Top 10 Dividend Leaders of 2013

Dividend stocks are on track to hit record payout levels this year.

Oracle Corp. (Nasdaq: ORCL), Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F) and Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT) are among the companies reporting the highest increases in their payouts to shareholders.

But they’re not alone.

Net dividend increases on U.S. common stocks for the second quarter are up $17.6 billion over the same time last year.

Amid the increasing demand for yield, more companies are initiating, resuming or boosting dividend payments.

Here are the top 10 stocks with increases in dividend payments in the first half of 2013. (more)

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THE TRUE COST OF GOLD PRODUCTION

from Mining Business:
Johannesburg; The average all-in gold production cost for the world’s 5 leading gold miners in Q1 (Mar) 2013 was about $US1,467oz, compared to the average ytd spot price of $1,287oz and around $1,260oz currently, according to a new report.
The SBG Securities report estimates that at least 60% of the top 30 leading miners, representing some 45% of global gold production, are operating at breakeven levels (c$1,500oz) that are well above the current gold price.
Further, it shows that by FY2018 about 50% of global production will likely require a breakeven gold price of c$2,400oz at a year-on-year unit mining inflation rate of 10%, which is looking a bit mission impossible with the report estimating a gold price averaging about $1,455oz this year and rising to $1,620oz for 2016.
Read More @ MiningBusiness.net

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Steel Dynamics, Inc. (NASDAQ: STLD)

Steel Dynamics, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, produces and sells steel products in the United States and internationally. The company operates in three segments: Steel Operations, Metals Recycling and Ferrous Resources Operations, and Steel Fabrication Operations. The Steel Operations segment provides a range of sheet steel products, including hot rolled, cold rolled, and coated steel products; structural steel beams, pilings, and rails; special bar quality and merchant bar quality rounds and round-cornered squares. The Metals Recycling and Ferrous Resources Operations segment purchases, processes, and resells ferrous products, such as heavy melting steel, busheling, bundled scrap, shredded scrap, steel turnings, and cast iron products; and processes nonferrous products consisting of aluminum, brass, copper, stainless steel, and other nonferrous metals for use in foundry, mill refining, and smelting applications. The Steel Fabrication Operations segment produces steel building components comprising steel joists, trusses, girders, and decking products for the non-residential construction industry.
To review Gannett's stock, please take a look at the 1-year chart of STLD (Steel Dynamics, Inc) below with my added notations:
STLD has been trading sideways since the beginning of the year while forming a common pattern known as a rectangle. Rectangle patterns form when a stock gets stuck bouncing between a horizontal support and resistance. A minimum of (2) successful tests of the support and (2) successful tests of the resistance will give you the pattern. STLD's rectangle pattern has formed a $16 resistance (red) and a $14 support (blue). A break above $16 would also be a new 52-week high.
The Tale of the Tape: STLD is trading within a rectangle pattern. The possible long positions on the stock would be either on a pullback to $14, or on a breakout above $16. The ideal short opportunity would be on a break below $14.
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Can Commodities Recover in the Second Half?: RIO, BTU, ACI, ANR, CHK, RRC

Base metal and energy prices are off their lows, but that doesn’t mean a bull market for commodity stocks

Rio Tinto (RIO), a diversified U.K. mining stock in everything from coal to aluminum to diamonds, just raised its full-year copper output guidance.
The move comes thanks to the company recovering from a spectacular landslide that struck a Utah mine and destroyed some $100 million worth of equipment, as production at the site is progressing faster than expected.
But you have to wonder why a materials stock like Rio Tinto would be moving so fast to get back on track if base metal prices remain so soft. (more)

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Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. (NYSE: PAA). is Currently a Bargain

Midstream energy companies or, more specifically, master limited partnerships (MLPs) — which generate their revenue from the transportation and/or storage of energy sources, like crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGLs) — are an interesting sub-industry to analyze.

To be clear, this group’s enticing argument to investors goes beyond the high yields with which MLPs are typically associated.

They’re characterized by considerably high barriers to entry for competitors, stemming from a tough regulatory approval process and the demand for large amounts of capital.

As a result, distribution of the market share is skewed. Of the 45 companies operating as midstream MLPs, the top seven collected nearly 75% of the industry’s total revenue.  (more)

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US Weekly Economic Calendar

time (et)	report	period	Actual	CONSENSUS forecast	previous
MONDAY, JULY 22
8:30 am	Chicago Fed national activity index	June		--	-0.43% 3-mo
10 am	Existing home sales	June		5.28 mln	5.18 mln
TUESDAY, JULY 23
9 am	FHFA home prices	May		--	7.4% y-o-y
WEDNESDAY, JULY 24
9 am	Markit "flash" PMI	July		--	51.9
10 am	New home sales	June		484,000	476,000
THURSDAY, JULY 25
8:30 am	Weekly jobless claims	7-20		341,000	334.000
8:30 am	Durable goods orders	June		2.3%	3.7%
FRIDAY, JULY 25
9:55 am	Consumer sentiment	July		84.0	83.9

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