Biogen Idec jumps; Intel, Ross Stores slide

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) — Shares of Biogen Idec Inc. leapt Friday on news about a multiple sclerosis drug, while Ross Stores Inc. shares tumbled on weak earnings.

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$HLF Herbalife Ltd. (HLF)  shares rose 4.7% after activist investor William Ackman of Pershing Square Capital Management told Bloomberg that he has lost $400 million to $500 million on his short bet on Herbalife, which he has accused of being a pyramid scheme.

Gainers

Biogen Idec Inc. (BIIB)  shares jumped 13%, the biggest gainer on the S&P 500 (SPX) . The company said Friday it won 10 years of regulatory exclusivity for its multiple-sclerosis treatment Tecfidera after a division of the European Medicines Agency ruled that the drug's dimethyl fumarate is a new active substance.

Foot Locker Inc. (FL)  shares rose 4.1%. The retailer said strong top-line sales growth pushed up per-share earnings to 70 cents a share in the third quarter. Adjusted profit was also up at 68 cents a share, beating analyst estimates of 66 cents, according to a FactSet survey.

Time Warner Cable Inc. (TWC)   shares jumped 10%. The Wall Street Journal reported late Thursday that Charter Communications Inc. (CHTR)  was preparing to make a bid for the cable operator. Charter was said to be in talks with at least four banks to line up financing to buy Time Warner, which has a $35 billion market capitalization. Shares of Charter Communications rallied 6.1%.

Vince Holding Corp. (VNCE)  shares leapt 43.3% to end at $28.66 in the company's first day of trading. The designer clothing label priced its initial public offering at $20 a share.

Getty Images Enlarge Image A shopper carries a bag from a Ross clothing store in San Francisco. Decliners

Ross Stores (ROST)  shares slid 5.7%, the biggest decliner on the S&P 500. The retailer said late Thursday that sales hit $2.40 billion in the third quarter, missing analyst expectations of $2.43 billion. The company also raised its full-year earnings guidance by less than analysts had expected.

Shares of Intel Corp. (INTC)  dropped 5.4%. The chip giant reported a flat outlook for sales next year, missing expectations of 1.4% growth, according to a MarketWatch poll.

Shares of Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (ANF)  declined 2.3%. The teen apparel retailer said Thursday it swung to a loss in the third quarter as it battles falling sales.

Fresh Market Inc. (TFM)  shares plunged nearly 19%. The specialty grocer on Thursday cut its full-year guidance, now expecting per-share earnings in the range of $1.42 to $1.47. Fresh Market's third-quarter profit edged up to $11.1 million, or 23 cents, from $10.9 million, or 23 cents, in the year-ago period.

Wal-Mart promoting 25,000 employees

NEW YORK — Wal-Mart Stores, faced with criticism about worker pay, is making public a round of promotions of about 25,000 U.S. store employees to help send a message that it offers economic security and opportunity.

The world's largest retailer and the nation's largest private employer kicked off the on-the-spot surprise promotions at ceremonies Tuesday in its Secaucus, N.J., store and about 15 other markets including Atlanta and Denver. It's dispatching top executives to stores nationwide for similar events for the rest of its fiscal year, which ends in late January.

The mostly hourly workers will be promoted to different jobs — some to store management positions — and will receive higher pay and increased responsibility.

"It's good a time as any to tell our story," said Bill Simon, president and CEO of Wal-Mart's U.S. namesake division. He was at the Secaucus store Tuesday at a ceremony to promote six to eight workers.

The move is an addition to Wal-Mart's announcement in September that it would move 35,000 workers from temporary to part-time status and another 35,000 from part time to full time by year-end. The campaign builds on a theme the discounter pushed throughout the year, including at its annual shareholders' meeting in June, in which it cast the company as a place where employees have a chance to advance.

It has often highlighted that 75% of its store management teams started as hourly associates.

The latest campaign comes as Wal-Mart remains a target of attacks by critics, particularly union-backed groups that have argued the discounter puts profit ahead of its workers and pays meager wages.

Last week, OUR Wal-Mart, a group of current and former workers that have been staging protests at its stores, held a press conference in Washington, to pressure the discounter to pay all of its full-time workers at least $25,000 a year. It's planning another round of protests at its stores on the day after Thanksgiving, the traditional kickoff for the holid! ay shopping season.

The union-backed group latched on to a comment that Simon made at the Goldman Sachs retail investor conference last month when he said that more than 475,000 Wal-Mart workers earned more than $25,000 last year. OUR Wal-Mart inferred that with Wal-Mart employing 1.3 million workers in the U.S., about 825,000, or 63 percent, make less than $25,000 a year.

Wal-Mart says the group has distorted the figure, noting that more than 70 percent of its full-time hourly workers who have worked at its stores and its distribution centers for more than a year make at least $25,000. Wal-Mart isn't counting those who work at its Bentonville, Ark., headquarters or as drivers. Wal-Mart doesn't break down numbers for part-time and full-time workers but noted that full-time workers account for the majority of its workforce.

Economists see bright GDP report Thursday

The government's first estimate of fourth-quarter economic growth is due Thursday morning, and if economists' estimates are right, the second half of 2013 was the U.S. economy's best six-month performance in nearly two years.

Economists predict fourth-quarter growth in gross domestic product could reach an annual rate of 3%, according to a survey by Econoday. Moody's Analytics forecasts 3.8%.

Coming after 4.1% third-quarter growth, that would mean the best stretch since the last quarter of 2011 and the first three months of 2012. That six-month performance quickly led to a mid-2012 stall — which economists say could, but shouldn't, happen again.

"The economy is in a much better place today,'' Moody's Analytics chief economist Mark Zandi said. "Most importantly, the collective psyche is much stronger today than at any time since before the Great Recession."

The biggest differences this time include the much better financial condition of state and local governments, which cut 286,000 workers in 2011 and have added 42,000 since June, Mesirow Financial chief economist Diane Swonk said.

The housing market is also in much better shape, sparking prospects for "10% to 15% construction growth as far as the eye can see," Action Economics chief economist Mike Englund said.

Many economists say the mid-2011 budget deal that prescribed more than $2 trillion in budget cuts over 10 years took a short-term toll on growth. The fiscal deal that Congress approved in December delays some cuts, letting the economy grow faster now, Englund said.

The caveat: The cold winter will produce slower first-quarter growth, Swonk said. And with many Millennials still declining to move out of their parents' houses, partly because of shaky job prospects, the home building push that a stronger expansion requires may take longer than expected, she said.

Comcast income up 26% on more video customers

Comcast, the nation's largest cable and Internet service provider, said Tuesday its fourth quarter net income rose 26% from a year ago to $1.91 billion as its video business rebounded.

Its earnings per share, excluding a one-time tax gain, totaled 66 cents, falling short of analysts' estimate of 68 cents.

Comcast shares rose 2.2% to $53.65 on Tuesday.

STOCKS TUESDAY: How markets are doing

The Philadelphia-based company, along with its competitors, has been struggling with customers cutting the "cord" of its cable TV service and increasingly opting for online streaming options like Netflix. But its fourth quarter gain of 43,000 video subscribers was the company's first quarterly gain in six and a half years. Comcast cited its new set-top box as a catalyst in driving more customers to keep the video service and spend more on ordering movies and TV shows on demand.

Revenue for the quarter totaled $16.93 billion, up 6% from a year ago.

As video subscribers returned, revenue for the cable communications division -- which includes the broadband Internet business -- rose 5.2% to $10.7 billion in the fourth quarter.

As of the end of 2013, video, Internet and phone customers totaled 53.1 million, an increase of 1.8 million from a year earlier. For all of 2013, cable revenue rose 5.6% to $41.8 billion, driven by growth in broadband Internet and business services.

Its NBCUniversal division reported a 7.5% increase in revenue to $6.5 billion in the fourth quarter.

Revenue for the cable networks segment, which includes USA Network, increased 5.3% to $2.3 billion in the fourth quarter as gains in advertising and distribution fees outpaced higher programming and production costs.

Broadcast television revenue totaled $2.2 billion, an 11.5% increase, as it reported higher primetime advertising sales and increased retransmission consent fees.

Revenue for the filmed entertainment segment rose 4.9% to $1.4 billion, partly due to the robust box-office perform! ance of Despicable Me 2.

Contributing: The Associated Press

Emerging markets extend slide in ‘perfect hurricane’

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) — Investors kept up a stampede out of emerging-market assets on Friday, pushing the Turkish lira to yet another record low and weighing on the benchmark index for emerging-market stocks.

The broad selloff began Thursday after a surprise contraction in China's manufacturing sector exacerbated concerns about economic growth among emerging-market countries as well as political turmoil in some of them. That continued to pressure markets on Friday.

Domestic factors also hit some markets. Stocks in Argentina were sliding Friday after Argentina eased controls on dollar purchases amid fears of a financial crisis there following a devaluation of the currency.

Click to Play Esteves: Argentina is a Special Case

Andre Esteves CEO of BTG Pactual tells WSJ's Thorold Barker at the World Economic Forum that Argentina's problems should not infect other emerging markets. Photo: Getty Images

Still, most analysts were still looking to the world's second-largest economy.

"At the core of this is concern about the slowdown in China," said Lars Christensen, chief analyst and head of emerging-market research at Danske Bank.

China has become the largest trading partner for countries like Brazil and South Africa, which means that prospects for Chinese growth have become more important than prospects for U.S. growth, he said. Another reason for China's influence is its consumption of commodities, which are exported by many emerging-market countries.

More broadly, however, emerging markets have been under pressure since last year as investors increasingly bet in 2013 that the Federal Reserve would begin to stem its monetary stimulus, pushing yields higher and making emerging-market assets less attractive. Indeed, the Fed in December announced a $10 billion cut in its monthly bond purchases, and investors widely expect another cut after the Fed's January meeting next week.

/quotes/zigman/322623/delayed/quotes/nls/eem EEM 38.24, -1.03, -2.62% The benchmark index for emerging-market stocks falls

Rising yields are also making it more expensive for countries such as India and Turkey to fund their current-account deficits.

"It's a bit of a perfect storm at the moment. Rather, it's a bit of a perfect hurricane," said Christensen.

The MSCI Emerging Markets Exchange-Traded Fund (EEM)  fell 2.6% to close at $38.24, its lowest level in more than four months. The fund had the third-biggest outflows as investors withdrew $757.3 million in the week ended Thursday, according to IndexUniverse data.

"It is a big movement, but not something that we haven't seen in the last few years," said Lu Yu, an emerging-markets portfolio manager at Allianz Global Investors.

A better way to invest in emerging markets is to increase exposure to companies that benefit from middle-class consumption, rather than export- or resource-related companies, she said. That's because China is going through a structural shift toward an economy driven by domestic consumption, she said. The middle classes are also expanding in countries like Mexico and Brazil, she added.

The iShares J.P. Morgan USD Emerging Markets Bond Exchange-Traded Fund (EMB) fell 0.6% to end at $107.55.  

"Now that tapering has been announced and the Fed has ratcheted down its monthly pace of purchases, emerging markets appear even more vulnerable to signs of cracks in the surface," said Andrew Wilkinson, chief market analyst at Interactive Brokers, in a note.

In Turkey, those cracks include a political scandal that has ensnared Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his allies. The U.S. dollar (USDTRY)  rose against the lira for the 10th-straight session on Friday to hit another record, buying 2.3377 lira from 2.2929 lira late Thursday.

The dollar (USDZAR)  increased to 11.0901 South African rand from 10.9912 rand late Thursday. That's the highest level since October 2008, according to FactSet. The dollar (USDARS)  also strengthened to 7.9915 Argentine pesos from 7.9030 pesos on Thursday, a day in which the peso posted its biggest one-day loss since 2002 .

The drop in the Argentine peso has also hit Spanish stocks hard because of big investments in Latin America by the country's banks.

Reuters Enlarge Image The Turkish lira extends its decline against the dollar into the 10th session.

Goldman Sachs Chief Executive Lloyd Blankfein told CNBC on Friday that emerging markets are viewed as a single entity when the going gets tough, as opposed to examining individual countries as is done in good times. "Emerging-market currency risk has become a macro event ," he said on the sidelines of Davos.

The dollar also showed strength against the Indian rupee, Brazilian real and Mexican peso on Friday.

Read more on MarketWatch:

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Biotech IPO Indigestion and Other Small Cap Biotech News (AMAG, MSTX, CTIC, IMMY & TNIB)

The start of 2014 shows that biotech is still a hot area with the sector along with small cap biotech stocks like AMAG Pharmaceuticals, Inc (NASDAQ: AMAG), Mast Therapeutics Inc (NYSEMKT: MSTX), Cell Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ: CTIC), Imprimis Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: IMMY) and TNI BioTech (OTCMKTS: TNIB) producing news or returns plus Auspex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ASPX), Cara Therapeutics (NASDAQ: CARA), Egalet (NASDAQ: EGLT), Flexion Therapeutics (NASDAQ: FLXN) and Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical (NASDAQ: RARE) are among the (many…) planned biotech IPOs that have recently been announced publicly:

Key Takeaways From JP Morgan's 32nd Annual Healthcare Conference. Last week, JP Morgan's 32nd Annual Healthcare Conference was attended by approximately 300 companies who delivered presentations to more than 4,000 investors. Bruce Booth, a partner at Atlas Venture, wrote a piece for Forbes summarizing the key takeaways from the conference with the four common themes on the Pharma-Biotech-Venture ecosystem being: 1) Pharma embracing new innovative startups; 2) The Build-to-Buy structured deal concept is here to stay; 3) Lots of pending IPO indigestion of the buyside; and 4) Will there be enough money to go around as in the list of venture firms either raising new funds or about to raise new funds in 2014 is getting a lot longer. On the disease area side of things, the three themes that captured the most attention were: 1) Immuno-oncology is hot, hot, hot; 2) NASH, the new HCV? and 3) RNA therapeutics are back in vogue.

Biotech IPO indigestion? Venture capitalist Bruce Booth recently told a crowd at a MassBio event that he expects "IPO indigestion" over the next month with as many as 25 biotechs aim to go public at once. Bruce expects about 30 biotech IPOs this year verses the record of 45 to 50 biotech IPOs (depending on how the companies are classified) that happened last year and the average of 12 a year for the last several years before 2013. He also added that "the power is not so centered on one side of the equation" as small cap biotechs aren't so dependent on big pharma anymore.

More Announced Biotech IPOs. Just some of the small cap biotech IPOs announced in recent days would include the following:

Small cap Auspex Pharmaceuticals, which has just landed $35 million in venture and loan financing whose lead drug candidate is focused on movement disorders, is planning to sell 5.5 million shares at between $10 and $12 to raise another $75.9 million more in an IPO. The company is in the midst of a Phase III trial on abnormal involuntary movements associated with Huntington's disease which has 30,000 sufferers in the US with 90% having abnormal involuntary movements. Cara Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotech developing novel opioid pain medication, plans to raise $60 million by offering 5.0 million shares at a price range of $11 to $13 for a market value of around $262 million. Cara Therapeutics initially filed confidentially on October 4, 2013. Egalet, which is developing abuse-deterrent oral products for the treatment of pain, plans to raise $42 million by offering 3.5 million shares at a price range of $11 to $13 for a market value of around $167 million. 
Egalet had initially filed confidentially on September 17, 2013. Flexion Therapeutics, which is working on drugs to help with pain due to osteoarthritis, has filed plans to raise up to $86 million. Flexion Therapeutics' most advanced drug is FX006, a sustained release steroid for patients with moderate to severe osteoarthritis pain, has completed a Phase 2b trial. Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical, a clinical-stage biotech developing treatments for metabolic genetic diseases, plans to raise $75 million by offering 4.8 million shares at a price range of $14 to $17 for a market value of around $436 million. Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical initially filed confidentially on October 4, 2013.

AMAG Pharmaceuticals Falls But Losses Are Trimmed. In the middle of the week, the FDA reminded investors who the boss of biotech is when an attempt by small cap AMAG Pharmaceuticals to expand the use of its anemia drug ferumoxytol was rejected. The drug is currently approved for patients with chronic kidney disease, but AMAG Pharmaceuticals wanted to sell the drug to all patients with iron deficiency anemia that have failed prior treatment with oral iron. The FDA said no and suggested the company run another trial. Shares are only down around 13% for the year though and still up more than 33% over the past year.

Small Cap Biotechs That Have Doubled for Investors This Year. Small cap biotech stocks Mast Therapeutics, Cell Therapeutics and Imprimis Pharmaceuticals have the distinction of more than doubling so far this year and not necessarily because of FDA approvals. Just take a look at their charts:

TNI BioTech Announces More Deals. Small cap TNI BioTech International, which acquires patents, develops treatments, markets and licenses immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer, HIV/AIDS and autoimmune diseases, recently announced that the Nicaraguan Ministry of Health had granted a certificate of free sale to the company's wholly-owned subsidiary, TNI BioTech International Ltd., for Lodonal, a Low Dose Naltrexone product (LDN) for the treatment of patients with autoimmune diseases HIV/AIDS, Crohn's Disease, Multiple Sclerosis and certain cancers. TNI BioTech International, Ltd., already has a distribution agreement with a Nigerian company called AHAR Pharma to market Lodonal in Nigeria for the treatment of autoimmune diseases and cancer. The company says that deal alone will generate just over $53,000,000 in gross revenue in 2014 with approximately $21,000,000 in available cash flow to meet its financial clinical trial commitments plus AHAR Pharma has also pre-paid for the API necessary for the soft launch and has committed to purchase a minimum of $1,000,000 worth of capsules between now and January 2014. TNI BioTech also has received a Certificate of Free Sale and export licenses for the Republic of Nigeria, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Malawi and the Republic of Gabon plus the company is having discussions with a number of other emerging countries concerning the approval of Lodonal and hopes to receive approvals in these countries for this year. TNI BioTech is up more than 25% so far this year.

Tech Stocks Set to Push the Envelope

In the supersonic-paced technology sector, a company's ability to adapt and innovate is crucial for survival. However, MoneyShow's Jim Jubak is looking at three tech companies that are set to not just survive, but to thrive.

In the video below from Yahoo! Finance, Jim Jubak highlights a few technology companies that are the 2014 Top Stock Picks of several of MoneyShow's team of experts. These tech companies aim to adapt, innovate, and overcome any obstacles along the way.

For his first expert's pick, Jubak turns to Ingrid Hendershot, editor of Hendershot Investments, who chose Qualcomm (QCOM) as her 2014 Top Stock Pick. Qualcomm is the world leader in 3G, 4G, and next-generation wireless technologies.

As Hendershot points out, "Qualcomm reported record revenue for fiscal year 2013 of $24.9 billion, an increase of 30% over the prior year." However, Jim Jubak is even more intrigued by the fact that the majority of this chip-maker's revenue comes from royalties on the many patents it owns, a factor that affords Qualcomm, as Jubak puts it, "really, really high margins," plus leverage against the continuous erosion of chip prices.

However, in all fairness, shares of Qualcomm have indeed lagged the Nasdaq 100 (NDX) over the past year. But despite that fact, Qualcomm is still currently rated a buy by a large percentage of analysts who continue to follow the stock. As Hendershot points out, perhaps that is because "Qualcomm believes the company can generate double-digit compound average growth for revenues and earnings for, at least, the next five years."

For his second choice, Jubak turns to Paul McWilliams, editor of Next Inning, who featured Marvell (MRVL) as one of his three 2014 Top Stock Picks.

Marvell did suffer a setback by way of a law suit with Carnegie Mellon University, however, despite that, or rather, possibly as a result, both McWilliams and Jubak feel this semiconductor company is poised to bounce back much higher. It seems to have even started its comeback, having already gained 65% in just one year. As Jubak states, "You're looking at a company with big exposure in wireless mobile, storage and networking," adding "they cover all of that waterfront."

For his final tech sector choice, Jubak likes what Jim Pearce and Leo Boeckl, editors of Smart Tech Investor have to say about the tech giant Apple (AAPL) , which is one of their 2014 Top Stock Picks.

According to Pearce and Boeckl, "too many tech stocks are currently priced for perfection and therefore susceptible to quick and severe correction at the first whiff of bad news. For that reason, they chose this giant instead, which is coming off of its worst year since 2008, having gained just 5%.

However, as Jim Jubak points out, "The P/E on this is really low. It's like 12.3 times forward earnings," adding "I really like the 5S (iPhone) not because of what it does, but because of what it suggests we are driving at in the future." Specifically, Jubak notes the number of new sensors and gadgets Apple carries, including fingerprint technology and more powerful 64-bit chips.

Granted, with a market value of $490 billion, it takes a lot to move this massive conglomerate, but that is even more reason for why Pearce and Boeckl chose this as their conservative pick for the year. Apple is set to report its latest results on next Monday, January 27, after the close. Consensus estimates are for Apple to earn $14.08 per share on about $57 billion in sales.

For More 2014 Top Stock Picks

Top Analyst Upgrades and Stocks to Buy: E*Trade, KeyCorp, Ericsson and More

Investors and traders alike often look for new research ideas that can lead to higher income and profits. 24/7 Wall St. reviews dozens of new analyst research calls each morning. Some turn out to be stocks to buy and others end up being stocks to sell. We have broken out the positive analyst calls, and these are some of Friday’s top analyst upgrades, initiations and positive analyst research calls seen from Wall Street.

Constellation Brands Inc. (NYSE: STZ) was raised to Buy from Neutral at BofA/Merrill Lynch.

Diageo PLC (NYSE: DEO) was raised to Buy from Neutral at Citigroup.

E*Trade Financial Corp. (NASDAQ: ETFC) was raised to Buy from Neutral with a new $19 price target at Goldman Sachs; Credit Suisse also raised its price target to $14.50.

Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) was raised to Outperform from Neutral by Credit Suisse.

Five Below Inc. (NASDAQ: FIVE) was raised to Buy from Neutral at UBS

KeyCorp (NYSE: KEY) was raised to Outperform from Neutral at Credit Suisse.

Oasis Petroleum Inc. (NYSE: OAS) was raised to Buy from Hold with a $55 price target at Deutsche Bank and was raised to Buy from Neutral with a $53 price target at SunTrust.

QEP Midstream Partners L.P. (NYSE: QEPM) was started as Buy at Janney Capital, and note that four other firms started coverage earlier this week.

ServiceNow Inc. (NYSE: NOW) was started as Buy with a $55 price target at Canaccord Genuity.

Siemens A.G. (NYSE: SI) was raised Buy from Hold in overseas coverage by Societe Generale.

Splunk Inc. (NASDAQ: SPLK) was started as Buy with a $62 price target at Canaccord Genuity.

Stryker Corp. (NYSE: SYK) was raised to Outperform from Neutral by Credit Suisse.

SunTrust Banks Inc. (NYSE: STI) was raised to Buy from Hold with a new $39 price target at Deutsche Bank.

T-Mobile US Inc. (NYSE: TMUS) was raised to Outperform from Market Perform at William Blair.

4 Basic Materials Stocks Under $10 to Watch

DELAFIELD, Wis. (Stockpickr) -- At Stockpickr, we track daily portfolios of stocks that are the biggest percentage gainers and the biggest percentage losers.

>>5 Hated Earnings Stocks You Should Love

Stocks that are making large moves like these are favorites among short-term traders because they can jump into these names and try to capture some of that massive volatility. Stocks that are making big-percentage moves either up or down are usually in play because their sector is becoming attractive or they have a major fundamental catalyst such as a recent earnings release. Sometimes stocks making big moves have been hit with an analyst upgrade or an analyst downgrade.

Regardless of the reason behind it, when a stock makes a large-percentage move, it is often just the start of a new major trend -- a trend that can lead to huge profits. If you time your trade correctly, combining technical indicators with fundamental trends, discipline and sound money management, you will be well on your way to investment success.

>>5 Stocks Ready to Break Out

With that in mind, let's take a closer look at a several stocks under $10 that are making large moves to the upside today.

Polymet Mining

Polymet Mining (PLM) is a Canadian mine development company focused on the NorthMet copper-nickel-precious metals project through its wholly owned subsidiary, PolyMet Mining, a Minnesota corporation. This stock closed up 0.59% to 85 cents per share in Tuesday's trading session.

Tuesday's Range: $0.83-$0.85

52-Week Range: $0.68-$1.09

Thursday's Volume: 119,000

Three-Month Average Volume: 343,231

>>5 Commodity Stocks to Trade for Gains

From a technical perspective, PLM bounced modestly higher here right above its 50-day moving average at 80 cents per share with lighter-than-average volume. This move is quickly pushing shares of PLM within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade. That trade will hit if PLM manages to take out some near-term overhead resistance at 88 cents per share with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in PLM as long as it's trending above its 50-day at 80 cents per share and then once it sustains a move or close above 88 cents per share with volume that hits near or above 343,231 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then PLM will set up to re-test or possibly take out its 200-day moving average at $1 or its next major resistance level at $1.03.

Gevo

Gevo (GEVO) is a renewable chemicals and advanced biofuels company. This stock closed up 2.6% to $1.97 in Tuesday's trading session.

Tuesday's Range: $1.87-$1.99

52-Week Range: $1.36-$3.78

Tuesday's Volume: 433,000

Three-Month Average Volume: 1.03 million

>>5 Rocket Stocks to Buy This Week

From a technical perspective, GEVO bounced modestly higher here right off its 200-day moving average of $1.89 and back above its 50-day moving average of $1.94 with lighter-than-average volume. This move is quickly pushing shares of GEVO within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade. That trade will hit if GEVO manages to take out some near-term overhead resistance levels at $2.04 to $2.11 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in GEVO as long as it's trending above its 200-day at $1.89 or above $1.80 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 1.03 million shares. If we get that move soon, then GEVO will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $2.30 to $2.32. Any high-volume move above those levels will then put its next major overhead resistance levels at $2.45 to $2.75 into range for shares of GEVO.

Callon Petroleum

Callon Petroleum (CPE) is engaged in the exploration, development, acquisition and production of oil and gas properties. This stock closed up 1.8% to $4.40 in Tuesday's trading session.

Tuesday's Range: $4.26-$4.42

52-Week Range: $3.19-$6.55

Tuesday's Volume: 734,000

Three-Month Average Volume: 272,644

>>5 Stocks With Big Insider Buying

From a technical perspective, CPE bounced modestly higher here right off its 200-day moving average of $4.28 with above-average volume. This stock has been uptrending strong for the last two months, with shares moving higher from its low of $3.19 to its recent high of $4.55. During that uptrend, shares of CPE have been consistently making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of CPE within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade. That trade will hit if CPE manages to take out some near-term overhead resistance levels at $4.44 to $4.55 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in CPE as long as it's trending above some key near-term support at $4.08 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 272,644 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then CPE will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $5 to $5.25. Any high-volume move above those levels will then give CPE a chance to tag its next major overhead resistance levels at $5.78 to $5.82.

Forest Oil

Forest Oil (FST) is an independent oil and gas company engaged in the acquisition, exploration, development and production of natural gas and liquids in North America. This stock closed up 1.9% to $5.64 in Tuesday's trading session.

Tuesday's Range: $5.47-$5.73

52-Week Range: $3.77-$9.32

Tuesday's Volume: 3.96 million

Three-Month Average Volume: 3.75 million

>>5 Stocks Under $10 That Hedge Funds Love

From a technical perspective, FST popped modestly higher here back above its 200-day moving average of $5.55 with above-average volume. This stock has been uptrending strong for the last two months, with shares moving higher from its low of $3.77 to its intraday high of $5.73. During that uptrend, shares of FST have been making mostly higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in FST as long as it's trending above some key near-term support levels at $5.25 or $5 and then once it sustains a move or close above Tuesday's high of $5.73 with volume that hits near or above 3.75 million shares. If we get that move soon, then FST will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $6.52 to $7. Any high-volume move above those levels will then put $7.40 into range for shares of FST.

To see more stocks that are making notable moves higher today, check out the Stocks Under $10 Moving Higher portfolio on Stockpickr.

-- Written by Roberto Pedone in Delafield, Wis.

RELATED LINKS:

>>5 Stocks Spiking on Unusual Volume

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Follow Stockpickr on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

At the time of publication, author had no positions in stocks mentioned.

Roberto Pedone, based out of Delafield, Wis., is an independent trader who focuses on technical analysis for small- and large-cap stocks, options, futures, commodities and currencies. Roberto studied international business at the Milwaukee School of Engineering, and he spent a year overseas studying business in Lubeck, Germany. His work has appeared on financial outlets including

CNBC.com and Forbes.com. You can follow Pedone on Twitter at www.twitter.com/zerosum24 or @zerosum24.

3 Big Retail Stocks to Trade (or Not)

BALTIMORE (Stockpickr) -- Put down the 10-K filings and the stock screeners. It's time to take a break from the traditional methods of generating investment ideas. Instead, let the crowd do it for you.

From hedge funds to individual investors, scores of market participants are turning to social media to figure out which stocks are worth watching. It's a concept that's known as "crowdsourcing," and it uses the masses to identify emerging trends in the market.

Crowdsourcing has long been a popular tool for the advertising industry, but it also makes a lot of sense as an investment tool. After all, the market is completely driven by the supply and demand, so it can be valuable to see what names are trending among the crowd.

While some fund managers are already trying to leverage social media resources like Twitter to find algorithmic trading opportunities, for most investors, crowdsourcing works best as a starting point for investors who want a starting point in their analysis. Today, we'll leverage the power of the crowd to take a look at some of the most active stocks on the market today.

These "most active" names are the most heavily-traded names on the market -- and often, uber-active names have some sort of a technical or fundamental catalyst driving investors' attention on shares. That's especially true now that earnings season is officially underway. And when there's a big catalyst, there's often a trading opportunity.

Without further ado, here's a look at today's stocks.

J.C. Penney

Nearest Resistance: $13.75

Nearest Support: $12.50

Catalyst: Ackman Board Resignation

Department store retailer J.C. Penney (JCP) has been catching headlines after hedge fund manager Bill Ackman conspicuously resigned from the firm's board earlier this week. Ackman, Penney's largest investor, had been feuding with management over how to right JCP's struggling ship. The resignation should help to calm some of the drama surrounding this stock for a while -- and opening the door for the possibility of an offer to take the retailer private.

JCP's chart has been forming a rectangle pattern for the last handful of trading sessions, with resistance to the upside at $13.75 and support below shares at $12.50. I'd recommend becoming a buyer if JCP can crack $13.75.

Wal-Mart

Nearest Resistance: $78

Nearest Support: $73

Catalyst: Earnings, Outlook Miss

The world's biggest retailer, Wal-Mart (WMT), just barely missed Wall Street's earnings expectations for the second quarter, making $1.24 per share. That fell short of estimates by a single penny, but it's the lackluster outlook that's sending shares down 2.5% in this afternoon's trading.

WMT is looks "toppy" from a technical standpoint. The stock has been forming a double top pattern in the long-term, a setup that triggers a sell if shares move through support at $73. If you decide to go short there, it makes sense to keep a protective stop at the 50-day moving average.

Kohl's

Nearest Resistance: $54

Nearest Support: $50

Catalyst: Earnings Beat

Last up on our list of most-active names today is Kohl's (KSS), a stock that's seeing hefty trading volume after posting good earnings numbers for the second quarter. Kohl's earned $1.04 per share for the quarter, the result of fatter margins thanks to bigger private label offerings in its stores. Shares are up 4.5% this afternoon on the news, flirting with setting a new 52-week high.

Making new highs is significant from an investor psychology standpoint because it means that everyone who has bought shares in the last year is sitting on gains. As a result, the "back to even" mentality is less of a concern than it would be for a name with a higher proportion of shareholders sitting on losses.

Wait for $54 resistance to get taken out before jumping into this trade.

To see these stocks in action, check out the at Most-Active Stocks portfolio on Stockpickr.



-- Written by Jonas Elmerraji in Baltimore.

General Electric Sentiment Suggests More Upside for Industry

General Electric (GE) beat the S&P 500 by nearly five percentage points in 2013, but the stock hasn’t been getting much love from investors. Is that good news for General Electric and other industrial stocks?

AFP

Yes, says Deutsche Bank’s John Inch and Karen Lau. They explain:

…our positive calls on GE last year were frequently met with resistance (to be polite). Despite GE's share price appreciation that was driven by earnings beats and new management (CFO) providing a framework for meaningful cost-out runway (for years) and shrinking GE Capital (Retail Finance IPO and subsequent exchange offer), there appears to be little evidence that investors have significantly moved to close their long term GE underweight positions (hence providing future upside). With GE remaining the biggest industrial (by far), it therefore intuitively seems hard to argue the group is over owned (and over loved).

That negative sentiment “flashed as a positive indicator,” Inch and Lau say, and some stocks appear to be “‘locked and loaded’ to meaningfully exceed forecast estimates.” Those include Rockwell Automation (ROK), Eaton (ETN) and Emerson Electric (EMR).

Shares of General Electric have fallen 0.9% to $27.11 today, while Rockwell Automation has risen 0.6% to $119.60, Emerson Electric has advanced 0.2% to $69.91 and Eaton down 0.1% at $76.39.

Gap's June Comps Rise - Analyst Blog

Gap Inc. (GPS) reported comparable-store sales (comps) increase of 7% for the 5 weeks ended Jul 6, 2013 compared with flat comps results registered for the 5 weeks ended Jul 7, 2012, driven by strong performances at its namesake Gap and Old Navy stores. Moreover, net sales totaled $1.53 billion for the 5 weeks ended Jul 6, 2013, up 8% from sales worth $1.41 billion for the 5 weeks ended Jun 30, 2012.

The difference in the year-ago period comparisons for comps and net sales is primarily due to the inclusion of an additional week in fiscal 2012.

Global brand-wise, comps performances at Gap Global were up 5% compared with a 3% fall in the prior-year period, while comps at Old Navy were up 13% compared with a 1% increase recorded in Jun 2012. However, comps at the company's Banana Republic stores registered a fall of 1% versus an increase of 4% in June last year.

The improvement in comps and sales for June mainly resulted from favorable customer response to the company's clearance of summer assortments to make room for back-to-school merchandise.

Gap, which witnessed a phase of declining comparable-store sales and reduced profitability, is gradually returning to growth based on turnaround strategies as is evident from its solid comps and sales performances in fiscal 2013 so far.

Furthermore, in early June, Gap announced its plans for further global expansion with the opening of franchise and standalone stores in Paraguay, Hungary and Mexico. Apart from this, the company intends to extend its international operations to 8 Latin American countries, namely, Chile, Panama, Colombia, Mexico, Uruguay, Paraguay, Peru and Brazil.

Gap has been progressing well with its long-term plans by reducing dependency on the North American specialty business, while increasing its online presence and expanding international operations. Gap aims to generate 30% of its total sales from overseas operations and online business in 2013 versus 27% in fiscal 2012.

Apart from G! ap, other retailers that came out with comparable-store sales data include, Zumiez Inc. (ZUMZ),Costco Wholesale Corp. (COST) and Stein Mart Inc. (SMRT), which reported an increase of 1%, 6% and 6.5%, respectively, for the month of June.

Gap currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) and is scheduled to release its July sales results on Aug 8, 2013.

Alive! Former adviser disappeared after allegedly ripping clients off captured

A former Georgia investment adviser who disappeared and was presumed dead after authorities said that he bilked clients out of $40 million in a private-placement fraud has been found alive.

Aubrey Lee Price, 47, went missing in June 2012 shortly after revealing investor losses in a cryptic letter with suicidal overtones, authorities said.

He was declared dead by a court at his wife's request later that year.

Now Mr. Price is back in court facing criminal charges he eluded.

He pleaded not guilty last Wednesday to federal bank fraud charges in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia before consenting to be held in custody while the case proceeds, according to court records.

There is also a parallel legal proceeding in which the Securities and Exchange Commission has sought to claw back some of the money investors are said to have lost.

Mr. Price, who had previously lost two arbitration cases connected to client accusations of fraud and excessive trading while he was a broker at Smith Barney in 2004, sold shares in an unregistered investment fund, PFG, and made illiquid investments in South American real estate and a faltering bank in southern Georgia starting in 2008, according to the SEC's complaint.

His fund promised “positive total returns with low volatility” in a range of investments, including equities traded on U.S. markets. Authorities said he raised $40 million from investors.

Authorities said that Mr. Price admitted in a 22-page letter that he sent in June 2012 that he provided false statements to investors and regulators claiming to have earned returns on the investments to cover up between $20 million and $23 million in losses.

And he suggested he might commit suicide, authorities said.

Then he vanished.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and other law enforcement officials scoured Florida and Georgia for Mr. Price.

The SEC froze his assets, which include a working corn farm in Venezuela ostensibly bought with proceeds from investors.

A court-appointed receiver was assigned to recoup the money lost by investors.

Mr. Price was arrested New Year's Eve in a coastal Georgia town after being pulled over during a traffic stop.

He was found to be carrying falsified identification, local media outlets reported.

Mr. Price, a former minister, told authorities that he worked odd jobs as a migrant laborer, according to local media reports, citin! g law enforcement officials who spoke in court.

But authorities in Florida said that he used the name Jason and lived on a rented property where 225 marijuana plants were confiscated on Jan. 1, according to a police report.

Now Mr. Price faces charges carrying a possible penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine.

After a court session last week, a Georgia man reportedly said that said that Mr. Price had lost the money invested for his granddaughter's college fund.

Two lawyers representing Mr. Price in the criminal action, Joshua S. Lowther and D. Duston Tapley Jr., didn't respond to phone calls and e-mails seeking comment on Friday. Both lawyers are working at no cost to Mr. Price. Like what you've read?

Top 5 Companies For 2014

USA TODAY markets reporter Matt Krantz answers a different reader question every weekday. To submit a question, e-mail Matt at mkrantz@usatoday.com.

Q: Is it worth holding off selling a stock to get a lower tax rate?

A: Frequent traders like to say it's never wise to let Uncle Sam make your investment decisions for you. But in reality, tax considerations are enormous and shouldn't be ignored.

When you sell a winning stock that you've own for a year or less, you have quite a bill to pay in many cases. These so-called short-term capital gains are taxed at your ordinary income tax bracket, which ranges from 10% to 35%. That's a hefty bill for most investors.

By holding onto a winning stock for more than a year, when you sell, your gain likely qualifies for the long-term capital gains rate. The long-term capital gains rate is a bargain next to most people's short-term capital gains rates. Investors in the 10% and 15% ordinary income tax rates pay 0% capital gains taxes on their long-term gains. And other investors in the 25% or higher ordinary income tax rates are access long-term capital gains rates of 15%.

Top 5 Companies For 2014: Atlantic Coast Federal Corporation(ACFC)

Atlantic Coast Financial Corporation operates as the bank holding company for Atlantic Coast Bank that provides various banking services to individual and business customers primarily in northeastern Florida and southeastern Georgia. Its deposit products include checking accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts, demand deposit accounts, time deposit accounts, and certificates of deposit. The company?s loan portfolio comprises one- to four-family real estate loans, home-equity loans, commercial real estate loans, commercial and residential construction loans, land and multi-family real estate loans, commercial business loans, and automobile and other consumer loans. It provides its services through 11 full service branch offices. The company was founded in 1939 and is based in Jacksonville, Florida.

Top 5 Companies For 2014: Pioneering Technology Corp (PTE)

Pioneering Technology Corp is a Canada-based energy smart product company that identifies opportunities and engineers solutions, and markets those solutions for existing mainstream applications, and has a research and development department that is tasked to bring new and complementary products to market. Company�� products are focused on saving energy and saving lives. The Company creates platform and derivative technologies that manage, control and/or transform heat into other useful or more friendly forms of energy. The products of the Company include Safe-T-element, Safe-T-sensor, Powergrill, Battery eliminator, Powerpak and Hydro Free Furnace Fan. The Company focused on its Safe-T-element(STE) cooking technology, the only technology solution of its kind that helps prevent stovetop cooking fires before they start while also saving energy.

Best Performing Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Dreyfus Municipal Income Inc.(DMF)

Dreyfus Municipal Income, Inc. is a close ended mutual fund launched and managed by The Dreyfus Corporation. It invests in the fixed income markets. It primarily invests in municipal bonds. Dreyfus Municipal Income, Inc. is domiciled in United States.

Top 5 Companies For 2014: Cobalt Coal Corp (CBT.V)

Cobalt Coal Ltd. engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and operation of coal properties in West Virginia, the United States. The company produces metallurgical coal, which is used in the production of steel. It owns and operates two coal projects, The Westchester Coal Mine and The Westchester Expansion. The company was formerly known as Cobalt Coal Corp. and changed its name to Cobalt Coal Ltd. in June 2011. Cobalt Coal Ltd. is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.

Top 5 Companies For 2014: Malbex Resources Inc(MBG.V)

Malbex Resources Inc., an exploration stage company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of precious metal projects in Argentina and Peru. The company primarily explores for gold and silver. Its principal property includes Del Carmen project that covers approximately 15,129 hectares located near the southern end of the El Indio Gold Belt, Argentina. The company is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

In Surprise, Helck to Retire From Raymond James

Chet Helck, CEO of Raymond James’ (RJF) Global Private Client Group and a company board member, said Thursday that he will retire next month. He has been with the firm for 25 years and will stay on as a special advisor through year-end as needed.

"Chet has been a very strong leader for our organization. He was our first head of a combined Private Client Group (PCG) and has managed our core business through challenging markets while delivering consistently excellent results," said Raymond James CEO Paul Reilly, in a press release.

Helck, 61, now represents Raymond James on the board of directors of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) and served as the group’s chairman in 2012.

Raymond James says that Scott Curtis, president of its independent advisor channel, and Tash Elwyn, president of its employee advisor channel, will join the firm’s Executive Committee upon approval of the board at its February meeting.

“I have been privileged to help lead one of the industry’s finest companies," Helck said, in a press release. "Raymond James is well-established as the destination for the best advisors in the industry. Tash and Scott are well-prepared and I am proud of the management team we have built together."

Company Changes

Raymond James has seen several key leaders retire in recent years.

Dick Averitt, formerly CEO of the independent advisor channel, retired from that role in 2012. He remained chairman of this unit through the end of 2013.

Former CEO Tom James passed the baton to Reilly in May 2010, one year after Reilly began acting as president and CEO-designate.

"Chet's contributions to the firm go beyond his leadership with our Private Client Group, including as a key contributor to the development of the firm's technology, wealth solutions and marketing efforts," said  James, now executive chairman, in a statement.

“Prior to his broader PCG leadership role, Chet was one of a small management team that made Investment Management & Research and its successor, Raymond James Financial Services, a leader in the independent contractor brokerage business,” James added.

Raymond James, which acquired Morgan Keegan in 2012, now has some 6,200 financial advisors with client assets of roughly $441 billion.

---

Check out 13 Best & Worst Broker-Dealers: Q3 Earnings, 2013 on ThinkAdvisor.

 

Stocks Hitting 52-Week Highs

Stratasys (NASDAQ: SSYS) shares touched a new 52-week high of $123.24 after the company reported third-quarter results.

United Therapeutics (NASDAQ: UTHR) shares reached a new 52-week high of $91.13. United Therapeutics' PEG ratio is 1.64.

DENTSPLY International (NASDAQ: XRAY) shares touched a new 52-week high of $47.65. DENTSPLY's trailing-twelve-month ROE is 15.95%.

Sun Life Financial (NYSE: SLF) shares gained 2.47% to create a new 52-week high of $34.80 on Q3 results. Sun Life reported its Q3 operating net income from continuing operations of $422 million.

Posted-In: 52-Week HighsNews Intraday Update Markets Movers

(c) 2013 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

  Around the Web, We're Loving... Learn to Use Trading Platforms Like Hedge Fund Traders do Rumsfeld: Denial of Benefits to Fallen Soldiers' Families 'Inexcusable' Come See How the Pro's Trade in this Exclusive Webinar Facebook, Baidu Lead Big Caps Beating Shutdown What Should You Know About AMZN? Most Popular Bill Ackman: Herbalife Will Shut Down Within a Year (HLF) iPad Air Is Cheaper, More Profitable Than iPad 3 UPDATE: Sterne Agee Downgrades Pioneer Natural Resources on Weakening Earnings Growth Outlook Apple Rumor Mill Strikes Back, Promises Large iPad In 2014 Tesla Down 10% Following Earnings Beat Groupon Earnings Preview: In-Line Results Expected, US Booking Progress Related Articles (SSYS + SLF) Stocks Hitting 52-Week Highs UPDATE: Brean Capital Reiterates on Stratasys as Channel Expansion Could Drive Revenue Growth Benzinga's M&A Chatter for Tuesday November 5, 2013 Two Ways Of Adding Downside Protection To Stratasys This New Trend in Printing a Boon for Tech Investors? UPDATE: J.P. Morgan Upgraded Stratays to Overweight as a Leader in 3D Markets View the discussion thread. Partner Network #marketfy-ae-block { display: none; border: 2px solid #0a3f75; overflow: hidden; width: 300px; height: 125px; text-align: center; background-color: #45719E; position: relative; z-index: 1; } #marketfy-ae-block a { display: block; width: 300px; height: 125px; position: relative; z-index: 2; color: #ffffff; text-decoration: none; } #marketfy-ae-block-countdown-text { color: #f9fc99; padding: 0px 0 0 0; font-size: 19px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 19px; } #marketfy-ae-block-countdown-text-start { font-size: 12px; } #marketfy-ae-block-countdown { padding: 5px 0 5px 0; font-size: 26px; } #marketfy-ae-block-signup { padding: 5px 47px; } #marketfy-ae-block-signup:hover { background-color: #457a1a; } #marketfy-ae-block #marketfy-ae-block-logo { display: block; padding: 3px 0 0 0; margin: 0; } #marketfy-ae-block-logo { text-indent: -9999px; } #marketfy-ae-block-free { display: block; position: absolute; top: 7px; right: -23px; width: 80px; height: 16px; line-height: 16px; text-align: center; opacity: 1; -webkit-transform: rotate(45deg); -moz-transform: rotate(45deg); -ms-transform: rotate(45deg); transform: rotate(45deg); font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; color: #333333; background-color: yellow; z-index: 500; text-shadow: 1px 1px #999999; } #marketfy-ae-block-arrow { position: relative; width: 60px; height: 60px; z-index: 10; margin: -80px 0 13px -21px; } #marketfy-ae-block-arrow img { height: 60px; width: auto; } Marketfy's International
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Why the Dow Will Close Higher

Blue-chip stocks are making up at least some of the ground lost over the last few weeks, thanks to better-than-expected data on durable-goods orders and home sales. With roughly an hour left in the trading session, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) is up by 107 points, or 0.73%.

A bevy of reports from the housing sector seems to be the clear impetus for investors' optimism. The Federal Housing Finance Agency released statistics (link opens PDF) this morning showing that home prices around the country rose by 0.7% in April over the preceding month and 7.4% from the same month last year. The direction of home prices was confirmed by a separate Standard & Poor's report (link opens PDF) that estimated sequential and annual increases of 2.5% and 12.1%, respectively.

According to an economist quoted by Bloomberg News: "Housing's doing really well and I don't think the backup in mortgage rates to date is going to derail it. We're still well off the highs, but price increases could continue for the next several years."

Furthermore, the Department of Commerce today released its estimate (link opens PDF) for new-home sales in the month of May. The data showed that sales of new single-family houses came in at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 476,000 last month. That's 2.1% better than the revised rate for April and a staggering 29% higher than May of 2012.

And if this weren't enough, the nation's third-largest homebuilder by unit sales, Lennar (NYSE: LEN  ) , released earnings for its fiscal second quarter. Thanks in large part to the preceding trends, Lennar had a good quarter: Among other things, its year-over-year deliveries of new homes surged by 39%, new orders rose by 27%, and its backlog spiked 55%.

As CEO Stuart Miller observed, "Against the backdrop of recent investor concerns over mortgage rate increases, we believe that our second quarter results together with real time feedback from our field associates continue to point toward a solid housing recovery."

On a separate economic front, the Department of Commerce reported (link opens PDF) this morning that new orders for manufactured economic goods -- an important economic gauge -- increased last month by 3.6% over April. And the Commerce Board said its index of consumer confidence rose to 81.4 this month from a reading of 74.3 in May. The measure is now at its highest level since January of 2008.

With all this data in mind, it's little surprise that stocks are reclaiming lost ground today. At present, 27 of the Dow's 30 components are in the green, with only Microsoft, Merck, and UnitedHealth Group down.

The best-performing component is Bank of America (NYSE: BAC  ) , the nation's second-largest bank by assets. B of A's performance, as well as that of other banks, is tied in large part to the health of the housing market. Higher home prices increase the value of collateral and reduce delinquency and foreclosure rates. And higher new-home sales boost mortgage-underwriting activity -- a lucrative source of non-interest income for most banks. At present, shares of Bank of America are up by 3%.

Meanwhile, one of the worst-performing stocks in the broader market today is Barnes & Noble (NYSE: BKS  ) , down more than 17%. The ailing bookseller announced its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings today, revealing just how much trouble it's in. Revenue in its Nook division fell by 34% for the quarter, while same-store sales dropped 8.8%. In response, the company said it will stop producing the tablet versions of its Nook product line.

5 Stocks Insiders Love Right Now

DELAFIELD, Wis. (Stockpickr) – Corporate insiders sell their own companies' stock for a number of reasons.

>>5 Rocket Stocks to Buy for a Santa Claus Rally

They might need the cash for a big personal purchase such as a new house or yacht, or they might need the cash to fund a charity. Sometimes they sell as part of a planned selling program that they have put in place for diversification purposes, which allows them to sell stock in stages instead of selling all at one price.

Other times they sell because they think their stock is overvalued and the risk/reward is no longer attractive. Some even dump their own stock because they have inside knowledge that a competitor is eating their lunch and stealing market share.

But insiders usually buy their own shares for one reason: They think the stock is a bargain and has tremendous upside.

>>5 Stocks Poised for Breakouts

The key word in that last statement is "think." Just because a corporate insider thinks his or her stock is going to trade higher, that doesn't mean it will play out that way. Insiders can have all the conviction in the world that their stock is a buy, but if the market doesn't agree with them, the stock could end up going nowhere. Also, I say "usually" because sometimes insiders are loaned money by the company to buy their own stock. Those loans are often sweetheart deals and shouldn't be viewed as organic insider buying.

At the end of the day, its large institutional money managers running big mutual funds and hedge funds that drive stock prices, not insiders. That said, many of these savvy stock operators will follow insider buying activity when they agree with the insider that the stock is undervalued and has upside potential. This is why it's so important to always be monitoring insider activity, but it's twice as important to make sure the trend of the stock coincides with the insider buying.

>>5 Dividend Stocks Ready to Pay You More in 2014

Recently, a number of companies' corporate insiders have bought large amounts of stock. These insiders are finding some value in the market, which warrants a closer look at these stocks. Here's a look at several stocks that insiders have been doing some big buying in per SEC filings.

Starbucks

One stock that insides are active in here is Starbucks (SBUX), a roaster, marketer and retailer of coffee operating in 60 countries. Insiders are buying this stock into notable strength, since shares are up 45% so far in 2013.

>>4 Big Stocks on Traders' Radars

Starbucks has a market cap of $58 billion and an enterprise value of $56 billion. This stock trades at a reasonable valuation, with a forward price-to-earnings of 24.47. Its estimated growth rate for this year is 17.3%, and for next year it's pegged at 20%. This is a cash-rich company, since the total cash position on its balance sheet is $3.23 billion and its total debt is $1.30 billion. This stock currently sports a dividend yield of 1.3%.

A director just bought 7,000 shares, or $535,000 worth of stock, at $76.43 per share.

From a technical perspective, SBUX is currently trending above its 200-day moving average and just below its 50-day moving average, which is neutral trendwise. This stock has sold off recently with shares falling from its high of $82.37 to its recent low of $75.91 a share. During that selloff, shares of SBUX have been making mostly lower highs and lower lows, which is bearish technical price action. That said, shares of SBUX have started to rebound off that $75.91 low and it's starting to move within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade.

If you're bullish on SBUX, then I would look for long-biased trades as long as this stock is trending above some near-term support at $75.91 and then once breaks out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $78.50 a share to its 50-day moving average of $79.46 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 4.51 million shares. If that breakout hits soon, then SBUX will set up to re-test or possibly take out its 52-week high at $82.50 a share. Any high-volume move above that level will then give SBUX a chance to tag $85 to $90 a share.

Occidental Petroleum

Another stock that insiders are jumping into here is Occidental Petroleum (OXY), which engages in the exploration and production of oil and gas properties in the United States and internationally. Insiders are buying this stock into solid strength, since shares are up 22% so far in 2013.

>>5 Stocks Rising on Unusual Volume

Occidental Petroleum has a market cap of $75 billion and an enterprise value of $78 billion. This stock trades at a reasonable valuation, with a trailing price-to-earnings of 16.48 and a forward price-to-earnings of 12.93. Its estimated growth rate for this year is -0.60%, and for next year it's pegged at 2.8%. This is not a cash-rich company, since the total cash position on its balance sheet is $3.77 billion and its total debt is $7.56 billion. This stock currently sports a dividend yield of 2.8%.

A director just bought 5,000 shares, or about $456,000 worth of stock, at $91.32 per share.

From a technical perspective, OXY is currently trending above its 200-day moving average and just below its 50-day moving average, which is neutral trendwise. This stock has been uptrending strong for the last few weeks, with shares moving higher from its low of $90.13 to its intraday high of $93.88 a share. During that uptrend, shares of OXY have been consistently making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of OXY within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade.

If you're in the bull camp on OXY, then I would look for long-biased trades as long as this stock is trending above some near-term support levels at $93 or at $92, and then once it breaks out above its 50-day moving average of $95.01 a 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 3.64 million shares. If that breakout hits soon, then OXY will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $97 to its 52-week high at $99.42 a share. Any high-volume move above those levels will then give OXY a chance to trend north of $100 a share.

Centene

Another stock that insiders are in love with here is Centene (CNC), which provides multiline health care programs and services in the U.S. Insiders are buying this stock into solid strength, since shares have spiked sharply higher so far in 2013 by 39%.

>>5 Stocks Under $10 Set to Soar

Centene has a market cap of $3.1 billion and an enterprise value of $2.79 billion. This stock trades at a cheap valuation, with a trailing price-to-earnings of 27.02 and a forward price-to-earnings of 15.86. Its estimated growth rate for this year is 48.9%, and for next year it's pegged at 27.2%. This is a cash-rich company, since the total cash position on its balance sheet is $863.91 million and its total debt is $520.98 million.

A director just bought 17,600 shares, or about $992,000 worth of stock, at $56.41 per share.

From a technical perspective, CNC is currently trending above its 200-day moving average and just below its 50-day moving average, which is neutral trendwise. This stock has been trending sideways for the last two months, with shares moving between $54.12 on the downside and $62.13 on the upside. Shares of CNC are now starting to spike higher just above its 200-day moving average of $54.58 a share. That move is quickly pushing shares of CNC within range of triggering a big breakout trade above the upper-end of its recent sideways trading chart pattern.

If you're bullish on CNC, then I would look for long-biased trades as long as this stock is trending above its 200-day at $54.58 or above more key support at $54.12, and then once it breaks out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $59.13 to $62.13 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 volume of 612,491 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then CNC will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance level at its 52-week high of $67.84 a share. Any high-volume move above that level will then give CNC a chance to tag $70 to $75 a share.

Kinder Morgan

One oil and gas player that insiders are snapping up a huge amount of stock in here is Kinder Morgan (KMI), which owns and operates energy transportation and storage assets in the U.S. and Canada. Insiders are buying this stock into modest weakness, since shares are up just 1.1% during the last three months.

>>5 Big Trades for Post-Taper Gains

Kinder Morgan has a market cap of $36 billion and an enterprise value of $71 billion. This stock trades at a cheap valuation, with a trailing price-to-earnings of 34.37 forward price-to-earnings of 24.22. Its estimated growth rate for this year is 40.8%, and for next year it's pegged at 113%. This is not a cash-rich company, since the total cash position on its balance sheet is $930 million and its total debt is a whopping $36.09 billion. This stock currently sports a dividend yield of 4.7%.

The CEO just bought 828,324 shares, or about $27.64 million worth of stock, at $33.05 to $33.86 per share.

From a technical perspective, KMI is currently trending above its 50-day moving average and just below its 200-day moving average, which is neutral trendwise. This stock has been uptrending strong for the last few weeks, with shares moving higher from its low of $32.30 to its intraday high of $35.77 a share. During that uptrend, shares of KMI have been consistently making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of KMI within range of triggering a big breakout trade.

If you're bullish on KMI, then I would look for long-biased trades as long as this stock is trending above its 50-day at $34.82 or above more near-term support at $33, and then once it breaks out above its 200-day at $36.57 a share to more key overhead resistance levels at $36.75 to $37.86 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 volume of 5.82 million shares. If that breakout hits soon, then KMI will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $39.58 to $40.60, a share or even its 52-week high at $41.49 a share. Any high-volume move above those levels will then give KMI a chance to tag $45 a share.

NuStar Energy

One final name with some big insider buying is NuStar Energy (NS), which is engaged in the terminalling and storage of petroleum products, the transportation of petroleum products and anhydrous ammonia, and asphalt and fuels marketing. Insiders are buying this stock into decent strength, since shares are up 19% so far in 2013.

NuStar Energy has a market cap of $3.9 billion and an enterprise value of $6.3 billion. This stock trades at a premium valuation, with a trailing price-to-earnings of 110.61 and a forward price-to-earnings of 27.18. Its estimated growth rate for this year is 46.6, and for next year it's pegged at 73.8%. This is a cash-rich company, since the total cash position on its balance sheet is $24.52 million and its total debt is $2.47 billion. This stock currently sports a dividend yield of 8.8%.

A director just bought 102,100 shares, or about $5 million worth of stock, at $49 per share.

From a technical perspective, NS is currently trending above both its 50-day and 200-day moving averages, which is bullish. This stock has been uptrending strong for the last three months and change, with shares soaring higher from its low of $35.25 to its recent high of $53.69 a share. During that move, shares of NS have been making mostly higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action.

If you're bullish on NS, then look for long-biased trades as long as this stock is trending above some near-term support at $48.01 or above its 50-day at $46.67 a share, and then once it breaks out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $51.08 to $53.69 a share and above its 52-week high at $54.95 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 589,697 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then NS will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory above $54.95, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are $60 to $65 a share.

To see more stocks with notable insider buying, check out the Stocks With Big Insider Buying portfolio on Stockpickr.

-- Written by Roberto Pedone in Delafield, Wis.

RELATED LINKS:

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>>4 Under-$10 Stocks to Trade for Breakouts

Follow Stockpickr on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

At the time of publication, author had no positions in stocks mentioned.

Roberto Pedone, based out of Delafield, Wis., is an independent trader who focuses on technical analysis for small- and large-cap stocks, options, futures, commodities and currencies. Roberto studied international business at the Milwaukee School of Engineering, and he spent a year overseas studying business in Lubeck, Germany. His work has appeared on financial outlets including

CNBC.com and Forbes.com. You can follow Pedone on Twitter at www.twitter.com/zerosum24 or @zerosum24.

Advisors’ Biggest Retirement Blind Spot May Be Their Own

First, the bad news. Fifty percent of financial advisors do not have a written business plan, 46% do not have their own retirement plan for themselves (despite 40% saying they plan to retire within the next 14 years), only 25% have a succession plan in place, and only 25% have a formal definition of their ideal client. When asked “What do you plan to do with your business/clients when you retire?” 17% answered “I don’t know.”

Now, the good news. Of those advisors under 40, 61% say they have a written business plan. The larger the firm, the more likely it is to have one. There is also a clear “professionalization” trend within the advisor industry, with more non-advisor managers in place to run the business, and advisors are doing a good job of meeting their clients’ needs.

The news arises from the Financial Planning Association’s inaugural study, “The Future of Practice Management,” sponsored by the FPA’s new Research and Practice Institute, and executed by Advisor Impact, the research firm run by Julie Littlechild, who provided some of the color in the comments above.

Advisor Impact is partnering with the FPA Institute on this study and a series of additional reports throughout 2014.

The Future study was based on an October online survey of 2,376 respondents who spent an average of 27 minutes to complete the survey. Of those respondents, 1,954 were advisors, drawn, Littlechild said, from all advisor channels — RIAs (23% of all respondents), wirehouse brokers (15%), independent and regional broker-dealers (29%), 13% insurance BD reps and 10% dually registered advisors. By design, 422 of the total respondents included junior advisors (those under 40), support staff and non-advisor management. Only about 30% of the respondents were FPA members, but 39% were CFPs. 

Valerie Porter, the FPA’s Director of Practitioner Services and herself a CFP with her own practice near Indianapolis, said the inaugural study was meant to “identify some of the key areas where advisors need guidance,” and explained that the quarterly studies that will be issued throughout 2014 “will focus on some of those issues, and then tailor resources at FPA to meet those needs.”

In addition to helping FPA’s members — for example, “if we find that many advisors don’t have a business plan, FPA can make templates available” to members and hold sessions on how to write a business plan — it will also benefit consumers.

One of the major issues identified in the study was advisors’ struggle with time management, which Porter said she understood well. “There are lots of demand on our time,” she said, and the work that advisors do on behalf of clients “can be very taxing” since “money is a very emotional subject.”

In fact, the next topic in the Institute’s series of reports, Porter said, will revolve around productivity: “It’s all about efficiency, about time management, about knowing who your ideal client is and what your goals are.”

The study is designed to give advisors the tools to build and improve their businesses and to develop a robust practice management model. That process starts with setting personal goals, which drive business and succession goals.

“You have to start with your goals,” Littlechild says, but the study showed “that there’s clearly some weakness” among advisors who have failed to write business and succession plans.

Porter voiced surprise at “the number of advisors who don’t have their own retirement plan,” and called the lack of business planning “disappointing.” As for the study’s findings that many advisors haven’t clearly identified their ideal clients, Porter said it was an important topic since figuring out “who you want to work with, and who you can serve well” leads you to become “an expert in working with that kind of client.”

When you do become an expert, she says, those clients “refer you to other people like themselves,” so that “the whole issue of referrals becomes a nonissue.” For the advisor personally, she says that “when you get someone you genuinely like to work with, your satisfaction levels rise, and people want to work with you” as well.

As for the good news on the profession, Littlechild said that based on “other research we’ve done, advisors by and large are doing really good work for clients,” and that there is a “professionalizing of the industry” occurring, marked by “more non-advisor management coming into firms, which will influence training.”

With the inaugural study and the follow-ups, “we’re talking about making the business side better.”