Stocks Going Ex-Dividend on Monday, December 9 (KSS, ROST, APC, More)

Ex-dividend dates are very important to dividend investors, since you must purchase a stock prior to its ex-dividend date in order to receive its upcoming dividend payout. For more information, check out Everything Investors Need to Know About Ex-Dividend Dates.

Below are seven stocks going ex-dividend on Monday, December 9.

Kohl’s Corporation
Kohl’s Corporation (KSS) offers a dividend yield of 2.54% based on Thursday’s closing price of $55.04 and the company's quarterly dividend payout of 35 cents. The stock is up 28% year-to-date. Dividend.com currently rates KSS as “Neutral” with a DARS™ rating of 3.4 stars out of 5 stars.

Ross Stores
Ross Stores, Inc. (ROST) offers a dividend yield of 0.94% based on Thursday's closing price of $72.25 and the company's qua

Strategies: Questions to ask potential business…

Sergey and Larry at Google. Ben and Jerry in ice cream. Hewlett and Packard for electronics.

Great partners often make great companies. But just as often, bad partnerships destroy good companies.

COLUMN: Pros, cons of a partnership
STORY: Partner can give firm shelter, storm

Great partners balance your skill set, help you make better decisions, and give you increased productivity and motivation. Bad partners drain your energy, conflict with your strategy and values, and distract from business-building tasks.

They can fail to deliver on their promises. They can even lie, cheat and steal.

Yet, many aspiring small-business owners rush into partnerships with little thought. They may feel uneasy about starting a business on their own.

They may have a friend whose company they enjoy — or whose talents they respect — and expect the venture to be more exciting or successful if they join together. Or they may need the capabilities of someone they know but can't afford to pay that person to join a tiny start-up.

However, partners are around for a long, long time.

Jerry Greenfield, left, and Ben Cohen, founders of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream, in 1996.(Photo: Jym Wilson, Gannett)

Legally, without a clear contract, they may continue to own a piece of your company and be entitled to a share of income even if they flake out on you. They may be able to incur debts, tie up your bank account or access your website.

If you're considering going into business with someone, stop! First, carefully consider why you want or need a partner.

Then, spend time really getting to know the business skills, attitudes, and aspirations of any potential partners — even if you've been friends for ma! ny years.. Find out whether a person's goals, work style and values fit yours.

Next, make certain everyone's expectations are realistic.

Are your partners willing to work as hard and as many hours,as you? Do they bring the same level of talent although perhaps in a different area as you? Do they share the same vision for the company?

Remember, you have more leeway, legally, to ask probing questions of potential partners than of employees.

Do they have family issues that could affect their commitment? What is their financial situation?

Get a sense of how they handle stress. What legal problems have they had in the past or do they have now?

David Packard, left, and Bill Hewlett in 1996 in front of the Palo Alto, Calif., garage where they founded Hewlett-Packard Co.(Photo: AP)

If you're considering going into business with someone, sit down and ask your potential partner the following questions:

1. Why are you going into business? What are your personal goals?

2. How much money are you willing and able to invest in the company?

3. What are your monetary needs now, in the next 12 months, in the next 24 to 36 months?

4. What's your vision for this business? How big will it be, what it will sell and to whom?

5. How much time do you have to devote to this company? What time conflicts, both business and personal, do you have?

6. How do you see decisions being made? By whom? How will we resolve conflicts?

7. What do you see as your job responsibilities? Mine? What happens if either of us don't live up to them?

8. Will we have set work hours? If so, what should they be? Where will we work? Will we have a dress code?

9. Is your family completely supportive o! f this com! mitment?

10. Have you ever been in a partnership before? What happened?

No matter what, once you decide to go into business with someone, agree to everything in writing. It's best to have a business lawyer help you with this.

Take the time to work out as many details as possible.

Be absolutely certain to include a way to buy each other or each other's heirs and ex-spouses out of the business.

A messy divorce from a business partner is as difficult as a messy marital divorce — with potentially greater financial consequences. Drawing up an agreement now will help avoid difficulties if you later decide to go your separate ways.

Finally, keep in mind that in the eyes of the law you don't need a written agreement to be a partnership.

If a friend decides to invest in your fledgling social-networking site over a beer, you may have become partners. And that friend may own a piece of your company.

So when you sell the venture for millions of dollars, that friend — even if you haven't seen him in years — may own a pretty good chunk of the next Twitter or Facebook you worked so hard to build.

Rhonda Abrams is president of The Planning Shop and publisher of books for entrepreneurs. Her most recent book is Entrepreneurship: A Real-World Approach. Register for Rhonda's free newsletter at PlanningShop.com. Twitter: @RhondaAbrams. Facebook: facebook.com/RhondaAbramsSmallBusiness.Copyright Rhonda Abrams 2013.

US Stock Futures Up; Apple Earnings In Focus

Pre-open movers

US stock futures rose in early pre-market trade, ahead of earnings from Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL). The pending home sales index for September will be released at 10:00 a.m. ET, while the Dallas Fed general business activity index for October will be released at 10:30 a.m. ET. Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 22 points to 15,519.00, while the Standard & Poor's 500 index futures gained 2.40 points to 1,756.30. Futures for the Nasdaq 100 index rose 8.25 points to 3,382.00.

A Peek Into Global Markets

European markets were lower today, with the Spanish Ibex Index dropping 0.66%, London's FTSE 100 index dropping 0.09% and STOXX Europe 600 Index declining 0.08%. German DAX 30 index fell 0.01% and French CAC 40 Index declined 0.44%.

Asian markets ended mostly higher today. Japan's Nikkei Stock Average surged 2.19%, China's Shanghai Composite rose 0.04% and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index surged 0.48%. Australia's ASX/S&P500 rose 0.96% and India's Sensex declined 0.55%.

Broker Recommendation

Analysts at Bank of America downgraded Owens Corning (NYSE: OC) from "buy" to "neutral." The target price for Owens Corning has been lowered from $43 to $40.

Owens Corning's shares closed at $37.80 on Friday.

Breaking news

Loews (NYSE: L) reported a 59% rise in its third-quarter earnings. Loews posted a quarterly profit of $282 million, or $0.73 per share, versus a year-ago profit of $177 million, or $0.45 per share. To read the full news, click here. BankUnited (NYSE: BKU) announced today the commencement of an underwritten offering of 9,000,000 shares of its common stock by certain of its existing stockholders, subject to market and other conditions. To read the full news, click here. Liberty Global (NASDAQ: LBTYA) announced today an agreement to sell substantially all of its international content division Chellomedia to AMC Networks (NASDAQ: AMCX).To read the full news, click here. Myriad Genetics (NASDAQ: MYGN) today announced that validation data for the Myriad myPlan Lung Cancer test showed that it significantly predicted patients' risk of death from early-stage lung adenocarcinoma within five years of being diagnosed. To read the full news, click here.

Posted-In: Bank of America US Stock FuturesNews Eurozone Futures Global Pre-Market Outlook Markets

(c) 2013 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

  Around the Web, We're Loving... Learn to Use Trading Platforms Like Hedge Fund Traders do Rumsfeld: Denial of Benefits to Fallen Soldiers' Families 'Inexcusable' Come See How the Pro's Trade in this Exclusive Webinar Facebook, Baidu Lead Big Caps Beating Shutdown What Should You Know About AMZN? Most Popular Earnings Expectations For The Week Of October 28: Apple, Facebook, GM and More SLIDESHOW: Apple's First TV, New iPads And More From The Fourth Week Of October Barron's Recap: The Snail Economy Top ETFs of the Week (GDX, EPOL, NUGT, URA) Short Sellers Pile On Applied Materials and STMicroelectronics (AMAT, MU, STM) Short Interest In Harmony Gold Resumes Rise (EGO, HMY, KGC) Related Articles (AAPL + AMCX) US Stock Futures Up; Apple Earnings In Focus ETF Outlook for the Week of October 28, 2013 #PreMarket Primer: Monday, October 28: All Eyes On Apple Liberty Global to Sell Chellomedia to AMC Networks for $1.0B Earnings Scheduled For October 28, 2013 Stocks To Watch For October 28, 2013 View the discussion thread. Partner Network #marketfy-ae-block { display: none; border: 2px solid #0a3f75; overflow: hidden; width: 300px; height: 125px; text-align: center; background-color: #45719E; position: relative; z-index: 1; } #marketfy-ae-block a { display: block; width: 300px; height: 125px; position: relative; z-index: 2; color: #ffffff; text-decoration: none; } #marketfy-ae-block-countdown-text { color: #f9fc99; padding: 0px 0 0 0; font-size: 19px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 19px; } #marketfy-ae-block-countdown-text-start { font-size: 12px; } #marketfy-ae-block-countdown { padding: 5px 0 5px 0; font-size: 26px; } #marketfy-ae-block-signup { padding: 5px 47px; } #marketfy-ae-block-signup:hover { background-color: #457a1a; } #marketfy-ae-block #marketfy-ae-block-logo { display: block; padding: 3px 0 0 0; margin: 0; } #marketfy-ae-block-logo { text-indent: -9999px; } #marketfy-ae-block-free { display: block; position: absolute; top: 7px; right: -23px; width: 80px; height: 16px; line-height: 16px; text-align: center; opacity: 1; -webkit-transform: rotate(45deg); -moz-transform: rotate(45deg); -ms-transform: rotate(45deg); transform: rotate(45deg); font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; color: #333333; background-color: yellow; z-index: 500; text-shadow: 1px 1px #999999; } #marketfy-ae-block-arrow { position: relative; width: 60px; height: 60px; z-index: 10; margin: -80px 0 13px -21px; } #marketfy-ae-block-arrow img { height: 60px; width: auto; } Marketfy's International
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5 Stocks Spiking on Big Volume

DELAFIELD, Wis. (Stockpickr) -- Professional traders running mutual funds and hedge funds don't just look at a stock's price moves; they also track big changes in volume activity. Often when above-average volume moves into an equity, it precedes a large spike in volatility.

>>5 Stocks With Big Insider Buying

Major moves in volume can signal unusual activity, such as insider buying or selling -- or buying or selling by "superinvestors."

Unusual volume can also be a major signal that hedge funds and momentum traders are piling into a stock ahead of a catalyst. These types of traders like to get in well before a large spike, so it's always a smart move to monitor unusual volume. That said, remember to combine trend and price action with unusual volume. Put them all together to help you decipher the next big trend for any stock.

>>5 Stocks Set to Soar on Bullish Earnings

With that in mind, let's take a look at several stocks rising on unusual volume today.

Goodrich Petroleum

Goodrich Petroleum (GDP) explores, exploits, develops and produces oil and natural gas properties in East Texas and Northwest Louisiana. This stock closed up 6.1% at $27.80 in Wednesday's trading session.

Wednesday's Volume: 7.61 million

Three-Month Average Volume: 1.62 million

Volume % Change: 465%

From a technical perspective, GDP ripped sharply higher here right above some near-term support at $25 with heavy upside volume. This stock recently formed a double bottom chart pattern at $24.22 to $24.51. Following that bottom, shares of GDP have started to rebound sharply and move within range of triggering a big breakout trade. That trade will hit if GDP manages to take out Wednesday's high of $28.18 to its 52-week high at $28.55 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in GDP as long as it's trending above Wednesday's low of $25.95 or above those double bottom levels and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 1.62 million shares. If that breakout hits soon, then GDP will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that move are $33 to $35.

American Public Education

American Public Education (APEI) is a provider of online post-secondary education with an emphasis on serving the needs of the military and public service communities. This stock closed up 4.1% at $36.96 in Wednesday's trading session.

Wednesday's Volume: 523,000

Three-Month Average Volume: 115,462

Volume % Change: 314%

From a technical perspective, APEI spiked higher here with heavy upside volume. This move briefly pushed shares of APEI back above its 200-day moving average of $37.33, but the stock closed just below that level at $36.96. This spike on Wednesday pushed shares of APEI out of its recent downtrend, which saw the stock fall from $40.75 to its recent low of $34.40. This move could be signaling that APEI is ready to see its downside volatility end in the short-term.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in APEI as long as it's trending above Wednesday's low of $35.60 and then once it sustains a move or close above Wednesday's high of $37.63 to its 50-day moving average at $38.44 with volume that's near or above 115,462 shares. If we get that move soon, then APEI will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $40.75 to its 52-week high at $42.17.

FleetMatics Group

FleetMatics Group (FLTX) is a global provider of fleet management solutions delivered as software-as-a-service. This stock closed up 5.9% at $36.82 in Wednesday's trading session.

Wednesday's Volume: 1.49 million

Three-Month Average Volume: 724,634

Volume % Change: 91%

From a technical perspective, FLTX trended higher here with solid upside volume flows. This stock has been downtrending badly for the last month and change, with shares plunging lower from its high of $52.28 to its recent low of $29.92. During that downtrend, shares of FLTX have been consistently making lower highs and lower lows, which is bearish technical price action. That said, shares of FLTX have now started to rebound off that $29.92 low and enter new uptrend. This could be signaling that the downside volatility for FLTX is at last over in the short-term.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in FLTX as long as it's trending above Wednesday's low of $35.25 or above $34 and then once it sustains a move or close above Wednesday's high of $37.25 with volume that's near or above 724,634 shares. If we get that move soon, then FLTX will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at its 50-day of $41.40 to $45.

Xerium Technologies

Xerium Technologies (XRM) is a manufacturer and supplier of two types of consumable products, clothing and roll covers, used mainly in the production of paper. This stock closed up 4.2% at $12.06 in Wednesday's trading session.

Wednesday's Volume: 1.12 million

Three-Month Average Volume: 90,515

Volume % Change: 850%

From a technical perspective, XRM ripped higher here right above its 50-day moving average of $11.09 with monster upside volume. This move pushed shares of XRM into breakout territory, since the stock took out some near-term overhead resistance levels at $11.73 to $11.74. Shares of XRM are now quickly moving within range of triggering another big breakout trade. That trade will hit if XRM can manage to take out some more resistance at $12.50 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in XRM as long as it's trending above its 50-day at $11.09 and then once it sustains a move or close above $12.50 with volume that's near or above 90,515 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then XRM will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels $14.04 to $16.

Bon-Ton Stores

Bon-Ton Stores (BONT) is a regional department store operator offering an assortment of brand-name fashion apparel and accessories for women, men and children as well as cosmetics, home furnishings and other goods. This stock closed up 2.9% at $10.72 in Wednesday's trading session.

Wednesday's Volume: 533,000

Three-Month Average Volume: 228,850

Volume % Change: 125%

From a technical perspective, BONT trended higher here right above its recent low of $9.85 with above-average volume. This stock has been downtrending badly for the last three months and change, with shares crashing from its high of $21.34 to that recent low of $9.85. During that downtrend, shares of BONT have been consistently making lower highs and lower lows, which is bearish technical price action. That said, shares of BONT have now started to rebound higher off that $9.85 low, and the stock looks to have put an end to its downside volatility in the short-term.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in BONT as long as it's trending above that low of $9.85 and then once it sustains a move or close above Wednesday's high of $11 with volume that's near or above 228,850 shares. If we get that move soon, then BONT will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $11.46 to its 50-day moving average at $11.95. Any high-volume move above $11.95 to $12.33 will then give BONT a chance to tag $13 to $14.

To see more stocks rising on unusual volume, check out the Stocks Rising on Unusual Volume portfolio on Stockpickr.

-- Written by Roberto Pedone in Delafield, Wis.

RELATED LINKS:

>>5 Rocket Stocks to Buy for Earnings Season

>>7 Chinese ADRs Are on Fire Right Now

>>5 Stocks Under $10 Making Big Moves

Follow Stockpickr on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

At the time of publication, author had no positions in stocks mentioned.

Roberto Pedone, based out of Delafield, Wis., is an independent trader who focuses on technical analysis for small- and large-cap stocks, options, futures, commodities and currencies. Roberto studied international business at the Milwaukee School of Engineering, and he spent a year overseas studying business in Lubeck, Germany. His work has appeared on financial outlets including

CNBC.com and Forbes.com. You can follow Pedone on Twitter at www.twitter.com/zerosum24 or @zerosum24.

Here's What Twitter Needs to Do to Make the Stock a Buy

As the microblogging giant prepares to come to market, tweets speculating about the value of Twitter stock abound...

On Sept. 12, the online social networker announced it filed confidential S-1 papers to the Securities and Exchange Commission for an initial public offering (IPO). No doubt that Twitter hoped filing confidentially might help it avoid the rampant and sometimes damaging speculation suffered by some of its Internet-based IPO brethren, like Groupon Inc. (Nasdaq: GRPN) and Facebook Inc. (Nasdaq: FB), both of which lost over half their value within six months of listing.

Facebook's IPO was priced at 107 times trailing 12-month earnings, making it pricier than 99% of all companies in the S&P 500 at that time.

Already the rumors are swirling. Reportedly, Twitter will list on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), perhaps to steer clear of Facebook's fate on Nasdaq, or in reaction to Nasdaq's recent three-hour trading freeze.

The main question for investors who will consider investing in Twitter stock is this: How will Twitter make money? The answer - and execution - will make or break Twitter stock.

What to Consider Before Investing in Twitter Stock

Twitter has 554,750,000 active registered users, but unless those users pay - or advertisers pay to be in front of those users - popularity won't translate to profits.

"You've got to convert eyeballs to money," said Money Morning's Chief Investment Strategist Keith Fitz-Gerald. "Just because someone uses social media to keep in touch, doesn't mean it will convert to advertising. We've seen on Facebook and others, ads don't lead to revenue. And if it doesn't convert, it doesn't matter."

Money Morning E-commerce Director Bret Holmes said that in order for Twitter stock to take off, the company will have to change how it's currently trying to make money.

Currently, Twitter's cost-per-acquisitions are seven times higher than that of Facebook, making many potential advertisers hedge the platform due to poor returns on investment.

That's why Holmes sees Twitter eventually opening its site to third-party remarketing and retargeting agencies - much like Facebook is doing now.

"If Twitter fixes that, the closer they'll get to the kind of profitability that has fueled Facebook's rise over the last four months," Holmes noted. The Facebook stock price has doubled in two months. [Wednesday we explained the secret behind FB's price surge - go here if you missed it.]

IF the company fails to adjust its ad model, it's a guarantee that Twitter stock will go the way of other popular IPO bombs, like Groupon.

The company already has been testing out new advertising methods. After some limited testing in May, in late August Twitter announced it will open up Lead Generation Cards to all businesses.

These will allow businesses to register customers and their respective emails for memberships directly within a tweet. For instance, a customer/user can click to expand a tweet, and then he or she will see an option to sign up for membership. The customer/user can then easily sign up using the email address connected to his or her Twitter account.

Twitter released a Cards case study on its blog that indicated decent results. The study showed outdoor apparel company Rock/Creek attaining a 4.6% engagement rate and more than 1,700 new email contacts in one week via a Card within a Promoted Tweet. Customers were enticed to share their email addresses by being entered into a drawing for a free pair of Chaco sandals.

Twitter is clearly testing the advertising waters, but investors should keep in mind that even if Twitter does manage to find a sustainable advertising model, investors aren't guaranteed a reward.

"When it comes to Twitter, here we go again," Fitz-Gerald said. "I am unaware of a single social media company that has paid off over the long term for anyone other than the investment bankers, early angel investors, and company officers."

As far as Fitz-Gerald is concerned, the idea that an average investor can make a fortune on a social media IPO like Twitter is all but an illusion because they are the absolute last ones in the value chain.

If you are a serious investor, do not be surprised if you can't make Twitter stock work in your favor.

Twitter Do you think Twitter is a good investment? Yes, it's too popular to disappoint. No, social media IPOs have little value to the average investor.
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Be the most informed investor you can be: A Guide to Pricing and Investing in Tech IPOs

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Expat Americans, Foreign Banks Heave Under IRS Pressure

Most Americans—even those reading business papers such as The Wall Street Journal—probably have never heard of a Treasury regulation called FATCA, but the obscure acronym has become a commonly read epithet in the foreign press.

While Americans are absorbed by an IRS scandal involving harassment of taxpayers politically opposed to the administration, foreigners are scandalized by a sweeping U.S. law requiring foreign financial institutions to collect data on U.S. citizens or clients with foreign bank accounts worth $50,000 or more, or send the IRS a 30% withholding tax on securities transactions originating in the U.S.

Foreign banks, overwhelmed by the difficulty of locating customers whom the U.S. regards as citizens and reluctant to divert their revenue to the IRS, won a brief respite Friday when the IRS announced a six-month extension of the compliance deadline to July 1, 2014. Implementation of the law has been extended many times since its 2010 approval.

The U.S. Treasury has imposed FATCA — the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act — through intergovernmental agreements as part of its ongoing effort to tackle tax evasion by wealthy Americans. But its requirements have a quite broad reach.

In an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal online Wednesday, Colleen Graffy, a law professor at Pepperdine University in Malibu who also serves as director of the university’s London Law Campus, says the government’s reliance on FATCA as an enforcement tool is like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut:

“Imagine this: You were born in California, moved to New York for education or work, fell in love, married and had children. Even though you have faithfully paid taxes in New York and haven't lived in California for 25 years, suppose California law required that you also file your taxes there because you were born there. Though you may never have held a bank account in California, you must report all of your financial holdings to the state of California. Are you a signatory on your spouse's account? Then you must declare his bank accounts, too. Your children, now adults, have never been west of the Mississippi but they too must file their taxes in both California and New York and report any bank accounts they or their spouses may have because they are considered Californians by virtue of one parent's birthplace.”

Graffy, who must file taxes in both the U.S. and U.K., even more laments the burden on U.S. citizens (unlike her) who live full time in a foreign country. While it is increasingly common for U.S. citizens to retire abroad, some have even more attenuated ties to the U.S. Writes Graffey:

“Many, like the very British mayor of London, Boris Johnson, are ‘accidental Americans.’ He was born in New York, where his father worked for the U.N. And unless Mr. Johnson has actively renounced his citizenship, which requires an appointment at a U.S. Embassy, forms and fees, he is still an American citizen... Mr. Johnson, have you filed your taxes and reported all your U.K. bank accounts to the U.S. Department of Treasury yet?”

Financial institutions, particularly in smaller countries, have been caught between a rock and a hard place. An analysis from the Cayman Islands says that had the British Overseas Territory not signed an intergovernmental agreement with the U.S. Treasury, its financial institutions would have been left with three worse choices: signing their own agreements; paying a 30% withholding tax on U.S. dollar transactions; or no longer using the world’s reserve currency. It noted the latter two options were simply unfeasible for Cayman’s financial industry.

But bigger countries, like China, may balk at signing an intergovernmental agreement on FATCA. The New York Times quotes a tax law professor who says the latest FATCA delay may result from Chinese reluctance to agree to such a law, suggesting an erosion in U.S. credibility if it can’t implement the law after years of efforts to do so.

Meantime, the regulation is already having an impact on some of the 6 million Americans who live abroad as well as foreign financial institutions with U.S. customers.  The Israeli financial newspaper Globes reports that the threat of FATCA has caused Israel bank account holders with U.S. ties to withdraw some $4 billion to $5 billion within the past two years.

Graffy, in her Journal op-ed, says “the core injustice in America's tax policy is that it is based on citizenship rather than residency,” a principle shared only by the Horn of Africa nation of Eritrea, whose policy the U.S. has condemned as the “extortion of a ‘diaspora tax.’”

Graffy is worried that the U.S. has won intergovernmental agreements by promising reciprocity, and cites House Financial Services Committee member Bill Posey, R-Fla., as saying Treasury lacks the authority to make such a promise:

“If Congressman Posey is wrong, U.S. banks will face enormous reporting requirements and costs," she writes. "If he is right, the U.S. government will face enormous international embarrassment after having coaxed nations into signing IGAs.”

---

Check out Top 10 Best Foreign Countries for Retirement: 2013 on ThinkAdvisor.

Will Dunkin’ Brands Break Out?

With shares of Dunkin' Brands (NASDAQ:DNKN) trading around $38 after Dunkin's earnings, is DNKN an OUTPERFORM, WAIT AND SEE or STAY AWAY? Let's analyze the stock with the relevant sections of our CHEAT SHEET investing framework:

T = Trends for a Stock's Movement

Dunkin' Brands owns, operates, and franchises quick service restaurants under the Dunkin'' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins brands worldwide. The company operates in four segments, including Dunkin' Donuts U.S., Dunkin' Donuts International, Baskin-Robbins International, and Baskin-Robbins U.S. Its restaurants offer coffee, donuts, bagels, ice cream, frozen beverages, baked goods, and related products. The increasing popularity that the product offerings being seen by Dunkin' Brands is fueling excellent growth for the company. As consumers continue to enjoy the Dunkin' Brands products, look for the company to see rising profits well into the future.

T = Technicals on the Stock Chart are Strong

Since its initial public offering in 2011, Dunkin' Brands stock has witnessed a wonderful uptrend of higher highs and higher lows. The stock is now trading near all-time highs and shows no signs of slowing just yet. Analyzing the price trend and its strength can be done using key simple moving averages. What are the key moving averages? The 50-day (pink), 100-day (blue), and 200-day (yellow) simple moving averages. As seen in the daily price chart below, Dunkin' Brands is trading above its rising key averages which signal neutral to bullish price action in the near-term.

NEW! Discover a new stock idea each week for less than the cost of 1 trade. CLICK HERE for your Weekly Stock Cheat Sheets NOW!

(Source: Thinkorswim)

Taking a look at the implied volatility (red) and implied volatility skew levels of Dunkin' Brands options may help determine if investors are bullish, neutral, or bearish.

	Implied Volatility (IV)	30-Day IV Percentile	90-Day IV Percentile
Dunkin' Brands Options	24.48%	43%	40%

What does this mean? This means that investors or traders are buying a significant amount of call and put options contracts, as compared to the last 30 and 90 trading days.

	Put IV Skew	Call IV Skew
May Options	Flat	Average
June Options	Flat	Average

As of today, there is an average demand from call buyers or sellers and low demand by put buyers or high demand by put sellers, all neutral to bullish over the next two months. To summarize, investors are buying a significant amount of call and put option contracts and are leaning neutral to bullish over the next two months.

E = Earnings Are Increasing Quarter-Over-Quarter

Rising stock prices are often strongly correlated with rising earnings and revenue growth rates. Also, the last four quarterly earnings announcement reactions help gauge investor sentiment on Dunkin' Brands's stock. What do the last four quarterly earnings and revenue growth (Y-O-Y) figures for Dunkin' Brands look like and more importantly, how did the markets like these numbers?

	2013 Q1	2012 Q4	2012 Q3	2012 Q2
Earnings Growth (Y-O-Y)	16%	131.50%	750%	933%
Revenue Growth (Y-O-Y)	9.45%	-4.04%	5.02%	9.82%
Earnings Reaction	3.66%	2.04%	1.81%	-3.05%

Dunkin' Brands has seen increasing earnings and revenue figures over the last four quarters. From these figures, the markets have been pleased with Dunkin' Brands's recent earnings announcements.

P = Excellent Relative Performance Versus Peers and Sector

How has Dunkin' Brands stock done relative to its peers, Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX), Yum! Brands (NYSE:YUM), McDonald's (NYSE:MCD), and sector?

	Dunkin' Brands	Starbucks	Yum! Brands	McDonald's	Sector
Year-to-Date Return	16.73%	13.27%	1.82%	16.04%	14.28%

Dunkin' Brands has been a relative performance leader, year-to-date.

Conclusion

Dunkin' Brands provides products that fulfill the cravings of many consumers and will continue to do so well into the future. The stock has been in a strong uptrend since its initial public offering, just a few years ago. Earnings and revenue figures have been growing at an excellent pace in recent quarters which has really pleased investors. Relative to its peers and sector, Dunkin' Brands is a year-to-date performance leader. Look for Dunkin' Brands to continue to OUTPERFORM.

Top Gold Stocks To Watch Right Now

Here are today's top news headlines from�Fool.com. Check back throughout the day as this list is updated, and follow us on Twitter at�TMFBreaking.

Budweiser Introducing Bowtie-Shaped Can

Logitech CFO Leaps to Roku

Texas Instruments Cranks Dividend Higher

Google Picks Provo as Third City for Google Fiber

Labor Nominee Perez Pledges Open Mind

Congress OK Sought to Sell Boeing C-17 Globemaster to Kuwait

Boeing in Line for $300 Million Contract to Support NATO

U.S. Natural Gas Supplies Grew Last Week

U.S. Companies to Bid to Sell Israel Fuel Valued Around $2.7 Billion

Swiss to Hold Referendum on Gold Reserves

EU Aims to Get U.S. Trade Deal by Next Year

Mortgage Rates Drop; 5/1 ARM at 8-Year Low

Amazon Appstore Expanding to Nearly 200 Countries

Oil Rises Near $88; Natural Gas Jumps 4 Percent

Macy's Request for Restraining Order Denied by Judge

Vonage Adds Video Calling to Mobile Service

Top Gold Stocks To Watch Right Now: Iamgold Corporation(IAG)

IAMGOLD Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the exploration, development, and production of mineral resource properties worldwide. It primarily explores for gold, silver, zinc, copper, niobium, diamonds, and other metals. The company holds interests in eight operating gold mines, a niobium producer, a diamond royalty, and exploration and development projects located in Africa and the Americas. Its advanced exploration and development projects include the Westwood project in Canada; and the Quimsacocha project, which consists of 3 mining concessions covering an aggregate area of approximately 8,030 hectares in Ecuador. The company was formerly known as IAMGOLD International African Mining Gold Corporation and changed its name to IAMGOLD Corporation in June 1997. IAMGOLD Corporation was founded in 1990 and is based in Toronto, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Namitha Jagadeesh]

  International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (IAG) and Air France-KLM (AF) Group rose with as a gauge of travel stocks as oil prices fell after Iran�� accord. PSA Peugeot Citroen gained 3.7 percent after people familiar with the matter said its chief executive officer plans to step down next year. Fresenius Medical Care AG surged the most in five years after U.S. regulators scrapped a plan to cut Medicare payments next year.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  IAMGOLD (NYSE: IAG  ) will release its quarterly report on Monday, and as with most gold mining companies, it's expected to post disappointing results compared to last year's figures because of the big drop in gold prices during the second quarter. Yet investors still expect IAMGOLD earnings to show the company's profitability, giving it a competitive advantage over weaker producers that are struggling to stay out of the red.

Top Gold Stocks To Watch Right Now: Australian Dollar(AU)

AngloGold Ashanti Limited primarily engages in the exploration and production of gold. It also produces silver, uranium oxide, and sulfuric acid. The company conducts gold-mining operations in South Africa; continental Africa, including Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Namibia, and Tanzania; Australia; and the Americas, which include Argentina, Brazil, and the United States. It also has mining or exploration operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea, and Colombia. As of December 31, 2010, the company had proved and probable gold reserves of 71.2 million ounces. The company has a strategic alliance with Thani Dubai Mining Limited to explore, develop, and operate mines across the Middle East and parts of North Africa. AngloGold Ashanti Limited, formerly known as Vaal Reefs Exploration and Mining Company Limited, was founded in 1944 and is headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  We've seen the flip side of that trend play out in recent years, as rock-bottom interest rates in the U.S. have encouraged investment in higher-yielding income investments in places like Australia, Brazil, and South Africa. Interest from foreign investors got to be so extensive in Brazil that the federal government imposed a tax on foreign investors in bonds in order to curb demand and slow the pace of the Brazilian real's appreciation. Exchange-rate issues also likely played a role in the health of the commodities markets, as mining giants BHP Billiton (NYSE: BHP  ) and Rio Tinto (NYSE: RIO  ) in Australia benefited from increased demand largely for base metals. Similarly, South African gold miners AngloGold Ashanti (NYSE: AU  ) and Gold Fields (NYSE: GFI  ) outperformed rivals from elsewhere in the world, benefiting from strength in the South African rand currency.

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Considering the work stoppages and violent clashes that have become the norm at South African precious-metals mines, perhaps the miners were wondering exactly what they were getting for their money. An expose by South Africa's Daily Maverick has uncovered a system where miners such as AngloGold Ashanti (NYSE: AU  ) and BHP Billiton (NYSE: BHP  ) surreptitiously paid for the salaries of the heads of the local mining unions to keep the mine workers in line, and it's only because the miners sought to end the "uncomfortable arrangement" with the unions that the matter came to light.

Top 5 Warren Buffett Companies To Own For 2014: Goldcorp Incorporated(GG)

Goldcorp Inc. engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and operation of precious metal properties in Canada, the United States, Mexico, and Central and South America. It produces and sells gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc. The company was founded in 1954 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Matt DiLallo]

  This past quarter was terrible for gold. In fact, it was the once-shiny metal's worst quarter in almost 50 years, and its price plunged 23%. That made for a rough quarter for gold miners, including Goldcorp (NYSE: GG  ) , which reports its latest quarterly results on July 25. Does this mean investors are in for a dull quarter?

Top Gold Stocks To Watch Right Now: Agnico-Eagle Mines Limited(AEM)

Agnico-Eagle Mines Limited, through its subsidiaries, engages in the exploration, development, and production of mineral properties in Canada, Finland, and Mexico. The company primarily explores for gold, as well as silver, copper, zinc, and lead. Its flagship property includes the LaRonde mine located in the southern portion of the Abitibi volcanic belt, Canada. The company was founded in 1953 and is based in Toronto, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Patricio Kehoe] e, has cash costs of $912 per ounce, and Agnico Eagle�� costs do not even reach the $700 per ounce mark. Hence, it comes as little surprise that revenue has been decreasing steadily, since gold prices are hovering around the $1300 mark at best. As the company is hemorrhaging money, investment gurus the like of John Burbank and Seth Klarman have decided to sell their entire stake in the firm. I agree with this bearish stance, and recommend investors stay away from Kinross Gold.

  Any Long Term Investment?
  
  If you were to follow Jean-Marie Eveillard�� purchases, one would be inclined to see good growth prospects for Agnico Eagle, and thus believe in this stock�� potential. And, you wouldn�� be wrong, as the firm has been growing at a steady pace, with no end in sight to its expansion possibilities. However, with a 171% price premium, investors might be better off waiting until a more favorable entry-point is available. Nevertheless, as a long-term investment, I feel highly optimistic and would thus even consider paying the additional cost.

  Disclosure: Patricio Kehoe holds no position in any stocks mentioned.
  
  Also check out: Jean-Marie Eveillard Undervalued Stocks Jean-Marie Eveillard Top Growth Companies Jean-Marie Eveillard High Yield stocks, and Stocks that Jean-Marie Eveillard keeps buying John Burbank Undervalued Stocks John Burbank Top Growth Companies John Burbank High Yield stocks, and Stocks that John Burbank keeps buying
  The Strategy of Ben Graham ��Warren Buffett�� Mentor From 1923 to 1957 Warren Buffett�� mentor, Ben Graham, followed a strategy of investing in net-nets. He said: ��t always seemed, and still seems ridiculously simple to say that if one can acquire a diversified group of common stocks at a price less than the...net current assets alone��he results should be quite satisfactory. They were so in our experience, for more than 30 years.��br> Today net-nets are rare. They are collected under Gu

• [By vaninaegea]

  In august, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) published the mid-year review for the agricultural sector. Their findings point to a slowdown for the industry, highlighting a 9.5% decline on exports through the first half of 2013. Also, late soybean planting in the USA is expected to compound the industry�� slowdown. So, what are the prospects for AGCO (AGCO), CNH Global (CNH), and Deere & Co. (DE) under such conditions?

• [By Holly LaFon]

  He increased his holdings in gold companies in the fourth quarter accordingly. Gold stocks he found attractive in the fourth quarter are: Novagold Resources (NG), Randgold Resources (GOLD), Iamgold Corp. (IAG), Barrick Gold Corp. (ABX), Agnico Eagle (AEM) and International Tower Hill (THM).

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  As a result, Chidley and team upgraded Agnico Eagle Mines (AEM) and�Yamana Gold (AUY) to Neutral from Underweight, and raised Barrick Gold (ABX), Goldcorp (GG) and Iamgold (IAG) to Overweight from Neutral.�Gold Fields (GFI) was downgraded “due to increased risk and also reduced expectations for the South Deep operation,” Chidley says.

Top Gold Stocks To Watch Right Now: Goldman Sachs Group Inc.(The)

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides investment banking, securities, and investment management services to corporations, financial institutions, governments, and high-net-worth individuals worldwide. Its Investment Banking segment offers financial advisory, including advisory assignments with respect to mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, corporate defense, risk management, restructurings, and spin-offs; and underwriting securities, loans and other financial instruments, and derivative transactions. The company?s Institutional Client Services segment provides client execution activities, such as fixed income, currency, and commodities client execution related to making markets in interest rate products, credit products, mortgages, currencies, and commodities; and equities related to making markets in equity products, as well as commissions and fees from executing and clearing institutional client transactions on stock, options, and fu tures exchanges. This segment also engages in the securities services business providing financing, securities lending, and other prime brokerage services to institutional clients, including hedge funds, mutual funds, pension funds, and foundations. Its Investing and Lending segment invests in debt securities, loans, public and private equity securities, real estate, consolidated investment entities, and power generation facilities. This segment also involves in the origination of loans to provide financing to clients. The company?s Investment Management segment provides investment management services and investment products to institutional and individual clients. This segment also offers wealth advisory services, including portfolio management and financial counseling, and brokerage and other transaction services to high-net-worth individuals and families. In addition, it provides global investment research services. The company was founded in 1869 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Is the U.S. Air Force Buying Enough Drones?

President Obama just released his 2014 proposed defense budget -- and it's chock-full of nada for investors in the fledgling drone/unmanned aerial vehicle industry. What does the lack of funding for drones portend for such manufacturers as General Atomics, Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC  ) ,  AeroVironment (NASDAQ: AVAV  ) , and Textron (NYSE: TXT  ) ?

Fool contributor Rich Smith lays out all the numbers for you in this video.

Drone maker Boeing operates as a major player in a multibillion-dollar defense market in which the opportunities and responsibilities are absolutely massive. However, emerging competitors and the company's execution problems have investors wondering whether Boeing will live up to its shareholder responsibilities. In our premium research report on the company, two of The Motley Fool's best minds on industrials have collaborated to provide investors with the key, must-know issues surrounding Boeing. They'll be updating the report as key news hits, so don't miss out -- simply click here now to claim your copy today.

6 Smart Moves to Boost Your Credit Score

Cassandra Hubbart, DailyFinance If you think your credit score doesn't matter too much to you because you're not planning on getting a mortgage or applying for a credit card anytime soon, think again. Credit scores affect more aspects of our lives than you may realize (just ask these singles). That's why it's important to keep your score as high as possible. Paying your bills on time and staying well below your credit limits are the best ways to build and maintain good credit. Together they account for more than half of your overall credit score. A healthy payment history is the biggest contributor to your credit score, accounting for 35 percent of the total. Miss even a single deadline, and you could see your credit score drop as much as 100 points or more. To avoid those dreaded "overdue" notices and the credit blemishes they bring, set up automatic payments for any regular bills so that your lenders get the check on time, every single time. Another 30 percent of your credit score is based on the amount of debt you carry, as measured against the amount of available credit you have -- otherwise known as your credit utilization ratio. It's a good idea to keep your outstanding balances to less than 25 percent of the money available to you to spend. If you are not able to pay down your balances ASAP, you can go at the problem from a different angle by calling your lenders and asking them to raise your credit limit. But beyond these basic rules of smart credit management, there are some lesser-known strategies that can help you boost your score. Check your credit reports and correct errors. Of course, you want to make sure that everything is being accurately reported, from your current address to your closed accounts. (For more guidance on how to dispute an error on your credit report, look to this guide from the Federal Trade Commission.)

Oil company owes billions in clean-up costs

A natural gas filtration system sits on top of a gas well drilled by Anadarko Petroleum Corporation in Mifflin Township, Penn.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) Oil driller Anadarko has been ordered to pay billions of dollars in clean-up costs after a judge ruled that the firm's Kerr-McGee unit tried to shed these liabilities in a spin-off deal.

A federal bankruptcy court in New York ruled that Anadarko owes damages between $5.15 billion and $14.12 billion, with the precise amount to be determined in future legal proceedings. The Justice Department said Friday that the judgment was "one of the largest environmental enforcement awards ever."

The formerly independent Kerr-McGee operated a variety of chemical and resource extraction businesses that left contamination across the country over more than eight decades, including radioactive uranium waste in the Navajo Nation and radioactive thorium in Illinois.

In 2005 and 2006, the company transferred its valuable oil and gas exploration assets to a new corporate entity that was later acquired by Anadarko. The environmental liabilities were left with the old company, which was renamed Tronox (TROX).

Weighed down by these debts, Tronox filed for bankruptcy protection in 2009. The U.S. government and the Tronox bankruptcy estate later sued Anadarko, charging that Kerr-McGee split its business with the intention of ducking its clean-up costs.

"The United States will not let polluters evade their environmental liabilities through a corporate shell game," Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said in a statement.

Anadarko (APC, Fortune 500) shares slipped 6.4% on the news Friday, while Tronox (TROX) shares surged 7.5%.

Anadarko CEO Al Walker said his company planned to appeal the ruling.

"Given the significant factual evidence supporting our position, we vehemently disagree" with the judge's opinion, Walker said in a statement.

  Mexico's Pemex oil welcomes foreign partners

Anadarko was also on the hook for huge clean-up costs following the 2010 oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. Anadarko owned a 25% stake in the ill-fated well, and agreed to pay well operator and majority shareholder BP (BP) $4 billion in 2011 to cover its share.

For New CEOs, the Art of Doing Nothing

General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) has a new chief executive officer, Mary Barra — the first woman to head a major global car company. Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: G) may need a new CEO if current chief Alan Mulally jumps at the CEO job at Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT). The de facto head of Lululemon Athletica Inc. (NASDAQ: LULU), founder Chip Wilson, will leave and be replaced by a woman — Lauren Potdevin.

At issue in each of these cases, and many other chief executive transitions, is not whether the new executives are men or women. What is at issue is whether each of these new CEOs will find it necessary to plunge their companies into a sea of changes, or be patient with the direction of public corporations that are already largely successes. Sometimes the best thing for a new CEO to do is nothing.

GM does not need to be changed much. Departing CEO Dan Akerson may have done a poor job of reversing the company’s decline in Europe, a good job of exploiting the company’s lead role in China and a fair job of holding GM’s top spot in the United States. However, for the most part, product line-up choices have been fairly good. Turning around in Europe is impossible for now. GM has tried nearly everything it can to improve its fortunes there. But, as was true in the U.S. five years ago when the American economy was in a recession, GM cannot get blood out of a stone. Barra inherits a huge corporation in fine shape. Major changes for the sake of change would be counterproductive.

What holds true for GM also holds true for Ford, which recently announced a set of aggressive expansions around the world — a major decision that may be Mulally’s last one there. Under his stewardship, Ford has done as well as any other major car manufacturer in the world. Over the past five years, Ford’s shares are up 475%, against a 100% rise in the S&P. By most major markers, Ford does not need even a modest overhaul.

Of the companies that have recently appointed new CEOs, Lululemon appears to have an immediate change in direction. However, Lululemon’s greatest liabilities were Chip Wilson, who could not keep his mouth shut, and a set of workout pants that were too sheer. Wall Street was disappointed with Lululemon’s recent sales forecasts. But its revenue rose 20% during the most recent quarter to $380 million. Net income was up to $66 million from $57 million in the same quarter a year ago. Revenue in the current quarter is expected to be in the range of $535 million to $540 million. Most clothing companies would be lucky to do so poorly. A sudden revamping of Lululemon’s product line and marketing would almost certainly do more harm than good. Other than the see-through pants, consumers seem to be happy with the company’s clothing.

CEO transitions are often marked by sudden changes in strategy. For companies that have had a fairly impressive period of success, even if there have been glitches, there is a great deal to be said for patience.

Marquee funds start closing the door

A trio of big-name stock pickers have announced they'll be closing the door to new investors in another sign that there is a shortage of deals to be found in equities. And that's good news, at least for fund shareholders.

The $13.7 billion Yacktman Fund (YACKX), the $11.8 billion Yacktman Focused Fund (YAFFX), the $11.5 billion Vanguard Capital Opportunity Fund (VHCAX) and the $7.7 billion Sequoia Fund (SEQUX) all announced within the last week that they will be closing to new investors.

“We believe there is some truth to the adage 'size is the enemy of performance,' and would like to maintain our ability to make investments in midsize companies that can provide meaningful returns to our shareholders,” Robert Goldfarb, portfolio manager of the Sequoia Fund, wrote in a note to shareholders this week.

The closings aren't completely surprising, given how the funds have stocked up on cash in their portfolios.

Both Yacktman funds, managed by Donald and Stephen Yacktman, had more than 20% cash as of Sept. 30. The Sequoia Fund, managed by Mr. Goldfarb since 1998, has 17% cash and the Vanguard Capital Opportunity, which is subadvised by Primecap Management Co., has 6% cash — triple the large-cap-growth category's average of 2%, according to Morningstar Inc.

“We think it's prudent to take a soft close at a point where we can continue to have the flexibility to manage our investment strategy,” said Jason Subotky, co-portfolio manager of the Yacktman funds.

Combined, the Yacktman funds have grown to almost $30 billion from less than $400 million in 2008.

The Yacktman and Sequoia funds both carry five-star ratings from Morningstar. The Vanguard Capital Opportunity Fund has a four-star rating.

Current shareholders should applaud the moves, said Jeff Tjornehoj, a senior research analyst at Lipper Inc.

“It's a good sign that managers are interested in conserving capacity for existing shareholders and less concerned about their own profitability,” he said.

It also could be a sign the market is, at best, fairly valued and, at worst, due for a correction.

In the first quarter of the year, three of the five largest emerging-markets funds closed to new investors.

It turned out to be a prudent call, as the MSCI Emerging Markets Index struggled for most of the year. It's down about 1% since the start of the second quarter.

Volcker rule bars most bank proprietary trades

Federal regulators are preparing to vote Tuesday morning on a key component of the sweeping financial reform law aimed at preventing another financial crisis and reining in banks' riskiest trading practices.

Under the proposed Volcker Rule, final details of which were unveiled early Tuesday, banks would beprohibited from buying and selling most investments for their own accounts. But there are broad exemptions: Banks can own securities when it's necessary to serve trading and investment banking clients, can own U.S. government debt, and can own securities that hedge other positions the banks legally own.

The new rule, named for former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker who conceived it, forces banks to prove that their trading is reasonably related to client needs, and that any hedging strategies are directly related to offsetting a specific, identifiable risk. That represents a compromise between banks that wanted more leeway to hedge, and regulators who thought a broader loophole would let banks flout the rule by trading routinely and making up a hedging rationale only if they were caught.

"A specific trade may be either permissible or impermissible depending on the context and circumstances within which that trade is made,'' Federal Reserve Gov. Daniel Tarullo said in remarks prepared for delivery Tuesday morning. ``While the proposal before us articulates standards for making those distinctions, those standards will necessarily be developed further as they are applied.''

The rules are set to be approved by the Fed, the CFTC, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., the Comptroller of the Currency, and the Securities and Exchange Commission today. All of the agencies are set to act despite a Washington snowstorm that has shut most local government operations for the day.

Regulators hope the rules mean banks take less risk, operate with less leverage and have more consistent financial results in the future, CLSA banking analyst Mike Mayo said last week.

The agencies ! devoted two years to studying 18,000 public comments, agency officials said. The 70-page rule itself is accompanied by an 850-page preamble that addresses the comments and lays out the rationale for the rules.

The rules require CEOs of large banks to attest that their institution have risk controls in place to enforce compliance with the new standards, but do not force them to swear that the banks do not own any prohibited investments, officials said.

Details of the rules also discourage direct investments, even in some cases where they are allowed, by forcing banks to deduct their value from the amount of capital they are required to hold, officials said. Bank regulators worldwide have stiffened capital requirements since 2008 to prevent banks from making risky, highly leveraged bets with borrowed money

Lessons on Digital Disruption From Down Under

Robo-advisors — a disparaging term for online advice platforms that some advisors fear will soon be eating their lunch — have become a topic of much advisor soul-searching and teeth-gnashing.

U.S. firms like United Capital are at the forefront of wealth managers seeking to head off the threat.

But the trend has also caught the attention of the highly developed financial planning community in Australia, whose Financial Services Council recently presented its Deloitte Future Leaders Award to Bree McDonough for her paper The Digital Revolution of Wealth Management. The concerns she addresses will have a familiar ring to U.S.-based wealth managers.

That is because Future Advisor, Wealthfront and Betterment have become well-established in the U.S. In a recent ThinkAdvisor interview, United Capital’s Stephanie Bogan noted that Wealthfront has leaped from 0 to 10% of its clients being in the coveted over-50 demographic, demonstrating that online advice has become a genuine competitive threat.

“These startups,” writes McDonough in her paper, “are replacing the traditional face-to-face, fee-for-advice models and further fragmenting the advice and distribution bundling. They commonly offer online tools and personalized accounts, then charge a fee for more sophisticated automation and/or scaled advice from advisors with screen sharing and live chat.”

Imagine that: free advice, with the fee commencing for mere “sophisticated automation,” all a prelude to a live chat with an advisor.

At one point in her paper, McDonough teases us with a future customer experience “offering live-like interactions with financial advisors … through holography” and secure exchanges through “biometric electronic signatures.”

But the thrust of her paper focuses on today’s wealth management experience, and it is her contention that client expectations now exceed current service models.

“Growing beyond face-to-face service, paper processes and fee for advice models, customers now live in a social economy with real-time, anytime, anywhere expectations,” she writes.

For example, in Australia, like the U.S., the majority of people have a smartphone, and yet a minority of Australian businesses has mobile-optimized websites.  

The implication is that wealth management firms must re-engineer their offerings across multiple channels lest they be relegated to the passé portion of a two-speed economy.

A poignant bit of data McDonough cites to emphasize this point is a comparison between Google searches for financial advisor with searches for do-it-yourself approaches. While financial advice searches in Australia a decade ago outnumbered the do-it-yourself searches tenfold, the former has steadily declined while the latter has steadily risen and now exceeds advice searches.

The Australian planner cites Delta Airlines as a global example of a successful transformation, from a firm that crawled out of bankruptcy and was voted one of the worst airlines in 2010 to a nimbler, digital-era firm voted best airline in 2012, sporting an iPad app and improved self-service kiosks targeting a more mobile population.

She also cites Australia’s Commonwealth Bank, which went from stodgy institution with low customer satisfaction to agile business with a series of digital milestones: 7,000 new transactions opened via Facebook, $800,000 secured through Twitter, and many others, since the start of its digital initiative.

Wealth management firms similarly should undertake initiatives in big data to uncover predictive patterns and identify new opportunities to serve customers. An industry known for its products’ complexity and lengthy interactions with clients could similarly look to Domino’s pizza tracker mobile app as a model for speeding things up.

A greater use of metrics that shift performance in a more client-oriented direction — such as building a firm’s stock of social media advocates — should further the digital transformation.

Social feedback processes are indeed a prime example of a contemporary environment that is cross-functional, horizontal and collaborative in comparison to wealth management’s traditional top-down business model.

In an age that permits investors to get “‘scaled-advice tools’ where customers can get advice online, anytime at a lower cost,” McDonough concludes that successful wealth managers are those who “re-engineer their businesses around today’s connected customer.”

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Check out these related stories on ThinkAdvisor:

FHA to pull back on big mortgages

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) The Federal Housing Administration has announced plans to reduce its stake in the market, an indication it sees some signs of strength in real estate.

The agency, which insures low down-payment mortgages, is reducing the upper limits of what it will backstop in areas where home prices are high.

Starting in the new year, the biggest cap in these areas will drop to $625,500 from $729,750. Limits will be set lower in about 650 counties as a result, the agency said.

The FHA will maintain current limits in areas where home prices are lower and said the move will allow it to refocus on less wealthy homebuyers.

The agency stepped in amid the housing market meltdown -- which was at the core of the 2008 financial crisis -- and raised limits so it could help more homebuyers. The FHA said the program quadrupled its activity "as the private market retreated."

But by doing so, it took also significant hits from defaults, and the agency has been trying to right its own balance sheet.

The agency was forced to ask Congress for $1.7 billion in late September, and has hiked premiums. Several years earlier, the government took over housing giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

FHA Commissioner Carol Galante said the new changes are "an important and appropriate step as private capital returns to portions of the market and enables FHA to concentrate on those borrowers that are still underserved."

  Zillow CEO: Hottest housing markets

The agency does not make home loans, but insures lenders against losses, allowing buyers who can afford as little as a 3.5% down payment to receive a mortgage.

The FHA says it currently has nearly 5 million mortgages in its portfolio.

Cyber Monday sales surge to new record

SAN FRANCISCO -- Cyber Monday sales surged to a new record as more holiday shoppers skipped physical stores for the convenience and deals offered by Amazon.com, eBay.com, Groupon and other websites.

"Things are off to a really good start," said Scot Wingo, CEO of ChannelAdvisor, which helps merchants sell more through online marketplaces like Amazon and eBay and other web channels including Google. "Cyber Monday numbers were really impressive."

Cyber Monday sales rose 16% to a record $2.29 billion, according to Adobe Systems, which tracks activity on more than 1,000 U.S. retail websites. IBM's Digital Analytics Benchmark, which tracks transactions from about 800 retail sites, put the sales increase at almost 21% compared to a year earlier.

Cyber Monday is the first full work day after Thanksgiving when employees get back to their desks and use their office computers to buy gifts. But with the recent boom in mobile devices like smartphones and tablets, online shopping has expanded beyond this traditional activity.

This year's Cyber Monday capped the highest five-day online sales period on record, according to IBM. From Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday online sales climbed 16.5% percent over the same period in 2012. Mobile devices accounted for more than 17% of Cyber Monday sales, up 55% from last year.

"Broader e-commerce data points from the past few days have been coming in ahead of initial expectations," Eric Sheridan, an analyst at UBS, wrote in a note to investors Tuesday.

Growth rates of 15% to 20% are higher than forecasts before the holiday shopping period which projected growth in the low teens, he noted.

The growth is a stark contrast to sluggish overall retail sales this holiday. The National Retail Federation reported that spending over the Thanksgiving weekend dropped 2.7% compared to a year ago. On the crucial Black Friday shopping day, online sales accounted for 44% of the total, up from 41% last year, the NRF noted.

Shoppers are shifting! more of their holiday purchasing online for several reasons, according to UBS's Sheridan. E-commerce websites are more convenient than physical stores, more deals and promotions are on the web now, more people have mobile devices which makes it easier to shop online and hot holiday items that sell out quickly are often still available on the Internet, the analyst explained.

Amazon, the world's largest Internet retailer, was among the strongest on Cyber Monday and through the five-day period that started with Thanksgiving.

ChannelAdvisor clients saw Amazon sales jump 46% on Cyber Monday and 35% through the "Cyber Five" period from Thanksgiving through Monday.

Amazon included items from third-party merchants on its deal pages for the first time this holiday season, which likely boosted sales. The company also spread out its deals throughout Cyber Monday and across the early holiday shopping period as a whole, rather than launching promotions all at once, which kept consumers coming back to its website, Wingo explained.

ChannelAdvisor clients saw sales on eBay.com climb 30% on Cyber Monday and 32% during the "Cyber Five" period. While that was below Amazon's growth rate, expectations were a lot lower for eBay heading into the holiday period.

EBay benefited as video game consoles from Microsoft and Sony and hot toys including Lego, Skylanders and Monster High dolls sold out quickly, forcing shoppers to search for re-sellers offering them on eBay.com.

EBay shares rose 0.8% to $51.78 in afternoon trading Tuesday, while Amazon fell 2.2% to $383.52.

Groupon shares jumped 3.5% to $9.06 after the online deals provider said Black Friday and Cyber Monday were the two largest days in North America in the company's history. For the four-day extended Thanksgiving weekend, billings were up almost 30% compared to the same period last year, the company added.

"Groupon is benefiting from stronger consumer demand and rising mobile purchase activity," Jordan Rohan, an analyst! at Stife! l Nicolaus, wrote in a note to clients. "This data point should serve as a short-term catalyst to lift shares that have been lagging the broader market rally."

These 7 Charts Are Bad News for The Bull Market

The warning signs of a stock market crash in 2014 are getting harder and harder to ignore...

Several prominent market watchers, including Ben Inker, head of the asset allocation group at GMO, and John Hussman of the Hussman Funds, say the markets are about 40% overvalued.

Last week, Yale Professor Robert Shiller, a Nobel-prize winning economist, expressed concern that stocks may have gotten ahead of themselves.

"I am most worried about the boom in the U.S. stock market. Also because our economy is still weak and vulnerable," Shiller told the German magazine Der Spiegel.

These analysts referenced a number of crash indicators nearing "warning" levels, which we've detailed in the charts below.

Of course, none of this means investors should run out and sell every stock they own in a blind panic. But it does mean investors absolutely need to proceed with caution, choosing stocks in stronger sectors and using trailing stops. [Here's a detailed plan on how to protect your money from a stock market crash.]

Now let's take a look at those seven charts pointing to a stock market crash in 2014...

The Seven Charts That Warn of a Stock Market Crash 2014

These charts provide worrisome clues that the stock markets are seriously overvalued and due for a big correction:

Stock Market Crash Chart #1: Shiller's CAPE Ratio

The cyclically adjusted price/earnings (CAPE) ratio, created by Robert Shiller, smoothes out the price/earnings (P/E) ratio by averaging it over 10 years. Now at 24.42, the CAPE is substantially above its long-term average of 16. And more ominously, the CAPE has only been higher twice - at the end of the 1920s, just before the Stock Market Crash of 1929, and at the end of the 1990s, just before the dot-com stock market crash.

Stock Market Crash Chart #2: The VIX

The VIX measures market volatility, and is commonly referred to as the "fear index." A higher VIX indicates more concern among investors and often accompanies downturns. As the markets headed toward the 2009 lows, the VIX was between 40 and 60. But it's down 28% in 2013 and is currently hovering around 14. Similar measures also indicate little concern among investors of a market crash. High levels of confidence in the markets often precede crashes.

Stock Market Crash Chart #3: NYSE Trading Volume

The markets have reached record highs on declining trading volume, which indicates weakness. This tells us there are fewer and fewer buyers, which will make it harder for stocks to continue their push to new heights. And when things go south, a lack of buyers will only accelerate the decline.

Stock Market Crash Chart #4: Margin Debt

Another catalyst of a market crash is when too many investors are using leverage - borrowing - to buy stocks and capture expected gains. When a bull market turns bearish, such investors need to get out quickly to avoid losses they can't afford. That tends to accelerate the speed of a crash, and feeds on itself. Right now we're at dangerous levels of margin debt, which could turn a mild correction into something worse.

Stock Market Crash Chart #5: Profit Margins

Profit margins are near record highs and significantly above their 10-year average. Given the overall weakness in the U.S. economy, and in particular consumer spending, this doesn't appear sustainable. What's more, Hussman says that corporate profits as a share of gross domestic product are 70% above their historic norm. When profit margins revert to the mean - which they almost surely will - stock prices will tumble.

Stock Market Crash Chart #6: Earnings Forecasts

Strong earnings have been a primary driver of the markets over the past year, but estimates for earnings have been dropping. Many companies that reported good earnings in the third quarter also lowered guidance for the fourth quarter. Slowing growth spells trouble for the current rally.

Stock Market Crash Chart #7: Price vs. Earnings

In recent years, the divergence between earnings and stock prices has grown disturbingly wide, which is risky enough.  But prices have a tendency to closely track earnings - and more dramatically so as the gap between the two has grown larger. If earnings do slow in 2014, which the previous charts appear to suggest, that could be enough to trigger a stock market crash.

Money Morning Chief Investment Strategist Keith Fitz-Gerald blames this gap on the U.S. Federal Reserve's easy money policies.

"The markets are up 83% since Q2 of 2009, but consumer spending is up only 9%," said Fitz-Gerald. "That huge divergence tells me that the stock market has enjoyed the liquidity boom but the consumer has not. And it means one of two things: either market prices have got to come down, or earnings have to go up. This is a classic sign for technical traders that there's a danger sign flashing on the dashboard."

Speaking of the Fed and how it's manipulated our stock market - ever heard of the Taylor Rule? Not many people have, and the folks at the U.S. Federal Reserve would prefer to keep it that way. The Fed realizes that if most Americans became aware of the Taylor Rule and what it means, they'd probably be tarred and feathered. That's why you need to see this now...

Related Articles:

Money Morning:
The Real "Pin" That Could Pop the Stock Bubble John Hussman:
An Open Letter to the FOMC: Recognizing the Valuation Bubble in Equities Business Insider:
I Think There's a Decent Chance Stocks Will Crash MarketWatch:
Robert Shiller 'Most Worried' About 'Boom' in U.S. Stock Market

Betting Your Reputation on an Algorithm

In today’s hyper-competitive business environment, it is challenging for traders and advisors to maintain an edge. Many wealth managers divide their time between conducting industry research, prospecting, managing their clients’ diverse holdings and exploring new opportunities.

In the digital age, a new skill has an increasingly forceful impact on their business: digital branding. Brokers and traders need an online presence that communicates their business story.

What is an ‘online presence’?

Your online presence is NOT, exclusively, your corporate website or your social networking. Here’s the truth: Your company’s website is actually the second impression you make online. The first impression you make is your first page of Google results. It’s like a mini due diligence so easy to perform that it has become ubiquitous. When a client prospect looks at search results for your name, they are often interested in all the results Google returns, not just your corporate site. They want an unbiased view of you or your brand. They are interested to read what the media, previous employees and even so-called ‘haters’ have to say about the business.

Many financial services professionals take a casual approach to their online presence. But doing so can have dire consequences. Imagine for example, you and your ideal client meet. You both feel that your trading philosophies and methods are aligned, and you feel like you can work well together. Back to his office, the prospect double checks that you are what you said you are. As a precursor to due diligence, he’ll Google you. It’s therefore vital to ensure that your online presence helps, rather than hinders, your ability to close new business.

Without a concerted effort, the first page of Google results is often a mixture of seemingly random or outdated news articles, database pages and directories. Unless you are a well-established brand, your results will often include pages about someone else who shares your name. At best, these results can confound the searcher; at worst, they can scare your prospect away.

Until recently, disputes between broker dealers and their clients were often resolved through mandatory arbitration. The requirement for arbitration sullied the reputation of many institutions with otherwise flawless records, because they were unable to disprove bogus complaints. To make matters worse, the effects of these cases continue to linger online. Once indexed by Google, this negative content will often remain online for the long-term.

We recently encountered a financial services professional who is also an avid poker player. After participating in a national poker championship, a mention of his participation began appearing prominently in his search results. A prospective investor seeing this may get the impression that he’s basically a gambler – perhaps not a good choice for managing investments.

Does Your Story Check Out?

Beyond obvious red flags, potential clients will want to see that your digital presence verifies what you told them about you and your firm. Does your digital presence confirm, or call into question, the key details you’ve shared with a prospect?

For example, if you’re the principal at a $500 million fund, the #3 result in a search query for your name should not be your FINRA database profile. Instead, it should be relevant news coverage or a profile on Forbes. If you manage an international trading firm, finding the location of your London office in Google should be easy.

Conventional wisdom dictates that, while your company can update its website, the other nine results are out of your control. This is not actually true. You can dramatically impact those other results. Most of the largest investment banks, hedge funds and private equity firms are already doing this (several are clients) and the results are remarkable.

There are many ways to impact this “first impression” directly, creating a navigated experience, rather than the free-for-all that many firms present online. With some foresight and concentrated effort, you can create an online presence designed with your searchers in mind. The search results should walk the searcher through your qualifications, thought leadership, background, and relevant news.

To communicate your story, you may need to be more active online. This may start with creating a well planned and executed LinkedIn profile page that is likely to rank prominently for financial services professionals. Posting content online about philanthropic and community involvement, giving a lecture at your alma mater and writing articles for industry publications are all potential opportunities for increased online coverage.

A proactive approach to your online presence doesn’t just help you close more business today; it can help save you from disaster tomorrow. An unflattering article about you or your business will never be comfortable to experience. But with a robust digital footprint you can minimize the impact of any one result.

Financial advisors who demonstrate their competencies to prospects through a navigated online experience will maintain a new type of edge over their competitors. Those who ignore search as part of their storytelling, do so at their own peril.

The following article is from one of our external contributors. It does not represent the opinion of Benzinga and has not been edited.

Posted-In: Small Business Markets

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Class of 2012 graduated with $29,400 average debt

The average student debt load continues to rise as new data show the Class of 2012 graduated college with an average debt of close to $30,000.

The $29,400 last year's graduates hold in student loans is up from an average debt load of $26,600 held by 2011 graduates, according to an annual report from the Project on Student Debt at The Institute for College Access and Success.

While colleges are raising tuition, families' incomes are still suffering from the effects of the recession and remain flat — both factors are increasing students' need to borrow to attend school, says Debbie Cochrane, research director at The Institute for College Access and Success.

"Rising tuition and high tuition are certainly a contributor to increasing student debt, but it's far from the full picture," she says. "Family incomes and families' own ability to contribute to college costs has just been stagnant."

Sallie Mae's "How America Pays for College" study out earlier this year found parents' income and savings are covering 27% of college costs, compared with 37% in 2010.

"The post-recession reality is (parents) don't have the income and savings," Sarah Ducich, senior vice president of public policy at Sallie Mae, told USA TODAY in July. "It's not that they're not willing to stretch. It's that they don't think they have the money to do that."

Plus, many graduates are still having difficulty finding jobs that pay enough to cover student loan payments, Cochrane says.

"The down economy has really been a double-edged sword in many ways because (students) and their parents have fewer resources to pay for college costs, which may lead them to take on more debt," she says. "And then they're entering a down economy where it's hard to find a good job that allows them to repay the debt."

This year's Project on Student Debt numbers include data from the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study, which comes out every four years. It gives a more comprehensive picture of student debt, becau! se it includes debt loads for students who went to for-profit colleges, where more students often graduate with debt and graduate with higher debt, Cochrane says.

To provide individual state and college data, The Project on Student Debt also collects data from colleges that volunteer the information, and few for-profit colleges participate, Cochrane says.

Students from Delaware graduated with the most debt — an average of $33,649 — while students in South Dakota were the most likely to graduate with debt, at 78% of graduates, the data show. South Dakota's average debt is $25,121.

While most students take out federal loans, a fifth hold private loans, the data show. Private loans have been known to be more difficult for borrowers to manage and have less flexible repayment plans. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's annual student loan ombudsman report out in October reported that students with private student loans in particular have difficulty enrolling in alternative repayment plans; private loan servicers also often allocate payments to maximize late fees and pay off low-interest loans first rather than costlier high-interest loans.

Futures climb ahead of employment report

Wall Street investors were pushing the major stock indexes higher in pre-market trading Wednesday, ahead of a monthly employment report and figures on November's new home sales.

Before the start of regular trading on Wednesday, the Dow Jones industrial average index futures were up 0.2%, S&P 500 futures were up slightly and the Nasdaq composite was up 0.1%.

On Tuesday, the Dow fell 94.15 points, or 0.6%, to 15,914.62 and the S&P slid 5.75 points, or 0.3%, to 17915.15. The Nasdaq composite, which set a 13-year high last week, fell 8.06 points, or 0.2%, to 4037.30.

TUESDAY: Stocks stumble: Dow, S&P 500 below milestones

Investors will be watching the morning release of ADP's monthly National Employment Report followed by the November numbers for new home sales. All economic reports this week are being seen as indicators as to whether the Federal Reserve will begin "tapering" its monetary stimulus.

In Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 index fell 2.2% to 15,407.94, Hong Kong Hang Seng index dropped 0.1% to 23,736.16 and the Shanghai Composite climbed 1.4% to 2,252.95.

European benchmarks were down again after Tuesday's losses.

Benchmark U.S. crude for January delivery was up $1.16, or 1.2%, to $97.20 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange, as analysts predicted the U.S. energy department would report Wednesday a fall in crude supplies after 10 consecutive weeks of gains.

Contributing: The Associated Press