Saturday, August 9, 2014

Top Financial Stocks To Own Right Now

Wishing to provide investors with a means of�acquiring additional shares of the gold miner's common stock, AuRico Gold (NYSE: AUQ  ) said its board of directors declared it would be initiating -- effective immediately -- a dividend reinvestment plan that enables shareholders to�reinvest the cash dividends paid on their stock.

The Drip program would feature a maximum 5% discount to the stock's current trading price, with any commissions or administrative costs generated by the plan borne by the miner.

AuRico�intends to pay an annual dividend of�$0.16�per common share, but paid in quarterly installments, with the first dividend having been paid on April 18 at a rate of $0.04 per share. Additional dividends are expected to be paid as follows:

Record Date Payment Date Dividend July 15 July 29 $0.04 Oct. 11 Oct. 29 $0.04 Jan. 14 Jan. 29 $0.04

Starting in�2014, however, the quarterly dividend will be linked to AuRico's operating cash flow, whereby it intends to pay out 20% of the OCF generated in the preceding quarter divided by the number of outstanding shares at the time the dividend is approved. Dividend payments are expected to be paid within three to four weeks following the release of AuRico's financial statements.

Best New Stocks To Invest In Right Now: St. Joe Co (JOE)

The St. Joe Company, incorporated on May 26, 1936, owns land, timber and resort assets located primarily in Northwest Florida, Jacksonville, Florida and Tallahassee, Florida. The Company operates in five segments: residential real estate, commercial real estate, resorts, leisure and leasing operations, forestry, and rural land. Its residential real estate segment plans and develops mixed-use resort, primary and seasonal residential communities of various sizes, primarily on the Company's existing land. In the Company's commercial real estate segment the Company plans, develops, manages and sells real estate for commercial purposes. Its leisure and leasing operations includes the Company's resorts and clubs financial information, which was presented in the residential real estate segment. The Company owns and operates forestry operations in the Southeastern United States. It traditionally sells parcels of varying sizes ranging from less than one acre to thousands of acres.

Residential Real Estate

The Company owns large tracts of land in Northwest Florida, including Gulf of Mexico beach frontage, and other waterfront properties and land in and around Jacksonville and Tallahassee. Within the Company's residential real estate business, the Company has two types of communities and is planning to add a third type. The first, the Company's residential resort communities, are positioned to attract primarily second home buyers. The Company's l projects in this category include the WaterColor and WaterSound Beach communities, which were built in a region of Florida. The Company's second category of residential communities is the Company's primary home communities for buyers who will use the community as their primary residence. The Breakfast Point, RiverTown and SouthWood communities are the Company's largest projects in this category. The Company's third category of residential communities is active adult communities.

Commercial Real Estate

The Company focuse! s on commercial development and sales in Northwest Florida because of its large land holdings surrounding the new Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (the Airport), along roadways and near or within business districts in the region. The Company provides development opportunities for national and regional retailers and its strategic partners in Northwest Florida. The Company offers land for commercial and light industrial uses within large and small-scale commerce parks, as well as a range of multi-family rental projects. The Company also develops commercial parcels within or near existing residential development projects.

Resorts, Leisure and Leasing Operations

The Company's leasing operations were presented in both its residential real estate and commercial real estate segments. The Company's resorts, leisure and leasing operations segment includes recurring revenue streams from the Company's resort and leisure businesses and its leasing operations. The Company's WaterColor Inn and Resort is a boutique hotel, which provides guests with a beach club, spa, tennis center, restaurant and complementary retail and commercial space. The day-to-day operations of the WaterColor Inn and Resort is managed by Noble House Hotels & Resorts. In addition the Company's vacation rental business rents private homes in the WaterColor community and surrounding communities, primarily in those that the Company has built, to individuals who are vacationing in the area. The Company does not own the homes, but for a fee, the Company advertises , take reservations, check-in and check-out , and clean and maintains the home for the homeowner. The Company owns four golf courses in Northwest Florida. Three of them are in the Panama City Beach area and the fourth is located in Tallahassee. The golf courses are situated in or near the Company's residential communities. The Company also own two marinas. The Company's golf courses and marinas are managed for the Company by a third party management c! ompanies.!

The Company's leasing operations business includes the Company's retail and commercial leasing. The Company has several small retail shopping centers located in or near to some of its residential projects, such as the WaterColor, SouthWood and WindMark Beach communities that are managed by its leasing team. The Company's commercial leasing business includes industrial parks and several commerce parks. One of the industrial parks is the Company's VentureCrossings Enterprise Centre, a 1,000 acre commercial and industrial development adjacent to the Airport.

Forestry

The Company has 545,000 acres designated for forestry operations, including land in West Bay. Southern Pine, the Company's main product, is a product that fits well into cost-conscience supply chains. The Company's forestry operations can produce about 1.3 million tons of trees for lumber and pulp on an annual, sustainable basis. The Company rigorously examines the characteristics of individual trees in a forest and the interactions of those trees with each other and with the forest ecosystem as a whole in order to maximize the timber output. The Company produces both sawtimber (lumber used in construction) and pulp (timber used to make pulp for products like linerboard).

Rural Land

The majority of rural land sold is undeveloped timberland and is managed as timberland until sold, although some parcels include the benefits of limited development activity, including improved roads, ponds and fencing. The pricing of these parcels varies significantly based on size, location, terrain, timber quality and other local factors.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Monica Wolfe]

    St. Joe Corporation (JOE)

    Bruce Berkowitz�� fourth largest holding is in St. Joe Corporation where he holds 6.8% of his total portfolio. As of the second quarter, the guru owned 25,017,933 shares of St. Joe, representing 27.10% of the company�� shares outstanding.

Top Financial Stocks To Own Right Now: General Finance Corporation (GFN)

General Finance Corporation, through its subsidiaries, engages in the lease and sale of portable storage containers, portable container buildings, and freight containers. It offers mobile storage containers, including general purpose units, double pallet-wide high cube units, hazardous goods containers, and refrigerated containers; portable building containers, such as site offices and cabins, workforce accommodation units, luxury accommodation units, restroom blocks, blast-resistant units, and specialized office and infrastructure suites; and freight containers consisting of curtain-side containers, hi-cube containers, pallet-wide containers, side-opening door containers, and bulk containers. The company provides its products for various storage applications, including retail and manufacturing inventory, construction materials and equipment, documents and records, and household goods. It also leases and sells storage trailers and other storage structures, container office s, mobile offices, and modular buildings, as well as ancillary products comprising steps, furniture, portable toilets, security systems, and other items for use in connection with its equipment. In addition, the company offers delivery and installation, return and dismantle, and other site services. As of June 30, 2012, it operated a fleet of 23,855 mobile storage containers, 3,294 portable container buildings, and 9,348 freight containers. The company serves various industries, such as mining, road and rail, construction, moving and storage, manufacturing, transportation, defense, retail, utilities, education, and services sectors, as well as small and medium-size entities in New Zealand, North America, and the Asia-Pacific regions of Australia. General Finance Corporation was incorporated in 2005 and is headquartered in Pasadena, California.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Lisa Levin]

    General Finance (NASDAQ: GFN) shares touched a new 52-week high of $8.12 after DA Davidson lifted the price target on the stock from $8 to $11.

    Mattress Firm Holding (NASDAQ: MFRM) shares reached a new 52-week high of $47.03 after the company reported upbeat Q4 earnings and raised its FY14 forecast.

Top Financial Stocks To Own Right Now: Annaly Capital Management Inc (NLY)

Annaly Capital Management, Inc. (Annaly), incorporated on November 25, 1996, owns, manage, and finance a portfolio of real estate related investments, including mortgage pass-through certificates, collateralized mortgage obligations (CMOs), Agency callable debentures, and other securities representing interests in or obligations backed by pools of mortgage loans. The Company's wholly owned subsidiaries offer diversified real estate, asset management and other financial services. The Company's subsidiary, RCap Securities, Inc. (RCap), operates as a broker-dealer. In August 2012, the Company liquidated FIDAC FSI LLC. In December 2012, the Company sold FIDAC Europe Limited.

The Company�� subsidiary Fixed Income Discount Advisory Company (FIDAC) is an investment advisor registered with the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC), is a fixed-income investment management company specializing in managing fixed income investments in residential mortgage-backed securities, commercial mortgage-backed securities and collateralized debt obligations for various investment vehicles and separate accounts. FIDAC is engaged in managing and structuring debt financing associated with various asset classes and as a liquidation agent of collateralized debt obligations. As of December 31, 2012, FIDAC was the adviser or sub-adviser for real estate investment trust (REITs )and other investment vehicles. Merganser Capital Management, Inc. (Merganser) is an investment advisor, registered with the SEC, engaged in a range of fixed income strategies and focuses on managing each portfolio based on each client�� specific investment principles. Merganser serves a group of clients in a range of disciplines globally, including pension, public, operating, Taft-Hartley and endowment funds, as well contribution plans. RCap Securities, Inc. (RCap) operates as a broker-dealer and is a member in the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).

Through the Company�� subsidiary Shannon Funding LLC (Shannon),! it provides warehouse financing to residential mortgage originators in the United States. It also owns an additional subsidiary, which owns trading securities. Under the Company�� investment policy, at least 75% of its total assets consisted of mortgage-backed securities and short-term investments. The remainder of its assets, consisting not more than 25% of its total assets, may consist of other qualified REIT real estate assets. As of December 31, 2012, all of the mortgage-backed securities, which it has acquired, have been backed by single-family residential mortgage loans. The Company also invests in Agency debentures, which consist of debentures issued by the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB), Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Jonas Elmerraji]

    There's no two ways about it: Annaly Capital Management (NLY) has gotten rocked this year. As I write, the $10 billion mortgage REIT is underperforming the S&P by 48% since the beginning of January. That's a pretty painful shortfall for investors -- but NLY could be near a turnaround right now.

    That's because NLY is currently forming a double bottom pattern, a bullish reversal setup that's formed by two lows that bottom out around the same price level. They're separated by a breakout level to the upside at $12.25 -- a move through that price is our buy signal on this stock. As I write, NLY is still very close to the number-two bottom that it made just a few sessions ago, so while it's bullish that shares hit the brakes at their old support level, it's early to start getting too aggressive with this trade.

    A move through $12.25 would be a pretty major trend reversal in NLY, but it's still a little while away. Still, the sheer underperformance at NLY means that it could try to play catch-up quickly. Put this trade in your watch list.

  • [By Dan Caplinger]

    6. Investments with high dividend yields don't always produce good total returns. Often, high yields signal danger, as the recent experience of Annaly Capital (NYSE: NLY  ) and American Capital Agency (NASDAQ: AGNC  ) show. Rising interest rates have crushed those stocks, costing investors the equivalent of two years' worth of dividend payments just since the end of April. For funds, distribution yields are often meaningless, as they can include a portion of your own invested capital being returned to you.

  • [By Dan Caplinger]

    In addition, even stocks geared at generating income haven't been immune. Mortgage-REIT Annaly Capital (NYSE: NLY  ) , once the go-to place for high-dividend yields and strong total returns, has plunged 20% since the beginning of April. A steepening yield curve might help mortgage REITs in the long run, but for now, the Fed's continuing purchases of mortgage-backed bonds hamper Annaly's ability to maximize its profits. More broadly, rising interest rates hurt a wide range of rate-sensitive stocks, and so you'll see many dividend-paying stocks having suffered somewhat deeper declines than the broader market.

Top Financial Stocks To Own Right Now: Raymond James Financial Inc (RJF)

Raymond James Financial, Inc. (RJF) is a financial services holding company whose subsidiaries are engaged in various financial services businesses predominantly in the United States of America and Canada. At September 30, 2011, its principal subsidiaries include Raymond James & Associates, Inc. (RJ&A), Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. (RJFS), Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. (RJFSA), Raymond James Ltd. (RJ Ltd.), Eagle Asset Management, Inc. (Eagle), and Raymond James Bank, FSB (RJ Bank). All of these subsidiaries are wholly owned by RJF. In April 1, 2011, the Company acquired Howe Barnes Hoefer & Arnett (Howe Barnes). The Company operates through eight business segments: Private Client Group, Capital Markets, Asset Management, RJ Bank, Emerging Markets, Securities Lending, Proprietary Capital and various corporate activities combined in the Other segment. In April 2012, Regions Financial Corporation sold Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc. and related affiliates to RJF.

PRIVATE CLIENT GROUP

The Company provides securities transaction and financial planning services to approximately two million client accounts through the branch office systems of RJ&A, RJFS, RJFSA, RJ Ltd. and Raymond James Investment Services Limited (RJIS), a joint venture in the United Kingdom. Its financial advisors offer a range of investments and services, including both third-party and products, and a variety of financial planning services. The Company charges sales commissions or asset-based fees for investment services it provides to its Private Client Group clients based on established schedules. Varying discounts may be given, generally based upon the client's level of business, the trade size, service level provided, and other relevant factors. During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2011 (fiscal 2011), the portion of revenues from this segment that the Company considers recurring include sources, such as asset-based fees, including mutual fund and annuity trailing commissions, ! and interest income and represented approximately 61% of the Private Client Group's total revenues. Its financial advisors offer a number of professionally managed load mutual funds, as well as a selection of no-load funds. RJ&A and RJFS maintain dealer sales agreements with distributors of mutual fund shares sold through broker-dealers.

The Company�� principal subsidiary, RJ&A, is the full service brokerage and investment firm headquartered in the state of Florida and with over 220 locations throughout the United States, is a retail brokerage firms in the country. RJ&A is a self-clearing broker-dealer engaged in most aspects of securities distribution, trading, investment banking and asset management. RJ&A also offers financial planning services for individuals and provides clearing services for RJFS, RJFSA, other affiliated entities and several unaffiliated broker-dealers. RJFS is an independent contractor brokerage firms in the United States., is a member of Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and Securities Investors Protection Corporation (SIPC), but is not a member of any exchanges. Financial advisors affiliated with RJFS may offer their clients all products and services offered through RJ&A, including investment advisory products and services which are offered through its affiliated registered investment advisor, RJFSA. RJ Ltd. is its Canadian broker-dealer subsidiary, which is engaged in both retail and institutional distribution and investment banking. RJ Ltd. is a member of the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) and the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC). Its United States broker-dealer subsidiary is a member of FINRA and SIPC.

CAPITAL MARKETS

Capital Markets activities consist primarily of equity and fixed income products and services. Its institutional clients are serviced by institutional equity departments of RJ&A and RJ Ltd.; the RJ&A fixed income department; RJ&A�� European offices; Raymond James Financial Intern! ational, ! Ltd, an institutional UK broker-dealer, and Raymond James European Securities, Inc., a joint venture, in which the Company hold a controlling interest. The Company charges commissions on equity transactions based on trade size and the amount of business conducted annually with each institution. Fixed income commissions are based on trade size and the characteristics of the specific security. Some European and United States offices also provide services to high net worth clients. RJ Ltd. has approximately 40 institutional equity sales and trading professionals servicing predominantly Canadian, United States and European institutional investors from offices in Canada and Europe.

Trading equity securities involves the purchase and sale of securities from and to its clients or other dealers. RJ&A makes markets in over 900 common stocks. The RJ Ltd. trading desks not only support client activity, but also take positions that are closely monitored within well defined limits. RJ Ltd. also provides specialist services in approximately 150 TSX listed common stocks. RJ&A trades both taxable and tax-exempt fixed income securities. The taxable and tax-exempt RJ&A fixed income traders purchase and sell corporate, municipal, government, government agency, and mortgage-backed bonds, asset-backed securities, preferred stock and certificates of deposit from and to its clients or other dealers.

Fixed income investment banking includes debt underwriting and public finance activities. The syndicate department consists of professionals who coordinate the marketing, distribution, pricing and stabilization of lead and co-managed equity underwritings. In addition to lead and co-managed offerings, this department coordinates the firm's syndicate and selling group activities in transactions managed by other investment banking firms. Raymond James Tax Credit Funds, Inc. (RJTCF) is the general partner or managing member in a number of limited partnerships and limited liability companies. These partnershi! ps and li! mited liability companies invest in real estate project entities that qualify for tax credits under Section 42 of the Internal Revenue Code.

ASSET MANAGEMENT

The Company�� Asset Management segment includes the operations of Eagle, the Eagle Family of Funds (Eagle Funds), the asset management operations of RJ&A (AMS), Raymond James Trust, and other fee-based programs. The majority of the revenue for this segment is generated by the investment advisory fees related to asset management services for individual investment portfolios and mutual funds. Investment advisory fees are also earned on assets held in managed and non-managed programs. Eagle Fund Distributors, Inc. (EFD), a wholly owned subsidiary of Eagle, is a registered broker-dealer engaged in the distribution of the Eagle Funds. The Eagle Funds utilize unaffiliated sub-advisors for the Capital Appreciation Fund and International Equity Fund. The Small Cap Growth Fund, Mid Cap Growth Fund, Growth and Income Fund, Large Cap Core Fund, Mid Cap Stock Fund, Investment Grade Bond Fund, and Small Cap Core Value Fund are managed by Eagle.

AMS

AMS manages several investment advisory programs which maintain an approved list of investment managers, provide asset allocation model portfolios, establish custodial facilities, monitor performance of client accounts, provide clients with accounting and other administrative services, and assist investment managers with certain trading management activities. In addition, AMS offers additional managed accounts managed within fee based asset allocation platforms under its Freedom accounts and other managed programs. Freedom�� investment committee manages portfolios of mutual funds, exchange traded funds and separately managed account models on a discretionary basis. AMS also provides certain services for their non-managed fee-based programs (Passport, Ambassador and other non-managed programs). They provide performance reporting, research, sales, accounting, trad! ing and o! ther administrative services. Client fees are based on the individual account or relationship size and may also be dependent on the type of securities in the accounts.

Raymond James Trust, National Association, (RJT) provides personal trust services primarily to existing clients of its broker-dealer subsidiaries. Portfolio management of trust assets can be subcontracted to its asset management operations. This subsidiary had a total of approximately $2 billion in client assets at September 30, 2011, including nearly $120 million in the donor-advised charitable foundation known as the Raymond James Charitable Endowment Fund.

RJ BANK

RJ Bank is a federally chartered savings bank, regulated by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), which provides corporate, residential and consumer loans, as well as Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insured deposit accounts, to clients of our broker-dealer subsidiaries and to the general public. RJ Bank is active in corporate loan syndications and bank participations as well as purchases residential whole loan packages to hold for investment. RJ Bank generates revenue principally through the interest income earned on loans and investments, which is offset by the interest expense it pays on client deposits and on its borrowings.

RJ Bank�� assets include C&I loans, commercial and residential real estate loans, as well as consumer loans that were purchased or originated by RJ Bank. Corporate loans represent approximately 75% of RJ Bank�� loan portfolio of which 90% are Shared National Credits (SNC) or other large syndicated loans. RJ Bank purchases and originates corporate loans secured by corporate assets, commercial and industrial (C&I) loans, commercial and residential real estate loans, as well as consumer loans, all of which are funded primarily by cash balances swept from the investment accounts of our broker-dealer subsidiaries��clients.

EMERGING MARKETS

Raymond! James In! ternational Holdings, Inc. (RJIH), through its subsidiaries, has interests in operations in Latin American countries including Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil. Through these entities it operates securities brokerage, investment banking, asset management and equity research businesses. In fiscal 2011, approximately 75% of this segments��investment banking revenues arose from one client.

SECURITIES LENDING

This segment conducts its business through the borrowing and lending of securities from and to other broker-dealers, financial institutions and other counterparties. The Company conducts these activities as an intermediary. Securities Lending will also loan customer marginable securities held in a margin account containing a debit to counterparties. The borrower of the securities puts up a cash deposit on which interest is earned. The lender in turn receives cash and pays interest. These cash deposits are adjusted daily to reflect changes in the current market value of the underlying securities. Additionally, securities are borrowed from other broker-dealers to facilitate RJ&A�� clearance and settlement obligations. The net revenues of this securities lending business are the interest spreads generated.

PROPRIETARY CAPITAL

This segment consists of its principal capital and private equity activities, including various direct and third-party private equity and merchant banking investments; Raymond James Employee Investment Funds I and II (the EIF Funds), and a private equity fund which we sponsor-Raymond James Capital Partners, L.P. As of September 30, 2011, certain of its merchant banking investments include an investment in a manufacturer of crime investigation and forensic supplies, an event photography business, and an indirect investment in an allergy immunotherapy testing and treatment supply company.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Eric Volkman]

    The joint book-running managers of the issue are Raymond James Financial (NYSE: RJF  ) unit Raymond James & Associates, Royal Bank of Canada's (NYSE: RY  ) RBC Capital Markets, and the Securities divisions of Credit Suisse and Deutsche Bank (NYSE: DB  ) . The sale is expected to close on May 28.

Top Financial Stocks To Own Right Now: Vanguard Reit Etf (VNQ)

Vanguard REIT ETF (the Fund), formerly known as Vanguard REIT VIPERs, is an exchange-traded share class of Vanguard REIT Index Fund. The Fund seeks to provide a high level of income and moderate long-term capital appreciation by tracking the performance of an index that measures the performance of publicly traded equity real estate investment trusts (REITs). Vanguard REIT ETF employs a passive management or indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the MSCI US REIT Index (the Index), an index of United States property trusts that covers about two-thirds of the value of the entire United States REIT market.

Vanguard REIT ETF normally invests approximately 98% of assets in stocks issued by equity REITs. The Fund invests in the stocks that make up the Index, and the remaining assets are allocated to cash investments.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By John Udovich]

    Small cap Biomed Realty Trust Inc (NYSE: BMR) is a real estate investment trust (REIT) offering an alternative way to gain exposure to the biotech or life sciences sector, meaning it might be worth taking a closer look at it along with a few benchmarks like the Vanguard REIT ETF (NYSEARCA: VNQ), iShares NASDAQ Biotechnology Index ETF (NASDAQ: IBB) and SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (NYSEARCA: XBI). Of course, it should be mentioned that REITs have had a rough ride lately�given all the ��apering��talk, but there is still a place for them in your portfolio with Biomed Realty Trust being one of the more unique offerings.

  • [By Bill Stoller]

    After a banner 2013, the overall market has had a challenging start to 2014. However, these four companies have been crushing it: Alexander Real Estate (NYSE: ARE  ) , BioMed Realty Trust (NYSE: BMR  ) , CommonWealth REIT (NYSE: CWH  ) , and Sun Communities (NYSE: SUI  ) early on in 2014 vs. the S&P 500. Their relative out-performance can also be seen when compared to the Vanguard REIT Index ETF (NYSEMKT: VNQ  ) a good yardstick to measure sector performance.

Top Financial Stocks To Own Right Now: GFI Group Inc. (GFIG)

GFI Group Inc. provides wholesale brokerage, clearing, electronic execution, and trading support products for financial markets. The company offers brokerage and trade execution services, clearing services, market data and trading platform, and other software products to institutional customers. The company provides brokerage services in fixed income derivatives, bond instruments, and other related products; financial instruments, including foreign exchange options, exotic options, non-U.S. Dollar interest rate swaps and options, repurchase agreements, forward and non-deliverable forward contracts, and government and municipal bond options; cash-based and derivative equity products, such as the U.S. domestic and international equity stocks, global depositary receipts, American depositary receipts, and equity derivatives; and cash-based and derivative commodity, and energy products comprising oil, natural gas, biofuel, electricity, wet and dry freight derivatives, dry physi cal freight, precious metals, coal, property derivatives, emissions, ethanol, and soft commodities. It also offers clearing, brokerage, settlement, and back-office services to proprietary traders, brokers, market makers, and hedge funds; provides capital to start-up trading groups, small hedge funds, market-makers, and individual traders; licenses multi-asset class electronic trading and order management software to brokers, exchanges, and traders in the commodities, fixed income, currencies, and equities markets; and offers FENICS Professional, a suite of price discovery, price distribution, trading, risk management, and straight-through processing components. The company primarily serves investment and commercial banks, large corporations, asset managers, insurance companies, hedge funds, and proprietary trading firms in the Americas; Europe, the Middle East, and Africa; and Asia. GFI Group Inc. was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Jayson Derrick]

    CME Group (NYSE: CME) has agreed to acquire GFI Group (NASDAQ: GFIG) for $4.55 per share and will immediately sell it's wholesale brokerage and clearing business back to a group led by GFI Management. CME will retain GFI Group's Trayport which provides trading software in the European energy markets as well as FENICS, a provider of price discovery, analytics, risk-management and workflow connectivity services for over the counter foreign exchange options markets. Shares of CME Group gained 0.44 percent, closing at $75.83 while shares of GFI Group surged to new 52-week highs of $4.50 before closing the day at $4.47, up 43.73 percent.

Top Financial Stocks To Own Right Now: iShares MSCI France ETF (EWQ)

iShares MSCI France Index Fund (the Fund) seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of publicly traded securities in the aggregate in the French market, as measured by the MSCI France Index (the Index). The Index seeks to measure the performance of the French equity market. The Index is a capitalization-weighted index that aims to capture 85% of the (publicly available) total market capitalization. Component companies are adjusted for available float and must meet objective criteria for inclusion in the Index. The Index is reviewed quarterly.

The Fund invests in a representative sample of securities included in the Index that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Index. The Fund�� investment advisor is Barclays Global Fund Advisors.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Tom Aspray]

    A few weeks ago, I focused on some of the euro countries' debt levels, as well as the improvement in some of their manufacturing data. Their stock markets have continued to rally sharply as the iShares MSCI France (EWQ) is up over 13% since early July and is doing just slightly better than Germany (EWG).

  • [By Jeff Reeves]

    So how can you play this trend? The iShares MSCI France ETF (EWQ) is one way, via a diversified fund that owns some of the biggest names in France. There�� also oil giant Total (TOT), which is headquartered in France but has a global flavor, as well as French healthcare giant Sanofi (SNY)

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