After testifying before a Senate committee about AIG (NYSE: AIG) last week, the Fed's Ben Bernanke participates in a Council of Foreign Relations event Monday evening.

Economic data due to be released this week include wholesale trade and job vacancies for January on Tuesday morning, the U.S. Treasury budget for February on Wednesday, retail sales for February and business inventories for January on Thursday morning, and the U.S. trade balance for January on Friday morning.

Q. Vahan, although you primarily recommend US equities, your newsletter also includes a few international picks, such as American Oriental Bioengineering (NYSE: AOB) and Embraer (NYSE: ERJ). What factors made you choose these companies?

A. I do recommend foreign companies from time to time in the Forbes Growth Investor, but only if they trade on US exchanges and only if they show up at the top of my screens. I rely on a quantitative model that screens stocks based on the probability of out-performance over the next six to 18 months. I like AOB because it sells traditional Chinese plant-based pharmaceuticals in China. Demand is very strong for these natural products in that country. I like ERJ because it gives us exposure to Brazil, which has one the fastest growing economies in Latin America.

Q. Several of your recommendations are US-based multinationals, such as RPM (NYSE: RPM) and Amdocs (NYSE: DOX), both of whom do significant business around the world. How important was their international exposure to your selection, and why?

A: International exposure is not something I normally focus on. Besides, these days most mid- to large-sized companies have at least some international exposure. Because the global economic outlook is so uncertain at this time, I felt more comfortable with companies that have a diversified revenue stream.

Leading quantitative analyst Vahan Janjigian looks to American Oriental Bioengineering (NYSE: AOB), a maker of Chinese traditional medicines, among his latest featured stocks.

In his The Forbes Growth Investor, the advisor explains, "This market has enjoyed significant growth over the past several years due to several favorable trends." Here's his review.

"American Oriental Bioengineering is a pharmaceutical company that specializes in manufacturing and marketing plant-based traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) in China.

"Plant-based pharmaceuticals (PBP),which generated 82% of Q1 sales, are medicinal compounds derived from the leaves and roots of plants. These products, which are approved by the Chinese State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA), are used to treat various illnesses.

"The Chinese pharmaceutical market has enjoyed significant growth over the past several years due to several favorable trends.

American Oriental Bioengineering (NYSE: AOB) manufactures a broad range of prescription pharmaceutical, over-the-counter pharmaceutical and nutraceutical products for the Chinese market, operating from 30 locations in the Peoples Republic. Offerings include treatments for the flu, upper respiratory infections, tonsillitis, incontinence, endometritis, annexitis, PMS and sinus congestion. The firm sells to some 100,000 retail stores, pharmacies, hospitals and independent distributors.

American Oriental surprised the Street earlier in the month, when it reported Q1 EPS of 12 cents and revenues of $38.8 million. Analysts had been looking for 12 cents and $37.9 million. Management also guided FY08 revenues to at least $245.0 million, versus consensus of $227.64 million. The CEO cited synergies from recent acquisitions in support of the optimistic view.