Last Week's Winners and the Three Biggest Risk Factors to Watch

Last week had its ups and downs, but some winners emerged. Consumer staples and technology companies had strong showings. But in determining which companies will continue to succeed going forward, there are three important risk factors to consider. Stocks reacted to the first big week of earnings with a surprisingly mixed-up performance, as large-cap value stocks rose 0.7% while mid-caps fell 0.7% and small-caps fell 2.4%. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index snapped a seven-week winning streak and the Dow Jones Industrial Average was the only index to log a gain for the five-day span. No one or two catalysts could claim responsibility for this large/small fractioning of returns, so it was really just a matter of momentum stocks taking a breather after a strong run into earnings and quieter stocks just ambling quietly higher. To find out which stocks will continue to surge in the weeks ahead, read on...