Hunt for Sony’s PlayStation 4 a game in itself

The consumer quest has begun for the current video game holy grail, the PlayStation 4.

Sony's new PS4 home game console officially goes on sale Friday for $399.

Demand for the PS4 and Microsoft's own new home system, the Xbox One (out Nov. 22, $499) is expected to outstrip supply through the holiday season and into 2014, says Norman Fong, CEO and co-founder of BuyVia, which has a smartphone app for tracking retail deals.

Consumers started lining up at retailers in San Francisco on Thursday morning, Fong says, in anticipation of the first systems to be sold after midnight.

Elsewhere, the line at the Game Stop store in West Ocean City, Md., began at 4 a.m. Thursday, when 14-year-old James Stewart brought a folding lawn chair and parked it right beside the entrance.

Stewart, of Ocean Pines, Md., got a ride to the store at the White Marlin Mall from his uncle, Danny Parker, 46. They showed up so early because they expected a much longer line by daybreak, but that never materialized, both said.

14-year-old James Stewart of Ocean Pines, Md., was first in line at his local GameStop in West Ocean City, Md., to get a Sony PlayStation 4 Thursday.(Photo: Brian Shane, The (Salisbury, Md.) Daily Times)

"Later on tonight it's going to be a lot worse, because that's when all the people who got pre-orders are going to come down here," Stewart said.

Tony Coffield, 21, of Ocean Pines, Md., said he knows the rival XBox One is coming out soon, but he won't be buying it. Besides the fact that the new Xbox retails for $100 more, he thinks PlayStation 4 has superior graphics and gameplay. "The realism is amazing," he said.

A handful of gamers arrived at Best Buy in Green Bay, Wis., when the store opened at 10 a.m. Thursday to get in line fo! r a limited supply of the $399 consoles, a sales associate said.

In Appleton, Wis., a GameStop store roped off a waiting area for the die-hards hoping to get a first play of the new system.

Jason Allen was the first in line shortly after noon Thursday. He joked that the console would be a Christmas gift for his kids, but might have to be opened shortly after midnight, "just to make sure the thing works."

Consumers are eager because the PlayStation 4 is Sony's first new home system in seven years, an eternity in the fast-paced consumer technology world. Sony and Microsoft hope to reinvigorate the console game market with their new higher-powered systems and more immersive and innovative games.

Retailers from Best Buy to Target have sold many of the initial systems to consumers on pre-order. But most stores hope to have a few extras available for the hopeful.

"We have thousands of pre-orders, but we also have PlayStation 4s on hand for people to purchase," says Walmart spokeswoman Sarah McKinney.

While it expects to run out, Walmart will have PS4 and Xbox One systems for Black Friday shoppers. "We're going to be putting them out as fast as we can get them in," she says.

Sony has sold more than 1 million PS4s to retailers already and hopes to sell more than 5 million globally by the end of March. "Getting out of the gate is important," says Sony Computer Entertainment President and CEO Andrew House.

Competitor Nintendo released its Wii U last November and has had moderate success with that new system. It has sold more than 3 million so far. That's a much slower sales rate than that of its predecessor the Wii. Sony and Microsoft are expected to perform better and to benefit from slow Wii sales, says Piers Harding-Rolls, head of games research for global market analysis firm IHS.

By beating Xbox One to market by a week and being priced $100 below the competition, Sony "has got itself into a much stronger position at the launch of the PS4 compared to the ! PS3," he ! says.

Still, he expects few Xbox defectors because of Microsoft's successful Xbox Live online gaming network, which is extremely popular in the U.S. "As such in these opening weeks we expect Xbox One to outsell PS4 in North America, with the reverse taking place in Europe," he says.

Contributing: Nick Penzenstadler, The (Appleton, Wis.) Post-Crescent; Brian Shane, The (Salisbury, Md.) Daily Times.

Drive a Tesla from Tijuana to Vancouver

Tesla CEO Elon Musk says it will be possible to drive one of the company's Model S cars from Tijuana all the way up to Vancouver, Canada.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) Tesla Motors has completed another big stretch of its planned cross-country network of free electric-car charging stations, the automaker said Wednesday, making it possible to drive an all-electric Model S sedan along the entire West Coast of the United States.

"Tesla West Coast Supercharger network now energized. Travel from Vancouver to Tijuana in styel [sic]," tweeted Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

The nearly 1,800 mile trip is possible, Tesla (TSLA) says, using charging stations along Highway 101 and Interstate 5. Supercharger stations can fully recharge a Model S in about an hour or give it a half-full charge in about 20 minutes, according to Tesla.

The stations are free for Tesla owners to use and are being placed along frequently-traveled major highways to allow long distance travel between major U.S. cities.

Tesla had announced in May that, by the end of 2013, enough Supercharger stations would be in place to allow a drive from New York to Los Angeles. Musk said in September that he plans to embark on a cross-country family trip with his five sons at the end of this year.

Within two years, the automaker plans to have every part of the continental U.S. within range of a Tesla Supercharger station.

  Tesla Model S: Test drive D.C. to Boston

The Model S can travel up to 265 miles on a charge, according EPA estimates.

Musk and the New York Times got into a dispute early this year when a reporter for th! e paper claimed he ran out of power while trying to drive from Washington to Boston using the Supercharger network. A later test drive by CNNMoney reporters showed the car was able to make the drive using the Supercharger network then in place. Tesla ultimately plans to have a charger at least every 80 to 100 miles on heavily traveled route like the Washington-to-Boston corridor.

Top 5 Value Stocks To Watch Right Now

Musk tweeted on Wednesday that Tesla's East Coast Supercharger Network "should be complete in a few months."

Tesla is also adding battery-swapping capability to some of the stations. With that, a Tesla Model S's battery could be replaced in about 90 seconds with a fully-charged battery. Battery swapping would not be free but would cost roughly as much as a full tank of gasoline, Tesla has said.

CVS Caremark Corporation to Acquire Coram LLC for $2.1B (CVS)

CVS Caremark Corporation (CVS) reported on Wednesday that it has agreed to acquire infusion services and nutrition business Coram LLC for $2.1 billion.

CVS will purchase Coram from Apria Healthcare Group Inc in a deal that will likely close in the first quarter of 2014. CVS said that this acquisition is expected to add $1.4 billion to revenue in the first year and 3 to 5 cents per share in 2015. This purchase is in-line with the company strategy of focusing on core businesses that will drive growth.

Jon Roberts, President of CVS Caremark Pharmacy Services said in a statement: “Bringing together CVS Caremark’s unique range of specialty pharmacy services with Coram’s infusion capabilities will expand our competitive offerings in the specialty arena. Infusion will be a valuable component of our broad specialty pharmacy offering going forward. Our comprehensive services will enable us to streamline care management for patients as well as their physicians, leading to better health outcomes while avoiding unnecessary costs.”

CVS Caremark shares were mostly flat during pre-market trading Wednesday. The stock is up 27% YTD.

4 Stocks Under $10 Moving Higher

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

>>5 Stocks Set to Soar on Bullish Earnings

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

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

>>5 Dividend Stocks That Want to Pay You More

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

ValueVision Media

ValueVision Media (VVTV) is a multichannel electronic retailer that markets, sells and distributes products to consumers through television, telephones, online, mobile and social media. This stock closed up 4.4% to $5.82 in Tuesday's trading session.

Tuesday's Range: $5.78-$6.06

52-Week Range: $1.62-$6.35

Tuesday's Volume: 553,000

Three-Month Average Volume: 330,511

From a technical perspective, VVTV gapped sharply higher here and broke out above some near-term overhead resistance at $5.64 with above-average volume. This move is quickly pushing shares of VVTV within range of triggering a major breakout trade. That trade will hit if VVTV manages to take out Tuesday's high of $6.06 to $6.20, and then once it clears its 52-week high at $6.35 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in VVTV as long as it's trending above Tuesday's low of $5.78 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that's near or above 330,511 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then VVTV will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory above $6.35, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are $7.50 to $8.50.

Coronado Biosciences

Coronado Biosciences (CNDO) is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel immunotherapy biologic agents for the treatment of autoimmune diseases and cancer. This stock closed up 3.7% to $1.65 in Tuesday's trading session.

Tuesday's Range: $1.60-$1.74

52-Week Range: $1.25-$12.70

Tuesday's Volume: 2.44 million

Three-Month Average Volume: 1.35 million

From a technical perspective, CNDO spiked higher here right above some near-term support at $1.50 with above-average volume. This stock recently formed a double bottom chart pattern at $1.27 to $1.25. Following that bottom, shares of CNDO have started to uptrend and move within range of triggering a major breakout trade. That trade will hit if CNDO manages to take out Tuesday's high of $1.74 to more near-term overhead resistance at $1.91, and then once it takes out its gap down day high from October at $2.16 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in CNDO as long as it's trending above some near-term support at $1.50 or at $1.42 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 1.35 million shares. If that breakout hits soon, then CNDO will set up to re-fill some of its previous gap down zone from October that started near $7.

Affymetrix

Affymetrix (AFFX) is engaged in the development, manufacture, sale and service of consumables and systems for genetic analysis in the life sciences and clinical healthcare markets. This stock closed up 3.3% to $8.24 in Tuesday's trading session.

Tuesday's Range: $7.95-$8.29

52-Week Range: $3.05-$8.29

Thursday's Volume: 872,000

Three-Month Average Volume: 1.25 million

From a technical perspective, AFFX spiked higher here into new 52-week-high territory above some near-term overhead resistance at $8.23 with decent upside volume. This stock has been uptrending strong for the last four months, with shares soaring higher from its low of $3.70 to its intraday high of $8.29. During that uptrend, shares of AFFX have been consistently making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in AFFX as long as it's trending above Tuesday's low of $7.95 or above more near-term support at $7.79 and then once it sustains a move or close above its new 52-week high at $8.29 with volume that hits near or above 1.25 million shares. If we get that move soon, then AFFX will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that move are $10 to $11.

Transportadora de Gas del Sur SA

Transportadora de Gas del Sur SA (TGS) is an Argentina-based company engaged in the exploitation, distribution and commercialization of natural gas. This stock closed up 8.8% to $2.47 in Tuesday's trading session.

Tuesday's Range: $2.20-$2.48

52-Week Range: $1.30-$2.93

Thursday's Volume: 482,000

Three-Month Average Volume: 194,620

From a technical perspective, TGS ripped sharply higher here back above its 50-day moving average of $2.31 with above-average volume. This move also pushed shares of TGS into breakout territory, since the stock cleared some near-term overhead resistance at $2.40. Market players should now look for a continuation move higher in the short-term if TGS can manage to take out Tuesday's high of $2.48 with strong volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in TGS as long as it's trending above Tuesday's low of $2.20 and then once it sustains a move or close above $2.48 with volume that hits near or above 194,620 shares. If we get that move soon, then TGS will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $2.70 to its 52-week high at $2.93. Any high-volume move above $2.93 to $2.98 will then give TGS a chance to tag $3.25 to $3.50.

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

-- Written by Roberto Pedone in Delafield, Wis.

RELATED LINKS:

>>5 Retail Trades to Take Before Black Friday

>>5 Rocket Stocks for Turkey Day Trading

>>4 Stocks Rising on Unusual Volume

Follow Stockpickr on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

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

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

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

Ford to recall Escapes again for oil, fuel leaks

DETROIT — Ford is recalling the Escape small SUV again, this time to fix oil and fuel leaks that could cause engine fires.

The hot-selling SUV has been recalled seven times since it was redesigned and went on sale in the spring of 2012.

The first of two recalls announced Tuesday affects more than 161,000 Escapes worldwide from the 2013 model year with 1.6-liter four-cylinder engines.

Ford says the cylinder heads can overheat and crack, causing oil leaks.

Of those SUVs, fuel lines on about 12,000 may have been installed incorrectly. They could become chafed and leak gas. Many were repaired under a previous recall.

Ford says the oil leaks caused 13 fires but no injuries. There haven't been any fires from the fuel line problems.

In documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Ford said it began to get engine fire reports on Escapes in late August, and began investigating. Eventually it was able to duplicate the cylinder head cracking and decided to do a recall. During the investigation, Ford also found warranty claims of fuel line leaks and decided to repair them as well.

In some cases, the fuel lines may have been installed incorrectly by technicians in a previous fuel line recall, the documents said.

Auto safety advocates say the high number of recalls is out of the ordinary for a new model and a sign of quality problems.

But Ford spokeswoman Kelli Felker disagreed. "We're committed to providing our customers with top-quality vehicles and are equally committed to addressing potential issues and responding quickly for our customers," she said.

The redesigned Escape has been recalled seven times since July of 2012 to fix carpet padding that can interfere with the brake pedals, fuel lines that can crack, coolant leaks, and child safety locks.

Dealers will fix cooling and control systems or inspect and replace fuel lines for free. The recalls start in January.

Joel Greenblatt’s High-Impact Reductions

The recent portfolio of "Magic Formula" Joel Greenblatt, Gotham Capital, lists 881stocks, 181 of them new, with a total value of $3.07 billion, and a quarter-over-quarter turnover of 35%. His portfolio is weighted with industrials at 24.1%, consumer cyclical at 21.2% and technology at 18.6%. The stocks bought by Joel Greenblatt in the past 12 months have an average return of 22.76%. Here are the major decreases made by Joel Greenblatt in the third quarter of 2013, starting with his highest-impact reduction of GameStop, the world's largest multichannel video game retailer, reporting an 18.8% increase in global sales for the third quarter.

GameStop reported financial results for the third quarter of 2013 with global sales of $2.11 billion, up from $1.77 billion in the same quarter of 2012. Net earnings of $68.6 million, marked a 45.3% increase over the third quarter of 2012. Consolidated comparable store sales increased by 20.5%. In third quarter, the company's new software sales increased by 43.1%. Hardware sales were up 15.3%. Earnings of $0.58 per diluted share increased by 52.6% over the same quarter a year ago at $0.38.

GameStop Corp. (GME): Reduced

Impact to Portfolio: -0.63%

Current Shares: 123,179

Up 86% over 12 months, GameStop Corp. has a market cap of $5.83 billion; shares trade with a P/B ratio of 2.70. The dividend yield is 2.16%.

GameStop has 6,488 company-operated stores in 15 countries worldwide and an online store.

Guru Action: As of Sept. 30, 2013, Joel Greenblatt reduced his position by 73.89%, selling 348,547 shares at an average price of $47.81, for a gain of 4.3%.

The current share price is $49.88 with a change from average up 4%.

Over a five-year trading history, Greenblatt averaged a gain of 112% on 833,429 shares bought at an average price of $23.58 per share. He gained 29% selling 710,250 shares at an average price of $38.57 per share.

Check out the third quarter guru trades and recent insider sells! .

Tracking share price, revenue and net income:

[ Enlarge Image ]

SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY): Reduced

Impact to Portfolio: -0.61%

Current Shares: 177,321

Up 28% over 12 months, SPY has a market cap of $136.49 billion. The dividend yield is 2.00%.

Guru Action: As of Sept. 30, 2013, Joel Greenblatt reduced his position by 33.7%, selling 90,121 shares at an average price of $167.45 per share, for a gain of 8%.

The current share price is $180.81 with a change from average up 8%.

Over 10 quarters of trading, Greenblatt averaged a gain of 28% on 902,626 shares bought at an average price of $140.74 per share. He gained 24% selling 725,305 shares at an average price of $145.94 per share.

Numerous puts and calls were made on SPY in the third quarter. Check out the third quarter guru action. There was no insider activity found.

Tracking share price, revenue and net income:

[ Enlarge Image ]

Tempur Sealy International Inc. (TPX): Reduced

Impact to Portfolio: -0.52%

Current Shares: 18,262

Up 87% over 12 months, Tempur Sealy International Inc. has a market cap of $2.96 billion; shares trade with a P/E ratio of 40.60. The company does not pay a dividend.

Guru Action: As of Sept. 30, 2013, Joel Greenblatt reduced his position by 93.73%, selling 272,893 shares at an average price of $41.52 per share, for a gain of 18%.

The current share price is $49.00 with a change from average up 18%.

In eight quarters of mixed results, Greenblatt gained 7% on 437,858 shares bought at an average price of $45.92 per share. He also gained 18% on 419,596 shares sold at an average price of $41.63 per share.

Check out the six gurus holding TPX as of the third quarter and recent insider selling.

Tracking share price, revenue and net income:

10 Best Dividend Stocks To Own For 2014

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Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC): Reduced

Impact to Portfolio: -0.49%

Current Shares: 130,050

Up 35% over 12 months, Wells Fargo & Co. has a market cap of $233.67 billion; shares trade with a P/E ratio of 11.60. The dividend yield is 2.59%.

Guru Action: As of Sept. 30, 2013, Joel Greenblatt reduced his position by 82.66%, selling 619,992 shares at an average price of $42.69, for a gain of 3.9%.

The current share price is $44.36 with a change from average up 4%.

In six gaining quarters, Greenblatt gained 14% on 750,042 shares bought at an average price of $38.92 per share. He also gained 4% on 619,992 shares sold at an average price of $42.69 per share.

Check out the numerous gurus trading and insiders selling WFC.

Tracking share price, revenue and net income:

[ Enlarge Image ]

Inventor of magic formula investing and founder of the New York Securities Auction Corporation (NYSAC), Joel Greenblatt is a gifted author as well as the founder and managing partner of Gotham Capital.

Here's Joel Greenblatt's complete portfolio.

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GME STOCK PRICE CHART

Top 10 Stocks To Buy For 2014

With shares of First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) trading around $50, is FSLR an OUTPERFORM, WAIT AND SEE or STAY AWAY? Let�� analyze the stock with the relevant sections of our CHEAT SHEET investing framework:

T = Trends for a Stock’s Movement

First Solar�manufactures and sells solar modules with an advanced thin-film semiconductor technology, and it designs, constructs, and sells solar power systems. The company operates its business in two segments: components segment and systems segment. Its components segment involves the design, manufacture, and sale of solar modules, which convert sunlight into electricity. Its systems business involves the sale of its solar modules, coupled with the engineering, procurement and construction of the solar power plant. As consumers and companies are opting for an improved and cleaner sources of energy, companies like First Solar take center stage. If First Solar can continue to reduce costs and make solar energy more affordable, the company stands to revolutionize the energy sector worldwide.

Top 10 Stocks To Buy For 2014: Nuveen California Select Quality Municipal Fund Inc.(NVC)

Nuveen California Select Quality Municipal Fund, Inc. is a closed-ended fixed income mutual fund launched by Nuveen Investments, Inc. The fund is managed by Nuveen Asset Management. It invests in the fixed income markets of California. The fund invests primarily in municipal securities rated Baa/BBB or better. It invests in securities that provide income exempt from federal and California income tax. The fund employs fundamental analysis with bottom-up stock picking approach to create its portfolio. It benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against the S&P California Municipal Bond Index and the S&P National Municipal Bond Index. Nuveen California Select Quality Municipal Fund, Inc. was formed on April 3, 1991 and is domiciled in the United States.

Top 10 Stocks To Buy For 2014: WellPoint Inc.(WLP)

WellPoint, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a health benefits company in the United States. The company offers various network-based managed care plans to large and small employer, individual, Medicaid, and senior markets. Its managed care plans include preferred provider organizations; health maintenance organizations; point-of-service plans; traditional indemnity plans; and other hybrid plans, including consumer-driven health plans, hospital only, and limited benefit products. The company also provides various managed care services comprising claims processing, underwriting, stop loss insurance, actuarial services, provider network access, medical cost management, disease management, wellness programs, and other administrative services to self-funded customers. In addition, it offers specialty and other products and services, including life and disability insurance benefits; dental, vision, and behavioral health benefit services; radiology benefit management; personal health care guidance; and long-term care insurance. Further, the company serves as an intermediary providing administrative service for the Medicare program that offers coverage for persons, who are 65 or older and for persons who are disabled or with end-stage renal disease. WellPoint, Inc. markets its products through a network of independent agents and brokers, consultants, in-house sales force, or Internet. The company, formerly known as Anthem, Inc., was founded in 1944 and is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams]

  On top of being a concern for the government, staffing and education are a big concern for our nation's largest insurers, which have angled their growth toward adding on the roughly 16 million low-income earners who will now qualify for Medicaid. WellPoint (NYSE: WLP  ) purchased Amerigroup for $4.5 billion, CIGNA (NYSE: CI  ) ponied up $3.8 billion for Healthspring, and Aetna (NYSE: AET  ) is buying Coventry Health Care�for $5.7 billion, all with the purpose of locking up Medicaid-based members and the government money that comes along with them. If the education side of Obamacare fails to reach these currently uninsured individuals who could qualify for this subsidized health care, these three companies are going to be negatively affected.

Best Undervalued Companies To Buy Right Now: Sheltered Oak Resources Corp(OAK.V)

Sheltered Oak Resources Corp., a junior mineral exploration company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties in Canada. It owns a 100% interest in the Kerrs Gold Property consisting of 43 unpatented mining claims and 12 leasehold interests located in the Matheson area of Ontario, Canada. The company is based in Toronto, Canada.

Top 10 Stocks To Buy For 2014: Discovery Metals Ltd(DML.AX)

Discovery Metals Limited engages in the exploration and development of mineral properties in Australia and Botswana. It primarily holds a 100% interest in the Boseto copper project covering approximately 8,877 square kilometers of tenement area in north-west Botswana. The company, through a joint venture with Japan Oil Gas Metals & Energy Corporation, also holds a 40% interest in the Dikoloti nickel project in north-east Botswana. The company was formerly known as Discovery Nickel Limited and changed its name to Discovery Metals Limited in 2006. Discovery Metals Limited was incorporated in 2003 and is headquartered in Brisbane, Australia.

Top 10 Stocks To Buy For 2014: Mercer International Inc.(MERC)

Mercer International Inc., together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells pulp produced from wood chips and pulp logs. The company offers northern bleached softwood kraft (NBSK) pulp and market pulp. Mercer International sells its products primarily in Europe, Asia, and North America. The company was founded in 1968 and is based in Vancouver, Canada.

Top 10 Stocks To Buy For 2014: Threshold Pharmaceuticals Inc.(THLD)

Threshold Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biotechnology company, engages in the discovery and development of drugs targeting the microenvironment of solid tumors for patients living with cancer. The company?s products include TH-302, a novel drug candidate which is in Phase 1, Phase 1/2, and Phase 2 clinical trials for cancer. It has a license agreement with Eleison Pharmaceuticals, Inc. to develop and commercialize glufosfamide for the treatment of cancer in humans and animals. The company was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Redwood City, California.

Top 10 Stocks To Buy For 2014: Galena International Resources (GTO.V)

Galena International Resources Ltd., an exploration stage company, engages in the acquisition and exploration of mineral properties. It holds a 100% interest in the Chaves geothermal project, a geothermal exploration concession that covers an area of 201 square kilometers in Chaves, Portugal. The company was incorporated in 2007 and is based in Vancouver, Canada.

Top 10 Stocks To Buy For 2014: U.S. Energy Corp.(USEG)

U.S. Energy Corp. engages in the acquisition, exploration, holding, sale, and/or development of mineral properties. It primarily explores for molybdenum, and other base and precious metals. The company holds interests in Mount Emmons property that covers approximately 9,311 acres located in Gunnison County, Colorado. It also holds interests in oil and gas properties located in Williston Basin North Dakota and Gulf Coast region. In addition, the company holds interests in geothermal properties. Further, it develops multifamily apartment project in Gillette, Wyoming. As of December 31, 2009, its estimated proved reserves were approximately 1,086,203 BOE. The company was founded in 1966 and is based in Riverton, Wyoming.

Top 10 Stocks To Buy For 2014: SunTrust Banks Inc.(STI)

SunTrust Banks, Inc. operates as the holding company for SunTrust Bank, which provides various financial services in the United States. The company?s Retail Banking segment offers consumer deposits, home equity lines, consumer lines, indirect auto, student lending, bank card, and other consumer loan and fee-based products. Its Diversified Commercial Banking segment provides commercial lending, financial risk management, capital raising, commercial card, and other treasury and payment solutions; insurance premium financing; and equipment and lease financing. The company?s Commercial Real Estate segment offers construction, mini-perm, and permanent real estate financing; capital raising services; financial risk management; treasury and payment solutions; and investment advisory and management services, as well as tailored financing and equity investment solutions. Its Corporate and Investment Banking segment provides investment banking products and services, such as strate gic advice, capital raising, and financial risk management; and traditional lending, leasing, treasury management, and institutional investment management services. The company?s Mortgage segment offers residential mortgage products. Its Wealth and Investment Management segment provides brokerage, professional investment management, and trust services; family office solutions; administration and custody services; administrative and investment solutions; escrow; and investment advisory services. The company also offers mortgage banking, credit-related insurance, asset management, securities brokerage, and capital market services. SunTrust Banks, Inc. serves individuals and families; businesses; institutions; and governmental agencies through its network of traditional and in-store branches, automated teller machines, Internet, and telephone. As of December 31, 2011, the company operated 1,659 full-service banking offices. The company was founded in 1891 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Chris O'Donnell]

  The year 2013 has been a pivotal economic period marked with bullishness, with investors gaining confidence in stocks and the market as a whole. A critical pillar in this historic rally has been the recovery of the financial sector, more specifically through the rise of regional banks. Despite this sector's popularity and outperformance, there are still opportunities for buyers to find value and continue to make money in this industry. One such opportunity lies in a regional bank by the name of SunTrust (STI). SunTrust Bank has performed exceptionally well since the depths of the financial crisis, and is better prepared to tackle the interest rate environment going forward. Wall Street, however, hasn't been rewarding SunTrust with the popularity, and price, that it deserves. Investors shouldn't wait to take advantage of this opportunity to own a high quality bank at a substantial discount to its intrinsic value.

Top 10 Stocks To Buy For 2014: (CAPA)

Capital Art, Inc., an intellectual property management and exploitation company, engages in the acquisition, edition, marketing, and management of iconic photographic images from museum-quality limited editions to mass-market reproductions in the United States. It primarily sells and distributes classic and contemporary, limited edition photographic images, and reproductions. The company sells its product lines in the editorial, art and commercial photography markets through its wholesale, retail, and dealer/representation networks. It licenses and distributes its collections primarily to media owners and publishers, galleries, museums, auction houses, education networks, interior decorators, gift stores and multiple retailers, hotels, restaurants, and Internet sites. Capital Art, Inc. is based in Culver City, California.

U.S. Stocks Slip as Global Creditors Watch With Trepidation

10 Best Gold Stocks For 2014

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Major U.S. stock markets were slipping Wednesday as fears of a U.S. default overshadowed promises of more stimulus under Janet Yellen, who is expected to be nominated to succeed Ben Bernanke at the central bank.

The S&P 500 was down 0.31% to 1,650.36 though short-term Treasury yields, that have been particularly sensitive to the activities in Washington, seemed to calm bond markets. The 1-month bill was rising 1/32, diluting the yield to 0.281%.

Yellen's previous statements in support of the Fed's stimulus program have lent support to investors pushing for the central bank to do all it can to assist in the country's economic recovery.

As for the government shutdown that began Oct. 1, Obama said he is willing to negotiate with Republican leaders. Obama said he would begin talks if Republicans move to promptly end the shutdown and raise the debt ceiling, even if it was only for a temporary four to six weeks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was off 0.16% to 14,753.28. The Nasdaq was lower by 0.91% to 3,661.09. Prior to the Yellen announcement, the Fed is scheduled to release a summary of its September policy meeting, a gathering at which policymakers maintained the current pace of their bond-buying program amid concerns that current fiscal policy is restraining economic growth. The minutes will be released at 2 p.m. K12 Inc. (LRN) shares were plummeting 36.34% to $18.19 after shares of the online education services were cut to "neutral" from "outperform" at Baird and to "market perform" from "outperform" at BMO after the company said that average student enrollments rose 5.7% to 128,550 in the first quarter fiscal 2014 from a year ago, which was below management's own expectations. Ariad Pharmaceuticals (ARIA) shares were plunging 70.89% to $4.98 after the company admitted Wednesday that its leukemia drug Iclusig causes more blood clots and heart-related side effects than previously reported, forcing the company to halt enrollment in Iclusig clinical trials and advise patients currently on the drug to lower the dose. Yum! Brands (YUM) was surrendering 8.37% to $65.31 after the fast-food restaurant group reported third-quarter earnings that were lower than expected as same-store sales in China dropped 11% in the quarter. Men's specialty retailers JoS. A. Bank Clothiers (JOSB) and The Men's Wearhouse (MW) were both surging after JoS. A. Bank confirmed media reports that it has approached Men's Wearhouse to buy the company for $48 a share in cash in a $2.3 billion deal, representing a roughly 42% premium to the closing price of the acquisition target on September 17, the day before the proposal was made. However, The Men's Warehouse on Wednesday rejected the approach saying that it "significantly undervalues" the company. Men's Wearhouse shares were jumping 28.12% to $45.15 and Jos. A. Bank was advancing 8.5% to $45.20. Alcoa (AA) was popping 3.84% to $8.25 after the largest U.S. aluminum producer posted profits that beat analyst forecasts. Follow @atwtse -- Written by Andrea Tse in New York >To contact the writer of this article, click here: Andrea Tse.>

Groupon Inc (GRPN): Digital Coupons Could Be The Next Leg Of Growth

Groupon Inc. (NASDAQ: GRPN) has begun experimenting with the online coupon business and this could prove to be an incremental opportunity in long-term.

Groupon launched Freebies, a new category on its online deals marketplace that offers digital coupons, promotion codes, giveaways and samples. The latest move from Groupon is a big shift in its business model and offers an alternative to RetailMeNot, Inc. (NASDAQ: SALE), a leader in the online coupon sector.

Groupon unveiled more than 25,000 coupons from over 5,500 brands and retailers in North America, including Target, Best Buy, Nordstrom and Macy's. Next year, Groupon hopes to expand the business internationally and add in-store coupons. This compares to the roughly 60,000 retail stores and brands featured on RetailMeNot.com in 2012.

[Related -Groupon Inc (GRPN): How Q3 Earnings Will Fare?]

Under its traditional business, Groupon issues daily deal vouchers that give shopper heavy discounts on products and services from local merchants. Groupon collects the money upfront from sales of these vouchers.

In the case of Groupon Freebies, shoppers buy digital coupons that can be claimed for free as they are directed to the retailer's website and the discount is automatically applied when they complete the purchase. For its services, Groupon would get a commission form retailers based on the amount of the transaction.

[Related -No Taper: 7 Top Momentum Stocks To Cash In On S&P 500 Above 1,700]

Freebies has a collection of brands offering discounts such as $25 off any $100 order, or free shipping on an order of $49 or higher, etc. Brands include Macy's, Nordstrom, Best Buy and American Eagle.

While the online coupon marketplace alone is not that large (estimated total addressable market (TAM) of less than $4 billion, when the potential for in-store coupons is included the TAM increases to $28 billion, according to industry estimates.

"If we assume that GRPN could achieve over time 1% to 2% market sh! are of the overall coupon business (on line and off line) and generate margins similar to Retailmenot, this could result in incremental EBITDA of more than $100M," Sterne Agee analyst Arvind Bhatia wrote in a note to clients.

"If this business were to be afforded an EV to EBITDA multiple of 15 times, it would equate to incremental enterprise value of more than $1.5 billion or more than $2.00 per share," he added.

Moreover, the coupon business offers several upsides (especially on the margin front) for Groupon as they are not labor intensive. Though the digital coupons may generate lower cash flows, they could make it up by yielding high margins and that bodes well for Groupon.

If Groupon focuses more on digital coupons, it has a decent chance to trump RetailMeNot due to Groupon's scale and resources.

Despite relatively smaller than Groupon, RetailMeNot is expected to generate more than $200 million revenue this year with strong EBITDA margin of about 40 percent. Comparatively, Groupon's EBITDA margins have been hovering around 12 percent, and the Freebies business could boost its margins over time.

RetailMeNot is expected to generate more than $250 million revenue in 2014 on EPS of $1.01. The consensus estimate represents earnings growth of 13.5 percent and sales increase of 26 percent.

If RetailMeNot can achieve this level of top and bottom-line growth, then why can't Groupon?

There is no doubt that Groupon is in the early stages of developing the digital coupon business. GPRN could leverage its mobile penetration, user base, technology, merchant relationships, and strong brand to its advantage if it seriously pursues this incremental opportunity.

10 Restaurant and Resort Stocks to Buy Now

Popular Posts: 17 Oil and Gas Stocks to Sell Now7 Biotechnology Stocks to Buy Now3 Oil and Gas Stocks to Buy Now Recent Posts: 10 Restaurant and Resort Stocks to Buy Now 10 Worst “Strong Sell” Stocks This Week — EGO WLT RBY and more 5 Stocks With Awful Earnings Surprises — WPC CBB ROMA MOD NX View All Posts

Best Stocks To Watch Right Now

The grades of 10 restaurant and resort stocks are on the rise this week on Portfolio Grader. Each of these stocks is rated an “A” (“strong buy”) or “B” overall (“buy”).

Gaylord Entertainment () is bumping up its rating from a C (“hold”) to a B (“buy”) this week. Gaylord Entertainment owns and operates branded hotels in multiple states. .

This is a strong week for Peet’s Coffee & Tea (). The company’s rating climbs to B from the previous week’s C. Peet’s Coffee & Tea markets fresh-roasted whole bean coffee. .

Bally Technologies, Inc. () improves from a C to a B rating this week. Bally Technologies is engaged in the design, manufacturing, and distribution of gaming devices and computerized monitoring, accounting, and player-tracking systems for gaming devices. The stock price has been on the rise for the past three days, reaching $69.59. .

The rating of Brinker International, Inc. () moves up this week, rising from a C to a B. Brinker International owns, develops, operates and franchises the Chili’s Grill & Bar, On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina, and Maggiano’s Little Italy restaurant brands. Shares of EAT have increased 11.5% over the past month, better than the 1.7% decrease the S&P 500 has seen over the same period of time. .

Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc.’s () ratings are looking better this week, moving up to a B from last week’s C. Red Robin Gourmet Burgers is a casual dining restaurant chain focused on serving gourmet burgers in a family-friendly atmosphere. After six consecutive days of gains, the stock price has reached $77.89. .

This week, Papa John’s International, Inc. () is showing good progress as the company’s rating jumps from a B (“buy”) last week to an A (“strong buy”). Papa John’s International operates and franchises pizza delivery and carry-out restaurants under the Papa John’s trademark. Wall Street has pushed the stock higher by 8.3% over the past month. .

The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated () shows solid improvement this week. The company’s rating rises from a C to a B. Cheesecake Factory operates upscale, casual, full-service dining restaurants in the United States. Investors have pushed the stock price up 11.7% over the past month. .

This week, Texas Roadhouse, Inc. () pushes up from a C to a B rating. Texas Roadhouse operates the Texas Roadhouse restaurant franchise. .

Churchill Downs Incorporated () is seeing ratings go up from a C last week to a B this week. Churchill Downs owns and operates pari-mutuel wagering properties and businesses. .

Jack in the Box () gets a higher grade this week, advancing from a B last week to an A. Jack in the Box operates and franchises Jack In the Box fast-food restaurants primarily in the Western region of the United States. Investors seem to agree with the upgraded status of the stock, and have pushed the stock up 11.3% over the past month. .

Louis Navellier’s proprietary Portfolio Grader stock ranking system assesses roughly 5,000 companies every week based on a number of fundamental and quantitative measures. Stocks are given a letter grade based on their results — with A being “strong buy,” and F being “strong sell.” Explore the tool here.

Broker who allegedly defrauded NFL, NBA players barred by Finra

NFL star Vernon Davis was among the alleged victims Bloomberg

A broker who worked for a firm alleged to have sold more than $18 million in fraudulent promissory notes to 58 investors, many of whom current and former NFL and NBA players, was barred last week by Finra.

The broker, Jinesh “Hodge” Brahmbhatt, was a broker with Success Trade Securities Inc. from 2009 until April, and got his start in the securities business in 1994 with the infamous boiler room Stratton Oakmont.

In Depth: The details on 7 athletes who sued their advisers

The letter of acceptance, waiver and consent from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Inc. does not specifically mention Mr. Brahmbhatt's work with Success Trade as the reason for his being barred; instead, it cites his failure to appear and testify in August at a disciplinary hearing regarding Success Trade and its chief executive, Fuad Ahmed.

In April, Finra filed a cease-and-desist order against Success Trade and Mr. Ahmed “to halt further fraudulent activities” as well as “the misuse of investors' funds and assets.” At the same time, Finra filed a complaint against Mr. Ahmed and Success Trade alleging “fraud in the sale of promissory notes issued by the firm's parent company, Success Trade Inc.”

(Don't miss a look at why athletes are so vulnerable to fraud)

According to a report on Yahoo Sports, Mr. Brahmbhatt was once registered in the financial advisers program established by the NFL Players Association. He dropped his Finra license in April, and told Yahoo Sports at the time that he had more than 30 clients who had bought about $12 million of the allegedly fraudulent promissory notes from Success Trade.

Professional athletes often become targets of fraudulent investment schemes. An August report in InvestmentNews highlighted this issue, noting that many athletes skilled enough to play professional sports are totally unprepared for their suddent wealth. They spend too much too quickly, invest poorly and often become victims of fraudsters.

A high proportion of them, in fact, don't achieve financial security but end up in financial ruin, often in worse condition after their playing days are over than when they started their athletic careers.

Finra over the past decade has warned broker-dealers and investors of the potential dangers in buying preferred shares and promissory notes of small, private broker-dealers such as Success Trade.

Reached on Wednesday morning, Mr. Ahmed said he had no comment about the Finra allegations at this sta! ge. “We had our hearing in August, we defended ourselves and are waiting for the decision by Finra,” he said.

A lawyer for Mr. Brahmbhatt did not respond Wednesday to telephone messages.

Calls on Wednesday to Mr. Brahmbhatt's registered investment adviser firm, Jade Private Wealth Management LLC, could not be be completed.

According to Yahoo Sports, athletes who bought the Success Trade notes include Detroit Pistons guard Brandon Knight, Cleveland Browns cornerback Joe Haden, San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis, former Washington Redskins running back Clinton Portis and Chicago Bears defensive end Adewale Ogunleye.

So far, at least one NFL player, Jared Odrick of the Miami Dolphins, has filed a Finra arbitration complaint against Mr. Brahmbhatt, Success Trade and Mr. Ahmed.

Mr. Odrick filed the arbitration complaint in April. According to the complaint, he invested $625,000 in Success Trade notes and one other series of promissory notes beginning in 2011, with promised returns of 10% to 12.5%. The Success Trade note “was part of a large Ponzi scheme orchestrated by Success Trade, Ahmed and Brahmbhatt,” according to the complaint.

More NFL and NBA players are considering filing arbitration complaints over the Success Trade notes, said Jeffrey Sonn, Mr. Odrick's attorney. “The bottom line is, this stuff wasn't properly registered as securities and never should have been sold,” said Mr. Sonn adding that in the last few weeks, he had been hired by one player from the NBA and another from the NFL who also bought the notes. “I think this is far from over.”

Fed Speculation, PBOC Statement Leave US Dollar on Defensive Footing

The US Dollar was indecisive during the New York trading session on Tuesday after seeing two days of losses.

Fed Rhetoric

On Monday, the greenback fell to its lowest levels since November 7, after New York Fed President William C. Dudley delivered a speech to students and professors at Queens College in New York.

Dudley is widely seen as a staunch dove and supporter of the accommodative monetary policy of Fed Chairman Bernanke.

In his speech he cited positive developments, saying "Not only do we have some better data in hand, but also the fiscal drag, which has been holding the economy back, is likely to abate considerably over the next few years at the same time that the fundamental underpinnings of the economy are improving."

However, he said that he anticipates "very accommodative" monetary policy to remain "for a considerable period of time."

The US dollar had already been under pressure after Janet Yellen testified at her confirmation hearing before the Senate Banking Committee.

Yellen's remarks raised expectations that the Federal Reserve will maintain its $85 billion-a-month bond purchase for the near future.

PBoC comments

The US dollar traded modestly lower on Tuesday after the People's Bank of China announced plans to gradually expand the yuan trading band.

PBoC Governor Zhou Xiaochuan wrote "We will increase the role of market exchange rates, and the central bank will basically exit from normal foreign-exchange market intervention."

The yuan has been viewed as a potential future reserve currency, a currency that is held by governments and institutions as part of their foreign exchange reserves. However, the Chinese yuan cannot be used as a reserve currency while the Chinese government maintains capital controls on its conversion.

ICE US Dollar Index Daily Chart

Looking at the Dollar Index daily chart we can see that price found support at the 38 percent retracement level and is close to forming a Doji candlestick.

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Posted-In: Ben Bernanke Federal Reserve Janet Yellen Queens College William DudleyNews Futures Forex Economics Federal Reserve Markets Best of Benzinga

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

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BlackBerry Leaves 4,500 Employees Out in the Cold

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- BlackBerry's (BBRY) sudden and unexpected move on its consumer business makes the deal team at Microsoft (MSFT) appear brilliant for locking down the wireless assets of Nokia (NOK).

The real winner from the end of consumer BlackBerry phones appears to be Microsoft. Apple (AAPL) and Android phones already enjoy the majority of market share that cutting up BlackBerry's consumer segment won't amount to much. Let's take a look at BlackBerry and what investors can expect.

About a month ago I wrote my latest valuation assessment of BlackBerry to temper irrational exuberance. The article was in response to the shares soaring higher on news BlackBerry was looking for a buyer.

Here's the germane takeaway: "As an investor, I wouldn't try to get cute and hold out for everything you can. This is a buyer's market, and every participant knows it. A year ago, BlackBerry was still cash-flow positive and was months away from releasing BB10. That's a whole different landscape than BlackBerry currently finds itself navigating. "After adjusting the balance sheet from a bird's eye view, I think BlackBerry has scrap sale assets near $7.5 billion. Remove $3.6 billion in liabilities and you have a total value near $4 billion. "BlackBerry has 515 million shares, so you take $4 billion divided by 515 million shares, leaves you with $7.75 per share as a starting point. The right buyer may view BlackBerry as a company that can generate profits under his or her management, and that brings us to a buyout valuation above $14 a share." The numbers have changed. If you've been keeping score, about a year ago I placed the scrap value slightly higher than $12 a share and that was before announcing they started bleeding cash. After BlackBerry 10 missed the last holiday shopping season because of endless delays and excuses, and only seconds away from kicking off the busiest shopping season of the year, BlackBerry's CEO Thorsten Heins decides now is the time to pull the plug on smartphones? Shutting down consumers sales this time of year doesn't make sense me unless one of two scenarios exist. BlackBerry has found a buyer willing to take the rest of the company and it doesn't want the drain of consumer sales/shutting it down and the unpleasantries of laying off 4,500 workers.

Or...

Sales of handsets are so bleak and burning through cash at such an accelerating rate that management believes even the best selling season of the year will result in increasing losses. It's hard to imagine sales have imploded on a scale that renders the fourth quarter a loser, but either way all related assets should be valued at scrap value.

After removing non-cash losses from inventory charges, the operating losses should come in between $20 million to $30 million from $1.6 billion in revenue. At face value, that's a long way from not being able to sell phones at a profit during the fourth quarter, leaving the most likely scenario BlackBerry is nearing a "strategic alternative."

Samsung, LG and HTC certainly make the list of usual suspects for contenders, albeit politically one has to give the edge to Google (GOOG), Microsoft (MSFT) and maybe even a longshot Yahoo! (YHOO). At the rate Yahoo!'s CEO Marissa Mayer is buying companies, Yahoo! might just enter the fray if for no other reason than to force Google or Microsoft to pay up. How should investors price their shares? Last month I calculated the scrap value near $7.75 a share as the starting low point. If you remove $1 billion in valuation, you're left with about $5.81. We can't add as much blue sky as before because we're not including consumer lower cost smartphones, taking the buyout valuation to around$11.50. Investors may find the right buyer to pay more, but the days of a $30 buyout left before the BB10 hit the shelves. Investors should plan accordingly. At the time of publication the author had no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Follow @RobertWeinstein This article was written by an independent contributor, separate from TheStreet's regular news coverage.

Robert Weinstein is an active trader focusing on the psychological importance of risk mitigation, emotion and financial behavior of market participants. Robert co-founded the investing blog StockSaints, where he writes a journal about his trading activity and experiences. In addition to TheStreet, Robert also contributes to Real Money Pro, providing real-time trading ideas for stocks, options and futures.

Stock Futures Higher as Fed Stays With Stimulus

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Stock futures were pointing to a stronger open on Wall Street Thursday, poised for a fifth day of gains and an extension of all-time highs on the S&P 500 amid a global relief rally driven by the Federal Reserve's decision to maintain its ultra-loose monetary policy of $85 billion a month in asset purchases because of worries the U.S. economy hasn't improved enough for tapering.

Futures for the S&P 500 were gaining 3.5 points, or 3.48 points above fair value, to 1,721.25. The benchmark index increased 1.22% to reach a new all-time high of 1,725.52 following the Fed announcement. Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average were adding 20 points, or 28.06 points above fair value, to 15,614. Futures for the Nasdaq were ahead by 6.5 points, or 5.74 points above fair value, to 3,228.25.

"This raises the possibility that the Fed is back in QE-forever mode. It certainly reduces the likelihood that QE will be terminated by mid-2014," Ed Yardeni, the New York-based chief investment strategist at Yardeni Research, said in a note.

In company news, Chrysler Group is late in the stages of preparing documents for an initial public offering, a person familiar with the offer told CNBC, and JPMorgan Chase is expected to underwrite the IPO.

Rite Aid (RAD) was jumping nearly 13% to $4.19 in premarket trading after the U.S. retail drugstore chain raised its fiscal 2014 earnings guidance and posted a surprise second-quarter profit driven by its ongoing sales growth momentum and improving margins.

Agilent Technologies (A) was surging more than 11% to $54.88 after the company announced that it plans to separate the company into two independent publicly traded companies. One will be focused on life sciences, diagnostics and applied markets, retaining the Agilent name, and the other will be focused on electronic measurement, which will be named later.

Oracle (ORCL) shares were off 0.38% to $33.74 in premarket trading after the software maker reported that revenue rose 2% to $8.37 billion; analysts were looking for revenue of $8.48 billion. Adjusted earnings for the quarter of 59 cents a share topped Wall Street estimates of 56 cents. Software revenue rose 6% to $6.08 billion and included a 5% increase in new software licenses and cloud software subscriptions to $1.65 billion.

A rise in initial jobless claims during a nonfarm payrolls survey week was reported by the Labor Department Thursday. Claims increased by 15,000 to 309,000 in the week of Sept. 14 after the prior week's figure was revised to 294,000 from 292,000 or what had been the lowest initial claims print since March 2006 thanks to state computer system upgrade that resulted in delayed claims processing. It's expected that the computer system upgrades will require a few more weeks to be completed.

Meanwhile a second-quarter U.S. current account deficit of $98.9 billion was reported by the Bureau of Economic Analysis versus the average economist expectation of $97 billion and the first quarter deficit of $104.9 billion.

A number of U.S. economic reports will be published at 10 a.m. The National Association of Realtors is predicted to say that existing home sales fell to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.25 million in August from 5.39 million.

The general business conditions index of the Philadelphia Fed's Business Outlook Survey for September is expected to have edged up to 10 after dropping to 9.3 in August.

The Conference Board's Index of Leading Indicators is estimated to have increased by 0.6% in August after rising by the same amount in July.

At 11:30 a.m. Cleveland Federal Reserve Bank President Sandra Pianalto speaks on housing finance policy in Cleveland.

The benchmark 10-year Treasury was down 2/32, boosting the yield to 2.699%. The dollar was falling 0.08% to $80.17 according to the U.S. dollar index.

The FTSE 100 was advancing 1.43% and the DAX in Germany was tacking on 1.6%. The Hong Kong Hang Seng finished up 1.67% while the Nikkei 225 in Japan settled up 1.8%.

December gold contracts were surging $55.90 to $1,363.50 an ounce while November crude oil futures were up 62 cents to $107.90 a barrel.

Follow @atwtse

-- Written by Andrea Tse in New York

>To contact the writer of this article, click here: Andrea Tse.>

Rieder: CBS must come clean on Benghazi blunder

It's a challenge for CBS News — and an opportunity.

The network has to thoroughly investigate what went so terribly wrong with the ill-fated 60 Minutes segment on the deadly attack on the U.S. mission in Benghazi, Libya.

And it has to be totally transparent about what it finds.

The network's initial response to the broadcast's problems hardly is cause for optimism. It played defense for nearly a week before conceding the obvious, that the report was fundamentally flawed. It still has a chance to do the right thing.

But that thing must be much, much more than the largely detail-free apology and correction by correspondent Lara Logan we have seen so far. CBS has acknowledged it made a big mistake by relying on security guard Dylan Davies, the "eyewitness" who had told his employer and the FBI that he had in fact been nowhere near the scene.

But it needs to determine and explain how it came to be that the broadcast ended up relying so heavily on such a slender reed to support such an explosive story. And it has to address a wide array of other questions that have been raised about the report.

Rem Rieder is a media columnist for USA TODAY.(Photo: USA TODAY)

Make no mistake: This is a big deal. 60 Minutes has long been a television jewel. It's a bastion of serious broadcast journalism, a commodity of which there is not necessarily a surfeit. CBS News Chairman Jeff Fager, who is also executive producer of 60 Minutes, told The New York Times that the Oct. 27 fiasco was "as big a mistake as there has been" in the program's 45-year history. (USA TODAY ran a story quoting extensively from the broadcast.)

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And it had real-world consequences. The broadcast reignited the Repu! blican effort to use the Sept. 11, 2012, episode, in which U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens was killed, as a club to batter the Obama administration.

(Benghazi is one of a number of scandals or "scandals" the GOP has flogged in an effort to score points against President Obama — think Operation Fast and Furious, the IRS — but none has gained serious traction. The party could have saved its energy. Team Obama has given its foes an opportunity beyond their wildest dreams with the disastrous rollout of the Affordable Care Act.)

CBS says it has launched a "journalistic review" of the train wreck but has provided no details. When I asked 60 Minutes spokesman Kevin Tedesco to supply some, he replied via e-mail, "We decline to comment."

RIEDER: CBS, Obama pay price for stonewalling

When it does get around to commenting, CBS News needs to elucidate the book tie-in. Threshold Editions, a subsidiary of Simon & Schuster, published a book by Davies titled The Embassy House: The Explosive Eyewitness Account of the Libyan Embassy Siege by the Soldier Who Was There. The book was written under the pseudonym "Sergeant Morgan Jones," the name Davies also used on the broadcast.

Guess who owns Simon & Schuster? Yep, CBS Corp. After the 60 Minutes story self-destructed, Threshold announced that it was suspending publication of the book. Good idea.

But the question remains: How much of a role did corporate synergy play in propelling such a dubious witness into a starring role?

Also, how come the report never mentioned that Davies had written a book for a CBS subsidiary?

The CBS investigators, er, reviewers also will definitely want to check out an excellent piece by Nancy A. Youssef of McClatchy Newspapers, which pokes numerous holes in the 60 Minutes report.

For example, Youssef writes that Logan repeatedly refers to al-Qaeda as being solely responsible for the attack, and doesn't mention Ansar al Shariah, an Islamic extremist group that she says has lo! ng been s! uspected of being behind the bloodshed.

The story continues: "It is an important distinction, experts on those groups said. Additionally, al Qaida's role, if any, in the attack has not been determined, and Logan's narration offered no source for her repeated assertion that it had been."

Credit also goes to the liberal group Media Matters, which from the get-go has done a fine job keeping the heat on the broadcast's manifold shortcomings.

When things go terribly wrong, the best response is to do everything you can to figure out why, in the hope that you can find guideposts for avoiding similar debacles in the future.

Confronted with the widespread fabrication and plagiarism of reporter Jayson Blair, The New York Times ordered up and published a mammoth and devastating reconstruction of the mess. Faced with a similar scandal involving correspondent Jack Kelley, USA TODAY brought in a trio of distinguished outside journalists to investigate.

Closer to home for CBS, when Dan Rather fronted a 60 MInutes II segment on President George W. Bush 's National Guard service that turned out to be based on questionable and quickly questioned documents, the network turned to a former attorney general no less, as well as the retired head of the Associated Press, to sort things out.

It's critical that the "journalistic review" said to be underway at CBS turns out to be a serious, unblinking assessment of what transpired, and that the findings are shared fully with America's news consumers. They deserve no less.

All Jobless Numbers Likely to Impact Unemployment Rate

Friday’s report from the U.S. Department of Labor likely either will shock or enthrall the stock and bond market. After all, we have a tentative Syrian military strike to contend with right as Europe is getting back on its feet and as the U.S. recovery gets to deal with a coming end or tapering of the quantitative easing. The Labor Department released its weekly jobless claims at 323,000 in the past week, versus a consensus estimate of 330,000 from Bloomberg. The prior week’s report was revised to 332,000 from 331,000.

Two other components were seen as well. The four-week average was down by 3,000 to 328,500. What we call the army of the unemployed, the continuing jobless claims (with a one week lag), fell by some 43,000 down to 2,951,000.

There are two other key employment reports we also have to pay attention to during the first week of each month. The ADP payrolls report showed that the economy added some 176,000 jobs during August. ADP’s report tends to be volatile, but this basically matched the Bloomberg consensus of 177,000 jobs. TrimTabs has a much more broad measurement pool, and it claims that the U.S. economy added a mere 79,000 jobs in the month of August.

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All of this sounds pretty much in line with expectations on the surface. The problem is that unemployment is down to 7.4% and some market observers still question how accurate the counting is on the total workforce and how to include those who have dropped out of the workforce but are still able-bodied workers who could return one day.

Bloomberg is calling for unemployment to be static at 7.4% and for nonfarm payrolls to be 175,000. Its estimate for private sector payrolls is 178,000. Our take is that the talking heads will be screaming bloody murder if the payrolls report is much higher or much lower, since the precursor reports are signaling that estimates should seem relatively accurate for August’s employment situation.

Stay tuned.

Lawyer For NFL Players Sidelined Permanently....True Chicago Style?

Chicago is a great city, a peculiarly American city. Carl Sandburg's City of Broad Shoulders, it is the old and the new Mayor Daley, Studs Terkel and Mike Royko. It is an architect's city, big, friendly and Midwestern.

But even long after Al Capone was taken down over taxes, Chicago seems to grow tax scams. At least that's one conclusion to draw from several recent court battles involving tax lawyers and tax scams. Take tax lawyer Gary J. Stern, tax lawyer to some celebs, including the Bears Quarterback Kyle Orton. In fact, if you have a big income, seeing Mr. Stern to whittle down your tax bill might seem to make sense.

But that was then. Now Mr. Stern is barred by injunction from promoting tax fraud schemes and preparing the accompanying tax returns. The government claims he was facilitating unlawful tax schemes for his clients. Mr. Stern consented to the injunction without admitting the allegations.

The feds claim he concocted three tax scams and helped clients claim over $16 million in bogus tax credits. The participants included lawyers, entrepreneurs and pro football players. Not all of them are thanking Mr. Stern for his tax savvy.

In fact, some have sued him alleging fraud, breach of fiduciary duty and professional malpractice. Sterns' tax deals were complex, probably intentionally so to make the grift harder to spot. But some of it was old-fashioned. Indeed, perhaps in a nod to Chicago's past, the feds claim that some of Stern's deals involved Stern or his cronies just keeping most of the money.

Court records reveal that the IRS even launched a criminal investigation in Mr. Stern's tax credit deals. In the Spring of 2011, a Special Agent from the IRS Criminal Investigation Division tried to interview Mr. Stern. According to court records, he invoked the Fifth Amendment.

So is all of this hubbub about Mr. Stern a reason to think that Chicago has more of its share of this? No, but read on. After all, it was only a month ago that another Chicago tax lawyer was barred from promoting another tax shelter.

That tax scam involved what federal officials say was distressed Brazilian debt used to improperly lower customers' reported income. It sounds like a David Mamet script. There were two injunctions entered against the perpetrators, tax lawyer John Rogers and two of his companies, Sugarloaf Fund LLC and Jetstream Business Limited.

Mr. Rogers' deals involved Brazilian debt shelter schemes said to have generated more than $370 million in bogus tax deductions. And that makes him arguably a much bigger player than Mr. Stern. Like Mr. Stern, Mr. Rogers consented to the injunction without admitting the allegations.

In Chicago or anywhere else, how are people drawn into these deals? Athletes in particular may not engender much sympathy. The money they make seems incredible, and the work seems better than what most of us do for a living. Besides, the adoring fans and media seem generally supportive. And think of that endorsement income!

Still, their tax and financial lives are complex. Imagine not just dealing with the IRS or your own home state or home country's tax rules. Suppose you earn income in various states or countries and must apportion it and pay tax in many different places? Welcome to the world of the professional athlete.

You can reach me at Wood@WoodLLP.com. This discussion is not intended as legal advice, and cannot be relied upon for any purpose without the services of a qualified professional.

Dollar jumps on October U.S. jobs surge

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) — The U.S. dollar jumped Friday after the U.S. created twice as many jobs in October than Wall Street had expected, sparking yet another round of discussion about when the Federal Reserve could slow its bond buys.

Bloomberg

The U.S. added 204,000 jobs last month, the Labor Department said Friday, and hiring for September and August were revised higher by 60,000 in total. But the unemployment rate inched up to 7.3% from 7.2%, which was likely due to the shutdown. Economists surveyed by MarketWatch expect October nonfarm payrolls to rise 100,000, with the unemployment rate ticking higher to 7.4% from 7.2%.

"This report comes as a pleasant surprise and to the extent that it corroborates the strength that has already been seen in other economic reports, it suggests that the risks has shifted more in favor of a January (versus a March) start to QE tapering - especially if this level of strength is sustained in the coming months," said Millan Mulraine, director of U.S. research and strategy at TD Securities.

Read: 'Dectaper' is back on the table.

The ICE dollar index (DXY) , which compares the U.S. currency with six top rivals, increased to 81.257 from 80.841 late Thursday in North America. The index, which is heavily skewed to the euro, was at 80.914 just before the report hit.

The WSJ Dollar Index (XX:BUXX)  , which uses a larger comparison basket, advanced to 73.41 from 72.99.

The euro (EURUSD)  fell to $1.3359 from $1.3417 late Thursday. A downgrade to France's credit rating by Standard & Poor's briefly weighed on the currency, which tumbled Thursday in the wake of a surprise interest-rate cut by the European Central Bank.

Click to Play Super typhoon hits the Philippines

A super typhoon makes landfall in the eastern Philippines, bringing wind and rain that could unleash landslides and flash floods.

The Australian dollar (AUDUSD)  took a hit early Friday in Asia after a statement from the Reserve Bank of Australia indicated another rate-cut was possible. But the currency later got a boost from Chinese trade data showing strong rises in both exports and imports in October.

In recent trade, the Aussie bought 93.84 U.S. cents, down from late Thursday's 94.45 U.S. cents

The British pound (GBPUSD)  fell to $1.6012 from $1.6076, while the dollar (USDJPY)  jumped to ¥98.74 from ¥97.96 late Thursday.

What to Look for in Bank Stocks

Because banks became weapons of mass economic destruction in the 2008 global financial crisis, post-crisis regulations sought to defang financial institutions through increased capital requirements.

Those measures greatly reduced their risk, but also lowered their financial performance.

Despite this, two portfolio managers at the boutique international value investment manager Causeway Capital Management are salvaging undervalued assets amid the wreckage in the bruised banking sector.

In a Causeway newsletter interview titled “The Banking Evolution,” portfolio managers Conor Muldoon and Alessandro Valentini say they have increased the sector’s weighting to 15% of their international and 10% of their global portfolios by purchasing shares of banks that have successfully shed capital-intensive assets and low-return business lines.

The two value managers explain their portfolio selection criteria, with Muldoon noting that “some of our favorite bank holdings have already raised sufficient capital and shed assets to meet the capital requirements of Basel III,” though that regulatory standard does not take effect till 2019.

Market consolidation is another key criterion, with Valentini saying that “fully capitalized banks generally operate in markets where the competition has shrunk to a few key players. In the United Kingdom, for example, the vast majority of retail banking market share is held by only four banks.”

That consolidation also advanced in the U.S. during the Lehman Brothers crisis when JPMorgan acquired Bear Stearns and Washington Mutual, Wells Fargo acquired Wachovia—“all at distressed prices,” Muldoon says, noting that some of the largest U.S. banks are seeing returns on equity in the mid-teens, while much of the sector remains stuck in single digits.

10 Best Financial Stocks To Buy For 2014

Encouraging their optimism is the current cyclical low of U.S. and European interest rates, which implies a forthcoming boost in “net interest margin” when rates eventually rise.

That profitability advantage is not evident in Japanese banks where net interest margin remains under pressure; despite this, Muldoon says some of Japan’s megabanks are attractive because they are trading at around book value and seeing loan growth.

In contrast, Australian and Canadian banks that have achieved both market concentration and financial strength are unattractive as investments because of their current high valuations. Nevertheless, Valentini says, they serve as models of institutions that have made the most of the current economic circumstances.

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Check out Sallie Krawcheck: Beware of Bank Stocks on ThinkAdvisor.

How free VPNs can return privacy to a social norm

SEATTLE – Companies have long used Virtual Private Networks, or VPNs, as Internet-enabled tunnels designed to let workers securely access corporate networks from computing devices in remote locations.

Now two VPNs designed for consumer use are gaining rapid adoption. AnchorFree's Hotspot Shield and TunnelBear are both free, easy-to-use services. Each provides a secure digital tunnel that hides your computing device's IP address and hinders Internet companies from tracking your Web browsing patterns.

Consumers who desire a return to privacy as a social norm are flocking to Hotspot Shield and TunnelBear in no small part due to Edward Snowden's whistleblowing.

Public understanding has begun to gel around the notion that the National Security Agency is able to snoop on individuals to the degree it does largely because of the rich data being collected and correlated by search, e-mail and social media companies, led by Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Yahoo and Twitter.

"Edward Snowden has done a great job of driving awareness of the type of data being collected and the relationships through which this consumer data gets accessed," says Ryan Dochuck, TunnelBear's co-founder.

TunnelBear has seen usage double in the last six months, corresponding with Snowden's ongoing series of revelations. The free version enables you to do up to 500 megabytes worth of protected Web surfing per month. Usage is tallied much like smartphone data plans, so that translates into light web browsing, says Dochuck. For just $5 a month, you can do unlimited browsing protected by TunnelBear.

As a special promotion, TunnelBear is giving away complimentary screenings of the new documentary, Terms and Conditions May Apply, to all paid subscribers. The film examines how Google, Facebook and others use densely worded policy statements and user agreements to grab ownership to just about all aspects of our activities.

"We want to help Internet citizens gain more control over the information that is b! eing shared about them online," says Dochuck. "With advertisers, social networks, data brokers and governments continuing to vacuum up personal information, we predict a much larger market in the future."

Top 10 Canadian Stocks To Invest In 2014

Hotspot Shield gained global notoriety during the Arab Spring uprisings; protesters used the free VPN service to evade government online censors. Since June, Snowden's whistleblowing has helped drive millions of privacy-minded citizens in North America and other regions to the free VPN.

"Concerns about privacy, which have been amplified by recent news reports, are certainly driving growth of VPNs, " says AnchorFree CEO and co-founder David Gorodyansky.

In October, individuals downloaded an average of 200,000 copies per day of Hotspot Shield for desktop computers, and 45,000 daily copies of the mobile version. Gorodyansky's anticipates adding a million new VPN users every four or five days "for the foreseeable future."

Users of the free version of Hotspot Shield must put up with banner advertising and occasional pop-up ads. For a mere $30 a year, you can use the faster paid version, which is bereft of advertising and includes malware protection.

VPNs and browser plugins like Cocoon and DoNotTrackMe empower consumers to deflect the tracking cookies that the tech giants use to harvest rich data about where you go, what you're interested in and who you associate with online. GPS data from mobile devices is being increasingly added to this mix.

This tracking information gets correlated to the personal information and preferences we disclose at websites for shopping, travel, health, jobs and, of course, on Facebook and other social networks. Employers, insurance companies and attorneys can use this information unfairly against you. And Snowden revealed that the government's top spy agency has been regularly tapping in.

The rising visi! bility an! d usage of VPNs suggests an erosion of trust in social media and online advertising business models as we've come to accept them. At the end of the day, Edward Snowden may prove to be the catalyst for consumers rejecting relentless online tracking -- and insisting on a return to privacy as a social norm.

There would be plenty of room for Web companies with fresh business models built around transparent tracking of consumers on a limited basis, says Lawrence Pingree, security industry analyst at Gartner.

"All of the information gathered from a user ought to be customizable and the consumer should be given the option to opt out," says Pingree, security industry analyst at Gartner. ""You lose trust when one party takes all of the information, without giving anything back, and then discloses something to others, without asking permission."

KS Bancorp, Inc. Announced 2nd Quarter 2013 Financial Results (OTCBB:KSBI, OTCMKTS:CLNO)

KS Bancorp, Inc. (KSBI)

Last Friday, KSBI previously surged (+6.67%) up +0.50 at $8.00 with 235 shares in play at the close (ref. google finance July 26, 2013 – Close).

KS Bancorp, Inc. previously reported unaudited net income available to common shareholders of $200,000, or $.15 per diluted share, for the three months ended June 30, 2013, compared to a net income available to common shareholders of $86,000, or $.07 per diluted share, for the three months ended June 30, 2012. For the six months ended June 30, 2013, the Company reported net income available to common shareholders of $325,000, or $.25 per diluted share, compared to $314,000, or $.24 per diluted share, for the six months ended June 30, 2012

KS Bancorp, Inc. (KSBI) 5 day chart:

Cleantech Transit, Inc. (CLNO)

Top Bank Companies To Buy Right Now

Cleantech Transit, Inc. (OTCMKTS:CLNO) (www.cleantechtransit.net ) through its Discovery Carbon subsidiary, develops emissions offset strategies for companies, municipalities, and countries. Last Friday, CLNO previously surged (+12.82%) up +0.025 at $.220 with 163,136 shares in play at the close (ref. google finance July 26, 2013 – Close).

CLNO 's daily range was at ($.22 – $.185) thus far and currently at $.22 would be considered a (+19900%) gain above the 52 wk low of $.0011. The stock is up +0.22 ( +9066.67%) since the concerning dates of January 28, 2013 – July 26, 2013. +9066.67% is the 6 month high and rightly so.

Cleantech Transit, Inc. (CLNO ) 5 day chart:

Invest wisely to maximize your returns

In his opinion, "You can look at two equity funds, one is HDFC TOP 200 which is primarily a large cap oriented fund. It invests around 10-15% in midcap and another one is IDFC Premier Equity which is a midcap fund. You can invest Rs 5000 in HDFC Top 200 and Rs 3000 in IDFC Premier Equity. If you continue this process for next 11 years, you can hope to build a Rs 20 lakh corpus."

Q: An investor can invest Rs 3000 per month. How should he allocate the money?

A: You are in that phase of your life where you need to accumulate as much as possible for your retirement. Ideally, you should have started a little early but, it is never too late. You have said that you want to invest for the next 11 years for retirement corpus say around Rs 3000 per month. 

Since you have a time horizon of 11 years, you can look at well diversified equity fund. Since you are in the government job, you will get some pension plus you must be investing every month some money in PF and maybe some money in PPF. Assuming that kind of debt portfolio, you can invest all your money in equity oriented funds.

If I assume an annualized return of 12% from hereon and considering that you continue this process for the next 11 years, you can hope to get a corpus of around Rs 8 lakh which is much less than what you are trying to build up.

Your target is around Rs 20 lakh, for that you need to invest around Rs 8000 per month. It may be difficult for you but you need to try and see because fortunately you are also in a phase where your income will be higher than what you are being earning so far. Try and increase your investment to around Rs 8000.

You can look at two equity funds, one is HDFC TOP 200 which is primarily a large cap oriented fund. It invests around 10-15% in midcap and another one is a IDFC Premier Equity which is a midcap fund. You can invest Rs 5000 in HDFC Top 200 and Rs 3000 in IDFC Premier Equity. If you continue this process for next 11 years, you can hope to build a Rs 20 lakh corpus.

Another area that requires your attention today is that you have said that you have an endowment plan where sum assured is around Rs 8 lakh. Given that your monthly income is Rs 34000 ideally your insurance cover should be 10 times of your annual income. So, I think there is a gap, try and see if you can buy term plan which will take care of your risk cover also.

Q: An investor can invest Rs 2,000 a month for the next five years. Where should she put her money in?

A: If the time horizon is five years and the money has to be invested every month, she can look at maybe equity oriented hybrid funds or pure large cap equity kind of funds. But as she has mentioned that her objective is to plan for retirement obviously there is a mismatch somewhere.

But assuming this five year time horizon, she can look at such funds. Some of the funds that she can consider is HDFC Balance Fund in the equity oriented balance fund space and Canada Robeco Balance Fund. On the large cap space, she can consider a fund like DSP Blackrock Top 100 .