In This Issue:

•Earnings Impressions: The S&P 500 just notched another quarter of double-digit profits. Here are the trends we see behind the numbers.
•STARS Status: Changes in S&P analysts' STARS rankings for August 7 through August 11.
•Budgeting for Long-Term Care: Consider an insurance policy before your independence vanishes in the haze.
•Acing the Buffett Test: These stocks might satisfy the "Oracle of Omaha."
•The Right REITs: Interested in income? Consider REIT preferreds.
•Master List Stocks Update: Our three supervised Master List groups of stocks, recommended as core holdings for long-term investors, are regularly featured on these two pages. The Small/Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio is highlighted this week.
•S&P's Platinum Portfolio: This portfolio offers the best of both worlds: S&P's STARS ranking system, based on fundamental analysis, and Fair Value, S&P's proprietary quantitative model.

Some of the Companies Featured:

Alexandria R.E. Equities
Amkor Technology
Analog Devices
Ballard Power
Boston Beer
Caremark Rx
Cephalon
Deutsche Bank
Federated Department Stores
Google
ImClone Systems
Playboy Enterprises
Sirva
SunTrust Banks
Websense
Xcel Energy

S&P Information Products

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S&P Industry Surveys
S&P Industry Stock Reports
The Outlook
Search Engine Survey
Pocket Guides
Power Picks

About Standard & Poor's

Standard & Poor's is one of the world's preeminent providers of credit ratings, and for such globally recognized financial-market indices as the S&P 500®. S&P also provides a wide range of other products and services designed to help individuals and institutions around the world make better-informed financial decisions with greater confidence.