At InvestorPlaceBlogs.com, our stock pickers and their research are beating the stock market – and many so–called investing pros – time after time. Now you can, too!   Finding the right stocks in a volatile market like the current one can be tough, but there are still profits to be made.  Through it all, our intrepid stock pickers are managing their portfolios…and racking up some nice gains too!

Each week, we send out a summary of the best of InvestorPlace Blogs, giving people an in—depth look at the stocks our bloggers are buying, selling and discussing.  This is your chance to see where successful amateur investors are making money and most importantly, where they are investing next – all in one convenient place.

The Week’s Top 5 Most Widely Held Stocks

The top five most widely held stocks remained the same: Apple Inc., (AAPL) held on to its lock on the top spot on the list, as even more people added the stock to their portfolios.  Google (GOOG) reclaimed the number two spot, followed by Microsoft (MSFT), Potash (POT) and General Electric (GE).

Of course, Apple and Google stay popular because people keep making money with them!  They led the list of the most profitable stocks on InvestorPlace Blogs for the last week.  Public Storage Inc (PSA), Visa (V) and our old favorite Research in Motion (RIMM) rounded out the top five most profitable stocks list.  Visa was also one of the most purchased stocks at InvestorPlace Blogs over the last week.

 What Our Stock Pickers Are Buying and Selling This Week

The top five most-purchased stocks on InvestorPlace Blogs for the last week cover a wide spectrum of companies.  As mentioned above, Visa led the list, followed by steel and iron producer Mechel Open Joint Stock Company (MTL), mining giant Companhia Vale ADS (RIO), biotech company Celgene (CELG) and Internet information provider Akamai Technologies Inc (AKAM).

The five most sold positions in the competition were the UltraShort Financials ProShares ETF (SKF), Trinity Industries Inc. (TRN), biotech company Gilead Sicences (GILD) the Ultra Short Oil and Gas ProShares ETF (DUG) and Graham Corp (GHM).

Jeff Kalnitz does his stock research on Apple (AAPL) the old-fashioned way — in person. On his blog, Jeff discusses his decision to take his own advice and stock up on AAPL.

Louis Navellier continues to “marvel” at how well Marvel Entertainment (MVL) has done this year — and things keep looking up. Check out what he has to say about the stock on his Navellier Growth blog.

Aknaten of Maybe a Pine Tree been saying to sell Yahoo (YHOO) all along, convinced that Microsoft was overpaying and that the stock would drop.  Well, guess who was right?!  Get his take on what the future holds for Yahoo, and what to do with the stock now in Balmer falls short; you should too!

Russ of RD’s Picks was one of those who sold Graham Corp, exercising discipline and locking in profits when the stock hit his fair value estimate.  Read all about his newest pick, a stock he thinks could be a double over the next year, in Growth? Value? Income? How ‘bout a stock with all three?

Don Moncrief of I Eat Bear takes a look at risk tolerance, investing time horizons and how both Strategy Lab Open and investing in general are like the Kentucky Derby.  Get his recommendations for stocks that make sense for short-term investors and longer- term investors in Akin to the Kentucky Derby.

Money Miser Matthew Tansey started off the month of May by taking profits in some of his more successful positions, pruning back his holdings in some less profitable stocks, and moving money in to some new picks.  Find out why he owns some of the most popular stocks in the competition, including Visa and GE, and where he’s putting his new money now in Freeing up some cash.

And finally, Stock Surfer Randal LaBine is back from his honeymoon (congratulations, Randal!) and has a new perspective on investing after taking a break from the market.  Find out why he’s feeling increasingly bearish, and how his new attitude is going to affect his investing strategy going forward in Randomness Thoughts From a Bear.

On Friday the community weighs in on the question of Ford, and whether or not the stock deserves to be a buy or a sell. Get both sides of the story in our latest Bull/Bear report, posted now at www.InvestorPlaceBlogs.com!

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