FINRA Plans Cybersecurity Exam Sweep

Fulfilling its promise to scrutinize broker-dealers’ cybersecurity policies this year, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority has issued a targeted exam letter to firms stating that the self-regulator is assessing how firms manage cybersecurity threats.

In the exam letter, FINRA states that it is conducting its assessment “in light of the critical role information technology (IT) plays in the securities industry, the increasing threat to firms' IT systems from a variety of sources, and the potential harm to investors, firms and the financial system as a whole that these threats pose.”

Specifically, FINRA says it will be looking at firms' policies in the following areas:

—approaches to information technology risk assessment;
—business continuity plans in case of a cyberattack;
—organizational structures and reporting lines;
—processes for sharing and obtaining information about cybersecurity threats;
—understanding of concerns and threats faced by the industry;
—assessment of the impact of cyberattacks on the firm over the past 12 months;
—approaches to handling distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks;
—training programs;
—insurance coverage for cybersecurity-related events; and
—contractual arrangements with third-party service providers

FINRA says it has four broad goals in performing its assessment:

 

The Securities and Exchange Commission will also be assessing advisors cybersecurity procedures during exams it conducts this year.

Meanwhile, the House Committee on Homeland Security unanimously approved on Wednesday H.R. 3696, the National Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure Protection Act of 2013.

The bill was sent to the full House for consideration.

The committee said in a statement that the Act “addresses the cyber threat by giving the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) the tools to secure our nation in cyberspace, while protecting privacy and civil liberties and prohibiting any new regulations at DHS.”

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Check out House Committee OKs Cybersecurity Bill on ThinkAdvisor.

Top 5 Managed Healthcare Companies To Own For 2015

Most European stocks declined, after the Stoxx Europe 600 Index posted the longest winning streak in 15 months, as investors awaited a Nov. 20 publication of Federal Open Market Committee minutes. U.S. index futures were little changed, and Asian shares rose.

Petrofac Ltd. plunged 15 percent, the most in almost five years. Korian fell 3.8 percent after agreeing to buy Medica SA (MDCA) for 1.1 billion euros ($1.5 billion). Aberdeen Asset Management Plc jumped 13 percent after Lloyds Banking Group Plc agreed to sell its Scottish Widows Investment Partnership unit to the money manager. Sonova Holding AG advanced 6.9 percent as the world�� largest hearing-aid maker raised its full-year forecast after first-half revenue beat analyst estimates.

The Stoxx 600 was little changed at 323.15 at 9:49 a.m. in London. The benchmark gauge rose for six straight weeks as signs emerged the Federal Reserve won�� rush to reduce the pace of its stimulus, outweighing data that showed the euro-area economic recovery is faltering. Standard & Poor�� 500 Index futures fell less than 0.1 percent, while the MSCI Asia Pacific Index gained 1.1 percent as China vowed to carry out the broadest plan for economic reform since at least the 1990s.

Top 5 Managed Healthcare Companies To Own For 2015: Touchdown Capital Inc(TDW.V)

Touchdown Resources Inc., an exploration stage company, engages in acquiring, exploring, and developing mineral prospects in Canada. It primarily explores for molybdenum, gold, and base metals. The company holds interests in the Sphinx and Jodi properties consisting of 15,400 hectares located west of Kimberly, British Columbia; McFarlane Lake Property comprising 3 mineral claims that consist of 22 units covering 352 hectares located in Broder Township, Ontario; and the Caribou property comprising 15 mineral claims located in the Caribou Mining Division of British Columbia. It also holds options to acquire a 80% interest in the Argyle gold project located west of Kirkland Lake, northern Ontario; a 100% in the Whitney property located in the central portion of Whitney township; and a 100% interests in 4 mineral claims located in Porcupine Mining Division, Ontario. The company was formerly known as Touchdown Capital Inc. and changed its name to Touchdown Resources Inc. in Mar ch 2010. Touchdown Resources Inc. was incorporated in 2005 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Top 5 Managed Healthcare Companies To Own For 2015: ESSAR ENERGY PLC ORD GBP0.05 WI(ESSR.L)

Essar Energy plc operates as an energy company in India. Its Power segment operates gas and liquid fuel based power plants. This segment has four operational power plants in India and one in Algoma, Canada. The company?s Exploration and Production segment owns a portfolio of 17 blocks for the exploration and production of oil and gas in India, Australia, Indonesia, Madagascar, Nigeria, and Vietnam. Its Refinery and Marketing segment engages in the refining of crude oil and trading, marketing, and transportation of finished products and by products. This segment owns a petroleum refinery on the west coast of India, together with a 50% interest in a petroleum refinery in Kenya, and fuel retailing stations on franchise. Its principal products include gasoil, motor spirit, fuel oil, and kerosene oil. This segment operates approximately 1,385 retail outlets. The company was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in Port Louis, Mauritius. Essar Energy plc is a subsidiary of Essar Global Limited.

Top 10 Financial Stocks To Watch Right Now: Open Joint Stock Company "Vimpel-Communications"(VIP)

VimpelCom Ltd. operates as an integrated telecommunications services provider, offering voice and data services through a range of wireless, fixed, and broadband technologies. It provides its services under the Beeline, Kyivstar, djuice, Wind, Infostrada Mobilink, Leo, Banglalink, Telecel, Mobinil, koryolink, Allo, and Djezzy brands. The company also offers roaming services that allows its subscribers and the customers of other mobile operators to receive and make international, local, and long distance calls while outside of their home network. In addition, it provides mobile telecommunications, as well as fixed-line, data, and long distance licenses. As of December 31, 2010, the company had 92.7 million mobile subscribers. It offers its services in Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Armenia, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Algeria, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Burundi, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Central African Republic, Italy, and Canada. VimpelCom Ltd. is headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Roberto Pedone]

    VimpelCom (VIP) provides voice, data and other telecommunication services through an array of wireless, fixed and broadband internet services, as well as selling equipment and accessories. This stock closed up 4.4% at $10.32 in Wednesday's trading session.

    Wednesday's Volume: 2.62 million

    Three-Month Average Volume: 1.03 million

    Volume % Change: 230%

    Shares of VIP ripped higher on Wednesday after Deutsche Bank upgrade the stock to buy from hold citing valuation following the company's second-quarter results.

    From a technical perspective, VIP ripped higher here back above its 50-day moving average of $10.09 with strong upside volume. This stock recently formed a double bottom chart pattern at $9.75 to $9.78. Following that bottom, shares of VIP have started to spike higher and quickly move within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade. That trade will hit if VIP manages to take out some near-term overhead resistance levels at $10.64 to $11 with high volume.

    Traders should now look for long-biased trades in VIP as long as it's trending above its 50-day at $10.09 or above more support at $9.78 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that this near or above 1.03 million shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then VIP will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $11.38 to $11.82.

  • [By Dan Radovsky]

    Anybody who wants to buy an iPhone in Russia needn't bother going to any of the Russian mobile operators. VimpleCom (NASDAQ: VIP  ) , the last Russian telecom offering the iPhone, has just hung up on Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) , according to Russian language website Hi-Tech Mail.

  • [By Eric Volkman]

    VimpelCom (NASDAQ: VIP  ) is to pass along a pair of payouts for its shareholders. Simultaneously, the company declared both a regular and a special dividend. For the former, the telecom will distribute $0.35, and for the latter, $0.79 per American depositary share. The company expects to pay both by May 15 to shareholders of record as of April 29.

Top 5 Managed Healthcare Companies To Own For 2015: Sarepta Therapeutics Inc (SRPT.W)

Sarepta Therapeutics Inc., formerly AVI BioPharma, Inc., incorporated on July 22, 1980, biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of ribonucleic acid (RNA)-based therapeutics for the treatment of rare and infectious diseases. The Company�� product candidates include Eteplirsen, AVI-6002, AVI-6003, and AVI-7100. As of December 31, 2011, the Company primarily focused on advancing the development of its Duchenne muscular dystrophy drug candidates, including its lead product candidate, eteplirsen, which is in a Phase IIb trial. The Company is also focused on developing therapeutics for the treatment of infectious diseases, including its lead infectious disease programs aimed at the development of drug candidates for the Ebola and Marburg hemorrhagic fever viruses. The Company's program focuses on the development of disease-modifying therapeutic candidates for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). The Company initiated a Phase IIb trial for eteplirsen in August 2011 with an objective of initiating a pivotal trial subsequent to 2011.

The Company is also leveraging the capabilities of its RNA-based technology platforms to develop therapeutics for the treatment of infectious diseases. The Company's RNA-based drug programs are clinically evaluated for the treatment of DMD and have also demonstrated anti-viral activity in infectious diseases such as Ebola, Marburg and H1N1 influenza in certain animal models. The Company's lead product candidates are at various stages of development.

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Program

The Company's lead program is designed to address specific gene mutations that result in DMD by forcing the genetic machinery to skip over an adjacent contiguous piece of RNA and, thus, restore the ability of the cell to express a new, truncated but functional, dystrophin protein.

Eteplirsen is an antisense PMO-based therapeutic in clinical development for the treat ment of individuals with DMD who have an error in the gene ! c! oding for dystrophin that can be treated by skipping exon 51. Eteplirsen targets the frequent series of mutations that cause DMD. Eteplirsen has been granted orphan drug designation in the United States and European Union. In addition to the Company's lead product candidate, eteplirsen, the Company is actively pursues development of a product candidate that skips exon 45 through an IND-enabling collaboration.

Anti-Viral Programs

The Company is implementing its RNA-based technology platforms in its anti-viral programs for the development of therapeutics to treat viruses, such as Ebola, Marburg and influenza. The Company's arrangement with DoD supporting the development of the Company's Ebola and Marburg virus drug candidates provides funding for all clinical and licensure activities necessary to obtain approval of a New Drug Application (NDA), by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), if DoD exercises all of its options under the arra ngement. During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company paused its clinical development efforts on AVI-7100 and is exploring funding opportunities or partnerships with DHHS and industry collaborators to advance its development.

The Company's anti-viral therapeutic programs use the Company's translation suppression technology and applies its PMOplus chemistry backbone, an advanced generation of its base PMO chemistry backbone that selectively introduces positive backbone charges to improve selective interaction between the drug and its target. The Company's translation suppressing technology is based on Translation Suppressing Oligomers (TSOs), which are PMO-based compounds that stop or suppress the translation of a specific protein by binding to their specific target sequence in mRNA.

The Company is pursuing development and regulatory approval of its Ebola and Marburg hemorrhagic fever virus product candidates under the FDA's Animal Rule. The Company's lead product candidate against the Ebola viru! s in! fec! tion i! s AVI-6002. For Marburg virus infection, the Company's lead product candidate has been AVI-6003. In February 2012, the Company announced that the Company received approval from the FDA to remove one of the two oligomers composing AVI-6003 and proceed with a single oligomer approach, AVI-7288, given that efficacy in non-human primates has been demonstrated to be attributable to this single oligomer. The Company is exploring the feasibility of alternate routes of administration of its Ebola and Marburg drug candidates, and at DoD's invitation, the Company is developing a proposal to be submitted for a study to demonstrates feasibility of the intramuscular route.

AVI-6002, which is a combination of AVI-7537 and AVI-7539, is designed for post-exposure prophylaxis after documented or suspected exposure to the Ebola virus. The Company is evaluating the feasibility of developing AVI-7537 as a single agent for the post-exposure prophylaxis after documented or suspected exposure to Ebola virus. AVI-6003, which is a combination of AVI-7287 and AVI-7288, is designed for post-exposure prophylaxis after documented or suspected exposure to Marburg virus. In February 2012, the Company announced that the Company received approval from the FDA to proceed with AVI-7288 as a single agent against Marburg virus infection. The Company intends to proceed with dosing AVI-7288 in the Phase I multiple ascending dose studies and in non-human primate studies.

Influenza Program

The Company's anti-viral therapeutic programs are also focused on the development of the Company's product candidates designed to treat pandemic influenza viruses. AVI-7100 is the Company's lead product candidate for the treatment of influenza and employs its PMOplus technology. In June 2011, the Company initiated dosing of AVI-7100 through intravenous infusion in single-ascending doses in up to 48 healthy adult volunteers. As of December 31, 2011, the Company paused its clinical development efforts on AVI-7100 ! and are !! exploring! funding opportunities or partnerships to advance its development.

The Company has developed three new phosphorodiamidate-linked morpholino oligomers (PMO)-based chemistry platforms in addition to its original PMO-based technology. The Company's PMO-based molecules are designed to sterically block the access of cellular machinery to pre-mRNA and mRNA without degrading the RNA. Through this selective targeting, two distinct biologic mechanisms of action can be initiated: modulation of pre-mRNA splicing and inhibition of mRNA translation.

The Company competes with GlaxoSmithKline plc, Toyama Chemical, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Tekmira Pharmaceuticals Corp., Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Prosensa, and Santaris Pharma A/S.

Top 5 Managed Healthcare Companies To Own For 2015: Bacanora Minerals Ltd (BCN.V)

Bacanora Minerals Ltd. engages in the exploration of mineral properties. It holds certain exploration and development stage borate and other mining claims in the Magdalena and Tubutama regions in the northern Sonora State of Mexico. The company is based in Calgary, Canada.

Top 5 Managed Healthcare Companies To Own For 2015: Phos (FOS.TO)

PhosCan Chemical Corp., a development stage company, engages in acquiring, exploring, and developing mineral and natural resource properties in Canada. It holds a 100% interest in the Martison Phosphate project consisting of phosphate deposits located in north of Hearst, Ontario. The company was formerly known as MCK Mining Corp. and changed its name to PhosCan Chemical Corp. in July 2006. PhosCan Chemical Corp. was founded in 1994 and is based in Toronto, Canada.

Top 5 Managed Healthcare Companies To Own For 2015: Ginguro Exploration Inc (GEG.V)

Ginguro Exploration Inc. engages in the acquisition, exploration, and advancement of gold, precious metal, and base metal properties in Canada and Chile. It holds interests in the Pardo, Four Corners, and Grigg/Fraleck gold properties located in Sudbury, Ontario; and the El Alto iron oxide-copper-gold property situated north of Santiago. The company was incorporated in 2005 and is based in Sudbury, Canada.

Top 5 Managed Healthcare Companies To Own For 2015: Sqi Diagnostics Inc (SQD.V)

SQI Diagnostics Inc., a life sciences company, develops and commercializes proprietary technologies and custom products for microarray and multiplexed diagnostics. The company offers SQiDworks diagnostics platform, a multiplex immunoassay instrument that automates the process of sample pipetting, serum dilution, plate incubation, washing, drying, and reporting of various assay marker results for each patient sample; QuantiSpot rheumatoid arthritis assay RA panel; and Celiac IgXPLEX assay, an anti-tissue transglutaminase. Its products under development include SQiDLITE platform and SQiDman analyzer; autoimmune vasculitis 4-plex; autoimmune thyroid panel 3-plex; anti-phospholipid syndrome panel 9-plex; IBD/Crohn�s panel 4-plex; IgX PLEX Lupus panel; IgX PLEX Celiac DGP panel; and IgX PLEX TNF assay, as well as IVDPlus-Plex assays that enables to multiplex diagnostic biomarkers simultaneously with therapeutic markers and drug efficacy markers for the purpose of patient thera peutic monitoring. The company also provides custom array printing, assay development, and scalable automation services. It serves clinical, academic, and diagnostic development laboratories; research laboratories; medical diagnostics manufacturers; and pharmaceutical companies. The company is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

Top 5 Managed Healthcare Companies To Own For 2015: (CTEI)

Cemtrex, Inc. designs, engineers, assembles, and sells emission monitoring equipment and instruments, and air filtration and environmental control products to power plants, refineries, chemical plants, and cement plants, as well as to municipalities, hospitals, and federal and state governmental agencies. Its emission monitoring systems are installed at the exhaust stacks of industrial facilities and are used to measure the outlet flue gas concentrations of regulated pollutants. The company offers opacity monitors for stack opacity and dust measurements; direct-extractive and dilution-extractive continuous emission monitor equipment and systems that are applicable for utilities, industrial boilers, FGD systems, SCR-NOx control, furnaces, gas turbines, process heaters, incinerators, and process controls; ammonia analyzers for monitoring ammonia, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur dioxide by process analyzers that utilize UV absorbance techniques for detection; and mercury analyzer s. It also provides a line of air filtration and environmental control equipment to remove dust, corrosive fumes, mists, hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds, submicron particles, and particulate from industrial exhausts and boilers; clean noxious and acid gases from industrial exhaust stacks prior to discharging to the atmosphere; and control emissions from construction facilities, mining operations, and dryer exhausts. In addition, the company markets technologies for controlling greenhouse gases, such as methane from coal mines; and assists project owners in selling carbon credits. Further, it offers replacement and spare parts, and repair and refurbishment services for emission monitoring systems. The company was formerly known as Diversified American Holding, Inc. and changed its name to Cemtrex, Inc. in December 2004. Cemtrex Inc. was incorporated in 1998 and is based in Farmingdale, New York.

Top 5 Managed Healthcare Companies To Own For 2015: On Assignment Inc.(ASGN)

On Assignment, Inc., a diversified professional staffing firm, provides flexible and permanent staffing solutions in the United States, Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The company?s Life Sciences segment provides contract and permanent life science professionals to clients in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, food and beverage, personal care, chemical, medical device, automotive, municipal, education, and environmental industries. Its contract professionals include chemists, clinical research associates, clinical lab assistants, engineers, biologists, biochemists, microbiologists, molecular biologists, biostatisticians, drug safety specialists, SAS programmers, medical writers, food scientists, regulatory affairs specialists, lab assistants, and other skilled scientific professionals. The company?s Healthcare segment offers locally-based and traveling contract professionals that include nurses, specialty nurses, respiratory therapists, surgical technicians, imaging technicians, X-ray technicians, medical technologists, medical assistants, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, respiratory therapists, phlebotomists, coders, billers, claims processors, and collections staff, as well as dental professionals. This segment serves hospitals, integrated delivery systems, imaging centers, clinics, physician offices, reference laboratories, universities, managed care organizations, and third-party administrators. Its Physician segment provides short and long-term locum tenens services, and full-service physician search and consulting services. The company?s IT and Engineering segment offers high-end contract and direct placement services of information technology and engineering professionals with expertise in specialized information technology; software and hardware engineering; and mechanical, electrical, validation, and telecommunications engineering fields. On Assignment, Inc. was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in Calabasas, Cali fornia.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Seth Jayson]

    Calling all cash flows
    When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on On Assignment (NYSE: ASGN  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

  • [By Brian Pacampara]

    What: Shares of professional staffing firm On Assignment (NYSE: ASGN  ) popped 11% today after its quarterly results and guidance topped Wall Street expectations.

Top 5 Managed Healthcare Companies To Own For 2015: Coronado Biosciences Inc (CNDO)

Coronado Biosciences, Inc., incorporated on June 28, 2006, is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel immunotherapy biologic agents for the treatment of autoimmune diseases and cancer. The Company�� two principal pharmaceutical product candidates in clinical development include Trichuris suis ova or CNDO-201 (TSO) a biologic comprising of the microscopic eggs of the porcine whipworm, for the treatment of autoimmune diseases, such as Crohn�� disease (Crohn��), ulcerative colitis (UC) and multiple sclerosis (MS), and CNDO-109, a compound that activates natural killer (NK) cells of the immune system to seek and destroy cancer cells, for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In January 2011, the Company acquired the OvaMed GmbH License.

TSO

TSO is the microscopic eggs of a parasitic helminth, or worm, that is found in pigs. In September 2011, the Company filed an Investigational New Drug Application (IND) with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and it initiated a single dose, dose escalation study in patients with Crohn�� in February 2012. The Phase 1 clinical trial was a multi-center, sequential dose-escalation, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, the primary objective of which was to evaluate the safety and tolerability of TSO. The trial enrolled 36 patients with Crohn�� ranging in age from 20 to 54 with an equal distribution of male and female patients in three single dose cohorts of orally administered 500, 2500 and 7500 ova. Each cohort had 12 patients, with nine patients receiving TSO and three receiving placebo.

CNDO-109

CNDO-109 is a lysate (disrupted CTV-1 cells, cell membrane fragments, cell proteins and other cellular components) that activates donor NK cells. CTV-1 is a leukemic cell line recently re-classified as a T-cell acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). The Company has worldwide rights to develop and commercialize CNDO-109 activated NK cells for the treatment of cancer fro! m UCLB. In February 2012, the Company submitted an IND for the CNDO-109 activated NK cell product in the United States. The treatment of patients with CNDO-109 activated NK cells involves several steps. The activated NK cells are infused into the patient after resting NK cells are incubated with CNDO-109 for at least eight hours. Preparation of CNDO-109 activated NK cells takes about 24 hours from start to finish.

The Company competes with Centocor Ortho Biotech Inc.�� Remicade , UCB S.A.�� Cimzia, Abbott Laboratories��Humira, Biogen Idec�� Avonex, Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals��Betaseron, Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries, Ltd.�� Copaxone and Novartis AG�� Gilenya.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Roberto Pedone]

    Coronado Biosciences (CNDO) is a biopharmaceutical company focused on novel immunotherapy biologic agents for autoimmune diseases and cancer. This stock closed up 4.9% to $8.22 in Thursday's trading session.

    Thursday's Range: $7.84-$8.29

    52-Week Range: $4.00-$12.70

    Thursday's Volume: 323,000

    Three-Month Average Volume: 390,192

    From a technical perspective, CNDO spiked higher here right above its 200-day moving average of $7.63 with decent upside volume. This stock has been downtrending badly for the last three months, with shares falling from its high of $12.70 to its recent low of $7.32. During that move, shares of CNDO have been consistently making lower highs and lower lows, which is bearish technical price action. Shares of CNDO now look ready to reverse that trend and potentially trigger a near-term breakout trade. That trade will hit if CNDO manages to take out some near-term overhead resistance levels at $8.56 to $8.94 with high volume.

    Traders should now look for long-biased trades in CNDO as long as it's trending above its 200-day at $7.63 or above more support at $7.32 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 390,192 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then CNDO will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $9.50 to $10.35. Any high-volume move above those levels will then put its next major resistance level at $11 into range for shares of CNDO.

Top 5 Managed Healthcare Companies To Own For 2015: Rainmaker Mining Corp (RMG.V)

Rainmaker Mining Corp., an exploration stage company, engages in the exploration, development, and exploitation of mineral and energy related resource properties primarily in Canada. It holds interests in 7 uranium claims covering an area of 21,291 hectares located along the southern margin of the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan; and 100% interest in the Pilot Harbour Property comprising 42 claims located in the Sault St. Marie Mining Division of Ontario. The company was formerly known as Thunder Sword Resources Inc. and changed its name to Rainmaker Mining Corp. on November 20, 2009. Rainmaker Mining Corp. was founded in 1979 and is based in Vancouver, Canada.

Top 5 Managed Healthcare Companies To Own For 2015: News Corporation(NWS)

News Corporation operates as a diversified media company worldwide. Its Cable Network Programming segment produces and licenses news, business news, sports, general entertainment, and movie programming for distribution through cable television systems and direct broadcast satellite operators primarily in the United States, Latin America, Europe, and Asia. The company?s Filmed Entertainment segment produces and acquires live-action and animated motion pictures for distribution and licensing in entertainment media, as well as produces and licenses television programming worldwide. Its Television segment operates 27 broadcast television stations in the United States. The company?s Direct Broadcast Satellite Television segment distributes programming services via satellite and broadband directly to subscribers in Italy. Its Publishing segment provides newspapers and information services, such as publishing national newspapers in the United Kingdom, approximately 146 newspape rs in Australia, and a metropolitan and a national newspaper in the United States; book publishing services, including the publishing of English language books worldwide; and integrated marketing services comprising the publishing of free-standing inserts, which are marketing booklets containing coupons, rebates, and other consumer offers, as well as provides in-store marketing products and services, primarily to consumer packaged goods manufacturers in the United States and Canada. The company also sells advertising, sponsorships, and subscription services on the company?s various digital media properties and outdoor advertising space on various media primarily in Russia and eastern Europe; and provides data systems and professional services that enable teachers to use data to assess student progress and deliver individualized instructions. News Corporation was founded in 1922 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Tom Taulli]

    But MySpace made lots of blunders. The company was slow to open its platform and allow third-party development. And by being a part of News Corp (NWS), MySpace suffered from the weight of the bureaucracy. There was also not a big priority on technical talent.

  • [By Brett Gold]

    The most coveted time period on TV has unquestionably become the post-Super Bowl time slot. Over the past two decades, it's seen everything from established series to promising new ones, each time drawing a huge crowd. In 1999, Fox (a subsidiary of News Corp (NASDAQ: NWS  ) ) gave its post-Super Bowl bump to a pair of animated shows -- one a fan favorite and the other a promising up-and-comer titled Family Guy. Fifteen years and one amazing story later, the show has grown into a proven money-making empire that still hits a chord with audiences.

As NFL Season Draws to an End, Sponsors Fill League’s Pockets Online

The NFL is supposed to make money on TV rights and from major sponsors. Most of these sponsors are among the largest branded companies in the United States. And virtually all of them already have huge consumer bases. However, the NFL has found another way to make money. It sells advertising at NFL.com.

The most recognizable league sponsors for 2013 are led by McDonald’s Corp. (NYSE: MCD) and PepsiCo Inc. (NYSE: PEP). Each has the financial capacity to sponsor the league, as well as to spend tens of millions of dollars outside its sports sponsorships. That should come as no surprise. Both rely on a large portion of the American consumer population for revenue. For the two companies, there is no such thing as overexposure. Consequently, neither of them needs to market to the relatively small audience reached by the NFL’s online site.

The companies that do spend money at NFL.com are unlikely to have the budgets that the largest league sponsors do, and they want an affordable way to more carefully target their messages to the football fan base. This gives the NFL another way to bring in marketing, and NFL.com has been set up to do that.

The NFL’s online business includes avenues for advertisers to use standard Internet ads, video ads and messages aimed at consumers who access NFL.com on portable devices. During the holiday shopping season, the league had managed to lure retailers anxious for sales in their two most important months of the year. At the top of this list is Best Buy Co. Inc. (NYSE: BBY), which uses NFL.com to promote holiday savings. Online marketing is particularly important to Best Buy as its tries to keep customers who have, for several years, moved to Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) to shop for consumer electronics. NFL.com even solicits advertisers for its fantasy football online contents and has gotten Black & Decker to invest in reaching the visitors to this part of the NFL site.

Among all the major sports, the NFL is the largest, based on television rights and money invested by America’s largest consumer-based companies. The league has figured out another way to enrich itself — sell advertising for its online site the way that traditional sports sites do.

Citrus, yeast prominent in Cuvee Speciale

Beer Man is a weekly profile of beers from across the country and around the world.

This week: Cuvee des Trolls Cuvee Speciale

Brasserie Dubuisson, Pipaix, Belgium

www.br-dubuisson.com

This week's beer is an offshoot of the regular Cuvee des Trolls, which is more in the Belgian blonde or pale ale category, though a bit stronger for the styles at 7% ABV. It is also a filtered beer.

The Cuvee Speciale is a half-percent ABV stronger and not filtered, allowing for refermentation in the bottle. Expect a hint of yeast to show up in the aroma and some haziness to the body. The brewery describes the Speciale as a Belgian trippel.

The pour produces a head that quickly forms a billowy cloud, but with a density that gives it some staying power. The aroma is of pale malts, some citrus notes and the aforementioned yeast, which is more like what you notice when bread dough is rising.

The flavor is again of pale grain, lemon more than orange, candi sugar and a slight Belgian yeast funkiness in the aftertaste. Nothing rough like tobacco or leather, but enough to give it that native Belgian character. The hops are minimal and grassy.

The carbonation is fizzy, not quite champagne-like, but more than is typical for a Belgian trippel. The sugars also are a bit more than usual, but go well with the carbonation, stopping short of putting the ale in soda territory. This is a good beer to accompany fruit before dinner or fruit desserts afterward.

The Dubuisson brewery started on a farm estate and produced beer for the workers and villagers. The family decided to devote itself purely to brewing in 1931 and two years later introduced Bush beer, which is still being made. It later started the Scaldis and Cuvee des Trolls brands. Exports now account for more than 25% of its production.

Dubuisson beers are imported by Vanberg & Dewulf of Cooperstown, N.Y., and distributed in most states. While V&D does not have a specific beer finder link, it does have Web addresses! for all of its distributors, which is located here.

Check out the Scaldis offerings at the same time — it is an excellent brand and bottles of Scaldis de Noel should be on the shelves by now.

Many beers are available only regionally. Check the brewer's website, which often contains information on product availability. Contact Todd Haefer at beerman@postcrescent.com. To read previous Beer Man columns Click here.