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Sector Watch

Sector Watch: Healthcare REITS

Investors seeking a safe haven from stock market turmoil may want to look to healthcare REITs National Health Investors, Inc. (NYSE:NHI) and Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc. (NYSE:OHI) for steady growth, generous dividends and reasonable valuations.

Sector Watch: Lender stocks

The mortgage industry meltdown has distracted investor attention from high quality lenders, such as SCBT Financial Corp. (Nasdaq:SCBT) and Southside Bancshares (Nasdaq:SBSI).

Sector Watch: Keep on truckin’

Although record fuel costs have hurt transportation stocks for the most part, Marten Transport (Nasdaq:MRTN) and Dynamex (Nasdaq:DDMX) are faring better than most.

Sector Watch: Personal-care products

Consumer products companies face real challenges during times when consumer spending is soft, but Helen of Troy Limited (Nasdaq:HELE) and National Presto Industries (NYSE:NPK) are weathering the current storm far better than most.

Sector Watch: Solar energy stocks

With both political parties promising further development of alternative energy sources, the future looks bright for solar energy companies Canadian Solar, Inc. (Nasdaq:CSIQ) and Solarfun Power Holdings Co. (Nasdaq:SOLF).

Sector Watch: Health-care information stocks

Caps on Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement are requiring health-care providers to manage costs more effectively, spurring demand for software systems marketed by MedAssets (Nasdaq:MDAS) and Quality Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:QSII).

Sector Watch: Medical equipment stocks

With medical equipment stocks up about 6.3% year-to-date, manufacturers Somanetics Corporation (Nasdaq:SMTS) and CryoLife, Inc. (NYSE:CRY) both have unusually clean bills of health in today’s market.

Sector Watch: Business software stocks

With the advent of the Internet, the world may seem small, but the market for protecting it is vast, which bodes well for Integral Systems (Nasdaq:ISYS) and Mantech International Corporation (Nasdaq:MANT).

Industrial equipment stocks ride oil wave

Companies that manufacture drilling equipment are gushing earnings because of drilling activity fueled by record oil prices. T-3 Energy Services, Inc. and Circor International are two small caps riding the wave.

Sector Watch: Precision instrument stocks

Precision is important in any business endeavor -- just ask Axsys Technologies (Nasdaq:AXYS), Argon ST (Nasdaq:STST) and Badger Meter Inc. (NYSE:BMI).