Barron's Recap: The World's Hottest Market

This weekend in Barron's online: betting on China's future, the top 500 U.S. companies, as well as the prospects for Blackstone, Tyson Foods, M&T Bank, Covanta and more.

Cover Story

"China's Long Bull Run" by Kopin Tan. The booming Hong Kong stock market could push higher, according to this week's Barron's cover story, though the ride may be bumpy. Over the past year, shares in Shanghai have surged 120 percent as well, even while economic growth in the People's Republic has slowed. That means there are plenty of overvalued stocks. Yet, Barron's says, there are smart ways to bet on China's future. See which eight stocks and one exchange traded fund Barron's says are worth buying now and holding for the long term. See also: 'Challenging Environment' For Brands In China

Special Feature: America's Top 500 Companies

"The Barron's 500" by Jacqueline Doherty presents the latest Barron's exclusive annual ranking of U.S. companies with superior operating performance. See which ones topped the list, as well as which are rising and which are sinking. Jacqueline Doherty's "Airlines Top Barron's 500 Bargains" takes a look at the low price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio stocks on Barron's annual ranking of the top American companies. Some names may be a surprise, and if history repeats, says Barron's, some of them could be set to soar.

Feature Stories

In "Blue Skies for Blackstone," Leslie P. Norton points out that Blackstone Group LP BX has outpaced its peers and the stock market recently. See why its success looks to continue, as well as why shares could return 20 percent in the next 12 months. Tyson Foods, Inc. TSN may be poised to reward investors, says "Tyson Foods: 20% Upside" by Jack Hough. As demand for protein grows, cost savings from its Hillshire Farms acquisition are kicking in too. Check out "City Living, High Yields," in which Sarah Max profiles Steve Czepiel, portfolio manager at Delaware Investments. Czepiel discusses how he searches for good municipal projects that have high-yielding bonds for his fund. In Lawrence C. Strauss's "An Income Manager Who Goes for Growth," Mark Freeman, lead manager of the Westwood Income Opportunity fund, is interviewed. Freeman shares why he has a growth focus as he evaluates yield. The chances that the acquisition of Hudson City Bancorp by M&T Bank Corporation MTB will be approved are good, according to Lawrence C. Strauss's "Why M&T Bank Will Reward Patient Investors." Cost cuts and growth will follow the deal, says the article. "Covanta Turns Trash to Cash," by David Englander takes a look at small-cap waste-to-energy outfit Covanta Holding Corp CVA. See why it is positioned to prosper from new clients, cost savings and potential overseas growth. Follow-up article "After Rising 25%, Indian Bull Market Could Run for Years" takes a look at the progress that Indian Prime Minister Modi has made and how it has been for investors. Also, what the rapid evolution of Internet TV means for Akamai Technologies, Inc. AKAM. In Barron's Asia: "Baidu Dreams of Mobile Payoff" by Isabella Zhong examines why some analysts see 17 percent upside for Baidu Inc (ADR) BIDU shares, even though the Internet search giant's push into mobile is hurting. "Highway Robbery" is an editorial commentary by Thomas G. Donlan that examines why a business tax is the wrong source of free money for freeways. See also: Zatlin: When Will Apple Stop Screwing The U.S. Economy?

Columns

Columns in this weekend's Barron's discuss:

• Why German bunds are the short of the century
• Why the merger boom is far from over
• Social media stocks that got slammed
• Alleged mutual fund fraud exposing cracks in securities pricing
• Dividend exchange traded funds that spurn tech
• The past week's dividend hikes
• Why economic growth is still on track
• Testing the limits of brokerage account insurance
• Books warning about the effects of Dodd-Frank and antitrust regulations
• Interactive Brokers and robo-advisors

At the time of this writing, the author had no position in the mentioned equities. Keep up with all the latest breaking news and trading ideas by following Benzinga on Twitter.