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If you are considering entering college in the near future you should be aware of the many different types of government and federal student loans. While many colleges do offer free student loan scholarships and there are various types of need-based financial aid and grants available; loans still make up the major portion of funding for the cost of education for most college students. Private student loans are also available; however the advantages of federal student loans usually far outweigh any benefits of private student loans; if you qualify to receive them.Private college loans are credit based and may involve a co-signer from the students parent. You must qualify to receive a private student loan even though the loan program features are quite attractive. The National Student Loan Center or the NSLC offers many private low cost low rate college student loan programs. The NSLC also offers private as well as government student loans. An especially attractive student loan program offered by the NSLC, is the NSLC PLUS loan program; which gives parents of students the option to borrow up to 100% of their child’s cost of education. This is nice because the cost of higher education institutions is blasting through the roof every year! Armed with this type of higher education financing, a college student can fund everything from room and board to books and just have to concentrate on studies.Government and federal student loans allow college loans without a cosigner. They are non credit based student loans. Credit is not even looked at under federal college loan programs for students. Their will always be a student loan lien on the students credit until the college loan is finally paid.Perkins LoanOne of the most common government and federal student loans is the Perkins loan. It comes with a low interest rate of only 5% and is awarded to both undergraduate and graduate students. There are no origination fees charged for this loan and it is paid back to the school because loan funds are issued directly from the school to the student from monies provided by the government. Take a look at the following facts regarding the Perkins Loan:
Need based loan; only those students with exception financial need will qualify

Able to borrow up to $4,000 for each year of undergraduate study and $6,000 for each year of graduate study.

Loan limits are $20,000 for two years of undergraduate study and $40,000 for graduate school.
FFELP (Federal Family Education Loan Program)This is also another common loan and features both subsidized and unsubsidized student loans. The difference between the two is that the government will pay for the interest of the student loan while the student is in school and during the grace period of a subsidized student loan while the student is responsible for the interest in an unsubsidized student loan. Additionally, students must display a financial need to qualify for a subsidized student loan while the unsubsidized student loan is non need based.Federal Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS)This type of student loan is available to parents and guardians of dependent undergraduate students. Borrowers do not need to demonstrate financial need and may borrow up to the cost of attendance; minus any amount of financial aid that may be received. Loan funds are first applied to tuition and fees. This type of government and federal student loan has a variable interest rate.

Although they may sound similar, SEO content providers and SEO writers are actually quite different in practice when it comes to search engine optimization. While it’s true that they both provide valuable services to website owners or similar, there’s actually one main area where the two are completely different – and it’s in the name itself. Whereas SEO writers will generally write articles for a website or blog, SEO content providers will also look at the overall SEO of a website to maximize its SEO visibility.Writing SEOTo really understand the difference, you need to know what an SEO writer is. Whether it’s for their own website or blog, or creating articles for a client’s website, blog or even article directory like EzineArticles.com, an SEO writer usually only writes keyword rich articles. That’s not to lessen their worth – far from it, since SEO writers need to know how to distribute keywords effectively throughout their articles.However, SEO writing is completely different from SEO content writing – after all, an article for a website or submission site can be on pretty much any topic that the writer or client wishes. It may be that the writer wishes to be known as an expert on a certain niche, so they write keyword rich articles to place on their blog or similar. Nothing wrong with this at all – but it’s a far cry from being an SEO content provider.The SEO Content Provider DifferenceWhile a good SEO writer may make for a decent SEO content provider, a decent SEO content provider will always make for a good (if not excellent) SEO writer. This isn’t said from a “mightier than thou” position either – it’s simple writing economics.This is down to the different and more expansive roles that an SEO content provider has to fill. Not only do they need to provide strong, keyword rich and SEO-friendly articles and content, they also need to:
Enhance the overall SEO of the website in question
Work in conjunction with the website’s URL and meta tags for increased SEO performance
Constantly provide fresh and relevant content to maintain SEO performance and visibility
Be aware of the competition’s SEO and marketing methods
Combine the SEO potential of website and complementary blog(s)
When you take into account the various roles that an SEO content provider brings to the online marketing table, you can see why there’s a vast difference between top SEO writers and top SEO content providers. Agreed, they both have their places and will continue to do so. However, to truly maximize your online visibility and presence there’s no competition – while an SEO writer will give you good keyword articles, for maximum results you need to look at using the services of dedicated SEO content providers and consultants.

Way back in 1971, C.P. Snow wrote about technology in the New York Times. He said, “Technology… is a queer thing. It brings you great gifts with one hand, and it stabs you in the back with the other.”Many dealers are voicing that sentiment these days. Far too few have done anything about it. Some have learned to use computer software with skill. They use the apps on iPhones, iPads, and Blackberries. They have created an effective Web site. They use Facebook and Twitter and LinkedIn for social networking. For others, these are merely words and technologies that test their ability to conduct both business and their private lives. Dealers, already feeling the brunt of the two-plus year recession and massive changes in the car industry, are becoming increasingly concerned about their ability to not only keep up, but to even remain in the playing field.Why should dealers bother with such things? Isn’t the old way good enough? Nope!Customers who always shopped on the lot are now shopping on the Internet before they take a step toward a dealership. They’ve researched every model in their price range and with the features they want. They’ve read a dozen articles about how to get the best deal. They’ve become more savvy than many sales people hired by dealerships; they know their credit score; they know where they can find the best price on insurance, window tinting, undercoating, you name it. Everything once sold to them by a finance officer from the menu is for sale on the Internet.Are you one of the dealerships where handwringing has become a daily pastime? Have you taken a close look at your bottom line? Have you noticed what would happen to your finance portfolio if you removed your sub-vent rated and nonprime customers? Have the numbers of your prime-financing customers dwindled to an all-time low? Perhaps you haven’t seen the drop in your captive financing yet, but beware, it’s coming just as surely as the first snowstorm.Snow was right, back in 1971! The Internet can either become a beacon for drawing in more satisfied customers to your dealership and vastly increase your bottom line, or it can stab you in the back. It can be your best friend or your worst enemy. How?Statistics show that 80% of car customers go online before they make the decision to buy and before they come to your dealership. What are they researching? Brands, models, features and, most of all, prices. Most of all, prices. The majority of Americans in today’s economy are deeply concerned about their budget. They have a fixed amount to spend on a car payment and all the other expenses involved in owning it. The vehicle they choose must fit within that fixed figure. They cannot afford to buy on whim or to make a careless mistake. They won’t take the chance of being bamboozled into buying things they don’t want, don’t need, and can’t afford by a fast-talking sales or finance mangerWhere do these savvy customers get their information? One of their first sources is Edmunds, the friendly consumer-shopping guide. Edmunds has never been and still isn’t the dealer’s friend. Edmunds does whatever is necessary to achieve the sale on vehicles and products from the Internet shopper… and then refers these buyer to specific retailers to obtain a fee! Banks. Finance companies. Insurance companies. You name it.Don’t let them get a strangle hold on your customers! If you haven’t already checked this article on Edmunds.com, perhaps you should do so right now!Confessions of an Auto Finance Manager In the Back Rooms of America’s Car Dealerships By Philip Reed, Senior Consumer Advice Editor and Nick JamesIntroduction”Congratulations, you’re getting a great deal!” the car salesman says, pumping your hand. “Let’s sign the paperwork and you’ll be on your way in your new car!”At first you’re relieved – the negotiating is over. But then the salesman walks you down a back hallway to a stark, cramped office with “Finance and Insurance” on the door. Inside, a man in a suit sits behind the desk. He greets you with a faint smile on his face. An hour later you walk out in a daze: The whole deal was reworked, your monthly payment soared and you bought products you didn’t really want.What happened to your great deal?You just got hit by the “F&I Man,” also called the finance officer. He waits in the back of every dealership for unsuspecting customers so he can increase the profit for the dealership and boost his commission.In this four-part series, written by veteran auto finance manager Nick James, you will learn the F&I man’s tricks and how to avoid them. When you’re done, you’ll be ready to safely navigate this crucial part of the car buying process, and the F&I man will never work his “magic” on you again.- The Editors at Edmunds.comAre you still ushering your customers into the office of your “F&I Man”? No? You have a Web site? You update it once a month? You have a tech-savvy employee who checks your e-mail messages every morning? BUT… how would you answer these questions?When your potential customers come to your Web site, what resources do you have available to steer them away from online financing? Do you have a quick reference guide for their buying the vehicle that fits their budget and your financing terms? Is the information presented in a complete, forthright and friendly manner? Does it enlist confidence and trust? Will readers feel they’d get a no-nonsense financing deal from you?If these online customers make a call to ask a few questions, does your finance manager answer them, or resort to the former game of “I can only reveal those options when you come in for an interview”? Does he or she become discouraged by the process of reviewing transactions over the phone? Does your Internet manager have direct access to your finance manager at all times; avoid posting rates and product pricing on your Web site; work well with your sales and finance departments? Have you utilized the I-chat technology now readily available to instantly answer your customers’ finance questions? How many phone calls to your finance department go unanswered on a daily basis? How are online customer calls being handled in your F&I office?Reducing your finance penetration will not only effect the overall performance of your dealership, but will negatively effective your reinsurance investment. If your customers are financing with someone else, they could also be buying their other products. Take a long and serious look at the insurance products you sell, the agent who works with you, and the changes that must be made to keep you competitive with the technology available to all your customers. You must remain competitive in products offered, their quality, and their prices. Should you be considering a new partner?What new and creative processes are you providing your current and potential customers within your Web site? Have you considered presenting your menu as a virtual finance manager? Do you have WebEx with a preloaded menu available for review with your customers whether they are onsite in your finance office or sitting in the comfort of their home? Why not?An upfront sales approach is the best way to reestablish a thriving business in today’s technological world. Teenagers and college students are facile in the use of every conceivable tool involving the information highway. They are your future customers. They will find Edmunds and every comparable site and use the information to their advantage. Provide them with a dozen reasons to buy their vehicle and products from your dealership. Ensure them that financing their dream car with you is the only sensible choice.Although computer use and Internet technology has been around for several decades, it has taken a giant leap in recent years as more and more consumers realize they can save themselves time and money by letting their fingers do the walking. Another great American journalist, Sydney J. Harris, who wrote for the Chicago Daily News and later the Chicago Sun-Times, died in the late 80s; but, he was savvy about where technology would take us. He said, “The real danger is not that computers will begin to think like men, but that men will begin to think like computers.”We’ve reached that point. Where in the world is your finance penetration? It’s time to find out! Do it… today.

Entertaining can be very rewarding, but it can also feel like a huge responsibility. When anyone takes the stage in front of thousands of fans, there’s a job to do and a lot at stake.Entertaining is as much as an art form as the music one plays. It takes many years to learn that when a true entertainer takes the stage, that the concert is not about the entertainer, it’s about the people in the audience. The entertainer is not the star, the audience is the star.For example, for many years I used to take the stage and the first thing I did was to start blasting away and showing off my quick hands at the piano trying to impress the crowds, my fellow musicians, and myself. And it worked, to a certain degree. I have a thick press kit of critics comparing me to the legends but the problem was that it didn’t translate at all into good CD sales. In fact is, the better I got, the slower my sales.What was happening? I was playing for my own pleasure expecting audiences to dive into that realm with me. Some did, but others became alienated because they just didn’t have the musical knowledge to go there with me. Also, I was playing from ego and not from the heart.Many performers seek validation outside of themselves by showing off and many don’t even care what the audience thinks. But, the truth is, most should care what the audience thinks and what the critics think. Because, bigger audiences and more press equals more gigs and more money.However, seeking the approval of colleagues, media, critics, and fans can be self-absorbing and self destructive if you’re not careful. You should care what the audience thinks but at the same time be conscious of not trying not to impress them..Personally, I’ve only been star-struck twice in my life. The first time was when I was a teenager and I saw Oscar Peterson perform in Toronto. I said to myself, “hey, I want to do that” and began to pursue my dream to become a jazz pianist. And, not just any jazz pianist, a highly trained and technical pianist like Oscar. It took some time but eventually the critics started to compare me to Oscar, and others would compare me to Bill Evans, or Keith Jarrett. But, my CD sales were still slow and my bank account was very small.The second time I got star-struck happened in Montreal when I attended a seminar by famous author and speaker T.Harv. Eker. I couldn’t believe it but, he kept over 2,000 people on the edge of their seats for 3 entire days just by talking. He was extremely skilled at enrolling and engaging audiences.And that’s when my mind shifted. That day, I laid out a lot money and signed up for one of T. Harv Eker’s courses. The result? That training changed my whole approach to concert performances and my life.While I had always possessed a natural ability to entertain, I learned that I didn’t really understand how highly choreographed and entertaining were supposed to be. Certainly I understood that lighting, good production and communication with your audience from time to time was a good thing. But, I learned that just by using a proven template for winning presentations I could up the ante quite a bit.The difference in my career was dramatic. I changed almost overnight from self-absorbed and trained technical performer to an entertainer. And, the best part is my sales increased exponentially. And, I didn’t have to give up jazz to become an entertainer. I just had to learn how to package it.So, what’s important to anyone wanting to make a mark in entertainment? First, learn the psychology of human behavior then learn how to lead an audience. Then, find and study a proven template for winning presentations. That will help you to overcome any limitations you may have. Entertaining is an art form that can be mastered if you get the right information from the right master entertainer.

With the rapid down fall of world economy and dot-com companies in recent years many brick-and-mortar companies and new start-ups ask themselves: To Be Online or Not to Be Online?Not long time ago, I read a comment of a well-known industry observer, where he stated that companies that are not selling through Internet by 2007 will probably become extinct. As dramatic as it might feel, although exaggerated, but there are some truths in it.Consider this: Although diminishing due to bad economy, average growth of e-commerce is around 25 % per year. 81% of small businesses that have an online presence during last year’s holiday season reached new customers, leading to an increase in sales and profitability according to a survey conducted by Harris Interactive. Thirty percent of small businesses with a web presence and fewer than 20 employees now generate more than 25% of their revenue online claims Gartner research.If this does not convince you to take your business online, below I pointed out 10 more reasons why you should start doing business online right now.1. New economyInternet has created a new economy, which by its explosive growth and sheer size already changed our perception of traditional way of doing business. Companies like Amazon and eBay have successfully created domination on areas, where just few years ago traditional brick-and-mortar companies were kings. However, in order to be successful on the net, you don’t have to be a giant like them. Many small and mid-size companies managed to build online businesses quite profitably. In fact, studies show small and mid-size companies will be the main growth force of e-commerce in coming years.2. Internet is a perfect venue for businessIn order to make a sale you need visitors to come to your shop. On the Internet, your shop could be only a click away from your prospective customers. With proper marketing your Internet storefront can have more buyers than you ever can get in a brick and mortar shop.3. Company’s imageWhether you sell products or services online or not, in today’s world you have to have a corporate presence on the Internet. Otherwise, as you must have noticed that people simply don’t take your business seriously if you tell them that your company does not have a website. A nice corporate site definitely increases the image of a company especially if it has great product or service related content to go with.4. Provide better customer supportCustomer accusation and retention is one of the key factors of business value chain. Thanks to Internet technology, business can provide customer support more effectively. This means better customer satisfaction and increase of profitability.5. Make information more easily available to customers.Just a couple of years ago, companies used to require days to deliver products or services update information to their customers. Things have changed since then. Today you can add or make any changes to your company and product related content virtually in a matter of couple of hours, publish on your site and share with the whole world.6. Cut costsNew technologies allow you to take virtually any part of your business online, that include supply chain management, billing, shipping, procurement etc. Streamlining these business processes through online systems will allow companies to cut costs significantly in almost every sphere of any business. For example: companies can reduce more than five percents of their maintenance, repair and operation costs by adopting e-business solutions. This five percent savings can turn into 50% of a company’s net profit!7. Ability to do business 24 hoursHow else you can continue making sales, while your stuffs are sleeping! The biggest advantages of online shops are that they are open 24 hours a day year round. Thanks to Internet off time, when your shop is generally closed, sales in some cases can be more than your regular business hours!8. Low start up costsBuilding a web site does not require big investments. There are many low cost tools available today, which can help you create sites from very scratch. Many business portals allow you to build web sites from templates. For less than 100$/month you can have a full-fledged corporate e-business site with all e-commerce features!9 You physical presence could be in any locationThe World Wide Web allows you to do business from any part of the world. Your physical location, except for few cases is not that important since you conduct your business online.10. Go globalThanks to Internet you can instantly become a global player. In fact, you don’t have to invest large sums of money to do this. There are literally hundreds of vertical and horizontal e-marketplaces available on the net. These marketplaces allow you for a nominal fee to get access to a large audience of prospective customers from all over the world. According to AMR Research more than 1,3$ trillion of good and services will flow through the B2B marketplaces. Who does not want a piece of this pie!The right determinant of e-business success is the same like any off line business. You have to have a great idea, you have to have a business plan, there should be a value proposition for prospective clients and you should have belief in it and your ability!Getting online is becoming cheaper and easier thanks to emergence of new technologies but marketing on the Internet is becoming more expensive.Take your business online now, before the marketing costs become way too expensive for small companies.

Estimates have shown that up to one in three people have some kind of adverse credit on their credit files, but this does not mean that you cannot avail personal loans to accomplish your personal wants. Financial markets have designed special loans called bad credit personal loans to meet the personal needs of people with a bad credit history.Many people in their lifetime might have run out of cash either due to unexpected finances or due to lack of proper budgeting. Later on, they might find themselves unable to meet their personal requirements. With personal loans you can easily fulfill those wants and requirements and if you have a bad credit record, bad credit personal loans can perform the task conveniently.There are two different types of bad credit personal loans–secured bad credit personal loans and unsecured bad credit personal loans. With the use of collateral a lender can reduce the high risk involved in any financial transaction. Secured loans are little easy to qualify for bad credit personal loans because the lender does not fear of any default at repayment and that he will be able to get back the money by some way or the other.In unsecured bad credit personal loans, on the other hand, you do not need to place nay collateral with the lender. Since in this case the risk lies with the lender, the borrower will be charged a little higher rate of interest. But, here the advantage is that even if you fail to make timely repayment you will not be in any fear of losing you asset.With bad credit personal loans you can buy a car, purchase some expensive things like computers and laptops, go for vacationing, get finance for your marriage, repair your homes etc. That is almost all your personal needs will be taken care of by bad credit personal loans.You should be careful while applying for personal loans if you have a bad credit history. The first and foremost thing that you need to perform is to try to improve your credit profile this time and try to get out of the bad credit cycle. By improving your credit profile you can save lots of money that are drained out because of high interest rate.The search for bad credit personal loans lender is not so difficult. All you need to do is to carry out some research as to which lender is providing you the excellent deals. You have to do a comparative study of various deals and later on when you are satisfied that a particular bad credit personal loan is suiting your needs, then you should apply for that bad credit loan.Online method of applying for loans has come up as an easy method of procuring bad credit personal loans. It is easy and convenient because it won’t involve any paper works. So even if you are tagged with bad credit profile, you need not worry; you can avail bad credit personal loans for meeting your personal desires.

If you are in the market for a new auto loan you might know that there are many online loan packages to choose from. If your credit rating is good you will quickly get approval for a car loan without spending too much time on long application forms, providing additional information, and waiting to hear the outcome of your loan application. However, you still need to pay attention to the following guidelines to secure the best new auto loan package possible.
As mentioned before, a good credit score will go a long way in speeding up your new auto loan as it is an important factor in calculating your loan amount. You can easily get a good credit rating by simply paying your bills and repayments on time or before the due date, and preferably, not skip any payments. All the bills that you normally pay, like utility ones for water, electricity, and telephone, will count towards this. Also take care to pay your credit card repayments in a timely fashion and not exceed the credit limits.
Be organized and have all the documents that you would need for the new auto loan readily available. These documents may include papers like your pay slips or similar proof of income, proof of address, your bank statements and utility bills.
You ultimately have the final say as to whether you will accept a car loan offer or not. To this end it will be wise to scrutinize your budget and calculate in advance what the exact figure is that you can afford and would like to pay off on your auto loan per month.
Auto loan lenders will certainly ask you for references, so make a list of them. If you decide to include your employer on your list as well, inform them of this.
Only provide correct details – do not provide any fake documents or invented facts to favor your application as this might have negative repercussions for you, and lower your credit score.You can expect to receive a number of new auto loan offers. New loans are mostly offered as secured and unsecured loans. If you are interested in a secured loan you could expect to pay a lower interest rate on your car loan, but you would be required to provide a collateral or a pledge. This can be easily done in the case of a new car loan as it can be the new car, otherwise a different asset such as a house.In the case of the unsecured loan there is no need for a collateral and no need for as much paperwork. The downside of this plan is the higher interest rate attached to it. However, this can be lowered if you make a down payment of about 25%. The amount of your down payment will be the determining factor for your interest rate amount and the amount of the loan.It is important to do your own comparisons and research of the offers made to you. Be sure to ask as many questions as you need to clarify anything that is unclear to you. Following these fundamental but important tips when applying for your new auto loan will help you to get your application approved faster and easier.

Summary
SPDN is not the largest or oldest way to short the S&P 500, but it’s a solid choice.
This ETF uses a variety of financial instruments to target a return opposite that of the S&P 500 Index.
SPDN’s 0.49% Expense Ratio is nearly half that of the larger, longer-tenured -1x Inverse S&P 500 ETF.
Details aside, the potential continuation of the equity bear market makes single-inverse ETFs an investment segment investor should be familiar with.
We rate SPDN a Strong Buy because we believe the risks of a continued bear market greatly outweigh the possibility of a quick return to a bull market.
Put a gear stick into R position, (Reverse).
Birdlkportfolio

By Rob Isbitts

Summary
The S&P 500 is in a bear market, and we don’t see a quick-fix. Many investors assume the only way to navigate a potentially long-term bear market is to hide in cash, day-trade or “just hang in there” while the bear takes their retirement nest egg.

The Direxion Daily S&P 500® Bear 1X ETF (NYSEARCA:SPDN) is one of a class of single-inverse ETFs that allow investors to profit from down moves in the stock market.

SPDN is an unleveraged, liquid, low-cost way to either try to hedge an equity portfolio, profit from a decline in the S&P 500, or both. We rate it a Strong Buy, given our concern about the intermediate-term outlook for the global equity market.

Strategy
SPDN keeps it simple. If the S&P 500 goes up by X%, it should go down by X%. The opposite is also expected.

Proprietary ETF Grades
Offense/Defense: Defense

Segment: Inverse Equity

Sub-Segment: Inverse S&P 500

Correlation (vs. S&P 500): Very High (inverse)

Expected Volatility (vs. S&P 500): Similar (but opposite)

Holding Analysis
SPDN does not rely on shorting individual stocks in the S&P 500. Instead, the managers typically use a combination of futures, swaps and other derivative instruments to create a portfolio that consistently aims to deliver the opposite of what the S&P 500 does.

Strengths
SPDN is a fairly “no-frills” way to do what many investors probably wished they could do during the first 9 months of 2022 and in past bear markets: find something that goes up when the “market” goes down. After all, bonds are not the answer they used to be, commodities like gold have, shall we say, lost their luster. And moving to cash creates the issue of making two correct timing decisions, when to get in and when to get out. SPDN and its single-inverse ETF brethren offer a liquid tool to use in a variety of ways, depending on what a particular investor wants to achieve.

Weaknesses
The weakness of any inverse ETF is that it does the opposite of what the market does, when the market goes up. So, even in bear markets when the broader market trend is down, sharp bear market rallies (or any rallies for that matter) in the S&P 500 will cause SPDN to drop as much as the market goes up.

Opportunities
While inverse ETFs have a reputation in some circles as nothing more than day-trading vehicles, our own experience with them is, pardon the pun, exactly the opposite! We encourage investors to try to better-understand single inverse ETFs like SPDN. While traders tend to gravitate to leveraged inverse ETFs (which actually are day-trading tools), we believe that in an extended bear market, SPDN and its ilk could be a game-saver for many portfolios.

Threats
SPDN and most other single inverse ETFs are vulnerable to a sustained rise in the price of the index it aims to deliver the inverse of. But that threat of loss in a rising market means that when an investor considers SPDN, they should also have a game plan for how and when they will deploy this unique portfolio weapon.

Proprietary Technical Ratings
Short-Term Rating (next 3 months): Strong Buy

Long-Term Rating (next 12 months): Buy

Conclusions
ETF Quality Opinion
SPDN does what it aims to do, and has done so for over 6 years now. For a while, it was largely-ignored, given the existence of a similar ETF that has been around much longer. But the more tenured SPDN has become, the more attractive it looks as an alternative.

ETF Investment Opinion

SPDN is rated Strong Buy because the S&P 500 continues to look as vulnerable to further decline. And, while the market bottomed in mid-June, rallied, then waffled since that time, our proprietary macro market indicators all point to much greater risk of a major decline from this level than a fast return to bull market glory. Thus, SPDN is at best a way to exploit and attack the bear, and at worst a hedge on an otherwise equity-laden portfolio.

Your stocks to watch for the week ahead are Cheniere Energy (LNG), S&P 500 biotech giant Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX), Cardinal Health (CAH), Steel Dynamics (STLD) and Genuine Parts (GPC).

X
While the market remains in correction, with analysts and investors wary of an economic downturn, these five stocks are worth adding to watchlists. S&P 500 medical giants Vertex and Cardinal Health have been holding up, as health-care related plays tend to do well in down markets.

Steel Dynamics and Genuine Parts are both coming off strong earnings as both the steel and auto parts industries report optimistic outlooks. Meanwhile, Cheniere Energy saw sales boom in the second quarter as demand in Europe for natural gas continues to grow.

Major indexes have been making rally attempts with the Dow Jones and S&P 500 testing weekly support on Friday. With market uncertainty, investors should be ready for follow-through day breakouts and keep an eye on these stocks.

Cheniere Energy, Cardinal Health and VRTX stock are all on IBD Leaderboard.

Cheniere Energy Stock
LNG shares rose 1.1% to 175.79 during Friday’s market trading. On the week, the stock advanced 3.1%, not from highs, bouncing from its 21-day and 10-week lines earlier in the week.

Cheniere Energy has been consolidating since mid-September, but needs another week to forge a proper base, with a potential 182.72 buy point formed on Aug. 10.

Houston-based Cheniere Energy was IBD Stock Of The Day on Thursday, as the largest U.S. producer of liquefied natural gas eyes strong demand in Europe.

Even though natural gas prices are plunging in the U.S. and Europe, investors still see strong LNG demand for Cheniere and others.

The U.K. government confirmed last week that it is in talks for an LNG purchase agreement with a number of companies, including Cheniere.

In the first half of 2021, less than 40% of Cheniere’s cargoes of LNG landed in Europe. That jumped to more than 70% through this year’s second quarter, even as the company ramped up new export capacity. The urgency of Europe’s natural gas shortage only intensified last month. That is when an explosion disabled the Nord Stream 1 pipeline from Russia that had once supplied 40% of the European Union’s natural gas.

In Q2, sales increased 165% to $8 billion and LNG earned $2.90 per share, up from a net loss of $1.30 per share in Q2 2021. The company will report Q3 earnings Nov. 3, with investors seeing booming profits for the next few quarters.

Cheniere Energy has a Composite Rating of 84. It has a 98 Relative Strength Rating, an exclusive IBD Stock Checkup gauge for share price movement with a 1 to 99 score. The rating shows how a stock’s performance over the last 52 weeks holds up against all the other stocks in IBD’s database. The EPS rating is 41.

Vertex Stock
VRTX stock jumped 3.4% to 300 on Friday, rebounding from a test of its 50-day moving average. Shares climbed 2.2% for the week. Vertex stock has formed a tight flat base with an official buy point of 306.05, according to MarketSmith analysis.

The stock has remained consistent over recent weeks, while the relative strength line has trended higher. The RS line tracks a stock’s performance vs. the S&P 500 index.

Vertex Q3 earnings are on due Oct. 27. Analysts see EPS edging up 1% to $3.61 per share with sales increasing 16% to $2.2 billion, according to FactSet.

The Boston-based global biotech company dominates the cystic fibrosis treatment market. Vertex also has other products in late-stage clinical development that target sickle cell disease, Type 1 diabetes and certain genetically caused kidney diseases. That includes a gene-editing partnership with Crispr Therapeutics (CRSP).

In early August, Vertex reported better-than-expected second-quarter results and raised full-year sales targets.

S&P 500 stock Vertex ranks second in the Medical-Biomed/Biotech industry group. VRTX has a 99 Composite Rating. Its Relative Strength Rating is 94 and its EPS Rating is 99.

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Cardinal Health Stock
CAH stock advanced 3.2% to 73.03 Friday, clearing a 71.22 buy point from a shallow cup-with-handle base and hitting a record high. But volume was light on the breakout. CAH stock leapt 7.3% for the week.

Cardinal Health stock’s relative strength line has also been trending up for months.

The cup-with-handle base is part of a base-on-base pattern, forming just above a cup base cleared on Aug. 11.

Cardinal Health, based in Dublin, Ohio, offers a wide assortment of health care services and medical supplies to hospitals, labs, pharmacies and long-term care facilities. The company reports that it serves around 90% of hospitals and 60,000 pharmacies in the U.S.

S&P 500 stock Cardinal Health will report Q1 2023 earnings on Nov. 4. Analysts forecast earnings falling 26% to 96 cents per share. Sales are expected to increase 10% to $48.3 billion, according to FactSet.

Cardinal Health stock ranks first in the Medical-Wholesale Drug/Supplies industry group, ahead of McKesson (MCK), which is also showing positive action. CAH stock has a 94 Composite Rating out of 99. It has a 97 Relative Strength Rating and an EPS rating of 73.

Steel Dynamics Stock
STLD shares shot up 8.5% to 92.92 on Friday and soared 19% on the week, coming off a Steel Dynamics earnings beat Wednesday night.

Shares blasted above an 88.72 consolidation buy point Friday after clearing a trendline Thursday. STLD stock is 17% above its 50-day line, definitely extended from that key average.

Steel Dynamics’ latest consolidation could be seen as part of a larger base going back six months.

Steel Dynamics topped Q3 earnings views with EPS rising 10% to $5.46 while revenue grew 11% to $5.65 billion. The steel producer’s outlook is optimistic despite weaker flat rolled steel pricing. STLD reports its order activity and backlogs remain solid.

The Fort Wayne, Indiana-based company is among the largest producers of carbon steel products in the U.S. It engages in metal recycling operations along with steel fabrication and produces myriad steel products.

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STLD stock ranks first in the Steel-Producers industry group. STLD stock has a 96 Composite Rating out of 99. It has a 90 Relative Strength Rating, an exclusive IBD Stock Checkup gauge for share-price movement that tops at 99. The rating shows how a stock’s performance over the last 52 weeks holds up against all the other stocks in IBD’s database. The EPS rating is 98.

Genuine Parts Stock
GPC stock gained 2.8% to 162.35 Friday after the company topped earnings views with its Q3 results on Thursday. For the week GPC advanced 5.1% as the stock held its 50-day line and is in a flat base.

GPC has an official 165.09 flat-base buy point after a three-week rally, according to MarketSmith analysis.

The relative strength line for Genuine Parts stock has rallied sharply to highs over the past several months.

On Thursday, the Atlanta-based auto parts company raised its full-year guidance on growth across its automotive and industrial sales.

Genuine Parts earnings per share advanced 19% to $2.23 and revenue grew 18% to $5.675 billion in Q3. GPC’s full-year guidance is now calling for EPS of $8.05-$8.15, up from $7.80-$7.95. The company now forecasts revenue growth of 15%-16%, up from the earlier 12%-14%.

During the Covid pandemic, supply chain constraints caused a major upheaval in the auto industry, sending prices for new and used cars to record levels. This has made consumers more likely to hang on to their existing vehicles for longer, driving mileage higher and boosting demand for auto replacement parts.

Fellow auto stocks O’Reilly Auto Parts (ORLY) and AutoZone (AZO) have also rallied near buy points amid the struggling market. O’Reilly reports on Oct. 26.

IBD ranks Genuine Parts first in the Retail/Wholesale-Auto Parts industry group. GPC stock has a 96 Composite Rating. Its Relative Strength Rating is 94 and it has an EPS Rating of 89.