WASHINGTON��ttorney General Eric Holder confirmed Wednesday that federal authorities were investigating the data breach involving retail giant Target.
"The Department of Justice takes seriously reports of any data breach, particularly those involving personally identifiable or financial information, and looks into allegations that are brought to its attention,'' Holder told the Senate Judiciary Committee.
"While we generally do not discuss specific matters under investigation, I can confirm the department is investigating the breach involving the U.S. retailer, Target. And we are committed to working to find not only the perpetrators of these sorts of data breaches ��but also any individuals and groups who exploit that data via credit card fraud.''
CYBERTRUTH: How to boost security of your payment cards
Top 5 Financial Companies To Buy For 2016: PowerShares DWA Momentum Portfolio (PDP)
PowerShares DWA Technical Leaders Portfolio (Fund) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and of an equity index called the Dorsey Wright Technical Leaders Index (the Index). The Index consists of stocks of approximately 100 United States companies that are selected pursuant to a selection methodology of Dorsey Wright & Associates (the Index Provider). The Index is designed to identify companies that demonstrate powerful relative strength characteristics. Relative strength characteristics are based upon each security�� market performance. The companies are selected from a broad mid-cap and large-cap universe.
The Fund will normally invest at least 90% of its total assets in common stocks that comprise the Index. The Index is adjusted quarterly, and the Fund, using an indexing investment approach, attempts to replicate the performance of the Index. The Fund generally will invest in the stocks comprising the Index in proportion to their weightings in the Index. The Fund�� investment advisor is PowerShares Capital Management LLC.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Victor Selva]
Of course, a great bet also involves many risks. Even though LCD technology became very popular in these last few years, both in TV screens and computer monitors, we should never miss the fact that technological markets are often exposed to products becoming obsolete due to the development of new, more efficient technology. Without going any further, it�� easy to recall the plasma display panel (PDP) fiasco, an apparently promising market in the 1990s and early 2000s but quickly replaced by LCDs (by 2008 LCDs sell 21.1 million units, almost 10 times PDP sales on the same year). Even Panasonic Corporation (PCRFF) announced it will interrupt production of PDP on 2014.
Top 5 Financial Companies To Buy For 2016: Ishares Trust Dow Jones United States Real Estate (IYR)
iShares Dow Jones U.S. Real Estate Index Fund (the Fund) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Dow Jones U.S. Real Estate Index (the Index). The Index measures the performance of the real estate sector of the United States equity market.
The Index includes companies in sub sectors, such as real estate holding and development, and real estate investment trusts (REITs). The Fund uses a representative sampling strategy in seeking to track the Index that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Index.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Markos Kaminis]
As the SPDR S&P 500 (SPY) has gained 18.1% this year, Annaly Capital shares sank approximately 17.6%; American Capital Agency and Two Harbors are down 22% and 12%, respectively. The whole real estate stock sector has been under pressure, as evidenced by the iShares US Real Estate (IYR) drop of 1.3% year-to-date. Despite a steadily improving actual real estate market, the mREIT group has faced criticism about what damage could ensue to held asset portfolio values in a rapidly rising rate environment. Also, the mortgage REITs' abilities to manage their businesses would become complicated by a rising cost of borrowing matched against longer duration income streams at low relative yields. Reduced dividends result from less income, and lower security values are priced in.
Top 5 Specialty Retail Stocks For 2016: Vanguard Short-Term Bond ETF (BSV)
Vanguard Short-Term Bond ETF (the Fund) seeks to track the performance of a market-weighted bond index with a short-term, dollar-weighted average maturity. The Fund employs a passive management or indexing strategy designed to track the performance of the Barclays Capital U.S. 1-5 Year Government/Credit Bond Index (the Index). The Index includes all medium and larger issues of the United States Government, investment-grade corporate, and investment-grade international dollar-denominated bonds that have maturities of between 1 and 5 years and are publicly issued. The Fund invests by sampling the Index, meaning that it holds a range of securities that, in the aggregate, approximates the full Index in terms of key risk factors and other characteristics. All of the Fund�� investments will be selected through the sampling process, and at least 80% of its assets will be invested in bonds held in the Index. The Fund�� investment advisor is The Vanguard Group, Inc.
Advisors' Opinion: Top 5 Financial Companies To Buy For 2016: Nuveen Senior Income Fund (NSL)
Nuveen Senior Income Fund is a close ended fixed income mutual fund launched by Nuveen Investments, Inc. It is co-managed by Nuveen Asset Management and Symphony Asset Management LLC. The fund invests in fixed income markets of the United States. It primarily invests in adjustable rate senior secured loans. Nuveen Senior Income Fund was formed on October 26, 1999 and is domiciled in the United States.
Advisors' Opinion: Top 5 Financial Companies To Buy For 2016: Barclays PLC(BCS)
Barclays PLC provides various financial products and services in Europe, the United States, Africa, and Asia. It offers retail and commercial banking, credit cards, investment banking, wealth management, and investment management services. The company?s products include current account and savings products, Woolwich branded mortgages, unsecured loans, protection products, general insurance, credit cards, Sharia-compliant products, installment finance and commercial property finance, commercial loans, and personal loans. It also offers money transmission, international and private banking, investment management, fiduciary, and brokerage services, as well as payment solutions and mobile banking services. In addition, the company provides fixed income, currency and commodities, foreign exchange, emerging markets, money markets, and credit services; equities, which include cash and equity derivatives and prime services; investment banking products and services that comprise fi nancial advisory, and equity and debt underwriting; and advisory services. It serves individual, commercial, corporate, institutional, retail, and mass affluent customers. The company was formerly known as Barclays Bank Limited and changed its name to Barclays PLC in January 1985. Barclays PLC was founded in 1896 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Shauna O'Brien]
Nomura Securities reported that it has upgraded financial services company Barclays PLC (BCS) to “Buy.”
The firm has lifted its rating on BCS two notches from “Reduce” to “Buy.” Normura has also raised its price target from 260p to 340p.
Analyst Chintan Joshi commented: “With growth in the developed world likely to continue well into the start of next year, stocks geared to capital markets should see macroeconomic support. Structural issues are an industry feature and Barclays could still come out better relative to peers compared with its current position. We expect 2015 ROTE of c12% and believe Barclays should be valued at a 2014E P/TB of 1x as we look for 1Q14 momentum. We set our ex-rights target price at 340p (cum rights it would be 380p), which puts the stock at a 2015E P/E of 6.4x, which is hardly demanding. Barclays is now our top pick among its IB and UK peers and a preferred way to gain exposure to the current risk rally. We upgrade our rating on Barclays to Buy from Reduce. We believe investors waiting for the infamous J curve may find that it is fairly muted for Barclays on the downside.”
Barclays shares were up 27 cents, or 1.40%, during pre-market trading Monday. The stock is up 11% YTD.
- [By Sara Sjolin]
Banks were also broadly lower, with shares of Barclays PLC (UK:BARC) � (BCS) 1.3% lower, Standard Chartered PLC (UK:STAN) �down 0.8% and heavyweight HSBC Holdings PLC (UK:HSBA) � (HBC) � (HK:5) �off 0.8%.
