I first wrote about PepsiCo (PEP) on March 13, 2009, at a price of $48.62. The stock continued to meander near $65 during the winter, but I still like the business model at this stage. Here's why:

In 2011, Pepsi's revenue will likely increase about 4% to 6%, aided by the acquisition of bottlers Pepsi Bottling Co. and PepsiAmericas. PEP should register a 5% to 8% revenue gain for 2011.

Money transfer service Western Union (WU), which I first discussed here on July 9, 2009, at a price of $16.49, continues to ascend, and I still favor the shares. WU cleared psychological resistance at $20 this winter.

In 2011, Western Union will likely generate 3% to 5% revenue growth in 2011, after a modest 1% to 2% rise in 2010.

By now, most investors have heard the rallying cry of this market: "Just buy the dip!" However, the tape has been so strong that it can sometimes be difficult to find substantial dips that provide a good, low-risk entry point to begin building a position. But some potentially promising opportunities do exist. The first of these is an ETF that tracks the Indian stock market -- the iPath MSCI India Index ETN (INP).

This ETF has lost around 13% over the last three months and a little more than 4% during the last month. Year-to-date, it is down more than 14% as Indian stocks have been hurt by interest rate hikes, which have been instituted to try to tame inflation.

We are only one month into the new year and there have not been many dull moments. Games are going on in the Middle East and they are not the friendly kind. In Egypt a million plus protesters are playing a game of chicken with the Mubarak government demanding he step down from his 32-year-old reign as perpetual president.

This is not radical Islam fundamentalists; it is even more fundamental. The people want to improve their daily lives in a meaningful way. Education, infrastructure, clean water and clean streets. Speaking of infrastructure and getting back to the less dramatic but still important great stock picks Telefonica (TEF) and General Electric (GE) were the big winners so far bouncing over 10% in January.

This is the fifth year that I am posting my stock picks for the year. There is a lot of foolishness in doing so because each year that I have made such suggestions, including 2009 when I owned all of the picks, it is assumed that I would hold all of the positions without responding to market conditions, or changes in the specific company. No adding to, or cutting a position. This is not the real world.

It is not possible for everything to remain static. For example, you might find that you hold a stock that made a great run through three quarters, beyond your wildest expectations, and decide it has passed a point where the metrics cannot support anything close to the price. Under normal circumstances you might sell it, except you cannot. By the end of the year the profit you might have realized fades away and you end up reporting on something that is not a true measure of your objective strategy. Nevertheless, once again I will stick with this approach because this seems to be how its done in every publication's annual picks. This year there are eleven.

By Jamie Dlugosch

Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have been successful for us as of late, but it appears that a pause may be around the corner.

One of the biggest mistakes investors can make is to project their own personal situation to the market or stocks in general. If times are tough the assumption is that times are tough everywhere and stocks will likely falter. All sorts of emotions including envy and jealousy can come out of the woodwork when things aren't going well personally.

During the second quarter I wrote a series of stories about stocks that might interest "my pal Warren" in the global market. One such stock in the June 24 post was National Grid PLC (NGG), which closed Friday October 8 at $45.43.

At the time of the recommendation, the stock was at $37.81. It was 33% off its high and, besides strong fundamentals, is a company that resembles Berkshire Hathaway's (BRK.A) Mid-American utility holdings. I thought it would be a good fit for further integration and growth of this division, given that both also have British and U.S. enterprises.

Penny stock investing doesn't have to be a crap shoot on long-shot stocks. Done well, penny stocks can be a great way to diversify your portfolio and really amp up your investment profits. While penny stock investing can be risky, it can also be very rewarding.

I recommend finding bargain penny stocks traded on major exchanges, for no less than $1 a share and with a proven track record. These penny stock investments should show significant earnings growth and strong buying pressure behind shares, increasing the likelihood that these stocks will be on the way up in the very near future.

It's all well and good to say a stock posting improving earnings is a good buy with upside potential. But how much upside? The truth is that picking stocks capable of dramatic gains -- potentially as much as doubling your money -- is much harder. That's because charts don't offer much information for big moves like this, and efficient market theory argues against such short-term performance.

But finding doublers, while difficult, is not impossible.

High-priced stocks are certainly not right for every investor, but for those who are willing to dive into pricey shares, it's important to know if the risk will be worth the reward. With the right pick, a high-priced stock with a solid outlook can translate into a high-value investment.

Here are three stocks to buy with shares trading well into triple-digits that would not surprise with a steady rise in current asking price in the days to come.

We are now in the most interesting time of each quarter for stocks and the market: earnings season. Sure, earnings are always important, but this one is about as significant as it can get because the U.S. economy and stock market are at such a crossroads.

In our modern world, technology is now one of the most closely watched sectors in every earnings season because it is central to our economy. Here are 3 tech stocks to buy that are reporting this week and that deserve a close look.

Looking for stocks with a hefty dividend payout seems like a pretty common activity for investors right now. After all, when the market is uncertain it's nice to have a quarterly payday to count on.

But to add an extra layer of safety to your portfolio, look for stocks that are long-term members in the dividend army. These so-called "dividend aristocrats" have been delivering profits back to shareholders for decades -- or in some cases, over a century!

Here are three dividend aristocrats who have been paying back shareholders since before World War II:

With widespread concerns over investments in the People's Republic of China right now, some traders have sworn off Chinese companies all together. That's a big mistake. Indeed, the current state of China stocks is uncertain and there is a lot of fear and frustration over China investments right now. But the issue is that all Chinese companies are not the same. There are a wide variety of China stocks listed in the U.S. -- state-owned enterprises, mid-cap blue chips and small-caps, each with specific characteristics.

To help navigate toward some promising China investments, here are three stocks that show potential for growth this earnings season.

On Thursday afternoon after the close of the New York York Stock Exchange, a FDA panel voted 10 to 6 against recommending Vivus'(VVUS) weight loss drug Qnexa for approval. Apparently there was concern that the data supporting Qnexa wasn't strong enough for a drug that could be used by millions for an indefinite time period.

The FDA does not have to act in accordance with the panel's recommendation, although the agency rarely fails to do so. Chief Executive Leland Wilson said the panel vote is "a recommendation and not a final step in the drug-approval process," and that his company would work with the FDA "to address the labeling and safety questions raised during today's proceedings." A final decision is expected in October.

The data that the company presented to the FDA was based on one year, but a company spokesperson said that two-year data will be available by September, so there is definitely still hope for this drug.

"I don't think that Qnexa is dead, but it has to be heavily discounted [from the stock price] until we hear from the FDA," said Rodman & Renshaw analyst Elemer Piros.

According to Lazard analyst William Tanner, "Should Vivus be required to conduct a new trial to generate additional safety data for its low and mid doses, final approval and launch could be delayed by as much as two years."