Benzinga's Top #PreMarket Gainers

Ocean Power Technologies (NASDAQ: OPTT) surged 23.89% to $2.80 in the pre-market session after the company received a $2.6 million contract from Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co.

Expedia (NASDAQ: EXPE) shares jumped 17.67% to $58.79 in pre-market trading after the company reported upbeat quarterly profit. Bank of America upgraded the stock Neutral to Buy and lifted the target price from $60 to $75.

XOMA (NASDAQ: XOMA) shares gained 7.55% to $4.70 in the pre-market session on encouraging Phase 2 Gevokizumab results.

Central European Media Enterprises (NASDAQ: CETV) soared 5.67% to $2.98 in the pre-market trading. Central European Media shares have tumbled 48.07% over the past 52 weeks, while the S&P 500 index has gained 23.52% in the same period.

Posted-In: PreMarket GainersNews Pre-Market Outlook Markets Movers

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

  Around the Web, We're Loving... Learn to Use Trading Platforms Like Hedge Fund Traders do Rumsfeld: Denial of Benefits to Fallen Soldiers' Families 'Inexcusable' Come See How the Pro's Trade in this Exclusive Webinar Facebook, Baidu Lead Big Caps Beating Shutdown What Should You Know About AMZN? Most Popular IBM Authorizes $0.95 Dividend; Authorizes $15B In Additional Buybacks What is Apple's Tim Cook Hinting at for 2014? Facebook Shares Edge Higher After Hours Following Upgrade to Buy from BTIG's Greenfield Is a Beer Mega-Merger On Tap? Earnings Scheduled For October 30, 2013 Net Optics Announces Pending Acquisition by Ixia for $190M in Cash Related Articles (CETV + EXPE) UPDATE: Benchmark Company Reiterates on Expedia Following Solid 3Q Results Benzinga's Top #PreMarket Gainers Benzinga's Top Upgrades US Stock Futures Down Ahead Of Jobless Claims Data Market Wrap for October 30: Fed Worries Push Stocks Lower, Facebook Earnings Raise Concerns Benzinga's Top #PreMarket Losers View the discussion thread. Partner Network #marketfy-ae-block { display: none; border: 2px solid #0a3f75; overflow: hidden; width: 300px; height: 125px; text-align: center; background-color: #45719E; position: relative; z-index: 1; } #marketfy-ae-block a { display: block; width: 300px; height: 125px; position: relative; z-index: 2; color: #ffffff; text-decoration: none; } #marketfy-ae-block-countdown-text { color: #f9fc99; padding: 0px 0 0 0; font-size: 19px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 19px; } #marketfy-ae-block-countdown-text-start { font-size: 12px; } #marketfy-ae-block-countdown { padding: 5px 0 5px 0; font-size: 26px; } #marketfy-ae-block-signup { padding: 5px 47px; } #marketfy-ae-block-signup:hover { background-color: #457a1a; } #marketfy-ae-block #marketfy-ae-block-logo { display: block; padding: 3px 0 0 0; margin: 0; } #marketfy-ae-block-logo { text-indent: -9999px; } #marketfy-ae-block-free { display: block; position: absolute; top: 7px; right: -23px; width: 80px; height: 16px; line-height: 16px; text-align: center; opacity: 1; -webkit-transform: rotate(45deg); -moz-transform: rotate(45deg); -ms-transform: rotate(45deg); transform: rotate(45deg); font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; color: #333333; background-color: yellow; z-index: 500; text-shadow: 1px 1px #999999; } #marketfy-ae-block-arrow { position: relative; width: 60px; height: 60px; z-index: 10; margin: -80px 0 13px -21px; } #marketfy-ae-block-arrow img { height: 60px; width: auto; } Marketfy's International
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Is UBS a Buy After Earnings?

With shares of UBS (NYSE:UBS) trading around $19, is UBS an OUTPERFORM, WAIT AND SEE, or STAY AWAY? Let's analyze the stock with the relevant sections of our CHEAT SHEET investing framework:

T = Trends for a Stock’s Movement

UBS, a financial services firm, provides wealth management, asset management, and investment banking products and services worldwide. Its Wealth Management division provides financial services to high net worth individuals worldwide.  Its Investment Bank division offers products and services in equities, fixed income, foreign exchange, and commodities to corporate and institutional clients, sovereign and government bodies, financial intermediaries, alternative asset managers, and its wealth management clients. UBS Asset Management division offers investment solutions to various asset classes.

UBS has reported a 577 million franc ($644.2 million) profit during the quarter, beating analyst estimates, but the Swiss bank also warned that legal costs could increase as UBS said it has received requests from various authorities regarding its foreign exchange businesses. Swiss authorities have demanded that UBS set aside more funds for litigation, and so UBS likely won't reach its 2015 profit goals. The results caused shares to drop in Swiss trading this morning.

T = Technicals on the Stock Chart are Strong

UBS stock has remained in a range over the last five years. The stock is currently near highs for the year. Analyzing the price trend and its strength can be done using key simple moving averages. What are the key moving averages? The 50-day (pink), 100-day (blue), and 200-day (yellow) simple moving averages. As seen in the daily price chart below, UBS is trading above its rising key averages, which signal neutral to bullish price action in the near-term.

(Source: Thinkorswim)

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

	Implied Volatility (IV)	30-Day IV Percentile	90-Day IV Percentile
UBS Options	22.11%	0%	0%

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

	Put IV Skew	Call IV Skew
November Options	Flat	Average
December Options	Flat	Average

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

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

E = Earnings Are Mixed Quarter-Over-Quarter

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

	2013 Q2	2013 Q1	2012 Q4	2012 Q3
Earnings Growth (Y-O-Y)	10 Best Stocks To Watch Right Now 31.29%	-8.15%	-658.46%	-306.58%
Revenue Growth (Y-O-Y)	17.92%	14.54%	9.54%	-5.10%
Earnings Reaction	2.57%	N/A	N/A	N/A

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

P = Excellent Relative Performance Versus Peers and Sector

How has UBS stock done relative to its peers, JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:JPM), Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS), Wells Fargo (NYSE:WFC), and sector?

	UBS	JPMorgan Chase	Goldman Sachs	Wells Fargo	Sector
Year-to-Date Return	25.48%	20.04%	27.10%	25.07%	25.42%

UBS has been a relative performance leader, year-to-date.

Conclusion

UBS, a financial services firm, provides wealth management, asset management, and investment banking products and services worldwide. The company might not reach its profit goals in 2015 since Swiss authorities demanded that they set aside more funds for litigation. The stock has been in a range over the last five years, however, it’s currently near highs for the year. Over the last four quarters, earnings have been decreasing while revenues have been increasing, which has produced mixed feelings among investors. Relative to its peers and sector, USB has been a relative performance leader year-to-date. Look for UBS to OUTPERFORM.

Apple’s holiday forecast raises margin concern

SAN FRANCISCO — Apple reported solid results from its most recent quarter, but gave a holiday period outlook that raised concern about the technology giant's profit margins.

Fiscal fourth-quarter net income was $8.2 billion, or $8.26 a share, compared to $8.2 billion, or $8.67 a share, a year earlier. Revenue came in at $37.5 billion, versus $36 billion in the same period last year.

Apple forecast fiscal first-quarter revenue of $55 billion to $58 billion and a gross profit margin of 36.5% to 37.5% for the period, which covers the important holiday shopping period through the end of December. Analysts were looking for a gross profit margin of 37.9% in the fiscal first quarter.

"People are a little concerned about the gross margin outlook for the December quarter," Brian Marshall, an analyst at ISI Group, said.

Apple shares slipped 0.2% to $528.30 in after-hours trading following the results.

Apple's iPhone sales could have been a little stronger during its fiscal fourth quarter, Marshall also noted. Apple launched two new iPhones that went on sale in September, before the quarter ended. Supplies of the high-end iPhone 5s may not have kept up with demand, crimping early sales.

Apple said Monday that it sold 33.8 million iPhones during the September quarter. Analysts were looking for iPhone sales of 34 million to 35 million units in the period.

Apple's main products, the iPhone and iPad, have been under increasing competitive pressure from rivals including Samsung and Amazon, which sell cheaper devices that run on versions of Google's Android operating system. That's has Wall Street scouring Apple's quarterly results for any sign the company is dropping prices at the expense of profit margins.

Apple's gross margin forecast for its fiscal first quarter was the first topic of conversation on the post-earnings conference call on Monday. Chief Financial Officer Peter Oppenheimer said the company is deferring more revenue, which pressured margin guidance. He als! o said new iPads and MacBook Pros have higher cost structures and lower pricing than previous models.

"There was some consternation about the margin guidance initially, but the company addressed the impact from changes in revenue recognition which alleviated some of those concerns," said Walter Piecyk, an analyst at BTIG.

Indeed, Apple shares were down about 5% before the CFO discussed the company's new revenue recognition approach and the impact of that on margins.

Apple shares have fallen more than 10 percent in the past year on concern the company has not come out with another blockbuster gadget to match the success of the iPhone and iPad. However, Apple is reportedly working on a smartwatch and possibly some type of TV product and a lot of investor hope is riding on these new products.

Apple CEO Tim Cook hinted at new products during Monday's conference call with analysts.

"We see significant opportunities ahead of us in both current product categories and new ones," Cook said.

The CEO was also optimistic about holiday sales of the new iPad Air and iPad mini.

"Both of these products are going to do really well," Cook said. "I think it's going to be in iPad Christmas, but we will see. We will report the numbers back to you in January how we did. But we're pretty confident."

Apple is also being hounded by activist investor Carl Icahn, who has been pushing the company to do a larger share buyback — in the range of $150 billion. The company generates massive amounts of cash — including $9.9 billion in its fiscal third quarter alone.

"We have solicited feedback on our capital return program from shareholders in the past. We've greatly appreciated their suggestions and we will actively seek their input again this year," Cook said on Monday. "We will announce any changes to our current program the first part of the new calendar year."

Apple returned $7.8 billion to investors, in the form of dividends and share repurchases, during its fiscal fo! urth quar! ter. That brought total payments to shareholders of $36 billion so far, the company noted.

What's Behind Those Odd September Jobs Numbers

If you still needed confirmation this is the slowest economic recovery in history, you need look no further than today's (Tuesday's) September jobs report.

Total non-farm employment in the United States rose 148,000 in September, a soft number well short of the 180,000 expected. The unemployment rate itself fell to 7.2% - the lowest it's been since U.S. President Barack Obama took office.

But 7.2% is just U-3, the official measure of unemployment. If we include discouraged workers - unemployed people who gave a job market-related reason for not looking for work - the rate (U-4) rises to 7.7%. If we include the "marginally attached" and persons employed part-time for economic reasons (U-6), the unemployment rate shoots to a European-like level of 13.6%.

In other words, approximately 21 million otherwise able Americans are underemployed, or unemployed, or have just given up looking for work because the job market looks so bleak.

And there's more bad news...

September Jobs Report: Twisted Numbers

According to Zero Hedge's analysis of the full-time and part-time numbers, "the US work force saw the rotation of some 594K part-time workers into a whopping 691K full-time jobs, in addition to adding over 100K net new jobs in the month."

Here's what they mean: The August household survey reported 116,208,000 persons employed full time and 27,999,000 persons employed part time. The September survey reported 116,899,000 persons employed full time, and 27,405,000 persons employed part time, changes of 691,000 and 594,000 respectively.

That seems impossible - and makes the jobs numbers even more unreliable than they already were.

Also, under Bureau of Labor Statistics definitions, "full time" employment does not necessarily mean a 40-hour-a-week job with benefits. Instead, it simply means that a person usually works more than 35 hours a week, regardless of the number of jobs they work.

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Zero Hedge suggests the strange data could be a response to July's outsized growth in part-time jobs as a portion of the total jobs created. As Money Morning and others pointed out with the July numbers, only 35% of the jobs reported as created were full-time.

At the time, massive growth in part-time employment was attributed to employer fears surrounding Obamacare, which requires employers with more than 50 full-time employees to purchase insurance for them or face fines.

The jobs report makes it seem as though a large number of erstwhile part-time jobs have somehow become full-time - which is why we took a closer look at where these full-time jobs came from...

It's Only Temporary

The top industry gainers for September were government (22,000 jobs), retail (20,000 jobs), transportation and warehousing (23,000 jobs), and administrative support services (24,000 jobs). Together, they account for around 60% of the new jobs created.

On their own, these seem like sound categories for growth - although we have to wonder why state governments were increasing their payrolls amid all the worry about shutdown. (The federal government shed some jobs.)

Retail might indicate some consumer resurgence, with about 20,000 new jobs added. The two largest gainers were in food and beverage stores and a vague category called "general merchandise stores."

"Transportation and warehousing" could have been a bright spot in the jobs report if it meant increased freight traffic. Sadly, almost all of the job growth came from transit and passenger ground travel: buses, trains, and taxis.

But it's the last category that should worry you the most.

The increase in "administrative services" comes almost entirely from temporary employees. Hiring a temp means that an organization has more work than it can immediately handle, but also has an uncertain outlook. Furthermore, temps are usually hired on a term basis and can hardly be considered full-time employees, even if they work a 40-hour week.

Part time America seems to be alive and well.

Is This Billion-Dollar Diabetes Drug Class Doomed?

In this edition of the Motley Fool's Market Checkup, health-care analysts David Williamson and Max Macaluso discuss the complex nuances of the type 2 diabetes market. From the most successful blockbusters on the market today to revolutionary experimental drugs, this is an increasingly competitive space that investors need to watch closely.

The following segment from this week's show focuses on Merck's (NYSE: MRK  ) billion-dollar type 2 diabetes drugs, Januvia and Janument. The growth of these blockbusters have helped Merck offset some of the recent losses it faced from the patent cliff, but sales have started to slow down and a study published this year in JAMA's Internal Medicine suggests that these drugs may increase the risk of pancreatitis. What should Merck shareholders be watching going forward?

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If you're on the lookout for high-yielding stocks outside of the health-care sector, The Motley Fool's special free report "Secure Your Future With 9 Rock-Solid Dividend Stocks" outlines the Fool's favorite dependable dividend-paying stocks. Grab your free copy today by clicking here.

The relevant video segment can be found between 2:50 and 4:46.

To view the entire show, click here.

What Keeps Energy Executives Up at Night?

Besides profits, energy companies care about a lot of things. But if they had to pick a few, what would they be?

According to a recent report by Ernst & Young, which surveyed more than 100 energy company executives from 90 companies in 21 countries, oil and gas companies' top priority is health, safety, and the environment.  

The report, titled "Business Pulse: Exploring the Dual Perspectives of the Top 10 Risks and Opportunities in 2013 and Beyond," further found that price volatility, access to reserves and markets, cost escalation, and uncertain energy policy were the next largest business risks identified by the executives surveyed.

Other top priorities/risks
A new entrant into the list of top 10 risks this year was IT security, referring specifically to the threat of cyber-attacks and cyber-theft, which have increasingly plagued both private businesses and international organizations over the past few years.

Another major risk that even got its own category was the increasing scale and technical complexity of new projects -- a development that's largely a consequence of the end of the era of "easy" oil. As oil companies attempt to offset sharp declines from maturing reserves, they have to venture into some of the harshest, most remote regions of the world, where costs and uncertainties are both sky-high.

Offshore exploration risk
Deepwater locations, especially off the coasts of Brazil and West Africa, have emerged as popular hotspots. For instance, Brazilian oil major Petrobras (NYSE: PBR  ) is planning to drill exploratory wells off the coast of Tanzania, where it holds 50% stakes in two offshore exploratory blocks, while Chevron (NYSE: CVX  ) recently announced that it will move forward with the development of the Moho Bilondo "phase 1 bis" and Moho Nord projects located offshore the Republic of Congo.

While some of these ventures turn out to be quite successful, others don't pan out too well. Just take a look at Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE: RDS-A  ) , which has plowed billions into its operations in Alaska -- a venture it recently shelved because of weather-related and other challenges. The Hague-based oil giant has also taken heat for operational blunders in Nigeria, where oil spills, theft, and vandalism have cost the company 60,000 barrels of oil a day in lost production.  

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Cost overruns and delays
In additional to operational mishaps, oil and gas companies continue to be plagued by projects that repeatedly run over budget and over time. According to an assessment by Independent Project Analysis, the typical exploration and production "megaproject" ends up being 25% over budget and takes 22% longer to finish that initial estimates. 

Perhaps the most overwhelming example is the giant offshore Kashagan oil field, located in Kazakhstan's zone of the Caspian Sea. Even after the project's stakeholders -- a consortium of global energy companies including ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM  ) , Shell, and Eni -- have plowed more than $30 billion into the project over the past 10 years, Kashagan has failed to produce a single drop of oil.  

Final thoughts
Despite their best efforts to minimize accidents, the world's largest oil and gas companies operate in an environment fraught with risk. As they push further into new, remote regions around the globe, often conducting business with unstable foreign regimes, these risks often multiply.

Like the big four banks that have been deemed "too complex to manage," the large Western oil majors may similarly have become too complex and diverse to ever be able to completely eliminate accidents. ExxonMobil is perhaps the best example.

Despite its overarching focus on operational safety, an objective it has pursued -- quite successfully -- in the aftermath of the infamous 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill, the company still hasn't been able to attain its goal of zero accidents, as shown by the recent rupturing of its Pegasus crude oil pipeline.

The bottom line is that no matter how good energy companies' workers, equipment, and executives are, some mistakes will continue to occur from time to time. This is simply the harsh reality of the nature, scope, and scale of their operations.

Though integrated oil companies face substantial regulatory, environmental, and weather-related risks when operating abroad, many exploration and production companies are homing in exclusively on U.S. oil and gas plays, where risks may be lower. One such company is Chesapeake Energy, which is focusing its activity this year mainly on Texas' Eagle Ford play, the Greater Anadarko Basin, and the Utica shale. Will it manage to meet its oil production target and boost cash flow? Or will it languish under the weight of its heavy debt load? To answer that question and to learn more about Chesapeake and its enormous potential, you're invited to check out The Motley Fool's brand-new premium report on the company. Simply click here now to access your copy, and as an added bonus, you'll receive a full year of key updates and expert guidance as news continues to develop.

Canadian Stocks Rise as U.S. Lawmakers Agree to Debt-Limit Deal

Canadian stocks rose a second day, extending a two-year high, as energy and bank shares rallied while U.S. Senate leaders reached an agreement to end the nation's budget impasse and prevent a default on its debt.

Bankers Petroleum Ltd. and Legacy Oil & Gas Inc. climbed at least 4.1 percent as the price of crude advanced. Gran Tierra Energy Inc. (GTE) added 4.7 percent after boosting its 2013 production forecasts. Bank of Montreal added 0.6 percent after naming a chief operating officer. Argonaut Gold Inc. dropped 6.5 percent to pace losses among metals miners. SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. sank 4.5 percent after cutting its earnings forecast for the year.

The Standard & Poor's/TSX Composite Index (SPTSX) rose 25.75 points, or 0.2 percent, to 12,957.21 at 4 p.m. in Toronto. The benchmark Canadian equity gauge rallied to the highest close since July 2011 yesterday and is up 4.2 percent in 2013.

"If you're given the choice of being executed today or you can postpone it and talk about it some more three months down the road, you're going to take the deal," said Michael O'Brien, fund manager with TD Asset Management Inc. in Toronto. He helps manage C$216 billion ($208 billion). "For now, a lot of people are sitting on their hands. At least in the short term, once we do get a deal we will see a lift in the markets. At this point, any deal is a good deal and a sigh of relief."

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The bipartisan leaders of the Senate reached an agreement to end the fiscal impasse and to increase U.S. borrowing authority, and the Senate and House could vote on it as soon as today. The White House press secretary said President Barack Obama supports the deal.

Senate Deal

The agreement also would end the 16-day-old government shutdown and allow the U.S. to continue borrowing, a day before its authority lapses. House Republicans today signaled that they will let it pass largely with Democratic votes.

"We fought the good fight," House Speaker John Boehner, a Republican, said on WLW, a radio station in his home state of Ohio. "We just didn't win."

Nine of 10 industries in the S&P/TSX gained, with raw-materials stocks the only group to decline. Trading volume was 19 percent lower than the 30-day average.

Legacy Oil & Gas gained 4.5 percent to C$6.95 and Bankers Petroleum rose 4.1 percent to C$4.10 as energy producers advanced 0.6 percent as a group, closing at an 18-month high.

Crude for November delivery settled 1.1 percent higher in New York, reversing an earlier decline amid optimism for an end to the impasse in Washington.

Gran Tierra Energy added 4.7 percent to C$7.84 after the company increased its production forecast for the year to 21,500 to 22,500 barrels of oil equivalent a day, from 21,000 to 22,000 barrels.

Bank Stocks

Bank of Montreal, Canada's fourth-largest lender, rose 0.6 percent to C$70.66. The stock has gained in four straight sessions and closed the highest since June 2007.

The bank named Frank Techar, formerly chief executive officer of personal and commercial banking in Canada, to the new role of chief operating officer as part of a plan to consolidate oversight of its retail businesses.

Royal Bank of Canada, the nation's largest lender, increased 0.3 percent to C$68.40 and Toronto-Dominion Bank gained 0.3 percent to C$92.55.

Ivanhoe Mines Ltd. jumped 6.1 percent to C$2.26 after intersecting an "unprecedented" mineralization of platinum, palladium, rhodium and gold at a discovery in South Africa.

SNC Lavalin tumbled 4.5 percent, the most since August, to C$42.13. Canada's largest engineering company cut its annual profit forecast for the second time amid costs related to projects in North Africa.

Materials stocks fell 1.2 percent as a group. Argonaut Gold fell 6.5 percent to C$5.31 and Alamos Gold Inc. lost 4.1 percent to C$14.64.

Market Wrap For Tuesday, October 15: Earnings Reports And White House Progress Send Markets Down

Earnings took full swing today with Citigroup (NYSE: C), Johnson and Johnson (NYSE: JNJ), and Coca Cola (NYSE: KO) reporting earnings this morning. Johnson & Johnson was the only of this group to beat analyst estimates, shares were up 0.42 percent heading into the close.

A deal is yet to be reached to restore the government to full functionality and increase the debt ceiling.

GOP leaders are said to be changing their deal, making it passable in the house for a vote as early as tonight.

Major Averages

The Dow Jones Industrial Average tumbled 136.25 points, or 0.87 percent, to 15,168.01.

The S&P 500 dropped 12.08 points, or 0.71 percent, to 1,698.06.

The Nasdaq Composite dropped just 21.26 points, or 0.56 percent, to close at 3,794.01.

The Russell 2000 fell 10.68 points, or 0.98 percent to finish at 1,079.62.

Stock Movers

Arena Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ARNA) shot up 5.3 percent to $4.57 after the company reported that Eisai will double BELVIQ sales force to 400 representatives.

Tumi Holdings (NYSE: TUMI) was also up, gaining 6.09 percent to $20.55 after the company signed a licensing agreement with David Peyser Sportswear.

Insmed (NASDAQ: INSM) gained 8.21 percent to $14.11 after the company closed enrollment of Phase 2 clinical trial of ARIKACE.

Molycorp (NYSE: MCP) dropped 21.41 percent to $5.58 after the company announced its plans to sell $200 million in shares.

Teradata (NYSE: TDC) shares tumbled 18.39 percent to $42.91 after the company issued downbeat earnings forecast for the full year.

FLIR Systems (NASDAQ: FLIR) sold off 13.81 percent to $28.59 after the company released some poor guidance.

Commodities

Crude oil moved lower with the stock market on Tuesday. Near the close of equities, WTI crude futures were down 1.24 percent to $101.14. Less than a one percent drop will push the fossil fuel below the vital $100 level. Brent futures gave up 1.13 percent to $109.78.

Conversely, precious metals were mixed Tuesday, with gold recovering after Monday's sell off. At last check, COMEX gold futures were up 0.2 percent to $1,279.10. Silver contracts fell 0.28 percent to $21.30 near the close.

Global Markets

Chinese markets were mixed overnight with the Shanghai index down 0.19 percent and Hong Kong's Hang Seng up 0.51 percent. Japan's Nikkei gained 0.26 percent.

European markets moved up on the day. The Euro Stoxx index, which tracks 50 euro zone blue chips rose 0.9 percent percent. London's FTSE added 0.64 percent, and France's CAC jumped 0.78 percent.

Currencies

The U.S. dollar jumped higher in value with a falling equity market and flat metals. The PowerShares ETF (NYSE: UUP)that tracks the performance of the greenback versus a basket of foreign currencies, gained 0.37 percent to $21.70.

The closely watched EUR/USD pair rose 0.31 percent on to $1.3621. Other big movers included the EUR/GBP, which rose 0.71 percent, and the USD/BRL which was up 0.44 percent on the day.

Volume and Volatility

With earnings taking the stage, volume should be higher over the next couple weeks. 149 million shares of the S&P 500 ETF (NYSE: SPY) traded hands Tuesday, compared to the three month average of 123 million.

Volatility shot higher today with the VIX measure of S&P 500 volatility up almost 16 percent. This is still below last week's high of 21.34.

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4 Bulletproof Dividend Plays Outside the U.S.

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When it comes to investing for dividends, it is critically important to find companies that have long-term stability. The good news is that there is no shortage of these types of companies in the U.S. The bad news is that the U.S. is looking a little shaky as of late, what with politicians in Washington turning the “squabble” knob all the way to the right over the looming debt ceiling deadline.

Further still, this year’s bull market has really driven up the price of American dividend stocks.

Thus, investors looking for yield might be better off looking out across the shores to overseas investments. In addition to the fact that Europe and other developed markets are home to extremely stable companies, by investing in foreign multinationals, you can gain the added advantage of exposure to growth markets in places such as Asia and even Africa.

Here are four companies that look enticing right now:

Unilever

Dividend Yield: 3.5%

Unilever’s (UL) standing with consumers is rock-solid. About 2 billion customers use a Unilever product each day, making the company the world’s No. 3 player in the consumer staples segment.

UL’s brands range across four major areas: Personal Care (Dove, Axe), Home Care (Surf), Foods (Knorr, Hellmann's) and Refreshment (Lipton). With its global scale — which stretches across more than 190 countries — the company gets the benefits of pricing power, economies of scale and leverage on distribution.

But UL has not rested on its laurels. CEO Paul Polman came on board in 2009 and has been working hard to reduce bureaucratic layers, cut back on waste, improve the supply chain and implement new information technology systems.

Going forward, Unilever is nicely positioned to benefit from the growth in emerging markets, as it has had a presence in countries like Brazil, China, India and Indonesia for more than 50 years.

For the past year, Unilever’s operating cash flows came to more than $9 billion, which helps fund a 3.5%-yielding dividend.

GlaxoSmithKline

Dividend Yield: 4.4%

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has a broad platform covering the three key areas of pharmaceuticals, vaccines and consumer healthcare. It also is one of the few healthcare companies that has treatments for the World Health Organization's priority diseases, which include HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.

Over the years, GSK has been aggressive with acquisitions, though in more recent years the company has shifted to unloading non-core businesses like thrombosis brands Arixtra and Fraxiparine.

The company continues to invest heavily in R&D — which will be critical for building a pipeline that deals with patent expiration of existing drugs. In the past quarter, GSK got regulatory approval for three drugs in the U.S.

GlaxoSmithKline also has an advantage in global distribution, which has enabled GSK to strike bottom-line-boosting agreements with Amgen (AMGN) and others sell their drugs, providing a nice boost to the bottom line.

BCE

Top 10 Safest Stocks To Buy Right Now

Dividend Yield: 5.2%

BCE (BCE) is the largest telecom operator in Canada … and sports one whopper of a dividend.

As should be no surprise, the traditional wired voice services segment continues to be weak for BCE, and that’s something we can expect in perpetuity. However, BCE has diversified into other businesses, such as broadband, IPTV, satellite television, radio and mobile, which is helping to smooth its transition.

Big competitors for BCE include Rogers Communications (RCI) and Telus (TU), though it also faces niche players such as Public Mobile, Wind Mobile and Mobilicity. Until recently, there was buzz that Verizon (VZ) might enter the market by buying up the latter two, though VZ apparently scrapped plans for Canadian expansion until 2014.

Still, BCE has a strong brand and substantial financial resources, as well as a top-notch network that reaches more than 70% of Canadians. BCE also has the advantage of owning premium content, with rights to programming for Discovery (DISCA) and Viacom’s (VIAB) MTV. Its prospects also look bright with concern to mobile, where the company has invested heavily in its payments solutions.

Toss in a 58.25-cent dividend paid quarterly that yields more than 5%, and you’re looking at one sturdy investment.

Royal Dutch Shell

Dividend Yield: 5.3%

Royal Dutch Shell (RDS.A, RDS.B) might not look attractive compared to U.S. companies, considering it’s down roughly 5% vs. broader-market gains in the high teens domestically. Part of that weakness has come amid a huge $2 billion charge Shell took for failed shale investments.

However, with RDS shares now trading around 9 times earnings — compared to 11 for Exxon Mobil (XOM) and 12 for ConocoPhillips (COP) — Royal Dutch Shell might be a value play in the making.

RDS is one of a few global integrated oil operators that has both upstream businesses (exploration and development) and downstream categories (like refining, shipping and gas chains) — a diverse build that helps protect against volatile markets. Besides, the long-term potential for crude oil still looks bright. Continued growth in Asia should keep demand robust.

Shell thinks it will generate a whopping $175 billion to $200 billion in cash between last year and 2015 assuming oil prices of $100 per barrel — a price that has become reality for months now.

That bodes good things for Shell’s dividend, which stands at 90 cents quarterly for a yield of 5.3%.

Tom Taulli runs the InvestorPlace blog IPO Playbook. He is also the author of High-Profit IPO Strategies, All About Commodities and All About Short Selling. Follow him on Twitter at @ttaulli. As of this writing, he did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.

Why Wall Street's Souring on Junk Bonds

Investors have searched high and low for investments to produce income, and one area that they've looked to for high yields is the junk bond market. But recently, many bond analysts believe that the rates that junk bonds offer have fallen so far that they no longer represent a good risk-reward proposition.

In the following video, Fool markets analyst Mike Klesta talks with longtime Fool contributor and financial planner Dan Caplinger about what junk bonds are and why Wall Street is worried about their future prospects. Dan offers some thoughts about ways investors can participate in the junk bond market and explains why investors in the stock market should also keep an eye on junk bonds.

If you're looking for some long-term investing ideas with solid income, you're invited to check out The Motley Fool's brand-new special report, "The 3 Dow Stocks Dividend Investors Need." It's absolutely free, so simply click here now and get your copy today.

The Echo Therapeutics Cat is Out of the Bag (ECTE)

Truth be told, Echo Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:ECTE) doesn't look like a particularly impressive stock right now. At $2.92 per share, ECTE is just trading right around where it was a few days ago, not to mention a few weeks ago. And, without any real "news" from the company in months, it's tough to think the market's going to be getting excited about the stock anytime soon. When you take a closer look at Echo Therapeutics though, a few subtle-but-compelling clues start to appear.

ECTE is, in simplest terms, a biopharma name that's developed a handful of specialized medicines, delivery devices, and monitoring devices. Its flagship product - if it has one - is the Symphony glucose monitoring systems for diabetes patients, though it's also working on a needle-free drug delivery product as well. For all intents and purposes, Echo Therapeutics Inc. isn't bearing revenue right now; most of its' (and investors') hopes right now rest on the Symphony trial currently underway in Europe. Those results should be unveiled during the current quarter, with a filing for European approval later in Q4.

Those details are academic at this point, however. What matters most right now is the way the chart's been acting of late, and the way it acted today.

As was noted, at first glance ECTE doesn't look particularly compelling. It's not really gone anywhere since the big plunge in June that stemmed from chatter about a secondary offering (which came to pass, by the way). And, today's effort to finally blast past the key 100-day moving average line has ultimately failed, with shares pulling back under that mark. The cat, however, is out of the bag. The bulls have shown they're interested in buying into this stock and paying a fairly lofty price for, and they've shown they're willing to do so even in the absence of news. The next try (or maybe the one after that) should be one that "sticks", carrying Echo Therapeutics Inc. shares above the 100-day average on a more permanent basis.

That being said, it must be noted that the lead-in to today's temporary surge makes it much easier to view today's action in a bullish light. We saw a higher high from ECTE in September, and a higher low from the stock with the low from just a couple of days ago. Though volatile, the undertow has already revealed itself to be a net-bearish one. Between today's high volume and early strength, we're all but over the hump. That first close above the 100-day moving average line (which could still be today) should get the ball rolling all the way back to the $6.00-ish area.

If you'd like to get more trading ideas and insights like this one, sign up for the free SmallCap Network daily e-newsletter. It's full of stock picks, market calls, and more.

Top Biotech Companies To Invest In 2014

Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.

What: Shares of Insmed (NASDAQ: INSM  ) , a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on inhaled therapies for diseases of the lung, jumped as much as 18% after a pair of brokerage firms boosted their price targets on the company.

So what: Just hours apart from one another, Canaccord Genuity boosted its price target on Insmed from $12 to $17 while Leerink Swann raised its target all the way to $22 from $13. The impetus behind both price target hikes was similar: an expected approval of Arikace, the company's inhaled first-line treatment for non-tuberculosis mycobacterial infections. These two price target bumps come one week after Lazard�Capital Management raised its price target on Insmed to $21 and the covering analyst, Joshua Schimmer, projecting sales of $600 million annually by 2020.

Top Biotech Companies To Invest In 2014: Oncolytics Biotech Inc (ONCY)

Oncolytics Biotech Inc. (Oncolytics), incorporated on April 2, 1998, is a development-stage company. The Company is focused on its research and development of REOLYSIN, which is its cancer therapeutic. REOLYSIN is developed from the reovirus. This virus has been demonstrated in tumour cells bearing an activated Ras pathway. Oncolytics is directing a clinical trial program with the focus of developing REOLYSIN as a human cancer therapeutic. The clinical program includes clinical trials, which it sponsors directly along with Third Party Clinical Trials. Third Party Clinical Trials are clinical trials that are being sponsored by other institutions. As of December 31, 2011, the United States National Cancer Institute (NCI), the University of Leeds and the Cancer Therapy & Research Center at the University of Texas Health Center in San Antonio (CTRC) were sponsoring part of its clinical trial program.

The Company�� clinical trial program has included human trials using REOLYSIN alone, and in combination with radiation and chemotherapy, and delivered via local administration and/or intravenous administration. Oncolytics uses contract toll manufacturers to produce REOLYSIN. On December 31, 2011, the Company had two wholly owned subsidiaries, Oncolytics Biotech (Barbados) Inc. (OBB) and Valens Pharma Ltd. Oncolytics Biotech (US) Inc. and Oncolytics Biotech (U.K.) are wholly owned subsidiaries of OBB.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Maxx Chatsko]

  T-VEC is not your traditional biologic drug. It is actually a bioengineered form of the herpes virus that, once injected into cancerous tumors, replicates, and produces an immune-stimulating protein that puts a bulls eye on cancer cells throughout the body. Despite its promise and intriguing mechanism of action, T-VEC is not in further development at Amgen. However, Oncolytics (NASDAQ: ONCY  ) has shown promising results for its bioengineered form of reovirus called Reolysin. Initial phase 3 results showed that 86% of patients taking the drug had reduced tumor mass or growth after six weeks of treatment. �

• [By Sean Williams]

  With this in mind, I feel it'd be prudent of biotech-savvy investors to give Oncolytics Biotech (NASDAQ: ONCY  ) a closer look.

  The big risks
  I'm quite aware that there are a lot factors that'd raise a red flag with Oncolytics. Similar to Affymax, you could say that Oncolytics has put all of its eggs in one basket with its lead experimental drug, reolysin. According to Oncolytics' website, including its U.K., Canadian, and U.S. studies, reolysin as either a monotherapy or combination therapy is the basis for all 31 clinical trials! Obviously, if reolysin proves ineffective or unsafe, Oncolytics is going to be a world of hurt.

Top Biotech Companies To Invest In 2014: Osiris Therapeutics Inc.(OSIR)

Osiris Therapeutics, Inc., a stem cell company, focuses on the development and marketing of therapeutic products to treat various medical conditions in the inflammatory, autoimmune, orthopedic, and cardiovascular areas. It operates in two business segments, Therapeutics and Biosurgery. The Therapeutics segment focuses on developing biologic stem cell drug candidates from a readily available and non-controversial source, adult bone marrow. The Biosurgery segment works to harness the ability of cells and novel constructs to promote the body's natural healing. This segment focuses on developing biologic products for use in surgical procedures. The company?s lead biologic drug candidate is Prochymal, which is in phase 2 and 3 clinical trails for various indications, including acute graft versus host disease (GvHD), Crohn's disease, acute myocardial infarction, type 1 diabetes, pulmonary disease, and gastrointestinal injury resulting from radiation exposure. Its biologic drug candidates also include Chondrogen, a preparation of adult mesenchymal stem cells that is in phase 2 clinical trials for osteoarthritis and cartilage protection. The company has collaboration agreements with Genzyme Corporation for the development and commercialization of Prochymal and Chondrogen in various countries except in the United States and Canada. It also has a partnership with Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation for the development of Prochymal as a treatment for the preservation of insulin production in patients with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes mellitus. Osiris Therapeutics, Inc. was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Columbia, Maryland.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Alexander Maxwell]

  One of the companies attempting to develop a better treatment for chronic diabetic foot ulcers is Osiris Therapeutics� (NASDAQ: OSIR  ) . Earlier this month, Osiris shares more than doubled as the company announced positive data for its CDFU drug Grafix. The study results were very impressive to say the least; the study was stopped early due to the overwhelming efficacy exhibited by the treatment. A main highlight is the fact that 62% of Grafix patients had their wound closed at 12 weeks, compared to only 21% of patients using conventional methods. Clearly, the efficacy in this endpoint was overwhelming. Grafix also achieved all of the secondary endpoints for the trial, and more importantly demonstrated a relatively benign safety record.�

• [By Maxx Chatsko]

  Additionally, stem cell therapies have remained elusive as the industry's ultimate Holy Grail. Osiris (NASDAQ: OSIR  ) received Canadian approval for the world's first stem cell drug, Prochymal, for children battling acute graft-versus-host disease, or GvHD, last year. The approval meant more symbolically than to the bottom line, but it definitely put the potential of stem cells front and center for investors.

Top Penny Stocks For 2014: Sanofi(SNY)

sanofi-aventis engages in the discovery, development, and distribution of therapeutic solutions to improve the lives of everyone. The company offers a range of healthcare assets, including a broad-based product portfolio in prescription drugs, OTC/OTX, generics, vaccines, and animal health. It has a strategic alliance with Regulus Therapeutics Inc. to discover, develop, and commercialize micro-RNA therapeutics, initially in fibrosis. The company was founded in 1970 and is headquartered in Paris, France.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Max Macaluso and David Williamson]

  At the end of last week, a Bloomberg article revealed that Shire (NASDAQ: SHPG  ) and pharmaceutical giant Sanofi� (NYSE: SNY  ) may be circling ViroPharma� (NASDAQ: VPHM  ) . The the following video, from The Motley Fool's health care show Market Checkup, analysts David Williamson and Max Macaluso take a close look at ViroPharma and discuss the recent interest in this small biotech company.

• [By Dan Carroll]

  Major electronics companies such as Samsung and Jabil Circuit (NYSE: JBL  ) , which is planning on tripling its workforce in its factory in Ho Chi Minh City over the next two years and has cited China's rising costs as a primary driver of the move away from the nation, have seized the opportunity to slash costs even with Vietnam still lagging behind China in terms of productivity. Even sectors such as health care have gotten involved, as pharmaceutical company Sanofi (NYSE: SNY  ) this year announced plans to invest $75 million in a Vietnamese facility to serve as an emerging-markets hub and entrench its leadership position in Southeast Asia.

• [By Kanak Kanti, De]

  Teva's competition
  Teva will still face competition in the colorectal cancer generic market. The company's version of Xeloda is expected to compete with cytotoxic agents such as oxaliplatin, which is a generic version of French drugmaker Sanofi's (NYSE: SNY  ) Eloxatin/Eloxatine. In 2012, sales of Eloxatin totaled $1.3 billion. Generic competition has had a major impact on Eloxatin, however, with sales falling to $159 million in the first half of 2013.

• [By Sean Williams]

  On the other end of the spectrum is Sanofi's (NYSE: SNY  ) Lantus, which is a once-daily injection that can work in the body for up to 20-24 hours, but can also be combined with a short-acting insulin if needed. Lantus has been an absolute blockbuster diabetes drug up until now, garnering worldwide sales of more than $6 billion in 2012.

Top Biotech Companies To Invest In 2014: Dendreon Corporation(DNDN)

Dendreon Corporation, a biotechnology company, engages in the discovery, development, and commercialization of therapeutics to enhance cancer treatment options for patients. The company offers active cellular immunotherapy and small molecule product candidates to treat various cancers. Its product candidates comprise Provenge (sipuleucel-T), an active cellular immunotherapy for the treatment of metastatic, castrate-resistant prostate cancer; DN24-02, an investigational active immunotherapy for the treatment of patients with bladder, breast, ovarian, and other solid tumors expressing HER2/neu; and TRPM8, a small molecule agonist to transient receptor potential ion channel, for multiple cancers. The company also has a range of products in preclinical studies, which include Carcinoembryonic antigen for the treatment of lung, colon, and breast cancer; and Carbonic AnhydraseIX for the treatment of kidney cancer. Dendreon Corporation was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in S eattle, Washington.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams]

  Finally, even with the precipitous decline in Dendreon (NASDAQ: DNDN  ) shares, all eyes would be wise to keep an eye on the company with the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting this weekend. ASCO, for short, is the single most-important event for cancer drug developers and it could give Dendreon a chance to show off its experimental immunotherapy line of products and impress analysts. If anything is said with regard to Provenge and its current status in Europe, you'll be sure to know by next week if not sooner!

• [By Sean Williams]

  Not to sound like a broken record, but Dendreon (NASDAQ: DNDN  ) shareholders received some much-awaited positive news, and they have the EMA's panel to thank. The CHMP recommended that Dendreon's cellular immunotherapy treatment Provenge be approved in the EU for the treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. Dendreon has been bleeding money because of Provenge's high price tag in the U.S., which caused insurers to shy away from covering the three-course treatment, and from increased competition. It remains to be seen if this will be too little, too late for Dendreon, but it's nonetheless a big stepping stone toward an expected EU approval.�

• [By Sean Williams]

  Today, I'd like to add a familiar name to the list and discuss why Dendreon (NASDAQ: DNDN  ) should be raising the white flag and looking for marketing assistance.

• [By Dimitra DeFotis]

  There are two cancer vaccines on the market: Provenge, a prostate-cancer treatment from Seattle-based Dendreon�(DNDN), and Yervoy, a melanoma treatment from Bristol-Myers Squibb�(BMY), according to Dow Jones Newswires. In May, Roche�Holding (RHHBY) said its experimental cancer vaccine, called MPDL3280A, shrank tumors in 21% of 140 patients participating in a trial. It is now performing tests in lung cancer patients.

Top Biotech Companies To Invest In 2014: Celsion Corporation(CLSN)

Celsion Corporation, an oncology drug development company, develops and commercializes targeted chemotherapeutic oncology drugs based on its proprietary heat-activated liposomal technology. The company is developing its lead product, ThermoDox that is in Phase III clinical trial for primary liver cancer; and in phase II clinical trial for treatment of recurrent chest wall breast cancer. It has a license agreement with Yakult Honsha to commercialize and market ThermoDox for the Japanese market. The company also has a license agreement with Duke University under which it received exclusive rights to commercialize and use Duke's thermo-liposome technology. In addition, Celsion Corporation has a joint research agreement with Royal Phillips Electronics to evaluate the combination of Phillips' high intensity focused ultrasound with its ThermoDox to determine the potential of this combination to treat a range of cancers. The company was founded in 1982 and is based in Columbia, M aryland.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By EquityOptionsGuru]

  The Prolieve Thermodilatation System was actually developed by the current management of Medifocus while employed at Celsion Corporation (NASDAQ:CLSN). The system was also jointly developed with Boston Scientific (NYSE:BSX) before being acquired by Medifocus in July 2012. Prolieve has already received FDA approval, is currently generating revenue, and is the only in office alternative to drug therapy. The system essentially uses microwave energy to treat Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), which is a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland that typically affects men over the age of 50. The Prolieve device works by compressing and heating prostatic tissue that may be blocking the flow of urine. This particular treatment option offers patients several benefits including the following:

The Party's Over for Cyclical Stocks

Regardless of how or when the crisis in Washington ends, MoneyShow's Howard R. Gold believes it's become the right time to ease-up on stocks in the sensitive sectors.

No matter how the government shutdown and debt-ceiling debate are resolved—and they will be—the US economy is likely to plod along.

The 2008-2009 recession ended nearly four and a half years ago, but job growth remains anemic, while personal income has stagnated.

The Federal Reserve's expansive monetary policy—buying $85 billion worth of bonds each month—hasn't helped much. So, even if Fed chair-designate Janet Yellen is confirmed, it's unlikely more of the same easy money policy will produce better results.

Read Howard's analysis of why QE3 was a sign of failure on MoneyShow.com.

Those harsh realities, along with comments by a leading CEO at a conference I attended last week, have led me to conclude that it's time to lighten up on cyclical stocks, the economically sensitive sectors that have been such stalwart performers in a bull market now well into its fifth year.

Best Dividend Stocks To Watch Right Now

The CEO was Terry Lundgren of Macy's (M), the nation's second largest department store chain, with 850 outlets throughout the US and 90% of the company's revenues coming from those Macy's stores, which serve middle-class Americans. (High-end retailer Bloomingdale's accounts for 10% of sales.)

"What's turned against us is what's turned against retail," he told journalists attending a conference of the Society of American Business Editors & Writers (SABEW) in New York.

"The consumer wasn't spending in the second quarter. The higher income consumer has bounced back. That mid-tier consumer is under stress."

"There's just not enough job creation going on," he concluded.

Lundgren's sober assessment is reflected in Macy's stock performance: It's off 15% from its all-time high above $50, which it hit in July. That followed an astonishing bull market rally of 865% from the lows, just above $5, in the depths of the financial crisis.

Macy's isn't alone. Apparel retailers Urban Outfitters (URBN) and The Gap (GPS) both have had sharp corrections after, respectively, tripling and more than quadrupling from their lows. Teen retailers Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF), Aeropostale (ARO) and American Eagle Outfitters (AEO) have had their clocks cleaned as even teenagers—the canaries in the coal mine of discretionary spending—have tightened their purse strings.

"I see a weak consumer," said analyst Rick Snyder of Maxim Group, who downgraded Macy's stock in August to Hold from Buy. He sees softness in every metric the retail industry tracks—mall traffic, comparable store sales, what have you. "That data has all been weak," he told me.

Asked if he was anticipating a second wind for retailers, he replied, "I don't think so. I think this is going to be a fairly poor holiday season." And he added, "I don't see anything coming next year that's going to turn that around."

The only retail stocks he likes now are high-end emporia like Saks (SKS), which has agreed to a buyout from Hudson's Bay, and off-price retailer Ross Stores (ROST), whose stock has risen 700% from its lows.

NEXT: Big runs for homebuilders

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Are These Clues From Ceres the Real Deal? (CERE)

Despite the fact that markets are right around breakeven levels for Wednesday, there are relatively few stocks that are up today, and even fewer that are up on strong volume. For the NYSE, 54% of its listed equities are in the red this morning, and 58% of the total volume seen so far has been bearish volume. That's what makes Ceres Inc. (NASDAQ:CERE) so interesting early Wednesday. As one of the few tickers that's not only up, but up on higher volume, CERE is a standout worth a closer look. And, that closer look reveals something even more compelling about the way things are coming together for this small cap stock.

With a market cap of just less than $40 million right now, Ceres Inc. doesn't turn a lot of heads ... at least not yet. But, this agricultural science outfit has at least caught the attention of enough of the market's right players to keep some traders on the hook. Case in point: TheStreet.com's Roberto Pedone suggested CERE was a breakout candidate a few days ago [sometimes the suggestion of a possibility is as good as a flat-out 'buy' recommendation], and then as Forbes pointed out yesterday, the average analyst's target price for Ceres is a little more than three times its current price. Between the two, the tone and mood surrounding the stock has been decidedly bullish.

There's nothing as compelling right now, however, as the shape of the stock's chart.

CERE hasn't been a particularly strong name of late. In fact, it's never been a strong stock, falling from a peak of $15.59 in early 2012 shortly after it began trading on the NASDAQ to a low of $1.10 in August of this year. It was an enormous case of bad luck, issuing stock at what ended up being the beginning of a feeble-to-begin-with biomass/feedstock agricultural buzz, though unfairly high expectations from investors may have helped contribute to the stock's demise.

As they say though, nothing lasts forever. That includes weakness. Indeed, Ceres shares look like they're about to be stronger than they've ever been before. How so? For starters, a bowl-shaped reversal that began back in late August. This is the first time since late last year CERE has made a string of higher lows and a string of higher highs at a sustainable pace. The sheer organization of the effort speaks volumes about how traders are really starting to warm up to the stock. More than that, however, it's clear that the stock is finding support at its key moving average lines while working on the budding rally. That was the missing ingredient with past rally efforts. Finally, though still a little erratic, the volume basically grows on the upswing, and the volume fades on the pullbacks. This tells us the overall environment is a net-bullish one. Today's bullish pushoff from the 50-day moving average line (purple) is something of a clincher.

It's too soon to call Ceres Inc. a long-term buy, but based on what we've seen of late, it's certainly a pretty good short-term bet.

If you'd like to get more trading ideas and insights like this one, sign up for the free SmallCap Network daily e-newsletter. It's full of stock picks, market calls, and more.

Is BlackBerry Enticing at Current Prices?

With shares of BlackBerry (NASDAQ:BBRY) trading around $8, is BBRY an OUTPERFORM, WAIT AND SEE, or STAY AWAY? Let's analyze the stock with the relevant sections of our CHEAT SHEET investing framework:

T = Trends for a Stock’s Movement

BlackBerry is a designer, manufacturer, and marketer of wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. Through the development of integrated hardware, software, and services, it provides platforms and solutions for seamless access to information such as email, voice, instant messaging, SMS, Internet, intranet-based applications, and browsing. Its products and services feature the BlackBerry wireless solution, the Research In Motion Wireless Handheld product line, the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, software development tools, and other software and hardware.

BlackBerry has been quiet about its possible buyout by Fairfax Financial Holdings, which has led some to speculate that the deal could be in trouble. Fairfax CEO Prem Watsa told the Associated Press that his firm, which is BlackBerry's largest shareholder, remains committed to buying the struggling smartphone maker. Fairfax has offered $4.7 billion for BlackBerry, but the company's shares fell on Wednesday on fears that the deal may not go through.

T = Technicals on the Stock Chart Are Weak

BlackBerry stock has seen a sharp decline from highs established in 2007. The stock is currently trading near lows for the years and looks ready to test last year’s lows. Analyzing the price trend and its strength can be done using key simple moving averages. What are the key moving averages? The 50-day (pink), 100-day (blue), and 200-day (yellow) simple moving averages. As seen in the daily price chart below, BlackBerry is trading below its key averages, which signal neutral to bearish price action in the near-term.

(Source: Thinkorswim)

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

	Implied Volatility (IV)	30-Day IV Percentile	90-Day IV Percentile
BlackBerry Options	66.90%	20%	19%

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

	Put IV Skew	Call IV Skew
October Options	Steep	Average
November Options	Steep	Average

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

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

E = Earnings Are Increasing Quarter-Over-Quarter

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

	2013 Q2	2013 Q1	2012 Q4	2012 Q3
Earnings Growth (Y-O-Y)	86.87%	-78.23%	-96.08%	-171.43%
Revenue Growth (Y-O-Y)	9.13%	-41.26%	-47.21%	-31.07%
Earnings Reaction	Hot Canadian Companies To Own In Right Now -25.20%	-0.89%	-22.73%	5.04%

BlackBerry has seen declining earnings and revenue figures over the last four quarters. From these numbers, the markets have not been satisfied with BlackBerry’s recent earnings announcements.

P = Weak Relative Performance Versus Peers and Sector

How has BlackBerry stock done relative to its peers, Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL), Google (NASDAQ:GOOG), Nokia (NYSE:NOK), and sector?

	BlackBerry	Apple	Google	Nokia	Sector
Year-to-Date Return	-31.60%	-8.30%	24.57%	66.96%	18.06%

BlackBerry has been a poor relative performer, year-to-date.

Conclusion

BlackBerry provides innovative wireless communication products to consumers and companies worldwide. The company has been quiet about a possible buyout, which is leading markets to think that the deal may be in trouble. The stock has seen a sharp decline from its 2007 all time highs and is currently trading at lows for the year. Over the last four quarters, investors have not been satisfied as earnings and revenues have been declining. Relative to its peers and sector, BlackBerry has been a weak year-to-date performer. WAIT AND SEE what BlackBerry does this coming quarter.

DeWaay settles with Finra over sales practices

Don DeWaay, founder of the now-defunct DeWaay Financial Network LLC, has settled a sales practice case with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Inc.

Mr. Dewaay agreed to pay a $7,500 fine and accepted a 10-day suspension over alleged misrepresentations to potential investors in a private placement of shares in his holding company, DFN Partners LLC.

DFN partners owned his broker-dealer, DeWaay Financial Network.

Finra alleged Mr. DeWaay was trying to sell some of his own shares in DFN Partners, and misrepresented his company to investors in a June 2009 conference call.

He claimed his firm had enjoyed a 47% surge in revenue at that point in 2009, and expected a “significant increase” for the full year — claims Finra said were unsubstantiated.

Mr. DeWaay closed his broker-dealer last November due to mounting legal problems from other private placements the firm sold.

A call today to his investment advisory, DeWaay Capital Management, was not immediately returned.

Mr. DeWaay did not admit to any wrongdoing in the settlement agreement, which Finra approved on Wednesday.

Whether the Finra penalty will impact Mr. DeWaay is unclear, since he dropped his securities license last January.

Starbucks Corporation (SBUX): Can Starbucks Achieve Mid-Single-Digit Comp View?

Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX) is set to achieve the high end of management's mid-single-digit comp outlook for the foreseeable future driven by an enhanced food offering.

The company, which reported global comparable store sales growth of 8 percent for its third quarter, sees further opportunity around beverage innovation and limited time offers (LTOs). Food is already gaining traction as it contributed 200 basis points to the third quarter's comps (before any real benefit from LaBoulange), driven by breakfast sandwiches, paninis, and lunch boxes.

Food is currently 19 percent of the sales mix in US stores and 19 percent globally. Ultimately, management feels that a goal of a 25 percent plus food mix in the US is not unreasonable.

Starbucks partnered with La Boulange (LB) and the LB food program is not only beneficial for sales but also could have material cost benefits in areas of food waste and supply chain.

"The current food attachment rate is ~one-third of transactions. LaBoulange is initially targeted to improve the current bakery offering, which accounts for ~50% of food sales in US stores," BMO Capital Markets analyst Phillip Juhan said in a note to clients.

LaBoulange is in more than 1,000 stores today, and that number should approach about 3,000 stores by year-end, which is ahead of the initial plan to reach 2,500 stores this year.

As the first wave of LB rolls out over the next 12 months, this line-up will replace the current bakery offering in Starbucks' US retail stores. Bakery represents about half of total food sales while food in total represents 19 percent of retail store sales. This suggests that the initial LB bakery roll-out will impact about 10 percent of the sales mix.

Starbucks is encouraged by the early LaBoulange results. Management is seeing a higher food attachment rate in stores with the LaBoulange offering. Moreover, the LaBoulange product line carries roughly a 10 percent higher average price than those items it is replacing.

"We think the line could add as much as 100–200 bp to comp-store sales over the next couple of years," Juhan noted.

Management also sees an additional margin opportunity, driven by lower food cost/waste, given more cost effective ordering, delivering and food prep methods related to the brand. The up-front investment in the stores has already occurred, so all US company-operated stores are prepared for the rollout.

Meanwhile, pre-loaded dollars on smart phones are up 100 percent year over year while loyalty card pre-loaded dollars are up about 30 percent year over year. The Starbucks card continues to account for one-third of all US in-store transactions.

"Starbucks is recalibrating expectations for a lower-paced sales trajectory. Management believes that over the next couple of years, Starbucks can slowly reaccelerate channel development (CPG) rev growth back to a low-double-digit pace from the ~6% growth rate reported in FY3Q," Juhan said.

Moreover, the company sees a challenging environment and a struggle for market share in packaged coffee and food service given little to no growth in the overall market excluding single-serve. The company's recent price decrease in packaged coffee is mitigating growth in other areas.

Single-serve and international CPG distribution remain the real growth opportunities within the channel development division.

Internationally, Europe is benefiting from improved distribution is leading to a lower cost structure, and the company continues to rationalize G&A and expects to continue to take costs out of the model in the coming quarters.

The recently improved top-line results have been driven by improved consumer engagement, a re-commitment to training employees regarding consistent beverage production, the loyalty program, and an improved food program in the UK.

"The operating margin goal for Europe remains mid- to upper teens with healthy steps over a period of years from the current 3%-4% rate," Juhan wrote.

!

In Asi! a Pacific, China remains a key country. Starbucks currently operates in about 70 cities within China with 70 percent of the stores in tier 1 and tier 2 cities. Expect future store growth to occur primarily in cities where Starbucks already has a presence. China/Asia Pacific comp growth was 9 percent for the third quarter as traffic growth sequentially doubled from the second quarter.

China should remain the fastest-growing geography for years to come. China's average unit volume (AUV) is approaching $900K. The afternoon day-part remains strong, and the morning coffee ritual is not cemented yet with the Chinese consumer.

"Expect a natural growth curve in China that should mature over time – think "10% comps with a band around that as a good comp projection," Juhan said.

Meanwhile, new products from Evolution Fresh (facilitated by the new DANONE agreement) coupled with additional health and wellness product iterations should drive comp.

Coffee costs could be a big tailwind for Starbucks. Coffee costs continue to decline with futures indicating about $1.15 a pound, down from the prior cycle high of over $3.00 in early 2011. While Starbucks has already contracted "well over" 80 percent of its coffee requirements for 2014, it could see continued meaningful commodity cost savings in 2015.

Morningstar's ETF conference</font> iShares, Vanguard top Morningstar ETF awards"><font color=red>Morningstar's ETF conference</font> iShares, Vanguard top Morningstar ETF awards

In the exchange-traded-fund world, it's BlackRock Inc.'s iShares and The Vanguard Group Inc., followed by everyone else.

iShares was named the top provider of U.S. stock, international stock and taxable-bond ETFs at the second annual Morningstar ETF Awards. Vanguard was named the top provider of sector ETFs, the only other broad category.

Morningstar ranked the best-in-class ETFs in 40 categories, both for buy-and-hold investors and those who trade more frequently. Combined, iShares and Vanguard were named the best in class in 54 of the 80 categories Morningstar ranked.

“It's becoming increasingly difficult to compete in the core categories,” said Ben Johnson, director of passive fund research at Morningstar. “Over time, as these particular categories become more and more commoditized, it won't be winner takes all, but it will be winner takes most.”

For iShares and Vanguard, their size has enabled them to do so well in the awards, as they've passed the benefits of their scale on to investors, Mr. Johnson said.

iShares and Vanguard are the biggest and third-biggest ETF companies, respectively, and combined, they manage more than $875 billion in ETF assets, or just over 57% of all ETF assets.

Even though newer entrants to the ETF world, such as Charles Schwab Investments, were able to nab some awards — the Schwab U.S. Broad Market ETF (SCHB) was named best large-cap-blend ETF in the investor category, for example — iShares and Vanguard aren't expected to lose their stranglehold on the top categories.

Top Value Companies To Buy Right Now

“The incumbents are firmly entrenched, and I don't see that changing anytime soon,” Mr. Johnson said.

One area where there could be a shake-up is between iShares and Vanguard.

Because Vanguard changed the underlying index of 22 of its ETFs last October, those ETFs weren't eligible for the main categories since they don't have a full year of tracking the new indexes, which Morningstar requires to be eligible.

Top 10 Financial Companies To Invest In Right Now

Make no mistake about it: Things are much better today than they were one year ago. And they were much better last year than the year before.

We were reminded of this in a recent report on the state of the foreclosure market published by data analytics firm CoreLogic (NYSE: CLGX  ) . At the same time, however, we were also reminded of how much further we still have to go before the crisis is fully and finally behind us. What follows, in turn, are the five most revealing numbers that CoreLogic uncovered in its report.

1. 4.4 million
There have been 4.4 million completed foreclosures since the financial crisis began in September 2008.

2. 103,807
This is the number of completed foreclosures in Florida over the past 12 months. By means of comparison, there have been 108 completed foreclosures in the District of Columbia over the same time period. Adjusting for the population difference, in Florida, the number of foreclosures per household was 1.45%, while in DC, it was only�0.04%.

Top 10 Financial Companies To Invest In Right Now: BlackRock Municipal Income Investment Trust (BBF)

BlackRock Municipal Income Investment Trust is a closed ended fixed income mutual fund launched by BlackRock, Inc. The fund is managed by BlackRock Advisors, LLC. It invests in the fixed income markets of United States. The fund primarily invests in the municipal bonds in hospital, water and sewer, education, tax, housing, lease, power, tobacco, transportation, and industrial and pollution control sectors. It was formerly known as BlackRock Florida Municipal Income Trust. BlackRock Municipal Income Investment Trust was formed in 2001 and is domiciled in United States.

Top 10 Financial Companies To Invest In Right Now: E-House(China)

E-House (China) Holdings Limited, through its subsidiaries, operates as a real estate services company in China. It provides primary real estate agency services, secondary real estate brokerage services, real estate information and consulting services, real estate advertising services, real estate online services, and real estate investment fund management services. The company offers primary real estate agency services to real estate developers of residential properties. Its secondary real estate brokerage services include offering advisory services on choices of properties; accompanying potential buyers on house viewing trips; drafting purchase contracts; negotiating price and other terms; and providing preliminary proof of title, as well as coordinating with the notary, the bank, and the title transfer agency. The company also provides market information to buyers and sellers based on its research, as well as listing and brokerage services comprising sales and rentals. Its real estate consulting services include land acquisition consulting and land development consulting. The company?s real estate information services comprise the sale of online subscriptions to its proprietary CRIC system to support its primary and secondary real estate agency services. Its real estate advertising services comprise advertising design and sales in print and other media. The company?s real estate online services include real estate news, information, property data, and access to online communities to real estate consumers and participants through local Web sites. Its real estate investment fund management activities consist of investments in China?s real estate sector. E-House (China) Holdings Limited was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Shanghai, the People?s Republic of China.

Top Canadian Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Mid-Wisconsin Finl Svcs Inc(MWFS.OB)

Mid-Wisconsin Financial Services, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for Mid-Wisconsin Bank, a state-chartered bank that provides general commercial and retail banking services to individuals, businesses, and governmental units in Wisconsin. The company offers various deposit products, including interest bearing and non-interest bearing demand deposits, savings accounts, money market accounts, time deposits, individual retirement accounts, and certificates of deposit. It also provides a portfolio of commercial and consumer loans, including lines of credit, term loans, commercial real estate loans, agricultural financing, installment and other personal loans, and residential mortgage loans. In addition, the company offers ATM, merchant capture, cash management, express phone, and online banking services. Further, it provides wealth management services, such as fiduciary, administrative, and investment management services for personal trusts, estates, individuals, bus inesses, non-profits, and foundations for an asset-based fee. Additionally the company offers a range of retail investment and insurance products, including equities, bonds, fixed and variable annuities, mutual funds, life insurance, long-term care insurance, and brokered certificates of deposits. It operates 14 retail banking locations in Clark, Eau Claire, Lincoln, Marathon, Oneida, Price, Taylor, and Vilas counties in north central Wisconsin. The company is headquartered in Medford, Wisconsin.

Top 10 Financial Companies To Invest In Right Now: W.R. Berkley Corporation(WRB)

W. R. Berkley Corporation, an insurance holding company, operates as commercial lines writers in the property casualty insurance business primarily in the United States. The company operates in five segments: Specialty, Regional, Alternative Markets, Reinsurance, and International. The Specialty segment underwrites third-party liability risks, primarily excess, and surplus lines, including premises operations, professional liability, commercial automobile, products liability, and property lines. The Regional segments provide commercial insurance products to small-to-mid-sized businesses, and state and local governmental entities primarily in the 45 states of the United States. The Alternative Markets segment develops, insures, reinsures, and administers self-insurance programs and other alternative risk transfer mechanisms. This segment offers its services to employers, employer groups, insurers, and alternative market funds, as well as provides a range of fee-based servic es, including consulting and administrative services. The Reinsurance segment engages in the underwriting property casualty reinsurance on a treaty and a facultative basis, including individual certificates and program facultative business; and specialty and standard reinsurance lines, and property and casualty reinsurance. The International segment offers personal and commercial property casualty insurance in South America; commercial property casualty insurance in the United Kingdom and continental Europe; and reinsurance in Australia, Southeast Asia, and Canada. The company was founded in 1967 and is based in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Top 10 Financial Companies To Invest In Right Now: Sun Communities Inc (SUI)

Sun Communities, Inc. is a self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust (REIT). The Company leases individual parcels of land (sites) with utility access for placement of manufactured homes and recreational vehicles (RV) to its customers. It operates in two segments: Real Property Operations, and Home Sales and Rentals. The Real Property Operations segment owns, operates, and develops manufactured housing communities concentrated in the Midwestern, southern, and south-eastern United States and is in the business of acquiring, operating, and expanding manufactured housing communities. The Home Sales and Rentals segment offers manufactured home sales and leasing services to tenants and prospective tenants of its communities. In May 2011, it acquired Orange City RV Resort, a Florida RV community comprised of 525 developed sites. In February 2012, it acquired three additional Florida RV communities, Three Lakes RV resort, Blueberry Hill RV resort and Grand Lake Estates.

As of December 31, 2011, it owned and operated a portfolio of 159 properties located in 18 states, including 141 manufactured housing communities, eight RV communities, and 10 properties containing both manufactured housing and RV sites. As of December 31, 2011, the Properties contained an aggregate of 54,811 developed sites consisted of 47,935 developed manufactured home sites, 3,867 permanent RV sites, 3,009 seasonal RV sites, and approximately 6,400 additional manufactured home sites suitable for development. Most of the Properties include amenities oriented toward family and retirement living. Of the 159 Properties, 73 have more than 300 developed manufactured home sites, with the having 1,003 developed manufactured home sites. As of December 31, 2011, the Properties had an occupancy rate of 85.3 % excluding seasonal RV sites.

The Company�� properties contain improvements similar to garden-style residential developments, including centralized entrances, paved streets, curbs and gutters, an! d parkways. In addition, these communities also often provide a number of amenities, such as a clubhouse, a swimming pool, shuffleboard courts, tennis courts and laundry facilities. The owner of each home on its Properties leases the site, on which the home is located. The Company owns the underlying land, utility connections, streets, lighting, driveways, common area amenities and other capital improvements. Some of the properties provide water and sewer service through public or private utilities, while others provide these services to residents from onsite facilities. Each owner within its properties is responsible for the maintenance of the home and leased site.

Top 10 Financial Companies To Invest In Right Now: Financial Engines Inc.(FNGN)

Financial Engines, Inc. and its subsidiaries provide independent, technology-enabled portfolio management services, investment advice, and retirement income services to participants in employer-sponsored defined contribution plans. The company helps investors plan for retirement by offering personalized plans for saving and investing, as well as by providing assessments of retirement income needs and readiness. Its services include Professional Management, a discretionary managed account service designed for plan participants who want personalized and professional portfolio management services, investment advice, and retirement income services from an independent investment advisor; Online Advice, an Internet-based non-discretionary service that offers personalized advice to plan participants who manage their portfolios directly; and Retirement Evaluation, a retirement readiness assessment provided to plan participants upon plan rollout. The company delivers its services t o plan sponsors and plan participants primarily through connections to eight retirement plan providers in the United States. Financial Engines, Inc. was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Palo Alto, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By WWW.GURUFOCUS.COM]

  Our biggest contributor this quarter was Financial Engines, Inc. (FNGN), which provides personalized independent investment management and advice to employees for their retirement plans. The stock rose 26.0%. Revenues grew an impressive 29% in the first quarter, driven by additional corporate clients, more employee participation and stock market appreciation. The company recently introduced "Income Plus" an alternative to "target date" fund offerings, which is being well received and opens up potential new growth opportunities.

Top 10 Financial Companies To Invest In Right Now: Egi Financial Hold Com Npv (EFH.TO)

EGI Financial Holdings Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the property and casualty insurance business in Canada, the United States, and Denmark. The company underwrites non-standard automobile insurance, as well as insurance for motorcycles, antique and classic vehicles, trailers, motor homes, and recreational vehicles. It also designs and underwrites specialized insurance programs, such as property, primary and excess liability, legal expense, and accident and health insurance for various businesses and consumers; extended warranty coverage for homes, consumer products, and heavy equipment; and specialized coverage products, such as business interruption and independent truckers insurance. The company sells its products primarily through brokers and agents, benefit consultants, managing general agents, third party administrators, and warranty product distributors. EGI Financial Holdings Inc. was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Mississauga, Canada.

Top 10 Financial Companies To Invest In Right Now: Cr Artigiano(CRA.MI)

Credito Artigiano S.p.A. engages in the provision of banking and investment services in Italy. It offers loans, savings accounts, insurance, investments, pension funds, and credit card services. The company operates three product lines, including investment and bank insurance that provides savings products, and life and casualty insurance; transfer products; and financing products, such as mortgage, consumer, and business loans, as well as factoring services. It also offers online banking services. The company serves families, professionals, and small businesses. It operates a network of approximately 144 branches in the areas of London, Monza and Brianza, Pavia, Florence, Lawn, Piacenza, Pisa, Pistoia, Lucca, Rome, Lodi, and Cremona. The company, formerly known as Piccolo Credito Artigiano, was founded in 1946 and is headquartered in Milan, Italy. Credito Artigiano S.p.A. is a subsidiary of Credito Valtellinese Soc Coop.

Top 10 Financial Companies To Invest In Right Now: St.modwen Props(SMP.L)

St. Modwen Properties PLC, through its subsidiaries, engages in the investment and development of real estate properties in the United Kingdom. It develops communities, mixed use and town centre schemes, district centres, business and employment developments, office accommodation, warehousing, and industrial projects. The company?s property portfolio comprises approximately 5,700 developable acres and 18 town centre schemes. St. Modwen Properties PLC is headquartered in Birmingham, the United Kingdom.

Top 10 Financial Companies To Invest In Right Now: Charles Stanley Grp(CAY.L)

Charles Stanley Group Plc, together with its subsidiaries, provides investment and financial services in the United Kingdom. The company operates in three segments: Private Clients, Financial Services, and Charles Stanley Securities. The Private Clients segment offers investment management services to individuals, trusts, and charities. The Financial Services segment provides corporate finance and wealth management services; pension administration services; and markets unit trusts, open ended investment company units, and packaged financial products to private clients. The Charles Stanley Securities segment offers stock broking, financial planning and benefit consultancy, and small and mid-cap advisory and institutional broking services. The company also provides life and health assurance, and tax advisory services. Charles Stanley Group Plc was founded in 1792 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.