Hot China Companies To Watch For 2014

Yesterday's sharp gains put a bounce in investors' steps, but today the markets aren't going for a repeat. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) has sunk 72 points, or 0.47%, as of 2:15 p.m. EDT, and�Verizon's (NYSE: VZ  ) stock is the anchor around its neck, along with downbeat global growth forecasts. Most members of the index are down today, with Verizon and several other big movers falling by more than 2%. Let's catch up on the top stories you need to know.

China slows further
The International Monetary Fund cut its Chinese growth projections for 2013 and 2014 today, now expecting the world's second-largest economy to grow by 7.75% per year after earlier projecting 8% growth this year and 8.2% next year. China's slowdown from its previous double-digit-percentage economic growth has hurt companies counting on the developing economy to fuel sales. Industrials in particular have been hit hard: Major China manufacturing player Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT  ) saw its Asia-Pacific retail sales fall at least 20% in each of the last three months as reduced Chinese infrastructure spending hurts demand. Caterpillar's stock hasn't reacted badly to the news, however, with shares gaining 0.5% so far today to defy the Dow's drop.

Hot China Companies To Watch For 2014: Joyas International Hldgs Ltd (E9L.SI)

Joyas International Holdings Limited, an investment holding company, engages in the design, manufacture, trading, packaging, and sale of metal gift, jewelry, and packaging products. It operates in three segments: Metal Gift Products, Jewelry Products, and Packaging and Other Items. The Metal Gift Products segment provides fashion accessories, including lipstick holders, compact mirrors, perfume atomizers, cufflinks, tie pins, and smoking accessories; desk top accessories, such as writing instruments, writing pad holders, calculators, and photo frames; computer accessories comprising keyboards, mice, and mouse pads; table top accessories, including candle stands, serving items, and bar ware; and time items, such as desk, travelling, carriage, functional, and pocket clocks. It designs and manufactures these products for international brands and designer labels, and other corporations to be used as corporate gifts. This segment sells its metal gift products under the Argent b rand name through its franchisees. It exports its products to Europe, the United States, and Asia, as well as sells through its franchisees� retail outlets in the People�s Republic of China and Hong Kong. The Jewelry Products segment involves in the design of jewelry products and subcontracts the manufacture of these products to independent third party subcontractors. It serves jewelry agents and retailers in Hong Kong and internationally. The Packaging and Other Items segment engages in designing, manufacturing, and selling packaging products. This segment also manufactures and sells print items, such as designed boxes for gift packaging, coasters, cloth bags, and board games. Joyas International Holdings Limited was incorporated in 2006 and is based in Kowloon, Hong Kong.

Hot China Companies To Watch For 2014: BJ's Restaurants Inc.(BJRI)

BJ?s Restaurants, Inc. owns and operates casual dining restaurants in the Unites States. The company operates restaurants under the BJ?s Restaurant & Brewery, BJ?s Restaurant & Brewhouse, BJ?s Pizza & Grill, or BJ?s Grill names, which offer deep-dish pizzas, handcrafted beers, appetizers, entrees, pastas, sandwiches, specialty salads, desserts, non-alcoholic beverages, wine, other craft beers, and spirits. As of February 27, 2012, it owned and operated 116 restaurants comprising 10 BJ?s Restaurant & Brewery restaurants, 98 BJ?s Restaurant & Brewhouse restaurants, 7 BJ?s Pizza & Grill restaurants, and 1 BJ?s Grill. The company operates restaurants in California, Texas, Arizona, Colorado, Oregon, Nevada, Florida, Ohio, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Indiana, Louisiana, and Washington. BJ?s Restaurants, Inc. was founded in 1991 and is based in Huntington Beach, California.

Best Canadian Companies To Own In Right Now: NGP Capital Resources Company(NGPC)

NGP Capital Resources Company is a business development company specializing in investments in small and mid size and middle market companies. The firm typically invests in acquisitions, buyouts, growth and development, revitalization, restructuring, recapitalizations, and special situations. It invests in energy companies with a focus on oil and gas exploitation, development, and production business; upstream businesses that acquire, develop, and produce oil, natural gas, and coal; midstream businesses that gather, process, store, and transport oil and natural gas; power generation and distribution; oil field services and other energy services; and alternative energy and other similar energy related businesses. The firm primarily invests between $10 million and $100 million in its portfolio companies. It invests in the form of secured, senior, and subordinate debt; convertible debt; preferred equity; project equity; production payments, net profits interests, and similar investments; and mezzanine loans and may receive equity investments in portfolio companies in connection with such investments. The firm makes asset and project based investments in private companies and can also invest in public companies. NGP Capital Resources Company was founded in 2004 and is based at Houston, Texas. It is a subsidiary of NGP Energy Capital Management.