For Investors Only -- June 4, 2014 -- A Stock-Picker's Market?

The ISM non-manufacturing index - very, very strong: 

Growth in the bulk of the nation's economy is very strong but the strength isn't leading to new hiring. This is the story for both this morning's services report from Markit Economics and the ISM non-manufacturing report where the composite index rose to 56.3 vs April's 55.2. Best number since August, 57.9. Business activity is exceptionally strong in the ISM report, at 62.1 for a 1.3 point gain as are new orders at 60.5 for a 2.3 point gain. Backlog orders are also strong, moving out of contraction with a 5.0 point gain to 54.0 vs April's 49.0.

S&P sets another record on strong services sector growth, just shy of 1,928. If that's a hard number to remember, that's about the number of acres in a 1900-acre drilling unit in the Bakken.

Price of WTI oil holds its gains; trading around $103/bbl.

Five companies could benefit from EPA's 30-30 rules. 24/7 Wall Street is reporting that these five companies could be winners -- XOM, CHK, Anadarko, Devon, and Southwestern. I invested in one of these for my older granddaughter's portfolio just days before the Exxon Valdex debacle; since then automatic dividend reinvestment; never looked back. I "initiated" a position in one of the other four just a few months ago when it became obvious it was way underpriced.

Trading at new 52-week highs: AAPL, EOG, ERF, HES, NGL, NRG, TRGP, WFT.

CLR also traded at a new 52-week high. Oasis is over $50/share, clawing its way back up the wall of worry.

AAPL is surging; market cap at $555 billion. XOM's market cap: $431 billion. According to Yahoo, TPLM traded as high as $9.98 but has since dropped back a bit; very close to $10/share.

Disclaimer: this is not an investment site. Do not make any investment decisions based on what you read here or what you think you may have read here.