Best Bank Companies To Invest In 2014

Brazil, India, Indonesia, South Africa and Turkey make up the so-called "fragile five" emerging markets. Three have raised interest rates this week.

LONDON (CNNMoney) India, Turkey and now South Africa.

Central banks in three of the most fragile emerging markets have jacked up interest rates to try to shore up their currencies as cash flows back to recovering developed economies.

South Africa surprised investors with its decision Wednesday to raise interest rates, just hours after a dramatic hike in Turkey and a more modest move in India.

The central banks are reacting to developments in the U.S., where the economy and job market is improving. The recovery has prompted the Federal Reserve to start cutting back on its stimulus program, which has been flooding international markets with liquidity.

Hot US Companies To Own In Right Now: State Street Corporation(STT)

State Street Corporation, a financial holding company, provides various financial products and services to institutional investors worldwide. The company?s Investment Servicing business line provides products and services, including custody, product- and participant-level accounting; daily pricing and administration; master trust and master custody; record-keeping; foreign exchange, brokerage, and other trading services; securities finance; deposit and short-term investment facilities; loan and lease financing; investment manager and alternative investment manager operations outsourcing; and performance, risk, and compliance analytics. This segment also offers shareholder services, which comprise mutual fund and collective investment fund shareholder accounting. Its Investment Management business line provides a range of investment management, investment research, and other related services, such as securities finance; and strategies for managing passive and active financ ial assets, such as enhanced indexing and hedge fund strategies for U.S. and global equities and fixed-income securities. The company serves mutual funds, collective investment funds and other investment pools, corporate and public retirement plans, insurance companies, foundations, endowments, and investment managers. State Street Corporation was founded in 1832 and is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Smith]

  When it comes to big, publicly owned investment management companies, there's little doubt which one investors love best:�Blackrock� (NYSE: BLK  ) �is top of the heap. Rated "four stars" by The Motley Fool's�CAPS supercomputer, Blackrock easily eclipses smaller rival�State Street� (NYSE: STT  ) , rated three stars, and larger rival�UBS� (NYSE: UBS  ) �-- an anemic two stars. But why?

Best Bank Companies To Invest In 2014: LCNB Corp (LCNB)

LCNB Corp. (LCNB), incorporated on December 12, 1998, is a financial holding company. The Company�� principal activity is the ownership of LCNB National Bank (the Bank). The Bank is a full service community bank offering a range of commercial and personal banking services. Deposit services include checking accounts, negotiable order of withdrawal (NOW) accounts, savings accounts, Christmas and vacation club accounts, money market deposit accounts, Classic 50 accounts (a senior citizen program), individual retirement accounts, and certificates of deposit. Loan products offered include commercial and industrial loans, commercial and residential real estate loans, construction loans, various types of consumer loans, and Small Business Administration loans. In January 2014, Eaton National Bank & Trust Co. merged with LCNB Corp.'s wholly-owned subsidiary, LCNB National Bank.

The Bank's residential mortgage lending activities consist primarily of loans for purchasing or refinancing personal residences, home equity lines of credit, and loans for commercial or consumer purposes secured by residential mortgages. Consumer lending activities include automobile, boat, home improvement and personal loans. The Bank also offers indirect financing through various automotive, boat, and lawn and garden dealers. The Trust and Investment Management Division of the Bank performs complete trust administrative functions and offers agency and trust services, retirement savings products, and mutual fund investment products to individuals, partnerships, corporations, institutions and municipalities.

Security brokerage services are offered by the Bank through arrangements with LPL Financial LLC, a registered broker/dealer. Licensed brokers offer a full range of investment services and products, including financial needs analysis, mutual funds, securities trading, annuities, and life insurance.

Other services offered include safe deposit boxes, night depositories, travelers' checks, money! orders, cashier's checks, bank-by-mail, automated teller machines (ATMs), cash and transaction services, debit cards, wire transfers, electronic funds transfer, utility bill collections, notary public service, personal computer based cash management services, around-the-clock telephone banking, PC Internet banking, and other services tailored for both individuals and businesses. LCNB�� primary market area consists of Warren, Butler, and Clinton Counties and portions of Hamilton, Clermont and Montgomery Counties in Southwestern Ohio.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lisa Levin]

  LCNB (NASDAQ: LCNB) shares touched a new 52-week low of $16.57. LCNB shares have dropped 4.80% over the past 52 weeks, while the S&P 500 index has gained 18.57% in the same period.

Best Bank Companies To Invest In 2014: Banco Bradesco SA (BBD)

Banco Bradesco S.A. (the Bank), incorporated on November 5, 1943, is commercial bank. The Bank offers a range of banking and financial products and services in Brazil and abroad to individuals, large, midsized and small companies and local and international corporations and institutions. It operates in two segments: the banking, and the insurance, pension and capitalization bonds. Its products and services encompass banking operations, such as loans and advances and deposittaking, credit card issuance, purchasing consortiums, insurance, leasing, payment collection and processing, pension plans, asset management and brokerage services. The main services it offers through Bradesco Expresso are receipt and submission of account applications; receipt and submission of account applications; Social Security National Service (INSS) benefit payments; checking and savings account deposits, and receipt of consumption bills, bank charges and taxes. In May, 2011, the Bank acquired Banco do Estado do Rio de Janeiro S.A. (BERJ).

Banking

The Banking segment includes deposit-taking with clients, including checking accounts, savings accounts and time deposits; loans and advances (individuals and companies, real estate financing, microcredit, onlending BNDES funds, rural credit, leasing, among others); credit cards, debit cards and pre-paid cards; management of receipts and payments; asset management; services related to capital markets and investment banking activities; intermediation and trading services; custody, depositary and controllership services; international banking services, and purchasing consortiums.

The Bank offers a variety of deposit products and services to our customers through its branches, including Non-interest bearing checking accounts, such as Easy Account, Click Account, Academic Account and Cell Phone Bonus Account; traditional savings accounts; time deposits, and deposits from financial institutions. As of December 31, 2011, it had 43.4 million savings a! ccounts. It offers its customers certain additional services, such as identified deposits and real-time banking transfers. Its loans and advances to customers, consumer credit, corporate and agricultural-sector loans, totaled R$263.5 billion as of December 31, 2011.

The Bank�� loan portfolio consists of short-term loans, vehicle financings and overdraft loans on checking accounts. It also provides revolving credit facilities and traditional term loans. As of December 31, 2011, it had outstanding advances, vehicle financings, consumer loans and revolving credit totaling R$58.0 billion, or 22.0% of its portfolio of loans and advances. Banco Bradesco Financiamentos (Bradesco Financiamentos) offers direct-to-consumer credit and leasing for the acquisition of vehicles and payroll-deductible loans to the public and private sectors 'in Brazil. Supported by BF Promotora de Vendas Ltda. (BF Promotora), and using the Bradesco Financiamentos brand, the Bank operates through its network of correspondents in Brazil, consisting of retailers and dealers selling light vehicles, trucks and motorcycles, to offer financing and/or leasing for vehicles. Through Bradesco Promotora brand, it offer payroll-deductible loans to social security retirees and pensioners, public-sector employees, military personnel and private-sector companies sponsoring plans, and other aggregated products (insurance, capitalization bonds, cards, purchasing consortiums, and others).

As of December 31, 2011, the Bank had 63,156 outstanding real estate loans. As of December 31, 2011, the aggregate outstanding amount of its real estate loans amounted to R$15.9 billion, representing 6% of its portfolio of loans and advances. As of December 31, 2011, it had 69,491 microcredit loans outstanding, totaling R$62.8 million. Its BNDES onlending portfolio totaled R$35.4 billion as of December 31, 2011.

The Bank provides traditional loans for the ongoing needs of its corporate customers. It had R$85.8 billion of outstand! ing other! local commercial loans, accounting for 32.5% of its portfolio of loans and advances as of December 31, 2011. It offers a range of loans to its Brazilian corporate customers, including short-term loans of 29 days or less; guaranteed checking accounts and corporate overdraft loans; discounting trade receivables, promissory notes, checks, credit card and supplier receivables, and a number of other receivables; financing for purchase and sale of goods and services; corporate real estate financing, and investment lines for acquisition of assets and machinery. As of December 31, 2011, the Bank had R$11 billion in outstanding rural loans, representing 4.2% of its portfolio of loans and advances. The Bank conducts its leasing operations through its primary leasing subsidiary, Bradesco Leasing and also through Bradesco Financiamentos.

The Bank offers electronic solutions for receipt and payment management solutions, which include collection and payment services and online resource management enabling its customers to pay suppliers, salaries, and taxes and other levies to governmental or public entities. The global cash management concept provides solutions for multinationals in Brazil and/or domestic companies operating abroad. It manages third-party assets through mutual funds; individual and corporate investment portfolios; pension funds, including assets guaranteeing the technical provisions of Bradesco Vida e Previdencia, and insurance companies, including assets guaranteeing the technical provisions of Bradesco Seguros.

The Bank�� subsidiaries Bradesco S.A. CTVM and Agora S.A. CTVM (or Bradesco Corretora and Agora Corretora, respectively) trade stocks, options, stock lending, public offerings and forwards. They also offer a range of products, such as Brazilian government securities (under the Tesouro Direto program), BM&F trading, investor clubs and investment funds.

The Bank offers a range of international services, such as foreign exchange transactions, foreign tr! ade finan! ce, lines of credit and banking. As of December 31, 2011, its international banking services included New York City, a branch and Bradesco Securities Inc., its subsidiary brokerage firm, or Bradesco Securities United States, and its subsidiary Bradesco North America LLC, or Bradesco North America; London, Bradesco Securities U.K., its subsidiary, or Bradesco Securities U.K.; Cayman Islands, two Bradesco branches and its subsidiary, Cidade Capital Markets Ltd., or Cidade Capital Markets; Argentina, Banco Bradesco Argentina S.A., its subsidiary, or Bradesco Argentina; Banco Bradesco Luxemburgo S.A. its subsidiary, or Bradesco Europe; Japan, Bradesco Services Co. Ltd., its subsidiary, or Bradesco Services Japan; in Hong Kong, its subsidiary Bradesco Trade Services Ltd, or Bradesco Trade, and in Mexico, its subsidiary Ibi Services, Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada, or Ibi Mexico.

The Bank�� Brazilian foreign-trade related business consists of export and import finance. In addition to import and export finance, its customers have access to a range of services and foreign exchange products, such as purchasing and selling travelers checks and foreign currency paper money; cross border money transfers; advance payment for exports; accounts abroad in foreign currency; cash holding in other countries; collecting import and export receivables; repaid cards with foreign currency (individual), and structured foreign currency transactions through its foreign units.

Insurance, pension plans and capitalization bonds

The Bank offers insurance products through a number of different entities, which it refers to collectively as Grupo Bradesco Seguros. It offers life, personal accident and random events insurance through its subsidiary Bradesco Vida e Previdencia. It offers health insurance policies through Bradesco Saude and its subsidiaries for small, medium or large companies. It provides automobile, property/casualty and liability products through its subsidiary Bradesco Auto! /RE. It a! lso offers certain automobile, health, and property/casualty insurance products directly through its Website.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  Banco Bradesco S.A. (NYSE: BBD) is one of the key banks and financial services companies in Brazil. A Yahoo! Finance reference showed that the 2012 figures were as follows: 4,686 branches; 34,859 ATMs; 12,975 shared ATMs under the Banco24Horas brand; and 5,237 special points of banking services. At $11.65, the 52-week trading range is $11.29 to $17.79. This ADR is down 7% so far in 2014.

Best Bank Companies To Invest In 2014: Ellington Financial LLC (EFC)

Ellington Financial LLC (EFC) is a specialty finance company, which specializes in acquiring and managing mortgage-related assets. As of December 31, 2011, its targeted assets included residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS), backed by prime jumbo, Alternative A-paper (Alt-A), manufactured housing and subprime residential mortgage loans (non-Agency RMBS); RMBS for which the principal and interest payments are guaranteed by a United States Government agency or a United States Government-sponsored entity (Agency RMBS); mortgage-related derivatives; commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS), commercial mortgage loans and other commercial real estate debt, and corporate debt and equity securities and derivatives. It also acquires and manages other types of mortgage-related assets and financial assets, such as residential whole mortgage loans, asset-backed securities (ABS), backed by consumer and commercial assets, non-mortgage-related derivatives and real property.

Non-Agency RMBS

The Company acquires non-Agency RMBS backed by prime jumbo, Alt-A, manufactured housing and subprime residential mortgage loans. Its non-Agency RMBS holdings include investment-grade and non-investment grade classes. Non-Agency RMBS are debt obligations issued by private originators of or investors in residential mortgage loans. Non-Agency RMBS are issued as CMOs and are backed by pools of whole mortgage loans or by mortgage pass-through certificates. Non-Agency RMBS are securitized in senior/subordinated structures, or in excess spread/over-collateralization structures. In senior/subordinated structures, the subordinated tranches absorb all losses on the underlying mortgage loans before any losses are borne by the senior tranches.

Agency RMBS

The Company�� assets in this asset class consist of whole pool pass-through certificates, the principal and interest of which are guaranteed by Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), Federal Home Loan Mortgage Cor! poration (Freddie Mac), or Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae), and which are backed by adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs), hybrid ARMs or fixed-rate mortgages. Mortgage pass-through certificates are securities representing undivided interests in pools of mortgage loans secured by real property where payments of both interest and principal, plus pre-paid principal, on the securities are made monthly to holders of the security, in effect passing through monthly payments made by the individual borrowers on the mortgage loans that underlie the securities, net of fees paid to the issuer/guarantor and servicers of the securities. Whole pool pass-through certificates are mortgage pass-through certificates that represent the entire ownership of a pool of mortgage loans.

In addition to investing in specific pools of Agency RMBS, the Company utilizes forward-settling purchases and sales of Agency RMBS where the underlying pools of mortgage loans are to be announced mortgage-backed securities (MBS) (TBAs). Pursuant to these TBA transactions, it agrees to purchase or sell, for future delivery, Agency RMBS with certain principal and interest terms and certain types of underlying collateral. It uses TBAs for hedging purposes. It engages in TBA transactions for purposes of managing certain risks associated with its long Agency RMBS and its non-Agency RMBS.

Mortgage-Related Derivatives

The Company takes long and short positions in various mortgage-related derivative instruments, including credit default swaps. A credit default swap is a credit derivative contract in which one party (the protection buyer) pays an ongoing periodic premium (and often an upfront payment as well) to another party (the protection seller) in return for compensation for default (or similar credit event) by a reference entity. In this case, the reference entity can be an individual MBS or an index of several MBS, such as an ABX Index, PrimeX or a CMBX Index.

CMBS

CMBS ar! e mortgage-backed securities collateralized by loans on commercial properties. CMBS issued are fixed rate securities backed by fixed rate loans made to multiple borrowers on a range of property types, though single-borrower CMBS and floating-rate CMBS have also been issued. Commercial mortgage loans are loans secured by liens on commercial properties, including retail, office, industrial, hotel and multifamily properties. Commercial real estate loans may also be structured into more complicated senior/subordinate structures, including those providing for multiple B-Note or multiple mezzanine loan senior/subordinate components.

Corporate Debt and Equity Securities and Derivatives

For hedging purposes, the Company takes short positions in corporate debt and equity (including indices on corporate debt and equity) by entering into derivative contracts, such as credit default swaps, total return swaps and options. These hedges reference corporations (such as financial institutions that have substantial mortgage-related exposure) or indices whose performance has a degree of correlation with the performance of its portfolio. Given this correlation, a short position with respect to such corporations or indices provides a hedge to its portfolio of MBS as a whole.

Other Assets

The Company from time to time acquires other mortgage-related and financial assets, which include residential whole mortgage loans, ABS backed by consumer and commercial assets and real property. It also acquires real property interests, such as single family and multifamily residential properties.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Luke Jacobi]

  Ellington Financial LLC (NYSE: EFC) was down, falling 4.4 percent to $23.53 after the company priced 8 million shares at $23.92 per share.

  Commodities

  Although equities have been flat, the same cannot be said for the commodity market. Crude futures shot higher Wednesday, following yesterday’s sharp sell off. At last check, WTI futures were up 2.7 percent to $95.37 and Brent futures gained 2.1 percent to $102.45.