Stocks to Watch for Wednesday 7/27/2011: Fresh 52 Week Highs and Lows

Stocks trading at or near 52-week highs and lows provide excellent trading opportunities, as volatility tends to increase at such levels and exit/entry points become more clearly defined.

The following stocks hit new 52-week highs in Tuesday's trading session (listed from highest total volume to lowest):

1) S1 Corporation (NASDAQ: SONE): Shares of S1 hit a 52-week high of $9.43 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $9.26. The year-to-date performance of S1 has been a gain of 34.2%.

2) Baidu (NASDAQ: BIDU): Shares of Baidu hit a 52-week high of $165.96 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $164.36. The year-to-date performance of Baidu has been a gain of 70.3%.

3) Apple (NASDAQ: APPL): Shares of Apple hit a 52-week high of $404.50 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $403.41. The year-to-date performance of Apple has been a gain of 25.1%.

4) Helix Energy Solutions Group (NYSE: HLX): Shares of Helix Energy hit a 52-week high of $21.65 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $20.76. The year-to-date performance of Helix Energy Solutions has been a gain of 71%.

5) Pinnacle Data Systems (NYSE: PNS): Shares of Pinnacle Data hit a 52-week high of $3.45 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $2.35. The year-to-date performance of Pinnacle Data Systems has been a gain of 88%.

6) Apollo Group (NASDAQ: APOL): Shares of Apollo Group hit a 52-week high of $54.23 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $53.86. The year-to-date performance of Apollo Group has been a gain of 36.4%.

7) Fidelity National Financial (NYSE: FNF): Shares of Fidelity Nation hit a 52-week high of $16.82 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $16.66. The year-to-date performance of Fidelity National has been a gain of 22.8%.

8) GlaxoSmithKline PLC (NYSE: GSK): Shares of GlaxoSmithKline hit a 52-week high of $45.31 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $44.88. The year-to-date performance of GlaxoSmithKline has been a gain of 17.7%.

9) iShares Gold Trust (NYSE: IAU): Shares of iShares Gold Trust hit a 52-week high of $15.82 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $15.82. The year-to-date performance of iShares Gold Trust has been a gain of 13.8%.

10) PP&L Corporation (NYSE: PPL): Shares of PP&L hit a 52-week high of $28.55 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $28.50. The year-to-date performance of PP&L has been a gain of 8.2%.

11) W.R. Grace & Co. (NYSE: GRA): Shares of W.R. Grace & Co. hit a 52-week high of $52.50 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $51.65. The year-to-date performance of W.R. Grace & Co. has been a gain of 47%.

12) Domino's Pizza (NYSE: DPZ): Shares of Domino's Pizza hit a 52-week high of $28.74 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $27.20. The year-to-date performance of Domino's Pizza has been a gain of 70%.

13) Simon Property Group (NYSE: SPG): Shares of Simon Property Group hit a 52-week high of $123.48 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $122.39. The year-to-date performance of Simon Property has been a gain of 24.7%.

14) Penske Automotive Group (NYSE: PAG): Shares of Penske Automotive hit a 52-week high of $24.00 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $23.96. The year-to-date performance of Penske Automotive has been a gain of 38%.

15) Group 1 Automotive (NYSE: GPI): Shares of Group 1 Automotive hit a 52-week high of $49.72 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $49.50. The year-to-date performance of Group 1 has been a gain of 19.1%.

16) Sonic Automotive (NYSE: SAH): Shares of Sonic Automotive hit a 52-week high of $16.25 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $16.21. The year-to-date performance of Sonic Automotive has been a gain of 22.9%.

17) Alliance Data Systems (NYSE: ADS): Shares of Alliance Data Systems hit a 52-week high of $101.51 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $100.41. The year-to-date performance of Alliance Data has been a gain of 41.3%.

18) ACI Worldwide (NASDAQ: ACIW): Shares of ACI Worldwide hit a 52-week high of $37.74 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $37.68. The year-to-date performance of ACI has been a gain of 40.2%.

19) Asbury Automotive Group (NYSE: ABG): Shares of Asbury Automotive hit a 52-week high of $21.48 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $21.40. The year-to-date performance of Asbury Automotive has been a gain of 15.8%.

20) Fomento Economico Mexicano (NYSE: FMX): Shares of Fomento Economico Mexicano hit a 52-week high of $68.94 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $68.92. The year-to-date performance of Fomento Economico Mexicano has been a gain of 24.4%.

21) Shire PLC (NASDAQ: SHPGY): Shares of Shire hit a 52-week high of $102.22 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $101.86. The year-to-date performance of Shire has been a gain of 41.2%.

22) Sturm, Ruger & Co. (NYSE: RGR): Shares of Sturm, Ruger & Co. hit a 52-week high of $25.11 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $24.67. The year-to-date performance of Sturm, Ruger & Co. has been a gain of 62.4%.

23) British American Tobacco PLC (NYSE: BTI): Shares of British American Tobacco hit a 52-week high of $94.52 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $94.28 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $94.28. The year-to-date performance of British American Tobacco has been a gain of 25.3%.

24) Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGAA (NYSE: FMS): Shares of Fresenius hit a 52-week high of $79.05 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $79.92. The year-to-date performance of Fresenius Medical has been a gain of 40.3%.

The following stocks hit new 52-week lows in Tuesday's trading session (listed from highest total volume to lowest):

1) JetBlue Airways (NASDAQ: JBLU): Shares of JetBlue Airways hit a 52-week low of $4.79 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $4.83. The year-to-date performance of JetBlue has been a loss of 26.9%.

2) US Airways Group (NYSE: LCC): Shares of US Airways hit a 52-week low of $6.35 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $6.39. The year-to-date performance of US Airways has been a loss of 36.1%.

3) Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV): Shares of Southwest Airlines hit a 52-week low of $10.11 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $10.12. The year-to-date performance of Southwest has been a loss of 21.9%.

4) United Continental Holdings (NYSE: UAL): Shares of United Continental hit a 52-week low of $18.67 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $18.76. The year-to-date performance of United Continental has been a loss of 21.2%.

5) Clearwire (NASDAQ: CLWR): Shares of Clearwire hit a 52-week low of $2.80 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $2.87. The year-to-date performance of Clearwire has been a loss of 44.3%.

6) Companhia Siderurgica Nacional (NYSE: SID): Shares of Companhia Siderurgica Nacional hit a 52-week low of $10.80 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $10.88. The year-to-date performance of Companhia Siderurgica Nacional has been a loss of 31.8%.

7) Lennox International (NYSE: LII): Shares of Lennox hit a 52-week low of $36.94 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $37.48. The year-to-date performance of Lennox International has been a loss of 20.4%.

8) Power-One (NASDAQ: PWER): Shares of Power-One hit a 52-week low of $7.00 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $7.03. The year-to-date performance of Power-One has been a loss of 31%.

9) Advanced Energy Industries (NASDAQ: AEIS): Shares of Advanced Energy hit a 52-week low of $11.03 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $11.40. The year-to-date performance of Advanced Energy Industries has been a loss of 16.4%.

10) Jefferies Group (NYSE: JEF): Shares of Jefferies Group hit a 52-week low of $19.60 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $19.72. The year-to-date performance of Jefferies has been a loss of 25.2%.

11) Lender Processing Services (NYSE: LPS): Shares of Lender Processing hit a 52-week low of $19.21 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $19.25. The year-to-date performance of Lender Processing has been a loss of 34.3%.

12) Genco Shipping & Trading (NYSE: GNK): Shares of Genco Shipping hit a 52-week low of $5.85 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $5.97. The year-to-date performance of Genco Shipping has been a loss of 58.5%.

13) Astoria Financial (NYSE: AF): Shares of Astoria hit a 52-week low of $11.38 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $11.39. The year-to-date performance of Astoria Financial has been a loss of 17.3%.

14) Southwest Bancorp (NASDAQ: OKSB): Shares of Southwest Bancorp hit a 52-week low of $6.25 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $6.44. The year-to-date performance of Southwest Bancorp has been a loss of 48.1%.

15) Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ: NKTR): Shares of Nektar hit a 52-week low of $6.81 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $6.81. The year-to-date performance of Nektar has been a loss of 47%.

16) Lumber Liquidators (NYSE: LL): Shares of Lumber Liquidators hit a 52-week low of $16.15 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $16.36. The year-to-date performance of Lumber Liquidators has been a loss of 34.3%.

17) Ferrellgas Partners (NYSE: FGP): Shares of Ferrellgas hit a 52-week low of $20.10 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $20.20. The year-to-date performance of Ferrellgas has been a loss of 18.1%.

18) Provident New York Bancorp (NASDAQ: PBNY): Shares of Provident hit a 52-week low of $7.80 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $7.81. The year-to-date performance of Provident New York Bancorp has been a loss of 25%.

19) Excel Maritime Carriers (NYSE: EXM): Shares of Excel Maritime hit a 52-week low of $2.52 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $2.52. The year-to-date performance of Excel Maritime Carriers has been a loss of 55.2%.

20) Navios Maritime Holdings (NYSE: NM): Shares of Navios hit a 52-week low of $4.62 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $4.62. The year-to-date performance of Navios Maritime has been a loss of 10.4%.

21) Caplease Funding (NYSE: LSE): Shares of Caplease hit a 52-week low of $4.24 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $4.36. The year-to-date performance of Caplease has been a loss of 23.2%.

22) Headwaters Inc. (NYSE: HW): Shares of Headwaters hit a 52-week low of $2.59 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $2.64. The year-to-date performance of Headwaters has been a loss of 42.3%.

23) Zion Oil & Gas (NASDAQ: ZN): Shares of Zion Oil & Gas hit a 52-week low of $3.44 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $3.58. The year-to-date performance of Zion Oil & Gas has been a loss of 25%.

24) Tutor Perini (NYSE: TPC): Shares of Tutor Perini hit a 52-week low of $16.51 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $16.61. The year-to-date performance of Tutor Perini has been a loss of 22.4%.

25) Ship Finance International (NYSE: SFL): Shares of Ship Finance hit a 52-week low of $16.20 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $16.21. The year-to-date performance of Ship Finance has been a loss of 21.6%.

26) Teekay Tankers (NYSE: TNK): Shares of Teekay hit a 52-week low of $8.38 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $8.38. The year-to-date performance of Teekay has been a loss of 28.7%.

27) HNI (NYSE: HNI): Shares of HNI hit a 52-week low of $21.61 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $21.79. The year-to-date performance of HNI has been a loss of 28.9%.

28) Sun Healthcare Group (NASDAQ: SUNH): Shares of Sun Healthcare hit a 52-week low of $7.31 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $7.42. The year-to-date performance of Sun Healthcare has been a loss of 41.3%.

29) Metabolix (NASDAQ: MBLX): Shares of Metabolix hit a 52-week low of $6.32 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $6.38. The year-to-date performance of Metabolix has been a loss of 47.5%.

30) Huaneng Power International (NYSE: HNP): Shares of Huaneng hit a 52-week low of $19.81 in Tuesday's trading session. The stock closed at $19.83. The year-to-date performance of Huaneng has been a loss of 2.2%.