Arizona’s Apollo Group (NASDAQ: APOL) is in orbit today, up 7.32%, after it blasted away it’s $1.33 earnings expectation with a $1.45 result.  Several analysts boosted their price targets, as the company said student retention rates were strong.

Apollo is the best-performing stock on the InvestorPlace.com Real America Index today. Other top performers include:

Nevada’s Wynn Resorts (NASDAQ: WYNN) hit the jackpot, up 3.99% today, as Macau gaming revenue in June flew up 52%.  Wynn has major assets in Macau, which is seeing explosive growth compared to struggling Las Vegas.

Idaho’s Micron Technology (NASDAQ: MU) is up 3.98% today, on news of continued strength in the semiconductor sector, and also because the stock was likely oversold after the company reported weak earnings last week.

The Real America Index is otherwise strong today, but these three stocks are hurting:

Kansas’s Sprint-Nextel Corporation (NYSE: S) is phoning in a -1.22% loss.  There’s no big news, other than Sprint battling its own weakening margins and inability to attract new customers.

South Carolina’s BMW (PINK: BAMXF) is skidding to a -1.51% loss, but there’s no obvious news behind the drop.

Louisiana’s Shaw Group (NASDAQ: SHAW) is the biggest loser in the RA Index for a second straight day, down -2.62%, on top of yesterday’s big loss.  Investors are still running for the hills after the miserable earnings report.

Looking at the broad perspective, the Real America Index is up just over 1%, with the other three major indices in the same boat.

About the Real America Index

When Americans wonder how healthy the nation’s economy is, where can they turn? At InvestorPlace, we hope we have the answer: a list of 50 publicly traded stocks we call the Real America Index.  Check out the interactive Real America Index map, browse a list of all 50 component stocks, or find out how we created this index.