Stocks are moving higher today .....

Cutter, AP



NEW YORK (AP) -- Technology stocks rose Monday after Intel Corp. raised its quarterly dividend and said it would buy back more of its stock.



The news sent Intel's stock up 1.6 percent to $21.14. Another technology company, graphics chip maker Nvidia Corp., was the biggest gainer in the Standard & Poor's 500 index. Nvidia rose 7 percent to $23.79 after Barrons magazine predicted its stock could rise 80 percent over the next year.



The Dow Jones industrial average rose 24 points, or 0.2 percent, to 11,896 in morning trading.



The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 1, or 0.1 percent, to 1,285. The Nasdaq composite index rose 4, or 0.2 percent, to 2,694.



RadioShack Corp. fell 11.4 percent to $15.61 after the electronics retailer said its chairman and CEO, Julian Day, would retire in May. The electronics retailer also released a disappointing forecast for fourth quarter earnings.



J.C. Penney Co. rose 7 percent to $32.43 after the retailer said it would close stores and continue to exit the catalog business. The company also named Vornado Realty Trust Chairman Steven Roth and activist investor William Ackman to its board. Ackman and his hedge fund Pershing Square Management have pushed for major changes in retailers he holds stakes in.



American Express Co., CSX Corp. and Texas Instruments Inc. are scheduled to release their results after the market closes.



Bond prices fell, pushing their yields slightly higher. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 3.42 percent from 3.40 percent late Friday.



A report from the National Association for Business Economics showed that economists are more positive about economic growth and the job market than at any time since the start of the Great Recession.



No other major economic reports were scheduled to be released Monday. Reports on home prices, consumer confidence and new home sales are due out later in the week. A report on gross domestic product, due out Friday, is expected to show that the economy grew at a 3.1 percent rate in the fourth quarter, up from 2.6 percent in the third quarter.



The economy is also likely to be the focus of President Barack Obama's State of the Union speech Tuesday night.

Jim Cramer Mad Money Stock Highlights

Cramer said that he thinks McDonald's (MCD) is worth buying now because it already had a pullback on weak same store sales, and they report their quarter on Monday morning and that he is still bearish on Johnson & Johnson (JNJ).








: Interview with First Horizon National (FHN) CEO Bryan Jordan



Cramer said that he isn't sure if the stock of this company is broken, or if the company itself is broken, because it has dropped 11% after he recommended it in March, so he had the CEO on the show to find out how the company is doing. After talking to the CEO and hearing about the improvements that the bank has made, Cramer said that he is still bullish, though he was wrong to recommend it last year.







: Interview with Devon Energy (DVN) CEO Larry Nichols



Cramer thinks that a global energy shortage is going to be one of the key themes of 2011, and he wants to make money off of the issue by investing in companies that have strong production growth and keep their costs under control, like DVN. He is bullish on this stock because he likes its growth potential, and he got an update on the company from the CEO.







: Lightning Round!



Amyris (AMRS): Cramer said that he has to do some homework on this stock and come back to it.



Frontier Communications (FTR): Cramer is bullish on this stock because of its high yield.



Tesoro (TSO): Cramer is bearish on this stock because he doesn't like the oil refining business.



Hot Topic (HOTT): Cramer is bearish on this stock because it doesn't have a strategy, and he said that he should have never recommended it.



Phillips Van-Heusen (PVH): Cramer is bullish on this stock because he likes the CEO.



Accuride (ACW): Cramer is bullish on this stock.



Cypress Semiconductor (CY): Cramer said that you should take profits in this stock because it has moved up so much.



American Semiconductor (AMSC): Cramer is bullish on this stock and thinks the recent pullback is a buying opportunity.



AllianceBernstein (AB): Cramer is bullish on this stock because it is cheap.



Qwest (Q): Cramer is bullish on this stock.







 Mad Money Mail



OM Group (OMG): Cramer said this stock is OK, but he would rather own PPG Industries (PPG).



rue21 (RUE): Cramer is bearish on this stock.



Cognex (CGNX): Cramer is bearish on this stock because he thinks their costs will rise.



Wellpoint (WLP): Cramer said that he is bullish on this stock

Other stock news
 
The short interest in AIG (AIG) rose 44% to 135.7 million shares. Short interest in Citigroup (C) rose 18% to 138 million. Shares short in Morgan Stanley (MS) were up 85% to 44 million. Shares short in Well Fargo (WFC) jumped 14% to 151.4 million. The short interest in American Express (AXP) rose 37% to 30.3 million.




“Safe” companies were also attacked by short sellers. Shares short in P&G (PG) rose 39% to 46.3 million. The short interest in GE (GE) rose 18% to 79.8 million. Shares short in AT&T (T) rose 30% to 41 million. The short interest n Caterpillar (CAT) was up 31% to 26.7 million.Short interest in Exxon (XOM) rose 18% to 39.5 million. Shares short in Microsoft (MSFT) rose 20% to 82.8 million. Shares short in Oracle (ORCL) were up 37% to 43.6 million. Short interest in Cisco CSCO) rose 9% to 61.4 million. Shares short in Apple (AAPL) moved up 16% to 28.1 million

InTouch IT3500 Wireless Internet Radio Cube w/Digital Frame Capability (Black)
heard from multiple sources inside of Google, and the two companies are close to a deal that will bring Digg under the Google News property. The acquisition price is in the $200 million range, says one source.




We first wrote about the Google-Digg negotiations in March. Despite a vigorous denial by Digg CEO Jay Adelson the negotiations continued, although Google’s Marissa Mayer reportedly cooled on the company for a period of time.



The companies are now in final negotiations according to our sources, although it could be a couple of weeks before it closes. And while the major deal points have been agreed on, the acquisition could still fall apart. Microsoft, which was previously interested in the company, may be willing to step back in at a much lower price.



Most of Digg’s revenue comes from a three year ad deal with Microsoft, which will be terminated on a sale to Google. Digg has raised $11.3 million in venture capital.



Meanwhile, Google’s fascination with the Digg voting concept continues.



via TechCrunch

TOP 2011 STOCK PICKS

Best Stock Picks for 2011:




- Allscripts Healthcare (NASDAQ:MDRX)

- Bank of America (NYSE:BAC)

- CONSOL Energy (NYSE:CNX)

- Covidien (NYSE:COV)

- Digital Realty Trust (NYSE:DLR)

- Equinix (NASDAQ:EQIX)

- Halliburton (NYSE:HAL)

- HealthSouth (NYSE:HLS)

- Lincoln National (NYSE:LNC)

- NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA)

- Panera Bread (NASDAQ:PNRA)

- Pioneer Natural Resources (NYSE:PXD)

- Stanley Black & Decker (NYSE:SWK)

top earnings to watch

Prev. Week

Jan 10
Jan 11
Jan 12
Jan 13
Jan 14
Next Week

Earnings Announcements for Friday, January 14

Company Symbol EPS

Estimate* Time Add to My

Calendar Conference

Call

Andrea Noris Zahn ANZ.F N/A Time Not Supplied Add



AVESCO GROUP PLC AVS.L N/A Time Not Supplied Add



CEOTRONICS AG CEK.F N/A Time Not Supplied Add



CHINA YANGTZE POWER CO LTD 600900.SS N/A Time Not Supplied Add



CMC LTD CMC.BO N/A Time Not Supplied Add



Commtouch Software Ltd. CTCH N/A Time Not Supplied Add



CPEX PHARMACEUTICALS INC CPEX N/A Time Not Supplied Add



DHT Holdings, Inc DHT N/A Time Not Supplied Add



DIALOGIC INC DLGC N/A Time Not Supplied Add



Eastern Virginia Bankshares EVBS N/A Time Not Supplied Add



Elmira Savings Bank ESBK N/A Time Not Supplied Add



EOP BIODIESEL AG E2B.F N/A Time Not Supplied Add



FORMATION GROUP FRM.L N/A Time Not Supplied Add



GLOBAL ENTMT CORP GNTP.OB N/A Time Not Supplied Add



Guaranty Federal Bancshares GFED N/A Time Not Supplied Add



GUYANA GOLDFIELDS INC NEW GUY.TO N/A Time Not Supplied Add



Harleysville Savings Financial HARL N/A Time Not Supplied Add



HOUSING DEVELOPMENT FINANCE CORP HDFC.BO N/A Time Not Supplied Add



IKONICS CORP IKNX N/A Time Not Supplied Add



Impax Environmental Markets PLC IEM.L N/A Time Not Supplied Add



IMSKAUGEN ASA IMSK.OL N/A Time Not Supplied Add



Jarvis plc JRVS.L N/A Time Not Supplied Add



JPMorgan Chase & Co. JPM N/A 07:00 am ET Add



M&T Bank Corporation MTB N/A Before Market Open Add



MACC Private Equities MACC.PK N/A Time Not Supplied Add



Manhattan Bridge Capital, Inc. LOAN N/A Time Not Supplied Add



Material Sciences MASC N/A Time Not Supplied Add



MDY HEALTHCARE MDY.L N/A Time Not Supplied Add



NECTAR LIFESCIENCES LTD NECLIFE.BO N/A Time Not Supplied Add



New Horizons Worldwide, Inc. NWRZ.PK N/A Time Not Supplied Add



Pacific Shipping Trust P48U.SI N/A Time Not Supplied Add



PLENUM AG PLEA.F N/A Time Not Supplied Add



Republic Bank RBCAA N/A Time Not Supplied Add



ROMAG HOLDINGS PLC CTRY DURHAM ROM.L N/A Time Not Supplied Add



SAKAE HOLDINGS LTD 5DO.SI N/A Time Not Supplied Add



SEVEN ARTS PICTURES PLC SAPX N/A Time Not Supplied Add



Shree Renuka Sugars Limited RENUKA.BO N/A After Market Close Add



SOLAR MILLENNIUM AG S2M.F N/A Time Not Supplied Add



TAMIL NADU NEWSPRINT & PAPERS LTD TNPL.BO N/A Time Not Supplied Add



UFLEX LTD UFLEX.BO N/A Time Not Supplied Add



UKRTELECOM UK1.F N/A Time Not Supplied Add



VIP INDUSTRIES LTD VIPIND.BO N/A Time Not Supplied Add



Vivacon AG VIA.F N/A Time Not Supplied Add



Webster Financial Corp. WBS N/A 08:00 am ET Add Listen

Earnings Announcements for Monday, January 17


Company Symbol EPS

Estimate* Time Add to My

Calendar

1st Source SRCE N/A Time Not Supplied Add

AMARU INC AMRU.OB N/A Time Not Supplied Add

American National Bankshares AMNB N/A Time Not Supplied Add

AMES NATL CORP ATLO N/A Time Not Supplied Add

AMR Corporation AMR N/A Time Not Supplied Add

Appalachian Bancshares, Inc. APAB.PK N/A Time Not Supplied Add

Arrow Financial AROW N/A Time Not Supplied Add

ASCENDAS REAL ESTATE INVT TRUS ACDSF.PK N/A Time Not Supplied Add

BANK MUTUAL CORP NEW BKMU N/A Time Not Supplied Add

BAYLAKE CORP BYLK.OB N/A Time Not Supplied Add

Biomerica BMRA.OB N/A Time Not Supplied Add

BRIGADE ENTERPRISES LTD BRIGADE.BO N/A Time Not Supplied Add

Brooklyn Federal Bancorp�Inc BFSB N/A Time Not Supplied Add

California First National Bancorp CFNB N/A Time Not Supplied Add

CAPITACOMMERCIAL TRUST CMIAF.PK N/A Time Not Supplied Add

Century Bancorp A CNBKA N/A Time Not Supplied Add

City Holding CHCO N/A Time Not Supplied Add

Coach, Inc. COH N/A Time Not Supplied Add

Colony Bankcorp CBAN N/A Time Not Supplied Add

Conexant Systems Inc. CNXT N/A Time Not Supplied Add

Consolidated Edison, Inc. ED N/A Time Not Supplied Add

D B CORP LTD DBCORP.BO N/A Time Not Supplied Add

Dearborn Bancorp DEAR N/A Time Not Supplied Add

Duoyuan Global Water Inc. DGW N/A Time Not Supplied Add

Edac Technologies EDAC N/A Time Not Supplied Add

ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK (INDIA) LTD ENIL.BO N/A Time Not Supplied Add

ESCORTS LTD ESCORTS.BO N/A Time Not Supplied Add

Fidelity Southern Corporation LION N/A Time Not Supplied Add

FIRST CMNTY CORP S C FCCO N/A Time Not Supplied Add

FIRST FED NORTHN MICH BANCORP FFNM N/A Time Not Supplied Add

GANSU JIU STEEL GP HONGXING IRON&ST 600307.SS N/A Time Not Supplied Add

GigaMedia Limited GIGM N/A Time Not Supplied Add

GREEN BANKSHARES INC GRNB N/A Time Not Supplied Add

GREENMAN TECHNOLOGIES INC GMTI.OB N/A Time Not Supplied Add

Gujarat State Fertilizers and Chemicals Ltd GSFC.BO N/A Time Not Supplied Add

Hingham Institution HIFS N/A Time Not Supplied Add

Horizon Bancorp HBNC N/A Time Not Supplied Add

Hudson City Bancorp HCBK N/A Time Not Supplied Add

ICRA LTD ICRA.BO N/A Time Not Supplied Add

INDIAN BANK INDIANB.BO N/A Time Not Supplied Add

INDORAMA SYNTHETICS INDR.JK N/A Time Not Supplied Add

INTERVEST BANCSHARES CORP IBCA N/A Time Not Supplied Add

KASIKORNBANK PUBLIC CO LTD KPCKF.PK N/A Time Not Supplied Add

Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P. KMP N/A Time Not Supplied Add

KINDER MORGAN MANAGEMENT LLC KMR N/A Time Not Supplied Add

KRUNG THAI BANK PUBLIC CO LTD KTHAF.PK N/A Time Not Supplied Add

KT&G CORP KTCIF.PK N/A Time Not Supplied Add

LaBranche & Co Inc. LAB N/A Time Not Supplied Add

LAKELAND BANCORP INC LBAI N/A Time Not Supplied Add

Legg Mason LM N/A Time Not Supplied Add

Lorus Therapeutics Inc. LOR.TO N/A Time Not Supplied Add

LSI Industries Inc. LYTS N/A Time Not Supplied Add

MAPLETREE LOGISTICS TRUST M44U.SI N/A Time Not Supplied Add

Marshall & Ilsley MI N/A Time Not Supplied Add

Merck Ltd MERCK.BO N/A Time Not Supplied Add

Meredith Corporation MDP N/A Time Not Supplied Add

Meridian Bioscience, Inc VIVO N/A Time Not Supplied Add

MIC ELECTRONICS LTD MIC.BO N/A Time Not Supplied Add

MSCI INC MSCI N/A Time Not Supplied Add

NATIONAL FERTILIZERS LTD NFL.BO N/A Time Not Supplied Add

NAUGATUCK VALLEY FINANCIAL CORP NVSL N/A Time Not Supplied Add

NB & T FINL GROUP INC NBTF N/A Time Not Supplied Add

New Delhi Television Ltd. NDTV.BO N/A Time Not Supplied Add

NEW ENGLAND BANCSHARES INC CT NEBS N/A Time Not Supplied Add

New Hampshire Thrift NHTB N/A Time Not Supplied Add

NEWPORT BANCORP INC NFSB N/A Time Not Supplied Add

Northeast Bancorp NBN N/A Time Not Supplied Add

OIL INDIA LTD. OIL.BO N/A Time Not Supplied Add

PacWest Bancorp PACW N/A Time Not Supplied Add

PetMed Express, Inc. PETS N/A Time Not Supplied Add

PREMIERWEST BANCORP PRWT N/A Time Not Supplied Add

Prime Group Realty Trust PMGEP.PK N/A Time Not Supplied Add

PRITHVI INFORMATION SOLUTIONS LTD PRITHVI.BO N/A Time Not Supplied Add

Provident Bancorp PBNY N/A Time Not Supplied Add

Pulaski Financial PULB N/A Time Not Supplied Add

PVF Capital PVFC N/A Time Not Supplied Add

RADICO KHAITAN LTD RADICO.BO N/A Time Not Supplied Add

RALLIS INDIA LTD RALLIS.BO N/A Time Not Supplied Add

Raymond James RJF N/A Time Not Supplied Add

Renasant Corporation RNST N/A Time Not Supplied Add

Riverview Bncp Inc RVSB N/A Time Not Supplied Add

RYOBI KISO HOLDINGS LTD J8O.SI N/A Time Not Supplied Add

SELAN EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGY LTD SELAN.BO N/A Time Not Supplied Add

SEVERN BANCORP ANNAPOLIS MD SVBI N/A Time Not Supplied Add

Singapore Exchange Ltd. S68.SI N/A Time Not Supplied Add

SOUTHERN FIRST BANCSHARES INC SFST N/A Time Not Supplied Add

STATE BANK OF TRAVANCORE SBT.BO N/A After Market Close Add

Sterlite Technologies Ltd. STRTECH.BO N/A Time Not Supplied Add

SUN PHARMA ADVANCED RESEARCH COMPANY LTD SPARC.BO N/A Time Not Supplied Add

TATA CONSULTANCY SERVICES LTD TCS.BO N/A Time Not Supplied Add

The First Bancorp, Inc. FNLC N/A Time Not Supplied Add

THE9 LTD NCTY N/A Time Not Supplied Add

UNION BANKSHARES INC UNB N/A Time Not Supplied Add

United Phosphorus Limited UNIPHOS.BO N/A Time Not Supplied Add

URANIUM PARTICIPATION CORP U.TO N/A Time Not Supplied Add

Urologix, Inc. ULGX N/A Time Not Supplied Add

Viaggi del Ventaglio S.p.A VVE.MI N/A Time Not Supplied Add

Video Display VIDE N/A Time Not Supplied Add

VIRGINIA MINES INC VGQ.TO N/A Time Not Supplied Add

WANBURY LTD WANBURY.BO N/A Time Not Supplied Add

Wegener WGNR.PK N/A Time Not Supplied Add

WELSPUN-GUJARAT STAHL ROHREN LTD. WELCORP.BO N/A Time Not Supplied Add

Western Alliance Bancorp WAL N/A Time Not Supplied Add

WIRE & WIRELESS INDIA LTD WWIL.BO N/A Time Not Supplied Add

YES BANK LTD. YESBANK.BO N/A Time Not Supplied Add

ZEE NEWS LTD ZEENEWS.BO N/A Time Not Supplied Add

Zhuzhou CSR Times Electric Co., Ltd ZHUZF.PK N/A Time Not Supplied Add

Earnings Announcements for Wednesday, January 19


Company Symbol EPS

Estimate* Time Add to My

Calendar Conference

Call

ADOLFO DOMINGUEZ SA ADZ.MC N/A Time Not Supplied Add



ADTRAN, Inc. ADTN N/A Time Not Supplied Add Listen

AMCON Distributing DIT N/A Time Not Supplied Add



Amphenol APH N/A Time Not Supplied Add Listen

ASML Holdings NV ASML N/A 01:00 am ET Add



Axion International Holdings, Inc. AXIH.OB N/A Time Not Supplied Add



BANK OF MARIN BANCORP BMRC N/A Time Not Supplied Add



Beate Uhse USE.F N/A Time Not Supplied Add



Comerica Incorporated CMA N/A Before Market Open Add Listen

DIAGNOCURE INC CUR.TO N/A 4:30 pm ET Add



Digi International Inc. DGII N/A After Market Close Add Listen

eBay EBAY N/A Time Not Supplied Add



ENTEROMEDICS INC ETRM N/A Time Not Supplied Add



F5 Networks FFIV N/A 4:00 pm ET Add Listen

First California Financial Group, Inc. FCAL N/A Time Not Supplied Add



Goldman Sachs GS N/A 08:00 am ET Add



Green Dot Corporation GDOT N/A Time Not Supplied Add



HCL Technologies HCLTECH.BO N/A Time Not Supplied Add



iGate Corporation IGTE N/A Time Not Supplied Add



M1 Limited MBOFF.PK N/A After Market Close Add



Northern Trust NTRS N/A Before Market Open Add



Northwest Bancorp NWBI N/A Time Not Supplied Add



NVE Corporation NVEC N/A After Market Close Add Listen

Pacific Continental Corporation PCBK N/A After Market Close Add Listen

PARK STERLING CORP PSTB N/A Before Market Open Add



Plexus PLXS N/A After Market Close Add



R&G FINANCIAL RGFCQ.PK N/A Time Not Supplied Add



REALD INC RLD N/A Time Not Supplied Add



RELIANCE INDUSTRIAL INFRASTRUCTURE LTD RIIL.BO N/A Time Not Supplied Add



RNB RETAIL AND BRANDS AB RNBS.ST N/A 01:00 am ET Add



Seagate Technology STX N/A After Market Close Add Listen

SLM Corporation SLM N/A After Market Close Add Listen

State Street Corporation STT N/A Before Market Open Add Listen

Supertex SUPX N/A Time Not Supplied Add



U.S. Bancorp USB N/A Before Market Open Add Listen

Viterra Inc. VT.TO N/A Time Not Supplied Add



VOSS VEKSEL-OG LANDMANDSBANK VVL.OL N/A Time Not Supplied Add



Washington Federal, Inc. WFSL N/A Time Not Supplied Add



Wells Fargo & Company WFC N/A 08:00 am ET Add



Westell Technologies WSTL N/A After Market Close Add



Xilinx, Inc. XLNX N/A Time Not Supplied Add Listen

Yue Yuen Industrial (Holdings) Ltd YUEIF.PK N/A After Market Close Add

stock news to know before the opening bell

•Asian markets were higher in overnight trading, with the Hang Seng up 1.54%. Major European indices are also higher and U.S. futures suggest a positive open.




•Import and export prices are released at 8:30 AM ET. The data should be a good indicator of inflationary trends.



•The flood crisis in Australia continues today, with the city of Brisbane now under water. More than 5% of the world's coal supply used in steel production will not make it to market as a result of the floods. Check out these remarkable photos of the flood.



•Bank of China opened up trading between the dollar and yuan in the United States today, a step in the currency's move into international markets. It is the first market beyond Hong Kong the currency is being traded in. For more on China's future, here's what Credit Suisse thinks China will look like in 2015.



•AIG has sold its Taiwanese division for $2.16 billion to Ruen Chen Investment Holdings. The deal needs to be formalized by the Taiwanese government, which rejected a deal previously.



•Portugal held a successful bond auction this morning, but still looks likely to take a bailout from the IMF and EU. European leaders are discussing the expansion of the region's bailout fund, as the threat of Spain looms. For more on the world's default risks, check out the 19 countries most likely to default.



•Europe's industrial production surged in November, up 1.2%. Expectations were for a 0.5% rise, and Spain surprised with its own 1.2% growth.



•Airbus has locked up a deal with Indian airline company IndiGo worth $15.6 billion. The deal will see the European plane manufacturer sell the airline 180 planes. Think this is a big deal? Check out the billion dollar deals India inked with the U.S. last year.



•The Trans-Alaska pipeline, shut down due to a leak, is being reopened. The restart of the pipeline that ships BP oil will at first be limited.



•A new U.S. Senate report will criticize Goldman Sachs for its conflicts of interest, associated with the Abacus deal as well as others. Goldman has also been downgraded by JPMorgan. See how Goldman Sachs is adjusting to deal with the public pressure.


More Money Than God: Hedge Funds and the Making of a New Elite
•Bonus: Natalie Portman has expressed her excitement at getting fat after she's switched roles from ballerina to pregnant mother to be.

Goldman's Sacks ( GS ) 10 Best Stock Picks for 2011

(TheStreet) -- Goldman Sachs(GS_) updated its Conviction Buy List, a compilation of the Wall Street bank's favorite U.S. stocks, for 2011. Investors ought to review the following 10 picks, which offer the greatest 2011 upside potential, according to Goldman. Below, the stocks are ordered by return potential, from plenty to most.


Best Stock Ideas - 2011

Credit Suisse's 18 Best Stock Picks for 2011: Part 1Goldman's 10 Best Stock Picks for 2011Jim Cramer's 2011 Dow PicksBarclays' 30 Best Stock Picks for 2011Morningstar's 5-Star Large-Cap Stocks for 2011Morgan Stanley's 8 Best Stock Ideas for 2011Market Activity

Starbucks Corporation
SBUX Hasbro Inc.
HAS Blackstone Group L.P.
BX 10. Digital Realty Trust(DLR_) is a data-center real estate investment trust, or REIT.

Goldman initiated coverage of this sub-industry in December with "favorable outlook" due to cloud-driven demand. It expects data-center REITs to generate the best profit growth among real estate stocks over the next few years. Digital Realty is Goldman's favorite stock in the group due to recent underperformance. Digital Realty missed third-quarter consensus earnings by 0.8% and its stock corrected 4.7%. Still, 65% of Wall Street analysts rate the REIT "buy."





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



9. Crown Castle(CCI_) owns, operates and leases wireless communications towers.

Recent lease modifications with carriers, including AT&T(T_), are expected to bolster 2011 revenue. Given the company's history of exceeding rental revenue guidance, Goldman is bullish on the company's growth prospects and is forecasting rental revenue 2% above the top threshold of management's guidance and 77 cents of earnings in 2011. Its $64 target was derived by combining free-cash-flow and discounted-cash-flow analyses, implying 24% upside

8. Chicago Bridge & Iron(CBI_) is an engineering and construction company, focusing on infrastructure projects for oil-and-gas companies.


Goldman views it as a levered oil play. Crude oil is trading above $90 a barrel, currently, and demand is growing amid the global recovery. E&C backlogs are inflecting and Goldman expects investors to start paying higher multiples for stocks in the sector, with Chicago Bridge & Iron offering the most upside. Its stock trades at a forward P/E of 14 and a cash-flow multiple of 15, 34% and 35% peer discounts.





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



7. Sapient(SAPE_) is a services company, selling advisory, analytics and consulting services to businesses and government agencies.

It also operates technology outsourcing centers in India. Goldman has a $15.50 price target on the stock, suggesting an impending 12-month return of 27%. The stock returned 47% in 2010 and has delivered annualized gains of 11% since 2007. Sales and net income advanced 16% and 171% a year, on average, over that span. The stock trades at a forward P/E of 24, a 32% industry premium. The company has $187 million of net liquidity (total cash minus debt).

6. Blackstone(BX_) is an alternative-investment company, structured as a publicly-traded partnership, which invests roughly $104 billion, of fee-generating assets, in private equity, real estate and hedge funds.


The firm also has an advisory unit, offering merger and acquisition, restructuring and reorganization assistance. Goldman expects several of Blackstone's funds to surpass so-called high-water marks and to resume charging performance fees in 2011. It thinks funds could attract another $7 billion, to boot. The stock commands a discount forward P/E of 9.8.





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



5. Precision Castparts(PCP_) makes metal components and castings, forgings and fasteners for aerospace and industrial companies.

Precision has significant fixed-costs, so incremental volume bolsters profit margins significantly. The company beat Goldman's fiscal second-quarter sales forecast by 3.5%. It expects Precision's stock to advance 28% to $128 within the next 12 months. Precision commands a premium of 93% over its aerospace peers, based on cash flow per share.

Still, 75% of analysts covering Precision rate it "buy" and 15% rank it "hold."

4. Hasbro(HAS_) is a toy maker.


The company's new children-focused television network, The Hub, is demonstrating sequential growth in ratings, with all-day viewership of 34,000. Not only is this venture generating incremental advertising revenue, but offers a venue to market Hasbro's toys and games. Hasbro has grown sales and net income 3.9% and 11%, annually, since 2007. Its stock has risen 23% a year over that span. It trades at a forward P/E of 15, a modest peer discount. Goldman's target, echoed by Sterne, Agee & Leach, suggests a looming 12-month gain of 30% for the stock.





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fortune (1-year auto-renewal)


3. Phillips-Van Heusen(PVH_) makes clothing, including dress shirts, neckwear and shoes, under the Calvin Klein , Izod and Tommy Hilfiger brand names.

An inflationary environment will benefit the company, according to Goldman, which expects $15 million of cost synergies in 2011, resulting from expense leverage on market spending and "sourcing gains from larger scale and category expansion at Macy's(M_)."

Goldman values the stock at $85. Roughly 73% of researchers rank it "buy."

2. Apple(AAPL_) sells consumer electronics.


The company's stock returned 53% in 2010, topping the large-cap tech category. Apple is a consensus pick for 2011. Of analysts covering Apple, 48, or 91%, advocate purchasing its shares and five recommend holding. None say to sell. Piper Jaffray has the highest price target, expecting a gain of 36% to $438. Goldman believes, contrary to some analysts, that the gross margin has bottomed and could climb in the near-term. Its $430 target is equivalent to 20-times its 2011 earnings per share estimate of $21.46.




The Economist (1-year auto-renewal)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



1. Starbucks(SBUX_) is Goldman's favorite pick within a restaurant industry that it believes has "the best supply/demand dynamics in 25 years."

The number of U.S. restaurants has fallen to 1986 levels, following recession closings. According to Goldman, Starbucks is due to return 36% in 2011 on multiple expansion and steady earnings growth.

The bank thinks the Street is underestimating same-store sales growth for the coffee chain, forecasting a 7% to 8% uptick in 2011. Emerging market expansion will add fuel to the fire.
World Money & Financial Flows
thestreet.com

Top ETF for 2011 ( Metals )

Top ETF for 2011 ( Metals )
NEW YORK (TheStreet) - Precious and base metals proved to be popular themes for ETF sponsors over the past year. While some companies took to launching products which tapped into previously unexplored corners of the metals industry, others offered up new ways to gain exposure to old favorites.



Here are some of the most interesting precious- and base metal-related products which were introduced in 2010.



ETFS Physical Palladium Shares and ETFS Physical Platinum Shares



Palladium saw some of the strongest performance across the broad commodity spectrum in 2010 and ETF Securities, a relative newcomer to the U.S. ETF industry, enjoyed a lot of success last year with the launch of PALL and PPLT.



Designed to track physical stockpiles of palladium and platinum respectively, these two products benefited as investors sought out precious metals that would benefit as the global markets continued along the road to recovery.



Although they are still just under a year old, the two funds have generated impressive followings, boasting over $700 million in assets each.



On top of increasing the number of options investors can use when looking for physical precious metal exposure, PALL and PPLT also pose as suitable proxies for those seeking exposure to the automobile industry. Platinum and palladium are used extensively in the production of catalytic converters and have managed to power higher as the industry continued to heal.



ETFS Physical Precious Metals Basket Shares



Following the successful launches of PALL and PPLT, it wasn't until October that ETF Securities resurfaced with its next new product, GLTR. Whereas in the past, companies such as PowerShares had attempted to capture the strength of multiple precious metals under one roof by utilizing futures contracts, GLTR is the first fund to combine exposure to gold, silver, platinum and palladium from a physical perspective.



>> Cramer: Commodity Rally Won't Stop



This investing strategy allows investors to take a broad based approach to precious metals and benefit as general demand for these commodities increases.



Global X Copper Miners ETF
Super Sectors: How to Outsmart the Market Using Sector Rotation and ETFs (Wiley Trading)


Copper has long been an attractive metal for investors looking for a way to capture economic growth. Used extensively in construction and infrastructure, this red metal tends to perform best in times of market optimism. Thanks to the advent of exchange traded products, investors have been introduced to a number of options which can be used to access the copper industry.

Although it was not the first fund launched in 2010 that took a concentrated look at copper producers, COPX has managed to gain a leg up on its competition thanks in large part to its reduced expense ratio.



Global X Lithium ETF



Global X gained considerable traction in the ETF industry in 2010. Once reliant on the success of a small number of international-focused ETFs, the company's family of funds has expanded to include a collection of funds which target various regions of the metals industry as well.



One of the more unusual launches to come from this company in 2010 is LIT. Lithium has long been used in a number of industries. However, more recently, the commodity has received a lot of fanfare as investors show increasing interest in clean energy sources such as batteries.



Due to its concentrated focus on such a small facet of the broad economy, LIT may not be appropriate for long term, conservative investors. However, short- term players comfortable with taking a risk may find the fund's volatile action attractive in 2011.



Market Vectors Rare Earth/Strategic Metals ETF



One of the last fund launches of 2010, REMX has managed to get off to a running start. The timing of this fund's launch was impeccable. In the weeks following REMX's introduction, China has announced its plans to curb rare element exports in 2011 which, in turn, has caused top REMX components including Molycorp and Lynas Corp to take off in a big way.



Rare earth elements are used heavily in the production of handheld devices such as smartphones. Therefore, it is no question that these metals will remain in the headlines as more people around the world turn to these gadgets to stay up to date with our increasingly fast paced, interconnected world.



Written by D,Dion

Stock News You Need To Know Before The Opening Bell

Asian markets were higher in overnight trading, with the Shanghai Composite up 1.59%. Major European industries are also higher, and U.S. futures suggest a positive open.




Factory orders data for November is released at 10:00 AM ET. Expectations are for orders to remain flat.



Floods in Australia's Queensland region look likely to expand with more rain coming. Right now, nearly three quarters of the region's coal exports are being delayed or stopped.



German unemployment surprisingly increased in December, though the unemployment rate remained at 7.5%. The slowdown is being blamed on harsh winter conditions in the country. These are the 6 macro themes that matter in 2011.



The UK's manufacturing sector continued to perform well in December, with the country's PMI rising to 58.3. PMI is now at a 16-year high.



The five biggest lendiers, including Bank of America, JPMorgan, and Citigroup are said to be close to a settlement of the various states foreclosure lawsuits. It should be excellent news for the red-hot financials.



Spain is preparing to launch a new stress test of the country's savings banks in an effort to drive them to raise money on the open market. The government is trying to avoid unnecessary reliance on its banking sector support fund.



The U.S. office occupation rate increased by 2.5% in Q4 2010, the first increase in around 3 years. The vacancy rate on office space nationwide remains high, at 17.6%.

Shell is continuing to ponder a deal for BP, in which the two oil giants would merge. Shell has no interest in bidding, however, unless a rival steps in first.



Borders shares sank over 8% in after hours trading yesterday as a result of two executives leaving the company. Recently, Borders failed to make payment to some of its publishing partners.



The Pentagon will announce plans to cut its budget by $100 billion that will include reductions in spending on certain weapons programs. U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates could announce the moves on Thursday. Check out Goldman Sachs' Jan Hatzius answers to 10 pressing questions on the U.S. economy.



A Random Walk Down Wall Street: The Time-Tested Strategy for Successful Investing (Completely Revised and Updated)

Jim Cramer,The Dow’s Top 3 Stocks for 2011 / Dow to Climb 15% in 2011

The Dow’s Top 3 Stocks for 2011


 By: T. Brennan

Web Editor, Mad Money



Which stocks will lead the Dow in the coming year? Cramer on Monday picked three:



3. American Express



In third place is AmEx [AXP 43.40 0.48 (+1.12%) ], which Cramer thinks will climb to $60 by the end of the year—a 40-percent jump. He likes the stock for two main reasons: 1. It’s a terrific growth play on the worldwide recovery and the rebound in consumer spending, travel and the return of the business customer; and 2. Nobody yet thinks of AXP as a growth stock. They’re too busy looping it in with the slow-growth banks or Visa and Mastercard, which took a hit in debit-card fees via last year’s credit-card reform bill. But this company has no debit-card exposure at all, and Cramer doubts the feds will go after AmEx next. So investors get the chance to buy the stock while it’s still cheap.



AXP trades at just 12 times forward earnings, though Cramer thinks it deserves 15. Factor in the $4 a share he expects the company to earn in 2011, and you get your $60 a share.



2. Intel



Intel’s [INTC 20.85 -0.18 (-0.86%) ] on its way to $30 this year, Cramer said, thanks in no small part to a new-generation processor launching this month. He mocked Piper Jaffray’s downgrade of the stock, saying all of the analyst’s concerns—price erosion, being late to the mobile Internet trend—made sense in early 2010, but not in 2011.



Plus, Cramer’s bullish on Intel’s purchase of security software firm McAfee, something the Street has scoffed at repeatedly. He thinks it makes sense in this WikiLeaks world. Just look at how Hollywood’s putting Intel’s chips to work to fight piracy over the Web. Cyber security is big business, and Intel’s now at the heart of it.



Intel also pays a 3-percent dividend yield right now, it’s buying back tons of stock and it trades at just 9.2 times earnings when you back out the $3 of net cash per share. Cramer thinks this one reaches $30 by year’s end, or 44 percent higher than Monday’s close.



1. Alcoa



The Dow’s top performer will be this cyclical play, Cramer said, the leading independent producer of aluminum. He offered a word of caution, though: Alcoa [AA 15.80 0.41 (+2.66%) ] might not be in the Dow at all by the end of 2011 because it could very well be taken over.



That aside, aluminum’s a base material used in everything from cars to trucks to planes to construction. And the continuing ramp-up in the first three of those industries, as well as the coming rebound in non-residential building, will drive prices ever higher. There’s just too much demand with too little supply right now.



Cramer’s also a big fan of CEO Klaus Kleinfeld, whose leadership offers one way to $18 a share for AA. The other path is through earnings, which Cramer expects to come in at $1.50 a share this year. When you put his 12 multiple on the stock, there’s your $18. Even better, though, might be a takeover—whether from Vale [VALE 35.13 0.56 (+1.62%) ], BHP Billiton [BHP 92.91 -0.01 (-0.01%) ] or Rio Tinto [RIO 71.60 -0.06 (-0.08%) ]—something Cramer thinks is likely due to Alcoa’s massive cash flow. He predicted a bid of $22 a share for the company, giving investors a 39-percent gain from Monday’s closing price.



Of course, Alcoa kicks off earnings season next Monday. Cramer recommended starting a position now and then buying more after the report, which he expects to be positive. Sure, the stock is up big after a Deutsche Bank upgrade, but he thinks AA in general is down from previous levels and has done largely nothing for quite some time, making it relatively inexpensive. The stock’s upward trend should continue after the quarter.



“I think this one sprints higher courtesy of off-the-charts demand for its products,” Cramer said.

Expect stocks to continue their climb throughout the New Year, Cramer said Monday. As a result, investors should buy, buy, buy because this is “the year for aggressive investing.”




How can Cramer be so sure? For a number of reasons, actually.



He thinks hiring is on the rise, and that creates a virtuous circle for the economy that pushes stocks higher, too. New jobs translate into more demand for housing, a dramatic decline in home-loan defaults, more credit demand at banks and higher tax receipts at the federal and local levels. Couple that increased revenue with the austerity measures already in place, Cramer said, and you end up with a lower deficit than anyone’s predicting.



Plus, copper, a basic metal at the heart of all the world’s economies, is up. That in turn signals a rise in the demand for steel as well. Then there’s also the fact that people are cashing out of bonds and returning to stocks, which means they’re excited about making money in the market again.



Cramer’s so confident in the coming year that he put a number on it: Dow 13,365, a 15-percent jump from current levels. That’s his guess after analyzing all 30 Dow stocks, predicting their gains for 2011 and adding them together.



To name just a few of those predictions, Cramer expects Boeing [BA 66.40 1.14 (+1.75%) ] to rise 28 percent to $85, Home Depot [HD 35.31 0.25 (+0.71%) ] to jump 27 percent to $45 and Caterpillar [CAT 94.15 0.49 (+0.52%) ] to reach $120, or 27 percent higher than its present level. He’s bullish on the banks, too, and said the group is the best way to play this rebound in hiring, the consumer and new building.



What won’t work in 2011? The defensive names: Kraft Foods [KFT 31.67 0.16 (+0.51%) ], Pfizer [PFE 17.68 0.17 (+0.97%) ], Merck [MRK 36.04 --- UNCH (0) ], Johnson & Johnson [JNJ 62.82 0.97 (+1.57%) ]. The same goes for the old-tech companies, like Microsoft [MSFT 27.98 0.07 (+0.25%) ], Hewlett-Packard [HPQ 42.74 0.64 (+1.52%) ] and Cisco Systems [CSCO 20.49 0.26 (+1.29%) ].



Investors are better off with the Dow’s offensives stocks, Cramer said, and the oils. But there are three in particular he likes the most.
by and from:
cnbc.com

Ahead of the Bell : for 2011........

Ahead of the Bell: Manufacturing index


Manufacturing index likely to show growth in December for 17th straight month



WASHINGTON (AP) -- Manufacturers likely increased output at the same pace in December as the previous month, notching the 17th straight month of growth.



The Institute for Supply Management's index of manufacturing activity is expected to remain unchanged at 56.6. Any reading above 50 indicates that the sector is growing. The ISM, a trade group of purchasing executives, will release its report on Monday at 10 a.m. EST.



The ISM's manufacturing index rose to 60.4 in April, the highest level since June 2004. The index had bottomed out at 32.5 in December 2008, the lowest since June 1980.


Twaynes World Author Series - CD-Rom
Greater consumer spending could spur more factory output. Shoppers tempered their concerns about the sluggish economy this holiday season and hit the malls in large numbers. Consumer spending, excluding autos, rose in November and December by the most since 2007, according to MasterCard Advisors' SpendingPulse.



That could lead to more factory output, as stores seek to replenish their stockpiles of electronic goods, appliances, and other consumer goods.



Businesses are also stepping up their spending on computers and long-lasting industrial machinery. That should also boost factory output.



The ISM surveys purchasing managers at about 350 companies around the country to compile the index

What Is A Micro-Cap Stock?

What Is A Micro-Cap Stock?


The term 'Micro-cap Stock' is used to refer to stocks that are low priced. Low priced, in this case, refers to stocks that sell at, or less than, five dollars. Micro-cap Stocks generally trade in what is referred to as the Over-the-Counter (OTC) market, which would include the OTC Bulletin Board or the Pink Sheets.



Micro-cap Stocks are also referred to as Penny Stocks.



Where Do Micro-Cap Stocks Trade?

Micro-cap Stocks trade in the Over-The-Counter market generally on the NASDAQ Small Cap, OTC Bulletin Board (OTCBB), or the Pink Sheets. Micro-cap Stocks generally do not trade on the National Stock Exchanges, such as NASDAQ or the NYSE.



How Are Micro-Cap Stocks Different From Other Stocks?

The biggest differences between Micro-cap Stocks and other stocks relate to a lack of public information, listing requirements and investment risk.

The Little Black Book of Microcap Investing: Beat the Market with NASDAQ/AMEX Microcap Stocks, OTCBB Penny Stocks, and Pink Sheet Stocks


Most Micro-cap Stocks do not have the same reporting requirements with the SEC.



Companies on the OTCBB or the Pink Sheets do not have to meet any minimum listing requirements, whereas companies that trade their stocks on major exchanges have requirements relating to total assets, minimum net assets, a minimum number of shareholders and total market capitalization.



Micro-cap Stock investments tend to be high risk because the companies tend to be new and have little or no proven track record.



Are Micro-Cap Stock Investments Risky?

Yes, all stock investments are risky! Especially Micro-Cap Stocks or any other company with little or no operating history. This also allows for explosive growth potential.


What Is Market Cap and How Does It Help You?