Americans are a materialistic people. We like our home theatres, our furniture and our appliances. Unfortunately, not everyone can afford a new refrigerator or television, so they choose to rent instead of buy. The great news for investors is that this turns out to be an extremely… Read More

Among the biggest losers in Thursday’s early trading are Dendreon (Nasdaq: DNDN), Xyratex (Nasdaq: XRTX) and Amedysis (Nasdaq: AMED). Top Percentage Losers — Thursday, July 1, 2010 Company Name (Ticker) Intra-Day Price Intra-Day % Loss 52-Week High 52-Week Low Amedysis (Nasdaq: AMED) $37.34 -15.1% $64.28 $29.71… Read More

Among the biggest winners in Thursday’s early trading are Arena Pharma (Nasdaq: ARNA), Christopher & Banks (NYSE: CBK) and BJ’s Wholesale (NYSE: BJS). Top Percentage Gainers — Thursday, July 1, 2010 Company Name (Ticker) Intra-Day Price Intra-Day % Gain 52-Week High 52-Week Low Christopher & Banks (NYSE:… Read More

Real estate was one of the hardest-hit sectors of the market during the financial crisis, and for good reason. After all, the real estate market caused all of this mess in the first place. According to the… Read More

Over the last half decade, two tech giants have learned to accommodate each other. Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) became the darling of consumers everywhere with its iPod, iPhone, and iPad. And Research in Motion (Nasdaq: RIMM) held a tight grip on the smartphone market for business users with its line of… Read More

Here’s a weight-loss product that helps slim bulging waistlines but can fatten your trading portfolio. Herbalife (NYSE: HLF) is a leading weight management company that sells diet shakes, snacks and nutritional supplements. Nearly two-thirds of Americans currently battle obesity, and the demand for weight-loss… Read More

Among the biggest winners in Wednesday’s early trading are Tesla Motors (Nasdaq: TSLA), Ford Motor (NYSE: F) and Tata Motors (NYSE: TTM). Top Percentage Gainers — Wednesday, June 30, 2010 Company Name (Ticker) Intra-Day Price Intra-Day % Gain 52-Week High 52-Week Low Tesla Motors (Nasdaq: TSLA) $29.35 +22.8% $29.28 $24.55 Ford Motors (NYSE: F) $10.40 +5.3% $14.57 $5.24 Tata Motors (NYSE: TTM) $17.67 +4.6% $20.84 $7.37 *Table includes companies with minimum market capitalizations of $200 million and three month trading volumes of at least 100,000… Read More

Among the biggest winners in Wednesday’s early trading are Tesla Motors (Nasdaq: TSLA), Ford Motor (NYSE: F) and Tata Motors (NYSE: TTM). Top Percentage Gainers — Wednesday, June 30, 2010 Company Name (Ticker) Intra-Day Price Intra-Day % Gain 52-Week High 52-Week Low Tesla Motors (Nasdaq: TSLA) $29.35 +22.8% $29.28 $24.55 Ford Motors (NYSE: F) $10.40 +5.3% $14.57 $5.24 Tata Motors (NYSE: TTM) $17.67 +4.6% $20.84 $7.37 *Table includes companies with minimum market capitalizations of $200 million and three month trading volumes of at least 100,000 shares. All percentage returns are listed as of 11:30AM Eastern Standard Time. Click on ticker symbols for up-to-the-minute price quotes and percentage gain data. Tesla is a Magnet for Investors It’s been quite a week for executives at Tesla Motors (Nasdaq: TSLA), which sells high-performance electric cars. When the week began, it was unclear if the choppy stock market action would cause its imminent initial public offering (IPO) to land with a thud. But by Monday afternoon, its bankers lined up ample demand for the… Read More

Among the biggest losers in Wednesday’s early trading are Acuity Brands (NYSE: AYI), American Greeting (NYSE: AM) and General Mills (NYSE: GIS). Top Percentage Losers –Wednesday, June 30, 2010 Company Name (Ticker) Intra-Day Price Intra-Day % Loss 52-Week High 52-Week Low Acuity  Brands (NYSE: AYI) $36.75 -10.3% $47.91 $24.84 American Greetings (NYSE: AM) $18.52 -5.1% $26.21 $11.01 General Mills (NYSE: GIS) $35.45 –3.4% $38.98 $27.64 *Table includes companies with minimum market capitalizations of $200 million and three month trading volumes of at least 100,000… Read More

Among the biggest losers in Wednesday’s early trading are Acuity Brands (NYSE: AYI), American Greeting (NYSE: AM) and General Mills (NYSE: GIS). Top Percentage Losers –Wednesday, June 30, 2010 Company Name (Ticker) Intra-Day Price Intra-Day % Loss 52-Week High 52-Week Low Acuity  Brands (NYSE: AYI) $36.75 -10.3% $47.91 $24.84 American Greetings (NYSE: AM) $18.52 -5.1% $26.21 $11.01 General Mills (NYSE: GIS) $35.45 –3.4% $38.98 $27.64 *Table includes companies with minimum market capitalizations of $200 million and three month trading volumes of at least 100,000 shares. All percentage returns are listed as of 10:30AM Eastern Standard Time. Click on ticker symbols for up-to-the-minute price quotes and percentage gain data. Another Victim of the Slow Construction Market Shares of Acuity Brands (NYSE: AYI) are slumping -10% after the builder of lighting fixtures for commercial and residential construction markets missed estimates. This has become a recurring theme for many companies tied to the moribund construction industry, and is unlikely to change for at least several more quarters — if not longer. But a case can be… Read More

Over the past thirty years, investors have been pretty discriminating when it comes to decide which stocks to sell when they want to raise cash. Usually, the more speculative the stock, the more likely they were to be sold. But as we saw in the 2008 economic crisis, and as… Read More

Many investors have tired of positioning their portfolios for a housing recovery. Consistently positive growth trends are probably still a ways off, but there is no denying that sales activity remains well below normal levels, making a recovery a matter of not if, but when it occurs. Read More