Markets are still trading amid uncertainty, as disappointing number continue to hit The Street. Eyes are now on corporate results for a clear trend. Is it time for small investors to enter the markets or its wise to stay on the side lines? Read on to reveal best play’s to invest in current times.

It has long been rumored but investors finally got confirmation this week that Palm would be sold. The only thing that many investors did not know was who was going to buy this company that has fallen from its height of the 1990s. Who bought this company? None other than technology pioneer Hewlett Packard, which paid a hefty sum for this company that helped create the smart phone market as we know it.

The manufacturing sector of the United States continues to grow and it continues to do so at a staggering pace. In fact, many investors are feeling that the manufacturing sector will help improve the economy and bring the country out of its deep recession. With the manufacturing sector gaining steam, that means more jobs for the people who need them, and by extension, more spending money that helps fuel the American economy through retail sales.

The home market of the United States has suffered greatly in the past few years. Foreclosures are at epic levels, and banks have been falling like flies as more and more of their homeowners lose their homes. It has been a serious situation and many investors are hoping that the bad times are in the past and better times for homeowners and banks are ahead.

Palm, the PDA giant, has seen some tough times lately as Apple overtakes it in the PDA market. However, the stock appears to have risen thanks to rumors that there may be a sale of the PDA pioneer in the near future. Overall, this should help build the smart phone market for investors, while the issues with Research in Motion, makers of the Blackberry, could hurt the smart phone sector.

The Federal Reserve’s emergency lending program has seen less money borrowed from it in the past week as banks got less money on the easing of credit problems in the country. This spells good news for the economy and has many investors thinking that better times may be here sooner.