By Hal M. Bundrick
NEW YORK (MainStreet) It was a good year for American workers and best for the youngest among us. Fully 42% of American employees say their finances improved in 2013, but more than half (58%) of Millennial workers feel they are financially better off now than at the beginning of 2013.
The Principal Financial Well-Being Index surveys employees at small and mid-sized businesses with 10 to 1,000 workers, and while most indicated an improving personal financial situation, respondents are still divided on the future of the U.S. economy.
Four in ten workers expect the economy to worsen next year, while 32% think the economy will improve. "Following the recent peak in economic optimism at this time last year, workers have returned to a more cautious outlook as they approach 2014," said Luke Vandermillen at The Principal. "As they prepare to ring in the New Year, it's encouraging to see American workers take action by focusing on their own personal finances instead of what they can't control -- the economy." Fully 57% of employees say they usually feel in control of their personal financial situation. Nearly half (49%) say they believe they are making good progress toward achieving their long-term financial goals. But there is always room for improvement: one in five (21%) report not saving enough as their top financial blunder in 2013, followed by accumulating credit card debt (9%) and taking on more debt (8%). The budget busters for 2013 were caused by dining out (22%) and food/groceries (21%). Gas came in close behind at 20%. More than a quarter (28%) of those surveyed do not intend to make any financial New Year's resolutions this year, but of those who do, these are the improvements they'll shoot for: 34% resolve to save a set amount each month 28% plan to pay off credit card debt 23% resolve to reduce monthly spending More than a third (37%) plan on spending less this holiday season by buying gifts for fewer people (38%), spending less per gift (37%) or traveling less (26%) this holiday season. The majority of respondents said they plan to spend $500 or less on the holidays. --Written by Hal M. Bundrick for MainStreet
Top Integrated Utility Companies To Buy For 2015: Powershares Golden Dragon (PGJ)
PowerShares Golden Dragon Halter USX China Portfolio is based on the Halter USX China Index. The Index is comprised of the United States listed securities of companies, which derive a majority of their revenue from the People's Republic of China. The fund was incepted on December 9, 2004.
The sectors covered by the investment include consumer discretionary, consumer staples, energy, financials, healthcare, industrials, information technology, materials, telecommunications and utilities. PowerShares Capital Management LLC provides investment management to the Fund.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Robert Martin]
With that in mind, here are four of the best emerging market ETF picks: A China ETF, an India ETF, and two other ETFs that track broad indices like the MSCI Emerging Markets Index.
PowerShares Gold Dragon Halter USX China Portfolio (PGJ)Expense Ratio: 0.7%
Hot Managed Healthcare Companies To Own For 2014: Synthesis Energy Systems Inc.(SYMX)
Synthesis Energy Systems, Inc., a global energy and gasification technology company, provides products and solutions to the energy and chemical industries. It offers technology and equipment in regions, where low rank coals and biomass feed stocks can be converted into high value products through its proprietary U-GAS fluidized bed gasification technology. The company licenses its U-GAS technology rights to third parties and delivers an engineered technology package, as well as provides proprietary equipment components to customers, who have contracted to own and operate projects. It has a joint venture agreement with Shandong Hai Hua Coal and Chemical Company Ltd. for developing, constructing, and operating a syngas production plant utilizing the U-GAS technology in Zao Zhuang City, China; and for producing and selling syngas, and various byproducts of the plant, including ash and elemental sulphur. The syngas can be used as a fuel gas in industrial applications, or can b e used to produce power, synthetic natural gas, methanol, dimethyl ether, glycol, ammonia, direct reduction iron, and synthetic gasoline, as well as other transportation fuels, steam, sulphur, carbon dioxide, or ash. Synthesis Energy Systems, Inc. was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Roberto Pedone]
One under-$10 specialty chemicals player that's starting to move within range of triggering a major breakout trade is Synthesis Energy Systems (SYMX), which provides various proprietary gasification technology systems and solutions to the energy and chemical industries worldwide. This stock is off to a red hot start so far in 2014, with shares up a whopping 191%.
If you glance at the chart for Synthesis Energy Systems, you'll see that this stock has been uptrending over the last month and change, with shares moving higher from its low of $1.39 to its recent high of $1.85 a share. During that uptrend, shares of SYMX have been making mostly higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has started to push shares of SYMX within range of triggering a major breakout trade above some key near-term overhead resistance levels.
Traders should now look for long-biased trades in SYMX if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $1.85 to $1.86 a share and then once it takes out more key overhead resistance levels at $1.93 to $2 and $2.09 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 594,782 shares. If that breakout gets underway soon, then SYMX will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $2.44 to its 52-week high at $2.49 a share. Any high-volume move above those levels will then give SYMX a chance to tag $3 to $3.50 a share.
Traders can look to buy SYMX off weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some key near-term support levels at $1.60 to $1.55 a share. One can also buy SYMX off strength once it starts to clear those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.
- [By Lisa Levin]
Synthesis Energy Systems (NASDAQ: SYMX) shares jumped 26.01% to $2.18 on the receipt of a 20-year business license for China Clean Coal Gasification joint venture
Hot Managed Healthcare Companies To Own For 2014: Sasol Ltd.(SSL)
Sasol Limited operates as an integrated energy and chemicals company worldwide. It mines saleable coal; distributes and markets natural gas and methane-rich gas; owns, operates, and maintains cross-border natural gas pipeline; produces coal-based synfuels; and markets oil products, such as petrol, diesel, jet fuel, illuminating paraffin, naphtha, liquid petroleum gas (LPG), fuel oils, bitumen, motor and industrial lubricants, and sulphur to the industrial and licensed wholesalers customers in South Africa. The company also supplies ethylene, propylene, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, chlor-alkali chemicals, and mining reagents; solvents, co-monomers, acrylates, and associated products; surfactants, linear alkylbenzene, surfactant intermediates, n-paraffins, n-olefins, C6-C22 alcohols, ethylene, oleochemicals, and other organic intermediates, as well as provides specialty aluminas, silica aluminas, and hydrotalcites. In addition, it produces and markets var ious chemical products comprising waxes, fertilizers, and mining explosive products; converts natural gas into synthesis gas for use as petrochemical feedstock; and involves in the research and development, alternative energy, and financial activities. Further, the company produces natural gas and condensate from the onshore Pande and Temane fields in Mozambique; oil in Gabon from the offshore Etame, Avouma, and Ebouri oilfield cluster; and shale gas from the Farrell Creek and Cypress A assets in Canada. It operates in South Africa, the other parts of Africa, Europe, North America, South America, Southeast Asia, Australasia, the Middle East, India, and the Far East. Sasol Limited was founded in 1950 and is headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Arjun Sreekumar]
However, interest in GTL continues to grow. In December, South African energy firm Sasol (NYSE: SSL ) said that it would build the first commercial GTL facility in the U.S. The Johannesburg-based company has pinpointed Louisiana as the plant's chosen location due to that state's copious�reserves of natural gas, and said it expects production from the facility to begin in 2018.
- [By Jeff Reeves]
If you want to play stocks directly, one great options is telecom play MTN Group�(MTNOY). Smartphones can provide even remote villages tremendous communications and commerce power to unlock growth, and MTN is a key part of that narrative across Africa. Chemicals and energy company Sasol (SSL) is more of a cyclical play but also headquartered in South Africa.
- [By Dan Newman]
Profitable opportunity
Some may guess that doing business with developing countries wouldn't allow for a very profitable business. However, when South African companies like�Sasol� (NYSE: SSL ) �-- which estimated 18% of its workforce carried HIV in 2007�-- must dedicate departmental budgets to HIV/AIDS, there are plenty of opportunities for Female Health to cover costs and earn a return. A healthier workforce for Sasol would simply cost less for the company, and Female Health can help companies like Sasol achieve a healthier workforce.
Hot Managed Healthcare Companies To Own For 2014: Expedia Inc.(EXPE)
Expedia, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as an online travel company in the United States and internationally. It provides travel products and services to leisure and corporate travelers, offline retail travel agents, and travel service providers through a portfolio of brands, including Expedia.com, hotels.com, Hotwire.com, Expedia Affiliate Network, Classic Vacations, Expedia Local Expert, Expedia CruiseShipCenters, Egencia, eLong, Inc., and Venere Net SpA. The company?s travel offerings consist of airline tickets, hotel rooms, car rentals, destination services, cruises, and package travel provided by various commercial airlines, lodging properties, car rental companies, destination service providers, cruise lines, and other travel product and service companies on a stand-alone and package basis. It also facilitates the booking of hotel rooms, airline seats, car rentals, and destination services from its travel suppliers; and acts as an agent in the transa ction, passing reservations booked by its travelers to the relevant travel provider. The company was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Aubrey Pringle]
Netflix Inc. (NFLX) jumped 7.8 percent on reports that the company is in talks to get its service on cable operators��set-top boxes. St. Jude Medical Inc. rose 1.6 percent after the maker of heart-rhythm devices bought specialist device maker Nanostim Inc. for $123.5 million. Whirlpool Corp. lost 6.5 percent as Cleveland Research said appliance demand has softened in the past month. Expedia Inc. (EXPE) slid 6.2 percent after Deutsche Bank AG cut its rating on the online travel agency.
Hot Managed Healthcare Companies To Own For 2014: Airbus Group NV (EADSF)
Airbus Group NV, known as European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV, is a Netherlands-based company active within the aerospace and defense sector. The Company manufactures aircrafts, helicopters, commercial space launch vehicles, missiles, satellites, defense systems and defense electronics, and offers services related to these activities. The Company oprates four divisions. The Airbus division comprises the Airbus Commercial and Airbus Military segments, which develop, manufacture, market and sell commercial jet aircrafts, military transport aircrafts and special mission aircrafts, among others. The Eurocopter division develops, markets and sells civil and military helicopters. The Astrium division develops, manufactures and sells satellites, orbital infrastructures and launchers, as well as provides space-related services. The Cassidian division develops, manufactures and sells missiles systems, military combat and training aircrafts, among others. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Alanna Petroff]
Airbus, part of the pan-European aerospace conglomerate EADS (EADSF), is hoping that all airlines will adopt the 18-inch standard for long-haul flights.
- [By Alanna Petroff]
Last month, Airbus, which is owned by the European aerospace group EADS (EADSF), predicted the number of aircraft worldwide would double over the next 20 years, spurred by rising demand from emerging markets.
- [By CNNMoney Staff]
Shares in Airbus (EADSF) were rising by 5% in Europe after the firm reported better-than-expected quarterly results.
Investors will also be focusing on developments in the pharmaceutical industry Tuesday. The American drug maker Pfizer (PFE, Fortune 500) wants to buy Britain's AstraZeneca (AZN) and both CEOs will appear before a U.K. parliamentary committee to answer questions about the potential takeover.
Hot Managed Healthcare Companies To Own For 2014: Compania de Transporte de Energia Electrica en Alta Tension Transener Sa (TRAN)
Compania de Transporte de Energia Electrica en Alta Tension Transener SA (Transener) is an Argentina-based company primarily engaged in the provision and distribution of high-voltage electric power, through its own transmission network of approximately 8,800 kilometers of transmission lines. The Company also offers such professional services as lines and substations maintenance, lines and substations operation, supervision and inspection of transmission works, as well as engineering and consulting services, among others. As of December 31, 2012, the Company had majority owned subsidaries Empresa de Transporte de Energia Electrica por Distribucion Troncal de la Provincia de Buenos Aires SA (Transba SA) and Transener Internacional Ltda. In addition, Compania Inversora en Transmision Electrica Citelec SA was its majority shareholder. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Nikolaj Gammeltoft]
U.S. stocks climbed, extending the longest winning streak for the Standard & Poor�� 500 Index (TRAN) since July, as data showed China�� economy is improving amid signs of easing tensions over Syria.
Hot Managed Healthcare Companies To Own For 2014: Pacific Drilling SA (PACD)
Pacific Drilling S.A., incorporated on March 22, 2011, is an international offshore drilling Company. The Company is a provider of ultra-deepwater drilling services to the oil and natural gas industry through the use of high-specification drilling rigs. The Company�� primary business is to contract its ultra-deepwater drilling rigs, related equipment and work crews, primarily on a dayrate basis, to drill wells for its customers. The Company is primarily focused on the ultra-deepwater market. The Company generally consider ultra-deepwater to begin at water depths of more than 7,500 feet and to extend to the maximum water depths, in which rigs are capable of drilling, which is approximately 12,000 feet.
The Company operates four drillships and has four drillships under construction, two of which are under customer contract. In connection with the Restructuring, the Company�� Predecessor was contributed to a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company by a subsidiary of Quantum Pacific International Limited.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Ben Levisohn]
On the surface, offshore drilling stocks appear inexpensive with multiples at the low end of historical ranges and many stocks trading below book values. While contrarian and deep value players are beginning to nibble, we believe the offshore floating rig companies are still in the early innings of a cyclical downturn in utilization and dayrates. After a decade of good times, the deepwater drilling rig market is facing a multiyear down-cycle. Historically, most offshore drilling cycles have been short-lived as there have usually been sudden demand shocks that tend to self correct relatively quickly. This time, it is more of a new rig supply problem compounded by a moderation in offshore spending from the suddenly ��eturn driven��multinational major oil companies. That means this down-cycle should be more drawn out than usual. Specifically, we think the downturn will take about three years to play out with average floater day-rates falling about 25% with over 60 floating rigs needing to be stacked (either warm stacked or cold stacked). More importantly for investors, we think consensus 2016 floater estimates (on average) are still about 25% too high. Put another way, earnings multiples are not as attractive as some now think, in our view. Obviously, the lower-end, older floating assets will be hit the hardest. While everyone loses in this environment, we are more comfortable in owning companies with higher-quality assets that also carry higher floater contract coverage, as we expect this to provide relative safety during this downturn. Specifically, we relatively favor Ocean Rig UDW (ORIG), Pacific Drilling (PACD), and Rowan, given their high-specification exposure. Of course, this downturn is not limited to the floater side of the offshore arena. Next week, we will detail our expectations for the timing and magnitude of the utilization and dayrate declines for the offshore jackup space.
- [By David Smith]
Chevron has been working hand-in-glove in implementing DGD with offshore rig operator Pacific Drilling (NYSE: PACD ) . Pacific's drillship Pacific Santa Ana was specifically built to Chevron's DGD-enhancing specifications and is working for the big company in the Gulf of Mexico.
- [By Roberto Pedone]
Pacific Drilling (PACD) is an international offshore drilling contractor committed to becoming the preferred provider of ultra-deepwater drilling services to the oil and natural gas industry through the use of high-specification rigs. This stock closed up 1% to $9.94 in Thursday's trading session.
Thursday's Range: $9.87-$10.00
52-Week Range: $8.63-$10.99
Thursday's Volume: 450,000
Three-Month Average Volume: 308,772From a technical perspective, PACD bounced modestly higher here right above its 50-day moving average of $9.67 with above-average volume. This stock has been trending sideways and consolidating for the last five months, with shares moving between $8.89 on the downside and $10.23 on the upside. Shares of PACD are now starting to trend within range of triggering a breakout trade above the upper-end of its recent sideways trading chart pattern. That trade will hit if PACD manages to take out some key overhead resistance levels at $10.14 to $10.23 with high volume.
Traders should now look for long-biased trades in PACD as long as it's trending above its 50-day at $9.81 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 308,772 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then PACD will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $10.71 to its 52-week high at $10.99. Any high-volume move above $10.99 will then put its all-time high at $11.47 within range for shares of PACD.
- [By Aaron Levitt]
Management recently announced a hefty 50% hike in its quarterly dividend to 37.5 cents per share of NE stock. And with a 4.8% dividend yield, NE stock is now one of the best-paying dividend stocks in the energy sector.
Dividend Stocks To Buy #5 — Pacific Drilling (PACD)Estimated Dividend Yield: 6.5%
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