Chevron Corp.

YUM! BRANDS INC., $70.20, New York symbol YUM, rose 4% this week after the company reported better-than-expected sales at its China division, which includes 4,260 KFC fried chicken and 987 Pizza Hut restaurants. China supplies around 40% of Yum’s overall earnings. In late 2012, Yum’s sales in the country suffered due to allegations that its KFC outlets bought raw chicken with higher-than-permitted levels of antibiotics from two suppliers. Following an investigation, Chinese regulators did not charge Yum with violating food-safety standards. Even so, Yum has strengthened its food-safety policies. It has also spent more on advertising and other promotions. These moves seem to be working. For the two months ended February 28, 2013, Yum’s same-store sales in China fell 20%, which was better than the company’s earlier prediction of a 25% drop....

SPDR DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE ETF $138.76 (New York symbol DIA; buy or sell through brokers; www.spdrs.com) holds the 30 stocks that make up the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

The fund’s top holdings are IBM, ExxonMobil, Chevron Corp., 3M, Travelers Companies, Mc- Donald’s Corp., Johnson & Johnson, Caterpillar Inc., United Technologies and Boeing. The fund’s expenses are about 0.18% of its assets.

SPDR Dow Jones ETF is a buy.

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ENCANA CORPORATION $19.79 (Toronto symbol ECA; Shares outstanding: 735.4 million; Market cap: $14.6 billion; TSINetwork Rating: A v e r a g e ; D i v i d e n d y i e l d : 4 . 0 % ; www.encana.com) is selling its 30% stake in a proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Kitimat, B.C., to Chevron Corp. (New York symbol CVX).

LNG plants are not Encana’s area of expertise, so it has decided to let Chevron focus on building and operating the facility.

Chevron’s experience with similar LNG plants in Australia should help speed up the Kitimat project and let it conclude contract negotiations with Asian LNG buyers.

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ENCANA CORPORATION $19.79 (Toronto symbol ECA; Shares outstanding: 735.4 million; Market cap: $14.6 billion; TSINetwork Rating: A v e r a g e ; D i v i d e n d y i e l d : 4 . 0 % ; www.encana.com) is selling its 30% stake in a proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Kitimat, B.C., to Chevron Corp....

Most stock markets have risen lately. But as always, they remain subject to unexpected downturns. Even so, the long-term outlook is for higher stock prices.

One way to profit from rising markets is to add exchange traded funds (ETFs) that track major stock indexes to your portfolio.

ETFs trade on stock exchanges, just like stocks....

A: Total S.A. (ADR), $52.69, symbol TOT on New York (Shares outstanding: 2.4 billion; Market cap: $126.4 billion; www.total.com), is one of the world’s largest publicly traded integrated oil companies. Total is based in France. The company is involved in various aspects of the oil and gas industry around the world. It also has interests in refineries, chemical production and service stations. In the three months ended September 30, 2012, Total’s earnings rose 5.7%, to $1.85 per ADR from $1.75. Revenue fell 4.4%, to $62.4 billion from $65.2 billion....

TECK RESOURCES LTD., $36.93, Toronto symbol TCK.B, is our “Stock of the Year” for 2013. Resource companies are highly cyclical. Teck fell to just $3.35 in March 2009 as the credit crisis hurt its ability to refinance the $9.8 billion U.S. in short-term loans it took on the year before as part of its $13.6-billion (Canadian) purchase of Fording Coal. At that time, Teck’s market cap (the value of all outstanding shares) was just $1.6 billion. However, rising commodity prices helped it find new lenders, and Teck rose as high as $65 in January 2011. The stock has moved down since then due to the slowing global economy. However, we feel the company’s high-quality, long-lasting reserves and potentially higher commodity prices in 2013 make it a particularly attractive buy right now....

In next week’s Successful Investor Hotline, we’ll reveal our #1 stock pick for 2013. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to profit. ENCANA CORP., $20.16, Toronto symbol ECA, is selling its 30% stake in a proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Kitimat, B.C., to Chevron Corp. (New York symbol CVX). The deal includes Encana’s stake in related pipelines and gas properties in B.C. However, Encana will still ship its gas through Kitimat when the terminal is completed. Chevron is also buying a further 30% of this project from EOG Resources Canada Inc. Following these deals, Chevron will sell 10% to Apache Corp. (New York symbol APA). As a result, Chevron and Apache will each own 50%. (Chevron and Apache are recommendations of Wall Street Stock Forecaster, our newsletter that focuses on U.S. stocks.)...

PLEASE NOTE: One week from today, on January 11, 2013, just after the stock market closes at 4:30 p.m. Toronto time, we will reveal our #1 Canadian Stock of 2013 to subscribers of The Successful Investor. Our #1 pick for 2012, CP Rail, has surged 54% in the past year and is still on the rise. You can be among the first to hear about our #1 Pick for 2013. Because you’re a loyal subscriber, we are happy to offer you a bargain-priced, no-risk introduction to The Successful Investor. It gives you the first month—and the 2013 Stock of the Year—FREE. But you must act now. Click here. CHEVRON CORP., $110.50, New York symbol CVX, has agreed to purchase 50% of a proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Kitimat, B.C., in a series of transactions. The deal includes related pipelines and gas properties in the province. The company will purchase the 30% stakes held by ENCANA CORP. $20.40, New York symbol ECA, and EOG Resources Canada Inc. Following these deals, Chevron will sell 10% to APACHE CORP., $83.20, New York symbol APA. As a result, Chevron and Apache will each own 50%....

Dear client,

The best way for conservative investors to profit from cyclical oil and natural gas prices is with well-established leaders like Chevron. That’s partly because its large international presence cuts its exposure to any one region.

Chevron also offers investors a growth element....