Investors fret about the stock market. The market has more than doubled from its low four years ago. Am I too late? There is still so much uncertainty, here and abroad. Are stocks too risky?
Veteran investing fans like me eagerly await the release of Warren Buffett’s annual letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders.
Have you ever wondered how and why the mutual funds your brokerage firm recommends or those that appear on your 401(k) plan’s menu of investment options were chosen?
While the concept of a mutual fund is beautiful in its simplicity, actually investing in one can be complicated.
Investors who heeded FDR’s advice—“When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on”—were amply rewarded for staying the course.
We don’t waste time trying to anticipate events that are uncontrollable. Still, some highly experienced and skilled investors make unconventional predictions I think are worth noting.
In today’s era of 24/7 media bombardment, it can be easy to become overwhelmed by all the “expert” opinions out there.
In June 2010, Buffett joined Bill and Melinda Gates to announce the Giving Pledge—their effort to persuade the richest Americans to donate at least half their wealth to charity.
With basketball a metaphor for life for many passionate fans, what lessons hold true both on and off the court?
If there’s one absolute truth in investing, it’s that there is no such thing as a sure thing. However, for Indiana residents who want to help children, grandchildren or other loved ones save for college, there is the next best thing.
Two-thirds of bachelor’s degree recipients borrow to attend college. The average debt is $26,500, but some is much higher.
With election rhetoric reaching a fever pitch, investors are curious about what an Obama re-election or Romney win will mean for the stock market.
What a difference a year makes. Last October, we wrote of the U.S. stock market’s dismal third-quarter performance.
Deep down, we know we need to make important life decisions, like updating investment portfolios, creating estate plans, or crafting a college savings strategy. All of these are hard work, take time and are nobody’s idea of fun.
Our experience has been that corporate restructuring often creates market inefficiencies, allowing us to buy at a significant discount.
Libor, the London interbank offered rate, certainly sounds like an obscure, technical bit of financial jargon. However, Libor directly affects the pricing of more than $800 trillion in securities and loans.
Much like the fictional Skynet in the “Terminator” movies, firms engaging in “high-frequency trading” have unleashed a torrent of unbridled technological firepower that seems to have overwhelmed its human makers’ ability to control.
There is no such thing as unbiased advice, and conflicts of interest are not automatically bad. However, it’s up to you to take steps to protect yourself from becoming “skinned” in this jungle.
The U.S. equity market tested the confidence and resolve of investors in the second quarter of 2012.
Saving/investing more and earlier is a simplistic strategy, but it requires discipline, patience and hard work.
