The Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (...

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – October 16, 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: RPM Intl. Inc. (RPM), Casey's General Stores Inc. (CASY), Target Corp. (TGT) and Covidien Limited (COV).      Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Four daily picks are offered free at http://at.zacks.com/?id=5607

Zacks #1 Rank Stocks have nearly tripled the S&P 500 since 1988, producing an average annual return of +26%. 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 a

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Office Depot Inc. (ODP), the global supplier of a range of office products and services, recently teamed up with Acme United to offer ‘Fight the Flu Kit’. With the spread of swine flu (H1N1 virus), more and more businesses are taking measures to prevent their employees from being infected by the deadly virus.   The ‘Fight the Flu Kit’ designed by Acme United's PhysiciansCare includes a facemask, gloves, hand sanitizer, cleaning wipes, and facial tissues, and is currently available for $7.99 at Office Depot retail locations.   There are companies also offering seasonal flu vaccines. Kroger Co. (KR) had earlier made seasonal flu vaccines available at its 1,900 stores, effective September 2009. Target Corp. (TGT) is also offering flu vaccinations readily available at over 1,500 Target Pharmacy locations nationwide effective October. These vaccines do not safeguard against the deadly H1N1 flu, but are essential to protect ...

Target Corp. (TGT), the operator of general merchandise and food discount stores, expects its third-quarter earnings to surpass analysts’ expectations of 43 cents a share on the back of better-than-expected results for the month of September. However, Target holds a cautious outlook about its fourth-quarter results.   The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third quarter also remains at 43 cents.   Total sales for the month of September climbed 1.3% to $5,392 million from $5,320 million posted in the same month last year. However, year-to-date sales declined marginally by .7% year on year to $39,176 million.   Target’s comparable-store sales for the month of September fell 1.7%, an improvement over the 3% decline delivered in the same month last year. Year-to-date comps slipped 4.3% compared to a decline of 1.1% posted in the same period last year.   The company has been feeling the brunt of the recession, as ...

Even as investors get more and more bullish about the outlook for the U.S. economy, the economy’s underlying foundation continues to erode.

In a report to be released this week, the Obama administration will boost its 10-year projection for the federal budget deficit to about $9 trillion – an increase of roughly $2 trillion, or 29%, from its prior projection, Fox News reported over the weekend, citing a source from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

The new cumulative deficit projection – for 2010-2019 – replaces the administration’s previous estimate of $7.108 trillion. Changes in budget projections – whether they result in a surplus or a deficit – are often refined as economic conditions change. This new projection was necessary because the recession has gone on for so long, causing federal tax receipts to plunge – and because the economic rebound will be prolonged and weak, resulting

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Several key second-quarter earnings reports could either validate or undercut assertions that the U.S. economy is poised for recovery.

After the Commerce Department reported last week that retail sales fell 0.1% in July from June, and 8.3% year-over-year, retailers will stay in the limelight this week as several high-profile companies report second-quarter earnings. Target Corp. (NYSE: TGT), Limited Brands Inc. (NYSE: LTD), and Gap Stores (NYSE: GPS) are among the big-name retailers set to report.

Meanwhile, the Hewlett-Packard Co’s (NYSE: HPQ) report will provide a further glimpse into the world of technology, and The Home Depot Co.’s (NYSE: HD) results will confirm or counter claims that the recent housing rebound is for real.  On that note, the upcoming economic releases include July housing starts and existing home sales, while the wholesale inflation gauge may show that price pressures are not

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Crude Rises Above $62/Barrel; Opel Courtship Down to Three; Unibanco CEO: 4% Second-Half GDP for Brazil; Target and BJ’s Beat Expectations; Obama To Sign Credit Card “Bill of Rights”; California Could Go Broke After Voters Reject Plan; Wall Street Won’t Rehire Many Workers; Indiana Pension Funds File to Block Chrysler Bankruptcy Sale

Crude oil yesterday (Wednesday) rose above $62 a barrel, a six-month high, after the U.S. government released a report that showed inventories fell below forecasts. “The big drops in both crude and gasoline are very bullish,” Nauman Barakat, senior vice president of energy at Macquarie Futures USA Inc., told Bloomberg. “If people were surprised by how fast crude oil moved from $50 to $60, they will be really shocked by how quickly the market will hit $70.”...

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

Credit Suisse Group AG (CS) Dick's Sporting Goods Inc (DKS) Northrim BanCorp Inc (NRIM) PepsiAmericas Inc (PAS) Petroleo Brasileiro SA (PBR) Target Corp (TGT) Visa Inc (V) View the entire Zacks #1 Rank List.

"CS" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?"DKS" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?"NRIM" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?"PAS" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?"PBR" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?"TGT" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?"V" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?Zacks Investment Research

First-quarter earnings season nears an end with Hewlett-Packard (

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We highlight Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (WMT) and Target Corp. (TGT). In March, the U.S. trade deficit was $27.6 billion, up from a revised $26.1 billion in February.  Both imports and exports fell, but at a much slower rate than we have seen in recent months.  As the Chart below shows (larger version available at http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/) over the last year the improvement in the trade deficit has been dramatic (so much for the thought that the trade and fiscal deficits were related). Most of the recent improvement can be traced to the falling price of oil (black line). The non-oil side of the trade deficit actually started to improve in late 2006, but was masked by the run-up in oil prices. With oil prices rebounding (although well off the levels of a year ago) this source of improvement in the trade picture will start

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