Todays Gold Price per Ounce Spot gold price per gram; Silver price per ounce Spot Silver; Price of Gold Silver Trends Today

Precious metal Market News Today: Gold and silver contracts both closed the
opening trading session this week in the green, but trends were not as
supportive during the second trading session this week.. Both gold and silver
contract price trend-lines were pressured throughout the whole of the last
trading session. The dollar rebounded versus the euro and this action reduced
the number of investors willing to position with precious metals gold and
silver. As of the end of session close on Tuesday, both gold contract and silver
contract close prices posted on the negative side of break-even. Gold price per
ounce and Silver price per ounce Last Session Close: Both Gold and silver
contracts closed the second trading session of this week on the negative side of
break-even. Gold contract for February delivery finished the last session in the
red by .82 percent and posted a floor price close at 1664.50 per troy ounce.
Silver contract for March delivery finished the last session lower by .91
percent at 31.98 per troy ounce. Spot gold price per gram and spot silver price
per ounce trend-line news: After last session close and prior to todays opening
bell, spot gold price per gram and spot silver price per ounce trend-lines moved
negatively. Spot gold price per gram was red by .39 at 53.57 and spot silver
price per ounce was red by .18 at 32.009. Camillo Zucari

Apple Proves (Again) It’s Wall Street’s No. 1 Growth Stock

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tdp2664 InvestorPlace So much for the Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL ) naysayers and the end of guaranteed earnings surprises for AAPL. After the bell Tuesday, Apple earnings blew the door off and returned the company to its history of impressive earnings surprises. Apple said Tuesday afternoon that

Apple Reports Earnings Doubler! – Tuesday’s IP Market Recap

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tdp2664 InvestorPlace The ubiquitous iPhone did it again. Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL ) reported a first-quarter earnings increase of 118% — handily beating Wall Street expectations — with most of the credit going to strong sales of its powerhouse smartphone. Apple's earnings for the period were $13.87 per share ($13.1 billion), up $7.44 per share from the year-ago period and easily besting Thomson Reuters analysts' EPS expectations of $10.08. Revenues of $46.3 billion bested Q4 2010 by 73% and beat expectations of $38.85 billion. Apple shares shed 1.6% before Tuesday's afternoon report, but were up more than 7% in delayed after-hours trading . Also reporting Tuesday was Yahoo (NASDAQ: YHOO ), which announced adjusted EPS of 25 cents on $1.32 billion in revenues, beating estimates of 24 cents and $1.19 billion, respectively. YHOO shares have traded slightly up (1%) since co-founder Jerry Yang stepped down from Yahoo's board of directors , but they traded flat in Tuesday's run-up and didn't move much immediately after the bell. Tuesday also was a slightly upbeat day for the Dow Jones Industrial Average, but the five Dow Jones components that reported earnings this morning didn't really help the cause. DuPont (NYSE: DD ), Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ ) and McDonald's (NYSE: MCD ) all reported earnings beats Tuesday. But while DuPont ticked up all of 0.1% and J&J finished absolutely flat, McDonald's took a 2.2% cut — its largest single-day drop in about a month — with investors turning their noses at MCD's 10th straight quarter of double-digit earnings growth. Meanwhile, Verizon (NYSE: VZ ) dropped 1.6% after taking a huge one-time pension hit and also falling short on adjusted earnings expectations, but The Travelers Companies (NYSE: TRV ) was the hardest-hit Dow component, down 3.8% despite earnings in line with Wall Street estimates. Three Up Polycom (NASDAQ: PLCM ): Up 13.2% ($2.43) to $20.85. Diamond Foods (NASDAQ: DMND ): Up 9.6% ($3.14) to $35.79. EMC Corp. (NYSE: EMC ): Up 7.3% ($1.70) to $25.14. Three Down InterDigital (NASDAQ: IDCC ): Down 19.3% ($8.56) To $35.89. Nokia (NYSE: NOK ): Down 8% (46 cents) to $5.27. Kodiak Oil (NYSE: KOG ): Down 5.7% (55 cents) to $9.07. Kyle Woodley is the assistant editor of InvestorPlace.com. As of this writing, he did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. Check out recaps from previous trading days here .

Top 10 Rebounding Consumer Electronics Stocks: VOXX, HAR, DTSI, MSN, MCZ, NTE, UNXL, UEIC, IFON, DGLY (Jan 24, 2012)

Below are the top 10 rebounding Consumer Electronics stocks, ranked based on %
change from 52-week lows. One Chinese company (NTE) is on the list. VOXX
International Corp (NASDAQ:VOXX) is the 1st best rebounding stock in this
segment of the market. It has risen 174% from its 52-week low. It is now trading
at 98% of its 52-week high. Harman International Industries Inc./DE/ (NYSE:HAR)
is the 2nd best rebounding stock in this segment of the market. It has risen 72%
from its 52-week low. It is now trading at 84% of its 52-week high. DTS Inc.
(NASDAQ:DTSI) is the 3rd best rebounding stock in this segment of the market. It
has risen 37% from its 52-week low. It is now trading at 57% of its 52-week
high. Emerson Radio Corp (AMEX:MSN) is the 4th best rebounding stock in this
segment of the market. It has risen 35% from its 52-week low. It is now trading
at 62% of its 52-week high. Mad Catz Interactive, Inc. (USA) (AMEX:MCZ) is the
5th best rebounding stock in this segment of the market. It has risen 33% from
its 52-week low. It is now trading at 28% of its 52-week high. Nam Tai
Electronics, Inc. (NYSE:NTE) is the 6th best rebounding stock in this segment of
the market. It has risen 32% from its 52-week low. It is now trading at 73% of
its 52-week high. Uni-Pixel, Inc. (NASDAQ:UNXL) is the 7th best rebounding stock
in this segment of the market. It has risen 31% from its 52-week low. It is now
trading at 57% of its 52-week high. Universal Electronics Inc (NASDAQ:UEIC) is
the 8th best rebounding stock in this segment of the market. It has risen 30%
from its 52-week low. It is now trading at 61% of its 52-week high. InfoSonics
Corporation (NASDAQ:IFON) is the 9th best rebounding stock in this segment of
the market. It has risen 29% from its 52-week low. It is now trading at 50% of
its 52-week high. Digital Ally, Inc. (NASDAQ:DGLY) is the 10th best rebounding
stock in this segment of the market. It has risen 24% from its 52-week low. It
is now trading at 38% of its 52-week high.

Top Oversold U.S.-Listed Chinese Stocks (Jan 24, 2012)

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tdp2664 China Analyst Below are the latest oversold U.S.-listed Chinese stocks. Renren Inc (NYSE:RENN) is the most oversold U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was down 4.0% on the day. RENN's upside potential is 70.0% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $7.02. It is trading at 17.2% of its 52-week high of $24.00, and 28.7% above its 52-week low of $3.21. Noah Holdings Limited (ADR) (NYSE:NOAH) is the second most oversold U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was down 3.9% on the day. NOAH's upside potential is 202.7% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $19.92. It is trading at 35.7% of its 52-week high of $18.45, and 14.8% above its 52-week low of $5.73. E Commerce China Dangdang Inc (ADR) (NYSE:DANG) is the third most oversold U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was down 3.9% on the day. DANG's upside potential is 15.0% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $7.91. It is trading at 22.0% of its 52-week high of $31.28, and 67.4% above its 52-week low of $4.11. Qihoo 360 Technology Co Ltd (NYSE:QIHU) is the fourth most oversold U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was down 3.8% on the day. QIHU's upside potential is 97.5% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $33.57. It is trading at 46.9% of its 52-week high of $36.21, and 24.0% above its 52-week low of $13.71. Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (ADR) (NYSE:STP) is the fifth most oversold U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was down 3.5% on the day. STP's upside potential is 9.1% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $3.34. It is trading at 28.3% of its 52-week high of $10.83, and 80.0% above its 52-week low of $1.70. Hollysys Automation Technologies Ltd (NASDAQ:HOLI) is the sixth most oversold U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was down 3.2% on the day. HOLI's upside potential is 37.5% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $13.60. It is trading at 54.5% of its 52-week high of $18.15, and 117.8% above its 52-week low of $4.54. AutoNavi Holdings Ltd (ADR) (NASDAQ:AMAP) is the seventh most oversold U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was down 2.9% on the day. AMAP's upside potential is 93.6% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $20.46. It is trading at 52.3% of its 52-week high of $20.20, and 19.2% above its 52-week low of $8.87. LDK Solar Co., Ltd (ADR) (NYSE:LDK) is the eighth most oversold U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was down 2.7% on the day. LDK's upside potential is -27.9% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $3.33. It is trading at 30.9% of its 52-week high of $14.97, and 81.2% above its 52-week low of $2.55. CNinsure Inc. (ADR) (NASDAQ:CISG) is the ninth most oversold U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was down 2.0% on the day. CISG's upside potential is 200.9% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $25.04. It is trading at 44.6% of its 52-week high of $18.67, and 57.6% above its 52-week low of $5.28. Perfect World Co., Ltd. (ADR) (NASDAQ:PWRD) is the 10th most oversold U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was down 1.9% on the day. PWRD's upside potential is 82.2% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $19.30. It is trading at 36.4% of its 52-week high of $29.10, and 25.5% above its 52-week low of $8.44. Baidu.com, Inc. (ADR) (NASDAQ:BIDU) is the 11th most oversold U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was down 1.8% on the day. BIDU's upside potential is 46.6% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $178.45. It is trading at 73.4% of its 52-week high of $165.96, and 20.6% above its 52-week low of $100.95. NetQin Mobile Inc (ADR) (NYSE:NQ) is the 12th most oversold U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was down 1.7% on the day. NQ's upside potential is 61.1% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $11.00. It is trading at 57.4% of its 52-week high of $11.90, and 97.4% above its 52-week low of $3.46. Tudou Hldg Ltd (ADR) (NASDAQ:TUDO) is the 13th most oversold U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was down 1.6% on the day. TUDO's upside potential is 82.7% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $23.57. It is trading at 46.2% of its 52-week high of $27.91, and 35.8% above its 52-week low of $9.50. Shanda Games Limited(ADR) (NASDAQ:GAME) is the 14th most oversold U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was down 1.6% on the day. GAME's upside potential is 56.3% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $5.95. It is trading at 49.5% of its 52-week high of $7.70, and 10.1% above its 52-week low of $3.46. ZHONGPIN INC. (NASDAQ:HOGS) is the 15th most oversold U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was down 1.4% on the day. HOGS's upside potential is 31.2% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $15.32. It is trading at 59.9% of its 52-week high of $19.50, and 77.0% above its 52-week low of $6.60. Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd (ADR) (NASDAQ:MPEL) is the 16th most oversold U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was down 1.4% on the day. MPEL's upside potential is 25.3% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $13.97. It is trading at 69.0% of its 52-week high of $16.15, and 72.6% above its 52-week low of $6.46. JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd. (ADR) (NASDAQ:JASO) is the 17th most oversold U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was down 1.2% on the day. JASO's upside potential is 62.0% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $2.74. It is trading at 19.7% of its 52-week high of $8.57, and 39.7% above its 52-week low of $1.21. E-House (China) Holdings Limited (ADR) (NYSE:EJ) is the 18th most oversold U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was down 1.2% on the day. EJ's upside potential is 26.9% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $7.65. It is trading at 37.1% of its 52-week high of $16.25, and 50.0% above its 52-week low of $4.02. PetroChina Company Limited (ADR) (NYSE:PTR) is the 19th most oversold U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was down 1.0% on the day. PTR's upside potential is 8.2% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $158.00. It is trading at 91.9% of its 52-week high of $158.83, and 31.2% above its 52-week low of $111.29. China Petroleum & Chemical Corp. (ADR) (NYSE:SNP) is the 20th most oversold U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was down 0.7% on the day. SNP's upside potential is 9.8% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $128.33. It is trading at 98.0% of its 52-week high of $119.19, and 41.6% above its 52-week low of $82.50.

Taco Bell’s Fresh-Food Play

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tdp2664 InvestorPlace For many fast-food aficionados , “fresh” food is the bag of burgers, fries, tacos, gorditas, and/or nachos that gets passed to you at the drive-thru window. And the grease stains on the bag, as humorist Garrison Keillor might observe, affirm that freshness. But the food engineers at Taco Bell have, once again, been forced to think outside the bun as the company, which is owned by Yum Brands (NYSE: YUM ), reckons with its unsatisfying financial performance in 2011: flat sales in the first quarter, a decline of 5% in the second, a 2% slip in the third. The prescribed remedy is a slightly pricier, more upscale set of menu options based on fresh ingredients. This strategy – one of the most significant menu revisions in years, a recent Reuters story notes —may have been inspired at least in part by the popularity of fresh-Mex specialists such as Qdoba Mexican Grill (NASDAQ: JACK ) and Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG ), whose prices fall in the $7-$8 range. Taco Bell's new offerings, which are being test-marketed this week in Louisville, Ky., and Bakersfield, Calif., include $5 tacos, burritos, bowls. That price is similar to the fee for Taco Bell combo meals and premium offerings, but well above the $1 to $3 charged for standard menu items. Whatever the results of the fresh-food test tastings, Taco Bell will not attempt to become Chipotle Lite, the company's CEO, Greg Creed, told Reuters. “To be a more relevant Taco Bell, we can sell products that are every bit as good but cost a whole lot less,” Creed said. “This is one of those watershed moments where we’re going to redefine what the brand stands for.”

The Gold Price Gave Back $13.80 Today This is no More That a Correction Within an Uptrend

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DG365FD46564GFH654FU898 Gold Price Close Today : 1664.20 Change : (13.80) or -0.8% Silver Price Close Today : 3193.10 Change : 30.2 cents or -0.9% Gold Silver Ratio Today : 52.119 Change : 0.060 or 0.1% Silver Gold Ratio Today : 0.01919 Change : -0.000022 or -0.1% Platinum Price Close Today : 1546.90 Change : -16.80 or -1.1% Palladium Price Close Today : 677.80 Change : -8.25 or -1.2% S&P 500 : 1,314.65 Change : -1.35 or -0.1% Dow In GOLD$ : $157.45 Change : $ 0.90 or 0.6% Dow in GOLD oz : 7.617 Change : 0.044 or 0.6% Dow in SILVER oz : 396.97 Change : 2.69 or 0.7% Dow Industrial : 12,675.75 Change : -33.07 or -0.3% US Dollar Index : 79.81 Change : 0.023 or 0.0% The GOLD PRICE bounced off that barrier at $1,680 yesterday and gave back $13.80 today, closing at $1,664.20. The GOLD PRICE can drop back to $1,658 – $1,656 and remain in an uptrend. So far, today’s action classifies as no more than a correction within an uptrend. The SILVER PRICE backed off 30.2c to close Comex at 3193.1c. Silver dipped its toe below 3200c to 3184c, but held there rock solid. And so it must do tomorrow to avoid a painful correction, down to 3080c, a dollar lower. You always have to take care that you are not “talking your position,” looking at a chart and seeing only what you want to see and ignoring the rest. Still, I believe that pattern on silver’s chart is a continuation pattern, very tight, and will break out upside. So (as my friend R. asked me today) why not talk about the GOLD/SILVER RATIO ? Because I am still holding out for 57.5 to swap, and believe we will yet see that. Silver and gold have most likely made their bottoms, but first time silver makes a correction, it will suffer much more than gold will, and that (I hope) will give us that push. Think about something else. I am still smarting by swapping out of SILVER into GOLD too early last year. I don’t want to jump too early on the swap back, and I know from previous years that the ratio can post several similar highs before it turns down for good. Right, that’s risky, but for right now I believe it’s a risk worth taking. US dollar today gained a massive, spectacular 2.3 basis points (0.03%) to end at 79.806. It skidded to a stop just above the 50 DMA (79.52). High today reached 80.184, low skidded to 79.643. Without closing higher than 80.20, the dollar is merely trolling for fools gullible enough to buy it on the way down. Of course, if the buck hangs around above 79.50 for a few days, I might change my mind. Scabby euro rose 0.09% today to 1.3036, not much changed from yesterday, but still rallying. Still headed for 1.3200 at least. Yen, on the other hand, fell off a cliff today. Dropped 0.9% to 128.71c/Y100 (Y77.69/US$1), leaving behind a huge gap and punching through its 20 DMA (129.65) and 50 DMA (129.19). Support there is none before 128c, or the 200 DMA at 127.37c. Looks like the Nice Government Men in Japan woke up today and decided to lower the yen. Stock indices shrugged off their confusion today and all decided to drop together. Dow lost 33.07 (0.26%) to 12,675.75. S&P500 gave back 1.35 to 0.1%. Charts aren’t quite the same. S&P500 has bumped into overhead resistance from last spring’s highs and stopped cold. Dow punched through slightly, reached 12,764, and has traded back to the line for — a failure and fall back, or a final kiss good-bye? Not clear yet, but stocks don’t have much gas left. Dow won’t reach 12,870, S&P500 shouldn’t reach 1,360. On 24 January 1848 James W. Marshall discovered a gold nugget at Sutter’s Mill in northern California, the discovery that set off the Gold Rush. Discoveries of gold in California, Australia, and later South Africa led to a CHEAPENING of gold against silver, and the price of silver in gold rose steadily from 1848 until 1873, when silver was corruptly demonetized first in the US (“Crime of ’73″) and then in the new German Reich. Contrary to the propaganda, it was NOT new silver discoveries, like the Comstock Lode, that led to silver’s cheapening against gold or its demonetization. That was all politics, and silver was gaining value from 1848 forward, never trading below the $1.2929 statutory value from 1848 to 1873, and rising at some points to $1.35 (4.4% over statutory price). No, ultimately driving silver out of the monetary system was a project of special interests who planned to drive out first, silver, and then gold, and so create their own money out of thin air. So far, they’ve won, and think what a tragedy it would have been if the banks had lost. Why, how would states have raised the money to fight all those world wars without central banks and fiat money? Gee, they couldn’t have, so they would have been forced to make peace. It would have been a historical tragedy, wouldn’t it? Argentum et aurum comparenda sunt — – Gold and silver must be bought. – Franklin Sanders, The Moneychanger The-MoneyChanger.com © 2012, The Moneychanger. May not be republished in any form, including electronically, without our express permission. To avoid confusion, please remember that the comments above have a very short time horizon. Always invest with the primary trend. Gold’s primary trend is up, targeting at least $3,130.00; silver’s primary is up targeting 16:1 gold/silver ratio or $195.66; stocks’ primary trend is down, targeting Dow under 2,900 and worth only one ounce of gold; US$ or US$-denominated assets, primary trend down; real estate bubble has burst, primary trend down. WARNING AND DISCLAIMER. Be advised and warned: Do NOT use these commentaries to trade futures contracts. I don’t intend them for that or write them with that short term trading outlook. I write them for long-term investors in physical metals. Take them as entertainment, but not as a timing service for futures. NOR do I recommend investing in gold or silver Exchange Trade Funds (ETFs). Those are NOT physical metal and I fear one day one or another may go up in smoke. Unless you can breathe smoke, stay away. Call me paranoid, but the surviving rabbit is wary of traps. NOR do I recommend trading futures options or other leveraged paper gold and silver products. These are not for the inexperienced. NOR do I recommend buying gold and silver on margin or with debt. What DO I recommend? Physical gold and silver coins and bars in your own hands. One final warning: NEVER insert a 747 Jumbo Jet up your nose.

Todays DJIA Dow Jones Industrial Average Investing News USA Today; Nasdaq, S&P 500 Index Finance Trends; President Obama State of the Union

Todays DJIA, Nasdaq, S&P 500, Stock Market Investing News: Index Trend-line
movement this week for the primary indices in the U.S. has been much weaker than
what was observed over the course of last weeks sessions. Last week, the DJIA ,
Nasdaq , and the S&P 500 all posted trend-lines that increased by over 2
percent. This week so far, the primary composites in the U.S. finished the
opening session mixed and closed mixed on Tuesday as well. Debt resolution talks
in Greece stagnated when creditors were unwilling to agree to restructuring
terms. This news added weight to the primary index trends and pushed them lower
during the session. Dow Jones, Nasdaq, S&P 500 Index Close Last Session: The Dow
Jones Industrial Average finished the last trading session in negative territory
for the day. The DJIA index dropped lower by .26 percent at 12,675.75. The
Nasdaq finished the day green by .09 percent at 2,786.64. The S&P 500 finished
red by .10 percent at 1,314.65. State of the Union: President Obama stated that
we have a chance as a nation to decide if we want to mold a country where
everyone has a chance to succeed, or if we will settle for a country where only
a small number of Americans prosper. The President talked about tax breaks for
American companies, and taxing those companies that outsource. He talked about
fiscal responsibility and avoiding policies that have debilitated the U.S.
economy. He added that there should be no bailouts and no handouts as we move
forward. Frank Matto

Top 10 Rebounding Apparel Stocks: OXM, LULU, ZA, CTHR, TRLG, MOV, HWG, VFC, ZQK, APP (Jan 24, 2012)

Below are the top 10 rebounding Apparel stocks, ranked based on % change from
52-week lows. One Chinese company (ZA) is on the list. Oxford Industries, Inc.
(NYSE:OXM) is the 1st best rebounding stock in this segment of the market. It
has risen 117% from its 52-week low. It is now trading at 98% of its 52-week
high. Lululemon Athletica inc. (NASDAQ:LULU) is the 2nd best rebounding stock in
this segment of the market. It has risen 91% from its 52-week low. It is now
trading at 97% of its 52-week high. Zuoan Fashion Ltd (ADR) (NYSE:ZA) is the 3rd
best rebounding stock in this segment of the market. It has risen 90% from its
52-week low. It is now trading at 50% of its 52-week high. Charles & Colvard,
Ltd. (NASDAQ:CTHR) is the 4th best rebounding stock in this segment of the
market. It has risen 75% from its 52-week low. It is now trading at 69% of its
52-week high. True Religion Apparel, Inc. (NASDAQ:TRLG) is the 5th best
rebounding stock in this segment of the market. It has risen 73% from its
52-week low. It is now trading at 90% of its 52-week high. Movado Group, Inc
(NYSE:MOV) is the 6th best rebounding stock in this segment of the market. It
has risen 67% from its 52-week low. It is now trading at 90% of its 52-week
high. The Hallwood Group Incorporated (AMEX:HWG) is the 7th best rebounding
stock in this segment of the market. It has risen 66% from its 52-week low. It
is now trading at 44% of its 52-week high. V.F. Corporation (NYSE:VFC) is the
8th best rebounding stock in this segment of the market. It has risen 65% from
its 52-week low. It is now trading at 93% of its 52-week high. Quiksilver, Inc.
(NYSE:ZQK) is the 9th best rebounding stock in this segment of the market. It
has risen 64% from its 52-week low. It is now trading at 77% of its 52-week
high. American Apparel Inc. (AMEX:APP) is the 10th best rebounding stock in this
segment of the market. It has risen 58% from its 52-week low. It is now trading
at 49% of its 52-week high.

BlackBerry 10: Delays, Licensing, and Possible RIM Salvation

New Research In Motion (NASDAQ: RIMM ) CEO Thorsten Heins hasnt had the warmest
reception since the companys blockbuster weekend announcement that he would be
replacing co-CEOs Jim Balsille and Mike Lazaridis. Heins' declaration this
week that no "seismic changes" will be forthcoming sent RIM's stock into
the Nasdaq doghouse. And he is aware many investors want to take away RIMs
kibble. RIM hardware has been criticized for being so previous-generation
(thanks in part to comparatively low-resolution displays and underpowered
processors), but whats really taken the air out of the Canadian tech companys
sails has been the BlackBerry operating system (or BBS)the software that powers
the devices. When Apples (NASDAQ: AAPL ) iPhone launched in 2007, it was running
the freshly minted iOS, a next-generation operating system that was free of
legacy baggage and which quickly proved superior to BBS. While iOS has only
gotten better with subsequent releases (its currently on version 5) and Google s
(NASDAQ: GOOG ) Android operating system has also become a force to be reckoned
with, BBS has fallen further behind. The recently revealed BlackBerry OS (BB7)
has been roundly criticized as being a stopgap that will do little to stem the
exodus of BlackBerry users. A rough ride for BlackBerry software The salvation
of RIM was supposed to be the 2010 purchase of QNX Software Systems from Harman
International (NYSE: HAR ). QNX had built a reputation for providing rock-solid
system software used in the automotive, medical, aerospace, telecommunications
and defense industries. If QNX was good enough for these demanding applications,
it should be more than capable of powering the next generation BlackBerry
operating system. The architecture of the QNX operating system is intended to
provide real-time multitasking, a feature that is valuable in a multipurpose
device and would allow RIM to leapfrog ahead of other mobile platforms in this
key area. Apple itself had followed a similar path when it ditched its desktop
operating system in 1996, to bring Steve Jobs back into the fold in with his
NeXT OS (which became the foundation of Apples current Mac OS X). Unfortunately,
things have not played out as smoothly as RIM would have hoped. Among the
stumbles: April 2011: the PlayBook tablet, powered by QNX, is launched to
critical reviews. The PlayBook OS lacks native e-mail, requiring a BlackBerry
handset, touching off complaints that the tablet was rushed to market and
raising suspicions that the QNX-based OS that RIM has been banking on will not
easily integrate with existing BlackBerry services. October 2011: RIM announces
that the BlackBerry version of the advanced QNX OS will be called BBX. Three
months later, RIM has to change the name to BlackBerry 10 (or BB10) after losing
a lawsuit over rights to the term BBX. December 2011: RIM announces that the
release of its BB10-based handset will be delayed until late 2012, blaming the
need to adopt more energy efficient chipsets that wouldnt arrive until mid-2012.
With RIM bleeding users and the likelihood of having to face the release of the
iPhone 5 at that time, this delay may prove fatal to a meaningful BlackBerry
comeback. In January at the International Consumer Electronics Show , the
QNX-based PlayBook OS 2.0 was revealed, finally incorporating e-mail and
calendaring. This helped reduce speculation that QNX could not be fully adapted
to the BlackBerry platform, but that relatively good news was tempered by a lack
of even a prototype BB10, and there was speculation that RIM was cutting the
number of planned BB10 handsets for 2012 to possibly only a single handset. This
single-model strategy has worked for Apple, but RIM typically has half a dozen
smartphone models available at a time. Exploring licensing alliances Could
licensing be in the works? RIM shares temporarily rose in previous weeks on
rumors the company was in conversations with Samsung (PINK: SSNLF ). While a
purchase of RIM seems unlikely (Samsung makes its own successful smartphone and
tablet hardware, and is giving Apple a run for its money), the possibility of
Samsung licensing BB10 isn't all that remote. The Korean company currently
uses Android to power its devices, and the ability to offer BlackBerry products
could offer it a way to differentiate its products from the dozens of other
Android smartphone makers, while also possibly cutting the rising costs of
licensing Android. Another factor that might support the theory that RIM is
pursuing licensing as an option is the rumored trimming of the handset lineup
the company intends to release later in 2012. Why release a slew of smartphones
if they will be competing against versions released by other manufacturers?
During his first conference call as CEO, Heins refuted rumors that licensing
BB10 was a focus for now, but did add that he would be willing to entertain the
idea. Take that as you will, but with Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT ) scooping
anywhere from $3 to $6 in licensing from every Android device, and with the
potential to earn $1 billion or more yearly in royalties (Google itself doesnt
charge manufacturers for use of Android OS) clearly there is money to be made in
licensing a mobile operating system. It could well be that buying a software
company with a reputation for building a bulletproof operating system thats
trusted to power a wide range of mission-critical systems may have been the
right choice for RIM. On the other hand, QNX typically runs systems that dont
need to sip energy, a key requirement for mobile devices. And the RIM and QNX
engineers are obviously having a tougher time than expected in porting
BlackBerrys key features into the QNX platform. While the QNX-based PlayBook 2.0
OS is an encouraging sign after several years of stumbles, it remains to be seen
whether BlackBerry 10 will save RIM from becoming a smartphone industry
footnote.

Taco Bell’s Fresh-Food Play

For many fast-food aficionados , fresh food is the bag of burgers, fries,
tacos, gorditas, and/or nachos that gets passed to you at the drive-thru window.
And the grease stains on the bag, as humorist Garrison Keillor might observe,
affirm that freshness. But the food engineers at Taco Bell have, once again,
been forced to think outside the bun as the company, which is owned by Yum
Brands (NYSE: YUM ), reckons with its unsatisfying financial performance in
2011: flat sales in the first quarter, a decline of 5% in the second, a 2% slip
in the third. The prescribed remedy is a slightly pricier, more upscale set of
menu options based on fresh ingredients. This strategy – one of the most
significant menu revisions in years, a recent Reuters story notes —may have
been inspired at least in part by the popularity of fresh-Mex specialists such
as Qdoba Mexican Grill (NASDAQ: JACK ) and Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG ),
whose prices fall in the $7-$8 range. Taco Bell's new offerings, which are
being test-marketed this week in Louisville, Ky., and Bakersfield, Calif.,
include $5 tacos, burritos, bowls. That price is similar to the fee for Taco
Bell combo meals and premium offerings, but well above the $1 to $3 charged for
standard menu items. Whatever the results of the fresh-food test tastings, Taco
Bell will not attempt to become Chipotle Lite, the company's CEO, Greg Creed,
told Reuters. To be a more relevant Taco Bell, we can sell products that are
every bit as good but cost a whole lot less, Creed said. This is one of those
watershed moments where were going to redefine what the brand stands for.

Top Oversold U.S.-Listed Chinese Stocks (Jan 24, 2012)

Below are the latest oversold U.S.-listed Chinese stocks. Renren Inc
(NYSE:RENN) is the most oversold U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was
down 4.0% on the day. RENNs upside potential is 70.0% based on brokerage
analysts average target price of $7.02. It is trading at 17.2% of its 52-week
high of $24.00, and 28.7% above its 52-week low of $3.21. Noah Holdings Limited
(ADR) (NYSE:NOAH) is the second most oversold U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan.
24. It was down 3.9% on the day. NOAHs upside potential is 202.7% based on
brokerage analysts average target price of $19.92. It is trading at 35.7% of its
52-week high of $18.45, and 14.8% above its 52-week low of $5.73. E Commerce
China Dangdang Inc (ADR) (NYSE:DANG) is the third most oversold U.S.-listed
Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was down 3.9% on the day. DANGs upside potential is
15.0% based on brokerage analysts average target price of $7.91. It is trading
at 22.0% of its 52-week high of $31.28, and 67.4% above its 52-week low of
$4.11. Qihoo 360 Technology Co Ltd (NYSE:QIHU) is the fourth most oversold
U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was down 3.8% on the day. QIHUs upside
potential is 97.5% based on brokerage analysts average target price of $33.57.
It is trading at 46.9% of its 52-week high of $36.21, and 24.0% above its
52-week low of $13.71. Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (ADR) (NYSE:STP) is the
fifth most oversold U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was down 3.5% on
the day. STPs upside potential is 9.1% based on brokerage analysts average
target price of $3.34. It is trading at 28.3% of its 52-week high of $10.83, and
80.0% above its 52-week low of $1.70. Hollysys Automation Technologies Ltd
(NASDAQ:HOLI) is the sixth most oversold U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24.
It was down 3.2% on the day. HOLIs upside potential is 37.5% based on brokerage
analysts average target price of $13.60. It is trading at 54.5% of its 52-week
high of $18.15, and 117.8% above its 52-week low of $4.54. AutoNavi Holdings Ltd
(ADR) (NASDAQ:AMAP) is the seventh most oversold U.S.-listed Chinese stock on
Jan. 24. It was down 2.9% on the day. AMAPs upside potential is 93.6% based on
brokerage analysts average target price of $20.46. It is trading at 52.3% of its
52-week high of $20.20, and 19.2% above its 52-week low of $8.87. LDK Solar Co.,
Ltd (ADR) (NYSE:LDK) is the eighth most oversold U.S.-listed Chinese stock on
Jan. 24. It was down 2.7% on the day. LDKs upside potential is -27.9% based on
brokerage analysts average target price of $3.33. It is trading at 30.9% of its
52-week high of $14.97, and 81.2% above its 52-week low of $2.55. CNinsure Inc.
(ADR) (NASDAQ:CISG) is the ninth most oversold U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan.
24. It was down 2.0% on the day. CISGs upside potential is 200.9% based on
brokerage analysts average target price of $25.04. It is trading at 44.6% of its
52-week high of $18.67, and 57.6% above its 52-week low of $5.28. Perfect World
Co., Ltd. (ADR) (NASDAQ:PWRD) is the 10th most oversold U.S.-listed Chinese
stock on Jan. 24. It was down 1.9% on the day. PWRDs upside potential is 82.2%
based on brokerage analysts average target price of $19.30. It is trading at
36.4% of its 52-week high of $29.10, and 25.5% above its 52-week low of $8.44.
Baidu.com, Inc. (ADR) (NASDAQ:BIDU) is the 11th most oversold U.S.-listed
Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was down 1.8% on the day. BIDUs upside potential is
46.6% based on brokerage analysts average target price of $178.45. It is trading
at 73.4% of its 52-week high of $165.96, and 20.6% above its 52-week low of
$100.95. NetQin Mobile Inc (ADR) (NYSE:NQ) is the 12th most oversold U.S.-listed
Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was down 1.7% on the day. NQs upside potential is
61.1% based on brokerage analysts average target price of $11.00. It is trading
at 57.4% of its 52-week high of $11.90, and 97.4% above its 52-week low of
$3.46. Tudou Hldg Ltd (ADR) (NASDAQ:TUDO) is the 13th most oversold U.S.-listed
Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was down 1.6% on the day. TUDOs upside potential is
82.7% based on brokerage analysts average target price of $23.57. It is trading
at 46.2% of its 52-week high of $27.91, and 35.8% above its 52-week low of
$9.50. Shanda Games Limited(ADR) (NASDAQ:GAME) is the 14th most oversold
U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was down 1.6% on the day. GAMEs upside
potential is 56.3% based on brokerage analysts average target price of $5.95. It
is trading at 49.5% of its 52-week high of $7.70, and 10.1% above its 52-week
low of $3.46. ZHONGPIN INC. (NASDAQ:HOGS) is the 15th most oversold U.S.-listed
Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was down 1.4% on the day. HOGSs upside potential is
31.2% based on brokerage analysts average target price of $15.32. It is trading
at 59.9% of its 52-week high of $19.50, and 77.0% above its 52-week low of
$6.60. Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd (ADR) (NASDAQ:MPEL) is the 16th most
oversold U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was down 1.4% on the day.
MPELs upside potential is 25.3% based on brokerage analysts average target price
of $13.97. It is trading at 69.0% of its 52-week high of $16.15, and 72.6% above
its 52-week low of $6.46. JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd. (ADR) (NASDAQ:JASO) is the
17th most oversold U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was down 1.2% on the
day. JASOs upside potential is 62.0% based on brokerage analysts average target
price of $2.74. It is trading at 19.7% of its 52-week high of $8.57, and 39.7%
above its 52-week low of $1.21. E-House (China) Holdings Limited (ADR) (NYSE:EJ)
is the 18th most oversold U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was down 1.2%
on the day. EJs upside potential is 26.9% based on brokerage analysts average
target price of $7.65. It is trading at 37.1% of its 52-week high of $16.25, and
50.0% above its 52-week low of $4.02. PetroChina Company Limited (ADR)
(NYSE:PTR) is the 19th most oversold U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It
was down 1.0% on the day. PTRs upside potential is 8.2% based on brokerage
analysts average target price of $158.00. It is trading at 91.9% of its 52-week
high of $158.83, and 31.2% above its 52-week low of $111.29. China Petroleum &
Chemical Corp. (ADR) (NYSE:SNP) is the 20th most oversold U.S.-listed Chinese
stock on Jan. 24. It was down 0.7% on the day. SNPs upside potential is 9.8%
based on brokerage analysts average target price of $128.33. It is trading at
98.0% of its 52-week high of $119.19, and 41.6% above its 52-week low of $82.50.

Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) Hit With Huge Lobbying Bill

Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) spent $3.76 million for lobbying in the fourth
quarter. Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) Hit With Huge Lobbying Bill The online search
titan Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) said in a filing that it spent $3.76 million in
the fourth quarter for lobbying. The company spent money to lobby government
agencies on a variety of issues including online anti-piracy bills. This is the
highest lobbying spend since the company started its Washington office in 2005.
Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) spent $9.7 million on lobbying in 2011 when it spent
only $5.2 million in 2010. It spent only $1.24 million in the fourth quarter of
2010 and $2.38 in the third quarter of 2011. Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) stocks
are currently standing at 585.52. Price History Last Price: 585.52 52 Week Low /
High: 473.02 / 670.25 50 Day Moving Average: 618.43 6 Month Price Change %:
-5.4% 12 Month Price Change %: -4.3%

The Gold Price Gave Back $13.80 Today This is no More That a Correction Within an Uptrend

Gold Price Close Today : 1664.20 Change : (13.80) or -0.8% Silver Price Close
Today : 3193.10 Change : 30.2 cents or -0.9% Gold Silver Ratio Today : 52.119
Change : 0.060 or 0.1% Silver Gold Ratio Today : 0.01919 Change : -0.000022 or
-0.1% Platinum Price Close Today : 1546.90 Change : -16.80 or -1.1% Palladium
Price Close Today : 677.80 Change : -8.25 or -1.2% S&P 500 : 1,314.65 Change :
-1.35 or -0.1% Dow In GOLD$ : $157.45 Change : $ 0.90 or 0.6% Dow in GOLD oz :
7.617 Change : 0.044 or 0.6% Dow in SILVER oz : 396.97 Change : 2.69 or 0.7% Dow
Industrial : 12,675.75 Change : -33.07 or -0.3% US Dollar Index : 79.81 Change :
0.023 or 0.0% The GOLD PRICE bounced off that barrier at $1,680 yesterday and
gave back $13.80 today, closing at $1,664.20. The GOLD PRICE can drop back to
$1,658 - $1,656 and remain in an uptrend. So far, today's action classifies as
no more than a correction within an uptrend. The SILVER PRICE backed off 30.2c
to close Comex at 3193.1c. Silver dipped its toe below 3200c to 3184c, but held
there rock solid. And so it must do tomorrow to avoid a painful correction, down
to 3080c, a dollar lower. You always have to take care that you are not "talking
your position," looking at a chart and seeing only what you want to see and
ignoring the rest. Still, I believe that pattern on silver's chart is a
continuation pattern, very tight, and will break out upside. So (as my friend R.
asked me today) why not talk about the GOLD/SILVER RATIO ? Because I am still
holding out for 57.5 to swap, and believe we will yet see that. Silver and gold
have most likely made their bottoms, but first time silver makes a correction,
it will suffer much more than gold will, and that (I hope) will give us that
push. Think about something else. I am still smarting by swapping out of SILVER
into GOLD too early last year. I don't want to jump too early on the swap back,
and I know from previous years that the ratio can post several similar highs
before it turns down for good. Right, that's risky, but for right now I believe
it's a risk worth taking. US dollar today gained a massive, spectacular 2.3
basis points (0.03%) to end at 79.806. It skidded to a stop just above the 50
DMA (79.52). High today reached 80.184, low skidded to 79.643. Without closing
higher than 80.20, the dollar is merely trolling for fools gullible enough to
buy it on the way down. Of course, if the buck hangs around above 79.50 for a
few days, I might change my mind. Scabby euro rose 0.09% today to 1.3036, not
much changed from yesterday, but still rallying. Still headed for 1.3200 at
least. Yen, on the other hand, fell off a cliff today. Dropped 0.9% to
128.71c/Y100 (Y77.69/US$1), leaving behind a huge gap and punching through its
20 DMA (129.65) and 50 DMA (129.19). Support there is none before 128c, or the
200 DMA at 127.37c. Looks like the Nice Government Men in Japan woke up today
and decided to lower the yen. Stock indices shrugged off their confusion today
and all decided to drop together. Dow lost 33.07 (0.26%) to 12,675.75. S&P500
gave back 1.35 to 0.1%. Charts aren't quite the same. S&P500 has bumped into
overhead resistance from last spring's highs and stopped cold. Dow punched
through slightly, reached 12,764, and has traded back to the line for -- a
failure and fall back, or a final kiss good-bye? Not clear yet, but stocks don't
have much gas left. Dow won't reach 12,870, S&P500 shouldn't reach 1,360. On 24
January 1848 James W. Marshall discovered a gold nugget at Sutter's Mill in
northern California, the discovery that set off the Gold Rush. Discoveries of
gold in California, Australia, and later South Africa led to a CHEAPENING of
gold against silver, and the price of silver in gold rose steadily from 1848
until 1873, when silver was corruptly demonetized first in the US ("Crime of
'73") and then in the new German Reich. Contrary to the propaganda, it was NOT
new silver discoveries, like the Comstock Lode, that led to silver's cheapening
against gold or its demonetization. That was all politics, and silver was
gaining value from 1848 forward, never trading below the $1.2929 statutory value
from 1848 to 1873, and rising at some points to $1.35 (4.4% over statutory
price). No, ultimately driving silver out of the monetary system was a project
of special interests who planned to drive out first, silver, and then gold, and
so create their own money out of thin air. So far, they've won, and think what a
tragedy it would have been if the banks had lost. Why, how would states have
raised the money to fight all those world wars without central banks and fiat
money? Gee, they couldn't have, so they would have been forced to make peace. It
would have been a historical tragedy, wouldn't it? Argentum et aurum comparenda
sunt -- -- Gold and silver must be bought. - Franklin Sanders, The Moneychanger
The-MoneyChanger.com © 2012, The Moneychanger. May not be republished in any
form, including electronically, without our express permission. To avoid
confusion, please remember that the comments above have a very short time
horizon. Always invest with the primary trend. Gold's primary trend is up,
targeting at least $3,130.00; silver's primary is up targeting 16:1 gold/silver
ratio or $195.66; stocks' primary trend is down, targeting Dow under 2,900 and
worth only one ounce of gold; US$ or US$-denominated assets, primary trend down;
real estate bubble has burst, primary trend down. WARNING AND DISCLAIMER. Be
advised and warned: Do NOT use these commentaries to trade futures contracts. I
don't intend them for that or write them with that short term trading outlook. I
write them for long-term investors in physical metals. Take them as
entertainment, but not as a timing service for futures. NOR do I recommend
investing in gold or silver Exchange Trade Funds (ETFs). Those are NOT physical
metal and I fear one day one or another may go up in smoke. Unless you can
breathe smoke, stay away. Call me paranoid, but the surviving rabbit is wary of
traps. NOR do I recommend trading futures options or other leveraged paper gold
and silver products. These are not for the inexperienced. NOR do I recommend
buying gold and silver on margin or with debt. What DO I recommend? Physical
gold and silver coins and bars in your own hands. One final warning: NEVER
insert a 747 Jumbo Jet up your nose.

Apple Proves (Again) It’s Wall Street’s No. 1 Growth Stock

So much for the Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL ) naysayers and the end of guaranteed
earnings surprises for AAPL. After the bell Tuesday, Apple earnings blew the
door off and returned the company to its history of impressive earnings
surprises. Apple said Tuesday afternoon that

Apple Reports Earnings Doubler! – Tuesday’s IP Market Recap

The ubiquitous iPhone did it again. Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL ) reported a
first-quarter earnings increase of 118% handily beating Wall Street
expectations with most of the credit going to strong sales of its powerhouse
smartphone. Apple's earnings for the period were $13.87 per share ($13.1
billion), up $7.44 per share from the year-ago period and easily besting Thomson
Reuters analysts' EPS expectations of $10.08. Revenues of $46.3 billion bested
Q4 2010 by 73% and beat expectations of $38.85 billion. Apple shares shed 1.6%
before Tuesday's afternoon report, but were up more than 7% in delayed
after-hours trading . Also reporting Tuesday was Yahoo (NASDAQ: YHOO ), which
announced adjusted EPS of 25 cents on $1.32 billion in revenues, beating
estimates of 24 cents and $1.19 billion, respectively. YHOO shares have traded
slightly up (1%) since co-founder Jerry Yang stepped down from Yahoo's board
of directors , but they traded flat in Tuesday's run-up and didn't move much
immediately after the bell. Tuesday also was a slightly upbeat day for the Dow
Jones Industrial Average, but the five Dow Jones components that reported
earnings this morning didn't really help the cause. DuPont (NYSE: DD ),
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ ) and McDonald's (NYSE: MCD ) all reported
earnings beats Tuesday. But while DuPont ticked up all of 0.1% and J&J finished
absolutely flat, McDonald's took a 2.2% cut its largest single-day drop in
about a month with investors turning their noses at MCD's 10th straight
quarter of double-digit earnings growth. Meanwhile, Verizon (NYSE: VZ ) dropped
1.6% after taking a huge one-time pension hit and also falling short on adjusted
earnings expectations, but The Travelers Companies (NYSE: TRV ) was the
hardest-hit Dow component, down 3.8% despite earnings in line with Wall Street
estimates. Three Up Polycom (NASDAQ: PLCM ): Up 13.2% ($2.43) to $20.85. Diamond
Foods (NASDAQ: DMND ): Up 9.6% ($3.14) to $35.79. EMC Corp. (NYSE: EMC ): Up
7.3% ($1.70) to $25.14. Three Down InterDigital (NASDAQ: IDCC ): Down 19.3%
($8.56) To $35.89. Nokia (NYSE: NOK ): Down 8% (46 cents) to $5.27. Kodiak Oil
(NYSE: KOG ): Down 5.7% (55 cents) to $9.07. Kyle Woodley is the assistant
editor of InvestorPlace.com. As of this writing, he did not hold a position in
any of the aforementioned securities. Check out recaps from previous trading
days here .

Top-Performing U.S.-Listed Chinese Stocks (Jan 24, 2012)

XCSFDHG46767FHJHJF

tdp2664 China Analyst Below are the latest top-performing U.S.-listed Chinese stocks. Focus Media Holding Limited (ADR) (NASDAQ:FMCN) is the best-performing U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was up 5.4% on the day. FMCN's upside potential is 83.5% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $37.12. It is trading at 53.8% of its 52-week high of $37.58, and 130.1% above its 52-week low of $8.79. Seaspan Corporation (NYSE:SSW) is the second best-performing U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was up 3.6% on the day. SSW's upside potential is 8.5% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $17.56. It is trading at 75.9% of its 52-week high of $21.33, and 58.5% above its 52-week low of $10.21. China Ming Yang Wind Power Group Ltd (NYSE:MY) is the third best-performing U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was up 3.1% on the day. MY's upside potential is 108.9% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $6.22. It is trading at 27.2% of its 52-week high of $10.96, and 152.5% above its 52-week low of $1.18. Rda Microelectronics Inc (ADR) (NASDAQ:RDA) is the fourth best-performing U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was up 2.2% on the day. RDA's upside potential is 42.3% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $15.67. It is trading at 71.4% of its 52-week high of $15.43, and 55.9% above its 52-week low of $7.06. New Oriental Education & Tech Grp (ADR) (NYSE:EDU) is the fifth best-performing U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was up 2.1% on the day. EDU's upside potential is 52.9% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $35.19. It is trading at 66.2% of its 52-week high of $34.77, and 11.6% above its 52-week low of $20.61. WuXi PharmaTech (Cayman) Inc. (ADR) (NYSE:WX) is the sixth best-performing U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was up 1.9% on the day. WX's upside potential is 32.1% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $18.03. It is trading at 71.5% of its 52-week high of $19.10, and 28.2% above its 52-week low of $10.65. 51job, Inc. (ADR) (NASDAQ:JOBS) is the seventh best-performing U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was up 1.8% on the day. JOBS's upside potential is 43.3% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $64.50. It is trading at 64.5% of its 52-week high of $69.80, and 22.9% above its 52-week low of $36.62. VanceInfo Technologies Inc.(ADR) (NYSE:VIT) is the eighth best-performing U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was up 1.4% on the day. VIT's upside potential is 26.4% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $16.66. It is trading at 36.1% of its 52-week high of $36.56, and 112.9% above its 52-week low of $6.19. TAL Education Group (ADR) (NYSE:XRS) is the ninth best-performing U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was up 1.0% on the day. XRS's upside potential is 33.9% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $14.50. It is trading at 69.8% of its 52-week high of $15.51, and 28.8% above its 52-week low of $8.41. Spreadtrum Communications, Inc (ADR) (NASDAQ:SPRD) is the 10th best-performing U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was up 1.0% on the day. SPRD's upside potential is 78.7% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $28.88. It is trading at 53.9% of its 52-week high of $29.98, and 88.1% above its 52-week low of $8.59. Phoenix New Media Ltd ADR (NYSE:FENG) is the 11th best-performing U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was up 0.9% on the day. FENG's upside potential is 65.1% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $10.88. It is trading at 43.7% of its 52-week high of $15.09, and 56.9% above its 52-week low of $4.20. Mindray Medical International Ltd (ADR) (NYSE:MR) is the 12th best-performing U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was up 0.8% on the day. MR's upside potential is 7.7% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $32.05. It is trading at 95.4% of its 52-week high of $31.21, and 40.1% above its 52-week low of $21.25. Ambow Education Holding Ltd (ADR) (NYSE:AMBO) is the 13th best-performing U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was up 0.7% on the day. AMBO's upside potential is 43.6% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $10.47. It is trading at 65.6% of its 52-week high of $11.11, and 59.9% above its 52-week low of $4.56. 21Vianet Group Inc (NASDAQ:VNET) is the 14th best-performing U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was up 0.7% on the day. VNET's upside potential is 67.7% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $17.52. It is trading at 46.8% of its 52-week high of $22.33, and 25.8% above its 52-week low of $8.31. iSoftStone Holdings Ltd (ADR) (NYSE:ISS) is the 15th best-performing U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was up 0.5% on the day. ISS's upside potential is 61.6% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $15.50. It is trading at 42.4% of its 52-week high of $22.63, and 69.4% above its 52-week low of $5.66. HiSoft Technology Internatnl Ltd (ADR) (NASDAQ:HSFT) is the 16th best-performing U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was up 0.4% on the day. HSFT's upside potential is 49.9% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $17.31. It is trading at 34.0% of its 52-week high of $34.00, and 44.0% above its 52-week low of $8.02. AsiaInfo-Linkage, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASIA) is the 17th best-performing U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was up 0.3% on the day. ASIA's upside potential is 42.4% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $16.93. It is trading at 51.9% of its 52-week high of $22.91, and 91.5% above its 52-week low of $6.21. Sohu.com Inc. (NASDAQ:SOHU) is the 18th best-performing U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was up 0.2% on the day. SOHU's upside potential is 26.0% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $76.08. It is trading at 55.2% of its 52-week high of $109.37, and 33.0% above its 52-week low of $45.40. NetEase.com Inc (ADR) (NASDAQ:NTES) is the 19th best-performing U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was up 0.2% on the day. NTES's upside potential is 19.7% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $58.16. It is trading at 88.3% of its 52-week high of $55.00, and 35.9% above its 52-week low of $35.74. Shanda Interactive Entertainment Ltd ADR (NASDAQ:SNDA) is the 20th best-performing U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was up 0.0% on the day. SNDA's upside potential is 0.8% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $41.00. It is trading at 75.1% of its 52-week high of $54.20, and 43.0% above its 52-week low of $28.44.

Why I Could Care Less About Apple’s Earnings

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tdp2664 InvestorPlace Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL ) reports earnings after the bell Tuesday, and there still is plenty of commentary — and lots of trading — on the news. Me? I’ll check the numbers, but their report doesn’t change my opinion of Apple one bit. Don’t get me wrong. Earnings are the lifeblood of a company’s growth — for most companies. Earnings are the clearest proof of a company’s operating success — how it’s creating profits, delivering value to shareholders and winning the battle against its competitors. That’s why earnings growth, earnings momentum, earnings revisions and earnings surprises are four of the critical markers I use to identify stocks worth owning. Stocks that score well on these metrics are worthy of your investment dollar. Stocks that can’t shine should be skipped without a second thought. Let me tell you exactly why Apple’s earnings don’t matter. Apple Is in a Whole Different League Apple has had a remarkable run for over a decade now, churning out a steady succession of innovative products with unmatched customer loyalty. In the process of rolling out iMacs, iTunes, iPods, iPads and so many other exciting products, they’ve revolutionized industries from music and telecommunications to gaming and personal computing. No wonder the stock has risen nearly 30-fold since 2004. And regardless of what the actual numbers are today, Apple shows no sign of slowing down. Here’s just one example: Do you realize that Apple can’t even sell its products in some retail stores in China anymore? Thousands of Chinese consumers stood in line all night for the chance to nab the latest iPhone. It was such chaos that Apple has been forced to offer its new products for sale online only. And they haven’t even released a 4G phone yet. But the iPhone 4S has certainly been a hit. The iPhone 4S is now available in over 90 countries, making this the fastest iPhone rollout ever. With this kind of instant success, it’s no wonder consumer groups expect global sales of consumer electronics to top $1 trillion in 2012. The Hits Keep Coming And that’s just one of Apple’s products. This company is also the reigning champ of tablet sales. Here’s some perspective for you: Excluding Apple’s tablets, the U.S. tablet market saw sales of 1.2 million units from January through October of 2011. But in just the last quarter, Apple alone moved 11.1 million iPads — almost 10 times as many as the entire market in that nine-month period. I could go on and on about Apple’s products, its expansion into new countries, the companies it has bought up for its upcoming gadgets or its partnerships with companies like Target (NYSE: TGT ) to place mini-Apple stores inside the discount retailer’s big boxes . But I won’t. When Apple reports earnings, it won’t make one bit of difference to me if they beat the $10.08 a share profit expectations or hit the $38.85 billion sales target. It won’t matter to me if shares drop a bit or rise on the earnings announcement. This company is going to continue to dominate the consumer electronics industry for years to come, thanks to superior customer focus, innovative engineers and designers and a truly awesome cash hoard they’ve amassed. All those advantages have created the superior machine that is Apple, which is reflected not just in earnings, but also in operating margins, cash flow, buying pressure and all the other signals I look for. So I, for one, would be a buyer of shares of this phenomenal company now, next month, next quarter and throughout 2012 — no matter what we hear from Apple.

Lumia’s Successes and Challenges

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tdp2664 InvestorPlace Days before Nokia (NYSE: NOK ) announced its partnership with Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT ), in February 2011, an internal memo from the Finnish phone maker’s then-new CEO Stephen Elop to his employees was leaked to the press. Elop said that Nokia, still the world’s biggest mobile phone maker, was “ standing on a burning platform ” as the global market swiftly transitioned to smartphones. At the time, the partnership with Microsoft seemed a milquetoast move. It was too little effort to diversify too late on Nokia’s part. For Microsoft, it was a sign of desperation, evidence that it would do anything to get Windows phones on the market. Fast forward nine months. Nokia and Microsoft release their first Lumia smartphones in the U.K., India, and elsewhere around the world, testing the waters ahead of tackling the U.S. market. Did they fail as expected? Far from it. According to a report published on Tuesday by Bloomberg , Nokia and Microsoft sold approximately 1.3 million Lumia smartphones in the international market at the end of 2011. The figure isn’t exact—it’s an average of estimates from 22 analysts, whose early Lumia sales projections range between 800,000 and 2 million across November and December.

Precious Metals Fall, U.S. Dollar Rises on Euro Concerns

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DG365FD46564GFH654FU898 Precious metals futures settled lower on Tuesday amid modest strength in the U.S. dollar and ongoing sovereign debt concerns in Europe. COMEX gold futures, per the February contract, closed down by $13.80, or 0.8%, at $1,664.50 per ounce – thereby negating yesterday’s $14.30 advance. Silver futures for February delivery on the COMEX finished with a loss of $0.30, or 0.9%, at $31.98 per ounce.

JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon: Bernanke and Geithner ‘Saved the System’

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tdp2664 InvestorPlace On Tuesday,

Precious Metals Fall, U.S. Dollar Rises on Euro Concerns

Precious metals futures settled lower on Tuesday amid modest strength in the
U.S. dollar and ongoing sovereign debt concerns in Europe. COMEX gold futures,
per the February contract, closed down by $13.80, or 0.8%, at $1,664.50 per
ounce thereby negating yesterdays $14.30 advance. Silver futures for February
delivery on the COMEX finished with a loss of $0.30, or 0.9%, at $31.98 per
ounce.

Why I Could Care Less About Apple’s Earnings

Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL ) reports earnings after the bell Tuesday, and there still
is plenty of commentary and lots of trading on the news. Me? Ill check the
numbers, but their report doesnt change my opinion of Apple one bit. Dont get me
wrong. Earnings are the lifeblood of a companys growth for most companies.
Earnings are the clearest proof of a companys operating success how its
creating profits, delivering value to shareholders and winning the battle
against its competitors. Thats why earnings growth, earnings momentum, earnings
revisions and earnings surprises are four of the critical markers I use to
identify stocks worth owning. Stocks that score well on these metrics are worthy
of your investment dollar. Stocks that cant shine should be skipped without a
second thought. Let me tell you exactly why Apples earnings dont matter. Apple
Is in a Whole Different League Apple has had a remarkable run for over a decade
now, churning out a steady succession of innovative products with unmatched
customer loyalty. In the process of rolling out iMacs, iTunes, iPods, iPads and
so many other exciting products, theyve revolutionized industries from music and
telecommunications to gaming and personal computing. No wonder the stock has
risen nearly 30-fold since 2004. And regardless of what the actual numbers are
today, Apple shows no sign of slowing down. Heres just one example: Do you
realize that Apple cant even sell its products in some retail stores in China
anymore? Thousands of Chinese consumers stood in line all night for the chance
to nab the latest iPhone. It was such chaos that Apple has been forced to offer
its new products for sale online only. And they havent even released a 4G phone
yet. But the iPhone 4S has certainly been a hit. The iPhone 4S is now available
in over 90 countries, making this the fastest iPhone rollout ever. With this
kind of instant success, its no wonder consumer groups expect global sales of
consumer electronics to top $1 trillion in 2012. The Hits Keep Coming And thats
just one of Apples products. This company is also the reigning champ of tablet
sales. Heres some perspective for you: Excluding Apples tablets, the U.S. tablet
market saw sales of 1.2 million units from January through October of 2011. But
in just the last quarter, Apple alone moved 11.1 million iPads almost 10 times
as many as the entire market in that nine-month period. I could go on and on
about Apples products, its expansion into new countries, the companies it has
bought up for its upcoming gadgets or its partnerships with companies like
Target (NYSE: TGT ) to place mini-Apple stores inside the discount retailers big
boxes . But I wont. When Apple reports earnings, it wont make one bit of
difference to me if they beat the $10.08 a share profit expectations or hit the
$38.85 billion sales target. It wont matter to me if shares drop a bit or rise
on the earnings announcement. This company is going to continue to dominate the
consumer electronics industry for years to come, thanks to superior customer
focus, innovative engineers and designers and a truly awesome cash hoard theyve
amassed. All those advantages have created the superior machine that is Apple,
which is reflected not just in earnings, but also in operating margins, cash
flow, buying pressure and all the other signals I look for. So I, for one, would
be a buyer of shares of this phenomenal company now, next month, next quarter
and throughout 2012 no matter what we hear from Apple.

Top-Performing U.S.-Listed Chinese Stocks (Jan 24, 2012)

Below are the latest top-performing U.S.-listed Chinese stocks. Focus Media
Holding Limited (ADR) (NASDAQ:FMCN) is the best-performing U.S.-listed Chinese
stock on Jan. 24. It was up 5.4% on the day. FMCNs upside potential is 83.5%
based on brokerage analysts average target price of $37.12. It is trading at
53.8% of its 52-week high of $37.58, and 130.1% above its 52-week low of $8.79.
Seaspan Corporation (NYSE:SSW) is the second best-performing U.S.-listed Chinese
stock on Jan. 24. It was up 3.6% on the day. SSWs upside potential is 8.5% based
on brokerage analysts average target price of $17.56. It is trading at 75.9% of
its 52-week high of $21.33, and 58.5% above its 52-week low of $10.21. China
Ming Yang Wind Power Group Ltd (NYSE:MY) is the third best-performing
U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was up 3.1% on the day. MYs upside
potential is 108.9% based on brokerage analysts average target price of $6.22.
It is trading at 27.2% of its 52-week high of $10.96, and 152.5% above its
52-week low of $1.18. Rda Microelectronics Inc (ADR) (NASDAQ:RDA) is the fourth
best-performing U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was up 2.2% on the day.
RDAs upside potential is 42.3% based on brokerage analysts average target price
of $15.67. It is trading at 71.4% of its 52-week high of $15.43, and 55.9% above
its 52-week low of $7.06. New Oriental Education & Tech Grp (ADR) (NYSE:EDU) is
the fifth best-performing U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was up 2.1%
on the day. EDUs upside potential is 52.9% based on brokerage analysts average
target price of $35.19. It is trading at 66.2% of its 52-week high of $34.77,
and 11.6% above its 52-week low of $20.61. WuXi PharmaTech (Cayman) Inc. (ADR)
(NYSE:WX) is the sixth best-performing U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It
was up 1.9% on the day. WXs upside potential is 32.1% based on brokerage
analysts average target price of $18.03. It is trading at 71.5% of its 52-week
high of $19.10, and 28.2% above its 52-week low of $10.65. 51job, Inc. (ADR)
(NASDAQ:JOBS) is the seventh best-performing U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan.
24. It was up 1.8% on the day. JOBSs upside potential is 43.3% based on
brokerage analysts average target price of $64.50. It is trading at 64.5% of its
52-week high of $69.80, and 22.9% above its 52-week low of $36.62. VanceInfo
Technologies Inc.(ADR) (NYSE:VIT) is the eighth best-performing U.S.-listed
Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was up 1.4% on the day. VITs upside potential is
26.4% based on brokerage analysts average target price of $16.66. It is trading
at 36.1% of its 52-week high of $36.56, and 112.9% above its 52-week low of
$6.19. TAL Education Group (ADR) (NYSE:XRS) is the ninth best-performing
U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was up 1.0% on the day. XRSs upside
potential is 33.9% based on brokerage analysts average target price of $14.50.
It is trading at 69.8% of its 52-week high of $15.51, and 28.8% above its
52-week low of $8.41. Spreadtrum Communications, Inc (ADR) (NASDAQ:SPRD) is the
10th best-performing U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was up 1.0% on the
day. SPRDs upside potential is 78.7% based on brokerage analysts average target
price of $28.88. It is trading at 53.9% of its 52-week high of $29.98, and 88.1%
above its 52-week low of $8.59. Phoenix New Media Ltd ADR (NYSE:FENG) is the
11th best-performing U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was up 0.9% on the
day. FENGs upside potential is 65.1% based on brokerage analysts average target
price of $10.88. It is trading at 43.7% of its 52-week high of $15.09, and 56.9%
above its 52-week low of $4.20. Mindray Medical International Ltd (ADR)
(NYSE:MR) is the 12th best-performing U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It
was up 0.8% on the day. MRs upside potential is 7.7% based on brokerage analysts
average target price of $32.05. It is trading at 95.4% of its 52-week high of
$31.21, and 40.1% above its 52-week low of $21.25. Ambow Education Holding Ltd
(ADR) (NYSE:AMBO) is the 13th best-performing U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan.
24. It was up 0.7% on the day. AMBOs upside potential is 43.6% based on
brokerage analysts average target price of $10.47. It is trading at 65.6% of its
52-week high of $11.11, and 59.9% above its 52-week low of $4.56. 21Vianet Group
Inc (NASDAQ:VNET) is the 14th best-performing U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan.
24. It was up 0.7% on the day. VNETs upside potential is 67.7% based on
brokerage analysts average target price of $17.52. It is trading at 46.8% of its
52-week high of $22.33, and 25.8% above its 52-week low of $8.31. iSoftStone
Holdings Ltd (ADR) (NYSE:ISS) is the 15th best-performing U.S.-listed Chinese
stock on Jan. 24. It was up 0.5% on the day. ISSs upside potential is 61.6%
based on brokerage analysts average target price of $15.50. It is trading at
42.4% of its 52-week high of $22.63, and 69.4% above its 52-week low of $5.66.
HiSoft Technology Internatnl Ltd (ADR) (NASDAQ:HSFT) is the 16th best-performing
U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was up 0.4% on the day. HSFTs upside
potential is 49.9% based on brokerage analysts average target price of $17.31.
It is trading at 34.0% of its 52-week high of $34.00, and 44.0% above its
52-week low of $8.02. AsiaInfo-Linkage, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASIA) is the 17th
best-performing U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was up 0.3% on the day.
ASIAs upside potential is 42.4% based on brokerage analysts average target price
of $16.93. It is trading at 51.9% of its 52-week high of $22.91, and 91.5% above
its 52-week low of $6.21. Sohu.com Inc. (NASDAQ:SOHU) is the 18th
best-performing U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was up 0.2% on the day.
SOHUs upside potential is 26.0% based on brokerage analysts average target price
of $76.08. It is trading at 55.2% of its 52-week high of $109.37, and 33.0%
above its 52-week low of $45.40. NetEase.com Inc (ADR) (NASDAQ:NTES) is the 19th
best-performing U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24. It was up 0.2% on the day.
NTESs upside potential is 19.7% based on brokerage analysts average target price
of $58.16. It is trading at 88.3% of its 52-week high of $55.00, and 35.9% above
its 52-week low of $35.74. Shanda Interactive Entertainment Ltd ADR
(NASDAQ:SNDA) is the 20th best-performing U.S.-listed Chinese stock on Jan. 24.
It was up 0.0% on the day. SNDAs upside potential is 0.8% based on brokerage
analysts average target price of $41.00. It is trading at 75.1% of its 52-week
high of $54.20, and 43.0% above its 52-week low of $28.44.

Starbucks’ Addition of Booze Is a Snooze

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tdp2664 InvestorPlace With 18,000 stores tapping out as much coffee real estate as reasonably possible, Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX ) has decided to grow its top line — at least for some of its stores — by widening its menu in a major way. Soon, at a couple dozen locations in Atlanta and Southern California, Starbucks will be offering coffee, scones … and brewskis? Yes, the world's biggest chain of coffee houses has tiptoed further into the world of beer and wine (the company already is testing booze sales in the Pacific Northwest), looking to get more round-the-clock revenue flowing from its admittedly-enviable real estate. The initial reactions from consumers (not to mention investors) have been strong, though hardly uniform. In fact, we've really only seen two basic responses, and they're at extreme opposite ends of the spectrum — people either love it or hate it. Fair enough. But would it be OK if my response was a mere “Whatever”? The Upside OK, I get the basic premise behind the decision. Starbucks has been collecting some of the world's best retail real estate for three decades. Hot, overpriced coffee isn't in hot demand 18 hours per day, though, so the company's not getting the maximum bang out of its square footage. And now that the coffeehouse sells every known variety, size, shape and flavor of coffee conceivable to man, the natural progression is expanding the menu in a big way. Booze is a good choice, all things considered. Coffee tends to be a morning ritual, and Starbucks has managed to extend acceptable coffee-drinking hours well past lunch. It's a tough sell in many locales late at night, though. Not everybody wants to be highly caffeinated before bedtime, and a beer is more apt to be relaxing when the sun goes down. And the profit margins for spirits are as ridiculously high as they are for coffee — in the 70% range. Moreover, at a proposed price point of $5 and higher a pop, beer and wine at Starbucks don’t present profitability questions. The key here, however, is that the company is gunning for a crowd it hadn't been attracting before. Starbucks has acknowledged it expects the maneuver to attract higher-end customers … a segment that's becoming increasingly valuable while the weak economy continues to crimp the middle class and its purchases of $4 lattes. The Downside Starbucks didn't grow from one store in 1971 to more than 18,000 now on accident. These guys have made savvy decisions most of the time over the course of a phenomenal expansion. It doesn't mean every idea is infallible, though, and the transition from “just coffee” to “beer and wine too” won't likely be as easy as the company assumes. See, high-end beer fans tend to be as rabid about how and where they get their beer as high-end coffee fans are about how and where they get their java. Starbucks has spent millions of dollars and several years refining its image and clientele base. In successfully doing so, however, it also has become a locale that, by design, might have alienated a beer-drinking crowd. There's just something about the ambiance that doesn't work — maybe it's too many soccer moms and too many laptops around. As such, adding beer and wine to the menu might cause another alienation, pitting both of the company's target markets against one another. Color Me Disinterested To be fair, not every Starbucks is going to be offering beer and wine. In fact, the vast majority of them won't … a critical detail missing from most of the opines. Only a few stores in the United States are slated for alcohol sales in 2012 — about 0.12% of the company's locales, to be precise. And those stores have been hand-selected specifically because they were ideal fits for that difficult transition to beer and wine. Bluntly, I'm surprised the media has cared as much as it has. Yes, this small experiment could be the model for all its locales in the future. That's a very distant future, though, and hardly an undertaking the company seems interested in making part of its typical fare anytime soon. Investors worrying about the impact now — good or bad — might find this expanded menu isn't going to matter either way anytime soon. Pick and choose your battles. This isn't a game-changer. As of this writing, James Brumley did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned stocks.

Top 10 Rebounding Coal Stocks: WLB, YZC, ARLP, RNO, ANR, AHGP, OXF, JRCC, PVR, LLEN (Jan 24, 2012)

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tdp2664 China Analyst Below are the top 10 rebounding Coal stocks, ranked based on % change from 52-week lows. One Chinese company (YZC) is on the list. Westmoreland Coal Company (NASDAQ:WLB) is the 1st best rebounding stock in this segment of the market. It has risen 82% from its 52-week low. It is now trading at 62% of its 52-week high. Yanzhou Coal Mining Co. (ADR) (NYSE:YZC) is the 2nd best rebounding stock in this segment of the market. It has risen 41% from its 52-week low. It is now trading at 59% of its 52-week high. Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. (NASDAQ:ARLP) is the 3rd best rebounding stock in this segment of the market. It has risen 36% from its 52-week low. It is now trading at 94% of its 52-week high. Rhino Resource Partners, L.P. (NYSE:RNO) is the 4th best rebounding stock in this segment of the market. It has risen 35% from its 52-week low. It is now trading at 72% of its 52-week high. Alpha Natural Resources, Inc. (NYSE:ANR) is the 5th best rebounding stock in this segment of the market. It has risen 34% from its 52-week low. It is now trading at 34% of its 52-week high. Alliance Holdings GP, L.P. (NASDAQ:AHGP) is the 6th best rebounding stock in this segment of the market. It has risen 33% from its 52-week low. It is now trading at 92% of its 52-week high. Oxford Resource Partners, LP (NYSE:OXF) is the 7th best rebounding stock in this segment of the market. It has risen 32% from its 52-week low. It is now trading at 62% of its 52-week high. James River Coal Company (NASDAQ:JRCC) is the 8th best rebounding stock in this segment of the market. It has risen 28% from its 52-week low. It is now trading at 27% of its 52-week high. Penn Virginia Resource Partners L P (NYSE:PVR) is the 9th best rebounding stock in this segment of the market. It has risen 28% from its 52-week low. It is now trading at 92% of its 52-week high. L&L Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ:LLEN) is the 10th best rebounding stock in this segment of the market. It has risen 26% from its 52-week low. It is now trading at 30% of its 52-week high.

Gold Price Sinks as Odds of Greek Default Rise

GOLD PRICE NEWS – The gold price declined Tuesday, sinking 0.8% to $1,665 per
ounce.

McDonald’s, Verizon Highlight Big Morning of Earnings Reports

McDonald's (NYSE: MCD ) was the shining star on a Tuesday morning chock full
of earnings report, growing earnings in double-digits for the 10th consecutive
quarter. McDonald's reported earnings of $1.38 billion ($1.33 per share),
trumping last year's $1.24 billion ($1.16) by 10%. Its EPS were 3 cents more
than Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S analyst expectations. Same-store sales were up more
than 7%, with the biggest increases coming in the U.S. and Europe, though
McDonald's also saw same-store sales increase 6.9% in the Asia/Pacific region,
the Middle East and Africa. The company also reported full-year EPS of $5.27, up
15% from the year-ago period. McDonald's was the top Dow Jones stock of 2011 ,
and MCD shares are up 35% in the past 52 weeks. Verizon (NYSE: VZ ) was on the
opposite end of the spectrum, posting a fourth-quarter loss of $2 billion, or 71
cents per share, mostly thanks to a pension charge. Strong sales of the Apple
(NASDAQ: AAPL ) iPhone Verizon subsidizes the price for consumers also bore
into earnings. The loss is in stark contrast to earnings of 93 cents per share
in the year-ago period. Excluding the one-time charges, Verizon earned 52 cents
per share, a penny short of analysts' expectations and down 2 cents from Q4
2010, though revenue of $28.4 billion was on par. VZ stock is up 10% in the past
52 weeks but down 4% year-to-date. Other big companies reporting earnings
Tuesday morning: DuPont (NYSE: DD ) beat Wall Street estimates by 2 cents with
adjusted EPS of 35 cents per share. Its total earnings were down just slightly,
from $376 million in Q4 2010 to $373 million this year. However, DuPont's
$8.43 billion in sales were short of expectations for $8.53 billion, though
still up 14% from the year-ago period. Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ ) reported
adjusted earnings of $1.13 per share, beating expectations for $1.09. However,
an almost $3 billion charge for product recalls put total earnings at $218
million, down from $1.9 billion in Q4 2010. However, JNJ disappointed Wall
Street with full-year forecasts of $5.05 to $5.15 EPS, below expectations of
$5.21. The Travelers Companies (NYSE: TRV ) matched analyst expectations with a
large earnings drop from the year-ago period. TRV reported earnings of $618
million ($1.51 per share), down 31% from 2010. Slightly higher revenues of $6.37
billion beat estimates of $5.47 billion. Kyle Woodley, InvestorPlace.com
Assistant Editor

Starbucks’ Addition of Booze Is a Snooze

With 18,000 stores tapping out as much coffee real estate as reasonably
possible, Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX ) has decided to grow its top line at least
for some of its stores by widening its menu in a major way. Soon, at a couple
dozen locations in Atlanta and Southern California, Starbucks will be offering
coffee, scones and brewskis? Yes, the world's biggest chain of coffee houses
has tiptoed further into the world of beer and wine (the company already is
testing booze sales in the Pacific Northwest), looking to get more
round-the-clock revenue flowing from its admittedly-enviable real estate. The
initial reactions from consumers (not to mention investors) have been strong,
though hardly uniform. In fact, we've really only seen two basic responses,
and they're at extreme opposite ends of the spectrum people either love it or
hate it. Fair enough. But would it be OK if my response was a mere Whatever? The
Upside OK, I get the basic premise behind the decision. Starbucks has been
collecting some of the world's best retail real estate for three decades. Hot,
overpriced coffee isn't in hot demand 18 hours per day, though, so the
company's not getting the maximum bang out of its square footage. And now that
the coffeehouse sells every known variety, size, shape and flavor of coffee
conceivable to man, the natural progression is expanding the menu in a big way.
Booze is a good choice, all things considered. Coffee tends to be a morning
ritual, and Starbucks has managed to extend acceptable coffee-drinking hours
well past lunch. It's a tough sell in many locales late at night, though. Not
everybody wants to be highly caffeinated before bedtime, and a beer is more apt
to be relaxing when the sun goes down. And the profit margins for spirits are as
ridiculously high as they are for coffee in the 70% range. Moreover, at a
proposed price point of $5 and higher a pop, beer and wine at Starbucks dont
present profitability questions. The key here, however, is that the company is
gunning for a crowd it hadn't been attracting before. Starbucks has
acknowledged it expects the maneuver to attract higher-end customers a segment
that's becoming increasingly valuable while the weak economy continues to
crimp the middle class and its purchases of $4 lattes. The Downside Starbucks
didn't grow from one store in 1971 to more than 18,000 now on accident. These
guys have made savvy decisions most of the time over the course of a phenomenal
expansion. It doesn't mean every idea is infallible, though, and the
transition from just coffee to beer and wine too won't likely be as easy as
the company assumes. See, high-end beer fans tend to be as rabid about how and
where they get their beer as high-end coffee fans are about how and where they
get their java. Starbucks has spent millions of dollars and several years
refining its image and clientele base. In successfully doing so, however, it
also has become a locale that, by design, might have alienated a beer-drinking
crowd. There's just something about the ambiance that doesn't work maybe
it's too many soccer moms and too many laptops around. As such, adding beer
and wine to the menu might cause another alienation, pitting both of the
company's target markets against one another. Color Me Disinterested To be
fair, not every Starbucks is going to be offering beer and wine. In fact, the
vast majority of them won't a critical detail missing from most of the
opines. Only a few stores in the United States are slated for alcohol sales in
2012 about 0.12% of the company's locales, to be precise. And those stores
have been hand-selected specifically because they were ideal fits for that
difficult transition to beer and wine. Bluntly, I'm surprised the media has
cared as much as it has. Yes, this small experiment could be the model for all
its locales in the future. That's a very distant future, though, and hardly an
undertaking the company seems interested in making part of its typical fare
anytime soon. Investors worrying about the impact now good or bad might find
this expanded menu isn't going to matter either way anytime soon. Pick and
choose your battles. This isn't a game-changer. As of this writing, James
Brumley did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned stocks.

Top 10 Rebounding Coal Stocks: WLB, YZC, ARLP, RNO, ANR, AHGP, OXF, JRCC, PVR, LLEN (Jan 24, 2012)

Below are the top 10 rebounding Coal stocks, ranked based on % change from
52-week lows. One Chinese company (YZC) is on the list. Westmoreland Coal
Company (NASDAQ:WLB) is the 1st best rebounding stock in this segment of the
market. It has risen 82% from its 52-week low. It is now trading at 62% of its
52-week high. Yanzhou Coal Mining Co. (ADR) (NYSE:YZC) is the 2nd best
rebounding stock in this segment of the market. It has risen 41% from its
52-week low. It is now trading at 59% of its 52-week high. Alliance Resource
Partners, L.P. (NASDAQ:ARLP) is the 3rd best rebounding stock in this segment of
the market. It has risen 36% from its 52-week low. It is now trading at 94% of
its 52-week high. Rhino Resource Partners, L.P. (NYSE:RNO) is the 4th best
rebounding stock in this segment of the market. It has risen 35% from its
52-week low. It is now trading at 72% of its 52-week high. Alpha Natural
Resources, Inc. (NYSE:ANR) is the 5th best rebounding stock in this segment of
the market. It has risen 34% from its 52-week low. It is now trading at 34% of
its 52-week high. Alliance Holdings GP, L.P. (NASDAQ:AHGP) is the 6th best
rebounding stock in this segment of the market. It has risen 33% from its
52-week low. It is now trading at 92% of its 52-week high. Oxford Resource
Partners, LP (NYSE:OXF) is the 7th best rebounding stock in this segment of the
market. It has risen 32% from its 52-week low. It is now trading at 62% of its
52-week high. James River Coal Company (NASDAQ:JRCC) is the 8th best rebounding
stock in this segment of the market. It has risen 28% from its 52-week low. It
is now trading at 27% of its 52-week high. Penn Virginia Resource Partners L P
(NYSE:PVR) is the 9th best rebounding stock in this segment of the market. It
has risen 28% from its 52-week low. It is now trading at 92% of its 52-week
high. L&L Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ:LLEN) is the 10th best rebounding stock in this
segment of the market. It has risen 26% from its 52-week low. It is now trading
at 30% of its 52-week high.

Will Facebook Cannibalize Social Stocks?

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tdp2664 InvestorPlace It sounds as if Facebook will launch its IPO in late May. But as we’ve seen with other hot offerings — including Groupon (NASDAQ: GRPN ) and Zynga (NASDAQ: ZNGA ) — the timing is more of an art than a science. Regardless, it's a good bet we'll see a deal sometime in 2012. Yet, interestingly enough, the Facebook IPO may result in some negative consequences for the tech sector. David Garrity, a principal at GVA Research, certainly thinks so. If Facebook’s IPO raises more than $10 billion, that could result in less money to go around. That is, investors might bail on the group of social companies that have gone public over the past year. All in all, I think this makes a lot of sense. It seems that the huge valuations of LinkedIn (NYSE: LNKD ) and Zynga are the result of investors treating these companies as proxies for Facebook– it's an imperfect way to get exposure to social media. And if Facebook ends up having a valuation of $100 billion, it will be in the league of elite tech companies such as Google (NASDAQ: GOOG ), Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT ) and Oracle (NASDAQ: ORCL ). Hey, if given a choice, investors are most likely to focus on the leaders, right?

Major Commodities Started the Week Rising–Recap January 23

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DG365FD46564GFH654FU898 Major commodities prices started off the week with sharp gains especially for the energy commodities including crude oil prices and natural gas prices. The Euro and other currencies including Canadian dollar rallied from Friday’s falls and appreciated against the U.S. dollar on Monday. Here is a summary of the price developments of precious metals and energy commodities for January 23rd, 2012: Precious Metals Prices: Gold price increased on Monday by 0.86% to $1,678.3; Silver price also rose by 1.88% to reach $32.27. During January, gold increased by 7.1%, and silver by 15.6%.

Todays DJIA, Dow Jones Industrial Average Index; Nasdaq Index; S&P 500 Index; Stock Market MSN Money Stock Quote HAL Halliburton Earnings

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dow2664 DJIA, Nasdaq, S&P 500 Stock Market News: Investors were hoping to see the positive stock market trends continue during the opening session in the U.S. So far this year, the DJIA , as well as the Nasdaq and the S&P 500 are positive. All three indices climbed higher over the course of last week as well. The positive index movement did not continue during the opening trading session this week however. All three indices were posting red as of the halfway point in the session today and were not able to fully recover. No major economic news was scheduled for the opening session in the U.S. today and thus investors’ thoughts were focused more on the eurozone debt crisis. Jitters relating to the debt crisis, and the Greek debt talks that transpired during the last session, added weight and pushed index trend-lines lower. Ultimately, the primary indices in the U.S. finished off the session mixed. The DJIA and Nasdaq were negative and the S&P 500 finished the day on he positive side of break-even. DJIA, Nasdaq, S&P 500 Index Close: The Dow Jones finished the last trading session red by .09 percent at 12,708.82. The Nasdaq finished the last session lower by .09 percent at 2,784.17. The S&P 500 finished the last session green by .05 percent at 1,316. Earnings data: Halliburton released quarterly results which were better than most analysts were anticipating. The company reported revenue of $7.1 billion during the fourth quarter. Halliburtin Co (HAL) closed the last session red by 2.10 percent on the day and posted last trade at 35.44. Frank Matto

Gold & Silver Prices – Daily Outlook January 24

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DG365FD46564GFH654FU898 Gold and silver prices continue their January upward trend. Yesterday other commodities also rallied including oil and gas. Currently, gold and silver are traded with moderate changes. Today, the Euro Area Manufacturing PMI report will be published, the Canadian Retails Sales and Bank of England’s Governor King will give a speech. Many look forward for tomorrow’s FOMC statement that could affect commodities markets if there will be interesting headlines in it.

Why Gold is More Expensive than Platinum?

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DG365FD46564GFH654FU898 In recent months there has been a near paradigm shift in the precious metals market that goes against basic market analysis of supply and demand. I’m referring to the recent change in which gold price became higher than the price of platinum. This shift occurred during October 2011 and since then has proceeded with no clear end in sight. Currently, gold price is near $1,664 per ounce, and platinum price is at $1,530 per ounce, i.e. gold is nearly 8.7% more expansive than platinum. The chart above presents the development of gold and platinum during 2011 and 2012 up to date. It shows that during most of the year platinum was more expansive than gold; this makes sense because platinum is much less common than gold. According to several sources the worldwide supply for platinum reached in 2010 188.5 tonnes, while the global gold supply was 4,162 tonnes. Since both metals are linked for being precious metals, it’s no surprise that their linear correlation between their prices was strong and positive. The chart below shows the moving linear correlation between gold and platinum (daily percent changes) during 2011 and 2012. The chart clearly shows very strong and positive correlation during

Why Gold is More Expensive than Platinum?

In recent months there has been a near paradigm shift in the precious metals
market that goes against basic market analysis of supply and demand. Im
referring to the recent change in which gold price became higher than the price
of platinum. This shift occurred during October 2011 and since then has
proceeded with no clear end in sight. Currently, gold price is near $1,664 per
ounce, and platinum price is at $1,530 per ounce, i.e. gold is nearly 8.7% more
expansive than platinum. The chart above presents the development of gold and
platinum during 2011 and 2012 up to date. It shows that during most of the year
platinum was more expansive than gold; this makes sense because platinum is much
less common than gold. According to several sources the worldwide supply for
platinum reached in 2010 188.5 tonnes, while the global gold supply was 4,162
tonnes. Since both metals are linked for being precious metals, its no surprise
that their linear correlation between their prices was strong and positive. The
chart below shows the moving linear correlation between gold and platinum (daily
percent changes) during 2011 and 2012. The chart clearly shows very strong and
positive correlation during

Earnings Duds and Earnings Studs

On Thursday, I ran through the results of Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS ) and Bank
of America (NYSE: BAC ) two stocks I named as earnings duds. Today, we have
another dud that reported earnings and shocked Wall Street but not me. Earnings
Duds Poor, poor Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG ). On Friday, revenues and profits
failed to meet analyst expectations , and the stock got a quick $50 haircut. As
I mentioned in my earnings preview for GOOG, this stock is just too much of a
wild card to be a good investment right now, and this earnings report proves it.
Until its clear that their new growth initiatives are really boosting sales and
earnings, my advice remains the same: Avoid this stock . Earnings Studs We
covered UnitedHealth Groups (NYSE: UNH ) results a couple of days ago . This
superior company blasted through analysts estimates. The stock did not gain the
immediate momentum as I had expected, but I do expect these results will prove
to be another stepping stone to higher investor returns in the weeks to come.
Since Thursday, Ive also seen three more earnings studs report. Here are the
results and my take on each: Expectations were low, and IBM (NYSE: IBM ) took
full advantage of the situation. Revenues were up 1.6%, gross margins increased
to 49.9% and the company met analyst expectations on earnings per share. There
will continue to be the naysayers that point to weak technology spending as a
reason not to buy IBM, but the company is well-diversified, has the right
management in place and has a 100-year history of proving people wrong. Shares
have risen over 4% since Fridays earnings announcement, making this company in
earnings stud territory. Intel (NASDAQ: INTC ) pleased investors with its report
as well. Revenues were up 21%, and earnings came in 7 cents, or 11% higher than
analysts were expecting. Forward guidance was in range of what analysts were
expecting, and all is well with the semiconductor giant. Fridays news should add
some stability to the stock, which will entice more investors to pile on. I
expect solid performance from the company, and heres the best part: INTC pays a
2.1% dividend! Intuitive Surgical (NASDAQ: ISRG ) nailed it with earnings. Total
sales jumped 28% year-over-year thanks to increased sales of its patented da
Vinci surgical system. This trumped the consensus sales estimate by 3%. Net
income jumped 25%, and the company posted a 12% earnings surprise. However,
despite the fantastic news, share dropped sharply down over 3% since the
earnings announcement. I still consider this stock to be a strong buy, and as
Ive stated before, I expect ISRG to have plenty of upside left . More Earnings
Fun This Week! The Big Kahuna, of course, is Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL ), reporting
Tuesday. This stock earns an A rating according to my stock-screening system, so
you know Im expecting good things. Also reporting are important market leaders
like McDonalds (NYSE: MCD ), Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT ) and Johnson & Johnson
(NYSE: JNJ ). Of course, lets not forget the telecom twins, Verizon (NYSE: VZ )
and AT&T (NYSE: T ). So far, the good earnings reports seem to be outweighing
the bad: The S&P closed above 1,200 for the first time since July 2011. I
predicted before the year began that 2012 could see as much as a 20% gain in the
major indices , and Ive seen nothing so far in these earnings reports to change
my forecast. If you want your share, you just need to stay invested in Americas
best companies. And if you want to do even better than the market averages, just
follow me to the strongest, most fundamentally sound companies. Thats the best
way I know to make up the ground youve lost over the past five years.