Companies featured in this edition of the newsletter: ACTC, CUR, CVM, DKAM, ENZ, IMUC, MFGD, NXOI, OMCM, ONEZ, PSID, XSNX

Markets continued to carry momentum during the early stages of last week, as the absence of significant economic news led to a continuation of the upward trend characterizing the past few weeks, until an earnings miss from Dell on Thursday led to a selloff in the technology sector which caused the major indices to end the week mixed. All told, the Dow ended the week in positive territory, gaining 47 points to close at 10318, up 0.5% on the week and 17.6% on the year. The Nasdaq surrendered 1.0% to close at 2146, paring its YTD gains to 36.1%, while the S&P 500 and Russell 2000 lost 0.2% and 0.3% respectively, reducing their yearly gains to 20.8 and 17.1.

Things got off to a strong start on Monday, with the

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• A large run of holiday sales offerings crashed the Ebay (NASDAQ:EBAY) website, causing a major weekend web outage

• Tyson Foods (NYSE:TSN) reported better-than-expected earnings of 28 cents a share, beating Zacks estimates by 2 cents, on revenues of $7.2 billion, which exceeded Zacks estimates of $6.85 billion

• India’s Reliance Industries bid $12 billion in cash for Lyondell Bassell when it exits bankruptcy

• Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) is reportedly in discussions with News Corp. (NASDAQ:NWSA) to "de-index" the firm's news websites from Google (NASDAQ:GOOG)

• Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO) announced plans to more than double the number of its bottling plants in China over the next ten years as part of its goal to triple sales to the country

• Hershey (NYSE:HSY) trust encouraged the firm to counter Kraft's (NYSE:KFT) hostile, $16.2 billion bid with its own, $17 billion offer

• According to S&P most US banks are failing to meet adequacy standards comfortably enough to avoid

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• According to reports, UBS (NYSE:UBS) and the US government have reached an agreement in principal to settle tax litigation.  The settlement, most notably, is not expected to result in a fine against the company

• Europe's biggest bank, HSBC (NYSE:HBC) surprised with a first half profit of $3.35 billion, versus expectations of a $600 million loss, although down 57% from last year's $7.72 billion profit. According to the bank, "It may be that we have passed, or are about to pass, the bottom of the cycle in the financial markets"

• Tyson Foods (NYSE:TSN) reported third quarter earnings of 33 cents a share, 11 cents above estimates, on in-line revenues of $6.7 billion

• Humana (NYSE:HUM) reported second quarter earnings of $1.67 a share, three cents better than expected. For the year the company sees earnings of $6.10 to $6.20 a share

• James River Coal (NASDAQ:JRCC) reported a second quarter miss at

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A government report that suggested the economy shrank at a slower pace than feared failed to push stocks higher on a lackluster Friday but indexes managed to end the month on a solid footing, spurred by hopes that the recession is losing its force.  The big July saw the Dow Jones industrial average surging 725 points or 8.6% - its best July since 1989, and the broader S&P 500 index gaining 7.4% for its best July run since 1988.  The S&P500 has now recorded its most remarkable five-month performance since 1938, holding 46% above its 12-year low set in early March.

This morning’s US stock futures indicate a sharply higher opening, helped by positive signs emanating from overseas markets.  Today, Chinese stocks hit a 14-month high after data showed manufacturing activity is expanding in the country.  The Shanghai Composite Index rose 50.53 points, or 1.5%, to close at 3,462.59

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Monday:Economic: NoneEarnings: American International Group (AIG), Carmike Cinemas (CKEC), Cinemark Holdings (CNK), Dish Network (DISH), Fuel Tech Inc (FTEK), Globalstar (GSAT), Nortel Networks (NT), Plug Power (PLUG), Sirius Satellite Radio (SIRI), Starbucks (SBUX), Tyson Foods (TSN), Virgin Mobile (VM)Tuesday:Economic: None (Veteran’s Day)Earnings: Brooks Automation (BRKS), Energy Solutions (ES), Fossil (FOSL), Liz Clairborne (LIZ), Microsoft (MSFT), Petroleo Brasileiro (PBR), TJX Companies (TJX), Tyco International (TYC), Vodophone Group (VOD)Wednesday:Economic: MBA Purchase Applications, ICSC-Goldman Store Sales, RedbookEarnings: Applied Materials (AMAT), Charlotte Russe Holding (CHIC), Computer Sciences Corp (CSC), Crocs Inc (CROX), ING Group (ING), JA Solar Holdings (JASO), Macy’s Inc (M), NetApp (NTAP), NetEase.com (NTES), The Progressive Corp (PGR)Thursday:Economic: International Trade ($-57.0B), Jobless Claims (482K), Treasury Budget ($-92.0B)Earnings: Biofuel Energy (BIOF), Clean Energy Fuels Corp (CLNE), Compugen (CGEN), Dr Pepper Snapple Group (DPS), Image Entertainment (DISK), Keynote Systems ...

Arkansas is the birthplace of Bill Clinton, the 42nd President of the United States. Arkansas’ subtropical weather sounds very inviting for those who live in regions of extreme temperatures. The state has usually mild winters, but that is not the reason why some world renowned companies call Arkansas home. Here are some interesting facts about the state:1. Arkansas main agricultural products are chicken, rice, soybeans, and cattle and calves.2. The north west part of the state is rich in natural gas, which is the most important mined product in the state.3. In 2007 tourism contributed a total of $5.4 billion to the state economy.4. Agriculture employs 275,000 in Arkansas5. Agriculture’s contribution to the state gross domestic product is the largest of any state, 12% of Arkansas’ GDP comes directly from agricultural activities.6. Arkansas ranks 4th for timber ...

Free trade is a wonderful thing. I am not in the socialist Green camp of opposing free trade deals because they give nasty multinationals free rein to exploit poor people.

Far from it. Free trade liberates economies and has pulled hundreds of millions of people out of property. The freer the trade, the better off we all are.

So it goes against the grain for me to oppose (or to at least be hostile towards) a free trade deal with America.

A free trade deal with America will never be a deal to make trade free with America. It is a chance for lobbyists in Washington to make money by blocking our dairy, beef and sheep exports, and for America’s most powerful pharmaceutical companies to kill off Pharmac.

Let me explain.

The first thing to know about America and free trade is that American politicians and officials are hypocrites and corrupt

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For the week, the Dow gained 1.8% (down 13.9% y-t-d) and the S&P500 increased 0.8% (down 14.8%). The Utilities rose 2.6% (down 14.8%), and the Morgan Stanley Consumer index gained 2.2% (down 5.1%). The Transports jumped 3.8% (up 11%), and the Morgan Stanley Cyclical index advanced 3.3% (down 13.2%). The small cap Russell 2000 added 0.2% (down 5.1%), and the S&P400 Mid-Caps increased 0.4% (down 8.1%). The NASDAQ100 was about unchanged (down 15.2%), while the Morgan Stanley High Tech index slipped 0.4% (down 15.6%). The Semiconductors lost 2.9% (down 21.2%). The Street.com Internet Index declined 0.3% (down 11%), while the NASDAQ Telecommunications index gained 1.7% (down 10.2%). The Biotechs gained 1.0% (up 3%). The financial stocks were mixed. With Lehman collapsing, the Broker/Dealers sank 11.6% (down 35.9%). Meanwhile, the Banks gained 3.2% (down 19.9%). With Bullion sinking $37, the ...

Tyson Foods is buying 60% of Shandong Xinchang Group, one of the largest poultry producers in China. I think this is a very smart move by Tyson. Why? I expect food to be one of the hottest investment sectors in the coming years. I also liked this quote from Tyson: "Poultry is the second leading meat protein source in China behind pork and continues to make significant gains in consumption." Why? Because it reaffirms the potential of Zhongpin Inc. (Nasdaq:HOGS).

I am a bit bemused by the government Consumer Price Index (CPI) and everyone screaming their is no inflation in the economy.

Anyone who has bought a house, went grocery shopping, went to the hospital without health insurance, sent a kid to college, bought gas, or paid for heat or A/C for their house in the past year would claim otherwise. Hence this CPI ex-food energy measure always struck me as strange because in a person’s weekly budget those are probably the 2 largest expenditures, and in a monthly budget ex-mortgage, those are the 2 largest expenditures. So if one can live without food or energy, ok I will say inflation is generally benign ….