Blame it on the Democrats or blame it on the Republicans but the stalemate has forced the first US government shutdown in 17 years. Lawmakers failed to agree on a federal budget by the midnight deadline which will start a partial shutdown that will put up to 800,000 federal employees out of work and will shut down some government programs and services. At 3:00 am CT. the ESU is up 8 handles at 1682.25. For the last two weeks the deadlock has helped push the S&P to its largest losing streak of the year: down five days in a row, and down seven out of the last eight sessions. After shaking all the shorts out during the Fed's no-taper the sellers came back in force. The Asian markets closed mostly higher and Europe is following suit, with eight of 12 markets up. Today's economic calendar includes six different economic releases; Motor Vehicle Sales, Gallup US ECI, Redbook, PMI Manufacturing Index, ISM Manufacturing Index and Construction Spending. Welcome to ObamaCare and the government shutdown. As we expected, the S&P futures rallied off the news. With the current shutdown underway this Friday's Labor Department monthly employment report won't be released if the government doesn't reopen in time. While the shutdown is big, the U.S debt ceiling is a much bigger problem. The world's currencies are backed either directly or indirectly by the U.S. dollar and even the possibility of a U.S. refusal to pay its debts can dampen foreign investment and willingness to buy U.S. bonds. We lean to selling the early rally and then buying the weakness. Like the downside, the ESZ is "packed" with upside buy stops. As always, use stops and keep an eye on the 10-handle rule. Don't forget to catch MrTopStep on The Closing Print video. We report directly from the SPX pits, wrapping up the day and positioning for trade tomorrow. OptionsProfits can be followed on Twitter at twitter.com/OptionsProfits MrTopStep can be followed on Twitter at twitter.com/MrTopStep For LIVE futures chat, more information on the 10-handle rule and futures educational content CLICK HERE FOR A SEVEN-DAY FREE TRIAL.
Hot Canadian Stocks To Buy For 2015: Morgan Stanley Technology Etf (MTK)
SPDR Morgan Stanley Technology (ETF) (the Fund), formerly Morgan Stanley Technology ETF, seeks to replicate as closely as possible the performance of the Morgan Stanley Technology Index (the Index). The Fund utilizes a passive or indexing approach and attempts to approximate the investment performance of its benchmark Index, by investing in a portfolio of stocks intended to replicate the index.
The Fund�� industry breakdown includes communications equipment, software, computers and peripherals, semiconductors and semiconductor equipment, information technology (IT) services, Internet software and services, Internet and catalog retail, and electronic equipment and instruments. The Fund�� portfolio includes AMAZON.COM, INC, FIRST DATA CORP., JUNIPER NETWORKS, INC., APPLE, INC. and EMC CORP.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Selena Maranjian]
Exchange-traded funds offer a convenient way to invest in sectors or niches that interest you. If you'd like to add some tech-heavy stocks to your portfolio, but don't have the time or expertise to hand-pick a few, the SPDR Morgan Stanley Technology ETF (NYSEMKT: MTK ) could save you a lot of trouble. Instead of trying to figure out which companies will perform best, you can use this technology ETF to invest in lots of them simultaneously.
The basics
ETFs often sport lower expense ratios than their mutual fund cousins. The technology ETF's expense ratio -- its annual fee -- is a relatively low 0.50%. The fund is fairly small, too, so if you're thinking of buying, beware of possibly large spreads between its bid and ask prices. Consider using a limit order if you want to buy in.
Top 5 Asian Stocks To Own For 2014: MELA Sciences Inc(MELA)
MELA Sciences, Inc., a medical device company, focuses on the design and development of a non-invasive, point-of-care instrument to assist in the detection of early melanoma. The company?s principal product, MelaFind, features a hand-held imaging device that emits multiple wavelengths of light to capture images of suspicious pigmented skin lesions and extract data. This product uses automatic image analysis and statistical pattern recognition to help identify lesions to be considered for biopsy to rule out melanoma. It consists of hand-held imaging device, which employs high precision optics and multi-spectral illumination; database of pigmented skin lesions; and lesion classifiers, which are mathematical algorithms that extract lesion feature information and classify lesions. MELA Sciences submitted the MelaFind pre-market approval application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in June 2009 and is under review at the FDA. The company was formerly known as E lectro-Optical Sciences, Inc. and changed its name MELA Sciences, Inc. in April 2010. MELA Sciences, Inc. was founded in 1989 and is based in Irvington, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Lisa Levin]
MELA Sciences (NASDAQ: MELA) shares reached a new 52-week low of $0.303 after the company approved a one-for-ten reverse stock split of the common stock.
Top 5 Asian Stocks To Own For 2014: Syngenta AG(SYT)
Syngenta AG, an agribusiness company, engages in the discovery, development, manufacture, and marketing of a range of products designed to enhance crop yields and food quality worldwide. The company operates in three segments: Crop Protection, Seeds, and Business Development. The Crop Protection segment offers herbicides for corn, cereals, soybean, and rice; fungicides for corn, cereals, fruits, grapes, rice, soybean, and vegetables; insecticides for fruits, vegetables, and field crops; seed care for corn, soybean, cereals, and cotton; and professional products, such as products for public health, and turf and ornamentals. This segment markets its products through independent distributors and dealers, agricultural consultants, and growers. The Seeds segment develops, produces, and markets seeds and plants based on advanced genetics and related technologies. This segment provides approximately 200 product lines and approximately 6,800 varieties of proprietary genetics, incl uding vegetables, flowers, corn, soybean, sugar beet, and sunflower primarily under the NK, Golden Harvest, Garst, HILLESH�, S&G, Rogers, Zeraim Gedera, and Fischer brand names. The Business Development segment engages in the development of enzymes and traits to enhance agronomic, nutritional, and biofuel properties of plants. The company was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Stephen Leeb]
The two largest holdings in the MOO portfolio are Monsanto (MON) and Swiss-based Syngenta (SYT). Both of these companies are leaders in the biotech aspect of agriculture and produce pesticides as well as pesticide-resistant seeds.
Top 5 Asian Stocks To Own For 2014: Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp (FMCC)
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) conducts business in the United States residential mortgage market and the global securities market. The Company operates in three segments: Single-family Guarantee, Investments, and Multifamily. The Single-family Guarantee segment reflects results from the Company's single-family credit guarantee activities. The Investments segment reflects results from the Company's investment, funding and hedging activities. The Multifamily segment reflects results from the Company's investment (both purchases and sales), securitization, and guarantee activities in multifamily mortgage loans and securities. The Company conducts its operations in the United States and its territories.
Single-Family Guarantee Segment
In the Company�� Single-family Guarantee segment, it purchases single-family mortgage loans originated by the Company�� seller/servicers in the primary mortgage market. The Company uses the mortgage securitization process to package the purchased mortgage loans into guaranteed mortgage-related securities. The Company guarantees the payment of principal and interest on the mortgage-related security in exchange for management and guarantee fees. The Company�� customers are lenders in the primary mortgage market that originate mortgages for homeowners. These lenders include mortgage banking companies, commercial banks, savings banks, community banks, credit unions, Housing Finance Agency (HFAs), and savings and loan associations. The Company�� customers also service loans in its single-family credit guarantee portfolio.
Mortgage securitization is a process, by which the Company purchase mortgage loans that lenders originate, and pool these loans into mortgage securities that are sold in global capital markets. The United States residential mortgage market consists of a primary mortgage market that links homebuyers and lenders and a secondary mortgage market that links lenders and investors. The Company part! icipates in the secondary mortgage market by purchasing mortgage loans and mortgage-related securities for investment and by issuing guaranteed mortgage-related securities. In the Single-family Guarantee segment, it purchase and securitize single-family mortgages, which are mortgages that are secured by one- to four-family properties. The types of mortgage-related securities it issue and guarantee include PCs, REMICs and Other Structured Securities and Other Guarantee Transactions. The Company also issue mortgage-related securities to third parties in exchange for non-Freddie Mac mortgage-related securities. The non-Freddie Mac mortgage-related securities are transferred to trusts that were specifically created for the purpose of issuing securities, or certificates, in the Other Guarantee Transactions.
Investments Segment
In the Company�� Investments segment, it invests principally in mortgage-related securities and single-family performing mortgage loans, which are funded by other debt issuances and hedged using derivatives. In the Company�� Investments segment, it also provides funding and hedging management services to the Single-family Guarantee and Multifamily segments. The Company�� customers for its debt securities predominantly include insurance companies, money managers, central banks, depository institutions, and pension funds. The Company funds its investment activities by issuing short-term and long-term debt. The Company�� PCs are an integral part of its mortgage purchase program. The Company�� Single-family Guarantee segment purchases many of its mortgages by issuing PCs in exchange for those mortgage loans in guarantor swap transactions. The Company also issue PCs backed by mortgage loans that it purchased for cash.
Multifamily Segment
The Company�� multifamily segment issues Other Structured Securities, but does not issue REMIC securities. The Company multifamily segment also enters into other guarantee commitments for mult! ifamily H! FA bonds and housing revenue bonds held by third parties. The Company acquires a portion of its multifamily mortgage loans from several large seller/servicers.
The Company competes with Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae), Mae Federal Housing Administration/the United States Department of Veteran Affairs (FHA/VA) and Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB).
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Shayndi Raice]
The Department of Justice and Bank of America(BAC) will go head-to-head Tuesday morning as the government attempts to hold the bank liable for allegedly misrepresenting the quality of loans sold to mortgage-finance firms Fannie Mae(FNMA) and Freddie Mac(FMCC).
- [By Alexander MacLennan]
Mortgage giants
As the name implies, government sponsored entities (GSEs) have a relationship with the government that is more than the standard private corporation-to-government relationship. But after the financial crisis of 2008 and some changes to the financing terms in 2012, Fannie Mae (NASDAQOTCBB: FNMA ) and Freddie Mac (NASDAQOTCBB: FMCC ) are more in government control than almost any other shareholder-owned corporation. - [By Jordan Wathen]
3. A political mess
Bruce Berkowitz was successful in bringing AIG�back to private hands, but a new effort to privatize Fannie Mae (NASDAQOTCBB: FNMA ) and Freddie Mac� (NASDAQOTCBB: FMCC ) �may be his biggest campaign ever.
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