Behind the Headlines: Discount Retailers

To say we are in a market of historical dislocations is to state the obvious these days. Scandals, bailouts, failures and survivals top the headlines every day.

But if we look past the headlines to uncover the many companies not making the front covers, we can find some intriguing valuations and interesting stories. Some might offer indirect ways of entering a hot, new market, while others might offer compelling valuations vs. their more direct peers.

Understanding and interpreting the potential ramifications of each piece of news toward a particular sector or stock could lead to some hefty profits -- or to avoiding some hefty losses.

This week, we look behind the headlines of stories about the weak Russian ruble, discount retailers and the potential effect of a positive trend in Internet traffic. ...