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

3M Co (MMM) AeroCentury Corp (ACY) American Italian Pasta Co (AIPC) America's Car-Mart Inc (CRMT) Assisted Living Concepts Inc (ALC) AstraZeneca Plc (AZN) Barnes & Noble Inc (BKS) The Boston Beer Co (SAM) Cardtronics Inc (CATM) Cellcom Israel Ltd (CEL) Chico's FAS Inc (CHS) China Petroleum & Chemical Corp (SNP) Cymer Inc (CYMI) Deluxe Corp (DLX) Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc (DPS) Emergency Medical Services Corp (EMS) Evercore ...

The National Development and Reform Commission of China said that the government will increase both gasoline and diesel prices, effective today. Both the prices will increase by 300 yuan ($43.98) a metric ton, representing approximately 4%–5% over current average gasoline and diesel retail ceiling benchmarks of yuan 7,310 ($1,072) and yuan 6,570 ($963) a ton. This is the sixth fuel price adjustment made this year after the government brought the new fuel pricing system which links domestic rates with the international crude oil price changes. The Chinese government’s initiative to raise the ceiling on refined product prices is a welcome development for refiners. Refiners in China had been witnessing a weakness in refining margins due to an increase in crude prices and the government’s conservative role in refined product (particularly gasoline and diesel) pricing. The government caps the prices of refined products to control inflation. These ...

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

Electrolux AB (ELUXY) Atlantic Tele-Network Inc (ATNI) Blackrock Kelso Capital Corp (BKCC) Calamos Asset Management Inc (CLMS) Cardtronics Inc (CATM) China Petroleum & Chemical Corp (SNP) ChinaEdu Corp (CEDU) DeVry Inc (DV) Encore Capital Group Inc (ECPG) Flamel Technologies SA (FLML) GSC Investment Corp (GNV) Iconix Brand Group Inc (ICON) Mead Johnson Nutrition Co (MJN) O'Reilly Automotive Inc (ORLY) Orchids Paper Products Co (TIS) Pegasystems Inc (PEGA) Phillips-Van Heusen Corp (PVH) Telenor ASA (TELNY) Universal Electronics Inc (UEIC) Wyndham Worldwide Corp (WYN) View the entire Zacks #1 Rank List.

"ELUXY" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?"ATNI" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?"BKCC" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? ...

China Petroleum & Chemical Corp. (SNP) gained slightly in morning trade to pressure a short-term level of resistance at $76.54. Despite large-scale fluctuation in oil prices, analysts on average see the company's 2009 earnings surging to $5.46 a share from 45 cents in the year-ago period. China Petroleum is a Zacks#1 Rank ("Strong Buy") stock.

"SNP" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?Zacks Investment Research

Anglogold Ashanti Ltd. (...

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL - May 28, 2009 - Four free stock picks are being made available today on Zacks.com. The industry's leading independent research firm highlights one Zacks #1 Rank Strong Buy or a Zacks #2 Rank Buy stock for each of the four main styles of investing: Aggressive Growth, Growth & Income, Momentum, and Value.

The four highlighted picks are: Carter's Inc. (CRI), Cubic Corporation (CUB), China Petroleum & Chemical Corp. (SNP) and Newell Rubbermaid Inc. (NWL).     Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Four daily picks are offered free at http://at.zacks.com/?id=88

Zacks #1 Rank Stocks have nearly tripled the S&P 500 since 1988, producing an average annual return of +28%. Performance has been notable even during volatile and down times. For example, during the last bear market, 2000-2002, the market tumbled -37.6% - but Zacks #1 Rank stocks gained +43.8%.

Here is

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China Petroleum & Chemical Corp.'s (...

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

American Public Education Inc (APEI) Associated British Foods Plc (ASBFY) Atlantic Tele-Network Inc (ATNI) Banco Latinoamericano de Exportaciones (BLX) CapLease Inc (LSE) Compania Cervecerias Unidas SA (CCU) China Petroleum & Chemical Corp (SNP) Knology Inc (KNOL) Kohlberg Capital Corp (KCAP) Netflix Inc (NFLX) NVE Corp (NVEC) RAE Systems Inc (RAE) Rolls-Royce Group Plc (RYCEY) Ross Stores Inc (ROST) WestAmerica Bancorp (WABC) Wyndham Worldwide Corp (WYN) Access National Corp (ANCX) Advance Auto Parts Inc (AAP) American Financial Group (AFG) The Buckle Inc (BKE) Callon Petroleum Co (CPE) Carrizo Oil & Gas Inc (CRZO) Centennial Communications Corp (CYCL) Flanders Corp (FLDR) Hellenic Telecom Organization SA (OTE) Hill-Rom Holdings Inc (HRC) Iconix ...

Here are the stocks added to the Zacks #5 Rank ("strong sell") List today:

American Safety Insurance Holdings Ltd (ASI) Argo Group International Holdings Ltd (AGII) Canadian Natural Resource Ltd (CNQ) China Petroleum & Chemical Corp (SNP) ECB Bancorp Inc (ECBE) Gamco Investors Inc (GBL) Hill-Rom Holdings Inc (HRC) Ingersoll-Rand Company Ltd (IR) Layne Christensen Co (LAYN) Lincoln National Corp (LNC) McGrath RentCorp (MGRC) Oxford Industries Inc (OXM) Partner Communications Company Ltd (PTNR) Permian Basin Royalty Trust (PBT) Speedway Motorsports Inc (TRK) Team Inc (TISI) Teck Cominco Ltd (TCK) Ultrapar Participacoes SA (UGP) Whirlpool Corp (WHR) View the entire Zacks #5 Rank List.

Zacks Investment Research

China Petroleum & Chemical Corp. (SNP) (Sinopec) reported a 47% decline in fiscal 2008 net profit on Sunday. The stock has slipped over 5% today, although volumes are at lower-than-normal levels.

SNP's earnings of 29.8 billion yuan (about $4.4 billion) during 2008 were adversely affected by windfall taxes, price caps and weakened demand during 4Q08. Sales recorded a growth of 21% year-on-year to reach 1.4 trillion yuan.

According to the Beijing-based refining giant, "In 2008, the company was under pressure from both meeting domestic market demand and suffering huge losses as a result of the government's strict price control over oil products."

Analysts have lowered fiscal 2009 estimates by 65 cents over the past month and by $1.46 over the past 60 days as demand and crude price levels are likely to remain sluggish in the near term.

SNP is a Zacks #4 Rank ("Sell") stock.

"SNP" ...