An unprecedented level of industrial expansion during the past two decades has not only made China wealthy. It’s made the country really dirty. Now comes the clean up. Years of industrial growth, largely powered by coal, have left China choking in smog. Cities smolder… Read More

There are a plethora of Chinese ETFs already on the market, so what can investors expect from another offering? Emerging powerhouses of Chinese business. This ETF isn’t limited by size and has free reign to invest across… Read More

Back in July, investors eagerly anticipated Alcoa’s (NYSE: AA) second quarter financial snapshot — not for any particular interest in the aluminum sector, but simply because the Dow component happens to kickoff earnings season each quarter. Fortunately, the company pleased the… Read More

“Give me a lever long enough,” said Archimedes, “and a place to stand, and I will move the world.” If the old Greek were alive today, he might well work for Fluor (NYSE: FLR, $41.95), one of the world’s largest public engineering and construction companies.  Fluor designs… Read More

Perhaps Willie Nelson put it best.  “If you’ve got the money, honey, I’ve got the time.” The United States’ top 10 most cash-rich companies certainly have enough jack to keep the party going. Today we continue looking at whether companies with a huge cash position make good… Read More

Emerging markets have been the success story of 2009. While more developed economies such as the United States and Europe have struggled to recover, countries like Brazil, Russia, India and China are on a roll. Country (… Read More

Today’s home sales report might not have caught your eye, but the news is good and worth reviewing for investors looking for potential market-beating gains. Existing-home sales in October jumped a record +10.1% from the previous month. Sales are up +23.5% since their October 2008 low, which also marks a… Read More

Something’s got to give. At a time when the aging of the U.S. population is beginning to accelerate, the construction pace of new housing and care facilities for seniors is shrinking. Between 2010 and 2020, the number of Americans 65 and older will grow +36%, compared with a growth rate… Read More

Some things are universally true. No one ever went broke taking a profit, for instance. Also: Companies that offer lower costs always have a significant competitive edge. This is becoming especially true for companies in the health-care field as cost becomes an ever… Read More

People in the United States only hear about “the middle class” in an election year, when candidates promise not to raise taxes. The rest of the time, Americans don’t think much about the middle class, even though that’s where most people find themselves. That hasn’t been the… Read More