Muscular retail sales figures encouraged traders -- as the dollar slips again and crude oil continues to soar. How should investors read these ostensibly contradictory signs?
Erik Ristuben of Russell Investment Group and Holly Isdale of Lehman Brothers offered their sector insights to CNBC.
Outlook:
"Markets are looking through the short-term data," said Ristuben. "The Russell 1000 [index] is about 9 percent off its bottom in early March."
"We think equities are a good value right now," he said.
Isdale's optimism is a bit more muted. "We're still a little bearish," she said. "Companies have done a good job managing expectations...but it still comes down to what the consumer is thinking."
Recommendations:
"Our managers like tech and energy," said Ristuben. While crude oil prices may not keep up their dizzying climb, "pricing for oil [to hold steady] is still there," he believes.
Isdale agreed about the strength of oil investment, "especially [oil] producers."
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Techs -- Top Application Software Firms:
Microsoft
Oracle
SAP
Adobe
CA
Oil -- Top Producers:
Exxon Mobil
Chevron
ConocoPhillips
Royal Dutch Shell
BP
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Disclosures:
Disclosure information was not immediately available for Ristuben, Isdale or their respective companies.