Rocket Stocks for the Week

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By Jonas Elmerraji

BALTIMORE (TheStreet) -- Last week brought investors a welcome return to gains as the S&P 500 pushed up 3.2% over the course of the last five trading days.

With most broad-based indices tumbling down to a key support level toward the end of October, many traders were waiting with baited breath for the market's next move. And now, despite unemployment in the double digits and more of the same from the Fed, it looks like investors are game to keep pushing stocks higher as we enter this week.

That's all the more reason to look to the Rocket Stocks -- beaten-down stocks with near-term growth catalysts and long-term growth potential. In the past 16 weeks, Stockpickr readers have had the chance to beat the S&P 500's returns by 31.5%, and this week we're looking to put even more space between us and the market.

First though, let's take a look at how last week's Rocket Stocks fared.

Last week's best performer was Ford Motor(F Quote), still rallying from a surprise billion-dollar third-quarter profit announced the week before. Shares shot up 10.7% as a result.

Coming in second was Align Technology (ALGN Quote). The developer of the Invisalign invisible braces system gained 5.09% during the week. Payment processor Visa(V Quote) also brought in market-beating gains last week, rallying 4.35% after another month of strong debit transactions.

Our sole underperformer last week was Arkansas Best (ABFS Quote), a small-cap trucking company that we were hoping would gain on increased investor activity. Shares lost 6.9% last week.

Now on to this week's Rocket Stocks list.