Top 5 Financial Stocks To Watch Right Now

After six long years of very rough sailing, calmer waters lie ahead for the economy. Following the horrific storms of the housing bust, financial crisis and recession as well as the choppy seas of the federal budget sequester, repeated budget and debt dramas plus Europe�� meltdown, it�� a welcome change. Of course, there will still be some swells and dips, such as the unexpectedly low job creation seen in December. And something could go badly wrong ��an oil price spike, a plunge in China�� growth rate or a breakdown of Washington�� budget and debt cease-fire. But the likelihood of an upside surprise bringing economic improvement faster than now expected is greater than that of another downside blow.

Right now, we look for an average of 2.6% to 2.7% GDP growth over the course of the year, with the second half of 2014 probably registering stronger quarterly gains than the first. It�� good odds that the pace of growth will end the year at over 3% and remain there in 2015.

Top 5 Financial Stocks To Watch Right Now: Fifth Street Senior Floating Rate Corp (FSFR)

Fifth Street Senior Floating Rate Corp., incorporated on May 22, 2013, is a closed-end, non-diversified management investment company. The Company investment objective is to maximize the Company�� portfolio�� total return by generating income from its debt investments while seeking to preserve its capital. The Company intends to achieve its investment objective by investing primarily in senior secured loans, including first lien, unitranche and second lien debt instruments, that pay interest at rates, which are determined periodically on the basis of a floating base lending rate, made to private middle market companies whose debt is rated below investment grade, which the Company refer to collectively as senior loans. The Company�� investment adviser is Fifth Street Management.

The Company may also invest in senior unsecured loans issued by private middle market companies and, to a lesser extent, subordinated loans issued by private middle market companies and senior and subordinated loans issued by public companies. Under normal market conditions, at least 80% of the value of its net assets plus borrowings for investment purposes will be invested in floating rate senior loans. Senior loans pay interest at rates, which are determined periodically on the basis of the London-Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) plus a premium. Senior loans in which the Company expects to invest are made to United States and, to a limited extent, non- United States corporations, partnerships and other business entities which operate in various industries and geographical regions.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Marc Bastow]

  Management investment company Fifth Street Senior Floating Rate Corp. (FSFR) raised its quarterly dividend 15% to 23 cents per share, payable April 15 to shareholders of record as of March 31.
  FSFR Stock�Dividend Yield: 6.88%

Top 5 Financial Stocks To Watch Right Now: Commercial Bancshares Inc (CMOH)

Commercial Bancshares, Inc. is a financial holding company. The Company�� banking subsidiary, The Commercial Savings Bank (the Bank), is engaged in the business of commercial and retail banking, with operations conducted through its main office and branches located in Upper Sandusky, Ohio and neighboring communities in Wyandot, Marion and Hancock counties. The Bank provides customary retail and commercial banking services to its customers, including acceptance of deposits for demand, savings and time accounts, individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and servicing of such accounts; commercial, consumer and real estate lending, including installment loans, and safe deposit and night depository facilities. Commercial Financial and Insurance Agency, LTD is its wholly owned subsidiary. The Bank also owns a 49.9% interest in Beck Title Agency, Ltd.

Lending Activities

The Bank grants residential, installment and commercial loans to customers located primarily in the Ohio counties of Wyandot, Marion and Hancock and the surrounding area. Commercial loans are primarily variable rate and include operating lines of credit and term loans made to small businesses primarily based on the ability to repay the loan from the cash flow of the business. Commercial real estate loans are primarily secured by borrower-occupied business real estate, and are dependent on the ability of the related business to generate adequate cash flow to service the debt. Residential real estate loans are made with primarily variable rates and are secured by the borrower�� residence. As of December 31, 2011, approximately 75.5% of the Company�� loan and lease portfolio consisted of commercial, construction and commercial real estate loans.

Investment Activities

Securities are classified as available for sale. Securities available for sale are carried at fair value. The securities available for sale include obligations of the United Sates Government and federal agencies, obligations of ! state and political subdivisions, and mortgage-backed securities. As of December 31, 2011, total securities available for sale were approximately $24.5 million, which included approximately $4.06 million of obligations of the United Sates Government and federal agencies, approximately $14.3 million of obligations of state and political subdivisions, and approximately $6.4 million of mortgage-backed securities.

Sources of Funds

As of December 31, 2011, the Company had approximately $259.1 million of deposits, which included approximately $ 38.1 million of noninterest-bearing demand, approximately $103.7 million of interest-bearing demand, approximately $ 86.9 million of savings and approximately $ 30.2 million of time deposits $100,000 and greater. As of December 31, 2011 the Company had no borrowings with Federal Home Loan Banks (FHLB).

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Doug Hughes]

  Commercial Bancshares (CMOH) operates as the holding company for The Commercial Savings Bank, with just over $300,000 in assets and $259,000 million in loans. This small, but very strong bank had 5% loan growth last year and net charge-offs of just 0.23%.

10 Best Japanese Stocks To Own Right Now: Vanguard Utilities ETF (VPU)

Vanguard Utilities ETF is an exchange-traded class of shares issued by Vanguard Utilities Index Fund (the Fund). The Fund employs a passive management or indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) United States Investable Market Utilities Index (the Index), an index made up of stocks of large, medium-size and small United States companies in the utilities sector, as classified under the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS).

This GICS sector is made up of electric, gas and water utility companies, as well as companies that operate as independent producers and/or distributors of power. The sector includes both nuclear and non-nuclear facilities. The Fund attempts to replicate the target index by investing all, or substantially all, of its assets in the stocks that make up the Index, holding each stock in approximately the same proportion as its weighting in the Index.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Bruce Vanderveen]

  Vanguard Utilities ETF (VPU) is similar to XLU. It has the same top ten holdings, but has a more diverse base, with smaller utilities included.

Top 5 Financial Stocks To Watch Right Now: Direxion Daily FTSE China Bear 3X Shares ETF (YANG)

Direxion Daily China Bear 3x Shares (the Fund) seeks daily investment results of 300% of the inverse (or opposite) of the price performance of the BNY China Select ADR Index (the China Index). The China Index is a free float-adjusted capitalization-weighted index designed by the Bank of New York to track the performance of a basket of companies who have their primary equity listing on a stock exchange in China and which also have depositary receipts that trade on a United States exchange or on the National Association of Securities and Dealers Automated Quotation. Under normal circumstances, it focuses on creating short positions, by investing at least 80% of its net assets in the equity securities that comprise its underlying index and/or futures contracts; options on securities, indices and futures contracts; equity caps, collars and floors; forward contracts; repurchase agreements, and reverse repurchase agreements. The Fund�� investment adviser is Rafferty Asset Management LLC. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By pamatlarge]

  Three short ETFs are designed to profit from China�� economic downward slide. The ProShares Short FTSE China 25 (YXI), an unleveraged ETF, holds shares in iShares FTSE China Large-Cap (FXI) swaps. Investors looking to magnify their returns can choose from two leveraged short ETFs: ProShares Ultra Short FTSE China 25 (FXP) and Direxion Daily China Bear 3x Shares (YANG). Both ProShares Ultra Short and Direxion Daily hold shares that increase in value three times faster than an unleveraged ETF. The downside is that the per share price of these leveraged ETFs also drops three times faster.

Top 5 Financial Stocks To Watch Right Now: ING Risk Managed Natural Resources Fund (IRR)

ING Risk Managed Natural Resources Fund the (Fund) is a non- diversified, closed-end management investment company. The Fund�� investment objective is total return through a combination of current income, capital gains and capital appreciation. The Fund will seek to achieve its investment objective by investing in a portfolio of equity securities of companies in the energy and natural resources industries. ING Investments, LLC is the Fund�� investment adviser.

The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing at least 80% of its managed assets in the equity securities of, or derivatives linked to the equity securities of companies that are primarily engaged in owning or developing energy, other natural resources and basic materials, or supplying goods and services to such companies (Natural Resources Companies). Equity securities held by the Fund could include common stocks, preferred shares, convertible securities, warrants and depository receipts.

The Fund�� top 10 holdings include ExxonMobil Corp., Chevron Corp., ConocoPhillips, Schlumberger Ltd., Occidental Petroleum Corp., Marathon Oil Corp., Valero Energy Corp., Hess Corp., XTO Energy, Inc. and EI DuPont de Nemours & Co.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Value Digger]

  Manitok's total cost per Well (Drill, Case, Complete, Equip & Tie) is about $5.5 million. With average reserves per well ranging from 300 to 850 MMboe, the average payout is about 1.5 years and the peak Internal Rate of Return (IRR) reaches even 150% in some of the most productive properties of the company. Considering the company's balanced production mix, the average operating netback for 2013 is strong and hovers at approximately $33/boe.