September has been a wonderful month for stocks. The S&P 500 Index, for example, has risen in 10 of the past 13 sessions, rebounding to levels seen last May, before the bears took the reins. Shares are rising on expectations that we’re increasingly… Read More
International Investing
An important trend that will drive stock market returns in the coming decades is demographics. Simply put, the age of citizens across the world is advancing. In the United States, the first of the Baby Boom generation was born in 1946 and is in the process of retiring. Japan, Europe… Read More
A seldom mentioned emerging market country is nurturing a future oil giant. Few are aware that Colombia is a growing and dynamic economy. Many people think of Colombia as a violent and lawless place dominated by drug cartels, or perhaps even… Read More
Every few years, demographers raise their estimate for human longevity. Whereas 70 years old once signified a rapidly aging body and the early signs of mortal illness, now 70 year-olds run marathons, chop wood and settle for long retirements. Ninety is the new 70. And who could complain about that?… Read More
I attended an investment conference last week and listened to a number of business updates from leading financial institutions. The vast majority are staying extremely conservative with their lending activities and are waiting for more tangible signs of an economic recovery before they start shifting gears from surviving the credit… Read More
Make it seven straight. Nokia (NYSE: NOK) has reeled off a winning streak that has seen its shares... Read More
Make it seven straight. Nokia (NYSE: NOK) has reeled off a winning streak that has seen its shares rise every day thus far in September. The surge comes amid a pair of analyst upgrades and a change... Read More
Today’s market environment might be uncertain, but one thing is certain: the crowd is flocking to bonds. In 2009, investors put $375 billion into bond funds, about 14 times more than in 2008 and more than double the previous record in… Read More
Talk about great timing. Major casino operators decided a decade ago to build massive new casinos... Read More
Talk about great timing. Major casino operators decided a decade ago to build massive new casinos in Macau, just a stone’s throw from Hong Kong and mainland China. Those new gambling halls are... Read More
The stock market has not been a great place to invest in the past decade. In fact, the S&P 500 is lower now than it was 10 years ago. Bonds, on the other hand, have been a much better place to invest. The Barclay’s Capital U.S. Aggregate… Read More
As the U.S. economy tries to sputter back to life, one important fact is increasingly clear: any rebound is likely to be muted as the country wrestles with persistently high unemployment and confidence-sapping budget deficits. That’s why it’s more important than ever to… Read More