What's Hot on the Street

Here's what Benzinga's reading on our friend, TheStreet.com.
What's Hot On TheStreet
An ETF for the Industrial Sector Earnings season is an exciting time for analysts, market commentators and investors as numerous companies from across the market spectrum step up to the plate to report their performance numbers for the most recent three month period and forecast what will be in store ahead.
Energy Winners: Halliburton, Schlumberger Energy stocks are rallying on Wednesday to new 52-week highs as the Dow broke the market's psychological barrier of 12,000. Oil service stocks that received a tepid reaction from the market after recent earnings beats, including Schlumberger SLB and Halliburton HAL, found a more bullish reception on Wednesday, with Halliburton hitting a new 52-week high after a 5% rise early on Wednesday.
US Airways Swings to Profit US Airways LCC surged past estimates and reported its first profitable fourth quarter since 2006. In late-morning trading Wednesday, the company's shares were surging 7.8% to $10.92. Net income was $28 million, or 17 cents a share. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters had estimated earnings of 6 cents a share. Revenue rose 10.7% to $2.9 billion, in line with estimates.
SEC Probes Illinois State Pension Funds The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating disclosures by Illinois concerning the state's pension funding method. Federal regulators want to determine whether the state fully explained its funding method to bond buyers or misled bond investors about the risks. A recently filed prospectus said that the SEC contacted the state last September about the potential long-term savings from a pension reform law. The document detailed the state's plans to offer $3.7 billion taxable pension bonds in February. Illinois is looking to use the proceeds from the sale to contribute to its weakly-funded pension funds.