**Barron's cover story looks at rail stocks. Freight train companies like BNI and UNP are up substantially in the last year, but still appear to be a good value says Barron's. Other plays include Canada's Bombardier (BBD.CA), which makes locomotives and passenger cars, and Wabtec (WAB), which makes brake systems.
**also in this week's Barron's: positive features on SFY and CBI.
- Oil and gas producer Swift Energy (SFY) could rise more than 20%, says Barron's, if it sticks to its planned output increases, and thanks to its 12 years of reserves, which the market may be undervaluing.
- Chicago Bridge & Iron (CBI) ' is a play on the fast-growing build-out of energy infrastructure,' says Barron's that could rise more than 20% in a year. A recent earnings missed knocked the stock down, but the company should benefit from its expertise in liquefied-natural-gas (LNG) projects as it expects global demand for liquefaction facilities to double by 2012. Currently they account for about 55% of CBI's revenue.

Americas Macro sector headlines

• Today 00:02am
  *(US) NOV MONSTER EMPLOYMENT INDEX: 143 V 150 M/M (The Nov 2007 reading was 183); The index is now at the lowest level since 2004- Only agriculture showed an increase in jobs in Nov and demand for more...
  
• Yesterday 11:15pm
  (JP) Japan extra bond sale bid to cover 2.87X v 3.23 prior- A total of ¥149.8B in 20-yr and 30-yr bonds were sold. - This was auction number 35.
  
• Yesterday 11:13pm
  (US) Secy. of State Rice calls for "robust" action from Pakistan govt against those responsible for Mumbai attack
  
• Yesterday 10:52pm
  Spot gold moving below $770 into negative territory for the session
  
• Yesterday 08:33pm
  (CA) Finance Min Flaherty pledges added stimulus in Jan 27 budget, could try to help credit availability for auto leasing