Weekly Newsletter April 29th - May 5th

Current Events: The U.S. stock indexes had a very strong week, successfully breaking out of a small downtrend which had been forming over the past few weeks. This aggressive move higher has all three major indexes challenging highs for the year.

What to Look for This Week

The employment report for April scheduled for release Friday morning certainly takes lead this week, though other key economic reports include consumer spending and the ISM manufacturing gauge.

News Affecting the Markets

After an impressive run to a record high near $1,900 an ounce in August of last year gold has tapered off quite a bit, but such a move could come around again should the U.S. Federal Reserve decide to change directions yet again.

Smart Investing

An Alternative Investment:  An alternative investment that most never even stop to consider is wine. Wine has certainly proved a fine investment over the last two decades with consistent improvement and rising value almost up to 19% per year. It is also a relatively low risk market to get into. Even when economies slump as we have witnessed in recent times, wine held its value more firmly than traditional investments that are known to swing wildly. Generally finer wines have been purchased frequently by the markets in America and much of Europe. Recently however there has been a sharp increase and rising demand from the rapidly growing economy of China. This trend will no doubt continue to increase over the long term and brings with it a fantastic opportunity for investors. Investing in wine means that you are buying an asset that emerges from a limited production base but at the same time needs to supply an ever growing demand. Where there is an increasing demand you know that prices are also increasing. Not only that, the value of wine also tends to rise as global consumption depletes existing stocks and this causes prices to rise even further. Wine is also a physical asset, which is generally exempt from duties and taxes, thus making it more than just a delightful beverage for savvy investors.

Earnings for the Week

Monday: Anadarko Petroleum Corp (APC) {After the close}, CapitalSource Inc (CSE) {After the close}, CBL & Associates Properties Inc (CBL) {After the close}, Cloud Peak Energy Inc (CLD) {After the close}, Comstock Resources Inc (CRK) {After the close}, Extra Space Storage Inc (EXR) {After the close}, Forest Oil Corp (FST) {After the close}, Herbalife Ltd (HFL) {After the close}, Humana Inc (HUM), Jacobs Engineering Group Inc (JEC) {After the close}, LDK Solar Co Ltd (LDK), Loews Corp (L), LyondellBasell Industries NV (LYB), Masco Corp (MAS) {After the close}, McKesson Corp (MCK) {After the close}, Mercury General Corp (MCY), NYSE Euronext (NYX), Partnerre Ltd (PRE) {After the close}, Patriot Coal Corp (PCX), Plum Creek Timber Company Inc (PCL) {After the close}, PMC-Sierra Inc (PMCS) {After the close}, Senior Housing Properties Trust (SNH), Shutterfly Inc (SFLY), Sohu.com Inc (SOHU), Southern Copper Corp (SCCO), Standard Pacific Corp (SPF) {After the close}, Tenneco Inc (TEN), UDR Inc (UDR), Veeco Instruments Inc (VECO) {After the close}, Waddell & Reed Financial Inc (WDR), Watson Pharmaceuticals Inc (WPI)

Tuesday: Agco Corp (AGCO), Arch Coal Inc (ACI), Archer Daniels Midland co (ADM), Automatic Data Processing Inc (ADP), Avon Products Inc (AVP), Becton Dickinson and Co (BDX), Boston Properties Inc (BXP) {After the close}, Broadcom Corp (BRCM) {After the close}, Cabot Corp (CBT) {After the close}, CBS Corp (CBS) {After the close}, Chesapeake Energy Corp (CHK) {After the close}, Con-way Inc (CNW) {After the close}, Cummins Inc (CMI), DaVita Inc (DVA) {After the close}, DDR Corp (DDR) {After the close}, Domino's Pizza Inc (DPZ), Ecolab Inc (ECL), Emerson Electric Co (EMR), EXCO Resources Inc (XCO) {After the close}, Genworth Financial Inc (GNW) {After the close}, Hospira Inc (HSP), Huntsman Corp (HUN, Jones Lang LaSalle Inc (JLL) {After the close}, Legg Mason Inc (LM), Marathon Petroleum Corp (MPC), Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc (MMC), Office Depot Inc (ODP), OpenTable Inc (OPEN) {After the close}, Pfizer Inc (PFE), Regal Entertainment Group (RGC) {After the close}, Sirius XM Radio Inc (SIR), Strategic Hotels and Resorts Inc (BEE) {After the close}, TECO Energy Inc (TE) {After the close}, TRW Automotive Holdings Corp (TRW), Unum Group (UNM) {After the close}, Valero Energy Corp (VLO)

Wednesday: Acme Packet Inc (APKT) {After the close}, Allergan Inc (AGN), Allstate Corp (ALL) {After the close}, Beazer Homes USA Inc (BZH) , Continental Resources Inc (CLR) {After the close}, Cooper Tire & Rubber Co (CTB), Corrections Corp Of America (CXW) {After the close}, CVS Caremark Corp (CVS), Devon Energy Corp (DVN), Edison International (EIX), Enterprise Products Partners LP (EPD), Franklin Resources Inc (BEN), Hertz Global Holdings Inc (HTX) {After the close}, IntercontinentalExchange Inc (ICE), Intrepid Potash Inc (IPI) {After the close}, Ion Geophysical Corp (IO), Jds Uniphase Corp (JDSU) {After the close}, Kimco Realty Corp (KIM) {After the close}, Lincoln National Corp (LNC) {After the close}, Marathon Oil Corp (MRO), MasterCard Inc (MA), Murphy Oil Corp (MUR), Parker Drilling Co (PKD), PG&E Corp (PCG), Pioneer Natural Resources Co (PXD) {After the close}, Plains Exploration & Production Co (PXP) {After the close}, Prudential Financial Inc (PRU) {After the close}, Public Service Enterprise Group Inc (PEG), Rowan Companies Inc (RDC), Sunoco Inc (SUN) {After the close}, Tesoro Corp (TSO) {After the close}, The Clorox Co (CLX), The Hartford Financial Services Group Inc (HIG) {After the close}, Time Warner Inc (TWX), Two Harbors Investment Corp (TWO) {After the close}, Visa Inc (V) {After the close}, Walter Energy Inc (WLT) {After the close}, Weight Watchers International Inc {After the close}, Wellcare Health Plans Inc (WCG), Whole Foods Market Inc (WFM) {After the close}, Yelp Inc (YELP) {After the close}, Youku Inc (YOKU)

 Thursday: Alpha Natural Resources Inc (ANR), American International Group Inc (AIG) {After the close}, American Tower Corp (AMT), Apache Corp (APA), Apartment Investment and Management Co (AIV), Bill Barrett Corp (BBG), Boise Inc (BZ), Cablevision Systems Corp (CVC), Cardinal Health Inc (CAH), CareFusion Corp (CFN) {After the close}, CenterPoint Energy Inc (CNP), CF Industries Holdings Inc (CF) {After the close}, Cigna Corp (CI), Cimarex Energy Co (XEC), Corinthian Colleges Inc (COCO), Denbury Resources Inc (DNR), El Paso Corp (EP), Ensco PLC (ESV), Fluor Corp (FLR) {After the close}, General Motors Co (GM), Great Plains Energy Inc (GXP) {After the close}, HCA Holdings Inc (HCA), Health Net Inc (HNT), Kodiak Oil & Gas Corp (KOG) {After the close}, Kraft Foods Inc (KRT) {After the close}, Lear Corp (LEA), Lender Processing Services Inc (LPS), Manitowoc Co Inc (MTW) {After the close}, MDC Holdings Inc (MDC), MGM Resorts International (MGM), NRG Energy Inc (NRG), SandRidge Energy Inc (SD) {After the close}, Sealed Air Corp (SEE), Sempra Energy (SRE), Southwestern Energy Co (SWN) {After the close}, SunPower Corp (SPWR) {After the close}, Teradata Corp (TDC), Ultra Petroleum Corp (UPL)

Friday: AES Corp (AES), Ameren Corp (AEE), Aon PLC (AON), Duke Energy Corp (DUK), Estee Lauder Companies Inc (EL), Exelis Inc (XLS), Exelon Corp (EXC), ITT Corp (ITT), PPL Corp (PPL), Progressive Corp (PGR), Spectra Energy Corp (SE)

* Earnings dates and times are subject to change

Economic Data this Week

Monday

Personal Income @ 8:30 AM for March (Est. = 0.2% to 0.8%, Prior = 0.2%)

Personal Spending @ 8:30 AM for March (Est. = 0.5% to 0.8%, Prior = 0.8%)

PCE Prices @ 8:30 AM for March (Est. = 0.2%, Prior = 0.1%)

Chicago PMI @ 9:45 AM for April (Est. = 62.0, Prior = 62.2)

Tuesday

ISM Index @ 10:00 AM for April (Est. = 52.5 to 53.0, Prior = 53.4)

Construction Spending @ 10:00 AM for March (Est. = 0.5% to 0.8%, Prior = -1.1%)

Auto Sales @ 2:00 PM for April (Est. = 5.4M, Prior = 5.1M)

Truck Sales @ 2:00 PM for  April (Est. = 5.7M, Prior = 5.7M)

Wednesday

MBA Mortgage Index @ 7:00 AM for 04/28 (Est. = N/A, Prior = -3.8%)

ADP Employment Change @ 8:15 AM for April (Est. = 170K, Prior = 209K)

Factory Orders @ 10:00 AM for March (Est. = -1.8% to -2.5%, Prior = 1.3%)

Crude Oil Inventories @ 10:30 AM for 4/28 (Est. = N/A, Prior = 3.978M)

Thursday

Initial Claims @ 8:30 AM for 04/28 (Est. = 375K, Prior = 388K)

Continuing Claims @ 8:30 AM for 04/21 (Est. = 3,300K, Prior = 3,315K)

ISM Services @ 10:00 AM for April (Est. = 55.5 to 56.5, Prior = 56.0)

Friday

Nonfarm Payroll @ 8:30 AM for April (Est. = 140K to 162K, Prior = 120K)

Unemployment Rate @ 8:30 AM for April (Est. = 8.2%, Prior = 8.2%)

Hourly Earnings @ 8:30 AM for April (Est. = 0.1% to 0.2%, Prior = 0.2%)

Weekly Newsletter April 22nd – April 28th

Current Events: The U.S. stock indexes witnessed a handsome surge Tuesday, which was enough of to keep both the Dow Jones and S&P 500 up for the week, something which the Nasdaq was unable to also accomplish.

What to Look for This Week

While warm weather likely contributed to the boost seen in car sales and other components of the first-quarter GDP, other reports being released this week may actually show U.S. economic growth slowing.

News Affecting the Markets

Nicolas Sarkozy’s fading hopes for re-election ahead of Sunday’s first-round presidential vote have investors fretting over the potential triumph of Socialist challenger François Hollande and the thought of further turmoil in the euro zone.

Smart Investing

Whether You Are Trading Or Investing:  Discipline is the most important quality needed to make money trading or investing. While there are many things which differentiate a trading style versus that of an investing one. Discipline is a critical element involved in both. A trader must use discipline to develop and back-test a unique strategy that has proven to profit in the past, strictly follow the strategy, and make sure that downside risk is minimized in each trade. An investor must be disciplined to carry out all due diligence in the research and valuation of the company, equally minimizing their downside risk. Thus, a steady dose of discipline when participating in the markets as a trader or an investor is a must.

Earnings for the Week

Monday: Align Technology Inc (ALGN) {After the close}, Allison Transmission Holdings Inc (ALSN), Ameriprise Financial Inc (AMP), BancorpSouth Inc (BXS) {After the close}, BE Aerospace Inc (BEAV), Brinker International Inc (EAT), Check Point Software Technologies Ltd (CHKP), ConocoPhillips (COP), DR Horton Inc (DHI), Eaton Corp (ETN), F.N.B. Corp (FNB) {After the close}, Hasbro Inc (HAS), Health Management Associates Inc (HMA) {After the close}, Hexcel Corp (HXL) {After the close}, Illumina Inc (ILMN) {After the close}, MGIC Investment Corp (MTG), Netflix Inc (NFLX) {After the close}, Rent-A-Center Inc (RCII) {After the close}, Roper Industries Inc (ROP), Sonic Automotive Inc (SAH), SunTrust Banks Inc (STI), Texas Instruments Inc (TXN) {After the close}, Thomas & Betts Corp (TNB), W. R. Berkley Corp (WRB) {After the close}, Xerox Corp (XRX), Zions Bancorporation (ZION) {After the close}
Tuesday: 3M Co (MMM), ACE Ltd (ACE) {After the close}, Aflac Inc (AFL) {After the close}, Air Products and Chemicals Inc (APD), AK Steel Holding Corp (AKS), American Campus Communities Inc (ACC) {After the close}, Amgen Inc (AMGN) {After the close}, Apple Inc (AAPL), Ashland Inc (ASH), AT&T Inc (T), Baidu Inc (BIDU) {After the close}, Baker Hughes Inc (BHI), Boyd Gaming Corp (BYD), Buffalo Wild Wings Inc (BWLD), C R Bard Inc (BCR) {After the close}, C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc (CHRW) {After the close}, CBRE Group Inc (CBG) {After the close}, Celanese Corp (CE), Centene Corp (CNC), Century Aluminum Co (CENX) {After the close}, Chicago Bridge and Iron Company NV (CBI), CIT Group Inc (CIT), Coach Inc (COH), Delphi Automotive PLC (DLPH), DeVry Inc (DV), Edwards Lifesciences Corp (EW) {After the close}, Entropic Communications Inc (ENTR) {After the close}, First Commonwealth Financial Corp (FCF), Firstmerit Corp (FMER), FMC Technologies Inc (FTI), Fortinet Inc (FTNT), Hawaiian Holdings Inc (HA) {After the close}, Human Genome Sciences Inc (HGSI) {After the close}, Illinois Tool Works Inc (ITW), International Game Technology (IGT), iRobot Corp (IRBT) {After the close}, Janus Capital Group Inc (JNS), Juniper Networks Inc (JNPR) {After the close}, Kansas City Southern (KSU) {After the close}, Lexmark International Inc (LXK), Liberty Property Trust (LRY), Lincoln Electric Holdings Inc (LIFE) {After the close}, McGraw-Hill Companies Inc (MHP), Nabors Industries Ltd (NBR) {After the close}, Norfolk Southern Corp (NSC) {After the close}, PACCAR Inc (PCAR), Panera Bread Co (PNRA) {After the close}, Parker Hannifin Corp (PH), Pentair Inc (PNR), Questar Corp (sTR) {After the close}, Questcor Pharmaceuticals Inc (QCOR) {After the close}, RadioShack Corp (RSH), Rayonier Inc (RYN), Regions Financial Corp (RF), Robert Half International Inc (RH) {After the close}, Ryder System Inc (R), Sigma-Aldrich Corp (SIAL), Solutia Inc (SOA), Synovus Financial Corp (SNV), T. Rowe Price Group Inc (TROW), Tanger Factory Outlet Centers Inc (SKT) {After the close}, The Hershey Co (HSY), Torchmark Corp (TMK) {After the close}, Total System Services Inc (TSS) {After the close}, Unisys Corp (UIS) {After the close}, United States Steel Corp (X), United Technologies Corp (UTX), Waters Corp (WAT), Western Union Co (WU)
Wednesday: Akamai Technologies Inc (AKAM) {After the close}, Allegheny Technologies Inc (ATI), Ancestry.Com Inc (ACOM) {After the close}, Arch Capital Group Ltd (ACGL) {After the close}, ARRIS Group Inc (ARRS) {After the close}, Ashford Hospitality Trust Inc (AHT) {After the close}, Assurant Inc (AIZ) {After the close}, AutoNation Inc (AN), AvalonBay Communities Inc (AVB) {After the close}, Avery Dennison Corp (AVY), Boeing Co (BA), Brandywine Realty Trust (BDN) {After the close}, Cabot Oil & Gas Corp (COG), Cadence Design Systems Inc (CDNS), Capstead Mortgage Corp (CMO), Caterpillar Inc (CAT), Chimera Investment Corp (CIM), Cirrus Logic Inc (CRUS) {After the close}, Citrix Systems Inc (CTXS) {After the close}, Cliffs Natural Resources Inc (CLF) {After the close}, Corelogic Inc (CLGX) {After the close}, Corning Inc (GLW) {After the close}, Crocs Inc (CROX) {After the close}, Crown Castle International Corp (CCI) {After the close}, Dana Holding Corp (DAN), Delta Air Lines Inc (DAL), Diebold Inc (DBD), Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc (DPS), Duke Realty Corp (DRE), DuPont Fabros Technology Inc (DFT) {After the close}, Eli Lilly and Co (LLY), Emulex Corp (ELX) {After the close}, Energen Corp (EGN), Equifax Inc (EFX) {After the close}, Equinix Inc (EQIX) {After the close}, Equity Residential (EQR) {After the close}, Fidelity National Financial Inc (FNF) {After the close}, General Dynamics Corp (GD), Glimcher Realty Trust (GRT) {After the close}, GNC Holdings Inc (GNC), Harley-Davidson Inc (HOG), Hatteras Financial Corp (HTS), Hess Corp (HES)M Host Hotels and Resorts Inc (HST), Hudson City Bancorp Inc (HCBK), Iconix Brand Group Inc (ICON), Infinera Corp (INFN) {After the close}, InterDigital Inc (IDCC) {After the close}, Intersil Corp (ISIL) {After the close}, Jarden Corp (JAH) {After the close}, KBR Inc (KBR) {After the close}, KKR Financial Holdings LLC (KFN), Knight Transportation Inc (KNX) {After the close}, Las Vegas Sands Corp (LVS), Leap Wireless International Inc (LEAP) {After the close}, Lorillard Inc (LO), LSI Corp (LSI), Lumber Liquidators Holdings Inc (LL) {After the close}, MeadWestvaco Corp (MWV), Molex Inc (MOLX), Motorola Solutions Inc (MSI), NASDAQ OMX Group Inc (NDAQ), National Oilwell Varco Inc (NOV), Newfield Exploration Co (NFX), NextEra Energy Inc (NEE), Nielsen Holdings NV (NLSN), Northrop Grumman Corp (NOC), Oceaneering International Inc (OII) {After the close}, OReilly Automotive Stores Inc (ORLY) {After the close}, Owens Corning (OC), Owens-Illinois Inc (OI) {After the close}, Parametric Technology Corp (PMTC) {After the close}, Praxair Inc (PX), Qiagen NV (QGEN) {After the close}, R.R. Donnelley & Sons Co (RRD), Range Resources Corp (RRC) {After the close}, Rock-Tenn Co (RKT) {After the close}, Rockwell Automation Inc (ROK), Rockwood Holdings Inc (ROC), RPC Inc (RES), Ryland Group Inc (RYL) {After the close}, Sensata Technologies Holding NV (ST), Service Corporation International (SCI) {After the close}, Skechers USA Inc (SKX), SL Green Realty Corp (SLG) {After the close}, Southern Co (SO), Sprint Nextel Corp (S), Susquehanna Bancshares Inc (SUSQ) {After the close}, TE Connectivity Ltd (TEL), Teradyne Inc (TER) {After the close}, Terex Corp (TEX) {After the close}, Ternium SA (TEX), The Cheesecake Factory Inc (CAKE) {After the close}, The Jones Group Inc (JNY), Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc (TMO), Timken Co (TKR), Titan International Inc (TWI) {After the close}, Tractor Supply Co (TSCO) {After the close}, Trinity Industries Inc (TRN) {After the close}, TriQuint Semiconductor Inc (TQNT) {After the close}, Tupperware Brands Corp (TUP), Us Airways Group Inc (LLC), Varian Medical Systems Inc (VAR) {After the close}, Virgin Media Inc (VMED), W. R. Grace & Co (GRA), Waste Connections Inc (WCN) {After the close}, WellPoint Inc (WLP), Whiting Petroleum Corp (WLL) {After the close}, Williams Companies Inc (WMB) {After the close}, Williams Partners LP (WPZ) {After the close}, Wyndham Worldwide Corp (WYN), Xilinx Inc (XLNX) {After the close}

Thursday: 3D Systems Corp (DDD), Aetna Inc (AET), Altria Group Inc (MO), Amazon.Com Inc (AMZN), AmerisourceBergen Corp (ABC), Ametek Inc (AME), Amkor Technology Inc (AMKR) {After the close}, Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc (AMLN), Applied Micro Circuits Corp (AMCC), Asiainfo Linkage Inc (ASIA), Avnet Inc (AVT), Axis Capital Holdings Ltd (AXS) {After the close}, Ball Corp (BLL), Bemis Company Inc (BMS), Berry Petroleum Co (BRY), Biomarin Pharmaceutical Inc (BRMN), BorgWarner Inc (BWA), BrightPoint Inc (CELL) {After the close}, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co (BMY), Brunswick Corp (BC), Bunge Ltd (BG), Cabela's Inc (CAB), Camden Property Trust (CPT) {After the close}, Cameron International Corp (CAM) {After the close}, Carbo Ceramics Inc (CRR) {After the close}, Celgene Corp (CELG), Cerner Corp (CERN) {After the close}, Chart Industries Inc (GTLS), Cincinnati Financial Corp (CINF) {After the close}, Clearwire Corp (CLWR) {After the close}, CME Group Inc (CME), CMS Energy Corp (CMS), Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc (CCE), Coinstar Inc (CSTR) {After the close}, Colgate-Palmolive Co (CL), Colonial Properties Trust (CLP), Community Health Systems Inc (CYH) {After the close}, CONSOL Energy Inc (CNX), Corporate Office Properties Trust (OFC), Deckers Outdoor Corp (DECK), Digital Realty Trust Inc (DLR), Dominion Resources Inc (D), Dow Chemical Co (DOW), EarthLink Inc (ELNK), Eastman Chemical Co (EMN) {After the close}, Education Realty Trust Inc (EDR) {After the close}, Entergy Corp (ETR), EQT Corp (EQT), Expedia Inc (EXPE) {After the close}, Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM), Federated Investors Inc (FII) {After the close}, Ferro Corp (FOE), Fidelity National Information Services Inc (FIS) {After the close}, First American Financial Corp (FAF), First Industrial Realty Trust Inc (FR) {After the close}, Fortune Brands Home & Security Inc (FBHS) {After the close}, Fusion-io Inc (FIO) {After the close}, Gilead Sciences Inc (GLID) {After the close}, Goodrich Corp (GR), GrafTech International Ltd (GTI), Graphic Packaging Holding Co (GPK), Hancock Holding Co (HBHC) {After the close}, Healthsouth Corp (HLS) {After the close}, Helmerich & Payne Inc (HP), Hercules Offshore Inc (HERO), Incyte Corp (INCY), Informatica Corp (INFA) {After the close}, Ingram Micro Inc (IM) {After the close}, InterMune Inc (ITMN) {After the close}, Interpublic Group of Companies Inc (IPG), Invesco Ltd (IVZ), Iron Mountain Inc (IRM), JetBlue Airways Corp (JBLU), Kellogg Co (K), Kennametal Inc (KMT), Key Energy Services Inc (KEG) {After the close}, KLA-Tencor Corp (KLAC), L-3 Communications Holdings Inc (LLL), Leggett & Platt Inc (LEG), Linn Energy LLC (LINE), Liz Claiborne Inc (LIZ), Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT), Mack-Cali Realty Corp (CLI), Maxim Integrated Products Inc (MXIM) {After the close}, Mead Johnson Nutrition Co (MJN), Meritage Homes Corp (MTH), MetroPCS Communications Inc (PCS), MIPS Technologies Inc (MIPS), Monster Worldwide Inc (MWW), Moodys Corp (MCO), Mylan Inc (MYL), Newpark Resources Inc (NR) {After the close}, NII Holdings Inc (NIHD), Noble Energy Inc (NBL), NU Skin Enterprises Inc (NUS), NXP Semiconductors NV (NXPI) {After the close}, Occidental Petroleum Corp (OXY) {After the close}, Oil States International Inc (OIS) {After the close}, Old Republic International Corp (ORI), Olin Corp (OLN) {After the close}, Omnicare Inc (OCR), Oshkosh Corp (OSK), Patterson-UTI Energy Inc (PTEN), PepsiCo Inc (PEP), PerkinElmer Inc (PKI) {After the close}, Principal Financial Group Inc (PFG) {After the close}, Progressive Corp (PGR), PulteGroup Inc (PHM), Qlik Technologies Inc (QLIK), Raytheon Co (RTN), Realty Income Corp (O), Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc (REGN), Reliance Steel and Aluminum Co (RS), Republic Services Inc (RSG), ResMed Inc (RMD), Revlon Inc (REV), Safeguard Scientifics Inc (SFE), Safeway Inc (SWY), Silicon Motion Technology Corp (SIMO) {After the close}, Skyworks Solutions Inc (SWKS) {After the close}, SolarWinds Inc (SWI), Spectrum Pharmaceuticals Inc (SPPI), Starbucks Corp (SBUX) {After the close}, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc (HOT), Stillwater Mining Co (SWC), Superior Energy Services Inc (SPN) {After the close}, Taubman Centers Inc (TCO) {After the close}, Tellabs Inc (TLAB), Theravance Inc (THRX) {After the close}, Tim Participacoes SA (TSU) {After the close}, Time Warner Cable Inc (TWC), Tyco International Ltd (TYC), UGI Corp (UGI), United Continental Holdings Inc (UAL), United Parcel Service Inc (UPS), United Therapeutics Corp (UTHR), Universal Health Services Inc (UHS) {After the close}, Valassis Communications Inc (VCI), Validus Holdings Ltd (VR) {After the close}, VCA Antech Inc (WOOF) {After the close}, Verisign Inc (VRSN) {After the close}, Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc (VRTX) {After the close}, Vulcan Materials Co (VMC), WABCO Holdings Inc (WBC), Waste Management Inc (WM), Western Digital Corp (WDC) {After the close}, Whirlpool Corp (WHR), Willis Group Holdings PLC (WSH), Xcel Energy Inc (XEL), Yandex NV (YNDX), Zimmer Holdings Inc (ZMH), Zynga Inc (ZNGA) {After the close}
Friday: Aaron's Inc (AAN), American Axle and Manufacturing Holdings Inc (AXL), Autoliv Inc (ALV), Calpine Corp (CPN), Chevron Corp (CVX), Coventry Health Care Inc (CVH), Covidien PLC (COV), DTE Energy Co (DTE), Exelis Inc (XLS), Ford Motor Co (F), HMS Holdings Corp (HMSY), ImmunoGen Inc (IMGN), International Paper Co (IP), iStar Financial Inc (SFI), KKR & Co. L.P. (KKR), Merck & Co Inc (MRK), Newell Rubbermaid Inc (NWL), Newmont Mining Corp (NEM), Pilgrims Pride Corp (PPC), Procter & Gamble Co (PG), Simon Property Group Inc (SPG), The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co (GT), Ventas Inc (VTR), VF Corp (VFC), Weyerhaeuser Co (WY)
* Earnings dates and times are subject to change.
Economic Data this Week

Monday
No announcements scheduled.
Tuesday
Case-Shiller 20-city Index @ 9:00 AM for February (Est. =  -3.4%, Prior = -3.8%)
Consumer Confidence @ 10:00 AM for April (Est. = 69.5 to 71.0, Prior = 70.2)
New Home Sales @ 10:00 AM for March (Est. = 320K, Prior = 313K)
FHFA Housing Price Index @ 10:00 AM for  February (Est. = N/A, Prior = 0.0%)
Wednesday
MBA Mortgage Index @ 7:00 AM for 04/21 (Est. = N/A, Prior = 6.9%)
Durable Orders @ 8:30 AM for March (Est. = -1.9% to -2.5%, Prior = 2.4%)
Crude Oil Inventories @ 10:30 AM for 4/21 (Est. = N/A, Prior = 3.856M)
FOMC Rate Decision @ 12:30 PM for April (Est. = 0.25%, Prior = 0.25%)
Thursday
Initial Claims @ 8:30 AM for 04/21 (Est. = 365K to 373K, Prior = 386K)
Continuing Claims @ 8:30 AM for 04/14 (Est. = 3,300K, Prior = 3,297K)
Pending Home Sales @ 10:00 AM for March (Est. = 0.5% to 1.0%, Prior = -0.5%)
Friday
Michigan Sentiment @ 9.55 AM for April (Est. = 75.7 to 76.0, Prior = 75.7)

Investment Opportunities in Africa

With news of so many companies seeking bailout from the government and the stock markets collapsing continually, the investor’s world-over can get skeptical about their decision to invest in a particular economy or in a particular market. With so many markets failing, investors have been looking on to those untouched and unexplored markets with high potential. In such a situation, Africa has highlighted itself as the next big market that promises unprecedented growth in the near future, where stock markets have been booming and investors have been focusing on sub-Saharan Africa in the recent times. Surprisingly, Africa has a market capitalization of over and above $100 billion and its stock markets are considerably larger when compared to what Russia and Central Europe were when they were opened to foreign investors in 1990s.Africa is favorably positioned to become the 2nd fastest growing region in the world, and according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), economic growth across the 54 countries of the continent will hover around 6% in 2012.

Sub-Saharan Africa consists of nearly 48 countries with population of well over 800 million people; and this region does not include Middle East or Northern Africa. This population is nearly three times the population of United States and this is a great factor to make it a big market. However, South Africa is considered the most developed economy in this region, and accounts for nearly one-third of GDP of Sub-Saharan area. Number of stock markets in this area has multiplied with new stock markets in Ghana, Uganda, Zambia, Swaziland, Malawi, etc. Just to let you know the potential and growth of this area, the market capitalization of stock markets in Africa jumped from $113 billion to $245 billion from 1992 to 2002, which can be considered as outstanding by any standards. The region is experiencing tremendous growth in terms of penetration of mobile phones and development of banking systems. Furthermore, the region has noticed increased foreign investment along with loan disbursement in the last decade. In addition to all this, countries like Ghana, Botswana, Mozambique, Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria, Zambia, and Uganda were ranked as "Emerging Markets" by International Monetary Fund.

Africa is ripe for a green revolution the continent is currently home to 60% of the world’s total uncultivated, arable land. There’s your opportunity. As the world’s population increases rapidly, global agricultural production must rise to feed these growing numbers. Much of that increased agricultural production will come from Africa. While the traditional obstacles to boosting agricultural output in Africa have been well documented, several African governments are making substantial and successful efforts in surmounting these shortcomings. As these barriers are overcome and agricultural output is increased, there’ll be a business opportunity for the manufacture and marketing of products such as fertilizers, pesticides and seeds as well as a demand for food processing services such as grain refining. Already, a growing number of private equity funds are springing up to finance agricultural production in Africa.

Several African countries have vast deposits of mineral resources that have been left largely unexploited, due to the financial incapacity to embark on capital-intensive mining projects. Africa has an array of mineral resources which include iron ore, coal, bauxite, gold, tin, lead and zinc which have been neglected because of the continents preoccupation with its massive oil deposits. Investing in infrastructure is also critical to Africa’s growth. While there have been significant improvements in the development and quality of infrastructure across the continent, there is still a clear-cut deficit. Needless to say, this shortfall has its consequences, including bottlenecks in the smooth running of trade and export activities; there are opportunities for private investors to partner with African governments in the development of under-performing infrastructures, such as investing in reliable power supply, water resources, roads and railway systems. Africa’s fast moving consumer goods sector shows potential. There is a huge and ever-growing opportunity for manufacturers and retailers of FMCGs like food, beverages, home care and personal care products. But speed is critical. Investors who can quickly step in and get a grip on the market will be the dominant players in the years to come.

Goals For beginner Traders

With all the information out there it can be hard to filter through and decide where to start. Setting goals can help, but often novice traders set the wrong type of goals when they decide to start trading. With this is in mind, as a novice trader your initial goals should help you to eventually make money, but making money should not be your goal. Instead, opt to make your initial goals about process and emulating traits of professional traders. By plunging into the market and expecting to make a certain amount of money, the goal becomes almost impossible to reach over the long-term. These types of goals require that the trader actually know the capabilities of the trading plan they are employing.

One must know the potential and pitfalls of the strategy they are employing. Based on the method being used, it may be impossible to reach a dollar or percentage goal, but it still could be valid and provide a good return; therefore, the trader must either abandon the strategy or deviate from it in an attempt to find more yields. For many traders this becomes an endless cycle of abandoning strategy after strategy or never being able to adhere to a plan. Greenhorn traders must not only become knowledgeable about the markets, but also about themselves. Focus on the process and attempt to perfect that, and results happen on their own. Attempting to achieve results without perfecting the process the markets will likely continually take your money.

Most businesses take quite a bit of time before profits come, and many, many more businesses fail completely. Trading is no different. Results will not come instantly, and if they do it is likely due to luck. Without understanding how the markets truly work and developing a winning process, the results are based on chance, not skill. In order to build a winning process for trading the markets, try using these three goals. Focus on mastering these areas from the very beginning, and positive results are more likely to ensue.

Have a Plan

The plan should include how trades will be entered, exited (profits and losses) and how money will be managed. The plan should be very detailed, outlining the markets that will be traded, risk parameters, if filters will be used on trade signals, what constitutes a trade and exit signal, position size and what market environments will be traded. Therefore, the goal here is to create a complete plan for trading the markets before making another trade.

What not to Trade

Beginners will push to achieve that goal even when opportunities are not present. The market does not present statistically probable trading opportunities at all times. In the markets this can erode profits that came during good trading times. When, and when not, to trade should be covered in detail in the trading plan. Make one of your goals to be as disciplined as possible, only making trades that are outlined in the plan.

Keep it Simple

A complex strategy can be very appealing. Many people believe that because something is complex it is more likely to work than something that is simple. Avoid getting too complicated with your analysis and trading strategies. Avoid the desire to make a winning trading plan more complex, usually this only results in destroying the profitability. If you like the stock market, stick with trading stocks. If you like commodities, then trade Futures. Focus on only one market and a couple of simple strategies when starting out. The goal here is to avoid constant tinkering in order to improve performance, or continually switching markets, strategies or analysis methods. Stick to the plan. If it occasionally needs to be reworked a bit that is fine, but keep the revisions simple.

Common Stocks for Income

The vast majority of these offerings trade on major exchanges and may include features that render them even more advantageous than plain vanilla bonds.

Real estate investment trusts (REITs) are companies that own and operate income-producing properties such as shopping centers, offices and apartments. They pay nearly all of their taxable income to shareholders and consequently offer regular, high-yielding payouts to investors. However, investors should be aware that dividends paid by REITS do not qualify for the reduced tax on dividends.

Master limited partnerships (MLP) are typically resource-related companies in which the advantage resides in the companies' pass-through financial status. All income, gains, losses and taxable events pass through to the unit holder. These shares are not eligible for regular dividend tax treatment.

A business development company (BDC) is essentially a mutual fund that invests exclusively in private companies rather than publicly-traded ones. Investors can therefore participate in the world of private equity without being "accredited" investors, and still enjoy the liquidity of a traditional mutual or closed-end fund.

Closed-end funds are mutual funds with a fixed number of units that trade on the stock market. Many of these are invested in income producing securities like municipal bonds or preferred shares. Investors should be aware that the price at which a closed-end fund trades may be above or below its net asset value (NAV). Tax treatment will vary depending upon the fund's holdings.

Index exchange-traded funds are instruments that seek to mirror the performance of a single market index. Therefore, these ETFs allow an investor to buy or sell shares in a widely quoted government or corporate bond index. There are also ETFs that mirror several municipal bond and junk bond indexes. Fees are generally very low on ETFs, and annual taxable capital gains are minimal.

Preferred stocks are traditionally structured as perpetual preferreds, which means that they have no stated maturity date. However, companies have started issuing redeemable preferred shares that have a specific lifespan. Most preferred dividends receive favorable tax treatment, except those issued by REITs, and are senior to the company's common shares.

Exchange-traded debt securities (ETDS) are "bonds" that trade like preferred shares, meaning that they have all the features of bonds, but are available for purchase on the major exchanges. They usually have par values of $25 instead of $1000, and pay interest, not dividends. ETDSs are therefore not eligible for favorable dividend tax treatment. Investors should be aware that most are callable after five years.

Convertible preferreds are unique, as they are convertible into the issuer's underlying common stock. They have the advantage of a higher dividend payout and the potential for capital gains should the underlying common shares appreciate. The higher yields also cushion any downside in the common shares. Dividends from most convertible preferreds are eligible for the lower tax rate.

Mandatory convertibles are like convertible preferreds, except that they have a fixed conversion date and are convertible into the issuer's common stock at variable rates - depending upon where the common shares trade at the time of conversion. Mandatory’s generally compensate better than regular preferreds, but are not eligible for favorable dividend tax treatment.

Trust preferred securities are an ingenious way for companies to raise funds under more favorable tax terms. They are essentially debentures with proceeds that are paid out to investors in the form of preferred share dividends. Investors should be aware that debentures are usually at the low end of the credit spectrum, and payouts may be deferred until the redemption date of the security. Third party trust preferreds (TPTP) are repackaged preferred share and debt issues which are distributed by Wall Street's major brokerages. Distributions are usually paid semi-annually. Investors should be aware that these securities are usually callable after five years, and are not eligible for the 15% dividend tax rate.

For income investors who require safe, fixed distributions for a predetermined period, the above investments offer an alternative to bonds. As these trusts trade on major exchanges, they also offer transparent and stable pricing.

6 Investing Guidelines

You are the most important component of your investing success. If you can unemotionally approach the market and adhere to your trading guidelines, then you stand a much better chance of being successful than if you let your emotions take control. To help you become your own best investing asset, we'll help you set reasonable expectations for your investing returns and understand your psychological biases.

1. Protect your investment capital

Have you ever wondered what the secret of successful investing really is? It is proper money management and diversification. The secret lies in the small, simple things that have the biggest impact on the end result. Proper money management and diversification can help you protect your capital so that you can achieve the most consistent gains.

2. Analyzing from the top down

Did you know that every stock belongs to an industry group? A critical step in the investing process is monitoring the movement of institutional money flow into or out of these groups. If a group is out of favor, it indicates that institutional money is flowing out of those stocks.

3. Conduct a thorough fundamental analysis

Whether you find stocks through a search or in the newspaper, or if you prefer to invest in a company with which you're familiar. By doing a quick fundamental analysis, you can confidently reduce or limit the amount of emotion that influences investment decisions: either a stock passes or it doesn't. Fundamentals tell you the good, the bad, and the ugly to help reduce risk. Good corporate fundamentals provide a great foundation on which stock prices are built.

4. Search for additional strong stocks

Now that you have performed top-down and fundamental analysis, you know what type of stock to look for. The next step is to search for other opportunities to complement your portfolio. Knowing how to look for these opportunities puts you in control of your investing. By using stock filtering tools on yahoo finance or finviz can aid you in this selection process. Make sure that the stocks selected pass all the previous tests.

5. Conduct a thorough technical analysis

After you have compiled a list of fundamentally solid stocks, you can monitor them for the opportune time to buy and sell according to technical indicators. Technical analysis is useful in forecasting a stock price's potential direction-allowing you to better time your entry and exit points.

6. Manage your portfolio

Investors looking for great stocks and watching for buy and sell opportunities, must manage that information effectively. The more stocks you're able to track effectively, the more opportunities you have to find good investments. Stocks in the same industry generally move in the same direction. If the group is strong, it's an indication that institutional money is flowing strongly into the group, causing most stocks to rise. The best-performing stocks in the group generally make the strongest moves, but even lower-quality stocks in a strong group will typically rise with the rest of the group. Industry group research allows you to better focus your attention on the very best market sectors and to make sure that a stock you are considering is in an up trending industry.

Inflation and Investments

When it comes to inflation, the question on many investors' minds is: "How will inflation affect my investments?" This is an especially important issue for people living on a fixed income, such as retirees. Inflation is defined as a sustained increase in the general level of prices for goods and services. It is measured as an annual percentage increase. As inflation rises, every dollar you own buys a smaller percentage of a good or service. The value of a dollar does not stay constant when there is inflation. The value of a dollar is observed in terms of purchasing power, which is a tangible good that money can buy. When inflation goes up, there is a decline in the purchasing power of money. For example, if the inflation rate is 1% annually, then theoretically a $1 pack of gum will cost $1.01 in a year. After inflation, your dollar can't buy the same goods it could beforehand.

There are several variations on inflation:

Deflation is when the general level of prices is falling. This is the opposite of inflation.

Hyperinflation is unusually rapid inflation. In extreme cases, this can lead to the breakdown of a nation's monetary system. One of the most notable examples of hyperinflation occurred in Germany in 1923, when prices rose over 2,000% in a month!

Stagflation is the combination of high unemployment and economic stagnation with inflation. This happened in industrialized countries during the 1970s, when a bad economy was combined with OPEC raising oil prices.

Economists debate the causes of inflation, there is no one cause that's universally agreed upon, but at least two theories are generally accepted: Demand-Pull Inflation, which can be summarized as "too much money chasing too few goods". In other words, if demand is growing faster than supply, prices will increase. This usually occurs in growing economies. Cost-Push Inflation – Is when companies' costs go up, they need to increase prices to maintain their profit margins. Increased costs can include things such as wages, taxes, or increased costs of imports.

The impact of inflation on your portfolio depends on the type of securities you hold. If you invest only in stocks, worrying about inflation shouldn't keep you up at night. Over the long run, a company's revenue and earnings should increase at the same pace as inflation. A problem with stocks and inflation is that a company's returns tend to be overstated. In times of high inflation, a company may look like it's prospering, when really inflation is the reason behind the growth.

Fixed-income investors are hurt the worst by inflation. Suppose that a year ago you invested $10,000 in a Treasury bill with a 10% yield. Now that you are about to collect the $11,000 owed to you, is your $1000 (10%) return real? NO! Assuming inflation was positive for the year, your purchasing power has fallen and so has your real return. We have to take into account the chunk inflation has taken out of your return. If inflation was 2%, then your return is really 8%.

Inflation-Indexed Bonds

There are securities that offer investors the guarantee that returns will not be eaten up by inflation. Treasury inflation-protected securities (TIPS), are a special type of Treasury note or bond. TIPS are like any other Treasury, except that the principal and coupon payments are tied to the CPI and increase to compensate for any inflation. Because these securities are so safe, they offer an extremely low rate of return. For most investors, inflation-indexed securities simply don't make sense.

How to Invest In Private Equity

Private equity is capital made available to private companies or investors. The funds raised might be used to develop new products and technologies, expand working capital, make acquisitions or strengthen a company's balance sheet. Institutional investors and wealthy individuals are often attracted to private-equity investments. This includes large university endowments, pension plans and family offices. Their money goes into pools that represent a source of funding for early-stage, high-risk ventures and plays a major role in the economy. Often, the funds will go into new companies believed to have significant growth possibilities in industries such as: telecommunications, software, healthcare and biotechnology. Private-equity firms try to add value to the companies they buy, with the goal of making them even more profitable.

Private equity investing is not easily accessible for the average investor. Most private-equity firms typically look for investors who are willing to commit as much as $25 million. Although some firms have dropped their minimums to $250,000, this is still out of reach for most people, but there are ways the average investor can dip their toe into the private equity waters.

Fund of Funds

A fund of funds holds the shares of many private partnerships that invest in private equities. It provides a way for firms to increase cost effectiveness and thereby reduce their minimum investment requirement. This can also mean greater diversification, since a fund of funds might invest in hundreds of companies representing many different phases of venture capital and industry sectors. A fund of funds has the potential to offer less risk than you might experience with an individual private-equity investment due to its diversification. The disadvantage is that there is an additional layer of fees paid to the fund of funds manager. Minimum investments can be in the $100,000 to $250,000 range.

Private-Equity ETF

You can purchase shares of an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that tracks an index of publicly traded companies that invest in private equities. Since you are buying individual shares over the stock exchange, you don't have to worry about minimum investment requirements. However, like a fund of funds, an ETF will add an extra layer of management expenses that you might not encounter with a direct, private-equity investment. Also, depending on your brokerage, each time you buy or sell shares, you might have to pay a brokerage fee.

Special-Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPAC)

You can also invest in publicly traded shell companies that make private-equity investments in undervalued private companies. But they can be risky. The problem is that the SPACs might only invest in one company, which won't provide much diversification. They may also be under pressure to meet an investment deadline as outlined in their IPO statement. This could make them take on an investment without giving it thorough due diligence.

There are several key risks in any type of private-equity investing. As mentioned earlier, the fees of private-equity investments that cater to smaller investors can be higher than you would normally expect with conventional investments, such as mutual funds. This could reduce returns. Additionally, as private-equity investing opens up to more people, the harder it could become for private-equity firms to locate good investment opportunities.

Understanding How to Trade

Describing a trader’s journey is very similar to climbing up a large set of stairs; it takes time to get from the bottom to the top. A great deal of time and energy must be poured into learning how to trade. Often traders try to rush the process and as a result usually end up hurting their accounts.

It is imperative to follow some set of rules in order to keep your emotions in check. A “trader checklist” will help you sort through noise and find only the highest probability trades. It is common to see traders “go on tilt” as they get frustrated or lazy after a string of bad trades. Traders that let their emotions take control of their decision making settle on trading anything they can find, instead of mining through the market searching for only the highest probability trades. Often inexperienced traders find one variable they like and enter into a trade. They soon find out that their rate of success when doing so is extremely low. By forcing a stock to meet a larger set of criteria, the probability of a successful trade greatly increases.

Moreover, it is crucial to have all the professional tools in front of you, just like a doctor having all his surgical tools in front of him when operating. It is common to see novice traders aggressively buy and sell stocks without having a complete trading platform or an understanding of what exactly is in front of them. Sure, there are cases when a trader can make a successful trade while not utilizing all the information available. However, probability is against you. Therefore, the longer you participate in such an action, the likelihood of losses increases.

It is important to use any vital information that is readily available. Some of these include a Level 2 or ECN window, a tape, a limit open book (especially when trading NYSE), charts, and the overall market (SPY/S&P futures) or the sector ETF the stock most highly correlates with, as well as other stocks that are in the same sector that are known to trade similar with it.

Disciplined trading

The Equity Scholar Team

Simple Ideas to Organize Your Finances

With the economy struggling and many Americans adjusting the way they spend, now is a great time to do some financial planning. But with so many things to consider, sometimes it's hard to know where to start. Organizing your finance doesn’t have to be something you dread. Start with a to-do list and work through each step until you’re done. You should feel better knowing what you're spending and saving and what you can expect in the future.

Consider getting your finances in order by completing the BEST to-do list -- budget, estate, savings and taxes:

Budget Analysis

It's important to create and maintain a budget and the New Year is a great time to review your income and expenses. This will be easier if you get in the habit of tracking the money you spend using a paper ledger or with your computer. Remember to account for any debt expenses you may have, such as credit card and loan payments and include changes you anticipate such as a pay raise or a new car payment in the New Year.

Think about ways to maximize your income and minimize expenses. If you need more income, you may decide to work a few extra hours at a part-time job in addition to your current job. Look for ways both large and small to spend less throughout the year. For example, you may be able to save a significant amount of money by bringing your lunch to work instead of eating out.

Estate Planning

Review your beneficiaries for your insurance policies, investments and retirement plans to make sure they are accurate and up to date. Review your will and trust documents to make sure they're accurate, too. If you had any life or family changes, such as a birth, adoption or divorce, you may need to revise your beneficiary designations.

Savings and Investments

Make sure you have adequate savings or at least a plan to save during the year. This includes a separate emergency fund which should have at least three to six months' worth of living expenses.

Set specific investing goals, such as retirement or college education, and review how much money you'll need to reach each of your goals. Adjust your investment plan or goals if needed to increase your likelihood of success. For example, you may decide to establish an automatic investment plan to invest toward your goals on a regular basis. Or maybe you planned to retire early but find you'll have a greater likelihood of retiring comfortably if you work a few years longer.

Tax Preparation

If you typically owe additional income tax each year or you get a big tax refund (which is essentially money you've loaned to the government throughout the year), you may want to consider adjusting your income tax withholding to have more or less withheld from your paycheck. You can adjust your tax withholding through your employer on IRS Form W-4.

Review the personal exemptions you claim for federal and state taxes to make sure they're accurate and up to date. Also, take advantage of deductions to reduce your taxable income. For example, why not maximize your state tax payments before year-end since state taxes generally are deductible from your taxable income? You can deduct interest on your mortgage payments and you also may be able to deduct charitable donations.

Don't delay in getting your finances organized and getting the peace of mind that comes along with it, it’s easier than you think if you take it step-by-step.

The Equity Scholar Team