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Here's a total shocker: Texas Instruments (TXN) and National Semiconductor (NSM) aren't blowing away numbers. They are simply doing very well.

Now people will hate these two stocks, and the whole semiconductor group, even more.

Something's happening in microchip land away from the Apple (AAPL) universe, and it isn't just shrinking multiples, the culprit I often hear about when tech gets discussed.

Although stocks look ready for another swoon, there is increasing evidence that the economy's midsummer slowdown is over. Just in the past week, we've had a number of positive data points: Weekly jobless claims are falling again, the trade gap closed sharply in July, the private sector continues to create jobs and the nation's factories continue to ramp up production.

Credit Suisse economist Neal Soss notes that while growth has clearly slowed from the pace enjoyed earlier this year, the slowdown isn't enough "to sustain fears of the dreaded double-dip release into renewed recession." In other words, slower growth is not the same as no growth.

In fact, one intriguing piece of insight suggests the economy isn't stalling but is roaring ahead. And that's railroad loadings, which have moved to their highest levels since November 2008 and are now up 12.2% over last year, thanks to steady string of gains since January. That's a big deal for the economy at large. Here's why.

Inflation is falling in Brazil. For the 30-day period through mid-August, consumer inflation was just 4.44%. That's the first time since January that inflation has been below the government's target of 4.5%.

Now the question is how long the improvement will last. The answer depends on your view regarding the strength of the global economy.

Many economists and financial analysts see the improvement in inflation as a temporary result of a slowing in the global economy.

Surprising analysts, consumers and tech heads everywhere, Apple Inc. (AAPL) announced this morning that it will make building applications for the iPhone and every iOS-powered device a whole lot easier.

The move from highly protective Apple surely isn’t an act of charity, however. Recent statistics show Google (GOOG) and its Android OS are making huge strides in the smart-phone market, and Apple is looking to fend the tech company off.

Pop quiz: Which of these fast-food icons was an actual human being?

a) Mayor McCheese

b) The King

c) Colonel Sanders

d) None of the above

If you answered C, congratulations. You are more knowledgeable than most young Americans.

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A new survey shows many had no idea Harlan Sanders was a real person who started the KFC chain -- known then as Kentucky Fried Chicken. And since so many folks apparently don't know that, KFC parent Yum Brands (YUM) is launching a new campaign coinciding with the Colonel's 120th birthday to educate the public on his relationship to the fried-chicken franchise's roots.

By Nancy Zambell, InvestorPlace.com

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, by now you know that August was characterized by a spate of merger and buyout action across Wall Street -- particularly in the tech sector. That’s because corporations are sitting on a boatload of cash and equity prices are relatively depressed, making the time ripe for a takeover or acquisition.

So which targets are next? I have three stocks in mind that are very affordable. And even if they aren't big buyout targets, they have the strength to succeed and bring investors profits.

The market liked President Barack Obama's speech. Rather odd when you consider that, to me, the speech may have been a very powerful blow against the Republicans in November. In my opinion, Obama very effectively painted a picture of the Republicans being in the pocket of the rich.

As the speech was going on, it struck me that if the Republicans don't give in on some sort of middle ground on the expiration of the Bush tax breaks, they are not going to take back the Senate and the House.

It's been a long time since I've heard the president be this masterful. By linking himself with Bill Clinton -- a man I think a lot of us in the market yearn for -- he gave us some confidence that the moderate Obama could be lurking. The mention of Reagan made me feel that way, too.

The Brazilian government is charging Petrobras (PBR) more than expected to buy 5 billion barrels of oil reserves. (Pre-transfer, the company has proven reserves of 15 billion barrels.) 

The price of $42.5 billion, to be paid in new stock, works out to $8.50 a barrel. That's more than the $7.50 oil industry analysts had been expecting. 

And since the price determines not only how many new shares the company will issue to the government but also how many shares it will have to offer to minority shareholders in a related rights offering, the higher price works out to a lot of dilution for existing shareholders.

Although I'm still bullish over the long-term, stocks and other risky assets are poised for a short-term pullback in the wake of the impressive rally that's taken the S&P 500 ($SPX) up 5.6% since the end of August. After bounding higher, shares are now meeting overhead resistance while at the same time, various technical indicators have moved into overbought territory. That's not a good sign.

Moreover, there are fresh worries over the health of the European financial system on reports this week that recently completed "stress tests" by regulators -- which were intended to boost confidence -- weren't as rigorous as they should've been. This has cast doubt on the entire situation and led investors to bid up safe haven assets like the U.S. dollar. That, in turn, has weighed on commodity prices and equities in general.

So while I still expect stocks to move up and out of the multi-month consolidation that has held the broad market indices since May, the situation is vulnerable to a pullback. Here's why.

Gold prices are hitting record levels, but there may be a better place to put your money.

With coffee prices hitting a 13-year high, the Wall Street Journal is hinting that investors might be better off owning coffee beans.

A second-straight poor coffee bean harvest in Colombia has triggered in a boom in coffee bean prices. The move higher may just be a supply-related event, but demand for coffee around the world is rising. This move in coffee may be the beginning of a bull run that has yet to run full course.