5 Best Financial Stocks To Invest In 2015

In the UAE, you have to consistently remind yourself that there's always the threat of a financial crisis. If a crisis does, in fact, rear its ugly head, be prepared writes Harvey Jones of The National.

You never know when you will find yourself in the middle of a financial emergency, as thousands of UAE-based expatriates, caught in the wake of the global crisis, can testify.

If you fall ill, have an accident, lose your job or suffer any crisis that threatens your income, you could suddenly find yourself unable to service your debts, and that means big trouble.

The Emirates can sometimes be an unforgiving place to run into money worries. Writing a check that bounces is still a criminal offense for expats, though many banks will try to work with a customer to solve any financial shortfalls.

When emergency strikes, however, you need backup. So what should you do?

Everybody should have a financial cushion in case something goes wrong, says Richard Taylor, a chartered financial planner with PIC Middle East. "But it is particularly important for UAE-based expats, due to the speed at which your situation can change here."

5 Best Financial Stocks To Invest In 2015: Pacific Continental Corporation(Ore)

Pacific Continental Corporation operates as the bank holding company for Pacific Continental Bank that provides commercial banking services primarily in Oregon and Washington. The company offers a range of banking and related services to community-based business, not-for-profits, professional service providers, business owners, and executives. It accepts a range of deposit products, including demand, checking, savings, money market, and time deposits. The company?s loan portfolio comprises secured and unsecured commercial loans for general operating purposes, acquisition of fixed assets, purchases of equipment and machinery, financing of inventory and accounts receivable, and other business purposes; small business administration loans; and permanent and construction loan finance products for commercial facilities and for pre-sold, custom, and speculative home construction. Its loan portfolio also comprises residential mortgage loans; and secured and unsecured loans to in dividuals for various purposes, such as purchases of automobiles, mobile homes, boats, and other recreational vehicles, as well as for home improvements, education, and personal investment. In addition, the company offers credit card services, merchant card payment services, and cash management products to its business customers; and online banking, safe deposit, debit and ATM cards, ACH transactions, savings bonds, cashier?s checks, travelers? checks, and notary services. As of March 30, 2010, it operated 14 banking offices in Oregon and Washington. The company was founded in 1972 and is headquartered in Eugene, Oregon.

5 Best Financial Stocks To Invest In 2015: HDFC Bank Ltd (HDB)

HDFC Bank Limited (HDFC Bank), incorporated in August 1994, is a banking company engaged in providing a range of banking and financial services, including commercial banking and treasury operations. The Bank has overseas branch operations in Bahrain and Hong Kong. The Bank operates in four segments: treasury, which primarily consists of net interest earnings from the Bank�� investment portfolio, money market borrowing and lending, gains or losses on investment operations and on account of trading in foreign exchange and derivative contracts; retail banking, which serves retail customers through a branch network and other delivery channels; wholesale banking, which provides loans, non-fund facilities and transaction services to corporate, public sector units, government bodies, financial institutions and medium scale enterprises, and other banking business, segment includes income from para banking activities, such as credit cards, debit cards, third party product distribution, primary dealership business and the associated costs. Revenues of the retail banking segment are derived from interest earned on retail loans, net of commission (net of subvention received) paid to sales agents and interest earned from other segments for surplus funds placed with those segments, fees from services rendered, foreign exchange earnings on retail products.

Retail Banking

The Bank is a financial services provider of various deposit products, of retail loans (auto loans, personal loans, commercial vehicle loans, mortgages, business banking, loan against gold jewellery), credit cards, debit cards, depository (custody services), investment advisory, bill payments and several transactional services. Apart from its own products, the Bank distributes third party financial products, such as mutual funds and life and general insurance. As of March 31, 2012, the Bank had 2,544 branches in 1,399 Indian cities. The Bank had 8,913 automated teller machines (ATMs) during the fiscal year ended March 31,! 2012. In addition to the Bank does home loans in conjunction with HDFC Limited. Under this arrangement the Bank sells loans provided by HDFC Limited through its branches. HDFC Limited approves and disburses the loans, which are booked in their books, with the Bank receiving a sourcing fee for these loans. HDFC Limited offers the Bank an option to purchase up to 70% of the fully disbursed home loans sourced under this arrangement through either the issue of mortgage backed pass through certificates (PTCs) or by a direct assignment of loans; the balance is retained by HDFC Limited. It also distributes life, general insurance and mutual fund products through its tie-ups with insurance companies and mutual fund houses.

Wholesale Banking

The Bank provides its corporate and institutional clients a range of commercial and transactional banking products. The Bank�� commercial banking business covers the corporate sector, the emerging corporate segments and some small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The Bank has a number of business groups catering to various segments of its wholesale banking customers with a range of banking services covering their working capital, term finance, trade services, cash management, foreign exchange and electronic banking requirements. The Bank�� financial institutions and government business group (FIG) offers commercial and transaction banking products to financial institutions, mutual funds, public sector undertakings, central and state government departments. The main focus for this segment is offering various deposit and transaction banking products to this segment besides offering funded, non-funded treasury and foreign exchange products.

The Bank provides its customers both working capital and term financing. The Bank�� corporate banking business includes cash management and vendor and distributor (supply chain) finance products. The Bank has a wholesale banking branch in Bahrain, a branch in Hong Kong and two representative offic! es in the! United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Kenya. The branches offer the Bank�� suite of banking services including treasury and trade finance products to its corporate clients. The Bank offers wealth management products, remittance facilities and markets deposits to the non-resident Indian community from its representative offices.

Treasury

The treasury group is responsible for compliance with reserve requirements and management of liquidity and interest rate risk on the Bank�� balance sheet. On the foreign exchange and derivatives front, revenues are driven primarily by spreads on customer transactions based on trade flows and customers��demonstrated hedging needs. The Bank offers Indian rupee and foreign exchange derivative products to its customers. The Bank enters into foreign exchange and derivative deals with counterparties after it has set up appropriate counterparty credit limits based on its evaluation of the ability of the counterparty to meet its obligations in the event of crystallization of the exposure. The Bank also deals in Indian rupee derivatives on its own account, including for the purpose of its own balance sheet risk management.

Other banking business

The Bank has two subsidiaries: HDFC Securities Limited (HSL) and HDB Financial Services Limited (HDBFS). HSL is primarily in the business of providing brokerage services through the Internet and other channels. As of March 31, 2012, HSL had a network of 184 branches across the country. HDBFS is a non-deposit taking non-bank finance company (NBFC). Apart from lending to individuals, it grants loans to small and medium business enterprises and micro small and medium enterprises, the principle businesses of HDBFS include loans, which offers a range of loans in the secured and unsecured loans space that fulfill the financial needs of its target segment; insurance services, HDBFS is a corporate agent for HDFC Standard Life Insurance Company and sells insurance products ,as well as products, ! such as L! oan Cover and Asset Cover, and collections-BPO services, which runs six call centres. These centres cover collection requirements at over 200 towns through its calling and field teams. As on March 31, 2012, HDBFS had 180 branches in 135 cities in order to distribute its products and services.

Top 10 Cheap Stocks For 2014: F.B.D.HLDGS ORD EUR0.60(FBH.L)

FBD Holdings plc, through its subsidiaries, primarily engages in general insurance underwriting business in Ireland and other countries in European Union. It offers various business insurance products, including shop insurance; pub insurance; office based professional insurance; manufacturers, distribution, and wholesale insurance; and restaurant, cafe, and takeaway insurance. The company also offers other business insurance products for property, business interruption, employer?s liability, public liability, products liability, money, and deterioration of food to small and medium enterprises; property insurance for commercial and private lets; medical surgery insurance; insurance for hotels, guest houses, and B&B?s; and self build insurance, as well as commercial vehicle insurance, motor fleet insurance, personal car insurance, farm insurance, and home insurance. In addition, it provides various personal finance solutions, including general insurance broking, life assur ance/pension products, broking/investment advice, installment finance, mortgage protection quotes, life and serious illness cover products, mortgage advices, and income protection solutions, as well as other financial solutions for businesses. Further, the company holds interests in various hotel and leisure properties comprising the La Cala and Sunset Beach Resorts in Spain, as well as in the FBD Hotels in Ireland. FBD Holdings plc was incorporated in 1988 and is based in Dublin, Ireland.

5 Best Financial Stocks To Invest In 2015: NBT Bancorp Inc.(NBTB)

NBT Bancorp Inc., a financial holding company, provides commercial banking and financial services to individuals, corporations, and municipalities in central and upstate New York, northeastern Pennsylvania, and the greater Burlington, Vermont area. The company accepts various deposit products that include demand deposit accounts, savings accounts, negotiable order of withdrawal accounts, money market deposit accounts, and certificate of deposit accounts. Its loan portfolio comprises residential real estate mortgages, commercial loans, commercial real estate loans, real estate construction and development loans, agricultural and agricultural real estate loans, consumer loans, home equity loans, and lease financing. NBT Bancorp also provides retirement plan consulting and recordkeeping services; and trust and investment, financial planning, and life insurance services, as well as enables customers to check balances, transfer funds, pay bills, view statements, apply for loans , and access various other product and service information online. As of December 31, 2010, the NBT Bank division had 86 divisional offices and 114 automated teller machines (ATMs) located primarily in central and upstate New York and Burlington, Vermont; and the Pennstar Bank division had 37 divisional offices and 50 ATMs located primarily in northeastern Pennsylvania. The company was founded in 1856 and is headquartered in Norwich, New York.

5 Best Financial Stocks To Invest In 2015: PrivateBancorp Inc.(PVTB)

PrivateBancorp, Inc. operates as the holding company for The PrivateBank and Trust Company that provides business and personal financial services to middle-market companies and business owners, executives, entrepreneurs, and families in the United States. The company?s deposit products include checking, savings, and money market accounts; interest and non-interest bearing demand deposits; and certificates of deposit. Its loan portfolio comprises commercial loans, including lines of credit to businesses for working capital needs, term loans, and letters of credit; commercial real estate loans; loans for the construction of single-family residential properties, multi-family properties, and commercial projects; mortgage loans; and residential, home equity, and personal loans. The company also provides private banking, investment management, trust, and investment agency services to high and ultra-high net-worth clients; custody, escrow, and tax-deferred exchange services; and investment management services to individuals, families, and foundations. In addition, it invests primarily in residential mortgage-backed securities and collateralized mortgage obligations. As of December 31, 2011, the company operated 18 branch locations in the Chicago market; and 10 branch locations in the Atlanta, Detroit, Kansas City, Milwaukee, and St. Louis metropolitan areas, as well as 29 automated teller machines located at its banking facilities. PrivateBancorp, Inc. was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Laura Brodbeck]

  Next week investors will be waiting for several key earnings reports including�General Electric Company (NYSE: GE), Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (NASDAQ: ISRG), Peabody Energy Corporation (NYSE: BTU), Nokia Corporation (NYSE: NOK), PrivateBancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: PVTB),Yahoo! Inc. (NASDAQ: YHOO), Bank of America Corp (NYSE: BAC) and Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ).

• [By Holly LaFon]

  In the last several weeks, three hedge and mutual fund managers sold shares of their holdings where they own 5% or more of the company, according to GuruFocus Real Time Picks. Most of the managers made large gains on these sales, with one exception. John Paulson reduced his stake in Delphi (DLPH), Third Avenue reduced its stake in Skyline Corp. (SKY), and NWQ Managers reduced its stake in PrivateBancorp (PVTB) and Bob Evans Farms (BOBE). John Paulson and Delphi Auto Plc (DLPH)

• [By Zacks]

  Some better-ranked Midwest banks include First Interstate Bancsystem Inc. (NASDAQ: FIBK), Wintrust Financial Corporation (NASDAQ: WTFC) and PrivateBancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: PVTB). All these stocks carry a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).

5 Best Financial Stocks To Invest In 2015: Cohen & Steers Quality Income Realty Fund Inc(RQI)

Cohen & Steers Quality Income Realty Fund Inc. is a closed-ended equity mutual fund launched and managed Cohen & Steers Capital Management, Inc. It invests in the public equity markets of the United States. The fund seeks to invest in growth stocks of companies operating in real estate sector. It employs fundamental analysis focusing on underlying potential for success in light of the company?s current financial condition, its industry and sector position, economic and market condition, earnings growth, current ratio of debt to capital and the quality of its management. The fund benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against the S&P 500 index and the FTSE NAREIT Equity REIT index. It was previously known as Cohen & Steers Income Realty Fund Inc. Cohen & Steers Quality Income Realty Fund Inc was formed on August 22, 2001 and is domiciled in the United States.

5 Best Financial Stocks To Invest In 2015: Town Centre Sec(TCSC.L)

Town Centre Securities PLC, a real estate investment trust, engages in the investment, development, and trading of properties in the United Kingdom. It also provides car parking services. The company?s property portfolio includes shopping centers, retail warehouses and food stores, high street shops, offices, car parks, and residential properties located in York, BlackPool, London, Leeds, Manchester, Edinburgh, and Glasgow. It operates a portfolio of 4,000 spaces comprising 3 multi-storey car park sites with 2,980 spaces and approximately 1,000 spaces on surface sites in Leeds and Manchester. The company was founded in 1959 and is based in Leeds, the United Kingdom.

5 Best Financial Stocks To Invest In 2015: CIFC Corp (CIFC.PH)

CIFC Corp. (CIFC), formerly CIFC Deerfield Corp., is a corporate loan asset managers. As of September 30, 2011, CIFC managed $10.7 billion across 29 collateralized loan obligations (CLOs) and served more than 200 institutional investors in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. CIFC conducts asset management activities through four principal subsidiaries: CIFC Asset Management LLC, Deerfield Capital Management LLC, CypressTree Investment Management, LLC and Columbus Nova Credit Investments Management LLC. CIFC was formed by the merger of Commercial Industrial Finance Corp. and Deerfield Capital Corp. on April 13, 2011. In February 2012, the Company�� wholly owned indirect subsidiaries, DFR Middle Market Holdings Ltd. and Deerfield Capital Management LLC, completed the sale of certain non-core assets.

CIFC's primary investment objectives are to achieve the target returns marketed to investors. CIFC is a fundamentals-based manager of senior secured cor porate loans with a differentiated investment management model, management framework, processes and technology.

5 Best Financial Stocks To Invest In 2015: Suffolk Bancorp(SUBK)

Suffolk Bancorp operates as the holding company for Suffolk County National Bank, a national-chartered commercial bank that provides domestic, retail, and commercial banking services, as well as trust services in Suffolk County, New York. The company offers various deposit products consisting of checking accounts, savings accounts, time and savings certificates, money market accounts, negotiable-order-of-withdrawal accounts, holiday club accounts, and individual retirement accounts. It also provides various secured and unsecured loans, including commercial loans to individuals, partnerships, and corporations; agricultural loans to farmers; installment loans to finance small businesses; automobile loans; and home equity and real estate mortgage loans. In addition, the company offers safe deposit boxes, and trust and estate services; sells mutual funds and annuities; and maintains a master pension plan for self-employed individuals? participation. As of December 31, 2010, i t operated 30 full-service offices in Suffolk County, New York. Suffolk Bancorp was founded in 1890 and is headquartered in Riverhead, New York.

5 Best Financial Stocks To Invest In 2015: Metlife Inc (MET)

MetLife, Inc. (MetLife), incorporated on August 10, 1999, is a provider of insurance, annuities and employee benefit programs, serving 90 million customers in over 50 countries. Through its subsidiaries and affiliates, MetLife operates in the United States, Japan, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle East. It is organized into six segments: Insurance Products, Retirement Products, Corporate Benefit Funding and Auto & Home (collectively, U.S. Business), and Japan and Other International Regions (collectively, International). In addition, the Company reports certain of its results of operations in Corporate & Other, which includes MetLife Bank, National Association (MetLife Bank) and other business activities. U.S. Business provides insurance and financial services products, including life, dental, disability, auto and homeowner insurance, guaranteed interest and stable value products, and annuities through independent retail distribution channels, as well as at the workplace. Outside the U.S., it operates in Japan and over 50 countries within Latin America, Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle East. MetLife is the life insurer in Mexico and also holds positions in Japan, Poland, Chile and Korea. This business provides life insurance, accident and health insurance, credit insurance, annuities, endowment and retirement and savings products to both individuals and groups. In August 2012, it acquired Reynolds Plantation. In January 2013, the Company completed the sale of MetLife Bank, N.A.'s deposit business. Effective July 25, 2013, MetLife Inc acquired Broadstone Laurel Highlands, from Alliance Residential Fund I. In September 2013, MetLife Inc and Thayer Lodging Group acquired the 365-room Hilton Los Cabos Beach & Golf Resort in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico in a joint venture.

Insurance Products

The Insurance Products segment offers a range of protection products and services aimed at serving the financial needs of its customers throughout their lives. These pro! ducts are sold to individuals and corporations, as well as other institutions and their respective employees. It is organized in three businesses: Group Life, Individual Life and Non-Medical Health.

The Group Life insurance products and services include variable life, universal life, and term life products. It offer group insurance products as employer-paid benefits or as voluntary benefits where all or a portion of the premiums are paid by the employee. These group products and services also include employee paid supplemental life and are offered as standard products or may be tailored to meet specific customer needs.

The Individual Life insurance products and services include variable life, universal life, term life and whole life products. Additionally, through its broker-dealer affiliates, it offers a full range of mutual funds and other securities products. The products within both Group Life and Individual Life include Variable Life, Universal Life, Term Life and Whole Life. Variable life products provide insurance coverage through a contract that gives the policyholder the policyholder flexibility in investment choices and, depending on the product, in premium payments and coverage amounts, with certain guarantees. With variable life products, premiums and account balances can be directed by the policyholder into a variety of separate account investment options or directed to the Company�� general account. In the separate account investment options, the policyholder bears the entire risk of the investment results.

Universal life products provide insurance coverage on the same basis as variable life, except that premiums, and the resulting accumulated balances, are allocated only to the Company�� general account. Universal life products may allow the insured to increase or decrease the amount of death benefit coverage over the term of the contract and the owner to adjust the frequency and amount of premium payments.

Term life products provid! e a guara! nteed benefit upon the death of the insured for a specified time period in return for the periodic payment of premiums. Specified coverage periods range from one year to 30 years, but in no event are they longer than the period over, which premiums are paid. Death benefits may be level over the period or decreasing. Decreasing coverage is used principally to provide for loan repayment in the event of death. Premiums may be guaranteed at a level amount for the coverage period or may be non-level and non-guaranteed. Term insurance products are sometimes referred to as pure protection products, in that there are typically no savings or investment elements. Term contracts expire without value at the end of the coverage period when the insured party is still living.

Whole life products provide a guaranteed benefit upon the death of the insured in return for the periodic payment of a fixed premium over a predetermined period. Premium payments may be required for the entire life of the contract period, to a specified age or period, and may be level or change in accordance with a predetermined schedule. Whole life insurance includes policies that provide a participation feature in the form of dividends. Policyholders may receive dividends in cash or apply them to increase death benefits, increase cash values available upon surrender or reduce the premiums required to maintain the contract in-force.

The Non-Medical Health products and services include dental insurance, group short- and long-term disability, individual disability income, long-term care (LTC), critical illness and accidental death & dismemberment coverage. Other products and services include employer-sponsored auto and homeowners insurance provided through the Auto & Home segment and prepaid legal plans. The Company also sells administrative services-only (ASO) arrangements to some employers. The products in this area are Dental, Disability and Long-term Care (LTC). Dental products provide insurance and ASO plans that ass! ist emplo! yees, retirees and their families in maintaining oral health while reducing out-of-pocket expenses and providing superior customer service. Dental plans include the Preferred Dentist Program and the Dental Health Maintenance Organization. Disability products provide a benefit in the event of the disability of the insured. This benefit is in the form of monthly income paid until the insured reaches age 65. In addition to income replacement, the product may be used to provide for the payment of business overhead expenses for disabled business owners or mortgage payment protection. This is offered on both a group and individual basis. LTC products provide protection against the potentially high costs of LTC services. They generally pay benefits to insureds that need assistance with activities of daily living or have a cognitive impairment.

Retirement Products

The Retirement products segment includes a variety of variable and fixed annuities that are primarily sold to individuals and employees of corporations and other institutions. The products in this area are Variable Annuities and Fixed Annuities. Variable annuities provide for both asset accumulation and asset distribution needs. Variable annuities allow the contract holder to make deposits into various investment options in a separate account, as determined by the contract holder. The risks associated with such investment options are borne entirely by the contract holder, except where guaranteed minimum benefits are involved.

Fixed annuities provide for both asset accumulation and asset distribution needs. Fixed annuities do not allow the same investment flexibility provided by variable annuities, but provide guarantees related to the preservation of principal and interest credited.

Corporate Benefit Funding

The Corporate Benefit Funding segment includes a range of annuity and investment products, including, guaranteed interest products and other stable value products, income annuitie! s, and se! parate account contracts for the investment management of defined benefit and defined contribution plan assets. This segment also includes certain products to fund postretirement benefits and company, bank or trust owned life insurance used to finance non-qualified benefit programs for executives. The products in this area are Stable Value Products, Pensions Closeouts, Torts and Settlements, Capital Markets Investment Products and other Corporate Benefit Funding Products and Services. The Company offers general account guaranteed interest contracts, separate account guaranteed interest contracts, and similar products used to support the stable value option of defined contribution plans. It also offers private floating rate funding agreements that are used for money market funds, securities lending cash collateral portfolios and short-term investment funds.

The Company offers general account and separate account annuity products, generally in connection with the termination of defined benefit pension plans, both in the United States and the United Kingdom. It also offers partial risk transfer solutions that allow for partial transfers of pension liabilities and annuity products that include single premium buyouts. It offers strategies for complex litigation settlements, primarily structured settlement annuities. Under the Capital Markets Investment Products, the products offered include funding agreements, Federal Home Loan Bank advances and funding agreement-backed commercial paper. Under the Other Corporate Benefit Funding Products and Services, it offers specialized insurance products designed specifically to provide solutions for non-qualified benefit and retiree benefit funding purposes.

Auto & Home

The Auto & Home segment includes personal lines property and casualty insurance offered directly to employees at their employer�� worksite, as well as to individuals through a variety of retail distribution channels, including independent agents, property and casu! alty spec! ialists, direct response marketing and the individual distribution sales group. Auto & Home primarily sells auto insurance, which represented 67% of Auto & Home�� total net earned premiums in 2011. Homeowners and other insurance represented 33% of Auto & Home�� total net earned premiums in 2011. The products in this area are Auto Coverages and Homeowners and Other Coverages. Auto insurance policies provide coverage for private passenger automobiles, utility automobiles and vans, motorcycles, motor homes, antique or classic automobiles and trailers. Auto & Home offers traditional coverage, such as liability, uninsured motorist, no fault or personal injury protection, as well as collision and comprehensive. Homeowners��insurance policies provide protection for homeowners, renters, condominium owners and residential landlords against losses arising out of damage to dwellings and contents from a variety of perils, as well as coverage for liability arising from ownership or occupancy. Other insurance includes personal excess liability (protection against losses in excess of amounts covered by other liability insurance policies), and coverage for recreational vehicles and boat owners. Most of Auto & Home�� homeowners��policies are traditional insurance policies for dwellings, providing protection for loss on a replacement cost basis. These policies also provide additional coverage for reasonable, normal living expenses incurred by policyholders that have been displaced from their homes.

International

International provides life insurance, accident and health insurance, credit insurance, annuities, endowment and retirement & savings products to both individuals and groups. The Company focuses on markets primarily within Japan, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle East. It operates in international markets through subsidiaries and affiliates. The Company operates in 22 countries in Latin America, with operations in Mexico, Chile and Argentina. It operates in fou! r countri! es in Asia Pacific with operations in Korea, Hong Kong and Australia. It operates in 35 countries in Europe and the Middle East with operations in Poland, the United Kingdom, France, and the United Arab Emirates, as well as through a consolidated joint venture in India.

Corporate & Other

Corporate & Other contains the excess capital not allocated to the segments, which is invested to optimize investment spread and to fund company initiatives and various start-up and run-off entities. Mortgage products offered by MetLife Bank include forward and reverse residential mortgage loans. Residential mortgage loans are originated through MetLife Bank�� national sales force, mortgage brokers and mortgage correspondents. The residential mortgage banking activities include the origination and servicing of mortgage loans. Mortgage loans are held-for-investment or sold primarily into Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA), Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC) or Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA) securities. Deposit products include traditional savings accounts, money market savings accounts, certificates of deposit (CDs) and individual retirement accounts.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Steve Sears]

  New stocks in what Goldman calls the “Hedge Fund VIP list,”�include Actavis (ACT), Baidu (BIDU), Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B), Crown Castle International (CCI), Entergy Louisiana (ELB), �Equinix (EQIX), Facebook (FB), Fleetcor Technologies (FLT), W.R. Grace (GRA), MetLife (MET), Macquarie Infrastructure (MIC), Micron (MU), Time Warner Cable (TWC), and Time Warner (TWX).

• [By Matt Koppenheffer and David Hanson]

  Despite a couple of down days for the market, insurer MetLife (NYSE: MET  ) was able to buck the trend and rise even higher today. In this video, David tells investors why the market's fears that interest rates may soon be rising didn't impact MetLife, and why the insurer's portfolio is well-suited to a higher interest-rate environment.

• [By Laura Brodbeck]

  Next week investors will be waiting for several key earnings reports including Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL), Facebook, Inc. (NASDAQ: FB), Nokia Corporation (NYSE: NOK), MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET), and Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE: MA).

5 Best Financial Stocks To Invest In 2015: Aberdeen Asset(ADN.L)

Aberdeen Asset Management PLC is a publicly owned asset management holding company. The firm provides its services to governments, national pension schemes, listed investment companies, foundations and charities, private banks, and discretionary fund managers, and retail clients. The firm through its subsidiaries manages separate client focused equity, fixed income, and balanced portfolios along with pooled investment vehicles. It also manages mutual funds for its clients. The firm invests in the public equity and fixed income markets across the globe. It also invests in currency and property markets across the globe. The firm employs fundamental analysis with a bottom-up stock picking approach to create its equity portfolio. It conducts in-house research to make its investments. Aberdeen Asset Management PLC was founded in 1983 and is based in Aberdeen, United Kingdom with additional office in Greater London, United Kingdom.