (Rose Bengal), for direct injection into tumors. Its PV-10 is retained in diseased or damaged tissue but dissipates from healthy tissue. The Company had conducted Phase I and Phase IIstudies of PV-10 for the treatment of metastatic melanoma, and Phase I studies of PV-10 for the treatment of liver and breast cancers.

PH-10

The Company�� prescription drug candidate PH-10 is an aqueous hydrogel formulation of Rose Bengal for topical administration to the skin. The Company is developing PH-10 for the treatment of cutaneous skin disorders, specifically psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. In August 2011, the Company completed follow-up of all Phase IIc patients.

Over-the-Counter Pharmaceuticals

The Company had desi! gnated its subsidiary that holds its OTC products, GloveAid and Pure-ific, Pure-Stick, Pure N Clear as non-core. The Company�� GloveAid is a hand cream with both antiperspirant and antibacterial properties, for the comfort of users��hands during and after the wearing of disposable gloves. Its Pure-ific line of products includes two quick-drying sprays, Pure-ific and Pure-ific Kids, that immediately kill up to 99.9% of germs on skin and prevent regrowth for six hours. Pure-ific products prevent the spread of germs and thus complement its other OTC products designed to treat irritated skin or skin conditions, such as acne, eczema, dandruff and fungal infections. Its Pure-ific sprays have been designed with convenience in mind and are targeted towards mothers, travelers, and anyone concerned about the spread of sickness-causing germs.

The Company�� acne products Pure-Stick and Pure N Clear work by decreasing the production of fats, oils and sweat that create an environment conducive to unchecked growth of bacteria. Secondly, the products also act to reduce the number bacteria already present. The Pure-Stick and Pure N Clear are applied topically to affected areas there are no safety concerns with healthy skin.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Luke Jacobi]

  Provectus Biopharmaceuticals (NYSE: PVCT) was also down, falling 3.38 percent to $3.01, letting out some air after the company's opening on the NYSE Friday.

10 Best Sliver Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Morgan Stanley Technology Etf (MTK)

SPDR Morgan Stanley Technology (ETF) (the Fund), formerly Morgan Stanley Technology ETF, seeks to replicate as closely as possible the performance of the Morgan Stanley Technology Index (the Index). The Fund utilizes a passive or indexing approach and attempts to approximate the investment performance of its benchmark Index, by investing in a portfolio of stocks intended to replicate the index.

The Fund�� industry breakdown includes communications equipment, software, computers and peripherals, semiconductors and semiconductor equipment, information technology (IT) services, Internet software and services, Internet and catalog retail, and electronic equipment and instruments. The Fund�� portfolio includes AMAZON.COM, INC, FIRST DATA CORP., JUNIPER NETWORKS, INC., APPLE, INC. and EMC CORP.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Selena Maranjian]

  Exchange-traded funds offer a convenient way to invest in sectors or niches that interest you. If you'd like to add some tech-heavy stocks to your portfolio, but don't have the time or expertise to hand-pick a few, the SPDR Morgan Stanley Technology ETF (NYSEMKT: MTK  ) could save you a lot of trouble. Instead of trying to figure out which companies will perform best, you can use this technology ETF to invest in lots of them simultaneously.
  
  The basics
  ETFs often sport lower expense ratios than their mutual fund cousins. The technology ETF's expense ratio -- its annual fee -- is a relatively low 0.50%. The fund is fairly small, too, so if you're thinking of buying, beware of possibly large spreads between its bid and ask prices. Consider using a limit order if you want to buy in.

10 Best Sliver Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Woolworths Ltd (WOW)

Woolworths Limited is an Australia-based company. The Company operates in five segments: Australian Food and Liquor, New Zealand Supermarkets, Petrol, BIG W and Hotels. Australian Food and Liquor segment is engaged in the procurement of food and liquor and products for resale to customers in Australia. New Zealand Supermarkets segment is engaged in the procurement of food and liquor and products for resale to customers in New Zealand. Petrol segment is engaged in the procurement of petroleum products for resale to customers in Australia. BIG W segment is engaged procurement of discount general merchandise products for resale to customers in Australia. Hotels segment is engaged in the provision of leisure and hospitality services, including food and alcohol, accommodation, entertainment and gaming. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jonathan Burgos]

  Woolworths Ltd. (WOW) dropped 1.6 percent to A$33.22 after Australia�� largest retailer said challenging economic condition were evident in the second quarter.

10 Best Sliver Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Peregrine Pharmaceuticals Inc.(PPHM)

Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, engages in the research and development of monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of cancer and viral infections. Its products under development include bavituximab, a phosphatidylserine-targeting antibody, which is in Phase II trials for the treatment of front-line and second-line non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and pancreatic cancer; and Cotara, a DNA/histone-targeting antibody that is in Phase II trial for the treatment of recurrent glioblastoma multiforme. The company is also developing bavituximab in combination with ribavirin, which is in Phase II clinical trial for the treatment of patients with genotype-1 hepatitis C virus infection. In addition, it has investigator-sponsored trial programs that evaluate bavituximab for the treatment of patients with liver cancer, second-line castration resistant prostate cancer, HER-2 negative metastatic breast cancer, and locally advanced or metasta tic NSCLC. Further, the company, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Avid Bioservices, Inc., provides integrated current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) commercial and clinical manufacturing services in the United States, including contract manufacturing of antibodies, recombinant proteins, and enzymes; cell culture development; process development; and testing of biologics for biopharmaceutical and biotechnology companies under cGMP. It has licensing agreements with the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center; Merck KGaA; SuperGen, Inc.; and Affitech A/S. Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. intends to sell its products in the United States and internationally in collaboration with marketing partners or through a direct sales force. The company was founded in 1981 and is based in Tustin, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  Peregrine Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: PPHM  ) is an upstart biotech targeting the treatment and diagnosis of cancer through monoclonal antibodies. It has a potential winner in its lead candidate that will begin its telltale phase 3 clinical trial later this year.

• [By Sean Williams]

  What: Shares of Peregrine Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: PPHM  ) , a biopharmaceutical company developing monoclonal antibodies to treat cancer, jumped as much as 19% after the company reported final data on its mid-stage second-line non-small cell lung cancer drug, Bavituximab, at the annual American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting.

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  I went out on a limb last week, and now it's time to see how that decision played out.

  I predicted that Noodles & Co. (NASDAQ: NDLS  ) would close lower on the week. After seeing the fresh IPO more than double and command a $1.3 billion market cap far sooner than its fundamentals should allow, I figured it would be in for reality check. A negative Barron's piece kicked off the week in the seemingly appropriate bearish tone, but the shares did start to claw their way back later in the week. It wasn't enough. The shares fell 3% on the week. I was right. I predicted that the tech-heavy Nasdaq would outperform the Dow Jones Industrial Average. (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) . This has been a tricky call lately, so how did it play out this time? Well, the market closed nicely higher this week. The Nasdaq moved 3.5% higher, and the Dow managed to close just 2.2% higher. I was right. My final call was for Peregrine Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: PPHM  ) to beat Wall Street's income estimates in its latest quarter. The upstart biotech tackling cancer through monoclonal antibodies has been posting blowout quarterly results over the past year, and I was banking on seeing the trend continue. Analysts were looking for a loss of $0.06 a share during the quarter, and it came through with exactly that. It wasn't a beat, though, so I was wrong.

  Two out of three? I can do better than that.

• [By Sean Williams]

  Also gaining double digits on the week was the highly embattled Peregrine Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: PPHM  ) which rallied after the FDA approved its late-stage trial design for its second-line non-small-cell lung cancer immunotherapy, Bavituximab. While trial design approvals are rarely big news, it is in this case because mid-stage results for Bavituximab have been all over the place. At first Bavituximab demonstrated a better than doubling in progression-free survival followed weeks later by management's insistence that investors were not to trust the data. A few months later, following a review, we were told to trust the data again. This filing helps relieve some of the confusion surrounding Peregrine's mid-stage results, and hopefully its phase 3 study will be black-and-white obvious as to whether Bavituximab provides a statistically significant benefit.

10 Best Sliver Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Achillion Pharmaceuticals Inc.(ACHN)

Achillion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, engages in the discovery, development, and commercialization of treatments for infectious diseases. The company focuses on the development of antivirals for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C; and the development of antibacterials for the treatment of resistant bacterial infections. Its drug candidates for the treatment of chronic HCV include ACH-1625, a protease inhibitor, which is in phase IIa clinical trial for the treatment of chronic HCV; ACH-2684, a pangenotypic protease inhibitor, which is in phase I clinical trial for the treatment of chronic HCV infection; and NS5A inhibitors for the treatment of chronic HCV infection, including ACH-2928, which is to enter a phase I clinical trial, as well as various additional NS5A inhibitors in preclinical development. Its pipeline of product candidates also includes ACH-702 and ACH-2881 for drug resistant bacterial infections; elvucitabine for HIV infection; and AC H-1095 for HCV infection. The company was founded in 1998 and is based in New Haven, Connecticut.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lauren Pollock]

  Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Monday’s session are Achillion Pharmaceuticals Inc.(ACHN), Active Network Inc.(ACTV) and Harvest Natural Resources Inc.(HNR)

• [By Dan Carroll]

  Few biotechs were hit as hard as Achillion Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ACHN  ) this week, however. Achillion makes up around 2% of the weight of the SPDR Biotech ETF, and its 7.5% loss this week was a major reason for the fund's fall. This stock has failed to capitalize on the markets' surge this year, losing 10% year-to-date. The company only recently named a new CEO, lifting its former R&D head and chief science officer to the top job. Achillion's still in the developmental stage of its life and thus produces no revenue, and the company's cash burn makes it seem likely that more share dilution is on its way as the company looks to advance its hepatitis-C pipeline over the coming years. Until Achillion produces some meaningful results from that pipeline, this stock will remain a risky play in an already risky space.

10 Best Sliver Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Anhanguera Educacional Participacoes SA (AEDU3)

Anhanguera Educacional Participacoes SA, formerly Mehir Holdings SA, is a Brazil-based holding company engaged in the education sector. The Company provides higher graduate and postgraduate education through full time and distance learning programs. It is also engaged in the provision of preparatory courses for public competition and other specialization courses. The Company offers the academic programs, such as full time graduate, distance graduate and post-graduate courses. Additionally, the Company provides selected courses through the methodology of distance learning, including graduate, post-graduate and continuous education courses. Anhanguera Educacional Participacoes SA offers its services for working adults and operates in approximately 71 campuses and around 500 learning centers located throughout each of around the 26 Brazilian states. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ney Hayashi]

  Anhanguera Educacional Participacoes SA (AEDU3) tumbled after Brazil�� antitrust regulator signaled it may limit the education company�� merger with competitor Kroton Educacional SA. (KROT3) Lojas Renner SA (LREN3) led retailers higher after a report showed Brazil�� industrial production expanded faster than expected in October, easing concern that growth is faltering.

10 Best Sliver Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Global Dividend Opportunities Fund (ETO)

Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Global Dividend Opportunities Fund (the Fund) is a closed-end management investment company. The Fund's investment objective is to provide a high level of after-tax total return. The Fund pursues its objective by investing primarily in dividend-paying common and preferred stocks.

The Fund�� top 10 equity holdings include Freeport-McMoran Copper, Veolia Environment, Southern Copper Corp., Societe Generale, Chevron Corp., Occidental Petroleum Corp., Exelon Corp., Total SA Spon ADR, Entergy Corp. and Suncor Energy Inc. Top 10 equity holdings represented 25.3% of total investments as of April 30, 2007.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By GURUFOCUS]

  Special Purpose Funds- Eaton Vance Tax-Adv. Global Dividend Oppor. Fund (ETO) | Yield: 7.3%
  - The Gabelli Global Utility & Income Trust (GLU) | Yield: 6.2%
  - Pimco Global Stocksplus Income Fund (PGP) | Yield: 9.5%
  - LMP Real Estate Income Fund Inc. (RIT) | Yield: 7.0%

5 stocks to watch

The market's rollover Tuesday leaves us with more shorts than longs. Here are two stocks with bullish patterns, and four that look poised to continue lower.

On the long side, Alliance Fiber Optic Products Inc. (AFOP)  has held support at around 17.00 and bounced, reaching 20.43 intraday on Tuesday, before closing at 20.04. That was a gain of 35 cents, or 1.78%, on 1.1 million shares, an increase in volume. It's near resistance. It did back off 20.64, the high it had about two weeks ago, and if it can get through that, it should test 21.00, and then 24.00, my targets.

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Check out Harry's video analysis of this stock on the last page.

Why Teens Need a Summer Job

This summer's job scene for teens is shaping up to be a mixed bag. In its annual outlook, Challenger, Gray & Christmas, a global outplacement firm, expects employment among 16- to 19-year-olds to grow by about 1.36 million. That's roughly the same number of teens who found jobs last year, but 3% fewer than were added to summer payrolls in 2012.

SEE ALSO: 6 Ways College Students Can Earn Extra Cash

What's more, the participation rate of teens in the labor force, which tends to peak during summer break, has been plunging. It reached a record high of 71.8% in July 1978, reports Challenger. But by this spring, it had fallen to a near-record low of 31.7%, and the unemployment rate for teens topped 20%.

The state of the labor market in general is partially to blame. Teens are competing with recent college grads, adults who are having trouble finding higher-paying jobs and retirees looking to supplement their income. Company CEO John Challenger notes that retail stores are hiring fewer workers as more shopping moves online. Other traditional employers of teens -- fast-food joints, restaurants and movie theaters, for example -- are also cutting back.

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It's also true, says Challenger, that lots of teens have dropped out of the summer labor force to attend summer school, participate in sports or other extracurricular activities, or volunteer.

Life lessons. That's all well and good, but I can't help wondering whether teens are missing out on valuable life lessons by not holding down paying jobs. Showing up on time, taking responsibility, getting along with co-workers and supervisors, earning your own money -- and learning how to manage it -- are all critical skills, just as much as knowing how to program a computer or write a literate report.

In fact, finding a job is a skill in itself. I agree with Challenger when he says that kids need to "get out from behind the computer" and not rely as heavily on online job boards. "Many mom-and-pop stores do not advertise job openings on the Internet," he says, "nor do most families looking for babysitters, lawn mowers or house cleaners."

Based on my own experience hiring magazine staff, I always counsel young people to make personal contact whenever possible and to follow the classic advice of Mr. Miyagi in the movie The Karate Kid, when he tells Daniel always to look an opponent in the eye. For more advice, see Job-Hunting Tips for New Grads and . How Students Can Improve Their Chances of Getting a Job.

Building skills. Of course, summer extracurricular activities can be valuable. Playing sports teaches teamwork. Volunteering is a plus if you're working in an area that's related to your field of interest, says Paul McDonald, senior executive director of Robert Half International, a specialized staffing firm with offices worldwide. "It's all about building your resume," says McDonald.

Regardless of their major, college students looking to build a resume for the full-time job market should be learning technical skills -- Power Point and Excel, at a minimum -- as well as so-called soft skills, such as how to listen, write and think critically. "Knowing how to make a presentation itself sets people apart," says McDonald.

Despite the so-so labor market, top students with the right skills sometimes get multiple offers, both for summer work and for permanent jobs, says McDonald. If you're fortunate enough to find yourself in that position, he advises that you handle the situation diplomatically. When you get the first offer, be upfront; thank the employer and say you're waiting to hear from others, if that's the case. But be prepared to give an answer within two to four weeks.

And if you've accepted a job that's related to your field, don't change your mind if something else comes along. That can create ill will, and you don't want to burn any bridges. Says McDonald, "If your decision made sense, stick with it."

Jobless rates down in 43 states in April

An improving jobs climate seeped across every corner of the U.S. last month as unemployment rates fell in 43 states, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said Friday.

Highlights:

• Jobless rates in 30 states were below April's national average of 6.3%.

• Thirty-nine states plus the District of Columbia posted gains in nonfarm jobs compared with March.

• All four regions of the country showed statistically significant declines in unemployment. The West still has the highest rate at 7.0% and the South has the lowest, 5.9%. The Northeast's rate was 6.3% and the Midwest's, 6.1%.

North Dakota, whose economy has benefited from a boom in oil and natural gas production, continued to have the nation's lowest unemployment rate at 2.6%, the same as in March. Rhode Island again topped all states with the highest rate, at 8.3%, but that was 0.4 percentage point lower than in March.

Rates ticked up in only two states — in South Dakota, from 3.7% to 3.8%, and in Alabama, from 6.7% to 6.9%.

While many states now show much improved jobless rates than they had during the recession and its immediate aftermath, only North Dakota's rate has fallen to a new historical low, according to the BLS.

Nonfarm employment increased in 39 states and the District of Columbia last month, fell in 10 states and was unchanged in Nebraska.

States with the largest employment gains from March were Texas, up 64,100; California, 56,100; and Florida, 34,000. Over the past year, those three states account for 935,000 additional jobs.

Contributing: Barbara Hansen

10 Best Retail Stocks To Buy For 2015

10 Best Retail Stocks To Buy For 2015: CDC Point SpA (CDC)

CDC Point SpA is an Italy-based company engaged in the information technology (IT) sector. The Company structures its business into two main sectors: Production and Distribution of IT, and Business Value-Added. Through the Production and Distribution of IT sector, it is active in the manufacture of consumer desktop personal computers, as well as in the distribution and retail of computer hardware; peripheral equipment and accessories, such as keyboards, monitors, webcams, card readers, audio systems, voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) accessories and routers, and software products. Through the Business Value-Added sector, it provides value added services and solutions, including voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) services; video surveillance and home automation technologies; software management and e-commerce solutions, and Web services, such as domain registering, hosting, server, email, positioning on search engines and Web marketing services. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By abirk]

  The people of America are becoming more and more health conscious as obesity is growing at a great pace. As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than one third of US adults (35.7%) is obese. This point out the finger towards the fast-food industry as they are using trans fats (responsible for clogging arteries) in their products to make it more mouth watering.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/10-best-retail-stocks-to-buy-for-2015-2.html

Nordstrom, Dillard's start 2014 strong

A slew of retail first-quarter earnings announcements Thursday showed Wal-Mart, the country's largest retailer, slumping — but beleaguered J.C. Penney recovering.

Wal-Mart reported a profit decline of 5% as bad weather, poor sales abroad and cuts to food stamps sent net income down to $3.6 billion from $3.78 billion a year ago. Earnings per share fell 3.5% to $1.10, missing analyst estimates.

"Like other retailers in the United States, the unseasonably cold and disruptive weather negatively impacted U.S. sales and drove operating expenses higher than expected," said Wal-Mart CEO Doug McMillon in a statement.

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Meanwhile, J.C. Penney appears to be making a comeback a little more than a year after former CEO Ron Johnson left after an unsuccessful turnaround attempt. The retailer beat analysts' expectations with an earnings per share loss of $1.15 — analysts expected a loss of $1.26 a share — and sales up 6.3% to $2.8 billion, from $2.6 billion a year ago.

Penney shares leaped nearly 20% in after-hours trading to $10.03. The company also announced that it took out a $2.35 billion line of credit to increase liquidity during peak times such as the back-to-school and holiday shopping seasons.

"It is clear that our efforts to re-merchandise many areas of the store and revamp our messaging to the customer are taking hold," CEO Mike Ullman said in a company statement. "We expect to carry this momentum into the second quarter as we continue to position the company for long-term profitable growth."

Department stores Nordstrom and Dillard's both reported successful first quarters, with positive sales so far in 2014, the companies said Thursday.

Nordstrom's net sales grew 6.8% to $2.8 billion, compared with $2.65 billion last year. Earnings fell to $140 million from $145 million, which the company attributed to planned investments ! in technology. Earnings per share were 72 cents, beating the company's own estimates of from 60 to 70 cents.

Same-store sales, or sales at stores open at least a year, grew 3.3%, up from last year's 3.1% growth, thanks to strong performance in accessories, cosmetics and women's shoes.

Dillard's reported a gain of $2.56 per share, vs. $2.50 last year. Net income was $111.7 million, vs. $117.2 million last year. The 2013 first quarter included a net after-tax credit of $4.4 million. Total sales increased 1% to about $1.54 billion from $1.53 billion.

CEO William Dillard said in a statement that the 2% increase in same-store sales marked the 15th-consecutive quarter of positive sales.

While Wal-Mart saw same-store sales fall 1.4%, sales at the company's Neighborhood Markets, smaller stores that compete with drugstores and grocery stores, continue to climb. Sales at the Markets rose 5%, and Wal-Mart reaffirmed plans to open more. In September, Wal-Mart said it would have about 500 Neighborhood Markets by the spring of 2015, up from 290 at the time.

Penney continues to promote heavy sales, especially around holidays such as Valentine's Day and Easter, in an attempt to regain customer traffic. Ullman said that April marked the first time in more than 30 months that Penney's experienced positive store traffic.

Brian Sozzi, CEO of Belus Capital Advisors, says Penney's merchandise assortment has improved and is better displayed in stores.

"J.C. Penney stores looked visually appealing in the first quarter," he says. "Clothing was folded. Merchandise was properly ticketed."

He adds, "I think the consumer saw the old school J.C. Penney back in action, with promotions consistently in the range of 30% to 45%. "(Ullman) is taking J.C. Penney back to what he knows: heavily promoted and well merchandized."

Contributing: Roger Yu

EU ruling a stunner to U.S. Internet community

A decision by Europe's high court that individuals can have links to information they wish forgotten removed is sending shock waves through the Internet community.

"The EU wants to unleash what will be the most extensive censorship and information whitewashing push since Orwell's Big Brother," wrote Lauren Weinstein on the Privacy Forum, a privacy discussion list.

The European Court of Justice ruled on Tuesday that a Spaniard named Mario Consteja Gonzalez had the right to request removal of a link to a legal notice about his home's repossession and auction in 1998 from a Google search because it was irrelevant or outdated.

RELATED: New European ruling game-changing for U.S. companies

The ruling enshrines "the right to be forgotten." It applies within the European Union but not outside of it.

Because Google algorithms give greater weight to items that have many links to them, the original notice of the home's repossession on the newspaper's website now pops up on the first page of results in the United States. Some news sites even use a screen grab of the notice as the illustration for their stories.

The European high court's ruling didn't surprise Peter Swire, a law professor and privacy expert at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Ga.

"For this court, it's not a business practice case, it's a human rights case," he said.

Europe treats privacy, "as a fundamental human right," Swire said.

The judges ruled that Gonzalez' privacy rights were more important than "the interest of the general public in having access to that information."

That's in line with a European concept of "practical obscurity," said Swire.

The court didn't rule that the newspaper that originally published the information, La Vanguardia in Barcelona, had to remove it. Instead, it required that Google remove links to the auction notice from its search engine results.

The court drew a distinction between copies of newspapers sitting bound in a library in! Spain and a search engine that turns up the information about the house's auction and makes it available to anyone immediately.

"On a practical level, people used to have privacy through obscurity," but search engines have taken that way, said Swire. With this ruling "the court is returning things closer to the old status quo."

He notes that the entire concept of what's public and what's private is different in Europe.

"Many things that are public records in the United States are considered confidential in the European Union. For instance, in many European countries it's very hard to find out who owns a piece of land, whereas here it's a matter of public record," Swire said.

American privacy experts aren't sure how such a rule would be implemented. A company would have to have a way of confirming that the person making the request to have a link removed was indeed a citizen of the European Union and that the information was about them.

In the United States, the closest kin would be the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, which allows copyright holders to demand material be removed from sites where it was posted without permission.

"We're very acutely aware of the potential for abuse," said Danny O'Brien, international director for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a internet policy organization based in San Francisco.

He ticked off possible examples. People wanting to take down content that isn't about themselves. People wanting to take down content that a court determines is newsworthy. People wanting to improve their business' results on Google by having all evidence that another person is selling a given item taken down.

The removals won't necessarily be invisible. When items are removed for copyright, Google often notes that "items have been removed from this search," with a link to a site called the Chilling Effects Clearinghouse, which lists the original request that the material be removed.

O'Brien imagines a similar site might be built for E! urope. Th! at way, people inside Europe would know when something had been taken down.

Many suggest that Wikipedia might especially be targeted by those wishing to have their past activities forgotten.

"It does put Wikipedia in the cross hairs, because that's pretty much what it does," said O'Brien.

Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales told the BBC he couldn't imagine the ruling will stand for long.

On Twitter, he said, "I'm sure you agree that it shouldn't be illegal to write about something based on how long ago it happened."

Cisco Systems, Inc. Earnings: Will Revenue Ever Recover?

On Wednesday, Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO  ) will release its quarterly report, and once again, investors expect that the networking giant will see its revenue drop. So far, Cisco has been able to keep its profits relatively stable despite the declines in sales, but with ongoing competition from IBM (NYSE: IBM  ) and Oracle (NYSE: ORCL  ) to capture enterprise customers and offer them the widest possible range of products and services -- including those related to networking -- the question Cisco Systems faces is whether it can sustain its leadership role in networks while expanding to serve a greater portion of its clients' overall IT needs.

Cisco Systems has struggled for a long time, as it seeks to reinvent itself. At the dawn of the Internet, Cisco was the darling of the tech boom, with the limitless possibilities of networking lying before the company. But some strategic missteps left Cisco vulnerable to competition, and players both large and small took advantage, leaving Cisco with the challenge of recapturing at least part of its former glory. Let's take an early look at what's been happening with Cisco over the past quarter and what we're likely to see in its report.

Barclays Center. Source: Cisco Systems.

Stats on Cisco Systems

Analyst EPS Estimate	$0.48
Change From Year-Ago EPS	(5.9%)
Revenue Estimate	$11.38 billion
Change From Year-Ago Revenue	(6.8%)
Earnings Beats in Past 4 Quarters	4

Source: Yahoo! Finance.

Will Cisco earnings hold up with less revenue?
Investors have actually been a bit more optimistic about the long-term prospects for Cisco earnings, with full-year fiscal 2014 estimates rising by a penny per share and next year's projections up by triple that amount. The stock has stayed stuck in neutral, though, rising less than 2% since early February.

Cisco's fiscal second-quarter earnings report back in February continued its string of weak sales, as revenue fell by nearly 8%. Yet investors were actually pleased with those results, as they were a bit better than the company's previous guidance for the quarter. Moreover, some positive signs emerged from the report, as Cisco's enterprise and commercial business in the U.S. saw orders jump by double-digit percentages. Emerging markets also bounced back somewhat, with declines of just 3% marking dramatic improvement from the 12% decline in the fiscal first quarter.

Source: Cisco Systems.

But Cisco Systems realizes the need to go beyond business as usual if it wants to match up to Oracle and IBM. Cisco's plan to spend $1 billion on its Cisco Cloud Services concept has great potential to transform the company's overall business if it can distinguish itself from the many other companies seeking to make cloud-computing offerings to enterprise customers. In particular, given the price war in the basic cloud services niche, Cisco needs to develop a higher-level premium product if it wants to win customers and avoid the commoditized pricing that will prevent even a successful launch from suffering from razor-thin profit margins.

High-profile projects might go a long way toward reestablishing Cisco's dominance in connectivity and fending off Oracle and IBM. One big challenge it has successfully tackled is to make professional sports stadiums Wi-Fi friendly, with the Barclays Center basketball arena in Brooklyn sporting unparalleled connectivity for tens of thousands of fans. A number of other baseball and football venues have also used Cisco to improve their Internet availability and make them more attractive to younger fans.

The Internet of Things is another big area in which Cisco expects to go head-to-head with IBM and Oracle. As interconnected products start giving users the ability to collect and analyze data, Cisco hopes not only to make that connectivity possible but also help secure it from outside interference. As part of the Industrial Internet Consortium with IBM and other tech giants, Cisco is trying to establish standards for the broader industry, but Cisco also has an opportunity to further its own ends with proprietary solutions if the consortium fails to meet its cooperative goals.

In the Cisco earnings report, watch to see how well the networking giant does in broadening its appeal with a wider set of products and services. With IBM and Oracle breathing down its throat, Cisco Systems needs to demonstrate its ability to innovate in a dog-eat-dog tech world.

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529 College Savings Plans Beat Benchmarks on After-Tax Basis

Managers of state-sponsored 529 college savings plans appear to be doing a good job investing assets for plan participants, a new study finds.

Savingforcollege.com compared the historical investment performance of 529 plans with broad market indexes.

In most categories examined in the study, the average 529 plan returns trailed the comparable index returns.

However, the gap between average 529 plan returns and index returns was slight in many categories, and the analysis showed that 529 plans beat the indexes when results were adjusted for the federal income-tax benefits of 529 plans.

Researchers compared investment performance over one-, three-, five- and 10-year periods ending Dec. 31 in each of seven different asset-allocation categories — 100%, 80%, 60%, 40% and 20% equity; 100% fixed income; and 100% short term.

They used the median 529 performance in each category to represent the average, examining as many as 222 separate portfolios per category.

The broad market benchmarks employed for comparison comprised the Russell 3000 Index, the MSCI EAFE Index, Barclays Capital U.S. Aggregate Bond Index and the Citigroup 3-Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index.

Two Examples

The median five-year average annual return for a 529 plan portfolio invested 100% in equities returned 16.98%, compared with 17.56% over the same period for the benchmark, an 80/20 blend of the Russell 3000 Index and the MSCI EAFE Index.

However, when the annualized return of the benchmark was assessed a 15% federal capital-gains tax, it fell to 14.93%, or more than two percentage points below the annualized return of the tax-free 529 plan.

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The 529 plan portfolio invested 100% in fixed income had a median five-year average annual return of 4.28%, while the Barclays Capital U.S. Aggregate Index benchmark returned 4.44%.

On an after-tax basis, the benchmark return fell to 2.89%.

“Our study suggests that 529 plan managers have done a good job investing the college savings entrusted to them," Savingforcollege.com founder Joseph Hurley said in a statement.

“It also underscores the importance of keeping fees in 529 plans low, since the benchmark returns assume zero costs.”

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