Top 5 Electric Utility Companies For 2014

The rout in the mortgage market continues.

Since the Federal Reserve intimated at the end of May that it could soon begin to reduce its support for the economy, mortgage rates have shot through the roof. On Friday alone, the interest rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage increased by the largest single-day margin in history, climbing to 4.875% in some instances.�

The result has been predictable. That is, the demand for mortgages has plummeted. According to the Mortgage Bankers Association, mortgage applications fell for the fourth consecutive time last week. They are now at their lowest level since July 2011.

The hardest hit have been applications to refinance, which are down by 26% over the last four weeks. Purchase-money mortgage volumes, by comparison, are off by only 6.9%.�

While it remains to be seen what impact this will have on stocks, and bank stocks in particular, we won't have to wait long to find out. This Friday, the nation's two largest mortgage originators, Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC  ) and JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM  ) , report earnings for the second quarter. In the first three months of this year, they underwrote a combined $162 billion in mortgages, the vast majority of which were for refinancing purposes as opposed to buying a home.�

Top 5 Financial Companies To Own For 2015: Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLY)

Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund (the Fund) seeks to provide investment results that correspond to the price and yield performance of the Consumer Discretionary Select Sector of the S&P 500 Index (the Index). The Index includes companies from industries, such as automobiles and components, consumer durables, apparel, hotels, restaurants, leisure, media and retailing.

The Fund utilizes a passive or indexing investment approach to invest in a portfolio of stocks that seek to replicate the Index. The Fund�� investment advisor is SSgA Funds Management, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Mary Anne & Pamela Aden]

  So, for now, the US stock market is the best overall market. So continue holding the stocks you have, which are mostly doing very well. If you want to buy new positions and increase your stock allocation, the following ETFs are among the strongest ETFs, and we recommend them for purchase: SPDR KBW Bank (KBE)
  
  Consumer Discretionary SPDR (XLY)
  
  Merrill Lynch Retail HOLDRS (RTH)
  
  iShares Dow Jones US Financial Service (IYG)
  
  PowerShares Dynamic Leisure & Entertainment (PEJ)
  
  

  Subscribe to The Aden Forecast here��/P>

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  The�Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR�(XLY) has dropped 1.1% to $60.39, while the�Financial Select Sector SPDR(XLF) is off 0.9% at $20.23.� Hardest hit is the�Utilities Select Sector SPDR (XLU), which has dropped 1.6% to $37.32, while the Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLI) has fallen 1% to $46.49. The�Technology Select Sector SPDR (XLK) is the top performer: It�� down 0.5% at $32.39.

• [By Ben Eisen]

  The consumer discretionary sector of the S&P 500 has been going gangbusters this year, climbing 36.6%, while the Select Sector SPDR-Consumer Discretionary exchange-traded fund (XLY) is similarly up 36.7%, hitting a record earlier this month. That outperformance has supported the broader S&P 500, which is up 26.5% this year.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  The Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY) has fallen 1.7% to $58.35 today, the worst among SPDR’s sector ETFs. Big losers today include the Home Depot (HD), which has fallen 2.8% to $75.27, Lowes (LOW), which has dropped 2.3% to $43.98, and Johnson Controls (JCI) which has declined 2.7% to 40.71.

Top 5 Electric Utility Companies For 2014: Full House Resorts Inc.(FLL)

Full House Resorts, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, develops, manages, invests in, and owns gaming-related enterprises. The company holds interest in Gaming Entertainment (Delaware), LLC, a joint venture with Harrington Raceway, Inc., which has a management contract with Harrington Raceway and Casino that has approximately 1,800 slot machines and 40 table games, a 450-seat buffet, a dining restaurant, a 50-seat diner, and an entertainment lounge area located in Harrington, Delaware. It also owns and operates Stockman?s Casino, which has approximately 264 slot machines, 4 table games, and keno, as well as a bar, a dining restaurant, and a coffee shop situated in Fallon, Nevada. In addition, the company holds interests in Gaming Entertainment Michigan, LLC that has a joint venture with RAM Entertainment, LLC, which has a management agreement with the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi Indians for the development and management of the FireKeepers Casino in Battle Cre ek, Michigan. Full House Resorts, Inc. was founded in 1987 and is based in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By reports.droy]

  Recently, the resort giant Full House Resorts (FLL) declared their quarter results which do not look very encouraging from the investor�� point of view. Let us delve a little deeper and find out more about its number mix.

Top 5 Electric Utility Companies For 2014: Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE)

Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (the Fund) seeks to provide investment results that correspond to the price and yield performance of the Energy Select Sector of the S&P 500 Index (the Index). The Index includes companies that primarily develop and produce crude oil and natural gas, and provide drilling and other energy-related services.

The Fund utilizes a passive or indexing investment approach to invest in a portfolio of stocks that seek to replicate the Index. The Fund�� investment advisor is SSgA Funds Management, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Aaron Levitt]

  Needless to say, the energy sector didn�� take too kindly to the idea that Iran could be finally shipping its crude — to the tune of 2.5 million barrels of oil per day — out to the market. Both international standard Brent and North American benchmark WTI fell hard on the news. Meanwhile, the Energy Select Sector SPDR (XLE) underperformed its sector ETF peers on the positive news.

Top 5 Electric Utility Companies For 2014: Nuveen Credit Strategies Income Fund (JQC)

Nuveen Multi-Strategy Income & Growth Fund 2 (the Fund), formerly Nuveen Preferred and Convertible Income Fund 2, is a diversified, closed-end management investment company. The Fund intends to invest in a portfolio of preferred securities, securities and, to a lesser degree, high yield securities. The Fund may also invest in other debt instruments and common stocks acquired upon conversion of a convertible security.

On January 1, 2005, Nuveen Institutional Advisory Corp. (NIAC), the Funds' previous adviser, and its affiliate, Nuveen Advisory Corp. (NAC), were merged into Nuveen Asset Management (NAM), each wholly owned subsidiaries of Nuveen Investments, Inc. (Nuveen). As a result of the merger, NAM is the Adviser to all funds previously advised by either NIAC or NAC. The investment portfolio of the Fund includes JPMorgan Chase & Company, ING Group NV, Union Planters Corporation, HBSC Holdings Public Limited Company, Wachovia Corporation, Omnicare Capital Trust II, Hanover Compressor Capital Trust and CIT Group Incorporated.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Dowdee]

  The following 10 funds satisfied all of these conditions:

  BlackRock Float Rate Strategies (FRA). This CEF sells at a discount of 3%, which is low compared to an average premium of 2% over the past year. The distribution has been managed at 6.1% and a small amount (less than 10%) has been return of capital (ROC). However, this has not negatively affected net asset value (NAV) so has not been destructive. The fund holds 447 securities, with 90% in floating rate loans. FRA utilizes 27% leverage and has an expense ratio of 1.7%, including interest payments. Eaton Vance Floating Rate (EFR). This CEF sells at a 1% premium, which is low compared to an average premium of 5% over the past year. The distribution is 6.2%, none of which was ROC. The fund holds 800 securities, with 90% in floating rate loans. About 85% of the securities are from U.S. companies. EFR utilizes 35% leverage and has an expense ratio of 1.8% including interest payments. ING Prime Rate Trust (PPR). This CEF sells for a premium of 2%, which is below the average premium of 5%. It has a distribution of 6.8%, none of which was ROC. The fund has 350 holdings, virtually all in senior loans and from US companies. PPR utilizes 29% leverage and has a high expense ratio of 2.1%, including interest payments. Invesco VK Dynamic Credit Opportunities (VTA). This CEF sells for a discount of 5%, which is below the average discount of 1%. It has a distribution of 7.1%, none of which was ROC. The fund has 495 holdings, with 76% in floating rate loans. About 25% of the loans are from non-US companies. VTA utilizes a relatively low 20% leverage but still has a high expense ratio of 2.1%, including interest payments. Invesco VK Senior Income (VVR). This CEF sells for a discount of 1%, which is below the average premium of 3%. It has a distribution of 7.1%, none of which was ROC. The fund has over 500 holdings, with 89% in floating rate loans. Almost all (95%) securities are from US companies. VVR ut