11:23 am Est.

The Dow is down 20 points. The Nasdaq is down 17 points. The S&P is down 1 point. Oil is up $1.69 to $137.05. Gold is down $19.40 to $884.30. The 10yr. is 4.14%.

The markets are drifting along after a minor pop at the open. Big news on the deal front with Bunge (BG) buying Corn Products (CPO)-a name we have recommended on the Best Dividends Stocks list. We currently do not have Bunge as a recommended stock though. We’ll take a look to see of it merits an upgrade. No drop in Oil (USO) yet, after the Barron’s cover story from the weekend. Some of the early winners include First Solar (FSLR), Cleveland Cliffs (CLF), Fluor (FLR) and U.S. Steel (X). On the downside the banks are leading the way, with Citigroup (C) and BankAmerica (BAC) continuing to struggle. We are currently looking at JP Morgan (JPM) and Wells Fargo (WFC) as possible downgrades off of our Best dividend stocks list. The precious metals, Gold (GLD) and Silver (SLV), are getting hit hard and that will be something to watch here. The afternoon session could get very interesting. Stay focused and be ready to stay defensive.

As for the trading ideas we mention during the week, the key thing to remember is not to go out and take those trades the minute we put them up, but to combine them with some of your research to see if they make sense to trade. If and when it does, that is when you decide to pull the trigger on the trade. Keep that in mind, as this is something new we have been doing this week. Remember that we recommend ALWAYS using stops on both sides of the trade. If you are on the computer all day and the stock starts to really ramp, then it is up to you to decide to try and make a bigger gain, but that is your call and the way to do that is to keep moving your stop up with your gains or down with your gains, if you are shorting a stock. And don’t forget to work on your retirement portfolio as well by utilizing our dividend stock investment research. We’ll be back before the close.

Dividend.com

Under no circumstances does the information in this column represent a recommendation to buy or sell stocks. The author is not registered as an investment adviser. The author may or may not hold positions in the securities mentioned in this article or video. The author relies upon the "publisher's exclusion" from the definition of "investment adviser" as provided under Section 202(a)(11) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and corresponding state securities laws.

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