On a morning on which the National Association of Home Builders announced extremely favorable conditions for the housing industry, as well as rising industrial production figures, you'd expect the stock market to be primed to continue its run-up toward ever-higher record levels. Yet as of 10:45 a.m. EDT, the Dow Jones Industrials (DJINDICES: ^DJI ) are actually down four points, and the most likely culprit for the drop is the latest news on the Consumer Price Index.
Why the CPI rose sharply today
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that overall, prices rose 0.5% during the month of June. That marked the biggest increase since February, and it represents another data point suggesting that low interest rates could finally be starting to show up in rising prices at the retail level.
However, looking more deeply at the numbers once again reveals the huge influence that rising energy prices have had on the CPI. Energy prices rose 3.4% during the month, with gasoline prices jumping more than 6%. Yet both Chevron (NYSE: CVX ) and ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM ) are trading lower today despite rising oil prices, showing that even energy stocks don't always benefit from inflationary pressure, because higher prices spur oil consumers to reduce their consumption. When you take out the volatile food and energy segments, core CPI rose just 0.2%, adding up to a 1.6% gain over the past year. That level is low enough to give the Federal Reserve latitude to maintain its accommodative monetary policies a bit longer.
Time Warner Inc. operates as a media and entertainment company in the United States and internationally. It operates in three segments: Networks, Filmed Entertainment, and Publishing. The Networks segment provides domestic and international networks, premium pay and basic tier television programming services, and digital media properties, which primarily consist of brand-aligned Websites. Its premium pay television services consist of the multi-channel HBO and Cinemax premium pay television services. This segment provides programming to cable system operators, satellite service distributors, telephone companies, and other distributors; sells advertising; and licenses original programming to domestic and international television networks. The Filmed Entertainment segment produces and distributes feature films, television and other programming, and videogames; distributes home video products; and licenses rights to its feature films, television programming, and characters. T he Publishing segment publishes magazines and books; and operates various Websites, as well as engages in marketing services and direct-marketing businesses. This segment publishes magazines on style and entertainment, lifestyle, news, and sports. The company?s brands include TNT, TBS, CNN, HBO, Cinemax, Warner Bros., New Line Cinema, People, Sports Illustrated, and Time. Time Warner Inc. was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in New York, New York.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Adam Levine-Weinberg]
Time Warner's (NYSE: TWX ) HBO service has been incredibly successful in maintaining a big subscriber base despite offering a limited content library. If Netflix can develop some of its originals into popular franchises, the company may realize its dream of becoming the next HBO, even if its content library shrinks on a "net" basis.
- [By Motley Fool Staff]
Comics for the kid at heart
Other than a nice nap, a cool beverage, and a few slices of REAL New York Pizza, I'd like shares of�Time Warner� (NYSE: TWX ) for Father's Day, kids. You already know why: I'm a longtime comic-book collector, with about 600 comics published by Warner subsidiary DC Entertainment.�
- [By Lawrence Meyers]
In retrospect, all of these purchases make sense. Would News Corporation (NWS) studio subsidiary 20th Century Fox have made more sense for Indy’s new home? What about Time Warner (TWX) conglomerate�� Warner Bros.? Or maybe Lionsgate Entertainment (LGE)? No, no, and no.
- [By Douglas A. McIntyre]
The news is a reminder of which websites have to be included on the ultimate hack list for malicious programmers. A recent attack on the Outbrain links at Time Warner Inc.�� (NYSE: TWX) Time magazine, the company�� CNN site and the flagship of the Washington Post Co. (NYSE: WPO) by the Syrian Electronic Army is a reminder that a group that is unlikely to be among the world�� most skilled hackers can breach sites that likely have sophisticated protection.
Best Rising Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Genel Energy PLC (GEGYF.PK)
Genel Energy plc, formerly Vallares PLC, is an exploration and production company. It is an independent oil producer in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The Group has two reportable business segments, which are its oil and gas exploration and production business in the KRI and its oil and gas exploration business in Africa. The Company had operational bases in Ankara, Turkey; in Taq Taq, Erbil and Suleimaniah in the Kurdistan Region, and in London. The Company�� oil producing fields of Taq Taq (in which it held a 44% interest) and Tawke (25% interest) had estimated gross proven and probable reserves of 1.2 billion barrels of oil and proven, probable and possible reserves of 1.9 billion barrels of oil. The Company�� subsidiaries include: Genel Energy Holding Company Ltd, Genel Energy Somaliland Limited, A&T Petroleum Limited, Genel Energy UK Services Limited, Genel Energy Netherlands Holding 2 B.V. and Genel Energy Somaliland Limited.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Street Smart Investor]
DNO International is an independent E&P company, geographically focused on the Middle East and North Africa with operations in Yemen, the Kurdistan region of Iraq, Tunisia, Oman, Ras Al Khaimah and Somaliland. The company's asset portfolio currently stands at 20 assets in six countries. For the year ended December 2012, DNO International has proven and probable reserves of 520.3 MMboe with 90% of the reserves in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. The company's reserves in Kurdistan come from the Tawke oil block, which is among the largest oil blocks in Kurdistan. DNO International has a 55% stake in the Tawke block with Genel Energy PLC (GEGYF.PK) holding a 25% stake. The remaining 20% stake is held by the Kurdistan Regional Government. For the first half of 2013, DNO International had a production rate of 33,917 boepd, which includes production from Kurdistan, Oman and Yemen.
Best Rising Stocks To Invest In Right Now: PowerShares S&P SmallCap Information Technology Portfolio (PSCT)
PowerShares S&P SmallCap Information Technology Portfolio (the Fund) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of an index called the S&P SmallCap 600 Capped Information Technology Index (the Index). The Index consists of common stocks of the United States information technology companies. These are companies that are principally engaged in the business of providing information technology-related products and services, including computer hardware and software, Internet, electronics and semiconductors, and communication technologies. The Index is compiled, maintained and calculated by Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC. The Fund will normally invest at least 80% of its total assets in common stocks of small-capitalization information technology companies. The Fund will normally invest at least 90% of its total assets in common stocks that comprise the Index. The Fund�� investment adviser is Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Stephen Leeb]
The PowerShares S&P 500 Small-Cap Technology (PSCT) is geared towards smaller, more agile, but also less-established firms, while iShares S&P North American Technology ETF (IGM) offers broad, blue-chip technology industry exposure.
Best Rising Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Sibling Group Holdings Inc (SIBE)
Sibling Group Holdings Inc., incorporated on December 28, 1988, is a development-stage company. During the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company was not engaged in any business operations.
The Company has entered into an Agreement of Acquisition and Plan of Reorganization with Sibling Entertainment Group, Inc. (Sibling) to acquire Sibling�� four wholly owned subsidiaries: Sibling Theatricals, Inc., Sibling Pictures, Inc., Sibling Music Corp., and Sibling Properties, Inc. and their subsidiaries, including Dick Foster Productions, Inc., Adrenaline MMA, Inc., Hats Holdings, Inc. amongst others. The Company was organized primarily for the purpose of importing fruits and vegetables from Latin America.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Peter Graham]
Small cap holding companies Sibling Group Holdings Inc (OTCMKTS: SIBE), Tranzbyte Corp (OTCMKTS: ERBB) and Readen Holding Corp (OTCMKTS: RHCO) are in the business of holding or acquiring other companies. They have also been getting some attention lately in various investment newsletters and not necessarily because of acquisitions or other news but rather because of a few recent paid promotions. With that in mind, here is a quick look and a reality check about all three:
Sibling Group Holdings Inc (OTCMKTS: SIBE) Has Been Quiet Lately Small cap Sibling Group Holdings intends to acquire, on a global basis, advanced technology and education management operations in order to enhance and accelerate the delivery of 21st century learning. On Friday, Sibling Group Holdings closed at $0.05 for a market cap of $39,342 plus SIBE is down 96.7% over the past year and down 80% over the past five years according to Google Finance.
Best Rising Stocks To Invest In Right Now: WH Smith PLC (SMWH)
WH Smith PLC is a United Kingdom-based retail company. The Company has two businesses divisions: Travel and High Street. The Company's Travel division sells a range of newspapers, magazines, books and impulse products for people on the move and a broader convenience range in hospitals and workplaces. The Company's High Street sells a wide range of stationery, books, newspapers, magazines and impulse products, as well as a small range of entertainment products.The Company�� subsidiaries include WH Smith PLC, WH Smith Retail Holdings Limited, WH Smith High Street Holdings Limited, WH Smith Travel Holdings Limited, WH Smith High Street Limited, WH Smith Travel Limited and WH Smith Hospitals Holdings Limited.
Advisors' Opinion: Best Rising Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Family Dollar Stores Inc.(FDO)
Family Dollar Stores, Inc. operates a chain of self-service retail discount stores primarily for low and middle income consumers in the United States. The company offers consumables, including household chemicals, paper products, candy and snack products, health and beauty aids, hardware and automotive supplies, and pet food products and supplies; and home products, which comprise domestics, housewares, giftware products, and home decor products. It also provides apparel products and accessories consisting of men?s and women?s clothing products, boys? and girls? clothing products, infants? clothing products, shoes, and fashion accessories; and seasonal products and electronics, such as toys, stationery and school supplies, seasonal goods, and personal electronics. As of August 11, 2011, the company operated approximately 7,000 stores in rural and urban settings across 44 states. Family Dollar Stores, Inc. was founded in 1959 and is headquartered in Matthews, North Carolina .
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Suravi Thacker]
It is not necessary that all dollar stores or similar small box retailers will survive in an environment where consumers are largely cost conscious. Some would fare well while others might sink. Typical examples of such companies are Dollar General (DG) and Family Dollar Stores (FDO). Dollar General has been great soldier whereas Family Dollar continues to flop.
- [By The Part-time Investor]
The following stocks met the criteria in January of 2008 and were put into the initial portfolio:
Abbot Labs (ABT)Advanced data processing (ADP)Associated Banc-Corp (ASBC)Bank of America (BAC)BB&T Corp. (BBT)Bemis Company (BMS)Anheuser Busch (BUD)The Chubb Corporation (CB)Clorox (CLX)Comerica Inc. (CMA)Diebold Inc. (DBD)Emerson Electronics (EMR)First Dollar Corp. (FDO)First Third BanCorp. (FITB)Gannett Co, Inc. (GCI)General Electric (GE)Hershey (HSY)Illinois Tools Works (ITW)Johnson and Johnson (JNJ)Leggett and Platt (LEG)Eli Lilly (LLY)La-Z-Boy (LZB)McDonald's (MCD)Marsh and Ilsley (MI)M&T Bancorp (MTB)PepsiCo (PEP)Pfizer (PFE)Procter & Gamble (PG)Pentair Ltd. (PNR)Regions Financial Corp. (RF)Rohm and Haas (ROH)RPM International (RPM)Sherwin Williams (SHW)Sysco Corp. (SYY)UDR Inc. (UDR)Historical quotes were taken from Yahoo Finance. $10,000 was put into each position, to the nearest whole share, so a total of $349,262.89 was invested. From 1/15/08 through 5/16/13 all dividends were reinvested back into the stock that paid them. If a dividend cut was announced, that stock was sold on the ex-div date of the new, lower dividend.
