This monthly scan is helpful for identifying which stocks may be too risky for new buying. It also turns up a pair of compelling 'buy' candidates.
The Dow is lifting on the backs of shares that investors had written off.
IBM, Intel and Microsoft power the blue chips and the S&P 500 Index higher. Google's earnings miss holds the Nasdaq back. Existing-home sales rose in December. Crude oil drops below $100; gold rallies.
The search giant misses estimates, but investors like earnings from IBM, Intel and Microsoft. The Dow gains 45. Bank of America's earnings cheer Wall Street. Jobless claims fall nearly to a 4-year low. F5 Networks earnings send shares soaring.
The economy, Europe and earnings, including reports from Goldman Sachs, eBay, Google and Microsoft, will command a lot of investor attention. And 4 big reports will help clarify whether the housing market is starting to mend.
They handily outperformed in 2011, but recent technical action suggests the Dow could be more vulnerable than the now-lagging S&P 500.
The smarter tech companies have already moved away from the personal computer.
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