With investors cashing in their gains heading into the end of the year, blue chip stocks suffered their worse one-day drop in a month
The Dow Jones Industrial Average at one point fell as much as 134 points, before paring losses. But it still closed below 16,000, falling 94.1 points, or 0.6% to end at 15,914.6.
The Walt Disney Company (DIS) weighed on the index after B. Riley cut its rating on the company, calling it ��airly expensive.��The shares fell 1.4% to close at $69.60
The S&P 500 index dropped 5.7 points, or 0.3%, to 1,795.15. The Nasdaq Composite slipped eight points, or 0.2%, to 4,037.2.
Last week ended with the S&P 500 posting its longest string of weekly advances in almost a decade. As a result, investors are worried the market has become overbought.
Meanwhile, taper talk continues to weigh on investor sentiment, fueling the third straight session of losses for U.S. stocks. On Monday, stronger-than-expected data on manufacturing and construction spending on underscored views the Federal Reserve may soon begin scaling the $85 billion-a-month bond-buying program credited by may for fueling the 2013 stock market rally.
Best Growth Companies For 2015: Apple Inc.(AAPL)
Apple Inc., together with subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, and markets personal computers, mobile communication and media devices, and portable digital music players, as well as sells related software, services, peripherals, networking solutions, and third-party digital content and applications worldwide. The company sells its products worldwide through its online stores, retail stores, direct sales force, third-party wholesalers, resellers, and value-added resellers. In addition, it sells third-party Mac, iPhone, iPad, and iPod compatible products, including application software, printers, storage devices, speakers, headphones, and other accessories and peripherals through its online and retail stores; and digital content and applications through the iTunes Store. The company sells its products to consumer, small and mid-sized business, education, enterprise, government, and creative markets. As of September 25, 2010, it had 317 retail stores, including 233 stores in the United States and 84 stores internationally. The company, formerly known as Apple Computer, Inc., was founded in 1976 and is headquartered in Cupertino, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jonathan Berr]
Sure, Amazon stock analysts think AMZN is a buy. But I simply can’t wrap my head around the fact that Amazon stock trades at disgusting 140 times expected 2014 earnings. That’s a huge premium to Google�(GOOG) stock, which has also been going strong, yet sports a multiple of just 20. And Apple�(AAPL) stock goes for just 11 times forward earnings.
- [By Travis Hoium]
Speaking of wearable products, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL ) jumped 3.8% today on word that the company has filed for an "iWatch" trademark in Japan. The company also got an upgrade from Raymond James analyst Travis McCourt, who predicts a new product cycle in the second half of the year that will include more mobile products. I, for one, think shares of Apple are cheap whether or not there's an iWatch coming, but the stock won't likely get a major boost until some product is released that will provide a catalyst. At the very least, millions of investors will be awaiting whatever Apple has up its sleeve next. �
- [By Victor Reklaitis]
The Nasdaq Composite (COMP) �tacked on 2.34 points, or less than 0.1%, to 3,922.04. The tech-heavy index was hurt by a 0.5% drop for Apple Inc. (AAPL) , which began selling its new iPad Air in its retail stores on Friday.
- [By Ben Levisohn]
Tesla, however, was already under pressure this morning, even before Yellen started talking. Some of that might be attributed to the news that BMW had struck a deal with Samsung SDI, who makes batteries for Apple (AAPL) and has recently expanded into the auto business, to spend billions of dollars on batteries for its cars. Competition here we come.
5 Best Blue Chip Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Philip Morris International Inc(PM)
Philip Morris International Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products in markets outside of the United States. Its international product brand line comprises Marlboro, Merit, Parliament, Virginia Slims, L&M, Chesterfield, Bond Street, Lark, Muratti, Next, Philip Morris, and Red & White. The company also offers its products under the A Mild, Dji Sam Soe, and A Hijau in Indonesia; Diana in Italy; Optima and Apollo-Soyuz in the Russian Federation; Morven Gold in Pakistan; Boston in Colombia; Belmont, Canadian Classics, and Number 7 in Canada; Best and Classic in Serbia; f6 in Germany; Delicados in Mexico; Assos in Greece; and Petra in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. It operates primarily in the European Union, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Canada, and Latin America. The company is based in New York, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Matthew Coffina]
Philip Morris International (PM)
Among our holdings, Philip Morris is arguably the most exposed to depreciating emerging market currencies, since it doesn�� have any US sales. Unfortunately, currency fluctuations are an unavoidable tradeoff for emerging markets��relatively stable cigarette volumes.
- [By Patricio Kehoe]
Phillip Morris International Inc. (PM) is the world�� largest tobacco manufacturer in the world, after China National Tobacco, and holds 29% of the entire industry�� market, outside the U.S and China. Most commonly known for its flagship brand, Marlboro (accounts for one-third of total volume), this firm also owns seven of the 15 international leading cigarette brands. Its supporting brands ���&M, Phillip Morris, Bond Street, Parliament, Chesterfield and Lark ���ave allowed the company to attain consistent growth margins over the past decade. Given its addictive product and global manufacturing and distribution system, this comes as little surprise.
- [By Efficient Alpha]
Philip Morris International (PM) is a favorite of mine, not only for its 4% dividend but also for its protection against global inflationary pressures. The company can pass through higher commodity prices and smokers will keep coming back for more. The company has 16% of the international market and is making strong progress in China. Asia accounts for 36% of sales, followed by the EMEA region (27%), the EU (26%) and Latin America/Canada (11%). Shares have posted an annual return of 15% since its spinoff in 2008.
- [By Bill Maurer]
Philip Morris (PM):
Philip Morris saw a surprise short interest drop of more than 20% during the final two weeks of March. More than 2.5 million of the roughly 12.2 million shares short were covered, stopping the recent rise in short interest that you can see in the chart below.
5 Best Blue Chip Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Chevron Corporation(CVX)
Chevron Corporation, through its subsidiaries, engages in petroleum, chemicals, mining, power generation, and energy operations worldwide. It operates in two segments, Upstream and Downstream. The Upstream segment involves in the exploration, development, and production of crude oil and natural gas; processing, liquefaction, transportation, and regasification associated with liquefied natural gas; transportation of crude oil through pipelines; and transportation, storage, and marketing of natural gas, as well as holds interest in a gas-to-liquids project. The Downstream segment engages in the refining of crude oil into petroleum products; marketing of crude oil and refined products primarily under the Chevron, Texaco, and Caltex brand names; transportation of crude oil and refined products by pipeline, marine vessel, motor equipment, and rail car; and manufacture and marketing of commodity petrochemicals, plastics for industrial uses, and fuel and lubricant additives. It a lso produces and markets coal and molybdenum; and holds interests in 13 power assets with a total operating capacity of approximately 3,100 megawatts, as well as involves in cash management and debt financing activities, insurance operations, real estate activities, energy services, and alternative fuels and technology business. Chevron Corporation has a joint venture agreement with China National Petroleum Corporation. The company was formerly known as ChevronTexaco Corp. and changed its name to Chevron Corporation in May 2005. Chevron Corporation was founded in 1879 and is based in San Ramon, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Travis Hoium]
Chevron (NYSE: CVX ) is down the most on the Dow today, falling 1.3%. Oil is actually up 1.1% today,�but the real challenge for big oil is the rising cost of oil extraction and falling demand in developed markets. In the U.S., daily oil demand is down 10.2% since 2007, and that's a concerning development for energy investors. Explorers are also looking for oil in difficult drilling locations like ultra-deep water and shale here in the U.S. These two issues will be important for current and prospective energy-sector investors to follow. �
- [By Jim Jubak]
First, the cancellation of Shell's project emphasizes the huge first-mover advantage that Cheniere has. Future plants to be built by competitors will face much higher construction costs. Inflated labor costs have already resulted in a 20% cost overrun for Chevron's (CVX) Gorgon liquefied natural gas project in Australia. And a Canadian oil sands boom—that has pushed wages for oil industry construction workers in Canada to 60% more than in the United States—is giving pause to companies such as Chevron, Royal Dutch, and National Petroleum, which have as many as nine liquefied natural gas terminals on Canada's West Coast on the drawing boards.
- [By Matt DiLallo]
Argentina
The shale gas and oil resources in Argentina has the potential to really put the country at the forefront of the world's energy map. Not only does the country hold the fourth largest shale oil reserves, but it's also No. 2 in shale gas reserves. Investors looking to profit as the country develops these reserves could look at global giant Chevron (NYSE: CVX ) , which completed its first two exploratory wells into the Vaca Muerta formation last year, with another well currently being drilled. The company has three more appraisal wells planned, and given the vast reserve estimates for the country, this could be a big future driver for Chevron. - [By Ben Levisohn]
The Jones Industrials rose 0.6% to 16,064.77, a record high, while the S&P 500 gained 0.4% to 1.804.76, also an all-time high. Big Dow winners this week include JPMorgan Chase (JPM), which rose 4.7% this week after agreeing to a $13 billion settlement with the government, Chevron (CVX), which gained 3.3% to $124.03 after it suspended a North Sea oil project, and United Health Group (UNH), which advanced 2.6% to $73.74. In the S&P 500, Biogen Idec (BIIB) rose 17% to $285.62 after the European Union protected one of its drugs from competition and Tyson Foods (TSN), finished up 11% at $31.82 after reporting surprisingly good earnings.
5 Best Blue Chip Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Visa Inc.(V)
Visa Inc., a payments technology company, engages in the operation of retail electronic payments network worldwide. It facilitates commerce through the transfer of value and information among financial institutions, merchants, consumers, businesses, and government entities. The company owns and operates VisaNet, a global processing platform that provides transaction processing services. It also offers a range of payments platforms, which enable credit, charge, deferred debit, debit, and prepaid payments, as well as cash access for consumers, businesses, and government entities. The company provides its payment platforms under the Visa, Visa Electron, PLUS, and Interlink brand names. In addition, it offers value-added services, including risk management, issuer processing, loyalty, dispute management, value-added information, and CyberSource-branded services. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Andrew Tonner]
Since both banks and credit card companies benefit from Apple Pay in much the same way, I'll further lump them together for purposes of this discussion. It doesn't take an overly keen observer to note that these combined financial institutions stand to gain as the result of Apple's new payment platform.�True, Apple Pay will eat into the value of each transaction (Apple reportedly receives $0.15 for every $100 of transactional value), but there's little question that the system's ease of use should help increase aggregate payment volumes for banks and expand the overall use of consumer credit for the credit card companies. �On top of seeing increased point-of-sale transaction volumes, these two kinds of financial institutions also believe Apple Pay will drive a significant uptick in mobile e-commerce sales by finally providing the kind of secure and seamless option many small websites need. �So while Apple will certainly eat into their margins, the credit card companies such as�Visa (NYSE: V ) , MasterCard (NYSE: MA ) , and American Express (NYSE: AXP ) �and major banks like�Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC ) , JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM ) , Citi (NYSE: C ) , are certainly right in their optimistic view of Apple Pay.
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