If you watch violent television shows, are you more likely to kill somebody? Or, are those who have a predisposition towards violence more likely to view blood, guts and gore? (Watching the stock ticker on Thursday, September 22, was about as gory as it gets!) Too often, the mainstream media endeavor to attribute a rationale for the irrational. For instance, every participant [...] [...more]
Throughout the year, I have pursued higher-yielding income. Energy partnerships, preferred shares, high yield bonds, emerging market bonds — it hasn’t mattered. The corresponding ETFs experienced capital appreciation; meanwhile, the 5%-8% annual yield presented extraordinary value up and above comparable treasuries. With that said, how can I completely knock U.S. treasury bonds? Or for that matter, how can anyone slam [...] [...more]
According to the Moscow Times, the Russian economy is rebounding, helped by rising commodity prices and a resurgent currency. These factors led to more than $400 hundred million of investment inflows last week alone, far ahead of BRIC peers. Could this signal a change in the captain of the BRIC ship? See what the charts are saying about Brazil, Russian, India [...] [...more]
If they hadn’t caught your attention before, they’ve probably caught your attention by now. Investors have now poured $1,000,000,000 (yes… with 9 zeros) into ETFs. And commission-based mutual fund families are feeling the pinch! If you are still new to them, you may just be getting acquainted with features such as lower costs, higher tax-efficiency and enhanced liquidity. But do you [...] [...more]
The holidays are a time to share thankfulness with those we care about most. Family, friends, health, happiness… and yes, Exchange-Traded Funds! Here on Christmas Eve, we look at some trading and cost savings strategies for your ETF portfolio. Also, for those of you still looking for a last minute Christmas treat, give the gift of [...] [...more]
Stock prices, bond prices and commodity prices are all moving in the same direction…. up!!! This has been the case for more than 4 months. The only falling investment has been the U.S. dollar. Will the dollar devaluation trend continue? How long can all asset classes move in the same direction? If the greenback recovers ground, will it hurt [...] [...more]
