Brent Under Pressure From Chinese Data

Brent crude oil steadied at $106.50 at 5:31 GMT on Tuesday morning after slipping below $106 on Monday. The commodity has been under pressure as data from China indicated that the number two oil consuming nation's crude appetite waned in 2013.

CNBC reported that preliminary government data showed that Chinese implied oil demand grew just 1.6 percent in 2013. The figure fell short of the International Energy Agency's original prediction of a 3.8 percent rise and weighed on market sentiment.

See also: #PreMarket Primer for January 21: China's Central Bank Adds Record Amounts Of Cash To Market

Also weighing on Brent prices was news that Iran had begun to follow through on its end of a deal regarding the nation's nuclear capabilities. Iranian officials claim to have begun implementing the changes outlined in its nuclear deal and in turn the US, Britain, France, Germany, the EU, Russia and China are all expected to hold up their own end of the agreement by easing sanctions on Iran.

Sanctions keeping Iranian oil from the market have more than halved Iranian oil exports and kept nearly 1 million barrels per day from markets. As the sanctions are eased, Brent prices will be under pressure as the already over supplied market is flooded with more oil. Iran is expected to return to its 4 million barrel per day export capacity within six months of the sanctions being lifted.

Investors are also keeping a close eye on the situation in Libya where protesters have seized the nation's eastern oil export terminals and cut down the OPEC nation's exports. However, the Libyan government said it was planning to clear protesters from the area over the next few days and restart production.

Posted-In: International Energy Agency OPECNews Commodities Forex Global Pre-Market Outlook Markets Best of Benzinga

Top Integrated Utility Companies To Invest In 2015

(c) 2014 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

  Most Popular Forbes Reports Rumor Apple Testing LiquidMetal Materials for iPhone 6 Earnings Expectations For The Week Of January 20: Microsoft, McDonald's, Netflix And More Barron's Recap: 2014 Roundtable: The Good, Bad And Ugly 6 Of Google's Acquisitions Over $1 Billion - And How They Worked Weekly Highlights: Tesla's Cheap Car, Apple Pays Settlement And More Netflix Earnings Preview: Two Million New Subscribers? Related Articles (BNO + BROAD) Brent Under Pressure From Chinese Data Euro Likely To Slide This Week Hearing WSJ's Hilsenrath Has Said Fed Minutes Could Show an Amicable Taper Decision Byron Wein Issues 2014 Surprise Predictions: Sees Best of Times, Worst of Times for Markets Nationalist Political Parties Could Disrupt This Year's EU Elections Brent Picks Up Ahead Of The Weekend Around the Web, We're Loving... Lightspeed Trading Presents: Thunder and Tubleweeds: Trading Techniques for the New Market Enviroment Pope Francis Rips 'Trickle-Down' Economics Come See How the Pro's Trade in this Exclusive Webinar Wynn, MGM, Other Casino Giants Vying For U.S. Turf W

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Best Medical Stocks To Watch For 2015

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A weekly collection of design, data and interactive links. Design/Data viz The Pattern Library | A collection of patterns compiled by designers Famous movie quotes | Movie quote visualizations Flat design vs realism | The evolution of design in 2013 MegaFon Sochi Winter Olympics | Interactive 3D faces on the side of a building Blackphone | The world's first smartphone focusing on privacy Hands Free | Personal project by Phil Jones OpenBCI | Open source brain-computer Interface Photo/Video Flexible Muscle-Based Locomotion | 3D muscle-based simulations Primitive internet report on KRON | Digital news predictions from 1981 Lomography Konstruktor | A $35 camera you build yourself See last week's links Have a nice weekend! @dubly and @talyellin

Warning signs your client is at risk of an audit

Have any clients who own a business? How about clients who've made lots of charitable deductions or who earned a lot of income in 2013? They could be facing a higher audit risk as tax season rolls around.

By now, many taxpayers have received their W-2 and are gearing up for April 15, the deadline for filing individual income tax returns. Though there are some typical risks in any given return, the Tax Man has an eye out for certain risk factors and combinations of filing anomalies.

More: 9 tax return changes to look out for

“The IRS sorts returns based on a scoring system, which is secret, but there are some things that will cause them to pay more attention to a particular tax return,” said Janet C. Hagy, president of Hagy & Associates PC and member of the AICPA's IRS practice and procedures committee.

Some of those risk factors are fairly simple:

High income. “If you look at the tracking of audits, once you cross the $200,000 mark in income, you're more likely to have an audit,” said Gavin Morrissey, vice president of wealth management at Commonwealth Financial Network. The risk is even higher for those earning $1 million in income. “It's got nothing to do with deductions; it's just that you've made that much money,” Mr. Morrissey added.

Tax strategies. Other risks tie into the strategies that clients may have used in 2013 to mitigate their tax blow once they filed. Charitable donations, particularly of stock, were all the rage last year because the market appreciated considerably and taxpayers were finding themselves with steep capital gains taxes. The strategy was to make a large gift of appreciated stock and receive a charitable deduction in return. Those tactics can attract the IRS' attention.

Deductions. The IRS tracks the average size of deductions based on the amount of income a taxpayer earns. So deductions that are far out of whack with a filer's income will look suspicious. The advice: Be sure to carefully document your donations, and if you're donating a home or building, be sure to have a qualified appraisal, noted Mr. Morrissey. If the donation is non-cash and valued over $500 — say a bundle of stocks — then the client is required to file Form 8283, which describes charitable contributions of property other than cash.

Charitable donations. Donations of more than $250 in one transaction require taxpayers to obtain a letter from the charity, detailing the gift in order for the taxpayer to claim the deduction. If a client files and gets audite! d for claiming charitable deductions, it's already too late to chase down any required receipts and paperwork from the charity. “You have to have your receipts in hand; you can't just go running for them when the IRS shows up to audit you,” said Ms. Hagy.

Related: Why charitable giving is on the rise

Entrepreneurs. They will also be subject to extra scrutiny from the IRS. “Running a business in your home is fraught with the opportunity for people to stretch the truth,” said Robert Keebler, partner with Keebler & Associates. “The IRS knows it, and they want to look at it.”

Small business owners run the risk of pushing for business expense deductions when they are really personal expenses. For instance, if an entrepreneur uses a car for his business activity, he probably shouldn't try to claim the entire value of the car as a business expense, Mr. Morrissey said. The same goes for people who aggressively deduct business expenses related to a home office.

While we're at it: Small business owners who report a negative gross profit — meaning that the business sells its products at a cost where it can't recover its own expenses — are “guaranteed to be audited,” said Ms. Hagy.

Real estate. Vacation homes that taxpayers own and sometimes rent out are also on the IRS' radar.

Ms. Hagy warned that filers can't deduct all the expenses on the vacation home. Rather, they need to properly allocate expenses between personal and rental use. “If you rent it for too many days, then there are limits on what you can deduct,” she said. There are also many taxpayers who will prepare their own returns and will fail to note the appropriate number of days of usage as a rental. “That lack of information can be just as damaging as putting in information that creates questions,” Ms. Hagy added.

Also watch out for clients who are moonlighting as landlords. They may want to claim rental losses on their properties, which aren't fully d! eductible! unless the taxpayer meets the IRS' definition of a real estate professional. In order to qualify for those deductions, the taxpayer needs to meet two qualifications: He must spend more than 750 hours a year materially participating in business in real properties and rentals; and more than half of personal services in all businesses for the year must be performed in real property and rental real estate.

“Part-time landlords should be careful,” warned Mr. Morrissey.

Hot Net Payout Yield Companies To Buy For 2015

Exchange-traded funds have taken the investing world by storm, having made it easy for millions of investors to get exposure to the overall stock market as well as niche investment areas. But lately, we've seen one big flaw emerge with ETFs that investors need to be aware of.

In the following video, Fool contributor Dan Caplinger notes that recently, several ETFs have shown big disparities between their share prices and the underlying value of the assets. Dan points out that while this is fairly common among international ETFs, where foreign markets aren't always open when U.S. exchanges are trading, the phenomenon has spread to U.S. bond market ETFs. Dan concludes that a lack of liquidity is always a concern with ETFs, and so you really need to look at the underlying assets before you buy ETF shares.

To learn more about a few ETFs that have great promise for delivering profits to shareholders, check out The Motley Fool's special free report "3 ETFs Set to Soar." Just click here to access it now.

Hot Net Payout Yield Companies To Buy For 2015: OM Group Inc.(OMG)

OM Group, Inc. develops, produces, and markets specialty chemicals, advanced materials, and electrochemical energy storage products worldwide. The company operates in three segments: Advanced Materials, Specialty Chemicals, and Battery Technologies. The Advanced Materials segment manufactures inorganic products using unrefined cobalt and other metals and serves the battery materials, powder metallurgy, ceramics, and chemical end markets. It offers cobalt powders, precursors, chemicals, pigments and ceramics, and various raw materials. These products enhance the electrical conduction of rechargeable batteries, as well as strengthen and add durability to diamond and machine cutting tools and drilling equipment. The Specialty Chemicals segment offers electronic chemicals for the printed circuit board, memory disk, general metal finishing, electronic packaging and finishing, and photovoltaic markets. This segment also provides advanced organics comprising additives and driers for paints, and printing inks; rubber adhesion promoters for tires; composite and other catalysts for chemicals; and fuel oil additives, lubricants, and grease additives. In addition, it offers ultra pure chemicals used in the manufacture of electronic and computer components, such as semiconductors, wafers, and liquid crystal displays; and photo-imaging masks, including high-purity quartz or glass plates containing precision, microscopic images of integrated circuits; and reticles for the semiconductor, optoelectronics, and microelectronics industries under the Compugraphics brand name. The Battery Technologies segment provides battery products, primary and secondary batteries, battery management systems, battery chargers, and energetic devices for defense applications; primary and secondary batteries for satellites, aircraft, and the packaging of cells; and miniature batteries to power implantable medical devices. The company was founded in 1991 and is headquartered in Cle veland, Ohio.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Brian Pacampara]

  What: Shares of specialty chemical company OM Group (NYSE: OMG  ) climbed 14% today after its quarterly results easily topped Wall Street expectations.

• [By Canadian Value]

  Position % of Fund Assets 1) First American Financial Corp. (FAF) 7.0% 2) Apple, Inc. (AAPL) 6.5% 3) Coinstar, Inc. (CSTR) 4.8% 4) EMC Corp. (EMC) 4.4% 5) Coach, Inc. (COH) 4.4% 6) Kohl's Corp. (KSS) 4.1% 7) Blucora, Inc. (BCOR) 4.0% 8) Tetra Tech, Inc. (TTEK) 3.1% 9) OM Group, Inc. (OMG) 3.0% 10) American International Group, Inc. (AIG) 2.8% TOTAL 44.1% One area that we believe still offers some value in the market is in high quality, large��ap technology stocks that may be momentarily out��f��avor as they transition from rapid growth to slower growth. In particular, we become interested when that transition is also accompanied by a change in capital allocation policies designed to return more cash to shareholders in the form of dividends and share repurchases. We believe that Apple and EMC are two of the absolute highest quality technology businesses in the world and both have recently announced very material, shareholder��friendly changes to how they will allocate capital.

Hot Net Payout Yield Companies To Buy For 2015: Olympus Pacific Minerals Inc(OYM.TO)

Olympus Pacific Minerals Inc. engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, mining, and reinstatement of gold bearing properties in southeast Asia. The company produces and sells primarily gold and by-products, such as silver. Its principal properties include the Bong Mieu Gold property and the Phuoc Son Gold property located in central Vietnam; the Bau Gold property located in central Malaysia; and the Capcapo Gold Property located in the northern Philippines. The company was formerly known as Olympus Holdings Ltd. and changed its name to Olympus Pacific Minerals Inc. in November 1996. Olympus Pacific Minerals Inc. was incorporated in 1951 and is based in Toronto, Canada.

Top High Tech Stocks To Watch For 2015: Atikwa Minerals Corporation (ATK.V)

Atikwa Resources Inc. engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of petroleum and natural gas properties in Western Canada. It has interests in the Windfall prospect, Porcupine Hills prospect, Bakken project, and Spearfish project located in southern Saskatchewan and Manitoba. The company was formerly known as Atikwa Minerals Corporation and changed its name to Atikwa Resources Inc. in November 2009. Atikwa Resources Inc. is based in Calgary, Canada.

Hot Net Payout Yield Companies To Buy For 2015: Premier Investments Ltd(PMV.AX)

Premier Investments Limited invests in listed securities and money market deposits in Australia. It invests in securities for both long term and short term gains, and dividend income and interest. The company is based in Melbourne, Australia.

Hot Net Payout Yield Companies To Buy For 2015: GeoGlobal Resources Inc. (GGR)

GeoGlobal Resources Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the exploration and development of oil and natural gas reserves in India, Israel, and Colombia. It has activities in four geological basins located offshore and onshore in India; one geological basin located offshore in Israel; and one geological basin located onshore in Colombia. The company has exploration rights pursuant to PSCs with the government of India are located in the Krishna Godavari Basin offshore and onshore in the State of Andhra Pradesh in south eastern India; the Cambay Basin onshore in the State of Gujarat in western India; the Deccan Syneclise Basin onshore in the State of Maharashtra in west central India; and the Bikaner-Nagaur Basin onshore in the State of Rajasthan in north western India. It also has exploration rights pursuant to licenses located in the Levantine Basin located off the coast of Israel. As of December 31, 2011, the company had interests in approximately 1,609,645 net acres . GeoGlobal Resources Inc. was founded in 2002 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.

Hot Net Payout Yield Companies To Buy For 2015: MGIC Investment Corp (MTG)

MGIC Investment Corporation (MGIC), incorporated June 21, 1984, is a holding company and through wholly owned subsidiaries is a private mortgage insurer in the United States. As of December 31, 2012, its principal mortgage insurance subsidiaries, Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corporation (MGIC) and MGIC Indemnity Corporation (MIC), were each licensed in all 50 states of the United States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. During the year ending December 31, 2012, the Company wrote new insurance in each of those jurisdictions in MGIC and/or MIC. The Company capitalized MIC to write new insurance in certain jurisdictions where MGIC no longer meets, and is unable to obtain a waiver of, those jurisdictions��minimum capital requirements. Private mortgage insurance covers losses from homeowner defaults on residential mortgage loans, reducing and, in some instances, eliminating the loss to the insured institution if the homeowner defaults.

Mortgage Insurance

Primary insurance provides mortgage default protection on individual loans and covers unpaid loan principal, delinquent interest and certain expenses associated with the default and subsequent foreclosure. Primary insurance is written on first mortgage loans secured by owner occupied single-family homes, which are one-to-four family homes and condominiums. Primary insurance is also written on first liens secured by non-owner occupied single-family homes, which are referred to in the home mortgage lending industry as investor loans, and on vacation or second homes. Primary coverage can be used on any type of residential mortgage loan instrument approved by the mortgage insurer.

When a borrower refinances a mortgage loan insured by the Company by paying it off in full with the proceeds of a new mortgage that is also insured by it, the insurance on that existing mortgage is cancelled, and insurance on the new mortgage is considered to be new primary insurance written. Therefore, continuation of its coverage fr! om a refinanced loan to a new loan results in both a cancellation of insurance and new insurance written. When a lender and borrower modify a loan rather than replace it with a new one, or enter into a new loan pursuant to a loan modification program, its insurance continues without being cancelled assuming that the Company consent to the modification or new loan.

The borrower�� mortgage loan instrument requires the borrower to pay the mortgage insurance premium. There are several payment plans available to the borrower, or lender, as the case may be. Under the monthly premium plan, the borrower or lender pays it a monthly premium payment to provide only one month of coverage. Under the annual premium plan, an annual premium is paid to it in advance, and it earns and recognizes the premium over the next 12 months of coverage, with annual renewal premiums paid in advance thereafter and earned over the subsequent 12 months of coverage. Under the single premium plan, the borrower or lender pays it a single payment covering a specified term exceeding twelve months.

Pool insurance is used as an additional credit enhancement for certain secondary market mortgage transactions. Pool insurance covers the excess of the loss on a defaulted mortgage loan which exceeds the claim payment under the primary coverage, if primary insurance is required on that mortgage loan, as well as the total loss on a defaulted mortgage loan which did not require primary insurance. Pool insurance is used as an additional credit enhancement for certain secondary market mortgage transactions. Pool insurance covers the excess of the loss on a defaulted mortgage loan, which exceeds the claim payment under the primary coverage, if primary insurance is required on that mortgage loan, as well as the total loss on a defaulted mortgage loan which did not require primary insurance. In general, the loans insured by it in Wall Street bulk transactions consisted of loans with reduced underwriting documentation; cash out! refinanc! es, which exceed the standard underwriting requirements of the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) (collectively GSEs); A- loans; subprime loans, and jumbo loans.

Other Products and Services

The Company has participated in risk sharing arrangements with the GSEs and captive mortgage reinsurance arrangements with subsidiaries of certain mortgage lenders, which reinsure a portion of the risk on loans originated or serviced by the lenders, which have MGIC primary insurance. It provides information regarding captive mortgage reinsurance arrangements to the New York Department of Insurance (known as the New York Department of Financial Services), the Minnesota Department of Commerce and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, (HUD). It performs contract underwriting services for lenders, in which it judges whether the data relating to the borrower and the loan contained in the lender�� mortgage loan application file comply with the lender�� loan underwriting guidelines. It also provides an interface to submit data to the automated underwriting systems of the GSEs, which independently judge the data. These services are provided for loans, which require private mortgage insurance, as well as for loans that do not require private mortgage insurance. It provides mortgage services for the mortgage finance industry, such as portfolio retention and secondary marketing of mortgages.

The Company competes with Federal Housing Administration, Veterans Administration, PMI Mortgage Insurance Company, Genworth Mortgage Insurance Corporation, United Guaranty Residential Insurance Company, Radian Guaranty Inc., CMG Mortgage Insurance Company, and Essent Guaranty, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Zachary Tracer]

  Investors have poured cash into mortgage insurance this year as home prices rise, pushing up shares of MGIC Investment Corp. (MTG) and Radian Group Inc. (RDN) by more than 100 percent, and buying their notes in offerings. Essent Group Ltd. (ESNT), a mortgage guarantor funded amid the financial crisis by Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and billionaire George Soros, filed last month for an IPO. The companies cover losses when homeowners default and foreclosures fail to recoup costs.

Hot Net Payout Yield Companies To Buy For 2015: United Silver Corp (USC.TO)

United Silver Corp. (United Silver), formerly United Mining Group, Inc., is engaged primarily in providing mining and contracting services and the exploration and development of the Crescent Silver Mine (Crescent Mine). The Crescent Mine Project consists of 365 hectares (902 acres) and is located in northern Idaho. The Mine Services Division provides various mine services to mine owners, including underground and surface development and rehabilitation, contract mining, claim staking, and property reclamation. The Contracting Services Division provides construction and general contracting services to both public and private customers, including excavation, demolition, road construction, property remediation and reclamation, stream restoration, pond and dike construction, custom home building, and masonry. The Fabrication & Machine Services Division provides custom welding, machining, and fabrication services to mine owners, mine suppliers, and local customers.

Hot Net Payout Yield Companies To Buy For 2015: Sky China Petroleum Svcs Ltd. (W81.SI)

SKY China Petroleum Services Ltd., an investment holding company, provides petro-engineering technical services to the oil and gas industry in the People�s Republic of China. The company�s Drilling Services segment provides technical and mechanical engineering in the supervision of the use of directional drilling technology for the reworking of old wells. Its Rental of Oil-Drilling Rigs segment engages in leasing drilling rigs to third parties. The company�s Transportation of Petroleum Products segment provides shipping intermediary services and distribution of oil products for ship and non-dangerous chemical fuel oil. Its Time Charter segment offers vessel leasing services. The company was founded in 1995 and is based in Singapore.

Hot Net Payout Yield Companies To Buy For 2015: Claude Resources Com Npv(CRJ.TO)

Claude Resources Inc. engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of precious metal properties in Canada. It explores for gold mineral reserves and mineral resources in northern Saskatchewan and northwestern Ontario. The company principally holds a 100% interest in the Seabee gold mine covering an area of 14,400 hectares located at Laonil Lake, northern Saskatchewan. It is also involved in the production and marketing of minerals. Claude Resources Inc. was founded in 1980 and is based in Saskatoon, Canada.

Hot High Tech Companies To Watch For 2014

The all-new Chevy Silverado might be GM's most profitable product. Photo: General Motors.

This past week, General Motors (NYSE: GM  ) reported a $2.3 billion dollar pre-tax profit, powered by strong pickup sales at home that led to a $2 billion profit in North America alone.

It was a good result, and as GM's overseas operations continue to pick up steam, the company's bottom line should look even better in coming quarters. But as Fool contributor John Rosevear points out in this video, GM is set to make big gains at home, too -- thanks to a bunch of new models, starting with the all-new Chevy Silverado.

GM has had big success in China, but it might not be the best way to invest in China's auto boom. A recent Motley Fool report, "2 Automakers to Buy for a Surging Chinese Market,"�names the two global auto giants poised to reap even bigger gains as China's vast auto market continues to grow. You can read this report right now for free -- just click here for instant access.

Hot High Tech Companies To Watch For 2014: Excellence Investments Ltd (EXCE)

Excellence Investments Ltd is an Israeli company active in the financial sector. The Company offers services to institutional and corporate clients, and high net worth individuals. The Company's services include global and domestic asset management, investment banking and underwriting, foreign exchange trade and advisory services, derivatives trading, brokerage, mutual fund and provident fund management, pension fund management and exchange traded funds (ETF).

Hot High Tech Companies To Watch For 2014: Deans Kniight Inc Corp (DNC.TO)

Deans Knight Income Corporation is a publicly owned investment manager. The firm manages separate client focused fixed income portfolios. It invests in public fixed income markets. The firm invests in corporate debt securities. It conducts external research to complement its in-house research. The firm was founded in 1985 and is based in Vancouver, Canada.

Top 5 Dividend Stocks For 2015: Horiyoshi Worldwide Inc (HHWW.OB)

Horiyoshi Worldwide Inc. (HWI), incorporated on November 3, 2006, through its wholly owned subsidiaries, Horiyoshi the Third Limited and Horiyoshi Worldwide (UK) Limited is engaged in the business of fashion apparel design and distribution. The Company's principal activities are the design and production of the Horiyoshi and Heroes & Demons collections and the operation of its branded retail store in London, England. The Company's products are sold both in the United States and internationally in premium stores, including Harvey Nichols and Saks Fifth Avenue, and in a number of boutique and speciality stores. The Company also sells its products through its branded retail store in London, England and through its Horiyoshi and Heroes & Demons branded Websites.

The Company's product line for the Horiyoshi collection consists of three general categories of goods, which include casual wear for men, casual wear for women, and unisex accessories. The Company's men swear collection features knit cardigans and crew and v-neck sweaters made from wool, silk and cashmere, as well as hooded sweatshirts and t-shirts. The Company's women's wear collection is highlighted by short knit dresses, tank tops, leggings and scarves. The Company's accessories line features a range of jewelry, including rings, earrings, bracelets and pendants. The Company's product line for the Heroes & Demons collection consists of t-shirts for men.

Hot High Tech Companies To Watch For 2014: Range Resources Ltd(RRS.AX)

Range Resources Limited engages in the exploration and development of oil and gas in Somalia, the Republic of Georgia, the United States, and Trinidad. The company?s property interests include Nugaal and Dharoor blocks in Puntland, Somalia; East Texas Cotton Valley prospect in Red River county, Texas; and the North Chapman Ranch project in Nueces county, Texas. It also holds interests in blocks located in the Republic of Georgia. Range Resources Limited is based in West Perth, Australia.

Hot High Tech Companies To Watch For 2014: Rentcash Inc (CSF.TO)

The Cash Store Financial Services Inc. provides alternative financial products and services under Cash Store Financial and Instaloans names in Canada and the United Kingdom. The company primarily offers short-term advances and other financial services. Its financial products and services include payday loans, signature loans, line of credit, injury claims, standard and premium bank accounts, cheque cashing, prepaid credit and debit cards, money transfer services, and payment insurance services. The company was formerly known as Rentcash Inc. and changed its name to The Cash Store Financial Services Inc. in March 2008. The Cash Store Financial Services Inc. was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Edmonton, Canada.

Hot High Tech Companies To Watch For 2014: ENI S.p.A. (E)

Eni SpA, an integrated energy company, engages in the exploration, production, transportation, transformation, and marketing of oil and natural gas. The company also involves in the production and sale of electricity; refining and marketing of petroleum products; and production and sale of petrochemical products and hydrocarbons. In addition, it engages in the offshore and onshore hydrocarbon field construction. Further, the company offers offshore and onshore drilling, and offshore design and engineering services for oil and gas companies. It has a strategic partnership with Gazprom for the joint development of projects in the upstream oil and gas markets. Eni SpA operates in Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania, and the Americas. The company was founded in 1953 and is headquartered in Rome, Italy with an additional office in San Donato Milanese, Italy.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Alex Planes]

  Noble and Delek control the current find, but there are several other promising blocks leased to France's Total (NYSE: TOT  ) and Italy's Eni (NYSE: E  ) , both of which could also participate in developing the export terminal. This would be a more lucrative proposition for Cyprus than it might be in the U.S., because present nat-gas prices in the EU are more than four times as high as they are in the United States:

Hot High Tech Companies To Watch For 2014: Atlas Pipeline Partners L.P.(APL)

Atlas Pipeline Partners, L.P. engages in gathering and processing natural gas in the Mid-Continent and Appalachia regions; and transporting natural gas liquids (NGL) in the Mid-Continent region. The company owns and operates approximately 9,100 miles of intrastate natural gas gathering systems located in Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, and Tennessee that gather gas from wells and central delivery points, and deliver natural gas to the company?s natural gas processing plants, as well as to the third-party pipelines; approximately 100 miles of active natural gas gathering systems located in Tennessee; and 7 natural gas processing plants with an aggregate capacity of approximately 610 million cubic feet per day in Oklahoma and Texas. It provides natural gas gathering and processing services in the Permian, Anadarko, and Appalachian Basins. The company also owns approximately 2,200 mile common-carrier pipeline system that transports NGLs from New Mexico and Texas to Mont Belvieu, Te xas. Atlas Pipeline Partners, L.P. was founded in 1999 and is based in Moon Township, Pennsylvania.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Eric Volkman]

  Atlas Pipeline Partners (NYSE: APL  ) stands to reap hundreds of millions of dollars from an upcoming public share offering. The company has priced the issue of 10.3 million common units at $34 apiece. Additionally, the offering's underwriters have been granted a 30-day purchase option for up to an additional 1.545 million units.

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Midstream oil and gas MLP�Atlas Pipeline Partners (NYSE: APL  ) announced yesterday its second-quarter distribution of $0.62 per unit, a 5% increase over the payout made last quarter of $0.59 per unit and up 11% year over year.

• [By Jonas Elmerraji]

  Up first is natgas pipeline stock Atlas Pipeline Partners (APL). Natural gas spot prices have sported some pretty lackluster performance so far in 2013, tumbling mid-single digits year-to-date, but not APL. APL has managed to claw its way nearly 22% higher since the calendar flipped over to January, and it's positioned for even better performance for the rest of the year.

  APL is currently forming an ascending triangle pattern, a bullish setup that's formed by horizontal resistance above shares at $39.25 and uptrending support to the downside. Basically, as APL gets bounced in between those two technical levels, it's getting squeezed closer and closer to a breakout above resistance. When that happens, traders have their buy signal.

  Whenever you're looking at any technical price pattern, it's critical to think in terms of those buyers and sellers. Ascending triangles and other pattern names are a good quick way to explain what's going on in a stock, but they're not the reason it's tradable. Instead, it all comes down to supply and demand for shares.

  That resistance level at $290 is a price where there has been an excess of supply of shares; in other words, it's a place where sellers have been more eager to step in and take gains than buyers have been to buy. That's what makes a breakout above $290 so significant -- the move means that buyers are finally strong enough to absorb all of the excess supply above that price level.

  Wait for $290 to get taken out before you buy.

Hot High Tech Companies To Watch For 2014: Cellular Dynamics International Inc (ICEL)

Cellular Dynamics International, Inc., incorporated on November 16, 2007, develops and manufactures fully functioning human cells in industrial quantities to precise specifications. The Company�� iCell Operating System (iCell O/S) includes true human cells in multiple cell types (iCell products), human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and custom iPSCs and iCell products (MyCell products). Customers use its iCell O/S products, among other purposes, for drug discovery and screening; to test the safety and efficacy of their small molecule and biologic drug candidates; for stem cell banking; and in researching cellular therapeutics. The Company�� iCell product line includes four different cell types: cardiomyocytes, neurons, hepatocytes and endothelial cells. The Company is actively developing an additional seven different cell types. iCell products are a consumable designed to be used once and then reordered.

The Company manufactures its iCell products from its iPSCs. An iPSC is a cell that has the ability both to replicate indefinitely and to be transformed into any cell type in the human body. The Company�� iCell O/S consists of six products, which include iCell Cardiomyocytes, iCell Neurons, iCell Endothelial Cells, iCell Hepatocytes and MyCell.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  Stem cells may not be in the news much�as the sector has moved beyond the use of embryotic�ones, but small cap stem cell stocks Cellular Dynamics International Inc (NASDAQ: ICEL), International Stem Cell Corp (OTCMKTS: ISCO) and BioRestorative Therapies (OTCBB: BRTX) have been fairly active over the past several trading days as ICEL went public, ISCO raised additional funding and BRTX grabbed more attention:

Hot High Tech Companies To Watch For 2014: STANDARD LIFE PLC ORD GBP0.10(SL.L)

Standard Life plc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a long term savings, investments, and pensions company in the United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland, Germany, Austria, India, the United States, Hong Kong, and mainland China. It offers various investment and pension solutions, including investment funds and active money self invested personal pension products to individual and corporate clients. The company also offers investment linked and unit linked life insurance products; group savings and retirement, group insurance, individual life insurance, savings and retirement, mutual funds, and portfolio management solutions; and asset management services, investment and wealth management services, and open architecture funds. Standard Life distributes its products through brokers, independent financial intermediaries, banks, and financial advisers. The company was founded in 1825 and is headquartered in Edinburgh, the United Kingdom.

Dollar jumps v.s. Aussie, falls against pound

HONG KONG (MarketWatch) -- The dollar jumped against the Australian dollar on Thursday, after Australia's jobless rate climbed to the highest in a decade, sparking some concerns that the country's central bank might cut interest rates.

Meanwhile, the dollar eased against the British pound, as markets digested the U.K. central bank's upward revisions to its economic growth forecast this year.

The Australian dollar (AUDUSD)   tumbled to 89.51 U.S. cents from 90.29 U.S. cents late Wednesday.

The currency was lifted in the previous session by strong-than-expected Chinese trade numbers, since Australia is a major trade partner of China.

Reuters Enlarge Image

However, the Aussie lost momentum quickly after Australia said Thursday that it lost 3,700 jobs in January, contrary to market expectations of an increase in employment. The unemployment rate jumped to 6%, its highest level in a decade.

"There's little doubt such weakness makes it too early to dismiss entirely the chance of the RBA (Reserve Bank of Australia) cutting further," said UBS economists in a report on Thursday. The data "should ease concern that the recent strong turnaround in housing activity, house prices, retail spending and business conditions -- and higher than expected CPI-- will lead to nearer term rate hikes."

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Analysts from financial service firm IG Group expected the Australian central bank to maintain a neutral stance for some time, while closely watching the looming private capital expenditure figures and future inflation reads.

Meanwhile, the British pound (GBPUSD)   rose further on Thursday after touching the highest level in three weeks in the previous session, up to $1.6607 from $1.6587 late Wednesday.

The Bank of England on Wednesday raised its growth forecast of the U.K. economy to 3.4% this year, up from a previous projection of 2.8%. The central bank also said the unemployment rate has fallen faster-than-expected and is likely to reach the 7% threshold by the spring of this year.

"The central bank's rosier outlook for the economy has driven U.K. yields sharply higher and we believe that they will continue to rise, driving GBP (the British pound) higher," said Kathy Lien, Managing Director for New York-based BK Asset Management.

Likewise, the dollar (USDJPY)   continued its downward trend against the yen after losses in the previous day, falling to ¥102.15 from ¥102.44 late Wednesday.

The euro (EURUSD)   also advanced against the dollar, to $1.3626 from $1.3592.

The ICE dollar index (DXY)  , which tracks the greenback against six other currencies, declined to 80.51 from 80.718 late Wednesday. The WSJ Dollar index (XX:BUXX)  , a measure of the U.S. unit's strength against a broader basket of comparison currencies, slipped to 73.77 from 73.86 late Wednesday.

In emerging markets, the dollar gained ground against the Indian rupee, the Mexican peso, the South African rand and the Turkish lira.

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Back in the golden age of big American concept cars, wonder machines that spoke to an era of almost unlimited dreams and prosperity, came one especially beautiful Lincoln.

The 1955 Indianapolis Exclusive Study showed what can happen when one of the better Italian design houses is set loose on one of the outlandishly huge chassis of the era. The result is a big car that combined American swagger with continental flair.

In this case, the body comes from Gian Carlo Boano, a promising young designer of the era, and the car itself is going on the block Thursday at the Art of the Automobile Event being held jointly by RM Auctions and Sotheby's in New York. The one-off Lincoln is valued at $2 million to $2.5 million.

The car made its big debut at the 37th Salone dell'Automobile in Turin in 1955. At the time, Lincoln, Ford's premium division, couldn't have been hotter, as the hit song Hot Rod Lincoln would later attest.

Top Valued Stocks To Watch For 2015: Tupperware Corporation(TUP)

Tupperware Brands Corporation operates as a direct seller of various products across a range of brands and categories through an independent sales force. The company engages in the manufacture and sale of kitchen and home products, and beauty and personal care products. It offers preparation, storage, and serving solutions for the kitchen and home, as well as kitchen cookware and tools, children?s educational toys, microwave products, and gifts under the Tupperware brand name primarily in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, the Asia Pacific, and North America. The company provides beauty and personal care products, which include skin care products, cosmetics, bath and body care, toiletries, fragrances, nutritional products, apparel, and related products principally in Mexico, South Africa, the Philippines, Australia, and Uruguay. It offers beauty and personal care products under the Armand Dupree, Avroy Shlain, BeautiControl, Fuller, NaturCare, Nutrimetics, Nuvo, and Swissgar de brand names. The company sells its Tupperware products directly to distributors, directors, managers, and dealers; and beauty products primarily through consultants and directors. As of December 26, 2009, the Tupperware distribution system had approximately 1,800 distributors, 61,300 managers, and 1.3 million dealers; and the sales force representing the Beauty businesses approximately 1.1 million. The company was formerly known as Tupperware Corporation and changed its name to Tupperware Brands Corporation in December 2005. The company was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Orlando, Florida.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Eric Volkman]

  Tupperware Brands (NYSE: TUP  ) is reaching into its corporate bowl for a fresh payout to shareholders. The company has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.62 per share. This will be paid on July 8 to stockholders of record as of June 19. That amount matches the firm's previous distribution, which was paid in early April. Prior to that, Tupperware Brands was rather less generous, handing out $0.36 per share.

• [By John Kell]

  Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Wednesday’s session are Dow Chemical Co.(DOW), Tupperware Brands Corp.(TUP) and Yahoo Inc.(YHOO)

• [By Arie Goren]

  After running this screen on May 21, 2013, before the markets' open, I discovered the following eight stocks: Sunoco Logistics Partners LP (SXL), Leggett & Platt Inc (LEG), Copa Holdings SA (CPA), RPC Inc. (RES), Tupperware Brands Corp. (TUP), Herbalife Ltd. (HLF), John Wiley & Sons Inc. (JW.A) and C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc. (CHRW).

Top Valued Stocks To Watch For 2015: Dollar Tree Inc.(DLTR)

Dollar Tree, Inc. operates discount variety stores in the United States and Canada. Its stores offer merchandise primarily at the fixed price of $1.00. The company operates its stores under the names of Dollar Tree, Deal$, Dollar Tree Deal$, Dollar Giant, and Dollar Bills. Its stores offer consumable merchandise, including candy and food, and health and beauty care, as well as household consumables, such as paper, plastics, household chemicals, in select stores, and frozen and refrigerated food; variety merchandise, which includes toys, durable housewares, gifts, party goods, greeting cards, softlines, and other items; and seasonal goods, such as Easter, Halloween, and Christmas merchandise. As of April 30, 2011, it operated 4,089 stores in 48 states and the District of Columbia, as well as 88 stores in Canada. The company was founded in 1986 and is based in Chesapeake, Virginia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  Deutsche Bank is making a change in its coverage of dollar store themes on Monday: Dollar Tree Inc. (NASDAQ: DLTR) was raised to Buy from Hold and Family Dollar Stores Inc. (NYSE: FDO)�was downgraded to Hold from Buy, but the price target was raised to $74 from $70.

• [By Ben Eisen]

  Perpetually struggling department store J.C. Penney Co. (JCP) �said it expects a sales boost this holiday season as it returns to a promotional strategy. But for the most part, retailers including Dollar Tree Inc. (DLTR) �, GameStop Corp. (GME) � and Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (ANF) � gave dour outlooks in their earnings reports.

• [By Demitrios Kalogeropoulos]

  Costly market share gains
  The problem is that Family Dollar has had to pay up for its increasing market share and sales levels. The company's gross profit margin fell by more than a full percentage point, to 34.7% last quarter. In contrast, Dollar Tree (NASDAQ: DLTR  ) booked an expansion of profits, to 35.2%, continuing a trend that's seen it pull away from Family Dollar.

• [By Traders Reserve]

  I do believe as Wal-Mart gets hurt, the dollar stores will do a little better ��especially Dollar General (DG), but don�� overlook� Dollar Tree (DLTR). Wall Street is worried about Costco (COST) but I believe it will actually outperform expectations. Costco seems to have figured out how to grow much faster than Wal-Mart and still provide affordable health insurance for most employees.

Top 10 Gold Companies To Buy Right Now: Caterpillar Inc.(CAT)

Caterpillar Inc. manufactures and sells construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines, and diesel-electric locomotives worldwide. It operates through three lines of businesses: Machinery, Engines, and Financial Products. The Machinery business offers construction, mining, and forestry machinery, including track and wheel tractors, track and wheel loaders, pipelayers, motor graders, wheel tractor-scrapers, track and wheel excavators, backhoe loaders, log skidders, log loaders, off-highway trucks, articulated trucks, paving products, skid steer loaders, underground mining equipment, tunnel boring equipment, and related parts. It also manufactures diesel-electric locomotives; and manufactures and services rail-related products and logistics services for other companies. The Engines business provides diesel, heavy fuel, and natural gas reciprocating engines for Caterpillar machinery, electric power generation systems, marine, petrol eum, construction, industrial, agricultural, and other applications. It offers industrial turbines and turbine-related services for oil and gas, and power generation applications. This business also remanufactures Caterpillar engines, machines, and engine components; and offers remanufacturing services for other companies. The Financial Products business provides retail and wholesale financing alternatives for Caterpillar machinery and engines, solar gas turbines, and other equipment and marine vessels, as well as offers loans and various forms of insurance to customers and dealers. It also offers financing for vehicles, power generation facilities, and marine vessels. The company markets its products directly, as well as through its distribution centers, dealers, and distributors. It was formerly known as Caterpillar Tractor Co. and changed its name to Caterpillar Inc. in 1986. Caterpillar Inc. was founded in 1925 and is headquartered in Peoria, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  The other surprise gainer was Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT  ) , which some blamed for the Dow's initial drop after announcing disappointing earnings and guidance. Yet, by the end of the day, investors seemed to focus on the company's more upbeat statement of confidence and optimism about what it called the "relative stability" in the economies of the U.S. and China so far this year. That's hardly a glowing recommendation, given Caterpillar's guidance cut for 2013 earnings, but with the stock already having gotten beaten down, relieved investors bid shares up 2.8%.

Top Valued Stocks To Watch For 2015: Schlumberger N.V.(SLB)

Schlumberger Limited, together with its subsidiaries, supplies technology, integrated project management, and information solutions to the oil and gas exploration and production industries worldwide. The company?s Oilfield Services segment provides exploration and production services; wireline technology that offers open-hole and cased-hole services; supplies engineering support, directional-drilling, measurement-while-drilling, and logging-while-drilling services; and testing services. This segment also offers well services; supplies well completion services and equipment; artificial lift; data and consulting services; geo services; and information solutions, such as consulting, software, information management system, and IT infrastructure services that support oil and gas industry. Its WesternGeco segment provides reservoir imaging, monitoring, and development services; and operates data processing centers and multiclient seismic library. This segment also offers variou s services include 3D and time-lapse (4D) seismic surveys to multi-component surveys for delineating prospects and reservoir management. The company?s M-I SWACO segment supplies drilling fluid systems to improve drilling performance; fluid systems and specialty tools to optimize wellbore productivity; production technology solutions to maximize production rates; and environmental solutions that manages waste volumes generated in drilling and production operations. Its Smith Oilfield segment designs, manufactures, and markets drill bits and borehole enlargement tools; and supplies drilling tools and services, tubular, completion services, and other related downhole solutions. The company?s Distribution segment markets pipes, valves, and fittings, as well as mill, safety, and other maintenance products. This segment also provides warehouse management, vendor integration, and inventory management services. Schlumberger Limited was founded in 1927 and is based in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By R.P.H. Broens]

  Halliburton (NYSE: HAL  ) �and�Schlumberger (NYSE: SLB  ) �are two larger competitors with market capitalizations two and five times that of Baker Hughes, respectively. Schlumberger, which is the industry leader, trades at the highest valuation multiples: 2.7 times 2012's annual revenues and 21 times earnings. Halliburton and Baker Hughes trade at lower and more acceptable earnings ratios of around 18 times earnings for 2012. Note that these competitors have seen rapid growth and margin expansion in recent years as well.

• [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET.COM]

  Schlumberger is best of breed in its industry, but the industry�� potential might not be as strong as advertised. There is a theory that decreasing energy prices will lead to increased demand, but that�� like saying someone flushed the toilet and then went to the bathroom. The truth is that global demand is on shaky ground, and if it falters, it will lead to a chain reaction that won�� benefit Schlumberger. In a somewhat related matter of importance, Schlumberger�� stock was hit hard during the financial crisis. The fact that it was deemed the financial crisis isn�� important in this case. What�� important is that it was a deflationary environment and Schlumberger couldn�� maintain its strength in that�environment. If the Federal Reserve removed all monetary stimulus, would a deflationary environment present itself once again? Nobody knows for sure, but it�� a possibility. In the meantime, potential rewards outweigh downside risks for Schlumberger. Therefore, Schlumberger is an OUTPERFORM.

• [By David Smith]

  As June came to an end, the company finalized a joint venture, OneSubsea, with Schlumberger (NYSE: SLB  ) . The intriguing partnership -- in which Cameron has a 60% interest, with the remainder Schlumberger's -- will develop products, systems, and services for the subsea oil and gas market.

RBC Sees 20%+ Upside in KB Home, Lennar, Pulte

Homebuilders like KB Home (KBH), Lennar (LEN) and PulteGroup (PHM) sat out most of 2013′s rally. They could play catchup during 2014.

Associated Press

RBC Capital Markets’ Robert Wetenhall and Desi DiPierro explain point to three reasons to believe homebuilders can rally in 2014:

In our opinion, sustained volume growth, favorable pricing dynamics, and material margin expansion suggest that builder fundamentals are in good shape: 1) Sustained volume growth – Our forecast for the home builders in our coverage universe points to volume growth of 8% in 2014… 2) Favorable pricing dynamics – Our forecast points to ASP growth of 9% in 2014. Substantial ASP growth reflects the decision to maximize price at the expense of volume growth. 3) Material margin expansion – Sector operating margin rose by 500 basis points to 10.2% in 2013 and is forecasted to increase by 260 basis points to 12.8% in 2014…

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In terms of specific company upside/downside payoffs, we believe that [Brookfield Residential Properties (BRP)], [KB Home], and [PulteGroup] offer above-average payoffs. We note that more than half of [Brookfield Residential Properties'] earnings are derived from Canada, dampening EPS sensitivity to our assumptions regarding the pace of the U.S. housing recovery. We believe that [KB Home] will achieve sharply improved operating performance, which should drive robust EPS growth given the company's comparatively high degree of financial leverage. We also have a high degree of confidence that [PulteGroup] will continue to successfully execute against its goal of improving ROIC performance, which should act as a catalyst for share price appreciation.

Shares of Lennar have dropped 1.9% to $18.88 today at 3:45 p.m., while KB Home has dipped 0.2% to $18.88 and PulteGroup has fallen 2% to $19.41. Brookfield Residential Properties has gained 1.9% to $22.90.

Economists: U.S. will see better growth in '14

The U.S. economy is headed for stronger growth in 2014 that will steadily chip away at the unemployment rate, top economists predict in a largely optimistic USA TODAY quarterly survey.

The jobless rate, which dipped to a five-year low of 6.6% in January, will fall to 6.3% by the end of the year, their median forecast indicates.

Job gains, which averaged 194,000 a month last year, will reach a monthly average of 200,000 this year, they predict. Employers added 113,000 jobs in January, well under many economists' forecasts, the government reported last week.

The economy got off to a slow start in January as a result of financial turmoil in emerging markets, a stomach-churning drop in stock prices and extreme winter weather that kept many shoppers at home. But the economists surveyed expect growth to accelerate after a weak first quarter, reaching a solid 2.8% rate for the year.

"I think we will regain momentum and not fall on our face," says Diane Swonk, chief economist of Mesirow Financial, drawing a contrast with previous ups and downs in the five-year-old recovery.

Many of the 40 economists surveyed Feb 5-6 recently cut their first-quarter forecasts. Most of the change is due to the adverse January weather and an expected pull-back in business stockpiling after firms aggressively replenished shelves in the second half of 2013.

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While growth late last year was driven largely by the stockpiling, this year's expansion will be fueled by higher consumer and business spending, says Dean Maki, chief U.S. economist of Barclays Capital.

"It's more durable," he says.

Many were anticipating a breakout year in 2014, signaling a new course for a generally sluggish recovery. Households have shed much of the debt they amassed during the mid-2000s real estate bubble. A stock run-up and rising home prices have made consumers ! feel wealthier. And the effects of federal spending cuts and tax increases are fading, while state and local governments are poised to increase outlays after years of austerity.

Several economists say those improving fundamentals remain intact. Some see financial troubles in emerging markets such as Turkey and Brazil as risks to the USA's outlook. Chris Varvares of Macroeconomic Advisers has trimmed his growth forecast, saying the turmoil could curtail U.S. exports and stock prices, crimping business investment and consumer spending.

But more than eight in 10 of those surveyed said January's stock sell-off and emerging markets' woes have not caused them to be less optimistic about growth this year. Sixty-four percent said their 2014 forecasts are more likely to prove too conservative than too rosy.

Maki says the recent stock swoon pales compared to last year's market gains and is unlikely to hurt consumer spending this year. Rising interest rates may cause Americans to buy smaller homes, but they shouldn't deter purchases, he says.

Electric car, motorcycle tax credits end Tuesday

Two government incentives aimed at spurring sales of plug-in electric cars and motorcycles expire with the start of the new year.

One gives a 30% tax credit to individuals for home high-speed electric car charging units, up to $1,000. The other covers 10% of the price of an electric motorcycle, up to $2,500, according to Jay Friedland, legislative director for advocacy group Plug In America.

The credits already expired once, but were reinstated by Congress last January.

While electric cars can be charged from any wall socket, the high-speed chargers typically cut recharge times by more than half because they use 220 volts, instead of 110 volts.

With the electric-vehicle market still developing, "these incentives are really, really key," Friedland says, adding that they cost a fraction of subsidies to oil companies and other energy producers.

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Brian Wynne, executive director of the Electric Drive Transportation Association, said Monday the charger credits have been effective. "It's a good incentive for folks," he says. "We worked hard to get them and get them extended."

Friedland says while professional installation is always recommended on home chargers, some models are available through home improvement store web sites. People who already have garages with 220-volt sockets, such as they might need for laundry or swimming pool filters, can plug in and start high-speed charging right away.

Businesses benefitted as well. The tax credit included up to $30,000 in tax credits for businesses that typically install multiple chargers.

Where Will Target Go Next?

With shares of Target (NYSE:TGT) trading around $55, is TGT an OUTPERFORM, WAIT AND SEE, or STAY AWAY? Let's analyze the stock with the relevant sections of our CHEAT SHEET investing framework:

T = Trends for a Stock’s Movement

Target operates general stores in the United States as well as online where it sells merchandise at discounted prices. It operates in three segments: U.S. Retail, U.S. Credit Card, and Canadian. Target's online presence is designed to enable consumers to purchase products either online or by locating items in one of its stores with the aid of online research and location tools. Groceries, clothing, household items, and general merchandise can be found at Target, making it an efficient shopping experience for consumers throughout the nation.

Banks and big retailers are locked in a debate over the breach of consumer data that gripped Target during the holiday season. At issue is which industry bears more responsibility for protecting consumers’ personal information. The retailers’  argument is that banks must upgrade the security technology for the credit and debit cards they issue. The banks’ counterargument is newer electronic-chip technology wouldn’t have prevented the Target breach, thus, retailers must tighten their own security systems for processing card payments. The finger-pointing is coming from two industries with considerable lobbying might. Their trade groups have been bombarding lawmakers with letters arguing why the other industry must do more — and spend more — to protect consumers.

T = Technicals on the Stock Chart Are Weak

Target stock has been pulling back over the last couple of quarters. The stock is currently trading near lows for the year and may need time to stabilize. Analyzing the price trend and its strength can be done using key simple moving averages. What are the key moving averages? The 50-day (pink), 100-day (blue), and 200-day (yellow) simple moving averages. As seen in the daily price chart below, Target is trading below its rising key averages, which signal neutral to bearish price action in the near-term.

(Source: Thinkorswim)

Taking a look at the implied volatility (red) and implied volatility skew levels of Target options may help determine if investors are bullish, neutral, or bearish.

	Implied Volatility (IV)	30-Day IV Percentile	90-Day IV Percentile
Target options	25.16%	93%	90%

What does this mean? This means that investors or traders are buying a very significant amount of call and put options contracts, as compared to the last 30 and 90 trading days.

	Put IV Skew	Call IV Skew
March Options	Steep	Average
April Options	Steep	Average

As of today, there is an average demand from call buyers or sellers and high demand by put buyers or low demand by put sellers, all neutral to bearish over the next two months. To summarize, investors are buying a very significant amount of call and put option contracts and are leaning neutral to bearish over the next two months.

On the next page, let’s take a look at the earnings and revenue growth rates and the conclusion.

E = Earnings Are Mixed Quarter-Over-Quarter

Rising stock prices are often strongly correlated with rising earnings and revenue growth rates. Also, the last four quarterly earnings announcement reactions help gauge investor sentiment on Target’s stock. What do the last four quarterly earnings and revenue growth (Y-O-Y) figures for Target look like and more importantly, how did the markets like these numbers?

	2013 Q3	2013 Q2	2013 Q1	2012 Q4
Earnings Growth (Y-O-Y)	-43.75%	-10.38%	-25.96%	0.81%
Revenue Growth (Y-O-Y)	1.95%	2.01%	-0.95%	6.76%
Earnings Reaction	-3.45%	-3.60%	-4.01%	-1.45%

Target has seen decreasing earnings and rising revenue figures over the last four quarters. From these numbers, the markets have had conflicting feelings about Target’s recent earnings announcements.

P = Average Relative Performance Versus Peers and Sector

How has Target stock done relative to its peers, Wal-Mart (NYSE:WMT), Costco (NASDAQ:COST), Kohl’s (NYSE:KSS), and sector?

	Target	Wal-Mart	Costco	Kohl’s	Sector
Year-to-Date Return	-12.30%	-7.82%	-6.98%	-12.80%	-8.97%

Target has been an average relative performer, year-to-date.

Conclusion

Target operates discount general stores across North America where consumers continue to enjoy their shopping experience. Banks and big retailers are locked in a debate over the breach of consumer data that gripped Target during the holiday season. The stock has been pulling back over the last couple of quarters and is currently trading near lows for the year. Over the last four quarters, investors in the company have had conflicting feelings, as earnings have been decreasing while revenues have been rising. Relative to its peers and sector, Target has been an average year-to-date performer. WAIT AND SEE what Target does the rest of this quarter.

Deficit continues to drop sharply - CBO

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) The age of trillion-dollar deficits is well over. For now.

Thanks to a recovering economy, spending restraint and higher tax receipts, the Congressional Budget Office now projects the deficit for 2014 will be $514 billion, or 3% of the size of the U.S. economy.

As a share of gross domestic product, that represents a nearly 27% drop from last year, and marks the smallest deficit since 2007.

In its latest budget and economic outlook, released Tuesday, the CBO also projected that the 2015 deficit would reach a low for the coming decade, at $478 billion, or 2.6% of GDP, and then stay below 3% for a couple of years after that.

But then the downward trajectory ends.

Deficits will again top $1 trillion starting in 2022, and be at or above 4% of GDP, according to the CBO.

The reason? Revenue will keep pace with economic growth but spending will exceed it.

"Spending is boosted by the aging of the population, the expansion of federal subsidies for health insurance, rising health care costs per beneficiary, and mounting interest costs on federal debt," the CBO said.

All other federal spending except that on entitlements and interest, meanwhile, is projected to reach its lowest point as a percentage of GDP since 1940.

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Overall, the CBO expects $7.9 trillion to be added to the nation's cumulative public debt over the next decade. That's $1 trillion higher than CBO's projection last May, in part because of changes in the agency's economic forecast -- specifically lower projections for real economic growth.

In any case, the debt is now expected to grow from roughly 74% of GDP this year to 79% by 2024. Historically, that's a high level. In 2007, total public debt was just 35%.

And looking ahead, under current policies, even though revenue would reach historically high levels of GDP, it would not keep pace with the growth in spending. As a result, the CBO expects debt to reach at least 110% of GDP by 2038.

For policymakers, however, the sharp drop in deficits for the next few years relieves pressure on them to address entitlement and tax reform.

!

Indeed, there is little appetite left in Washington for the so-called grand bargain.

"We predict today's good news on red ink will make it virtually certain that no entitlement reform will occur until after the 2016 election," said Greg Valliere, chief political strategist for the Potomac Research Group.

Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, speaking at the Bipartisan Policy Center on Monday, acknowledged talks on closing the longer term budget shortfalls aren't imminent. "We have a little time to deal with the long term."

-- CNN's Lisa Desjardins contributed to this report.

Pentagon to cut jobs, contracts by $1 billion

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said he'll cut the Pentagon's headquarters' budget by $1 billion from 2014 through 2019, which will lead to layoffs and reduction in contracts.

WASHINGTON (CNNMoney) Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on Wednesday announced he's trimming the Pentagon headquarters' budget by 20%, starting in 2014. It will result in jobs cuts and reduction in contracts with private companies.

The budget cuts will happen even if Congress ends sequester, according to the defense agency. Hagel said the time is right to "pare back overhead and streamline headquarters," after the fast growth of the agency in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

"These reductions are only a first step in DoD's efforts to realign defense spending to meet new fiscal realities and strategic priorities," Hagel said.

The cuts would trim $1 billion from 2014 through 2019. Hagel said the first jobs to be cut will about 200 workers from his own team of 2,400.

Savings would come mostly by cutting back some contracts with private companies, but the agency said there would be "significant reductions to civilian personnel."

  More budget cuts loom at Pentagon

He stopped short of detailing other potential cuts, like those to commissaries -- military grocery stores -- and military pay, saying "difficult but necessary choices remain ahead for the Department on compensation reform, force structure, acquisitions and other major parts of DoD."

The Pentagon has had to cut $40 billion this year since March from the sequester. That led the agency to furlough workers for s! ix days over the summer.

The $1 billion in savings announced Wednesday is only a tiny fraction of the $500 billion in defense cuts mandated over the next 10 years by the sequester. Still, Hagel said "every dollar that we save by reducing the size of our headquarters and back-office operations is a dollar that can be invested in war-fighting capabilities and readiness."

If the sequestration cuts are not reversed it is likely that more job cuts will be necessary, Hagel said.

The announcement is likely to have wide repercussions, especially for defense companies that rely on government contracts such as Boeing (BA, Fortune 500), Northrop Grumman (NOC, Fortune 500), Lockheed Martin (LMT, Fortune 500) and Raytheon. (RTN, Fortune 500)

The Defense Department is one of the largest federal agencies with a budget of $526 billion and a civilian work force of 800,000.

-- CNN's Jennifer Rizzo contributed to this report.