Allstate shares are cheap, despite their recent rise. One analyst thinks that they can reach 40 over the next 12 months, from a recent level of about 25.

At 25, Home Depot's battered stock price looks like a bargain as a leveraged play on an economic rebound beginning over the next 12 months or so. Upside should take it to the 30's.

Investors enamored of the auto industry probably would do better with common stock or debt of Ford or shares of strong foreign car makers like Daimler (DAI), BMW, Honda (HMC) and Toyota (TM).

Investors enamored of the auto industry probably would do better with common stock or debt of Ford or shares of strong foreign car makers like Daimler (DAI), BMW, Honda (HMC) and Toyota (TM).

Investors enamored of the auto industry probably would do better with common stock or debt of Ford or shares of strong foreign car makers like Daimler (DAI), BMW, Honda (HMC) and Toyota (TM).

The ratio of a barrel of crude to a thousand cubic feet of natural gas last week rose above 18-to-1, a rather elevated level not seen since the 1990-'91 period. This reflects the way that commodities that travel easily across the globe -- oil, crops, copper -- have been bid up aggressively by investors betting on another go-round of the "gluttonous China" trade, in which free money and fast Asian growth fuels a boom in materials. Natural gas remains a mostly regional good, especially as captured by the traded futures and the ETF. Bespoke Investment Group points out that each of the three times the oil/gas ratio topped 18 in 1990-'91, it proved a good time to bet on gas relative to crude. Twice, the subsequent outperformance of gas was dramatic, the other time merely impressive. This probably won't go unnoticed too long, which could mean that it makes sense to own UNG outright, or versus a short position in the U.S. Oil Fund (USO).

The ratio of a barrel of crude to a thousand cubic feet of natural gas last week rose above 18-to-1, a rather elevated level not seen since the 1990-'91 period. This reflects the way that commodities that travel easily across the globe -- oil, crops, copper -- have been bid up aggressively by investors betting on another go-round of the "gluttonous China" trade, in which free money and fast Asian growth fuels a boom in materials. Natural gas remains a mostly regional good, especially as captured by the traded futures and the ETF. Bespoke Investment Group points out that each of the three times the oil/gas ratio topped 18 in 1990-'91, it proved a good time to bet on gas relative to crude. Twice, the subsequent outperformance of gas was dramatic, the other time merely impressive. This probably won't go unnoticed too long, which could mean that it makes sense to own UNG outright, or versus a short position in the U.S. Oil Fund (USO).

After plunging earlier this year, Plantronics ' shares (PLT) have more than doubled over the past three months. The company cut staff, lined up cheaper manufacturing in China, reported good earnings and then raised guidance higher than expectations. The Voyager Pro can't help but add to those gains.