Oil Quest for the golden cross

Oil Quest for the golden cross RELATED QUOTES Symbol Price Change MA 348.79 +0.96 XOM 85.83 -0.94 PFE 21.48 -0.15 K 49.73 -0.26 TRI 27.82 -0.10 By Rodrigo Campos NEW YORK (Reuters) - January has turned out strong for equities with just two trading days to go. If you're afraid to miss the ride, there's still time to jump in. You just might want to wear a neck brace. The new year lured buyers into growth-related sectors, the ones that were more beaten down last year. The economy is getting better, but not dramatically. Earnings are beating expectations, but at a lower rate than in recent quarters. Nothing too bad is coming out of Europe's debt crisis - and nothing good, either - at least not yet. 'No one item is a major positive, but collectively, it's been enough to tilt it towards net buying,' said John Schlitz, chief market technician at Instinet in New York. Still, relatively weak volume and a six-month high hit this week make some doubt that the gains are sustainable. But then there's the golden cross. Many market skeptics take notice when this technical indicator, a holy grail of sorts for many technicians, shows up on the horizon. As early as Monday, the rising 50-day moving average of the S&P 500 could tick above its rising 200-day moving average. This occurrence - known as a golden cross - means the medium-term momentum is increasingly bullish. You have a good chance of making money in the next six months if you put it to work in large-cap stocks. In the last 50 years, according to data compiled by Birinyi Associates, a golden cross on the S&P 500 has augured further gains six months ahead in eight out of 10 times. The average gain has been 6.6 percent. That means the benchmark is on solid footing to not only hold onto the 14 percent advance over the last nine weeks, but to flirt with 1,400, a level it hasn't hit since mid-2008. The gains, as expected, would not be in a straight line. But any weakness could be used by long-term investors as buying opportunities. 'The cross is an intermediate bullish event,' Schlitz said. 'You have to interpret it as constructive, but I caution people to take a bullish stance, if they have a short-term horizon .' GREECE, U.S. PAYROLLS AND MOMENTUM Less than halfway into the earnings season and with Greek debt talks over the weekend, payrolls data next week and the S&P 500 near its highest since July, there's plenty of room for something to go wrong. If that happens, the market could easily give back some of its recent advance. But the benchmark's recent rally and momentum shift allow for a pullback before the technical picture deteriorates. 'We bounced off 1,325, which is resistance. We're testing 1,310, which should be support. We are stuck in that range,' said Ken Polcari, managing director at ICAP Equities in New York. 'If over the weekend, Greece comes out with another big nothing, then you will see further weakness next week,' he said. 'A 1 (percent) or 2 percent pullback isn't out of the question or out of line.' On Friday, the S&P 500 (Chicago Options:^INX - News) and the Nasdaq Composite (Nasdaq:^IXIC - News) closed their fourth consecutive week of gains, while the Dow Jones industrial average (DJI:^DJI - News) dipped and capped three weeks of gains. For the day, the Dow dropped 74.17 points, or 0.58 percent, to close at 12,660.46. The S&P 500 fell 2.10 points, or 0.16 percent, to 1,316.33. But the Nasdaq gained 11.27 points, or 0.40 percent, to end at 2,816.55. For the week, the Dow slipped 0.47 percent, while the S&P 500 inched up 0.07 percent and the Nasdaq jumped 1.07 percent. A DATA-PACKED EARNINGS WEEK Next week is filled with heavy-hitting data on the housing, manufacturing and employment sectors. Personal income and consumption on Monday will be followed by the S&P/Case-Shiller home prices index, consumer confidence and the Chicago PMI - all on Tuesday. Wednesday will bring the Institute for Supply Management index on U.S. manufacturing and the first of three key readings on the labor market - namely, the ADP private-sector employment report. Jobless claims on Thursday will give way on Friday to the U.S. government's non-farm payrolls report. The forecast calls for a net gain of 150,000 jobs in January, according to economists polled by Reuters. Another hectic earnings week will kick into gear with almost a fifth of the S&P 500 components posting quarterly results. Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM - News), Amazon (NasdaqGS:AMZN - News), UPS (NYSE:UPS - News), Pfizer (NYSE:PFE - News), Kellogg (NYSE:K - News) and MasterCard (NYSE:MA - News) are among the names most likely to grab the headlines. With almost 200 companies' reports in so far, about 59 percent have beaten earnings expectations - down from about 70 percent in recent quarters. (Reporting by Rodrigo Campos; Additional reporting by Chuck Mikolajczak and Caroline Valetkevitch; Editing by Jan Paschal)

Signals Why Brand Value Still Matters

Signals Why Brand Value Still Matters RELATED QUOTES Symbol Price Change PVH 74.26 +0.36 RL 143.11 -1.43 PVH's (NYSE: PVH - News) 2010 acquisition of Tommy Hilfiger turned out to be a good long-term prospect. PVH posted a handsome growth in profits in its third quarter, spurred mainly by Tommy's international sales. The growth speaks volumes for PVH, known to be a high-end clothier trying to sail through a struggling, cash-strapped economy. Let us take a closer look at what makes PVH tick. Good third-quarter showing PVH's net income came in at $112.2 million, a 12% rise from $99.8 million in the year-ago period. Continued healthy sales for both its Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger brands of clothes spurred this growth. Strong sales, both domestic and international, also boosted revenue by 9% from last year to $1.65 billion. This even exceeded management expectations. Tommy Hilfiger, in particular, went a notch ahead of Calvin Klein, as the former's strong international sales base led it to post an earnings increase of 27% over Calvin Klein's 13%. Naturally, PVH felt confident enough to raise its full-year outlook. What spurred the growth Tommy Hilfiger's strong international sales were a major boost to PVH's third-quarter figures, as the brand registered a 17% growth in revenue over last year, spurred by key markets such as the United Kingdom, Italy, and France. Of course, one of the main reasons behind Tommy Hilfiger's acquisition was because the former is known to generate a large chunk of its revenue from international markets. But then, its other flagship brand Calvin Klein was not far behind either as its revenues went up by a healthy 11%. However, PVH needs to check back on its competitors' progress as well. For instance, rival Ralph Lauren (NYSE: RL - News) also cashed in on robust sales figures to post a 14% increase in second-quarter profits. PVH needs to be particularly wary of Ralph Lauren, which is a highly aspirational brand, and whose overseas revenue is around 38% of the consolidated total. Ralph Lauren also caters to a similarly wealthy segment and is in the process of launching new brands such as Lauren footwear. The Foolish conclusion PVH is certainly not getting complacent as it aims to spend around $5 million more than what it did last year on international marketing, with the stress being on holiday campaigning through television and cinema. This is one company that has brand recall, caters to the high-end segment that is not really 'discount-dependant,' and has structured future plans. It may be a good idea to stock up on PVH. Fool contributor Subhadeep Ghose does not own shares of any of the companies mentioned in this article. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Earn Student Loan Crisis Looms: FICO Risk Survey

Earn Daily Ticker Despite recent headlines cheering positive trends in the economy, there is still much to be concerned about, according to FICO's new quarterly survey of bank risk professionals. More than two-thirds of risk managers are seriously concerned about the debt loads held by students in the country. 67% of respondents believe delinquencies of student loans will rise, up a considerable 19% from the previous survey. 'They are worried about the amount of student loans that are out there and the ability of those students to repay them,' says Mark Greene, CEO of FICO, which provides credit scores used by both consumers and creditors and is widely considered the industry standard. With tuition prices on the rise each and every year, it is no surprise that the total amount borrowed is also on the upswing. The student who graduated in the class of 2009 had an average of $24,000 in student loans. But that's just the average. Some students are accountable for sums totaling $100,000. (See: The Economic Agony of Today's Twenty-Somethings) The Federal Reserve reported last year that student debt has actually surpassed credit card debt and predicts the total amount owed has topped $1 trillion. Greene's advice to students is: 'Be careful what you borrow.' 'Clearly education has a great return on investment so there is no suggestion you should avoid taking out loans, but be careful what you are getting into,' he says. 'Manage your student loans as carefully as you would your mortgage, your credit card or something else.' Other problem areas listed in the survey include credit card debt and mortgage debt. Credit card debt increased 8.5% to $5.6 billion in November from October, the biggest gain since March 2008. 45% of risk managers surveyed expect credit card delinquencies to rise while 21% expect a decline. And 54% of respondents believe credit card balances will rise. Those figures are more pessimistic than the previous quarter. As for mortgage debt, 47% of risk managers predict mortgage delinquencies will rise while 13% expect to see a decrease. 'If you are looking for risk managers to declare that we've turned the corner, they are not declaring that yet,' says Greene. Do you think the economy is improving or still has a long way to go? More from The Daily Ticker: Forget Harvard and a 4-Year Degree, You Can Make More as a Plumber in the Long Run, Says Prof. Kotlikoff Brain Drain: Most College Students Learn Next to Nothing, New Study Says Jame's Altucher's 8 Alternatives to College Related Quotes: ^GSPC 1,292.18 -0.30 -0.02% BAC 6.76 -0.11 -1.60% C 31.36 +0.09 +0.29% GS 98.96 -0.80 -0.80% JPM 36.44 -0.22 -0.60% WFC 29.54 -0.08 -0.29% PNC 61.51 +0.21 +0.34% FAZ 31.80 +0.23 +0.72% FAS 75.30 -0.53 -0.70% XLF 13.83 -0.04 -0.26% ^DJI 12,432.54 -16.91 -0.14% DFS 26.16 +0.30 +1.16% V 100.99 +1.88 +1.90% MA 342.76 +1.29 +0.38% MS 16.92 -0.18 -1.05%

Signals Bloomberg exec in talks to run New Corp's Dow Jones

Signals Bloomberg exec in talks to run New Corp's Dow Jones RELATED QUOTES Symbol Price Change NWSA 18.88 +0.06 TRI.TO 27.80 -0.14 APKN.PK 0.012 0.00 TRI 27.82 -0.10 (Reuters) - Rupert Murdoch's News Corp is in 'serious talks' to poach veteran Bloomberg LP executive Lex Fenwick to run its Dow Jones publishing business, which houses the Wall Street Journal, according to two people familiar with the discussions. Fenwick, who founded Bloomberg Ventures in 2008, was previously chief executive of Bloomberg LP, taking over from the company founder Michael Bloomberg in December 2001. Wall Street Journal reported news of the talks earlier on Friday. The top job at Dow Jones has been vacant since last July when then-Publisher and Chief Executive Les Hinton resigned in the wake of the phone-hacking scandal at News Corp's UK newspaper unit, which had previously run. Hinton told a UK parliamentary inquiry in 2009 that any problem with phone hacking at the company's papers was limited to one case. It was later revealed that thousands of ordinary people and celebrities had been the victims of the voice mail hacking. Hinton, who worked with News Corp for 52 years, was perhaps Murdoch's closest associate. Bloomberg and Dow Jones compete with Thomson Reuters. (Reporting By Yinka Adegoke; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)

Oil IMF leads global push for euro zone to boost firewall

Oil IMF leads global push for euro zone to boost firewall The head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Christine Lagarde attends a session at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, January 28, 2012. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann The head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Christine Lagarde attends a session at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, January 28, 2012. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann By Paul Carrel and Emma Thomasson DAVOS, Switzerland (Reuters) - International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde led a global push on Saturday for the euro zone to boost its financial firewall, saying 'if it is big enough it will not get used.' Lagarde, supported by the British finance minister, George Osborne, said the IMF could boost its support for the euro zone but pressed its leaders to act first. Some attendees at the Davos Forum still doubted the viability of the currency union. Countries beyond the 17-country bloc want to see its members stump up more money before they commit additional resources to the IMF, which this month requested an additional 500 billion euros ($650 billion) in funding. 'Now is the time - there has been a lot of pressure building in order to see a solution come about,' Lagarde told a Forum panel discussion on the economic outlook from which euro zone leaders - most notably Germany - were conspicuously absent. 'It is critical that the euro zone members develop a clear, simple firewall that can operate both to limit the contagion and to provide this sort of act of trust in the euro zone, so that the financing needs of that zone can actually be met,' she said. Lagarde's comments rounded out a crescendo of calls at the Davos Forum for the euro zone to boost its financial defenses. The annual five-day conference began with German Chancellor Angela Merkel deflecting pressure to do so. In a carefully worded keynote address, Merkel suggested doubling or even tripling the size of the fund may convince markets for a time, but warned that if Germany made a promise that could not be kept, 'then Europe is really vulnerable.' On Friday, U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner pressed Europe to make a 'bigger commitment' to boosting its firewall. Two bankers who attended meetings with Geithner at the Forum said on Friday the United States was looking for the euro zone to roughly double the size of its firewall to 1.5 trillion euros. There was no immediate comment from the U.S. Treasury. Osborne said the currency bloc must beef up its firewall before other countries increase their funding to the IMF. 'I think the euro zone leaders understand that,' said Osborne, the only European minister on Saturday's panel discussion on the global economic outlook in 2012. 'There are not going to be further contributions from G20 countries, Britain included, unless we see the color of their money,' he added, calling for the euro zone 'to provide a significant increase in available resources.' MORE OPTIMISM...FOR SOME Japanese Economics Minister Motohisa Furukawa echoed Osborne's comments, saying: 'Without the firm action of Europe, I don't think the developing countries like China or others are willing to pay more money for the IMF.' On condition that the euro zone boosts its own defenses, he said Japan and other countries were willing to additional support via the IMF. Lagarde said, however, that if the international lender's resources were boosted sufficiently, this would raise confidence to such a degree that they would not be needed. 'If it is big enough, it will not get used. And the same applies to the euro firewall for that matter,' she added. Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, speaking to the Forum by video link from Tokyo, said Japan was working with South Korea and India to reduce the risk of the euro zone crisis spreading to Asia. 'Japan stands ready to support the euro zone as much as possible,' he added. Mexico's central bank chief, Agustin Carstens, said on Friday he believed a consensus was building on boosting the IMF's resources to help European countries and others that might need aid from the global lender. There has been a palpable sense of hope at the Davos Forum that the euro zone is pulling back from the brink of catastrophe, though business leaders are equally worried that Europe's woes will hold back a global recovery. Osborne saw some signs of optimism. 'People have commented on the mood of this conference being quite somber but having been here for a couple of days people have also pointed out that actually people are slightly more optimistic at the end of the week than the beginning,' he said. However, Davos 2011 also ended on upbeat note about the euro zone and a feeling that worst of the crisis was over - only for the situation to deteriorate and financial markets to turn their fire on Italy, the bloc's third biggest economy. 'The euro zone is a slow-motion train wreck,' said economist Nouriel Roubini, made famous by predictions of the 2008-09 global banking crisis. He expected Greece, and possibly Portugal, to exit the bloc within the next 12 months and believed there is a 50 percent chance of the bloc breaking up completely in the next 3-5 years. Hong Kong's Chief Executive, Donald Tsang, said no matter how strong the euro zone's firewall is, the market will look at the nature of the economies it is protecting. 'If it is protecting insolvent economies...no matter how strong the firewall is, it won't survive,' he said. (Additional reporting by Ben Hirschler; Editing by Jon Boyle)

Oil Top 5 Global Mutual Funds

Oil Top 5 Global Mutual Funds Companies: Thornburg Global Opportunities A Artio Global Equity A Oppenheimer Global Opportunities A RELATED QUOTES Symbol Price Change THOAX 14.34 0.00 BJGQX 33.60 -0.06 OPGIX 27.86 +0.50 MWOFX 24.77 -0.12 ICDAX 11.66 +0.06 The fortunes of U.S. equity markets continue to be a key determinant of the health of the global economy. However, their dominance has receded significantly over the years and a world of exciting opportunities has emerged in global markets. Moreover, research has shown that a portfolio with a combination of domestic and foreign securities produces greater returns over the long term. Global funds allow investors to hold an optimum combination of international and domestic investments without incurring the costs of holding such securities individually. Below we will share with you 5 top rated global mutual funds. Each has earned a Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) as we expect these mutual funds to outperform their peers in the future. To view the Zacks Rank and past performance of all global funds, then click here. Thornburg Global Opportunities A (NASDAQ:THOAX - News) seeks capital growth over the long term. The fund invests in a wide range of equity securities worldwide. This includes common and preferred stocks, real estate investment trusts and other equity trusts. The global mutual fund has a five year annualized return of 2.1%. The global mutual fund has a minimum initial investment of $5,000 and an expense ratio of 1.48% compared to a category average of 1.44%. Artio Global Equity A (NASDAQ:BJGQX - News) invests the majority of its assets in companies worldwide. Under normal circumstances, not less than 40% of its assets are invested in at least three foreign countries. A maximum of 35% of its assets may be utilized to purchase emerging market securities. The global mutual fund has a three year annualized return of 10.04%. Rudolph-Riad Younes is the fund manager and he has managed this global mutual fund since 2004. Oppenheimer Global Opportunities A (NASDAQ:OPGIX - News) seeks capital growth as well as current income. The fund invests in a wide range of equity securities worldwide. The fund focuses on acquiring stocks, but may also purchase debt securities. The global mutual fund has a ten year annualized return of 8.53%. As of November 2011, this global mutual fund held 100 issues, with 5.24% of its total assets invested in Advanced Micro Devices Inc. MFS Global Growth A (NASDAQ:MWOFX - News) invests in both domestic and foreign securities, as well as emerging market securities. The fund may invest a substantial part of its assets in a relatively small number of countries. The global mutual fund returned 2.36% in the last one year period. The global mutual fund has a minimum initial investment of $1,000 and an expense ratio of 1.53% compared to a category average of 1.44%. Ivy Cundill Global Value A (ICDAX) seeks capital growth. The fund purchases both domestic and foreign equity securities. Not more than 20% of its assets are invested in debt securities issued by companies which have filed for bankruptcy or are likely to do so shortly. The global mutual fund has a three year annualized return of 8.15%. The fund manager is James Thompson and he has managed this global mutual fund since 2009. To view the Zacks Rank and past performance of all global mutual funds, then click here. About Zacks Mutual Fund Rank By applying the Zacks Rank to mutual funds, investors can find funds that not only outpaced the market in the past but are also expected to outperform going forward. Learn more about the Zacks Mutual Fund Rank at http://www.zacks.com/funds.

Earn Rate on 30-year mortgage drops to record 3.89 pct.

Earn

Newly built luxury townhomes are offered for sale in Woodland Hills, Calif. Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2012. Fixed mortgage rates hit yet another record low on the second week of the new year. But the cheap rates are expected to do little to boost the depressed housing market. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) Newly built luxury townhomes are offered for sale in Woodland Hills, Calif. Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2012. Fixed mortgage rates hit yet another record low on the second week of the new year. But the cheap rates are expected to do little to boost the depressed housing market. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) WASHINGTON (AP) -- Fixed mortgage rates fell once again to a record low, offering a great opportunity for those who can afford to buy or refinance homes. But few are able to take advantage of the historic rates. Freddie Mac said Thursday the average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage fell to 3.89 percent. That's below the previous record of 3.91 percent reached three weeks ago. Records for mortgage rates date back to the 1950s. The average on the 15-year fixed mortgage ticked down to 3.16 percent. That's down from a record 3.21 percent three weeks ago. Mortgage rates are lower because they track the yield on the 10-year Treasury note, which fell below 2 percent. They could fall even lower this year if the Fed launches another round of bond purchases, as some economists expect. [Click here to check home loan rates in your area.] Average fixed mortgage rates hovered around 4 percent at the end of 2011. Yet many Americans either can't take advantage of the rates or have already done so. High unemployment and scant wage gains have made it harder for many people to qualify for loans. Many don't want to sink money into a home that they fear could lose value over the next few years. Mortgage applications have fallen slightly on a seasonally adjusted basis over the past four weeks, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac's chief economist, said that until hiring picks up and unemployment drops significantly, the impact of lower mortgage rates will remain muted. Previously occupied homes are selling just slightly ahead of 2010's dismal pace. New-home sales in 2011 will likely be the worst year on records going back half a century. Builders hope that the low rates could boost sales next year. Low mortgage rates were cited as a key reason the National Association of Home Builders survey of builder sentiment rose in December to its highest level in more than a year. But so far, they have had little impact on the depressed housing market. To calculate the average rates, Freddie Mac surveys lenders across the country Monday through Wednesday of each week. The average rates don't include extra fees, known as points, which most borrowers must pay to get the lowest rates. One point equals 1 percent of the loan amount. The average fee for the 30-year loan fell to 0.7 from 0.8; the average on the 15-year fixed mortgage was unchanged at 0.8. For the five-year adjustable loan, the average rate declined to 2.82 percent from 2.86 percent. The average on the one-year adjustable loan fell to 2.76 percent from 2.80 percent. The average fee on the five-year adjustable loan rose was unchanged at 0.7; the average on the one-year adjustable-rate loan was unchanged at 0.6.