Top 10 Bank Stocks To Watch Right Now

Investors seem to be anticipating further consolidation among wireless carriers. Reports suggest Sprint Nextel (NYSE: S  ) may be considering an offer for T-Mobile US (NYSE: TMUS  ) . While a combination between the third and fourth largest U.S. wireless providers might be a good move for those involved, industry giants AT&T (NYSE: T  ) and Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ  ) may end up being the bigger winners.�

Does a Sprint/T-Mobile combination make sense?
The wireless provider space looks ripe for deal-making. Industry leaders AT&T and Verizon, each well over three times the size of their next largest competitor in terms of revenue, have a huge competitive advantage due to their scale. The laggards, Sprint and T-Mobile, need to grow in size to offer meaningful long-term competition. So, news that Japanese telecom giant SoftBank, majority owner of Sprint, might be looking to acquire a major stake in T-Mobile shouldn't be a huge surprise. Senior executives at both Sprint and T-Mobile have already gone on record, stating that such a deal would create a "logical ultimate combination" and that three large-sized national wireless companies would provide more industry competition than the current configuration.

5 Best Airline Stocks For 2015: Woori Finance Holdings Co Ltd (WF)

Woori Finance Holdings Co., Ltd., incorporated on March 27, 2001, is a financial holding company. The Company serves over 24 million corporate and retail customers with a range of financial services, including commercial banking, credit card, capital market, international banking, wealth management and bancassurance services. The Company�� domestic network consists of more than 1,300 branches and 8,500 cash terminals. Its banking subsidiaries include Woori Bank, Kwangju Bank and Kyongnam Bank. Its non-banking subsidiaries include Woori Investment & Securities, Woori AVIVA Life Insurance, Woori CS Asset Management, Woori Financial, Woori Finance Information System, Woori F&I and Woori Private Equity.The Company established a new wholly owned subsidiary, on March 16, 2011. The new entity is mainly engaged in banking business.

The Company�� products in retail banking include Low-Carbon Green Deposit, Mommy Relief Deposit, Plus Savings Deposit, Plus Revolving Time Deposit, Solid Success Time Installment Deposit and Happy Time Installment Deposit. Mommy Relief Deposit facilitates response to locate missing children; the fingerprints of children under 10 are digitally recorded by the bank and made instantly available nationwide if the child should go missing. Plus Savings Deposit is a fixed-interest installment-based time deposit account that offers preferential rates to customers who also apply for credit card products. It also provides bonus services for special occasions and foreign travel. Plus Revolving Time Deposit is a compound-interest time deposit especially for customers who want to access their funds in under three months. Solid Success Time Installment Deposit is a time installment deposit product for business owners. It offers a sliding scale of interest rates if the customer purchases additional products, such as a retirement annuity. Happy Time Installment Deposit is a fixed-interest time installment deposit account for individuals. It also provides extra services for occasio! ns, such as weddings, overseas trips and the birth of a child.

The Company provides one-stop services to corporate clients through joint account management by Woori Bank, Woori Investment & Securities, Woori CS Asset Management and Woori Private Equity. It also carries out various sales and marketing activities to promote its products and services to domestic companies of all sizes. The Company supports small and medium-sized enterprise (SME). In addition to financial products, it also provides professional consulting services. Woori Bank ahs developed the Woori Robot Era Loan and Woori Green Solar Loan. To help family-owned businesses, Woori Bank operates the Woori Family Business Succession Consulting program.

Woori Bank has an investment banking firm in Hong Kong. Woori Financial Group acts as a developer of client specific derivatives. Woori Bank acts as a dealer in overseas index products, including NIKKEI and HSCEI-indexed derivatives. The Bank also sells comForex, combining F/X and spot transactions. As of December 31, 2009, the Company had 9.3 million cardholders. Woori Financial Group provides its private banking clients with financial solutions. Woori Bank has consulting centers for private banking customers, which offers advice on taxes, real estate, asset management, overseas investments and financing solutions for emigrants and students studying abroad.

The Company provides wealth management solutions for its customers. Octo is the name of Woori Investment & Securities wealth management service for high-networth individuals. Octo customers can use a single platform to buy and sell equity-linked securities, bonds, repurchase agreements, bills and beneficiary certificates, and access their cash management accounts. The Company provides professional advice and a range of consumer insurance products to its clients. It offers a portfolio of 61 insurance products, which includes 35 life insurance, and 26 property and casualty. Woori CS Asset Management has! one exch! ange traded funds and 63 other products, including structured products, overseas asset funds and index funds.

Woori Finance Information System has developed integrated customer relationship management (CRM) and Groupware systems, information technology (IT) systems for Woori Bank�� overseas branches and a credit risk management system for Woori Investment & Securities. The Company also deployed a standardized asset & liability management system and an imaging system for managing utility bill payments. The Company has also integrated the IT infrastructure of Woori CS Asset Management, Woori AVIVA Life Insurance and Woori Financial into its system.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Holly LaFon]

  Question: Is Berkshire too big to fail? How about DF and how does it impact insurance and Wells Fargo (WF) and Goldman Sachs (GS).

  Warren: It won�� affect it to my knowledge. Capital ratios for long banks at high levels and affects return on equity. Cap ratios increase and return on equity will increase. Banking in the U.S. is stronger than in the past 20 years. Compared to the EU or 20 years ago, it�� dramatically stronger. Don�� worry about banking being the cause of the next bubble. Usually we don�� get to a bubble the same way we got to the last one. I feel good about our investments at MNT and WFC. We won�� earn as much return on equity because the rules change.

• [By Holly LaFon]

  Question: Is Berkshire too big to fail? How about DF and how does it impact insurance and Wells Fargo (WF) and Goldman Sachs (GS)?

  Warren: It won�� affect it to my knowledge. Capital ratios for long banks at high levels and affects return on equity. Cap ratios increase and return on equity will increase. Banking in the U.S. is stronger than in the past 20 years. Compared to the EU or 20 years ago, it�� dramatically stronger. Don�� worry about banking being the cause of the next bubble. Usually we don�� get to a bubble the same way we got to the last one. I feel good about our investments at MNT and WFC. We won�� earn as much return on equity because the rules change.

Top 10 Bank Stocks To Watch Right Now: Fifth Third Bancorp (FFH)

Fifth Third Bancorp (the Bancorp), incorporated on October 7, 1974, is a diversified financial services company. As of December 31, 2011, the Bancorp had $117 billion in assets, operated 15 affiliates with 1,316 full-service Banking Centers, including 104 Bank Mart locations open seven days a week inside select grocery stores, and 2,425 automated teller machines (ATMs) in 12 states throughout the Midwestern and Southeastern regions of the United States. The Bancorp operates in four business segments: Commercial Banking, Branch Banking, Consumer Lending and Investment Advisors. The Bancorp also has a 49% interest in Vantiv Holding, LLC.

Commercial Banking

Commercial Banking offers credit intermediation, cash management and financial services to large and middle-market businesses and government and professional customers. In addition to the traditional lending and depository offerings, Commercial Banking products and services include global cash management, foreign exchange and international trade finance, derivatives and capital markets services, asset-based lending, real estate finance, public finance, commercial leasing and syndicated finance.

Branch Banking

Branch Banking provides a range of deposit and loan and lease products to individuals and small businesses through 1,316 full-service Banking Centers. Branch Banking offers depository and loan products, such as checking and savings accounts, home equity loans and lines of credit, credit cards and loans for automobiles and other personal financing needs, as well as products designed to meet the specific needs of small businesses, including cash management services.

Consumer Lending

Consumer Lending includes the Bancorp�� mortgage, home equity, automobile and other indirect lending activities. Mortgage and home equity lending activities include the origination, retention and servicing of mortgage and home equity loans or lines of credit, sales and securitizations of t! hose loans, pools of loans or lines of credit, and all associated hedging activities. Indirect lending activities include loans to consumers through mortgage brokers and automobile dealers.

Investment Advisors

Investment Advisors provides a range of investment alternatives for individuals, companies and not-for-profit organizations. Investment Advisors is made up of four main businesses: Fifth Third Securities (FTS), an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of the Bancorp; Fifth Third Asset Management, Inc. (FTAM), an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of the Bancorp; Fifth Third Private Bank; and Fifth Third Institutional Services. FTS offers full service retail brokerage services to individual clients and broker dealer services to the institutional marketplace. FTAM provides asset management services and also advises the Bancorp�� family of mutual funds. Fifth Third Private Bank offers holistic strategies to affluent clients in wealth planning, investing, insurance and wealth protection. Fifth Third Institutional Services provide advisory services for institutional clients including states and municipalities.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By gurufocus]

  Prem Watsa, highly regarded CEO of Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd. (FFH), wrote in March that ��e continue to fully hedge our common stock portfolios as our concerns about the United States��� You would think he has been wrong with the hedging as he is losing money with them. But the last time he was losing with hedging was during the last bull market from 2004 to 2006. He then made a killing with the hedges in 2007 and 2008.

Top 10 Bank Stocks To Watch Right Now: ICICI Bank Ltd (IBN)

ICICI Bank Limited (the Bank), incorporated on January 5, 1994, is a banking company. The Bank, together with its subsidiaries, joint ventures and associates, is a diversified financial services group providing a range of banking and financial services, including commercial banking, retail banking, project and corporate finance, working capital finance, insurance, venture capital and private equity, investment banking, broking and treasury products and services. It operates under four segments: retail banking, wholesale banking, treasury and other banking. Retail Banking includes exposures of the Bank, which satisfy the four criteria of orientation, product, granularity and low value of individual exposures for retail exposures. Wholesale Banking includes all advances to trusts, partnership firms, companies and statutory bodies, which are not included under Retail Banking. Treasury includes the entire investment portfolio of the Bank. Other Banking includes hire purchase and leasing operations and other items. As of March 31, 2012, the Bank had 17 subsidiaries. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2013, the Company added 348 branches and 1,475 automated teller machines (ATMs) to its network, taking its branch and ATM count to 3,100 and 10,481 respectively at March 31, 2013.

Retail Banking

The branch network serves as an integrated channel for deposit mobilization, selected retail asset origination and distribution of third-party products, as well as the focal point for customer service. During fiscal 2011, the Bank continued its focus on increasing the proportion of low-cost retail deposits in its funding base. During fiscal 2011, its retail disbursements increased as it focused on opportunities in residential mortgages, vehicle finance and construction equipment finance. The Company also continued to focus on cross-selling new products and products of its life and general insurance subsidiaries to its existing customers. As of March 31, 2013, its ATMs offer services such a! s opening fixed deposits, payment of credit card and utility bills, payment of insurance premium, mobile re-charges and ultra fast cash.

Small Enterprises

The Company offers banking solutions to small and medium enterprises across industry segments. The Company supports the growth of the small and medium enterprises sector while adopting a cluster-based financing approach for enterprises with a homogeneous profile in industries, such as infrastructure, engineering, information technology, education, life-sciences and agri-based businesses. The Company also offers supply chain financing solutions to the channel partners of large corporates.

Corporate Banking

The Bank offers a suite of corporate banking products, including rupee and foreign currency debt, working capital credit, structured financing, loan syndication and commercial banking products and services. The Company also puts in place product specific teams with a view to focus on designing financial solutions for clients spread across structured finance, project finance, loan syndication and markets. The relationship team also works with its Markets Group to assist customers in devising and executing risk management strategies to address foreign currency, interest rate and liquidity risks. Its loan syndication franchise enables the Bank to structure, underwrite and syndicate rupee and foreign currency debt with Indian and offshore investors. The Bank has built robust sector-specific syndication skills across project finance, merger and acquisition (M&A) financing and structured finance to provide optimal financing solutions.

International Banking

The Company�� international banking business is focused on meeting the foreign currency needs of its Indian corporate clients and partnering them in their global expansion, taking select trade finance exposures linked to imports to India. ICICI Bank has subsidiaries in the United Kingdom, Russia and Canada, branches in the U! nited Sta! tes, Singapore, Bahrain, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, Dubai International Finance Centre and Qatar Financial Centre and representative offices in the United Arab Emirates, China, South Africa, Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. The Bank�� wholly owned subsidiary, ICICI Bank UK PLC, has 11 branches in the United Kingdom and a branch each in Belgium and Germany. ICICI Bank Canada has nine branches. ICICI Bank Eurasia Limited Liability Company has one branch.

The Company develops products and service offerings to meet the requirements of the Non Resident Indian (NRI) community. The Bank launched I-Express, an instant cross-border money transfer option for NRIs through its select partners in the Middle East. The I-Express facility offers the remitter an option of visiting any partner outlet for instant credit into the beneficiary account maintained with ICICI Bank in India, at no extra cost. The Company also launched Fixed Rupee on Money2India.com, a facility that enables NRIs to send the exact rupee amount remittance to India since the exchange rate is confirmed at the time of initiating the remittance.

Inclusive and Rural Banking

Inclusive and Rural Banking include offering credit to the rural market through the Bank's branches and dedicated field teams and financial inclusion through business correspondents. The Bank focuses on improving its product and service offerings to meet the requirements of all participants in the rural market, including farmers, traders, commission agents, small processors and other medium agri-corporates. The Bank focuses on building capacity to implement its financial inclusion plan. The Bank also focused on opening accounts for routing benefit payments under various government schemes and has received the mandate for opening accounts of individuals under these schemes in certain states.

The Bank has also identified 25 business correspondents having a network of over 7,500 customer service points, to service these cust! omers. Th! e Bank provides basic financial services to the unbanked and underbanked

population comprising small and marginal farmers, daily wage labourers, beneficiaries of government. Around 47% of the Bank�� branches are in rural and semi-urban areas

Treasury

The Bank provides provide foreign exchange and derivative products and services to customers through its Markets Group. These products and services include foreign exchange products for hedging currency risk, foreign exchange and interest rate derivatives, such as options and swaps and bullion transactions.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Anuchit Nguyen]

  Indian stocks declined, with the benchmark index halting a four-week rally, after central bank Governor Raghuram Rajan�� comment that inflation is still high. ICICI Bank (IBN) dropped to the lowest level since Sept. 5. The S&P BSE Bankex Index retreated 1.8 percent.

• [By Chuck Carnevale]

  ICICI Bank Limited-ADR (IBN)

  My second featured aggressive financial is ICICI Bank Limited-ADR (IBN), an ADR (American Depository Receipt) headquartered in India. This company is the largest private sector bank in India. Current low valuation is what most attracted me to this aggressive selection. However, I believe that prospective investors should carefully consider the amount of price volatility that has historically occurred with their share price. Nevertheless, for those dividend growth investors with a stomach for risk, this company may be worth taking a closer look at.

• [By Selena Maranjian]

  Finally, Caxton Associates' biggest closed positions included Sprint Nextel�and JPMorgan Chase. Other closed positions of interest include India-based ICICI Bank (NYSE: IBN  ) . In April, the bank reported double-digit profit increases and rising ROE. Analysts at Zacks downgraded the bank earlier this month, though, citing deterioration of its credit quality and expected steep operating expenses.

• [By Selena Maranjian]

  Finally, Viking's biggest closed positions included News Corp.�and Schlumberger. Other closed positions of interest include India-based ICICI Bank (NYSE: IBN  ) . In April, the bank reported double-digit profit increases and rising ROE, and it recently yielded 2%. Analysts at Zacks downgraded the bank earlier this month, though, citing deterioration of its credit quality and expected steep operating expenses. ICICI is a major lender in India and is growing briskly there, and is�expanding abroad, targeting even China. Its stock is up about 29% over the past year and has averaged 20.5% annually over the past decade.

Top 10 Bank Stocks To Watch Right Now: Northern Financial Corp (NFC)

Northern Financial Corporation (Northern) is engaged in full service investment dealer business, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Northern Securities Inc. (Northern Securities), providing financial advisory services to retail and institutional clients and investment banking services to small capitalization companies. The Company�� business generates revenue from commissions and advisory fees earned on investment banking activities, and commissions from institutional sales and trading and retail investment advisors, and from principal trading. Northern is also engaged in merchant banking business that supplements the investment dealer business. Northern Securities is a member firm of the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC). Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Canadian Value]

  As the home represents one compelling category for Apple, payments represents another. Apple Pay will launch in October 2014, and while we expect limited financial impact in FY 2015 as retailers upgrade their infrastructure to incorporate the requisite near-field communications technology (NFC), we expect a more meaningful contribution in FY 2016 that accelerates into FY 2017 and the following years. We estimate that, based upon Apple Pay�� rumored fee of 15 bps of all spend on credit and debit cards (U.S. card spend was $4.2 trillion in 2012) and merchant deployment of NFC reaching 80%+ in 2017, Apple in the U.S. could generate revenues (also equivalent to gross margins, as the variable costs are de minimis) of $2.5 billion in FY 2017 if it reaches 30% market share of all spend on U.S. credit and debit cards. The potential in the U.S. and internationally over a longer term is much larger. Apple, dominant in the premium market, has customers who spend more on average than its peers, and it is therefore unusually well positioned to succeed with Apple Pay where others could not.

• [By Holly LaFon]

  Several financial institutions and credit card companies along with companies like Google, Inc. (GOOG), Apple, Inc. (AAPL), and Paypal have aspirations to be players in the emerging sector of mobile payments. Mobile payments allow you to pay for goods or service from your phone instead of paying with cash, check, or credit cards. Today, these payment mechanisms are restricted to premium SMS, direct carrier billing, website purchases through a mobile browser, and Near Field Communications (NFC). NFC is a set of standards for smartphones and similar devices that allow them to communicate with each other without touching, but by being in close proximity. NFC devices can be used in contactless payment systems, similar to those used in credit cards, to allow mobile payment to replace or supplement existing credit card and debit card type systems. The combined market for all types of mobile payments is expected to reach more than $600 billion globally by 2013. Google, Inc., a Baron investment, is currently the only company that has a large commercial NFC deployment in the market today. As Google pushes further into local advertising and promotions, it plans to utilize Google Wallet to enhance its relationship with consumers and businesses. Google Wallet is a mobile payment system developed by Google that allows smartphone users to store credit cards, loyalty card, and gift cards on their mobile phones, utilizing NFC for the payment of goods and services. Consumers will be able to redeem promotions or loyalty programs through Google Wallet, enabling stores to enhance their relationships with consumers.

Top 10 Bank Stocks To Watch Right Now: Tompkins Financial Corp (TMP)

Tompkins Financial Corporation (Tompkins) is a bank holding company. The Company is a locally oriented, community-based financial services company that offers an array of products and services, including commercial and consumer banking, leasing, trust and investment management, financial planning and wealth management, insurance, and brokerage services. The Company operates in two segments: banking and financial services. Banking services consist primarily of attracting deposits from the areas served by the Company�� banking subsidiaries��45 banking offices and using those deposits to originate a variety of commercial loans, agricultural loans, consumer loans, real estate loans, and leases in those same areas. Financial services activities consist of the results of the Company�� trust, financial planning and wealth management services, broker-dealer services, and insurance and risk management operations. On June 1, 2011, its subsidiary, Tompkins Insurance Agencies, Inc. (Tompkins Insurance), acquired Olver & Associates, Inc. (Olver), a property and casualty insurance agency. In August 2012, it acquired VIST Financial Corp.

The Company maintains a portfolio of securities, such as obligations of the United States Government agencies and the United States Government sponsored entities, obligations of states and political subdivisions thereof, and equity securities. Tompkins provides a variety of financial services to individuals and small business customers.

Commercial Services

The Company�� subsidiary banks provide financial services to corporations and other business clients. Lending activities include loans for a variety of business purposes, including real estate financing, construction, equipment financing, accounts receivable financing, and commercial leasing. Other commercial services include deposit and cash management services, letters of credit, sweep accounts, credit cards, purchasing cards, Internet-based account services, and remote deposit ser! vices.

Retail Services

The Company�� subsidiary banks provide a variety of retail banking services, including checking accounts, savings accounts, time deposits, individual retirement accounts (IRA) products, brokerage services, residential mortgage loans, personal loans, home equity loans, credit cards, debit cards and safe deposit services. Retail services are accessible through a variety of delivery systems, including branch facilities, automated teller machines (ATMs), voice response, Internet banking, and remote deposit services.

Trust and Investment Management Services

The Company offers a range of financial services to customers, including trust and estate services, investment management, and financial and insurance planning. These services are offered through Tompkins Investment Services (TIS), a division of Tompkins Trust Company, and AM&M. Tompkins Financial Advisors has office locations at all three of the Company�� subsidiary banks, and provides a range of money management services, including investment management, trust and estate, financial and tax planning, as well as life, disability and long-term care insurance services.

Broker-Dealer Services

AM&M operates a broker-dealer subsidiary, Ensemble Financial Services, Inc. Ensemble Financial Services, Inc. is an outsourcing company for financial planners and investment advisors.

Insurance Services

The Company provides property and casualty insurance services and employee benefits consulting through Tompkins Insurance. Tompkins Insurance is an independent insurance agency. Tompkins Insurance has automated systems for record keeping, claim processing and coverage confirmation, and can provide insurance pricing comparisons from a range of insurance companies. Tompkins Insurance provides employee benefits consulting to employers in Western and Central New York, assisting them with their medical, group life insurance and group disability in! surance. ! In addition to its seven offices, Tompkins Insurance shares several offices with The Bank of Castile and The Trust Company. AM&M also provides insurance services for financial planning and wealth management clients, offering risk management plans using life, disability and long-term care insurance products.

Subsidiary Activities

The Company�� subsidiaries include: three wholly owned banking subsidiaries, Tompkins Trust Company (the Trust Company), The Bank of Castile, and The Mahopac National Bank (Mahopac National Bank); AM&M Financial Services, Inc., doing business as Tompkins Financial Advisors, a wholly owned and an investment advisor (AM&M), and a wholly owned insurance agency subsidiary, Tompkins Insurance. AM&M and the trust division of the Trust Company provides an array of investment services under the Tompkins Financial Advisors division, including investment management, trust and estate, financial and tax planning, as well as life, disability and long-term care insurance services. The Trust Company has a full-service office in Cortland, New York and a full-service office in Auburn, New York. Both of these offices are located in counties contiguous to Tompkins County. The Trust Company operates 15 banking offices, including two limited-service banking offices in the counties of Tompkins, Cortland, Cayuga and Schuyler, New York.

The Bank of Castile is a New York State-chartered commercial bank and conducts its operations through its 15 banking offices, in towns situated in and around the areas commonly known as the Letchworth State Park area and the Genesee Valley region of New York State. The Bank of Castile�� lending portfolio includes loans to the agricultural industry. The Mahopac National Bank (Mahopac National Bank) operates 15 banking offices, including one limited-service office in counties north of New York City. The 15 banking offices include five full-service offices in Putnam County, New York, three full-service offices in Dutchess County,! New York! , and six full-service offices, and one limited-service office in Westchester County, New York.

Tompkins Insurance Agencies, Inc. (Tompkins Insurance) offers property and casualty insurance to individuals and businesses primarily in Western and Central New York. AM&M Financial Services, Inc. (AM&M) offers financial services through three operating companies: AM&M Planners, Inc., which provides fee-based financial planning and wealth management services for corporate executives, small business owners and high-net-worth individuals; Ensemble Financial Services, Inc., an independent broker-dealer and outsourcing company for financial planners and investment advisors, and Ensemble Risk Solutions, Inc., which creates customized risk management plans using life, disability and long-term care insurance products. Tompkins Capital Trust I and Sleepy Hollow Capital Trust I are Delaware statutory business trusts.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Marc Bastow]

  Ithaca, N.Y.-based financial services company Tompkins Financial (TMP) raised its quarterly dividend 5.3% to 40 cents per share, payable Nov. 15 to shareholders of record as of Nov. 4.
  TMP Dividend Yield: 3.25%

• [By Fredrik Arnold]

  Tompkins Financial Corp. (TMP) netted $44.97 based on a mean target price estimate from three analysts combined with projected annual dividend less broker fees. The Beta number showed this estimate subject to volatility 27% less than the market as a whole.

Top 10 Bank Stocks To Watch Right Now: IB Securities Joint Stock Co (VIX)

IB Securities Joint Stock Company, formerly XuanThanh Securities Joint Stock Company is a Vietnam-based company engaged in the provision of investment services. It provides securities brokerage services through multiple forms, such as VOpen, VSHM, VTrade, VPhone, VMobile and VSMS. The Company is also involved in securities trading, as well as the provision of investment advice, custody services and underwriting services. In addition, it provides financial services for corporate events, such as corporate restructurings, equitizations, stock listings, share auctions, mergers and acquisitions, equity offerings and bond offerings. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Saumya Vaishampayan]

  Fear hit a more than three-month high this week as budget negotiations remained at a standstill. The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) , also known as the ��ear index,��on Thursday surged to its highest level since June 25 as stocks dropped.

• [By Wallace Witkowski]

  Harsh winter weather and how it affect the first quarter is likely going to remain with us for several more weeks, and might add a level of volatility to markets, Greenhaus said. By volatility, Greenhaus means where the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) �is in the range of 15. In other words, where the VIX has averaged over the past three years, excluding the big surges from 2010 and 2011.

• [By Lu Wang]

  The Chicago Board Options Exchange Volatility Index (VIX), the gauge of S&P 500 options prices known as the VIX, jumped 10 percent to 15.46. The measure has advanced 18 percent this week.

Top 10 Bank Stocks To Watch Right Now: Banco Santander-Chile (BSAC)

Banco Santander Chile (the Bank), incorporated on August 1, 2002, provides a range of general banking services to its customers, from individuals to corporations. The Bank operates in two segments: Commercial Banking, and Global Banking and Markets. The Bank provides a range of commercial and retail banking services to its customers, including Chilean peso and foreign currency denominated loans to finance a variety of commercial transactions, trade, foreign currency forward contracts and credit lines and a variety of retail banking services, including mortgage financing. It has 499 total branches, 269 of which are operated under the Santander brand name, with the remaining branches under certain specialty brand names, including 93 under the Santander Banefe brand name, 45 under the SuperCaja brand name, 44 under the BancaPrime brand name and 53 as auxiliary and payment centers. The Bank provides a range of financial services to corporate and individual customers. It offers a variety of financial services, including financial leasing, financial advisory services, mutual fund management, securities brokerage, insurance brokerage and investment management. As of December 31, 2012, it had outstanding loans net of allowances for loan losses of $ 38,271 million, and total deposits of $ 29,408 million.

The Bank�� loan portfolio includes Commercial loans, Residential mortgage loans, Consumer loans and Non-client loans. Commercial loans include commercial loans, foreign trade loans, mortgage loans financed with mortgage bonds, factoring operations, leasing contracts and other outstanding loans. Commercial loans (includes all loans other than consumer loans and residential mortgage loans). Residential mortgage loans include draft loans, residential mortgage loans backed by mortgage bonds and other mortgage mutual loans. Residential mortgage loans, including loans granted to individuals for the acquisition, construction or repair of residential real estate, in which the value of the property cove! rs at least 100% of the amount of the loan. Consumer loans include installment consumer loans, consumer loans through lines of credit, credit card loans and consumer leasing contracts. Consumer loans, including loans granted to individuals for the purpose of financing the acquisition of consumer goods or payment of service.)

Commercial Banking

The Commercial Banking segment is comprised sub-segments, which includes individuals (Santander Banefe), individuals (Commercial Banking), small and mid-sized companies, institutional, companies, real estate and corporations. Individuals (Santander Banefe), consisting of individuals with monthly incomes between $ 313 and $ 835 and served through its Banefe branch network. The segment accounts for 4.2% of its total loans outstanding as of December 31, 2012. The segment offers customers a range of products, including consumer loans, credit cards, auto loans, residential mortgage loans, debit card accounts, savings products, mutual funds and insurance brokerage. Individuals (Commercial Banking), consisting of individuals with a monthly income greater than $ 835. Clients in the segment account for 47.1% of its total loans outstanding as of December 31, 2012, and are offered a range of products, including consumer loans, credit cards, auto loans, commercial loans, foreign trade financing, residential mortgage loans, checking accounts, savings products, mutual funds and insurance brokerage.

Small and mid-sized companies consists of small companies with annual revenue of less than $2.5 million. As of December 31, 2012, the segment represented approximately 15.0% of its total loans outstanding. Customers in the segment are offered a range of products, including commercial loans, leasing, factoring, foreign trade, credit cards, mortgage loans, checking accounts, savings products, mutual funds and insurance brokerage. Institutional, such as universities, government agencies, municipalities and regional governments. As of December 31, 2! 012, thes! e clients represented 1.9% of its total loans outstanding. Customers in this sub-segment are also offered the same products that are offered to the customers in its small businesses segment. The sub-segment is included in the Retail segment because customers in this sub-segment are a source for individual customers. Companies consists of companies with annual revenue over $2.5 million and up to $20.9 million. Customers in this segment are offered a range of products, including commercial loans, leasing, factoring, foreign trade, credit cards, mortgage loans, checking accounts, cash management, treasury services, financial advisory, savings products, mutual funds and insurance brokerage. As of December 31, 2012, these clients represented 8.6% of its total loans outstanding.

Real estate consists of companies in the real estate sector with annual revenue over $1.7 million, including construction companies and real estate companies that execute projects for sale to third parties. As of December 31, 2012, these clients represented 4.1% of its total loans outstanding. To these clients the Bank offers, in addition to traditional banking services, specialized services for financing, primarily residential projects, in order to increase the sale of residential mortgage loans. Large corporations consists of companies with annual revenue over $20.9 million. Customers in this segment are also offered the same products that are offered to the customers in its mid-sized companies segment. As of December 31, 2012, these clients represented 8.8% of its total loans outstanding.

Global Banking and Markets segment

The Global Banking and Markets segment is comprised of the sub-segments, which include corporate and the treasury division. Corporate consists of companies that are foreign multinationals or part of a Chilean economic group with sales of over $20.9 million. As of December 31, 2012, these clients represented 9.8% of its total loans outstanding. Customers in this segment are o! ffered a ! range of products, including commercial loans, leasing, factoring, foreign trade, mortgage loans, checking accounts, cash management, treasury services, financial advisory, savings products, mutual funds and insurance brokerage. The Treasury Division provides financial products to companies in the wholesale banking and the middle-market segments. This includes products, such as short-term financing and funding, securities brokerage, interest rate and foreign currency derivatives, securitization services and other tailor made financial products. The Treasury division also manages its trading positions.

Corporate Activities

The Bank has a Corporate Activities segment comprised of all other operational and administrative activities This segment includes the Financial Management Division, which manages global functions, such as the management of its structural foreign exchange gap position, its structural interest rate risk and its liquidity risk. The Financial Management Division also oversees the use of its resources, the distribution of capital among its different units and the overall financing cost of investments.

The Bank competes with Banco del Estado.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams]

  That inflation rate wasn't a big help for Banco Santander Chile (NYSE: BSAC  ) , the fund's third-largest holding, which is a large bank that's inflation-sensitive and saw its net interest margin drop in its most recent quarter. However, many of the more important underlying fundamentals of Banco Santander Chile, such as loan growth and core deposits, increased year over year while net provision expenses for consumer loans dropped 3.8% year over year. �