For better or for worse, many successful investments revolve around products or services that aren’t necessarily good for consumers. The best examples include products that aren’t very healthy: cigarettes, soda and junk food come to mind, as do gambling, pawn shops and credit cards. For individuals who… Read More

In the recent economic crisis, global investors fled to the safety and solidity of the U.S. dollar, pushing it up in value after a steady downward trend. As the global economy begins to strengthen, the dollar is once again losing altitude. And all signs point to yet further weakness, perhaps by a significant amount. And that’s why you need to be prepared… A perfect storm The dollar is being buffeted by a range of factors, led by expectations that European interest rates are bound to start rising before the U.S. Read More

In the recent economic crisis, global investors fled to the safety and solidity of the U.S. dollar, pushing it up in value after a steady downward trend. As the global economy begins to strengthen, the dollar is once again losing altitude. And all signs point to yet further weakness, perhaps by a significant amount. And that’s why you need to be prepared… A perfect storm The dollar is being buffeted by a range of factors, led by expectations that European interest rates are bound to start rising before the U.S. Federal Reserve hikes rates. European Central Bank head, Jean-Claude Trichet, said on March 3 that interest rates may increase in April for the first time in 23 months. The euro now stands at $1.40 to the dollar, up from $1.30 in early January. The Japanese yen, Australian dollar and Swiss franc are also rising in value against the dollar.   In times of crisis, such as is occurring in the Middle East and North Africa, the dollar has tended to strengthen as investors take a “… Read More

Warren Buffett, the famed value investor with an estimated net worth of $47 billion, on Feb. 26, released his annual letter to shareholders of Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK-B), Buffett’s holding company and primary investment vehicle. The letter provided readers with the most up-to-date details of Berkshire’s common stock investment portfolio,… Read More

Since 1993, the globe has seen the stock markets of 11 different countries lead the yearly performance race, yet not once during that time has the United States ended up in the winner’s circle. In fact, more often than not, the U.S. market ends up in the bottom half of… Read More

My dad worked all the time when I was a kid. But early on Saturday mornings, he’d wake me while it was still dark and take me to the office with him. And about once a month, we’d slip away to the farm where he grew up… Read More

During quarterly conference calls, CEOs go to great lengths to talk about their company’s prospects. But if they really want to attract investors’ interest, they can back up their bullish words by pulling out their checkbooks. Stock purchases by insiders are still the clearest way to say… Read More

As the editor of Fast-Track Millionaire, I’m a sucker for a smart, profitable company that’s able to use its ability to innovate, dominate and make money. That’s why I’ve taken an interest in Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), which is about to launch an initial public offering, or… Read More

While other names in the energy space have run hard and fast, this well-run mid-cap name is just starting to gain momentum. In researching this article, my mind kept wandering back to Hank Hill, the main character of Mike Judge’s… Read More

In the market’s remarkable run-up in the past two years that saw the major averages roughly double from the March 2009 lows, an increasing number of investors have looked to take profits in some of their best picks. As a result, some of these stocks have lost their momentum and… Read More

The market has been on fire since the dark days of the financial crisis. The S&P 500 has soared an astounding 85% since the lows of March 2009. Market returns have been propelled by more cyclical sectors like technology and consumer products, while the more defensive sectors have badly lagged… Read More