March Stock Mania: Google narrowly defeats Exxon

Google added yet another accolade to its impressive performance this year when it landed the top spot in CNNMoney's March Stock Mania tournament Monday.

With 56% of readers' votes, the tech giant beat out Exxon Mobil (XOM), which finished as runner-up for a second year in a row. Last year, Google (GOOG) lost to the oil company in the Final Four of March Stock Mania 2012.

In total, nearly 9,000 votes were cast during the MORE

Worst may finally be over for Apple

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Paul R. La Monica. Other than Time Warner, the parent of CNNMoney, Abbott Laboratories and AbbVie, La Monica does not own positions in any individual stocks.

In like a lion and out like a lamb may apply to the weather in March, but not to Apple's stock.

Apple (AAPL) limped its way into the start of the month. Shares hit a 52-week MORE

BlackBerry back from dead (for now) with Z10

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Paul R. La Monica. Other than Time Warner, the parent of CNNMoney, Abbott Laboratories and AbbVie, La Monica does not own positions in any individual stocks.

We're number 3! We're number 3! And we might slip to number 4? For BlackBerry (BBRY) investors, it doesn't seem to matter.

BlackBerry, the technology company formerly known as Research in Motion, has a lot going MORE

Apple: Wall Street's whipping boy takes another flogging

It's been a rough week for Apple. And it's only Tuesday.

Apple (AAPL) shares slid 1.4% to $431.82 in afternoon trading.

The selling came after Jefferies analyst Peter Misek issued an unflattering report on Apple, adding to a string of negative research published on the company this week.

Misek cut his estimate for iPhone sales, lowered his price target to $420 a share and said there is a 25% chance Apple will miss MORE

Investors love their BlackBerry (stock)

There's a lot riding on BlackBerry's new smartphone, which is about to hit the U.S.

So far, investors seem to be in the smartphone makers corner.

Shares of BlackBerry (BBRY) rallied nearly 11% Monday.

"I'm not dead yet!" could be BlackBerry's mantra, to quote Monty Python. After multiple misses and few hits, the Canadian smartphone maker seems to be on the right path.

The Z10, which features an all-touch keyboard, will make its U.S. MORE

The other great rotation: Google vs. Apple

The great rotation in the technology sector continues.

Google (GOOG) shares are trading at record highs above $800, while Apple (AAPL) continues to plumb new lows.

Apple's fall from grace isn't directly related to Google's new-found darling status, but the trend is a significant turnabout.

Once the most valuable company on earth, Apple's stock has fallen 42%, dropping from an all-time trading high of $705 in September to a new 52-week low of $419 on MORE

Dow record? Who cares? Economy still stinks!

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Paul R. La Monica. Other than Time Warner, the parent of CNNMoney, Abbott Laboratories and AbbVie, La Monica does not own positions in any individual stocks.

The Dow Jones industrial average hit a new all-time high today, topping the 14,200 level for the first time. Forgive me if I'm not celebrating.

Sure, I'm just as thrilled as the next guy and gal MORE

Einhorn takes aim at Apple's cash hoard

David Einhorn went back on the offensive against Apple Thursday, reiterating his call for the tech giant to stop hoarding its cash.

Einhorn, an activist shareholder and manager of Greenlight Capital, wants Apple (AAPL) to return some of its $137 billion of cash to shareholders in the form of preferred stock.

Einhorn claims that preferred shares, or iPrefs, as he calls them, are a better way to reward shareholders than stock buybacks MORE

Google's next target: $1,000

Google's stock hit an all-time high of more than $800 this week, and it may be headed even higher, according to the sharpies on Wall Street.

Google (GOOG) shares are on track to reach $1,000 at some point over the next 12 months, according to analysts at CLSA, a division of Credit Agricole. That's a hundred bucks higher than their previous target.

Bernstein Research analysts also hiked their price target to $1,000 MORE

Apple can't catch a break: Stock down again

Apple (AAPL) and the broader stock market are once again at odds. When the S&P 500 (SPX) and Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDU) have ticked up, Apple tends to move lower. As many traders have pointed out, Apple has been trading inversely to the market and its rival Google (GOOG), the maker of the Android operating system.

On Tuesday, Apple's stock dipped roughly 0.4%, while the S&P and Dow moved closer MORE