Barron's summary: Positive on CCL, RCL, FMC
Cover Story: Top Wall Street strategists predict the current bull market isn't likely to end despite some ups and downs in 2014; Experts polled by Barron's see the S&P 500 next year ranging from a low of 2100 to a high of 2350, with a mean of 2208, compared with Friday's close of 2002.Features: Positive on CCL, RCL: Both cruise lines, which essentially form a duopoly, could gain 20% over the next year as demand increases, oil prices drop, and retirees embrace travel; Positive on FMC: Recent selloff in shares following announcement of Cheminova acquisition looks like a good opportunity for investors to buy into "a promising transformation on the cheap”.Tech Trader: Positive on Peloton Interactive: Company sells bikes like those used in popular gym spin classes, complete with tablets upon which riders can stream classes while working out at home; Other tech companies entering the fitness sector with real workout tools (as opposed to wearable monitoring devices) are Strava, AKAM and GRMN.Trader: "Despite the anxiety in the market, some investors remain loath to sell his late in the year"; Positive on ASC: Tanker company that ships refined oil products has a $262M market value and looks like a good investment at its current price, as does TNK, which also has strong fundamentals and an appealing valuation; Cautious on NEE: Florida-based utility's purchase of HE, the largest utility in Hawaii and an operation with mixed prospects, is likely to face "bruising battles" with that state's government.Follow-Up: "European stock gains from a weaker euro get lost in translation, because they're converted into a stronger dollar, which argues in favor of currency hedges"; ETFs that do this include HEDJ, HEZU, and DBEU;European Trader: "Russia carries so much risk that it's off-limits for many investors. But the recent drop in oil prices has whacked asset values so far and so fast that it merits a second look," and outlook could improve for Lukoil and Phosagro;Asian Trader: Investors in China's stock market should benefit from the potential for more monetary easing next year, making the country's banks--which are cheap and under-owned--a good play (Positive on China Construction Bank, Agricultural Bank of China, China Merchants Bank);Emerging Markets: The drop in global oil prices could end up helping a number of emerging-market oil companies (Positive on Petrochina, PTT Exploration & Production, Ultrapar Participacoes, Novatek, Lukoil);Commodities: There remains for investors a good long-term rationale for buying commodities, which reduce risk in a portfolio and can diminish volatility;Mutual Funds: Interview with Wally Weitz and Brad Hinton of the Weitz Partners Value Investor fund, which looks at stocks "only if they have compelling stories" (picks: LMCK, Liberty Broadband, Discovery Communications, RRC); Interview with Mark Ashton of the Homestead Small-Company Stock fund, which has beaten 98% of its peers over 10 years, and 96% over five (top ten holdings: IJR, IWN, KNX, ECPG, WERN, AIT, DY, CTB, TCBI, OLN);Streetwise: Positive on TROW: Asset manager has had a tough year, but Jefferies analyst Daniel Fannon thinks it could do much better in 2015 as it builds out its European business with distribution of more than 30 retail funds.