There are times when the talking heads in the financial media are myopic. Naturally, everyone wants to know if tech bellwethers like IBM (IBM), Yahoo (YHOO), TI (TXI) and Apple (AAPL) will beat top-line revenue estimates. Undoubtedly, Goldman Sachs and BP are headline-grabbers due to the recent SEC settlement and the never-ending “spill.”

Yet, I’m startled by the fact that you couldn’t find a decent feature on Halliburton’s earnings triumph. This is one of the world’s leading service providers to the energy industry… from development to drilling to production. How did the ultra-profitable quarter go largely unnoticed?

By Jared Cummans

The first half of 2010 has not been particularly kind to U.S. equity markets, but some corners of the economy have had a tougher road than others. The domestic energy sector has been battered and bruised by the first six months of the year; nearly all of the funds in the Energy Equities ETFdb Category are in negative territory year-to-date and some are down as much as 30%. A major oil spill in the gulf, ongoing debt crises in western Europe, and an adverse regulatory environment have cast a shadow over energy stocks, causing most investors to flee for greener pastures.

Welcome or not, the BP (BP) oil spill has put the spotlight on the oil industry. Although related exchange traded funds have not been hit too hard, a handful of stocks have, and as is always the case in a huge sell-off, investors should have a keen eye for undervalued assets.

According to Tony D’Altorio of Investment U, few people know that the oil exploration industry was in trouble even before the BP oil spill.