Oklahoma’s Chesapeake Energy (NYSE: CHK) exploded 7.41%, as sector peer Petrohawk Energy (NYSE: HK) was bought out by BHP Billiton (NYSE: BHP), lifting the entire sector.

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

South Carolina’s BMW (PINK: BAMXF) is up another 1.86%, adding to its 7% jump this week.  Investors are still cheering the news of better than expected EBITDA this year and the introduction of the Mini Cooper into Indonesia next week.

Montana’s Stillwater Mining (NYSE: SWC) is up 1.53% today, a small give-back to the 30% loss it’s taken this past week after announcing a takeover bid of Peregrine Metals Ltd.

The Real America Index is flat today, but these three stocks are being sold:

Kentucky’s Yum! Brands (NYSE: YUM) is down -1.76%, as it struggles with news that it’s Taco Bell U.S. same-store sales were down 5% YOY, thanks to a lawsuit regarding the beef content of its taco filling.

Hawaii’s Hawaiian Holdings (NASDAQ: HA) is dropping -2.55% on higher oil prices, and a DOT request to all airlines for more details on fees they are charging passengers.

Alabama’s HealthSouth (NYSE: HLS) is down -2.82%, but there’s no obvious news moving either the stock or the sector.

Looking at the broad perspective, the Real America Index is as flat as a Texas landscape, as are its three major index peers.

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.