The stock market changes from minute to minute, and what’s hot today may not be hot tomorrow. Our expert analysts spot hot stocks that are heating up before the crowd swoops in to bid prices higher, and our journalists sift through the noise to shine a light on trending investments -- in spaces ranging from quantum computing to marijuana stocks -- to determine whether they’re actually worth your time.
Finding penny stocks to buy in the tech sector can be a difficult trading strategy, but these investments can also be great ways to make money in the stock market. Aggressive technology penny stocks can deliver big profits in a hurry after just a little buying pressure. It's because of this that some of my favorite penny stocks to buy right now are tech picks including ChipMos Technologies (IMOS), iGo Inc. (IGOI), Newtek Business Services (NEWT) and Tower Semiconductor (TSEM) among others.
An endless see-saw of mortgage default news and the continued worries over sovereign debt in the euro zone have many investors afraid of financial stocks and bank investments right now. But if you do your homework, there a number of opportunities in the sector become clear -- particularly among financials in Latin America.
Investment in banks and financial stocks changes quickly, but let me take the guesswork out of investing for this week with 12 hot financial stocks to buy and 12 stocks to sell that are "dogs with fleas." Among the favorites on my list the best stocks to buy are emerging market bank stocks like BanColombia S.A. (CIB) and regional banks like First Citizens Bancshares Inc.(FCNCA) and Signature Bank (SBNY). Stocks to sell include Netherlands bank ING Groep N.V. (ING) and Switzerland's Credit Suisse (CS), along with U.S. investment banks Charles Schwab (SCHW) and Northern Trust (NTRS).
Among BRIC funds, Brazil investments may offer greater returns than China, India and Russia. Find out what makes this Latin American nation the current leader in BRIC investments now – and for the foreseeable future.
For tech stock investors, this week heralded the end of an investment era as Apple Inc. (AAPL) briefly overtook Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) as the most valuable technology company in the world. As of this writing, Microsoft stock has rallied to close the gap and retake the lead, but the iPad and iPhone maker is not far behind. The tally right now is Apple at #2 with a market cap of $228.1 billion compared with a Microsoft market cap of $228.7 billion.
Brazil's emerging market may prove to be a great BRIC investment. Find the latest information on BRIC funds and learn why Brazil investments are currently more compelling than those in Russia, India and China.
Among the best investments to buy now in China are a number of high yield dividend stocks. These include crude oil, natural gas and coal energy stocks such as Yazhou Coal Mining Co. Ltd. (YZC), CNOOC Ltd. (CEO), PetroChina Co. Ltd. (PTR) and China Petroleum & Chemical Corp. (SNP). Also in the mix are communications stocks such as China Mobile Limited (CHL), City Telecom (H.K.) Limited (CTEL) and Giant Interactive Group, Inc. (GA). Rounding out the list is the China rail stock Guangshen Railway Co. Ltd. (GSH) and health care stock China Medical Technologies, Inc (CMED).
Now that much of the agenda and risk is already out on the table with health care reforms, the healthcare sector is starting to look like a viable investment opportunity. And lest you think it's just for biotech stocks and insurance giants, let me remind you that there are some great dividend stocks to be had here – and one of my favorites is Medical Facilities Corporation (MFCSF). The stock currently has a dividend yield north of 10%!
Investing in gold is easy, and can be quite profitable. China is fast emerging as an enormous market for precious metals of all types, and particularly gold bullion. For many years now India has been the world's largest gold market, but that designation has recently come under pressure from the Red Dragon. In fact, last year demand for gold bullion in India fell by a whopping 33%, while demand in China surged 9%. This renewed Chinese investing in gold, as well as the current flux in the equity and currency markets, means big profit opportunities in gold ETFs such as the SPDR Gold Shares (GLD).
There's a lot of talk about a "China bubble" and how China stocks are peaking. Don't believe it. The reality is that China's stock market is like any stock market – there are good investments and bad investments. So how do you find the good stocks in China? Simple: Buy what China buys. And since the People's Republic is seeing soaring energy demand -- specifically demand for crude oil. That means good things for major China oil stocks like CNOOC Ltd. (NYSE: CEO), PetroChina Co. Ltd. (NYSE: PTR), and China Petroleum and Chemical Corp. (NYSE: SNP).
Coal is a cheap source of energy. This is the biggest reason why the Chinese use coal to produce 80% of their electricity, while the U.S. uses coal for about 60%. India is another big consumer of the fuel, but it consumes only one-fifth as much as China. This big demand means big potential for coal stocks such as global coal stocks Sasol (NYSE: SSL), Peabody Energy (NYSE: BTU), Puda Coal (AMEX: PUDA) and Yanzhou Coal (NYSE: YZC).
Fast food heavyweights Burger King Holdings Inc. (BKC) and McDonald's Corp. (MCD) continue to duke it out in a fight for a bigger share of an increasing crowded fast-food marketplace. First it was the $1 double cheeseburger war. Then, the fight over breakfast. Now it appears MCD stock and BKC stock have come to blows over a price war for summer drinks.
After nearly two years of currency stability, I believe we are growing closer to a new round of yuan appreciation. And considering that the most frequently asked questions I receive from subscribers are when and how much the Chinese yuan will appreciate against the U.S. dollar, followed by how the currency appreciation will impact our China Strategy portfolio, I'd like to dig deeper into the issue.
With Greece's debt troubles, a lot of international investors are bullish on the euro. But there is one Asian currency that may soon follow the unraveling euro, and that's the Japanese yen. But you can find good stocks there. Nissan (NASDAQ: NSANY) is boosting capacity in China by 70% by 2012 as the country surpassed the U.S. as the world's largest car market. Toyota (NYSE: TM) and Honda (NYSE: HMC) are not far behind. Everyone knows that the battle for market share is critical at the moment. Even General Motors, which is a ghost of its former self, is selling more cars in China in the first three months of 2010 than it is in the U.S. And Hitachi (NYSE: HIT), which at one point was 2% of the Japanese economy, is a huge industrial conglomerate that will also be a direct beneficiary of BRICs' growth.
Occidental Petroleum Corp (NYSE: OXY) is a California-based company with a portfolio of oil- and gas-producing properties in the U.S., Latin America, and the Middle East. Occidental Petroleum stock offers favorable exposure to higher oil prices. According to the firm's most recent presentation, a $1.00 increase in crude oil prices -- a move of about 1.2% at today's levels -- adds about $34 million to its net income. OXY earnings that could be boosted by this trend.
