Is it time to start taking a defensive posture in your long-term stock portfolio? My answer is an unequivocal “YES!” Here’s why: The stock market has plunged and soared — both by 660-plus-points — with a major dip in February and a surge earlier this week. Battered by devastating news of trade wars and tariffs while buoyed by massive tax reform and surging economy, the market has gone psychotic. #-ad_banner-#The volatility may be signaling the end of the bull market. Despite the mind-blowing longer-term uptrend, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is down around 2% in 2018. … Read More

Is it time to start taking a defensive posture in your long-term stock portfolio? My answer is an unequivocal “YES!” Here’s why: The stock market has plunged and soared — both by 660-plus-points — with a major dip in February and a surge earlier this week. Battered by devastating news of trade wars and tariffs while buoyed by massive tax reform and surging economy, the market has gone psychotic. #-ad_banner-#The volatility may be signaling the end of the bull market. Despite the mind-blowing longer-term uptrend, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is down around 2% in 2018.  Dow theorists are exclaiming that the bearish Dow Theory signals are incredibly close to firing. Also, extreme volatility, which the market has seen this year, often signals a major market turn. Remember, it takes a 20% decline from the highs in the major averages to define a bear market. Smart investors start to prepare long before a bear market is officially declared. Indeed, the bull market can easily resume pushing stocks to all-time highs once again. In fact, I firmly believe we have until at least September until the bear market starts in earnest. However, starting to move your capital… Read More

President Trump’s tariffs have thrown the stock market into disarray. Hailed as a stock market miracle with his pro-business, anti-tax stance, investors have started to see another side of our controversial president. For nearly two years, the stock market has only moved higher — punctuated with only minor periods of flat price action. The Dow Jones Industrial Average had an explosive run, rocketing over 10,000 points from February 2016 to January 2018. #-ad_banner-#Volatility cratered during this same time frame with the VIX, or fear index, falling into the single digits as bullish fever swept the nation. Sophisticated market players were… Read More

President Trump’s tariffs have thrown the stock market into disarray. Hailed as a stock market miracle with his pro-business, anti-tax stance, investors have started to see another side of our controversial president. For nearly two years, the stock market has only moved higher — punctuated with only minor periods of flat price action. The Dow Jones Industrial Average had an explosive run, rocketing over 10,000 points from February 2016 to January 2018. #-ad_banner-#Volatility cratered during this same time frame with the VIX, or fear index, falling into the single digits as bullish fever swept the nation. Sophisticated market players were cranking in money on the famous “Short VIX” derivative trades, while everyday investors cranked in substantial profits on the long side. In my 25-plus years of investing, I have never witnessed a market quite like this one! Not far into 2018, the party came to a screeching halt when Trump started getting serious about his campaign promise. Since when does a president keeping the very promises that got him elected result in a sharp stock market selloff? It does when the pre-election pledge has to do with tariffs and trade wars. Trump’s strong “America First” rhetoric scored him massive points… Read More

Well folks, it looks like we may have a good old fashioned trade war on our hands. And the markets are reacting accordingly. Earlier this month, the Trump administrated announced an executive order that placed tariffs on aluminum and steel. The exact details have yet to be hammered out, but what we do know is that the tariffs will be 10% and 25%, respectively. —Sponsored Link— Sell These Stocks Right Now These stocks may look solid — but there is trouble lurking underneath the surface. Just-released free list from Zacks Investment Research reveals the names… Read More

Well folks, it looks like we may have a good old fashioned trade war on our hands. And the markets are reacting accordingly. Earlier this month, the Trump administrated announced an executive order that placed tariffs on aluminum and steel. The exact details have yet to be hammered out, but what we do know is that the tariffs will be 10% and 25%, respectively. —Sponsored Link— Sell These Stocks Right Now These stocks may look solid — but there is trouble lurking underneath the surface. Just-released free list from Zacks Investment Research reveals the names of 220 stocks rated “Strong Sells” to sell immediately. Protect your portfolio — get your FREE copy here. Here’s what StreetAuthority’s Nathan Slaughter had to say about the situation: As the world’s largest steel importer, the U.S. sanctions will be directed at many suppliers, particularly South Korea, China, Brazil and Japan. This bold chess gambit could help struggling homegrown steel manufacturers, whose business fortunes have faded amid a flood of cheap imports. However, it also invites the possibility of retaliation with products that we ship abroad, such as soybeans and liquified natural gas. #-ad_banner-#Tensions are already… Read More

I had a front-row seat when I got into the investing business in the mid-1990s. I clearly remember recommending dividend stocks as investor appetite increased for growth stocks, primarily in the exploding technology sector. That tech-fueled bull market was born in the mid-1980s as the U.S. economy struggled with inflation, high interest rates and the desire to break free of a stagnant business cycle. That was the pessimism phase. The skepticism phase was inspired by Reagan-era tax cuts and the worry over the federal deficits they would create. As the business cycle improved, stocks led the march toward optimism after… Read More

I had a front-row seat when I got into the investing business in the mid-1990s. I clearly remember recommending dividend stocks as investor appetite increased for growth stocks, primarily in the exploding technology sector. That tech-fueled bull market was born in the mid-1980s as the U.S. economy struggled with inflation, high interest rates and the desire to break free of a stagnant business cycle. That was the pessimism phase. The skepticism phase was inspired by Reagan-era tax cuts and the worry over the federal deficits they would create. As the business cycle improved, stocks led the march toward optimism after a brief but violent tumble in 1987. That led to the euphoria stage a decade later as all things tech became the everything and the ONLY thing. #-ad_banner-#The bull market was 18 years old at the turn of the century with the S&P 500 climbing from 117.30 in 1982 to 1,425.59, turning in a staggering annual return of 62% exclusive of dividends. Nine years later — after the bursting of the tech bubble, 9/11, and the financial crisis of 2008 — the bull was dead, having shed 40% of its value. The S&P began 2009 under the 1,000 mark at… Read More

When I was first asked to write a book about bitcoin, the price was hovering at about $3,000. As part of my research, I bought a little. By the time the book was finished, which was really only a matter of weeks, the price had risen to just a tad over $5,000. One of the rules Dad always told us was that no one ever went broke taking a profit. So I sold, inking a tidy gain that nearly doubled my stake in short order. —Sponsored Link— Be FIRST To Tech’s Next Big… Read More

When I was first asked to write a book about bitcoin, the price was hovering at about $3,000. As part of my research, I bought a little. By the time the book was finished, which was really only a matter of weeks, the price had risen to just a tad over $5,000. One of the rules Dad always told us was that no one ever went broke taking a profit. So I sold, inking a tidy gain that nearly doubled my stake in short order. —Sponsored Link— Be FIRST To Tech’s Next Big Breakout Stocks You can settle for 20% returns in Apple or seize 200% in fast-growing start-ups that haven’t been discovered by Wall Street yet! These stocks are sure to soar in the next 12 months, and the only question is who will get there first. Get their names TODAY before these tech stocks break out. As the fonts in the bitcoin headlines grew larger and the verbs punchier, something interesting happened. Everywhere I went, my friends and family members wanted to know about the odd little esoteric technology. About what it was and how it… Read More

No topic in the financial space is garnering attention like bitcoin. Its price continues to surge (and, occasionally, plunge). Last summer, I was commissioned to write a book about trading cryptocurrencies. The price at that time was just under $3,000. As I write this, the price is around $10,700 (down from a high of $18,723.82). Last month, I saw articles talking about how people are taking out second mortgages to buy bitcoin in an attempt to cash in. —Sponsored Link— 9 Great Income Plays For Secure 7% Dividends Most investors who follow a traditional portfolio… Read More

No topic in the financial space is garnering attention like bitcoin. Its price continues to surge (and, occasionally, plunge). Last summer, I was commissioned to write a book about trading cryptocurrencies. The price at that time was just under $3,000. As I write this, the price is around $10,700 (down from a high of $18,723.82). Last month, I saw articles talking about how people are taking out second mortgages to buy bitcoin in an attempt to cash in. —Sponsored Link— 9 Great Income Plays For Secure 7% Dividends Most investors who follow a traditional portfolio strategy willingly accept mediocre returns of 3% or 4% assuming there’s no better alternative. But the 9 stocks named in this exclusive report let you to live comfortably off a portfolio of just $500,000 with no annual drawdowns or heart-stopping risks. Click here for the names, tickers and buy advice on these 9 high-yielders absolutely FREE! I see bitcoin as a classic bubble. There is no fundamental reason to buy it, and there is significant risk to holding it, as there’s no way to protect gains or hedge against loss. #-ad_banner-#In a broader sense, though, I… Read More

Just over a week ago, investors were shook from their bullish sleep. The major indexes inexplicably plunged lower as panicked investors scrambled to dump stocks. The fear-gauge, or VIX index, spiked to 50 — a level not seen in nearly a decade — signaling extreme financial terror in the equity markets. Now, a week later, things have stabilized with the VIX retreating to the 18 zone. However, it is still 100% above its lows of this month. The severe moves have refocused stock investors on this somewhat obscure index/indicator. Not since the financial crisis of 2008 have so many investors… Read More

Just over a week ago, investors were shook from their bullish sleep. The major indexes inexplicably plunged lower as panicked investors scrambled to dump stocks. The fear-gauge, or VIX index, spiked to 50 — a level not seen in nearly a decade — signaling extreme financial terror in the equity markets. Now, a week later, things have stabilized with the VIX retreating to the 18 zone. However, it is still 100% above its lows of this month. The severe moves have refocused stock investors on this somewhat obscure index/indicator. Not since the financial crisis of 2008 have so many investors needed to understand what the VIX is all about. #-ad_banner-# What Is The VIX? The VIX, short for CBOE Volatility Index, was derived in 1993 by Professor Robert Whatley. Initially, the VIX was based on the OEX 100 index, but now it uses the S&P 500 as the base index. The VIX is created via a weighted mix of prices for a variety of options on the S&P 500. The options are priced on the expected volatility or price change over the next month. Therefore, the VIX is designed to predict volatility over the next 30 days. An excellent… Read More

As I write this, U.S. equity markets have pulled themselves out of correction territory, with both the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average rising to a little better than 5% off their record highs. Only time will tell whether this is just a momentary pullback or the beginnings of something more sinister. What is certain is that market volatility has finally come out of hibernation, jangling the nerves of many investors who have become complacent during the recent rising tide. This isn’t always a bad thing. If anything, it reminds us to stay on our toes. #-ad_banner-#So, with… Read More

As I write this, U.S. equity markets have pulled themselves out of correction territory, with both the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average rising to a little better than 5% off their record highs. Only time will tell whether this is just a momentary pullback or the beginnings of something more sinister. What is certain is that market volatility has finally come out of hibernation, jangling the nerves of many investors who have become complacent during the recent rising tide. This isn’t always a bad thing. If anything, it reminds us to stay on our toes. #-ad_banner-#So, with the reminder that markets can and do go down, it makes sense to do a little portfolio housekeeping. Here are three things I recommend doing in the current market environment. 1. Review Your Objectives Are you approaching your goal? Whether it’s retirement or paying for college, if that’s the case it may be time to step back, look over your portfolio, and asses the amount of risk you’re taking. If you’re running a balanced portfolio (stocks and bonds), the stocks allocation has probably pulled ahead of the bonds portion. If your plan requires dialing back some of your risk,… Read More

It’s official, folks. We’ve got ourselves a good, old fashioned market correction. After losing 1,175 points last Monday, The Dow fell into correction territory on Thursday by crossing a level 10% below its January high. Talk about a crazy week. Now, I still stand by what I said last week. Take a deep breath… and remember that corrections are simply functions of normal, healthy markets. There’s no reason to be gravely concerned about the health of the economy or the global market. Earnings are growing. Taxes are falling. Jobs are plentiful. Wages are even rising a bit. So what’s happening?… Read More

It’s official, folks. We’ve got ourselves a good, old fashioned market correction. After losing 1,175 points last Monday, The Dow fell into correction territory on Thursday by crossing a level 10% below its January high. Talk about a crazy week. Now, I still stand by what I said last week. Take a deep breath… and remember that corrections are simply functions of normal, healthy markets. There’s no reason to be gravely concerned about the health of the economy or the global market. Earnings are growing. Taxes are falling. Jobs are plentiful. Wages are even rising a bit. So what’s happening? —Sponsored Link— ‘Wholesale Crypto’ Method Could Double Your Money In 3 Clicks… What if there was a way to double your money almost instantaneously… In just three clicks, you can buy almost any cryptocurrency at a steep discount. You could double or triple every dollar you invest… You just have to know what currencies to target, and when to target them… So if you’ve ever thought, “it’s too late to get into cryptocurrencies,” then this is a real chance for you to make your millions. Watch the following presentation to learn… Read More

It finally happened. After years of nary a selloff, let alone a significant correction, the floodgates burst open. On Monday, February 5, the Dow Jones Industrial Average suffered a mid-session 1,600 point death plunge. Buyers quickly entered the fray, with the DJIA closing down just 1,175 points, but the day was still the highest single-day point drop in history. Percentage-wise, the decline of 4.6% was the largest since the European debt crisis of 2011. #-ad_banner-#While nowhere near the carnage resulting from Black Monday, 1987 or the U.S. Financial Crisis of 2008, the wild price swings and surging volatility caught many… Read More

It finally happened. After years of nary a selloff, let alone a significant correction, the floodgates burst open. On Monday, February 5, the Dow Jones Industrial Average suffered a mid-session 1,600 point death plunge. Buyers quickly entered the fray, with the DJIA closing down just 1,175 points, but the day was still the highest single-day point drop in history. Percentage-wise, the decline of 4.6% was the largest since the European debt crisis of 2011. #-ad_banner-#While nowhere near the carnage resulting from Black Monday, 1987 or the U.S. Financial Crisis of 2008, the wild price swings and surging volatility caught many investors off guard. Seven-plus years of every small selloff being quickly bought back up lulled investors into a false sense of security. The Volatility Index (VIX), which measures volatility expectations, spiked to nearly 50 during the Monday plunge. This represents the highest percentage gain in the index’s history at 84%, marking the fourth-highest close since its 1990 launch. Other historical VIX spikes include the Russian Ruble crisis of 1998, the credit crisis of 2009, and the 2011 S&P U.S. sovereign credit downgrade. The VIX move is concerning as it may be a harbinger of things to come. Just imagine a… Read More