Top 5 Asian Companies To Watch For 2014

LONDON -- The FTSE 100 (FTSEINDICES: ^FTSE  ) ended yesterday a good bit stronger than earlier falls had suggested, actually finishing five points up for the day. And as of 7:45 a.m. EDT it has added another five points after U.S. and Asian markets closed their days on a high.

There are plenty of individual shares that looking still more optimistic. Here are three names that are on the way up today and look set to beat the market.

Glencore Xstrata (LSE: GLEN  )
Glencore Xstrata shares are up 2.8% on news that the mining giant has arranged new revolving credit facilities to the tune of more than $17 billion. The new facilities replace those of the previously independent Glencore and Xstrata companies. Showing a nice sign of confidence in the merged company, the facilities were initially oversubscribed.

With the whole mining sector being hard hit by slowing Chinese demand, today's rise might be relatively small comfort, but it does offer some optimism for the longer-term prospects for the business.

Hot Sliver Companies To Invest In Right Now: TESARO Inc (TSRO)

TESARO, Inc. (TESARO), incorporated in March 2010, is a development-stage, oncology-focused biopharmaceutical company for cancer patients. The Company focuses on rolapitant and TSR-011 product. The Company�� marketed products and product candidates in development treat cancer through non-specific damage to cellular components or alter cell metabolism or internal repair mechanisms to the demise of cancer cells.

Rolapitant

Rolapitant is a potent and long-acting neurokinin-1, or NK-1, receptor antagonist is in Phase III clinical trials for the prevention of chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting (CINV). It is in Phase III clinical trials. CINV, if not prevented by prophylaxis, has the potential to afflict up to 90% or more of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, depending upon the type of chemotherapy administered the dosing schedule of the chemotherapy, and the patients' age and gender, among other predisposing factors. Prolonged nausea and vomiting may result in unwanted weight loss, dehydration and malnutrition, as well as hospitalization. The Company has in-licensed the rights to rolapitant from OPKO Health, Inc.

TSR-011

TSR-011 is an orally available ALK inhibitor in preclinical development. ALK is known to be involved in certain types of cancers, including subsets of NSCLC, neuroblastoma and lymphoma. For patients in these subsets, the ALK gene is fused to an activating partner or contains point mutations, resulting in constitutive activation of ALK and the growth of cancer cells and tumor development. Inhibition of ALK in these cancer cells results in cell death and tumor growth inhibition or regression. In August 2011, the United States Food and Drug Administration approved the first ALK inhibitor, developed by Pfizer Inc., Xalkori (crizotinib), which was approved for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC that are ALK positive.

The Company competes with GlaxoSmithKline plc, Roche Holding Ltd! . and Sanofi S.A.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Werber and Eckhard’s favorites include Gilead (GILD) and Celgene (CELG), and they find the “risk/reward…compelling” in Medivation (MDVN) and Tesaro (TSRO).

• [By Brian Orelli]

  Tesaro (NASDAQ: TSRO  ) is also up today after announcing that it established a partnership with clinicians to run the phase 3 development of its PARP inhibitor, niraparib. The trial will enroll about 300 breast cancer patients with BRCA mutations, comparing niraparib to investigators' choice of other breast cancer treatments.

• [By Brian Pacampara]

  Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, biopharmaceutical company TESARO (NASDAQ: TSRO  ) has received the dreaded one-star ranking.

Top 5 Asian Companies To Watch For 2014: Midstates Petroleum Company Inc (MPO)

Midstates Petroleum Company, Inc. is an independent exploration and production company. The Company�� areas of operation include Pine Prairie, South Bearhead Creek/Oretta, West Gordon and North Cowards Gully. Its Upper Gulf Coast Tertiary trend extends from south Texas to Mississippi across its operating areas in central Louisiana. As of December 31, 2011, it had accumulated approximately 77,100 net acres in the trend. As of December 31, 2011, its development operations are focused in the Wilcox interval of the trend. The Company�� business is conducted through Midstates Petroleum Company LLC, as a direct, wholly owned subsidiary. In September 2012, the Company and its subsidiary acquired all of Eagle Energy Production, LLC�� producing properties as well as their developed and undeveloped acreage primarily in the Mississippian Lime oil play in Oklahoma and Kansas.

As of December 31, 2011, it drilled 57 gross wells in the trend, approximately 93% of. During the year ended December 31, 2011, its average daily production were 7,499 barrels of oil equivalent per day. As of December 31, 2011, it had a total of 974 gross vertical drilling locations, including 115 related to acreage under option, in the trend. As of December 31, 2011, the Company�� properties included approximately 92 gross active producing wells, 95% of, which it operate, and in which it held an average working interest of approximately 99% across its 77,100 net acre leasehold. During March 31, 2012, the Company continued its drilling program, spudding 14 wells, of which nine are producing, three are being drilled and two are waiting to be completed. As of December 331, 2011, it averaged daily production is approximately 9,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day.

Pine Prairie

The Company�� properties in the Pine Prairie area represented 46% of its total proved reserves as of December 31, 2011. During 2011, the Company�� average production from these properties was 3,793 net barrels of oil equ! ivalent per day, consisting of 2,143 barrels of oil, 565 barrels of natural gas liquidations (NGLs) and 6,508 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. As of December 31, 2011, it held an average working interest and average net revenue interest of 92.2% and 68.9%, respectively, on its acreage in Pine Prairie area. The Company has an additional 194 identified drilling locations in this area based primarily on 10-acre spacing.

South Bearhead Creek/Oretta

The Company�� properties in the South Bearhead Creek/Oretta area represented 20.3% of its total proved reserves as of December 31, 2011. During 2011, the Company�� average production from these properties was 4,367 net barrels of oil equivalent per day, consisting of 2,196 barrels of oil, 438 barrels of NGLs and 10,396 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. During 2011, these wells produced at an average daily rate of 2,413 net barrels of oil equivalent per day. As of December 31, 2011, it held an average working interest and average net revenue interest of 100% and 78.5%, respectively, on its acreage in South Bearhead Creek/Oretta area. The Company has an additional 43 identified drilling locations in this area based primarily on 40-acre spacing.

West Gordon

The Company�� properties in the West Gordon area represented 21% of its total proved reserves as of December 31, 2011. During 2011, the Company�� average production from these properties was 1,002 net barrels of oil equivalent per day, consisting of 617 barrels of oil, 68 barrels of NGLs and 1,901 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. As of December 31, 2011, it held an average working interest and average net revenue interest of 95.9% and 71.2%, respectively, on its acreage in West Gordon area. The Company has an additional 74 identified drilling locations in this area based primarily on 40-acre spacing.

North Cowards Gully

The Company�� properties in the North Cowards Gully area represented 11.5% of ! its total! proved reserves as of December 31, 2011. During 2011, the Company�� average production from these properties was 149 net barrels of oil equivalent per day consisting of 103 barrels of oil, 11 barrels of NGLs, and 211 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. As of December 31, 2011, it held an average working interest and average net revenue interest of 94.3% and 71.2%, respectively, on its acreage in North Cowards Gully area. The Company has an additional 95 identified drilling locations in this area based primarily on 40-acre spacing.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By The Energy Report]

  Onshore, my favorite play is the Utica Shale, in which my top plays are Gulfport Energy Corp. (GPOR) and Rex Energy Corp. (REXX). Both companies have highly economic acreage, solid balance sheets and industry-leading production growth. I also like Rex Energy for its likely production upside. Another one of my favorite plays is the Eagle Ford Shale, in which my top plays are Penn Virginia Corp. (PVA) and Sanchez Energy Corp. (SN). Both have core acreage in the region, improving operating results and experienced management. Another favorite name of mine is Midstates Petroleum Co. Inc. (MPO). The company has assets in three solid plays and a management team with a long successful track record. Those are my favorite names at this time.

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  One energy player that's starting to move within range of triggering a major breakout trade is Midstates Petroleum (MPO), an independent exploration and production company focused on the application of modern drilling and completion techniques to oil-prone resources. This stock is off to a rough start in 2013, with shares off by 30%.

  If you look at the chart for Midstates Petroleum, you'll notice that this stock has recently come out of a nasty downtrend that took shares from over $8 to its low of $4.26 a share. Shares of MPO have started to find some buying interest over the last month at $4.44, 4.26 and $4.48 a share, as the stock has held those levels on recent pullbacks. This could be signaling that a bottom is forming for MPO, since the downside volatility looks over. Shares of MPO are now rebounding strong off those support levels and are quickly moving within range of triggering a major breakout trade.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in MPO if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $4.82 a share and then once it takes out its 50-day moving average at $5.30 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 542,939 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then MPO will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $6 to its 200-day moving average of $6.54 a share.

  Traders can look to buy MPO off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some key near-term support levels at $4.48 or $4.26 a share. One can also buy MPO off strength once it takes out those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

Top 5 Asian Companies To Watch For 2014: ING Groep NV (INGA)

ING Groep N.V. (ING) is a global financial institution offering banking, investments, life insurance and retirement services to meet the needs of the customers. The Company�� segments include banking and insurance. Banking segment includes retail Netherlands, retail Belgium, ING direct, retail central Europe (CE), retail Asia, commercial banking (excluding real estate), ING real estate and corporate line banking. Insurance segment includes insurance Benelux, insurance central and rest of Europe (CRE), insurance United States (US), Insurance US closed block VA, insurance Asia/Pacific, ING investment management (IM) and corporate line insurance. In November 2013, the Company completed the sale of ING Hipotecaria to Banco Santander (Mexico), S.A. In December 2013, the Company completed the sale of its 33.3% interest in China Merchants Fund to its joint venture partners China Merchants Bank Co Ltd and China Merchants Securities Co Ltd, and divested ING Life Korea to MBK Partners. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sofia Horta e Costa]

  ING (INGA), which received a 10 billion-euro government bailout in 2008, gained 5.1 percent to 8.26 euros. Underlying pretax profit for the banking unit rose 14 percent to 1.15 billion euros in the second quarter as the interest margin improved and cost cuts paid off, the biggest Dutch financial-services company said.

Top 5 Asian Companies To Watch For 2014: Blyth Inc. (BTH)

Blyth, Inc. operates as a direct to consumer marketing company in North America, Europe, and Australia. The company operates in three segments: Health & Wellness, Candles & Home D茅cor, and Catalog & Internet. The Health & Wellness segment offers a suite of weight-management products, nutritional supplements, and energy drinks under the ViSalus Sciences, ViSalus, and Body by Vi Challenge brands primarily through its independent promoters. The Candles & Home D茅cor segment sells food and recipe products, candles, reed diffusers, and other home fragrance products and related decorative accessories under the PartyLite, GloLite by PartyLite, and Two Sisters Gourmet by PartyLite names through independent sales consultants. The Catalog & Internet segment develops and markets an array of decorative and functional household products, personalized cards, gifts, food products, and health and wellness products under the Miles Kimball, Walter Drake, As We Change, Easy Comforts, and Ex posures brands through its Websites, catalogs, and direct mail campaigns. Blyth, Inc. was founded in 1976 and is headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Blyth�(BTH) has gained 10% to $14.25 this morning in what could be a short squeeze.

  Packaging Corp. of America�(PKG) has jumped 6.3% to $57.99 after it said it would buy Boise (BZ) for $1.28 billion. Boise has gained 26% to $12.55.

• [By John Udovich]

  Small cap NYSE stocks Blyth, Inc (NYSE: BTH), ITT Educational Services, Inc (NYSE: ESI) and U.S. Silica Holdings Inc (NYSE: SLCA) had the highest short interest as of late September according to HighShortInterest.com with short interest of 56.80%, 55.73% and 40.22%, respectively. However, shorting a stock can be a dangerous business as the bears can and do sometimes get mauled by the bulls. With that in mind, let�� take a look at why the bulls or the bears may be right or wrong about these three shorted small cap NYSE stocks:�

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Another non-cyclical consumer goods player that insiders are active in here is Blyth (BTH), which designs and markets home fragrance products and decorative accessories, as well as weight management products, nutritional supplements and energy drinks. Insiders are buying this stock into weakness, since shares are down by 22% so far in 2013.

  Blyth has a market cap of $193 million and an enterprise value of $156 million. This stock trades at a reasonable valuation, with a price-to-sales of 0.19 and a price-to-book of 4.21. This is a cash-rich company, since the total cash position on its balance sheet is $172.96 million and its total debt is $127.98 million. This stock currently sports a dividend yield of 1.6%.

  A beneficial owner just bought 20,000 shares, or $246,000 worth of stock, at $12.34 per share.

  From a technical perspective, BTH is currently trending above its 50-day moving average and below its 200-day moving average, which is neutral trendwise. This stock has recently pulled back after trading just above its 200-day moving average at $14.60 a share to its intraday low of $12.05 a share. That pullback is pushing shares of BTH very close to its 50-day moving average of $11.48 a share. If that level holds off this pullback, then shares of BTH could present a solid buying opportunity.

  If you're in the bull camp on BTH, then look for long-biased trades as long as this stock is trending above is 50-day at $11.48 and then once it breaks out above some near-term overhead resistance at $13.09 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 287,505 shares. If we get that move soon, then BTH will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $14.60 to $15.69 a share. Any high-volume move above those levels will then put $17 to $20 into range for shares of BTH.