Missouri has a very diversified economy. It has a large service sector, wholesale, retail, manufacturing and agricultural. It is a top producer of automobiles, beer and aerospace technology. Some lesser known facts about Missouri follow:1. Missouri’s top commodities are soybeans, cattle and calves and corn.2. 14,842 new businesses settled in Missouri during 2007.3. Top manufacturing industries in the state are: transportation equipment, food products, and fabricated metals.4. The manufacturing industry employs 13% of the work force.5. Missouri exports chemicals, machinery and food products to South Korea, China and Japan.6. The High-tech industry of Missouri employs 4% of the work force.7. Missouri offers over $306 million in incentives for biofuel energy development, along with tax credits.8. Forest products contribute $1.69 billion to the economy.9. Top industries depending on exports are the aircraft manufacturing, and the wholesale ...

Here are the stocks added to the Zacks #1 Rank ("strong buy") List today:

Alkermes Inc (ALKS) American Financial Group (AFG) Anheuser-Busch Companies Inc (BUD) Arrow Electronics Inc (ARW) Banco Macro SA (BMA) CARBO Ceramics Inc (CRR) Comverse Technology Inc (CMVT) Cyberonics Inc (CYBX) DXP Enterprises Inc (DXPE) Emergency Medical Services Corp (EMS) Glacier Bancorp Inc (GBCI) Gushan Environmental Energy Ltd (GU) Hewitt Associates Inc (HEW) KANA Software Inc (KANA) Limited Brands Inc (LTD) Mitsui & Co Ltd (MITSY) Multi-Fineline Electronix Inc (MFLX) Navios Maritime Holdings Inc (NM) NetScout Systems Inc (NTCT) NexMed Inc (NEXM) Packaging Corp of America (PKG) PepsiAmericas Inc (PAS) Petrobras Energia Participaciones SA (PZE) Petroleo Brasileiro SA (PBR) POSCO (PKX) Robbins & Myers Inc (RBN) Rock-Tenn Co (RKT) ...

We are keeping our Hold recommendation on Companhia de Bebidas das Americas, or AmBev (ABV). The company posted slightly positive results for the second quarter of 2008 with excellent results in Brazil and in Argentina.

However, consolidated net income declined due to continued appreciation of the Brazilian real against the U.S. dollar. Nevertheless, parent company InBev's desire to acquire Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. (BUD) appears to be positive for the company.

However, the tighter monetary policy in Brazil, growing inflation in Argentina, the strength of the Brazilian real and its effect on the company's international sales, weak results in Central America, commodity costs and the difficult economic environment in the U.S. are matters of high concern.

We believe AmBev's strategy to focus on a few premium brands with higher quality and higher margins is already delivering strong results and will continue to boost revenues and earnings. This strategy enabled the

...