Lew: Debt ceiling crunch to come sooner than thought

Treasury Secretary Jack Lew said it's likely he will run out of debt ceiling wiggle room at the end of February.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) Treasury Secretary Jack Lew called on Congress to move soon to raise the nation's debt ceiling to ward off any risk of a U.S. default, saying the crunch will come by the end of next month.

The nation's borrowing limit is suspended until Feb. 7. After that, unless Congress has authorized an increase or has chosen to extend the suspension, the Treasury Department will have to deploy special accounting maneuvers to continue to pay all the country's bills in full and on time.

Originally Lew had estimated that those "extraordinary measures" could last until sometime between the end of February and early March.

But on Tuesday, in a public interview at the Council on Foreign Relations, Lew said he now believes it's most likely he'll run out of wiggle room by the end of February.

And he stressed that any last-minute drama over the debt ceiling could cut the U.S. economy's potential for growth and undermine confidence.

"Why would anyone want to hurt the U.S. economy and hurt the recipients of payments they're entitled to?" Lew said.

"Everyone knows these obligations are not made when you raise the borrowing authority. The obligations are made when you vote on appropriations bills and when you vote on tax bills."

And, he added, it causes undue anxiety among investors and consumers when lawmakers push the issue to the last minute.

It appears they may not finalize their strategy until their annual retreat at the end of January, although they may float trial balloons sooner than that, said Greg Valliere, chief political strategist for the Potomac Research Group.

But, Valliere said, it's a mid-term election year and "they don't seem eager to fight or instigate a crisis when they're getting tremendous mileage out of bashing Obamacare."

5 Stocks Insiders Love Right Now

DELAFIELD, Wis. (Stockpickr) -- Corporate insiders sell their own companies' stock for a number of reasons.

>>5 Stocks Setting Up to Break Out

They might need the cash for a big personal purchase such as a new house or yacht, or they might need the cash to fund a charity. Sometimes they sell as part of a planned selling program that they have put in place for diversification purposes, which allows them to sell stock in stages instead of selling all at one price.

Other times they sell because they think their stock is overvalued and the risk/reward is no longer attractive. Some even dump their own stock because they have inside knowledge that a competitor is eating their lunch and stealing market share.

But insiders usually buy their own shares for one reason: They think the stock is a bargain and has tremendous upside.

>>5 Shareholder Yield Stocks to Beat the S&P



The key word in that last statement is "think." Just because a corporate insider thinks his or her stock is going to trade higher, that doesn't mean it will play out that way. Insiders can have all the conviction in the world that their stock is a buy, but if the market doesn't agree with them, the stock could end up going nowhere. Also, I say "usually" because sometimes insiders are loaned money by the company to buy their own stock. Those loans are often sweetheart deals and shouldn't be viewed as organic insider buying.

At the end of the day, it's large institutional money managers running big mutual funds and hedge funds that drive stock prices, not insiders. That said, many of these savvy stock operators will follow insider buying activity when they agree with the insider that the stock is undervalued and has upside potential. This is why it's so important to always be monitoring insider activity, but it's twice as important to make sure the trend of the stock coincides with the insider buying.

>>5 Stocks Hedge Funds Love

Recently, a number of companies' corporate insiders have bought large amounts of stock. These insiders are finding some value in the market, which warrants a closer look at these stocks. Here's a look five stocks whose insiders have been doing some big buying per SEC filings.

Biolase

One stock that insiders are loading up on here is Biolase (BIOL), which develops, manufactures and markets lasers in dentistry and medicine in the U.S. and internationally. Insiders are buying this stock into big time strength, since shares are up sharply by 79% over the last three months.

Biolase has a market cap of $99 million and an enterprise value of $100 million. This stock trades at a reasonable valuation, with a price-to-sales of 1.67 and a price-to-book of 10.74. Its estimated growth rate for this year is -230%, and for next year it's pegged at 69.7%. This is not a cash-rich company, since the total cash position on its balance sheet is $4.15 million and its total debt is $5.53 million.

>>5 Hated Stocks That Could Get Squeezed Much Higher

A beneficial owner just bought 2,035,033 shares, or about $5.23 million worth of stock, at $2.53 to $2.59 per share.

From a technical perspective, BIOL is currently trending above both its 50-day and 200-day moving averages, which is bullish. This stock has been uptrending a bit over the last few weeks, with shares moving higher from its low of $2.21 to its recent high of $2.94 a share. During that uptrend, shares of BIOL have been consistently making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of BIOL within range of triggering a big breakout trade.

If you're bullish on BIOL, then I would look for long-biased trades as long as this stock is trending above its 50-day at $2.49 and then once breaks out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $2.94 to $3.28 a share and then above $3.55 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 487,464 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then BIOL will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $4.11 to $4.50 a share.

Spark Networks

Another stock player that insiders are warming up to here is Spark Networks (LOV), which provides online personals services in the U.S. and internationally. Insiders are buying this stock into notable weakness, since shares are off by 14% over the last six months.

>>4 Stocks Rising on Unusual Volume

Spark Networks has a market cap of $140 million and an enterprise value of $117 million. This stock trades at a fair valuation, with a price-to-sales of 2.05 and a price-to-book of 7.76. Its estimated growth rate for this year is 25%, and for next year it's pegged at 48.1%. This is a cash-rich company, since the total cash position on its balance sheet is $17.24 million and its total debt is zero.

A beneficial owner just bought 73,588 shares, or about $415,000 worth of stock, at $5.65 per share.

From a technical perspective, LOV is currently trending below both its 50-day and 200-day moving averages, which is bearish. This stock has been downtrending over the last month and change, with shares moving lower from its high of $6.56 to its recent low of $5.53 a share. During that downtrend, shares of LOV have been consistently making lower highs and lower lows, which is bearish technical price action. That said, shares of LOV have now started to bounce off that $5.53 low and it's starting to move within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade.

If you're in the bull camp on LOV, then I would look for long-biased trades as long as this stock is trending above some key near-term support levels at $5.53 to $5.30 and then once it breaks out above its 50-day moving average of $5.96 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above that level with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 188,243 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then LOV will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $6.50 to $7.30 a share.

Shutterfly

One personal services player that insiders are jumping into here is Shutterfly (SFLY), which is engaged in the manufacture and retail of digital personalized products and services in the U.S. Insiders are buying this stock into modest weakness, since shares are off by 6% so far in 2014.

>>5 Stocks Under $10 Set to Soar

Shutterfly has a market cap of $1.8 billion and an enterprise value of $1.5 billion. This stock trades at a premium valuation, with a trailing price-to-earnings of 197.94 and a forward price-to-earnings of 153.25. Its estimated growth rate for this year is -245.8%, and for next year it's pegged at 188.60%. This is a cash-rich company, since the total cash position on its balance sheet is $499.08 million and its total debt is $243.49 million. After you back out the debt, Shutterfly has a total of $255.59 million of cash on its books.

A director just bought 15,000 shares, or about $670,000 worth of stock, at $44.71 per share.

From a technical perspective, SFLY is currently trending above its 50-day moving average and below its 200-day moving average, which is neutral trendwise. This stock has recently crossed back above its 50-day moving average of $47.29 a share. That move is quickly pushing shares of SFLY within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade.

If you're bullish on SFLY, then I would look for long-biased trades as long as this stock is trending above some near-term support levels at $46 or at $45 and then once it breaks out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $48.39 to $50.16 a share and then above $52 to $52.50 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 913,512 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then SFLY will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $58 to $60 a share.

Theravance

One biopharmaceutical player that insiders are loading up on here is Theravance (THRX), which engages in the discovery, development, and commercialization of small molecule medicines primarily for therapeutic areas of respiratory diseases, bacterial infections and central nervous system pain. Insiders are buying this stock into strength, since shares are up by 11% so far in 2014.

>>5 Toxic Stocks to Sell in February

Theravance has a market cap of $4.3 billion and an enterprise value of $4 billion. This stock trades at a premium valuation, with a forward price-to-earnings of 129.42. Its estimated growth rate for this year is 26.9%, and for next year it's pegged at 125.4%. This is a cash-rich company, since the total cash position on its balance sheet is $520.50 million and its total debt is $287.50 million. After you back out the debt, Theravance has a total of $233 million of cash on its books.

A beneficial owner just bought 342,229 shares, or about $12.85 million worth of stock, at $37.55 per share.

From a technical perspective, THRX is currently trending above both its 50-day and 200-day moving averages, which is bullish. This stock has been uptrending strong over the last few weeks, with shares moving higher from its low of $34.50 to its recent high of $40.65 a share. During that uptrend, shares of THRX have been consistently making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of THRX within range of triggering a big breakout trade.

If you're bullish on THRX, then I would look for long-biased trades as long as this stock is trending above its 50-day at $36.82 and then once it breaks out above some key overhead resistance levels at $40.65 to its 52-week high at $42.96 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average volume of 947,556 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then THRX will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are $50 to $55 a share.

Robert Half International

One final stock with some notable insider buying is Robert Half International (RHI), which provides staffing and risk consulting services in North America, South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. Insiders are buying this stock into modest strength, since shares are up by around 9% over the last six months.

Robert Half International has a market cap of $5.5 billion and an enterprise value of $5.2 billion. This stock trades at a reasonable valuation, with a trailing price-to-earnings of 22.50 and a forward price-to-earnings of 17.41. Its estimated growth rate for this year is 13.1%, and for next year it's pegged at 14.5%. This is a cash-rich company, since the total cash position on its balance sheet is $279.75 million and its total debt is just $1.46 million. This stock currently sports a dividend yield of 1.8%.

A director just bought 19,768 shares, or about $793,000 worth of stock, at $40.12 per share.
From a technical perspective, RHI is currently trending above both its 50-day and 200-day moving averages, which is bullish. This stock recently crossed back above its 50-day moving average of $40.85 a share. That move is starting to push shares of RHI within range of triggering a big breakout trade.

If you're bullish on RHI, then look for long-biased trades as long as this stock is trending above some near-term support levels at $39.50 to $38.50 and then once it breaks out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $42.32 a share to its 52-week high at $43.06 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 1.16 million shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then RHI will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that move are $50 to $55 a share.

To see more stocks with notable insider buying, check out the Stocks With Big Insider Buying portfolio on Stockpickr.

-- Written by Roberto Pedone in Delafield, Wis.

RELATED LINKS:

>>4 Biotech Stocks Under $10 to Watch

>>5 Stocks Set to Soar on Bullish Earnings

>>5 Big Trades for a Correction Day

Follow Stockpickr on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

At the time of publication, author had no positions in stocks mentioned.

Roberto Pedone, based out of Delafield, Wis., is an independent trader who focuses on technical analysis for small- and large-cap stocks, options, futures, commodities and currencies. Roberto studied international business at the Milwaukee School of Engineering, and he spent a year overseas studying business in Lubeck, Germany. His work has appeared on financial outlets including

CNBC.com and Forbes.com. You can follow Pedone on Twitter at www.twitter.com/zerosum24 or @zerosum24.

Diana Shipping Inc. (DSX) Q4 Earnings Preview: Getting That Sinking Feeling

Diana Shipping Inc. (NYSE:DSX) announced that its financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2013 are scheduled to be released before the opening of the U.S. financial markets on Tuesday, February 18, 2014. The Company's management will conduct a conference call and simultaneous Internet webcast to review these results at 9:00 A.M. (Eastern Time).

Wall Street anticipates that the shipping company will lose $0.06 per share for the quarter, which is $0.12 less than last year's profit of $0.06 per share. iStock expects DSX  to miss Wall Street's consensus number. The iEstimate is -$0.07, one penny less than expected.

[Related -DryShips Inc. (DRYS): Which Dry Bulk Stocks To Buy Ahead Of Market Improvement?]

Diana Shipping is a global provider of shipping transportation services. It specializes in transporting dry bulk cargoes, including such commodities as iron ore, coal, grain and other materials along worldwide shipping routes. The Company's fleet consists of 23 dry bulk carriers, of which 14 are Panamax, one is Post-Panamax and eight are Capesize dry bulk carriers, having a combined carrying capacity of approximately 2.5 million deadweight tons (dwt).

The Athens, Greece based Diana has a history of bullish surprises that hug Wall Street's outlook.

DSX has sailed past Wall Street's estimates 12 of the last 16 quarters. On average, Diana Shipping posted profits that exceeded the consensus by $0.2 with a range of $0.01 to $0.05 for the dozen bullish beats. On the other side of the wave of better than expected results were three misses, two by a penny and a three cent shortfall. That leaves one on-target result, if you are keeping track.

[Related -Stocks End Mixed On Europe Concern, Housing Data; Apple (AAPL) Drops]

Unfortunately for shareholders, DSX has taken on water in the three-days surrounding 11 of the last 16 quarterly checkups. Typically, the stock price sunk -4.55% for the 10 red reactions with a max loss of -17.90% and minimum drop of -0.10%. The handful of positive, price responses ranged from 0.10% to 8.20% with an average gain of 3.48%.

Shippers are facing tsunami like head-waves in 2014. According to hellenicshippingnews.com, "The cost of hiring the largest commodity carriers had its biggest monthly plunge in two years. The slump is the most since the same month in 2012. The Baltic Dry Index, a wider measure of freight costs spanning smaller ships, slid 51 percent, also the most in two years."

That can't be good for guidance.

Falling rates and rising costs were a problem for Diana last quarter. Time charter equivalent (TCE) rates were $ 12,990 during Q3. That was down from $21,335 from the previous year. Meanwhile, year-over-year (YoY) Voyage Expenses plus Vessel Operating Expenses increased 20.65%.

TCE could be higher for Q4 as dryships.com reports rates rose during the last three months of 2014; however, they have crashed since the start of the new year, which doesn't bode well for shipping companies.

Overall:  Diana Shipping Inc. (NYSE:DSX) is likely to hug Wall Street's consensus estimate, yet again, with a downside bias based on the iEstimate; although, forward guidance could be rough considering the crash of TCE rates. 

What the new mortgage rules mean for you

"No debt traps. No surprises. No runarounds," the CFPB's Richard Cordray, said of the new rules.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) New mortgage lending rules are going into effect Friday that aim to put an end to the worst mortgage lending abuses of the past.

The new rules are designed to take a "back to basics" approach to mortgage lending and lower the risk of defaults and foreclosures among borrowers, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which issued the new rules.

"No debt traps. No surprises. No runarounds. These are bedrock concepts backed by our new common-sense rules, which take effect today," said CFPB director Richard Cordray in remarks prepared for a hearing Friday.

Mortgage lenders are being asked to comply with two new requirements: The Ability to Repay rule and Qualified Mortgages. Here's how they will impact borrowers:

Ability to Repay

Lenders must determine that a borrower has the income and assets to afford to make payments throughout the life of the loan. To do so, the lender may look at your debt-to-income ratio, which is how much you owe divided by how much you earn per month, including the highest mortgage payments you would be required to make under the terms of the loan. To calculate your debt-to-income ratio, add up all your monthly obligations -- including student loan, credit card and car payments, housing costs, utilities and other recurring expenses -- and divide it by your monthly gross income. In an effort to put an end to no- or low-doc loans, where lenders issue risky mortgages without the necessary financial information, lenders will be required to document and verify an applicant's income, assets, credit history and debt. For borrowers, that means m! ore paperwork and longer processing times. Underwriters must also approve mortgages based on the maximum monthly charges you face, not just low "teaser rates" that last only a matter of months, or a year or two, before resetting higher.

Qualified Mortgages

To make sure you aren't taking on more house than you can afford, your debt-to-income ratio generally must be below 43%. This rule is not absolute. Banks can still make loans to people with debt-to-income ratios that are greater than that if other factors, such as a high level of assets, justify the risk. Qualified mortgages cannot include risky features, such as terms longer than 30 years, interest-only payments or minimum payments that don't keep up with interest so your mortgage balance grows. Upfront fees and charges cannot add up to more than 3% of the mortgage balance. That includes title insurance, origination fees and points paid to lower mortgage interest rates

The rules also restrict "steering," or practices that give financial incentives to loan officers or mortgage brokers for pushing people into higher-interest loans that they can't afford -- a practice that was all too common leading up the housing bust, Cordray said.

"We think the new rules are balanced and well-drawn. They will offer consumers protection without limiting credit to qualified borrowers," said Gary Kalman, the policy director for the Center for Responsible Lending.

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Lenders don't seem to be too worried about the new rules, according to Keith Gumbinger of HSH.com, a mortgage information provider. "It's no surprise; everybody has been preparing for the change for months," he said. "Because there will be additional underwriting scrutiny, it could gum up the works initially and slow loan processin! g, but it! 's really just the codification of things that are already in place."

A significant factor is what's not in the rules. There's no minimum down payment or credit score requirement.

"[The qualifed mortgage] is not taking a one-size-fits-all approach. It ensures that first time homebuyers can still come to the table," said Kalman.

If the rules required a minimum down payment of, say 10% or 20%, it would eliminate many first time buyers who would have a difficult time raising that much cash.

The lack of a credit score requirement will enable lenders to loosen currently tight underwriting standards in the future should conditions warrant, according to Gumbinger. For the moment, most loans will still have to be backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and, with a few exceptions, they won't approve applicants with scores below 620.

A Walk Through Google's Changes With Search Engine Land's Danny Sullivan

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Search Engine Land founding editor and search engine guru Danny Sullivan appeared in SunTrust Robinson Humphrey's Investor Conference Call Series, hosted by Robert Peck, to discuss the ongoing changes at search giant Google (NASDAQ: GOOG), including an explanation of Hummingbird.

"Hummingbird was a complete rewrite of the core search engine itself," said Sullivan.

He compared past engines to running like a car engine, but said that Google realized stuff was coming in and "gumming up the works," so they added filters to purify the running process, Sullivan said.

"Let's create a filter that we'll call Panda and we'll screw it into the engine, kind of like [how] an oil filter works, and we hope that'll catch any content that we think is low quality," said Sullivan.

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"And, oh we've just discovered that a bunch of people are spamming us, ah, in ways we haven't been catching very well. We'll create another new filter, kind of like, you know, an air filter, and we'll put it on there and that'll be our Penguin filter."

Sullivan noted that new ways to communicate and search for information came along, which made the nature or search far different than it was prior to these new technologies hitting the scene. Social signals, like hashtags, and voice controlled searches via mobile are prime examples that he listed as prominent innovations.

With Hummingbird the idea was, "let's build a new engine for, you know, this whole new decade…two decades…that we're really into," replacing the outdated 2001 engine that didn't meet the standards of a transformed Web, Sullivan outlined. The rebuilt model is meant to match modern efficiency, and new expectations mean new tricks, such as accepting "alternative fuels," if it likes.

Related: Top Trending Tickers On StockTwits For February 14

They rolled out Hummingbird in September 2013, but no one really noticed, Sullivan said; with traffic remaining relatively the same for most sites.

Google still mostly relies on link signals, which he jokes are very much the "fossil fuel of the Internet," and have become diluted for a variety of reasons as new types of signals simultaneously enter the stage.

Sullivan also noted that this indicates that the engine works much like it did before. The difference now, he said, that is if you want to sometimes use that car as a hybrid, then you can.

There is now a more present demand to enhance users' search experiences by creating connections that better optimize filtering by ranking ratings. According to Sullivan, part of this concerns entities; not only their relevance by definition, but by their deeper meaning. He said that upgrading, including new filters for the unexpected, can always come up in the future, which also encompasses updates to filters like Panda.

While Google is hesitant, he said, they'll have to utilize social signals eventually because of link dilution. Currently, they use Google+ as their main source of social signals. Sullivan also pointed to the other reason for them not taking on social signals fully: their network isn't ready for it yet. He said that their engine still needs lots of "fossil fuel" to run. It's what it was originally designed for, despite being rebuilt.

Facebook (NASDAQ: FB) and Twitter (NYSE: TWTR) both argue that Google doesn't cover its platforms during live sessions and other valuable activity time that's trackable for advertising. That translates to ad dollars that they can't tap into, and many experts don't see them as a serious part of that social space, Sullivan added.

Posted-In: Danny Sullivan Hummingbird Panda Penguin Robert Peck Search Engine LandFutures Hot Markets Tech Media Best of Benzinga

(c) 2014 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

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Now Might Be the Time to Invest in Colombia

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- As most investors know, emerging markets have been subject to panic selling for the last couple of months, with the main focus on Turkey, South Africa and the Ukraine. The panic has hurt equity prices in most of the emerging markets. The iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (EEM) is down 6.3% year to date, according to Google Finance.

This type of indiscriminate selling is not new, of course, and it potentially creates an opportunity to buy an emerging market with seemingly no fundamental connection to the current panic. One such country is Colombia and the Global X FTSE Colombia 20 ETF (GXG).

Fundamentally, Colombia's GDP growth has been solid at 4.8% in 2012, 4.5% in 2013 and, according to Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria estimates, 5% for 2014. Inflation is running at 2%, which is surprisingly low considering inflation is more than 10% in Argentina and 5.5% in Brazil. Colombia also fares will with a debt to GDP ratio of 32% and a small current account deficit.

Part of the story is that Colombia has become an oil exporter, producing over one million barrels per day with expectations that growth will continue but it only consumes 400,000 barrels per day. The Colombia 20 ETF launched in 2009 as Global X' first ETF and has been able to attract $86 million in assets, which is impressive for such an off the radar investment destination. The largest sector in GXG is financials at 36%, followed by energy at 23%, utilities and materials at 15% each and consumer staples at 9%. With only 20 stocks in the fund it is top heavy. EcoPetrol (EC) is the biggest holding at 13% followed by BanColombia Preferred at 11%. From the top down GXG has been held back by virtue of being heavy in natural resources and in an emerging market. Over the last 12 months EEM is down 10% compared to 27% for the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Materials Sector Index Fund (EMMT) and a similar 28% for GXG.

Stock quotes in this article: EEM, GXG, EC, EMMT 

From the bottom up GXG has been weighed by Ecopetrol's poor performance. Over the last year it is down 42% on concerns the government's large stake in the company and little to no growth expected in 2014, while overlooking a single-digit PE ratio.

Part of the problem, too, has been the drop in oil over the last six months from $110 per barrel for West Texas Intermediate Crude to as low as $92 earlier this year. Oil is up slightly from that low and if it continues higher then revenue and earnings estimates for EC should improve.

If EC continues to struggle it will be a drag on GXG's performance, but less so now that its weighting has come down to 13% from 20%.

Picking individual Colombian stocks can be difficult because there are so few of them. According to ADR.com there are only two stocks on the NYSE, none on Nasdaq and six traded on the over-the-counter market. Making an investment in a fund or a stock that has dropped a lot is difficult because of the uncertainty involved; what if it is not done going down? Many investors have heard the Sir John Templeton quote that "bull markets are born on pessimism" and there is a lot of pessimism directed at the emerging market space. The price of GXG, or any other emerging market fund, might go lower, of course, but after declines of 25% to 30%, prices are now arguably low. At the time of publication the author had no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Follow @randomroger This article represents the opinion of a contributor and not necessarily that of TheStreet or its editorial staff.

Stock quotes in this article: EEM, GXG, EC, EMMT 

5 Stocks Under $10 Set to Soar

DELAFIELD, Wis. (Stockpickr) -- There isn't a day that goes by on Wall Street when certain stocks trading for $10 a share or less don't experience massive spikes higher. Traders savvy enough to follow the low-priced names and trade them with discipline and sound risk management are banking ridiculous coin on a regular basis.

>>5 Big Trades to Take in February

Just take a look at some of the hot movers in the under-$10 complex from Thursday, including Prima Biomed (PBMD), which is skyrocketing higher by 47%; Glu Mobile (GLUU), which is soaring higher by 24%; Monster Worldwide (MWW), which is ripping higher by 22%; and RealD (RLD), which is spiking higher by 13%. You don't even have to catch the entire move in lower-priced stocks such as these to make outsized returns when trading.

One low-priced stock that recently soared sharply higher after I featured it was China-based medical components player Dehaier Medical Systems (DHRM), which I highlighted in Jan. 16's "5 Stocks Under $10 Set to Soar" at around $4.75 per share. I mentioned in that piece that shares of Dehaier Medical Systems had been uptrending strong recently, with the stock moving higher from its low of $2 a share to its high of $4.80 a share. During that move, shares of DHRM were consistently making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move had pushed shares of DHRM within range of triggering a major breakout trade above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $4.80 to $4.85 a share.

>>5 Low-Priced Stocks to Trade for Gains

Guess what happened? Shares of Dehaier Medical Systems didn't wait long to trigger that breakout, since the stock started to bust above those key resistance levels the same day my article was published was heavy upside volume. This stock has continued to soar higher since taking out those levels, with shares tagging an intraday high today of $6.36 a share. That represents a monster gain of close to 40% in just a few weeks for anyone who went long DHRM into the breakout strength. You can see here how a low-priced stock can make a monster move once it clears key resistance levels with high volume.

Low-priced stocks are something that I tweet about on a regular basis. I frequently flag high-probability setups, breakout candidates and low-priced stocks that are acting technically bullish. I like to hunt for low-priced stocks that are showing bullish price and volume trends, since that increases the probability of those stocks heading higher. These setups often produce monster moves higher in very short time frames.

I'm not as eager to recommend investing long-term in stocks that trade less than $10 a share because these names can be very speculative, and the odds for picking the long-term winners aren't great. But I definitely love to trade stocks that are priced below $10. I like to view them as a trading vehicle with lots of volatility and lots of upside when the trade is timed right.

>>3 Stocks Breaking Out on Unusual Volume

When I trade under-$10 names, I do it almost entirely based off of the charts and technical analysis. I also like to find under-$10 names with a catalyst, but that's secondary to the chart and volume patterns.

With that in mind, here's a look at several under-$10 stocks that look poised to potentially trade higher from current levels.

Acasti Pharma

One under-$10 biotechnology player that's starting to move within range of triggering a major breakout trade is Acasti Pharma (ACST), which focuses on the research, development and commercialization of new therapies for abnormalities in blood lipids, and the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disorders. This stock has been destroyed by the bears over the last six months, with shares down sharply by 67%.

>>4 Big Stocks on Traders' Radars

If you take a look at the chart for Acasti Pharma, you'll notice that this stock has been consolidating and trending sideways for the last two months, with shares moving between $1.09 on the downside and $1.56 a share on the upside. This stock is starting to spike higher today and flirt with its 50-day moving average of $1.27 a share. That spike is quickly pushing shares of ACST within range of triggering a major breakout trade above the upper-end of its recent sideways trading chart pattern.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in ACST if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $1.32 a share and then once it clears more resistance at $1.54 to $1.56 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average volume of 425,658 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then ACST will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $2 to $2.20, or even its 200-day moving average at $2.31 a share.

Traders can look to buy ACST off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some key near-term support levels at $1.20 to $1.17 a share, or down near $1.10 a share. One can also buy ACST off strength once it starts to take out those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

Recon Technology

Another under-$10 energy player that's starting to trend within range of triggering a major breakout trade is Recon Technology (RCON), which provides hardware, software and on-site services to companies in the petroleum mining and extraction industry in the People's Republic of China. This stock is off to a blazing start in 2014, with shares up sharply by 49%.

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If you take a look at the chart for Recon Technology, you'll notice that this stock has been uptrending very strong over the last two months, with shares soaring higher from its low of $2.84 to its recent high of $5.06 a share. During that uptrend, shares of RCON have been consistently making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. This stock also recently crossed back above its 50-day moving average, which is bullish technical price action. Shares of RCON are now starting to trend within range of triggering a major breakout trade above some key overhead resistance levels.

Market players should now look for long-biased trades in RCON if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $4.75 to $5.06 a share and then once it clears its 52-week high at $5.80 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 178,784 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then RCON will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are $8 to $10 a share.

Traders can look to buy RCON off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right around some key near-term support at $4 or at its 50-day moving average of $3.59 a share. One can also buy RCON off strength once it starts to clear those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

Zogenix

One under-$10 health care player that's starting to trend within range of triggering a big breakout trade is Zogenix (ZGNX), which engages in the development and commercialization of products for the treatment of central nervous system disorders and pain. This stock has been exploding higher over the last six months, with shares up sharply by 170%.

>>3 Stocks Spiking on Big Volume

If you take a look at the chart for Zogenix, you'll notice that this stock has been uptrending strong for the last six months, with shares moving higher from its low of $1.50 to its recent high of $4.65 a share. During that uptrend, shares of ZGNX have been consistently making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of ZGNX within range of triggering a big breakout trade above some key near-term overhead resistance levels.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in ZGNX if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $4.50 to $4.55 a share and then once it takes out its 52-week high a $4.65 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average volume of 2.44 million shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then ZGNX will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are $6 to $7 a share.

Traders can look to buy ZGNX off weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits just below its 50-day moving average at $3.66 a share, or around more support at $3.25 a share. One can also buy ZGNX off strength once it starts to take out those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

Rexahn Pharmaceuticals

Another under-$10 biotechnology player that's quickly moving within range of triggering a major breakout trade is Rexahn Pharmaceuticals (RNN), which engages in the discovery, development and commercialization of treatments for cancer, central nervous system disorders, sexual dysfunction, and other medical needs. This stock is off to an explosive start in 2014, with shares up a whopping 119%.

>>5 Ways to Invest Like a Pension Fund

If you take a look at the chart for Rexahn Pharmaceuticals, you'll notice that this stock has been consolidating and trending sideways over the last month, with shares moving between 86 cents per share on the downside and $1.24 a share on the upside. Shares of RNN are starting to spike higher today right off some near-term support at $1 a share. That spike is quickly pushing shares of RNN within range of triggering a major breakout trade above the upper-end of its recent sideways trading chart pattern.

Market players should now look for long-biased trades in RNN if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $1.20 to $1.24 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 7.79 million shares. If that breakout hits soon, then RNN will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $1.60 to its 52-week high at $1.85 a share. Any high-volume move above those levels will then give RNN a chance to tag $2 to $2.20 a share.

Traders can look to buy RNN off weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits just below some key near-term supports at $1 to 86 cents per share. One can also buy RNN off strength once it starts to clear those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

Verso Paper

One final under-$10 basic materials player that's starting to trend within range of triggering a big breakout trade is Verso Paper (VRS), which engages in the production and sale of coated papers in the U.S. This stock is off to a monster start in 2014, with shares up a ridiculous amount of 371%.

If you take a look at the chart for Verso Paper, you'll notice that this stock has recently pulled back from its high of $5.55 a share to its low of $1.96 a share. During that sharp fall, shares of VRS have been consistently making lower highs and lower lows, which is bearish technical price action. That said, shares of VRS have now started to rebound sharply off that $1.96 low and the stock is starting to push within range of triggering a big breakout trade.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in VRS if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $3.32 to $3.40 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 608,131 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then VRS will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $4 to $4.56 a share. Any high-volume move above those levels will then give VRS a chance to re-test its 52-week high at $5.55 a share.

Traders can look to buy VRS off weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some key near-term support levels at $2.80 or at $2.50 a share. One can also buy VRS off strength once it starts to take out those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

To see more hot under-$10 equities, check out the Stocks Under $10 Setting Up to Explode portfolio on Stockpickr.

-- Written by Roberto Pedone in Delafield, Wis.

RELATED LINKS:

>>5 Rocket Stocks to Buy in February

>>Where's the S&P Headed From Here? Higher!

>>4 Tech Stocks Spiking on Big Volume

Follow Stockpickr on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

At the time of publication, author had no positions in stocks mentioned.

Roberto Pedone, based out of Delafield, Wis., is an independent trader who focuses on technical analysis for small- and large-cap stocks, options, futures, commodities and currencies. Roberto studied international business at the Milwaukee School of Engineering, and he spent a year overseas studying business in Lubeck, Germany. His work has appeared on financial outlets including

CNBC.com and Forbes.com. You can follow Pedone on Twitter at www.twitter.com/zerosum24 or @zerosum24.

Average rate on 30-year loan falls to 4.23%

WASHINGTON — Average U.S. rates for fixed mortgages fell this week as the latest data continued to indicate a pause in the housing market's recovery.

Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday the average rate for the 30-year loan declined to 4.23% from 4.32% last week. The average for the 15-year loan dipped to 3.33% from 3.40%.

Mortgage rates have risen about a full%age point since hitting record lows roughly a year ago. The increase was driven by speculation that the Federal Reserve would reduce its $85 billion a month in bond purchases. Saying the economy was gaining strength, the Fed pushed ahead last week with a plan to reduce the bond purchases, which have kept long-term interest rates low.

Data released Tuesday by real estate specialist CoreLogic showed that U.S. home prices slipped from November to December, and the year-over-year increase slowed, likely a result of weaker sales at the end of last year.

The December decline was the third straight month-to-month drop. Home prices had risen for eight straight months through September. For all of 2013, prices rose a healthy 11%.

The Commerce Department reported Monday that U.S. construction spending rose modestly in December, slowing from healthy gains a month earlier.

Most economists expect home sales and prices to keep rising this year, but at a slower pace. They forecast that both will likely rise around 5%, down from double-digit gains in 2013.

Steady job gains are putting more people to work and enabling them to buy a home. And rising prices should encourage more owners to sell their homes. A larger supply of available homes would likely boost sales.

To calculate average mortgage rates, Freddie Mac surveys lenders across the country between Monday and Wednesday each week. The average doesn't include extra fees, known as points, which most borrowers must pay to get the lowest rates. One point equals 1% of the loan amount.

The average fee for a 30-year mortgage was unchanged at 0.7 point. The! fee for a 15-year loan rose to 0.7 point from 0.6 point.

The average rate on a one-year adjustable-rate mortgage fell to 2.51% from 2.55%. The fee increased to 0.5 point from 0.4 point.

The average rate on a five-year adjustable mortgage slipped to 3.08% from 3.12%. The fee held at 0.5 point.

Military Investors’ Confidence, Optimism Recovering

After several months of financial anxiety while issues like sequestration and the government shutdown remained top of mind, military investors ended 2013 feeling more optimistic, according to the First Command Financial Behaviors Index.

The index measures trends in financial behaviors with a baseline of 100. A higher score on the index indicates more positive financial behaviors. Military families earned a score of 118 on the index, up 17 points from the first quarter of 2013. This is the third consecutive increase and the highest quarterly finish for military families in more than a year. The score for the civilian population increased as well, but to a smaller degree. First Command noted the civilian score fluctuated throughout 2013, finally settling at 95, up nine points from the first quarter.

For the fourth quarter, the index found just over a third of civilian respondents felt financially secure, compared with 43% of military respondents. Military respondents were more optimistic in general (45% versus 29%), and more confident about their retirement prospects (38% versus 33%).

Scott Spiker, CEO of First Command Financial Services Inc., said military respondents’ higher levels of optimism and confidence are the result of better financial habits.

“Throughout 2013, both military and general population families felt the impacts of sequestration,” Spiker said in a statement. “But servicemembers were considerably more likely to respond by putting money away for the future. And it is this proactive approach to personal finance that is the most likely source of the increased confidence in the future. Our research has consistently found that families get an emotional lift from the act of savings. Even families with credit card or other short-term debt can feel optimistic and financially secure as long as they are disciplined in their approach to savings and paying down debt.”

Military respondents saved on average $500 more than civilian respondents every month, according to the index. They also put about $280 more than their civilian counterparts toward paying down short-term debt.

First Command expects these behaviors to continue. A subindex that measures respondents' financial intentions increased 11 points for military families with a matching decrease for civilian respondents.  

“Despite continued political and economic challenges, the optimism and perseverance of our career military is holding strong,” Spiker said. “Fears of sequestration and government shutdowns are likely serving to reinforce the value of saving more and cutting debt. By remaining focused on these positive behaviors, middle-class military families are preparing themselves both financially and emotionally for an uncertain future.”

---

Check out JPMorgan to Invest $1M in Veteran Education on ThinkAdvisor.

Stocks start new month flat. Moral victory?

Click the chart for more stock market data.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) Following the worst January in years, stocks continued to fall on the first trading day of February.

The Dow tumbled more than 100 points, or about 1%, early Monday after a much worse-than-expected reading on manufacturing activity. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq were also down about 1%. So was CNNMoney's Tech 30 index.

Investors were disappointed after the Institute for Supply Management's monthly index showed that manufacturing activity last month expanded at its weakest pace since May.

The bad news comes as investors are still reeling from a rough January. Disappointing earnings and volatility in emerging markets sent stocks sharply lower during the first month of the year. The Dow tumbled more than 5% last month -- its worst January since 2009.

Many experts think the market could fall further, following big gains in 2013 and the fact that the stocks haven't taken a big breather in a while. Though stocks took a small step back last spring, they haven't experienced a correction, typically defined as a decline of 10% or more, in more than two years.

In corporate news, Herbalife (HLF) shares were higher after the company said fourth quarter earnings would top forecasts. The company also raised the amount of its planned share repurchase by $500 million. Hedge fund manager Bill Ackman has accused Herbalife of being a pyramid scheme. But the nutritional supplements marketer has refuted those claims.

Shares of Jos. A. Bank Clothiers (JOSB) declined after The Wall Street Journal reported that the company is in talks to buy fellow apparel retailer Eddie Bauer. The potential deal would be the latest twist in the battle between Jos. A. Bank and Men's Wearhouse (MW). Both retailers have offered to buy each other.

Shares of RadioShack (RSH) were higher as investors seemed to appreciate the company's self-deprecatory Super Bowl ad. Radio Shack showed that it was getting rid of its 1980s image and products and unveiling a new store. But even with Monday's move up, the stock is still well below its 52-week high.

Automakers are reporting January sales Monday. The news was mostly bad. Ford (F, Fortune 500). GM (GM, Fortune 500) and Toyota (TM) shares fell after posting sales declines in January that were even larger than what analysts were expecting. There was one b! right spot though. Chrysler reported an increase in sales that topped forecasts.

Restaurant operator Yum! Brands (YUM, Fortune 500) is set to release quarterly results after the closing bell.

European markets were weaker in morning trading as investors ignored reports of stronger manufacturing activity in the eurozone in January.

Many Asian markets were closed for the lunar new year but those trading moved lower, with the Nikkei in Japan declining by 2%. The benchmark Nikkei has tumbled 10.3% so far this year. That means the index is now undergoing a correction, after posting a whopping 57% gain in 2013 -- its biggest annual rise in over 40 years.

Traders in Asia were cautious after the release of weak official Chinese manufacturing data. Many emerging markets have suffered over the past few weeks as investors have moved money out of riskier markets in favor of relative safe havens.

Seattle Super Bowl Scores Points for Paul Allen, Sacks Howard Schultz

PORTLAND, Ore. (TheStreet) -- The difference between Paul Allen and Howard Schultz is the difference between the Seattle Seahawks playing in their second Super Bowl and the Seattle SuperSonics playing their sixth season in Oklahoma City as the Thunder.

Both Allen and Schultz built their respective empires in the Seattle area, but there's a reason one is seen as a benevolent oligarch and the other still hasn't been forgiven by the city's sports fans. Allen began building his $15 billion fortune as co-founder of Microsoft, based in Redmond, Wash., while Schultz stuffed his $1.6 billion coffers during his tenure as chief executive of Seattle's own Starbucks. In 1997, Allen took $194 million of that fortune and purchased the Seahawks from previous owner Ken Behring, who had threatened to move the team to Southern California.

Allen argued that the Seahawks would never be profitable in the 21-year-old Kingdome, but had to pay $130 million and cover potential cost overruns just to secure an extremely close vote on $300 million in public financing. The Seahawks not only got their new echo chamber of a stadium, but got former Green Bay Packers coach Mike Holmgren to lead the team in 2009. The combination, plus an influx of talent including NFL MVP running back Shaun Alexander and quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, led the franchise to its first Super Bowl appearance in 2005.

Just around that time, Schultz was nearing the end of his tenure as the Sonics' owner. The team struggled mightily under his tenure, trading away All-Star and face of the franchise Gary Payton during the 2002-03 season after a feud with Schultz (who Payton still loathes for making him leave Seattle) and making the playoffs exactly once: During a Ray Allen/Rashard Lewis-driven run in 2004-05 that would be the franchise's last playoff appearance as the Sonics. Viewed as a miserly business man with woefully little sports acumen -- a depiction not helped by former Sonics employees' takes of trophy scrubbing and $3.50 Starbucks' gift cards and only bolstered by the franchise's postmortem documentary SonicsGate -- Schultz was already less than popular among Sonics fans. When Schultz pressed for tax dollars to update the Sonics' Key Arena, fans scoffed and accused him of being too cheap to field a competitive team, never mind maintain a building. When he sold the team to Oklahoma City businessman Clayton Bennett in 2006 for $350 million, fans had absolutely no faith in his early -- but withdrawn -- lawsuit attempting to prevent the team from moving or the "good-faith best effort" stipulation he'd coaxed out of Bennett in a last-ditch effort to keep the team in Seattle.

Stock quotes in this article: MSFT, SBUX 

Thanks to Schultz, a franchise that had just drafted Kevin Durant as its last, best hope for an NBA Championship in 2007 had to watch him leave forever in 2008. He took 41 years of the town's NBA history and its only major sports title -- the Sonics' 1979 NBA Champtionship -- with him.

With Schultz's profile in Seattle -- and particularly among its sports fans -- at its lowest, Paul Allen again took his cue. In 2007, Allen joined the ownership group of the United Soccer League's Seattle Sounders in petitioning Major League Soccer for a Seattle franchise. The Sounders dated back to the North American Soccer League of the 1970s and, at their peak, drew baseball-game-sized crowds to the Kingdome. The entire state of Washington developed a thriving soccer culture as a result, and Allen capitalized on it by promising to use his new football stadium as a soccer venue.

Though he'd hosted the Sounders during their USL days, an MLS franchise would be a coup. The Sounders' longtime rivals, the Portland Timbers, were awarded one in 2008 and the groundwork was already laid. In November 2007, the franchise was awarded and the team was given a 2009 date for its MLS debut. Since then, the Sounders have led the MLS in attendance by averaging more than 40,000 fans per game and outdrawing their Major League Baseball neighbors, the Seattle Mariners, on a per-game basis.

The Seahawks had slid a bit, but still weren't doing so shabbily. Holmgren's departure and a disastrous season for his replacement, Jim Mora, gave the Seahawks consecutive losing seasons in 2008 and 2009. In 2010, the team hired embattled former University of Southern California coach Pete Carroll as head coach and drafted cornerstone players including left tackle Russell Okung, safety Earl Thomas and wide receiver Golden Tate. In the middle of the season, they made a trade with the Buffalo Bills to bring in much-maligned running back Marshawn Lynch. The team would go 7-9 that year, but that was a good enough record to not only make the playoffs, but upset the reigning NFL champion New Orleans Saints in the first round with help from a run by Lynch that produced enough crowd noise to measure on the Richter scale. They'd go 7-9 again the next season and miss the playoff, but would pick up cornerback Richard Sherman in the fifth round of the draft. By 2012, they'd not only stockpiled talent, but drafted a quarterback from Wisconsin named Russell Wilson in the third round who'd not only help the team to an 11-5 record and a playoff spot that year, but would tie Peyton Manning's record for most touchdowns thrown by a rookie quarterback with 26.

Stock quotes in this article: MSFT, SBUX 

When things start looking too good in Seattle, that's when a little rain inevitably starts falling. Schultz's folly had inspired Seattle hedge fund manager Chris Hansen and Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer to pony up more than $500 million to finance an arena in Seattle's SoDo district near CenturyLink Field, with Seattle kicking in only for infrastructure improvements. The City Council took that deal, but everyone involved still needed a team to fill the place. By January 2013, Hansen and Ballmer had convinced the owners of the Sacramento Kings to sell to them and move the team to Seattle.

But that's not how the NBA works. The NBA's Board of Governors advised against the move in April, owners voted 22-8 against it in May and, later that month, the Kings' owners were forced to sell to a Sacramento-based group that got the lion's share of its cash from public financing. Seattle still doesn't have an NBA franchise, NBA owners now has a great bargaining chip in Seattle's proposed arena and taxpayers in NBA cities everywhere now have to watch their wallets every time a team finds so much as a scuff mark on one of its cheaper seats.

With the Kings deal dead, the arena in limbo and Ballmer leaving his gig as Microsoft's chief executive, there's still plenty of hate to go around for Starbucks' Schultz. While Allen gets a nice, warm seat at the game in New Jersey and prepares to watch the team he saved and helped build go for its first NFL Championship, Schultz was hissed at by Seahawks fans in Seattle for offering them 12-cent cups of coffee. They don't like the idea of him trying to cozy up to the team's "12th Man" fans while the former Sonics seem poised to make their second run to the NBA Finals during their second life as the Oklahoma City Thunder.

In a year when the University of Washington managed to hire accomplished coach Chris Petersen away from Boise State and even the annually awful Mariners managed to make headlines by signing All-Star free agent Robinson Cano away from the New York Yankees, Seattle is on a bit of a winning streak. It looks at Allen and realizes all its sports teams have gained in the last decade or so. When Seattle fans are forced to acknowledge Schultz's existence, it's still just a bitter reminder of what they lost when the coffee man decided to dabble in sports. On one of their happier weekends, Seahawks fans don't need his coffee. They still have that slightly burnt taste in their mouths. -- Written by Jason Notte in Portland, Ore. >To contact the writer of this article, click here: Jason Notte. >To follow the writer on Twitter, go to http://twitter.com/notteham. >To submit a news tip, send an email to: tips@thestreet.com. RELATED STORIES: >>5 Biggest Super Bowl Commercial Spenders >>5 Companies That Really Need A Super Bowl Ad >>NFL Sponsorship Is A Thankless Trap

Stock quotes in this article: MSFT, SBUX  Jason Notte is a reporter for TheStreet. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Huffington Post, Esquire.com, Time Out New York, the Boston Herald, the Boston Phoenix, the Metro newspaper and the Colorado Springs Independent. He previously served as the political and global affairs editor for Metro U.S., layout editor for Boston Now, assistant news editor for the Herald News of West Paterson, N.J., editor of Go Out! Magazine in Hoboken, N.J., and copy editor and lifestyle editor at the Jersey Journal in Jersey City, N.J.