According to recent news reports out of the World Bank, China is now the world's number two economy, passing Japan.

China's fast-growing economy has been moving forward at more than 10% a year for many years and is likely to become the world's largest economic superpower, bypassing America by 2025, or maybe even as soon as 2017 as I pointed out recently.

Last time I wrote about Newell Rubbermaid (NWL), in a piece published way back in January, I was a bit too conservative on the stock's short-term prospects. As this chart will show, the shares eventually rose for a while after the fourth-quarter report was released.

However, they have pulled back somewhat from the 52-week high of $17.96. The company closed Friday's session at a price of $15.50, representing a very modest decline in reaction to the second-quarter earnings numbers that were released before the market was open for business.

This recession is very different from any since the Depression. Normal events just aren't happening, ones like a rebound in housing prices, shorter unemployment periods, interest rates bouncing back. The severity of the economic slowdown continues to grind on, and investors who thought along the lines of a "normal" recovery have been disappointed so far as there's nothing normal happening.

"Ya'll oughta try some of this here fried chicken; you ain't gonna believe it!" "Xie-Xie!" (pronounced "she-she") That is Chinese for thank you. From the hills of Kentucky, the Colonial Sanders secret recipe has made a splash in China. While it is well known a lot of the stuff you buy at Walmart (WMT) is made in China; what you may not know is that China is crazy for KFC.

You may not think anything of going out for Chinese with your friends and practice eating with chopsticks; when the Chinese go out with their friends to practice eating with a fork; KFC seems to be a popular option.

Drug manufacturer Allergan, Inc. (AGN) will be reporting its second quarter results on Monday, with analysts expecting to see an 8% earnings increase from the same period last year.

Analysts have forecast earnings of $0.81 for the quarter, versus $0.75 during the same period last year.

Allergan has managed to outpace analyst estimates for each of the past six quarters, and has not failed to at least match estimates since the first quarter of 2007.

Two weeks ago, BP plc (BP) was able to stop oil from spilling into the Gulf of Mexico. The company announced today that it was time to being scaling back on the cleanup process.

Since the spill began back in April, there has been over eleven million feet of boom deployed in the Gulf, but these only last for a certain number of tide cycles, and in areas where the company feels that beaches are not in danger, the boom will be removed.

Avon Products (AVP) does not have a beautiful chart. It shows a stock that has had trouble making a breakout to the upside. The boring range is defined by a low of $25 and a high of $36.39.

On Thursday, the company reported second-quarter data. Sales rose 8%. On an adjusted basis, net income was 48 cents per share; this compares very nicely to the 38 cents per share booked in the year-ago period. Analysts were hoping for 45 cents per share. Operational cash flow over the last two quarters more than tripled to $241 million.

The outlook for oil, like Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke's evaluation of U.S. economy's prospects, looks "unusually uncertain."

In the past two months, oil has rallied out of lows near $68 per barrel, only to stall as it neared $80. Moreover, repeated, July probes of $80 have failed -- a technically bearish development.

Oil also recently registered a "death-cross," -- a technical pattern in which the key, 50-day moving average crosses below the 200-day moving average. However, at that point, just when it looked like oil was about to make a return trip to $68, crude held support at $70, and started heading north again.

A U.S. economic recovery in doubt means new car auto sales forecasts are in doubt, which is good news if you own shares of auto parts chain AutoZone Inc. (AZO). I first discussed AutoZone here on March 30, 2009, at a price of $163.40.

AutoZone is benefiting from a recession-related trend: Adults unable to buy a new car are maintaining their existing used cars; others are purchasing a used car instead of a new one. Each trend is bullish for AutoZone.

As a result, look for AutoZone to post revenue growth of 5% to 7%, boosted by both same-store sales growth and about 200 new stores. Margins should widen.

"We've had some good luck recently in the bond arena; now I've found another trading opportunity: Templeton Global Income Fund (GIM), a global government bond fund that yields 5.6%," says growth and income expert Richard Band.

The editor of Profitable Investing explains, "The fund is run by one of the finest international bond managers, Dr. Michael Hasenstab. Plus, I think we're in for a nice capital gain as the dollar settles down from its torrid run against most foreign currencies.

"Over the past decade, this closed-end fund has rolled up a sizzling total return of 235% at net asset value (through mid-June). Meanwhile, the S&P 500 stock index has lost 11%, even with reinvested dividends.

I remember six years ago when the Beastie Boys released their newest album. It dealt with New York City and what it meant to the group -- hence the title, "To the 5 Boroughs." It seems that athletic shoe and apparel giant Nike (NKE) also will attempt to capitalize on the pride generated in each of the city's five boroughs, as it will release a limited edition line of shoes celebrating each of the boroughs.

These shoes will only be sold in New York, with select stores in each borough receiving the corresponding shoe. These shoes were produced for the inaugural World Basketball Festival that will take place from August 12 through August 15. The selected stores in Brooklyn will receive shoes with a black, plum, and white color scheme; a logo for the borough; and laces that identify the shoes as the Brooklyn edition.