5 Best Healthcare Equipment Stocks To Watch For 2014

I focus more on fundamentals to select the stocks that I trade and suggest on my site. However, I can't ignore technical analysis, and this week there were some very important things that appeared on some very long-term charts. With the S+P 500 (SPY) breaking above 1576 and the Dow Jones industrials (DIA) and the Transportation index (IYT) confirming the move to new all-time highs, the thirteen year secular bear market in stocks is over for now-- and based on history, will be probably for quite a while like for two or three more years.

Because of our lack of knowledge of long-term history, most in my generation were unaware that in the stock market, you usually have a long period where stocks outperform most asset classes and make incredible moves like Dow 4,000 to 14,000. However, then they suffer violent bear markets where they essentially lose 40-50% of their value and take years just to recover to former highs. This process usually plays out over a decade or more, until there is no faith or interest in stocks among most investors and then the process reverses itself over a similar long period. This same vicious pattern played out from the year 2000 until just the last few days-- meaning it lasted for thirteen years. This one was especially viscous because of the severity of the corrections and the extreme volatility the last violent leg down took in the crash of 2008.

5 Best Telecom Stocks To Buy For 2015: LyondellBasell Industries NV(LYB)

LyondellBasell Industries N.V. manufacturers and sells chemicals and polymers, refines crude oil, produces gasoline blending components, and develops and licenses technologies for production of polymers. The company?s Olefins and Polyolefins segment offers olefins, including ethylene, propylene, and butadiene; aromatics, such as benzene and toluene; polyolefins, which comprise polypropylene (PP), high-density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene, and linear low-density polyethylene; specialty polyolefins, including catalloy process resins, PP compounds, and polybutene-1 resins; and ethylene derivatives, which comprise ethanol. Its Intermediates and Derivatives segment provides propylene oxide (PO); PO co-products, including styrene monomers and TBA derivative isobutylene; PO derivatives, such as propylene glycol, propylene glycol ethers, and butanediol; acetyls, such as methanol, acetic acid, and vinyl acetate monomers; ethylene derivatives, which comprise ethylene oxide , ethylene glycol, and ethylene glycol ethers; and flavor and fragrance chemicals. The company?s Refining and Oxyfuels segment offers gasoline and components, ultra low sulfur diesel, jet fuel, and lube oils; diesel, feedstock, fuel oil, gasoline, and bitumen; and gasoline blending components, including methyl tertiary butyl ether, ethyl tertiary butyl ether, and alkylate. Its Technology segment develops and licenses polyolefin and other process technologies. This segment also develops, manufactures, and sells polyolefin catalysts, as well as provides technology services, which comprise safety reviews, training and start-up assistance, engineering services for process and product improvements, and manufacturing troubleshooting. LyondellBasell Industries N.V. has operations in the Americas, Europe, Asia, and internationally. The company was founded in 2005 and is based in Rotterdam, Netherlands. LyondellBasell Industries N.V. is a subsidiary of Prochemie GmbH.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Kell]

  LyondellBasell Industries N.V.(LYB) said its fourth-quarter earnings soared 86% as the plastics and chemicals company reported better profitability across all key business segments. Results were far better than Wall Street expected, sending shares up 2.4% to $79.90 in premarket trading.

• [By Chad Tracy]

  In a classic contrarian move, he purchased more shares of troubled plastics-maker LyondellBasell Industries (NYSE: LYB), even as the company was sliding toward bankruptcy.

• [By Lu Wang]

  Bulls say stocks such as Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc., DuPont Co. (DD) and LyondellBasell Industries NV (LYB) will continue to rebound as manufacturing expands in China, Europe and the U.S., spurring the fastest profit growth in three years for raw-material producers. Bears says the gains will be short-lived because the commodities super cycle is over and demand for metals and chemicals isn�� growing fast enough at a time when everything from copper to nickel and corn head into surpluses in the next year.

5 Best Healthcare Equipment Stocks To Watch For 2014: NextEra Energy Inc. (NEE)

NextEra Energy, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the generation, transmission, distribution, and sale of electric energy in the United States and Canada. As of December 31, 2010, NextEra Energy had approximately 43,000 mega watts of generating capacity. The company involves in the generation of renewable energy from wind and solar projects. It also generates electricity through natural gas, nuclear, oil and coal, and hydro power plants. The company serves approximately 8.7 million people through approximately 4.5 million customer accounts in the east and lower west coasts of Florida. In addition, it leases wholesale fiber-optic network capacity and dark fiber to telephone, wireless carriers, Internet, and other telecommunications companies. The company was formerly known as FPL Group, Inc. and changed its name to NextEra Energy, Inc. in May 2010. NextEra Energy, Inc. was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Juno Beach, Florida.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Maxx Chatsko]

  Such a tax would act as the ultimate motivation for power generation companies and dirty industrial processes to invest in cleaner, perhaps renewable technologies. Consider that the production tax credit -- a relatively modest subsidy aiding renewable power sources gain market share -- allowed companies such as NextEra (NYSE: NEE  ) to boost American wind generation from just 6 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) in 2000 to 140 billion kWh in 2012. NextEra now has more than 10,000 megawatts (MW) of wind capacity, which makes up 55% of its total portfolio. Imagine what a carbon tax would force the industry to do.�

• [By Chuck Carnevale]

  Nextera Energy (NEE): A Moderately Growing Utility

  With our second example we move up the food chain of growth by reviewing Nextera Energy a moderately faster growing utility stock. Even though Nextera Energy�� growth rate is more than 3 times faster, averaging 6.4% per annum, we discover that valuation within our PE = 15 range. To be clear, what this tells us is that investing in Nextera at a PE ratio of approximately 15 represents a sound and historically normal valuation.

• [By Tyler Crowe]

  From the generation side of things, there is no true wind-generation company that investors can get their hands on, either. The closest company to it is NextEra Energy (NYSE: NEE  ) . As of April, the company had about 10,000 MW coming from wind power, about 56% of its net capacity. It's not done, either, NextEra intends to purchase 59 of GE's new 1.7 MW turbines, considered the most efficient turbines manufactured to date.

5 Best Healthcare Equipment Stocks To Watch For 2014: First Niagara Financial Group Inc.(FNFG)

First Niagara Financial Group, Inc. operates as the holding company for First Niagara Bank, N.A. that provides retail and commercial banking, and other financial services to individuals, families, and businesses. It offers retail deposit accounts, which include savings, negotiable order of withdrawal, checking, money market, and certificate of deposit accounts, as well as provides business savings and checking, money market, cash management accounts, and municipal deposit accounts. The company?s loan portfolio comprises commercial real estate and multi-family loans; commercial business loans; residential real estate loans; home equity loans; and consumer loans consisting of indirect mobile home loans, and personal secured and unsecured loans. It also sells insurance products, including commercial and personal insurance, surety bond, life, disability, and long-term care coverage products. In addition, the company offers risk management consulting services comprising altern ative risk and self-insurance services, claims investigation and adjusting services, and third party administration services for self insured workers? compensation plans. Further, it provides employee benefits plan and compensation consulting services. Additionally, First Niagara Financial Group offers wealth management services that manage client funds utilizing various third party investment vehicles consisting of stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and annuities, as well as other investment products, such as individual retirement accounts, education savings plans, and retirement plans. As of December 31, 2010 it operated 257 bank branches, including 115 in Upstate New York and 142 branches in Pennsylvania. The company was founded in 1870 and is based in Buffalo, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  Friday
  Things are usually quiet on Fridays, but that won't stop First Niagara Financial Group (NASDAQ: FNFG  ) from reporting. The parent company of First Niagra Bank -- a community banker with 430 branches and $37 billion in assets -- is expect to post marginal improvement on the top and bottom lines.

• [By Selena Maranjian]

  Among holdings in which Barrow, Hanley, Mewhinney & Strauss increased its stake were Intel (NASDAQ: INTC  ) and First Niagara Financial Group (NASDAQ: FNFG  ) . Intel sports a hefty dividend yield of 3.7%, and it hasn't upped that payout in nearly two years, as it invests more in growth with its cash flow. The company has been in a bit of a slump, posting underwhelming earnings and trying to boost its presence in the smartphones and tablets. Many see value in Intel, with its dominant market position, growing revenue and earnings, and significant payout. Investors need to take a long-term view, though.

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Equities Trading DOWN
  Shares of Kansas City Southern (NYSE: KSU) were down 15.32 percent to $99.22 after the company reported downbeat Q4 earnings. International Game Technology (NYSE: IGT) shares tumbled 14.16 percent to $15.15 after the company reported weaker-than-expected fiscal first-quarter results. Sterne Agee downgraded the stock from Buy to Neutral and cut the price target from $21.50 to $18.00. First Niagara Financial Group (NASDAQ: FNFG) was down, falling 10.79 percent to $9.22 on Q4 results. The company issued weak FY14 earnings outlook.

• [By John Maxfield]

  Given that you clicked on this article, it seems safe to assume you either own stock in First Niagara Financial (NASDAQ: FNFG  ) or are considering buying shares in the near future. If so, then you've come to the right place. The table below reveals the nine most critical numbers investors need to know about First Niagara Financial stock before deciding whether to buy, sell, or hold it.

5 Best Healthcare Equipment Stocks To Watch For 2014: Martin Marietta Materials Inc. (MLM)

Martin Marietta Materials, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the production and sale of aggregates for the construction industry primarily in the United States, Canada, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean Islands. The company operates in four segments: Mideast Group, Southeast Group, West Group, and Specialty Products. It mines, processes, and sells granite, limestone, sand, gravel, and other aggregate products for use in the public infrastructure, and nonresidential and residential construction industries, as well as in the agriculture, railroad ballast, chemical, and other applications. The company also offers asphalt, ready mixed concrete, and road paving materials. In addition, it manufactures and markets magnesia-based chemical products for the industrial, agricultural, and environmental applications; and dolomitic lime primarily for use in the steel industry. These chemical products are used in flame retardants, wastewater treatment, pulp and paper producti on, and other environmental applications. Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. was founded in 1993 and is based in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By MONEYMORNING]

  Too bad Einhorn's next slide was Martin Marietta Materials Inc. (NYSE: MLM), whose stock symbol happens to be MLM...

  Oops! The crowd, also expecting the idea to be shorting Herbalife, turned heel and sent out orders from the conference to cover their Herbalife shorts. The stock rose on the day.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Shares of Vulcan have gained 7.6%, and given a lift to other cement makers today, including Martin Marietta Materials (MLM), which has risen 4.9% and reports earnings on Thursday, Cemex (CX), which has advanced 1.5%, and Texas Industries (TXI), which is up 4.9%.