In a market environment filled with gloomy results and even more gloomy forecasts, a rational person might have expected that an earnings release narrowly missing analysts' expectations would have had a positive impact. Not so with Verizon.

With a strong balance sheet and a debt-to-equity ratio under 0.40, Nucor (NUE) is an attractive buy.

Blount International Inc (BLT) is a classic example of the hidden gem lurking in the shadows of the small-cap world.

Traders can take a bite of YUM now, and long-term buyers can wait and savor it later.

Investors who think the worst is over for the building sector may want to add PHM to a long-term portfolio.

Shares of Dow component Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) tumbled 10 percent Monday morning after the maker of heavy-duty equipment said fourth-quarter profit fell 32 percent from a year ago and cautioned that 2009 will be a "very tough" year.

Today's earlier than expected announcement ahead of the bell from Microsoft that they will undergo a significant layoff of personnel and that they would not be providing guidance for 2009 earnings has dealt another blow to an already reeling technology sector.

If S&P 750 is crushed on high volume, look out below.

With a new story coming out everyday about poor corporate decisions, greed, outright fraud and self interest, determining value for a particular CEO is tough work.

Investment in corporate bonds offers an opportunity in the current market environment for an investor to earn current income and future price appreciation.

Talk about bad karma! Owens Corning emerged from bankruptcy in 2006 only to see the housing market enter the worst tailspin in its history. As a testimonial to the company's endurance, however, Owens is continuing to generate profits at a time when home building product suppliers are struggling to survive.

AAPL will no doubt open higher but look for a rally to die out at just over the 50-day moving average.

No sector has escaped the clutches of this bear market, including the technology sector. So far, 2009 has been dominated by earnings announcements, Steve Jobs' health issues and more job cuts, including Microsoft's first-ever mass layoffs. But the strong will survive, and their investors will be rewarded handsomely when the market turns around. Here are five names poised to thrive going forward.

Some say that 2008 was the year of the short, but more accurately, it was the year of the trade. In hibernation since the dot com crash, those moving in and out of the market during the last year made out like bandits.

GG offers a trade up to the resistance beginning at the 200-day moving average.

In late November our government drew the line in the sand with respect to the banking and financial sector. With that line there will be clear winners and losers. If your bank is on the right side of that line, you are in the clear.

If you've been able to preserve capital during the great bear market of 2007-2008, now is the time to do some serious shopping. Some of the biggest companies with the biggest brands and the largest profits are now trading for deep discounts. Here are five corporate giants selling at wholesale prices.

CSX Corp. lowered its earnings expectations and withdrew it's guidance on Monday. Jamie Dlugosch weighs in CSX's valuation.

The Commerce Department announced Thursday that retail sales fell by 2.7 percent in December, more than double the 1.2 percent decline that Wall Street expected. The shortfall in December sales comes on the heels of a November drop which was recently revised downward to 2.1 percent.