GLOBAL MARKETS

The major U.S. indices floated close to yearly highs Friday, but extremely low volumes of trading, divergences in the behavior of important sub-indices and various other technical indicators suggested U.S. equities might be in for a price-slashing correction soon.

The stock market prediction for 2012 from most analysts is something along the lines of it will improve, but not by a lot.

The top aftermarket NYSE losers Thursday were: Frontier Communications, Promotora De Informaciones, CapitalSource, Gray Television, MagnaChip Semiconductor, V.F. Corp, Rogers, Mechel Steel Group, TRW Automotive Holdings and Compania Mina Buenaventura.

The top aftermarket NYSE gainers Thursday were: Cloud Peak Energy, B&G Foods Holdings, Magnum Hunter Resources, Suntech Power Holdings, Itau Unibanco Banco Holding, DaVita, MEMC Electronic Materials, Encana Corp, Trina Solar and Yingli Green Energy Holding.

The top after-market NASDAQ gainers Thursday were: SunPower, Applied Materials, Achillion Pharmaceuticals, Nanometrics Inc, Jazz Pharmaceuticals and Mattson Technology. The top after-market NASDAQ losers Thursday were: Qlik Technologies, Zix Corp, Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, FreightCar America, Unilife Corp and Maxwell Technologies.

Robust economic data and European Central Bank support for Greece energized U.S. stocks Thursday, as investors ignored possible bank downgrades and lifted equities to a nine-month high.

The U.S. economy is growing modestly at best, yields on bonds are low and the economic outlook outside the U.S. is uncertain. For the year 2012 and beyond, one fitting investment idea could be real estate investment trusts (REITs), according to PNC Investment and Wealth Management.

The top after-market NASDAQ gainers Wednesday were: ReachLocal, NetApp, Itron, Globus Maritime, GRAVITY Co, Affymetrix and Diamond Foods.

The top after-market NASDAQ losers Wednesday were: Blue Nile, Digital Generation, Clearwire Corp, Avis Budget Group, NVIDIA, Equinix, Tangoe and Ancestry.com.

The top aftermarket NYSE gainers Wednesday were: Northstar Realty Finance, Trinity Industries, Teavana Holdings, Terex Corp and Gardner Denver. The top aftermarket NYSE losers were: Hanesbrands, Hovnanian Enterprises, Agilent Technologies, Zale Corp and Cliffs Natural Resources Inc.

U.S. stocks gave up gains on Wednesday as the S&P 500 hit a technical barrier near a nine-month high and Apple shares erased a 3 percent advance.

When 22 bird flu experts meet at the World Health Organization this week, they will be tasked with deciding just how far scientists should go in creating lethal mutant viruses in the name of research.

The top after-market NASDAQ losers Tuesday were: Zynga, Sapient, Golar LNG, FormFactor, Peet's Coffee & Tea, Compuware Corp, A123 Systems, Almost Family Inc, Amylin Pharmaceuticals and Quest Software.

The top after-market NASDAQ gainers Tuesday were: Given Imaging, Crosstex Energy, Syneron Medical, InnerWorkings, Amerco, Perry Ellis International, American Capital, United Community Banks, United Community Banks, Jive Software and Spreadtrum Communications.

The top aftermarket NYSE gainers Tuesday were: Hartford Financial Services, First Majestic Silver Corp, Lions Gate Entertainment, ING Group, Rosetta Stone and MetLife. The top aftermarket NYSE losers were: Renren Inc, Lone Pine Resources, Sunrise Senior Living, FXCM, FMC Technologies and China Unicom.

Early in January 2012, DoubleLine Capital's Jeffrey Gundlach sounded bearish on the U.S. stock market.

U.S. gas prices have risen above $3.50 per gallon unusually early this year, foreshadowing an expensive year for motorists looking to fill up the tank.

The yen fell on Tuesday as the Bank ofJapan eased monetary policy by expanding its asset-buying scheme, but the impact on the currency may prove short-lived while nagging worries over the euro zone crisis keep it supported as a safe haven.

The euro rose to a session high and shares reversed early losses after key German data bolstered hopes that Europe's largest economy was recovering and a strong Italian bond sale added to signs that financing pressures were being contained.

Futures on major U.S. stock indices pared earlier losses and point to a slightly higher opening Tuesday ahead of of economic data including retail sales.

The top after-market NASDAQ gainers Monday were: Ultra Clean Holdings, Insight Enterprises, Perfect World, TripAdvisor, SunPower Corp and Education Management Corp. The top after-market NASDAQ losers Monday were: Seattle Genetics, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Smith & Wesson Holding, IPG Photonics, Imperial Sugar Co. and Fastenal Co.

The top aftermarket NYSE losers Monday were: Masco Corp, Quantum Corp, Calgon Carbon, Brink's, Calpine Corp, HealthSouth Corp, Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes and Carbo Ceramics.

The top aftermarket NYSE gainers Monday were: EnergySolutions, Rackspace Hosting, Health Management Associates, Excel Maritime Carriers, Michael Kors Holdings, Nielsen Holdings, HyperDynamics Corp, Magnum Hunter Resources Corp and Superior Energy Services.

Japan's Nikkei share average slipped on Tuesday but still hovered near the 9,000 level, with non-life insurers underperforming after MS&AD Insurance Group Holdings (8725.T) cut guidance on heavy losses on the flooding in Thailand.

U.S. stock markets may begin the week with gains as stocks in Asia and Europe advanced after Greek parliament approved austerity measures demanded by Eurozone leaders to secure a bailout package and avoid a messy debt default.

The top aftermarket NYSE gainers Friday were: National Bank of Greece, LinkedIn Corp, Dolby Laboratories, Alliance One International and Vmware. The top aftermarket losers were: Cobalt International Energy, Global Cash Access Holdings, Talisman Energy, C.R. Bard and NYSE Euronext.

The top after-market NASDAQ gainers Friday were: Meru Networks, Energy XXI, Idenix Pharmaceuticals, Fortinet and Achillion Pharmaceuticals. The top after-market NASDAQ gainers losers: Neurocrine Biosciences, Smith Micro Software, FriendFinder Networks and Dunkin' Brands Group.

Despite a mediocre earnings season and signs of an overbought market, Wall Street bulls are likely to remain in control this week.

Despite a mediocre earnings season and signs of an overbought market, Wall Street bulls are likely to remain in control next week. There are a number of catalysts that have helped the market this year, including a slew of improved economic data and the Federal Reserve's vow to keep interest rates low.