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What Would a Phase One Deal with China Encompass?

December, 2019

The so-called phase one of a trade deal with China is expected to contain a provision for $40 billion to $50 billion in purchases of American agricultural products by China, according to an October...

How Will Ongoing China Trade Tensions Tensions Impact Consumer Spending?

November, 2019

According to the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Census Bureau, retail sales came in at a negative 0.3 percent for September, even though it's still 4.1 percent more than September 2018's report. The...

Will China's Recent Soybean Purchase Begin Thawing the Trade War?

October, 2019

With the United States Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agriculture Service announcing a purchase of 204,000 metric tons of U.S. soybeans by private Chinese importers, there are hopes that the trade war...

How Will Tariff Developments Impact the Stock Market Going Forward?

September, 2019

According to an Aug. 13 press release from the office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), there will be a 10 percent tariff levied against $300 billion of Chinese imports effective Sept. 1. The...

How Will the July 17, 2019 Beige Book Impact the Economy?

August, 2019

The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) recently met at the close of July, bringing to light many questions on the Federal Reserve’s future monetary...

How Increased Tariffs on Chinese Goods Will Impact Market Earnings

July, 2019

With the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative announcing the increase of tariffs on imported Chinese goods from 10 percent to 25 percent on $200 billion worth of goods, and a directive from the executive...

How Will Increased Business Productivity Impact Business Earnings Reports?

June 2019

During the first three months of 2019, non-farm labor productivity grew 3.6 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is coupled with a 4.1 percent increase in output, along with hours worked...

CPI and Consumer Spending: How Will It Affect Stocks in 2019?

May 2019

With the price of lettuce increasing by 15 percent over the past 12 months at the end of February, and television prices dropping 17 percent during the same period, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics,...

What is the Forecast for Job Creation in 2019?

April 2019

According to a March 12, 2019 publication of the Bureau of Labor Statistics' TED: The Economics Daily, the February employment report did not report show a lot of jobs for the U.S. economy. Based...

Understanding Targeted Longer-Term Refinancing Operations

March 2019

With speculation of a third round of Targeted Longer-Term Refinancing Operations (TLTROs), understanding how they've been implemented and how they’ve performed is essential...

How Will Domestic and Global Policy Impact Oil Prices in 2019?

February 2019

With the Federal Reserve raising rates in 2018 and speculation of doing so again in 2019, combined with projected oil production cuts by Russia and Saudi Arabia, it is likely that these and other...

How Will the 90-Day Freeze on Tariff Increases Impact the Markets?

January 2019

According to a press release issued by the United States Trade Representative (USTR) in the middle of September, tariffs of 10 percent on $200 billion of imported Chinese goods went into...

Will the United States Become a Bond Haven in 2019?

December 2018

With Italian bond yields rising quickly from 2 percent to 3 percent since the middle of 2018, it begs the question if the United States will become a bond haven. There are many reasons why the...

How Will the Markets be Impacted by Trade in 2019?

November 2018

With talks of changing existing trade deals by then candidate Donald Trump now a reality with President Trump, America has taken a different path for international trade. Seeing mixed results during negotiations...

Will Billionaire Investor Ray Dalio Be Correct Again?

October 2018

The majority of the mainstream financial media steers investors to news stories that have little bearing on intermediate and long-term returns. The stories often have a short-term focus, centering on the problem...

Investment Bank Fees Indicate Strong Equity Capital Market Activity

September 2018

Investment banks can be a good predicator for the health of the market in the near future. Investment banks make the bulk of their money on mergers and acquisitions, initial public offerings and financing...

Speculation of $150 Oil and What it Means for the Markets

August 2018

Over the past 30 months, the price of a barrel of oil has increased from the mid-$30s to – in recent days – as high as the mid-$70s per barrel. At nearly half the historic $150 per barrel price level nearly 10 years ago, how will the market...

Italian Economic Autonomy - What this means for the Eurozone and the Markets

July 2018

Italy’s newly formed government is a coalition between two populist parties: Lega Nord (the Northern League) and Movimento 5 Stelle (the Five Star Movement). This coalition is floating the idea of issuing...

Notes from the 2018 Berkshire Shareholders Meeting

June 2018

The Annual Berkshire Hathaway Shareholders' Meeting is something of a legend in the investment world. More than just an informational annual meeting, shareholders come from far and wide to listen to the...

Why Earnings Are No Longer Enough to Drive Growth

May 2018

Rising interest rates make a different animal of the stock market. Unlike when interest rates are steady or declining, positive earnings (overall for the market, not necessarily individual stocks) just...

Trade Wars on the Horizon?<br>What This Could Mean for Financial Markets

Trade Wars on the Horizon?
What This Could Mean for Financial Markets

April 2018

The Trump administration’s recent flurry of trade moves is spiking uncertainty and confusion among financial markets. His imposition of tariffs on steel and aluminum as well as levies on Chinese...

Volatility Returns - Finally

March 2018

After months of warnings from Wall Street that the markets’ extraordinarily long bull run could not last forever, the inevitable happened. Volatility returned to U.S. markets in a major way in February. The...

Strong Profits and Corporate Tax Cuts Buoy U.S. Markets

February 2018

As January drew to an end, the Dow Jones Industrial Average continued to surge, extending its rally to log a year-to-date increase of 7.7 percent on Jan. 26. The last Friday of the month also saw record highs for both Nasdaq, and the Standard and Poor......

Outlook for 2018

January 2018

Before considering what might be ahead in 2018, perhaps it’s worth looking back to acknowledge that 2017 was a banner year – both a great year for U.S. stocks, as well as the year when international markets turned a corner......

Post - Thanksgiving News Cheers Markets

December 2017

As November drew to an end, market indices approached record levels buoyed by strong economic data and reassured by the testimony delivered to the Senate Banking Committee by Federal Reserve Chairman nominee Jerome Powell......

Solid Economic Growth and Stellar Tech Earnings

November 2017

Standoffs with North Korea, three devastating hurricanes at home, escalating political tensions and political crises in Spain and Germany did not make a dent in Wall Street’s bull run in the third......

What's Ahead for the U.S. and Global Markets in Q4 2017

October 2017

The U.S. equity markets ended the third quarter of 2017 seemingly impervious to acts of nature, as major Hurricanes Harvey and Irma hit Texas and Florida, as well as to escalating tensions between North Korea and the Trump White House......

The Clock is Ticking

September 2017

Some investment commentators have been predicting that the bull market is about to plunge and turn bearish ever since this long-running bull market launched back in March 2009. At some juncture, the naysayers will be...

Markets Disdain Conventional Wisdom

August 2017

Perhaps one of the most intriguing – and important – trends for individual investors is the market’s current disregard for conventional wisdom, as evidenced by the bull run’s continued uptick...

Are We Due a Market Correction?

July 2017

June often marks a mid-year lull in the stock market, but with no hiatus yet, the stock market continues the rally that began when President Trump took office in November. As we head into the second-quarter earnings...

Investors Take Political Turmoil in Stride

June 2017

Not surprisingly, Donald Trump’s first 100 days as president have delivered surprises, scandals and controversy – none of which are considered beneficial to steady stock market performance...

Rosy Forecasts With a Few Dark Clouds

May 2017

Since President Trump’s election, investor enthusiasm has helped to propel equity returns into new territory – with gains during his first month in office that have not been seen since LBJ took...

Swings and Roundabouts

April 2017

March brought forth some upsets in the financial markets as the Trump Administration’s big push to repeal the Affordable Care Act hit the skids. Overall, investors received mixed signals from both the markets...

Push for Deregulation Puts Big Banks Against Consumers

March 2017

Two major issues that surfaced during February were the possibility of the Federal Reserve raising the benchmark interest rate "fairly soon," and the Trump Administration's promise to undo many of the Dodd-Frank financial reforms...

Romp or Rout? The Markets Under a Trump Presidency

February 2017

The biggest question on Wall Street is whether the Trump Presidency will be good (or bad) for investors. The year started with confidence as the Dow Jones Industrial Average overtook the 20,000 mark, but many questions remain on how President Trump will...

Whither Goes the Bull Market?

January 2017

Despite much anxious hand-wringing, the bull market survived the Presidential Election results with only a couple of wobbles before finding its way back to firmer footing. Analysts have counted out this aging...

Trump's Election Creates Ups and Downs

December 2016

Long before Donald Trump's election victory, individual investors were already concerned about market uncertainties, Europe and the global economy. Prior to Trump's surprise election, stocks declined...

The Election Stakes

November 2016

As we head into the election, the Stock Market is taking the presidential squaring-off in stride. Investors are sitting pretty. We are in the middle of the second-longest bull market in history and interest rates...

Wall Street Watches and Waits

October 2016

The stock market continues its steady, if unspectacular, progress. Despite long-term results that should have investment analysts applauding, the rally that continues to get no respect trudges along. The...

Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop

September 2016

With stock indices hitting record highs and the bull market continuing its seven-and-a-half year run, you might expect investment gurus to be content and happy. But nothing......

Brexit Fallout Lingers

August 2016

As we approached the end of July, the stock market rallied following several weeks of volatility as markets here tried to adjust to Britain's decision to leave the European Union......

Brexit Roils the Markets

July 2016

The biggest news in markets across the world was the British vote to pull out of the European Union after some 43 years as a participant in the EU (and the former Common Market)....

Spring Awakening

June 2016

Undeterred by the possibility of a June interest rate hike, Wall Street continued its upward trend, buoyed by higher oil prices and the belief that investors...

All-Time High Eludes Dow Index

May 2016

Until earnings results in the last part of April revealed some disappointments, the blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average looked ready to set new records. Mixed earning reports stalled the Dow's impressive...

Spring Forward

April 2016

March was a milestone month for the stock market. On March 9, the bull run celebrated its seventh birthday - one for the record books. Starting its first uptick at the end of the recession in 2009, this bull market...

Falling Oil Prices Depress Stock Prices

March 2016

Investors saw the market continue to slide throughout February, as stocks followed the downward trajectory of oil prices - a pattern which began in...

Optimism Despite a Bumpy Start

February 2016

The only thing we have to fear is fear itself; These are words that might reflect many investors’ opinions at the beginning of the year, when we saw a stock market sell-off...

The Impact of Higher Interest Rates

January 2016

On Dec. 16, the Federal Open Market Committee of the Federal Reserve Board announced that it was raising the target range for the federal funds rate from 1/4 percent to 1/2...

What's in Store for 2016?

December 2015

Stock market predictions for the coming year hit the newswires and headlines every December as predictably as the arrival of Santa Claus in the local mall. Although stock market gurus...

Back in the Black

November 2015

After a summer of slumps and declines, the stock market roared back to life in October, posting a three-week rally that saw the Dow Jones Industrial Average closing at 17,646.70 on Oct. 23 - up 157.54...

U.S. Monetary Policy Takes Center Stage

October 2015

The markets continued to test investors' mettle in September; however, the big questions remain the same. Is a bear market about to start, and will the Fed finally allow interest rates to...

It's Back - Market Volatility Worldwide

September 2015

After months of speculation as to when the party was about to end, everything changed on Aug. 21 with steep declines in U.S. markets, followed by a rollercoaster ride that saw the Dow...

How Long Will the Bull Market Continue?

August 2015

Within the markets, a special kind of thinking sometimes seems to override logic. So it should come as no surprise to know that the U.S. markets stayed calm for the most part...

It's All Greek to the Markets

July 2015

The major stock price indices continued in a generally positive track through most of June, but with subdued trading activity. Technology stocks led the way, with the Nasdaq 100 up...

Quiet Markets and Modest Gains

June 2015

As the markets neared the end of May and the Memorial Day weekend, trading was light in sync with a slow period for economic news or important data. The conclusion of the quarterly...

Some Volatility in U.S.; Overseas Stocks Remain Attractive

May 2015

The current bull market is now in its seventh year, and the United States now sits at the helm of global economic expansion. This remarkable run - the fourth longest in more than a...

Some Good News and Some Bad News

April 2015

If you were looking for good news in March, you found it; and if you wanted to worry about bearish signs, they were there, too. The past few weeks have given investors plenty of...

Oil Prices, Interest Rates and Investment Fees in the Limelight

March 2015

As February drew to a close, a variety of topics - oil prices, interest rates and 401(k) investment fees - dominated the financial news headlines in the United States. On the international...

Swings and Roundabouts Feb 2015

Februay 2015

The mood at the end of January turned somewhat sour as analysts and commentators reacted badly to disappointing earnings news. Disappointing fourth quarter 2014 earnings from...

Year-End Performance Brings Good Cheer

January 2015

The end of the year brought glad tidings to Wall Street. During Christmas week, investors saw some impressive records set with the Dow Jones Industrials closing above 18,000...

Thanksgiving Delivers Much To Celebrate

December 2014

Although sometimes you wouldn't know it from reading the news coverage, the stock market continues to notch up record achievements, with the Standard & Poor's 500 now...

Gyrations and Gains

November 2014

After months of predictions that the time was ripe for a sell-off, the naysayers finally saw their forecasts come true when a series of dramatic sell-offs pushed the...

It's a Small World

October 2014

It's an ill wind that blows no good, as the saying goes. And it appears that the ongoing economic woes of Eurozone nations are having a positive effect on economic...

Dow Hits High, Fed Signals No Changes

September 2014

August was a banner month for the bulls. On August 25, the Standard & Poor's 500 halted its earlier reversal to hit the 2,000 benchmark for the first time ever. The impact of...

Summer Sizzles

August 2014

As summer temperatures rose, market analysts generated their own style of mid-summer madness with predictions ranging from imminent market corrections to confident...

The Fed Reassures, The Market Responds

July 2014

The dog days of August arrived two months early as trading volumes on major exchanges slowed in an apparent response to the start of the World Cup in Brazil. Whether the early...

Trudging Along to Reach Record Highs

June 2014

As Memorial Weekend drew to a close, the three key stock market benchmarks in the United States were headed upward - the first time this year that they've all been positive at the same time - and the S&P 500 closed above 1,900 for...

The Bull Still Runs

May 2014

Despite signs of weakness in early April when the major averages in the markets slid to lows that resembled their previous downturn, the stock market rallied and the bull run...

Mad as a March Hare?

April 2014

The stock market puzzled investors repeatedly throughout March. Issues that have affected stock prices include concern over employment numbers, the impact of severe weather on specific...

Mixed Messages Persist, But Optimism Prevails

March 2014

February is a short month, but nevertheless it generated lots for investors to digest. Market performance for the start of 2014 has been mixed, but February saw...

Market Worries Return

February 2014

The inevitable occurred. Those who had been waiting for it to be over could finally stop anticipating the end of the Bull Run. The market's iron man performance...

2013 Turns Out to be a Great Year for Stocks

January 2014

As 2013 came to a close, investors might have paused amidst the seasonal joviality to note the passing of a most remarkable year...

Markets Bring Good Cheer

December 2013

It appears the October government shutdown did little to slow the economy or dampen the U.S. markets. Not only did the U.S. economy weather the potential setbacks well, but the major...

Bull Market Continues With Upward Climb

November 2013

With the Affordable Care Act (often dubbed Obamacare) creating such a commotion - so much so that it was a key factor in the recent shutdown of many Federal government services - investors...

Uncertainty Rocks the Boat

October 2013

Perhaps investors have grown hardened to budget wrangling and warnings of government shutdowns - or perhaps they're weary of the politicking. Whatever the reason, U.S. investors...

Good News, Bad News

September 2013

August is usually a slow month in the markets as summer comes to a close and vacations wind down, but this past August has seen more activity...

Market News Keeps July Simmering

August 2013

As we moved into the sultry days of summer, two key stories dominated investment news while a third continued to simmer on the back burner. Investors have been so busy looking into the future...

The Fed is Optimistic While the Markets Dither

July 2013

After much speculation in early June as to when the Federal Reserve would let up on its quantitative easing policy, Fed Chairman Bernanke finall...

Optimism Continues

June 2013

It seems as soon as the market posts another gain, or a small decline, the financial headlines proclaim we are nearing the beginning of the end - the end of the current bull market, that is. Good...

Growth Continues; Mega-Banks Face Demands for More Accountability

May 2013

Good news on the economic front for the first quarter of 2013 was clouded with mixed results on housing sales and disappointing data from the durable...

Marching On

April 2013

Setting aside the brief crisis created by Cyprus and quickly addressed by the European Community, the markets performed admirably in March with the Standard and...

Life Post-Fiscal Cliff

March 2013

The risk of an imminent fiscal crisis was averted when lawmakers agreed on some $600 billion in spending cuts and tax increases in January. This doesn't...

Tax Deal on Dividends Good News for Most

February 2013

The final compromises in Washington kept the dividend tax rate at 15 percent for most small investors, and raised tax rates to 20...

2013 Forecasts Tough to Make; 2012 Performance Builds Confidence

January 2013

Predicting stock market performance is about as sure-fire as predicting the weather. This year-end adds additional factors to the mix - tough negotiations among lawmakers over the so-called fiscal cliff, the possibility of...

Year-End Mandates

December 2012

As the year draws to a close, two topics are top-of-the-mind issues for many investors. The first is how to develop next year's investment strategy now that Obama has won another term; the...

A Waiting Game

November 2012

For the most part, investment experts are unwilling to go out on a limb with predictions until the election is over. Analysts might be willing to suggest a certain response from Wall Street...

A Sunny September

October 2012

Worries calmed in Europe, good news on the domestic real estate front, and the Federal Reserve continuing policies to bolster employment and growth were all key factors in the stock market's...

Forget the Old Rules; Times Have Changed

September 2012

It seems like the experts are using some very fancy language to say that the stock market is doing quite well and... we don't really know why....

Olympic-Sized European Woes; Upside Emerging Elsewhere

August 2012

In Europe, the financial system and the unstable euro continue to generate headlines. News of Barclay’s Bank rigging interest rates only added more spice to the headlines. This time,...

Europe Struggles; the Fed Extends Bond-Buying Program

July 2012

Europe's debt problems continued to dominate the business headlines in June - the only change being the shift of attention from Greece to Spain, where struggling banks and high bond...

Technology Back in the Limelight

June 2012

In May, investors saw Facebook's initial public offering fail to hit the giddy heights anticipated and its price drop by the second day of trading. As the month drew to a close, the...

Experts Ponder First Quarter Results, Federal Reserve Policies

May 2012

In April, corporate earnings in the United States, the Federal Reserve's game plan, European elections and continued resistance to austerity measures in Europe dominated...

A Bull Market By Any Other Name

April 2012

A variety of topics are keeping investment experts busy this month. Happily, we saw positive trends continue in the markets – with just a few minor dips. Number-crunchers...

Dow Hits Market Milestone Again; Are Further Gains Ahead?

March 2012

As February drew to a close, the Dow Jones Industrial Average topped 13,000, a peak not seen since early 2007. While many investment professionals agree that it’s just a number and that reaching it creates no tangible benefits,...

Look for the Silver Lining

February 2012

If predicting market behavior by looking at past history worked, then most of us would be rich. There are always unknowns in the months ahead, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t...

Pros Urge Investors to Act on Positive News

January 2012

The start of a New Year doesn’t call for a wholesale change of strategy, but for many individual investors the start of 2012 is a perfect time to review and rebalance. Over the past few months...

Anticipated IPOs Bring Optimism

December 2011

Although economic prospects in Spain, Italy and Greece continued to look bleak and Europe’s economic crisis dominated the headlines, the U.S. economy began to show...

Sentiment and Reality

November 2011

Shakespeare’s Hamlet observed that nothing is good or bad, but thinking makes it so. He certainly wasn’t talking about the stock market, but his commentary fits the market’s dizzying...

Looking for a Silver Lining

October 2011

After a summer of ups and downs, the markets headed downward as September drew to a close. By Sept. 25, the decline had affected oil prices as well as the silver and gold markets – which were down 26 percent...

Stocks Gyrate as Investors Ponder

September 2011

With stocks’ gyrations and economic uncertainty rattling investor confidence here and abroad, individual investors have not lacked for editorial advice on how to formulate an...

Stellar Earnings Cheer Investors Despite Mixed Signals

August 2011

Stock market gyrations in July reflected investor sentiment as experts and individual investors alike followed the ups and downs of the U.S. debt-ceiling debate and financial woes afflicting...

First Quarter Shows Gains; Greek Debt Crisis Rattles Investors

July, 2011

Investors were pleased to note that first quarter economic results showed a modest expansion despite lingering weakness in the housing sector. The nation’s gross domestic product grew at an inflation-adjusted...

Analysts Urge Diversification; Tech Seen as Possible Winner

June, 2011

Believe it or not, by June 2011 the U.S. economy officially will have been in recovery mode for two years, according to economic experts. As with any anniversary, this second year mark has prompted investment experts to contemplate where...

Swings And Roundabouts May 2011

May, 2011

What a difference two days makes! Following the mid-April announcement that Standard & Poors had cut its long-term outlook on U.S. debt to negative, stocks declined precipitously, nearly reaching the...

Pondering The Future

April, 2011

A series of major events – the earthquake disaster in Japan, growing political violence around the Persian Gulf and President Obama’s decision to...

Oil Worries Moderate; Bullish Rally Gets Mixed Reviews

March, 2011

Traders’ attention was diverted from the usual data and financials when political turmoil in Egypt captured the world’s attention in February. Just when the crisis in Egypt...

Encouraging Performance Cheers Investors

February, 2011

The Dow Jones Industrial Average topped 12,000 – a threshold that had not been crossed since 2008 – as January drew to a close. The excitement proved tough to sustain, however, as the market...

Stock Market: Experts Forecast Sunnier Skies

January, 2011

2010 might be described as a year of frustration and doubt for U.S. investors. It was a year of constant ups and downs, with the Standard & Poor’s 500 crossing its opening benchmark of 1115 in January 2010 more than 160...

Be of Good Cheer

December, 2010

Pre-Thanksgiving economic data gave investors an early opportunity to embrace the Season of Good Cheer. Fears of a recessionary double-dip diminished as data from the Commerce Department was revised upward and first-time...

Scary Halloween or an Optimistic October?

November, 2010

Most would deny it, but brokers are a superstitious lot. Perhaps it is the 22nd anniversary of Black Monday on Oct. 19, but October is regarded as a spooky month. As always, opinions are divided...

Tax Issues, Cautious Recovery Create Uncertainty

October, 2010

News that the recession officially ended some 15 months ago failed to generate much excitement among Wall Street pundits. Economic growth and unemployment have yet...

Momentum Dwindles Through Summer Doldrums

September, 2010

August saw the markets putter along, with volatility a constant factor as economic concerns resurfaced. July's data provided some positive news for housing starts and industrial production. Unemployment continued...

Volatility Continues as Gradual Recovery is Predicted

August, 2010

If there is a way to protect your stock holdings from volatility, no one has discovered it yet. Julys stock market gyrations showed the dual effect of good earnings news coupled with disappointing economic...

Wall Street Reform and Positive Trends

July, 2010

On the last Friday of June, legislators unveiled a new bill designed to reign in risk-taking by financial institutions; provide consumers with protection from dicey financial products; and prevent a recurrence...

Global woes rattle the markets

June, 2010

Pundits who predicted a market correction in early spring were finally proved right, as the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped below 10,000 in late May. We saw the benchmark index last close below 10,000 in early...

Amended expectations

May, 2010

There is much to be happy about these days: the market is up almost 80 percent from its lows of 12 months ago, corporate earnings are beating estimates and business spending is on an upswing. The Feds announcement...

Stock Market: Don't Sabotage your personal Financial Recovery

April, 2010

As the Dow edges closer to 11,000, pundits underscore the psychological impact of crossing that benchmark. Though opinions on the importance of this number vary, it is significant that the market has made...

Taking the Rough with the Smooth

March, 2010

The proverb, "March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb" usually refers to spring weather, but investors have reason to hope that it proves true for the markets this year. Februarys...

Experts Ponder the Pull-Back and Future Prospects

February, 2010

The pull-back that occurred in the markets during the third week of January had both pundits and individual investors wringing their hands. The first major sell-off of the year wiped out the year-to-date gains and prompted concern...

Stock Market: A New Year Sparks Optimism

January, 2010

We start 2010 with a much brighter situation than a year ago. The Standard and Poor's 500 Index climbed more than 24 percent in 2009 after taking a precipitous 37 percent decline in 2008. This reversal represents...

Stock Market: The recovery continues at a modest pace

December, 2009

As the year comes to an end, investors all hope that sustained economic recovery lies ahead in 2010. For most individual investors, 2009 was a year of uncertainty - a year in which many sat on...

Stock Market: Scary Halloween or optimistic October?

November, 2009

Most would deny it, but brokers are a superstitious lot. Perhaps it was the 22nd anniversary of Black Monday on Oct. 19, but October is regarded as a spooky month. As always, opinions are...

Stock Market: What is good news these days?

October, 2009

It's never simple to determine what the prevailing opinions are on Wall Street. Since the recession, the task has become even tougher. ItÃ‚Â’s common for the same economic data to be hailed as a...

Stock Market Celebrates an Anniversary of Sorts

September, 2009

Few of us will be celebrating, but September marks the beginning of the financial meltdown that began in the housing sector, unraveled the financial system and precipitated a heart stopping seven months of...

Recent Rebound Heartens Investors

August, 2009

Investors were cheered by a two-week rally at the end of July that lifted spirits and indices alike. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and Standard & Poor's 500 Index saw increases of more than 11 percent. The...

Stock Market: Bulls and Bears Alike Ponder Market Moves

July, 2009

According to Thomson Reuters, U.S. investors are sitting on the sidelines with an estimated $900 billion they yanked from the market when it plunged in the fall of 2008. Although some of that money has made its way back into the market,...

Stock Market: Hope Springs Eternal

June, 2009

With the Memorial Day holiday, Americans welcomed the return of spring--of warmer weather, blossoming branches, and longer days. Likewise, investment experts scanned the headlines and recent data looking for signs of economic rebirth and renewed...

Stock Market: Seeking Clarity in Changing Times

May 2009

Analysts and individual investors alike took heart from the recent rally that took us from late March into April, but a few weeks later we’re back to the same old question—is the worst over? Mixed news from the markets and the economy...

Stock Market: March Rally Soothes Investors

April 2009

March—in like a lion, out like a lamb—as the almanac reminds us. This folksy forecast proved right on for the nation’s financial markets this March—its...

Stock Market: A Time for Fortitude

March 2009

The stock market continued to test investors’ confidence in February. With the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) declining to levels last seen in 1997, and concerns over the possible effectiveness...

Stock Market: Financial Anxiety Can Create Investor Opportunities

February 2009

The optimistic spirit that pervaded Wall Street in the wake of President Obama’s inauguration was all too short-lived, as investors reacted to bad news from the housing sector and disappointing news about 5,000 job cuts from Microsoft. All...

Stock Market: A Happier New Year

January 2009

January is usually the time for resolutions, and for investors it’s usually a time to look ahead and determine where growth opportunities lie. This year, both individual and institutional investors alike—novices and Wall Street...

Stock Market: Forecasting 2009

December, 2008

Though many pundits anticipated volatility in 2008, few expected to see economic conditions deteriorate, consumer confidence dwindle, and the Dow sinking to 8,000 in November. While acknowledging...

Pundits ponder

November 2008

The debate over whether or not the U.S. economy is in a recession appears to be moot. A 40 percent decline in the value of the stock market over the last 12 months and a hefty 18 percent drop in the first week of October...

Stock Market: Experts Wait And Investors Groan

October 2008

To suggest to you that we are living through some frightening and uncertain times would be an understatement. The near collapse of U.S. and international credit markets has shaken governments throughout...

Stock Market: Tough Times Create Future Gains

September 2008

There’s lots of advice out there about how to weather the current bear market. Most investment experts tell us to avoid rash moves, but no one is suggesting that you just pull the covers over...

Stock Market: Looking At The Bigger Picture

August 2008

The Stock Market continued its dismal performance in July. The month saw some bright spots –when oil prices declined and companies posted good earnings reports—but those gains were quickly negated as investors reacted to gloomy...

Stock Market: Fed takes a Summer “Breather”

July 2008

As we sailed into summer, predictions for the six months ahead remained cautious at best. The Federal Reserve officially stated what pundits were expecting—that their worries about a weak economy continue, but...

Stock Market: Wall Street’s Focus--Rising Energy Prices

June 2008

The week prior to the Memorial Day weekend saw a decline of more than 2 percent in major indices, and the economic fall-out resulting from rising energy prices continued to be a major issue. Oil prices rose...

Stock Market: Strategies For Uncertain Times

May 2008

It is a well-worn adage that Wall Street doesn’t welcome change. And, change is what we have had lately –lots of it unwelcome— like the banking crisis/credit crunch, rising...

Stock Market: A Rebound Soon…Or Later?

April 2008

The pre-Easter mini-rally was over all too quickly when traders’ confidence nosedived in response to negative housing and consumer data released in the third week of March. The...

Stock Market: New Worries; Same See-Saw

March 2008

Economic reports released in late February showed that house prices continued to fall and that the cost of just about everything else –food, clothing and gasoline— rose. Correspondingly, consumer confidence dropped to its lowest...

Stock Market: Surviving Fear And Uncertainty

February 2008

By the end of January, it looked as if most of the stock market’s decline might be behind us. Experts –for the most part—seem to share some tentative optimism that...

Stock Market: Face The Year Ahead With Fortitude

January 2008

Whatever their individual strategy might be, leading stock market analysts can all agree that the road ahead will be challenging. With potential threats that include recession, slowing corporate profits,...

Stock Market: Tidings With Some Joy

December 2007

If November left you feeling whip-sawed when a “market correction” (a term used when the markets drop more than 10 percent from their recent high points) one day was followed by a sharp upturn a...

Stock Market: The Fall-Out Is Not Over Yet

November 2007

Since mid-July when the Dow Jones Industrial Average first reached 14,000, the market has soared, dipped and dived, and led investors on a wild ride. Despite some scary...

Stock Market: Boon For Bargain Hunters

October 2007

Even the darkest cloud has a silver lining. Is that true for the stock market, too? The scary volatility of the market has hammered stock prices, but now investors have the chance to pick up some bargains—maybe. Market...

Stock Market: Wild Swings & High Anxiety Whiplash Investors

September 2007

Sorting through a daily barrage of rumors, market chatter and market swings has left most investors punch-drunk, wondering whether the worst is over, or if another storm is about to...

Stock Market: Correction or calamity?

August 2007

Just five months after the decline created by the Chinese Stock Market’s plunge, markets worldwide –especially those in Asia—were under pressure...

Stock Market: Is The Glass Half Full or Half Empty?

July 2007

There is never any shortage of diverse opinions on where the market is headed. The subprime fallout, and the realignment between the financial market’s...

Stock Market: Excitement Aplenty as Volatility Returns

June 2007

June marks the end of the second quarter—a time when investors often reassess and rebalance their portfolios. With so much to ponder, what should a savvy...

Euphoria…Then Reality

May 2007

The Dow soared past the 13,000 mark as April drew to a close, and the NASDAQ also dazzled, reversing March’s downward drift to gain almost 5 percent. But before...

Stock Market: A Lively First Quarter

April 2007

After a first quarter that has been anything but dull, many investment analysts are taking a look backwards as they identify opportunities for the remainder of the year. The...

Stock Market: Stay The Course But Watch Out For Ripples Ahead

March 2007

The good news is that the market has seen little correction since last July: the bad news is that investors with funds to spend are feeling somewhat wistful for the...

Stock Market: Cautious Optimism Suggests Moderate Growth Ahead

February 2007

Despite some hand wringing over what the Fed may, or may not, do in the months ahead, most market experts are forecasting continued - albeit moderate - growth...

Stock Market: What's on the Horizon?

January 2007

At year-end, the pundits get ready to deliver their predictions for the coming year. Here are some key observations from prominent commentators, plus a couple...

Stock Market: …and a Happy New Year!

December 2006

The stock market gave investors plenty to celebrate at Thanksgiving as the Dow reached all time highs - an end to a year where investors have seen...

Stock Market: Dow Hits Dizzying Heights

November 2006

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) surged to hit new records - repeatedly throughout October - surpassing the 12,000 mark for the first time ever in the...

Stock Market: Falling Gas Prices Lift Consumer Confidence And Dow Soars

October 2006

After spending summer in the doldrums, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) moved closer to a record as September drew to an end. Investors were cheered as the Dow climbed to its...

Uncertainty Reigns on Wall Street

September 2006

As August drew to a close, investors stayed on the sidelines and stocks remained in a fairly narrow trading range, as Wall Street tried to figure out whether the economy...

Oil Prices Soar and Stocks Lose Gains For The Year

August 2006

The specter of worsening conflict in the Middle East helped oil prices edge closer to $80 a barrel in mid-July. As a result, stock prices plummeted, wiping out nearly all the modest gains recorded by the major indexes...

Fed’s Interest Hike Offsets Early Summer Doldrums

July 2006

After several weeks of erratic trading and dreary results, Wall Street finally breathed a sigh of relief after the Federal Reserve indicated that it would be paying...

Pause For Thought

June 2006

When the daily vagaries of the stock market leave the pros reeling, don’t be dismayed if the recent seesawing, nay-saying, and dire predictions have your head spinning. You are not...

Investors Return to The Markets

May 2006

Could it be that investors’ love affair with the stock market has rekindled? The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) has broken 11,000 for the first...

Optimism Blooms in Spring

April 2006

No matter where they stand on market predictions, Bulls and Bears might both agree that the recent choppy period offers few rewards to anyone. Optimists pounce on every up tick and just...

Investor Optimism Keeps the Bull Market Going

March 2006

The action on Wall Street may not have been very exciting lately, with trading remaining in a narrow range, but, in the light of recent bad news from major oil-producing...

Stock Market: 2006 Starts Well; Positive Forecast Ahead

February 2006

As January came to a close, rising profit forecasts boosted stock prices, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Standard & Poor’s 500-stock...

Stock Market: Time for Resolution?

January 2006

The so-called "Santa Claus" rally that elevated the Dow to some of its highest levels this year failed to hold out until year-end as stocks tumbled in response...

Stock Market: Combine Holiday Cheer with Year-End Tax Savvy

December 2005

Wall Street enjoyed a November rally and hopes for an end-of-year upswing remained high - especially when the Federal Reserve’s Open Market Committee hinted that the Fed’s rate hikes might be ending in the...

Stock Market: Inflation Worries & Oil Prices Overshadow Profit Reports

November 2005

As October drew to a close, inflation worries hovered, overshadowing some strong profit reports. Wall Street experienced some turbulence as mixed economic data fueled inflation fears. The consumer...

Stock Market: Storms and Oil Price Hikes Erode Confidence

October 2005

Although the damage caused by Hurricane Rita across parts of Texas and Louisiana at the end of September appears to have been significantly less than Hurricane Katrina’s...

Wall Street Waves Goodbye To The Summer Doldrums

September 2005

After a lackluster summer with the stock market going mainly sideways in response to crude oil price gains and concerns that the mega-hot housing market had...

Stock Market: The Bulls Refuse To Bow

August 2005

The blasts that roared through central London left more than 50 dead, with 20 or so people still missing, and hundreds injured. But the Brits refused...

Stock Market: A Summer Damper

July 2005

Although its progress might best be described as labored, the stock market had been inching higher over the last 8 weeks or so - posting a slow gain, but enough to gain 6 percent since...

Stock Market: Challenges Remain But Buying Opportunities Abound

June 2005

The May rally brought some joy to investors who’ve grown accustomed to the anxiety induced by the stock market’s recent knee-jerk gyrations. With only a little...

Stock Market: Buying Opportunities For Long-Term Investors

May 2005

Despite good earnings results overall for the first quarter of 2005, the markets continued to dip and dive. Major indexes declined to lows for the year on April...

Stock Market - Earnings Season Jitters

April 2005

Continuing worries about escalating oil prices, coupled with higher interest rates, kept the market skittish for most of March. Market jitters are...

A Month - End Surge Despite Earlier Jitters

March 2005

Despite an impressive list of pro-growth initiatives that should have cheered investors, President Bush's State of The Union address did not...

Stock Market - A Rocky Start To 2005

February 2005

The icy winter storms that hit the Northeast at the end of January were nothing compared to the chill that settled on the trading floors, as all three major stock...

Stock Market - Cheerful News And Hopes For a Happy New Year

January 2005

A so-called "Santa Claus" rally, boosted by money managers adjusting their portfolios prior to the year-end, sent the Dow Jones Industrials to a 3 ½ year...

Stock Market-Time For Year-End Action

December 2004

Investors barely had time to savor the post-election lift-off before a few stark words on November 19th from Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, and a sudden surge in oil...

As Fears Abate, Will We See a Market Rally?

November 2004

The frenzied activity on the presidential campaign trail translated into a stagnant torpor on Wall Street, as investors dithered on the sidelines awaiting...

Anxiety Rules the Market; But Uncertainties Will Diminish

October 2004

September brought no relief to anxious investors. In addition to ongoing concerns about terrorism and anxiety about global oil supply, investors also were faced with...

Stock Market Update-Dog Days Of August Presage Continuing Lethargy

September 2004

The first half of August saw a general slump in the market thanks to higher oil prices, discouraging news on job creation, and continued terrorism jitters. The S&P 500 hit a new low of 1062 on August...

Stock Market Update--What's Ahead For The Second Half

August 2004

The stock market has seen a lackluster six months. Since February, the Standard & Poor’s 500 gain of 4 percent has slipped away to end-up by July 15 at about...

SUMMER SLOW-DOWN CREATES OPPORTUNITIES FOR SAVVY INVESTORS

July 2004

Summer traditionally is a slow time on Wall Street, and some-but not all-of the recent torpor can be attributed to the seasonal slow-down. Uncertainties about the U.S. presidential election and the power...

WALL STREET WORRIES

June 2004

May brought no relief to anxious investors as the market gyrated in response to troubling international news and mounting worries on the home front. Pundits disagree...

EARNINGS JITTERS AND INTEREST HIKE CONCERNS RATTLE INVESTORS

May 2004

April is the cruelest month according to T. S. Eliot. And though he did not have the financial markets in mind when he penned this line, many investors might well agree with him. Volatility was the watchword...

MARKET JITTERS SUBSIDE AS FUNDAMENTALS IMPROVE

April 2004

March was not a month for the faint-hearted. With the market’s performance showing both sharp downturns and solid rallies, the stock market proved as volatile as early spring weather, ending...

INVESTOR CONFIDENCE REMAINS STRONG; TECHS’ PULLBACK WORRIES SOME

March 2004

Last month saw another month of solid performance on Wall Street. While some cautious pundits question how much longer the current rally can last, individual investors continue to rush into the market in record...

BULL RUN CONTINUES DESPITE FEARS OF IMMINENT MARKET CORRECTION

February 2004

January’s stock market performance demonstrates how difficult it is for both experienced market gurus and novices to accurately predict short-term moves in the market. Case in point--when the stock market closed...

WHAT'S AHEAD IN 2004?

January 2004

After a 3-year bear market battered by woes ranging from corporate malfeasance to terrorism and escalating geopolitical tension, the markets had a good year...

QUIRKY DECEMBER SIGNALS A HAPPY NEW YEAR AHEAD

December 2003

Traditionally as the year draws to a close, the market gets a little quirky. And, this past November was no exception. Up some...and then down some, the market has responded feebly to good economic data and earnings...

STOCK MARKET—DOES THE BULL MARKET HAVING STAYING POWER?

November 2003

After a dramatic run-up that included a 537-point surge in the Dow during the first two weeks of October, the market turned sour in the third week, despite a relatively strong batch of third-quarter...

EARNING FORECASTS BOOST THE MARKET’S GROWING OPTIMISM

October 2003

Investors are entering the final quarter of 2003 with growing optimism, buoyed by sunny earnings forecasts that could make third-quarter earnings the best since third-quarter results in 2000. In September, stockholder...

U.S. ECONOMY HEATS UP AND THE MARKET RALLIES AS INVESTORS STAY UPBEAT

September 2003

With the Dow attaining the year’s highest close on August 18th and Nasdaq following suit the next day, neither the worst power outage in U.S. history nor terrorist blasts overseas deterred the markets as August...

Exploiting the Tax Cut - Part II

August 2003

Last month we looked at the implications of The Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 on portfolio planning and the focus on dividend-paying stocks. This month we’ll take...

Exploiting The Tax Cut

July 2003

President’s Bush’s latest tax cut has something for almost everyone. The investor tax breaks-- designed to boost the stock market-- lower the highest...

Wall Street Takes a-Wait-and-See Stance On Tax Cuts on Dividends and Capital Gains

June 2003

The Bush administration is banking that the package of $320 billion in tax cuts and $30 billion in aid to States that Congress passed on May 23 will translate into some tangible benefits to Wall Street and...

Mixed Signals Generate Cautious Optimism

May 2003

April was a seesaw month for the financial markets, and for investors. At the beginning of the month, Wall Street was jumpy as the constant coverage of the Iraqi...

Will The War in Iraq Help Spur the Market?

April 2003

As most pundits expected, the missile strike that opened the war in Iraq on March 19 spurred a worldwide market rally that ended with the Dow up 150 points. This...

Wall Street Awaits Resolution

March 2003

After a January that saw the Dow losing almost 300 points, beleaguered investors saw no respite in February as global tensions continued to bedevil the...

Presidents Economic Stimulus Plan Calls For Abolition of Dividend Tax

February 2003

From Wall Streets perspective, the centerpiece of President Bushs proposed economic stimulus plan is the exemption of dividends from federal personal income...

Painful 2002 for Stock Market

January 2003

The year 2002 saw it’s share of pains with stock research scandals, hocus-pocus accounting scams, massive layoffs, and a looming war in the Middle East...

Bottom-dwelling in a Bear Market

November 2002

For anyone who has money in the stock market, this year is turning out to be another year you wish you didn't. The Dow Jones industrial average has...

Mutual Fund Managers are Supposed to Make Money

October 2002

The American public-the average investor-is being taken for a ride by very highly paid mutual fund managers who don’t seem to know their job...

Diversify by Investing Internationally and Take Advantage of a Weakened Dollar

September 2002

According to A.G. Edwards' Investment Strategy Committee, foreign investments are becoming a more attractive opportunity for investors right now. "We recommend...

The Bulls and the Bears

August 2002

We are in the midst of a dire bear market. What ought investors do about it? It depends on who the investors are. For some, the panic selling that we witnessed...

Taking Stock Park 2

July 2002

It's official. We are now in the longest bear market since the Great Depression! Now at twenty-five months and counting, this bear is the longest since...

The Neverending Game

June 2002

About the only working environment harsher than the investment industry during a market downturn would be professional sports. The bright lights, the glare...

Is It Worth Buying? Depends...

May 2002

Can you hear me now? Can you hear me now? You have likely heard this annoying little mantra in the Verizon Wireless commercial where the guy...

Taking Stock

April 2002

For many years now, "March Madness" has been the term affectionately used by basketball enthusiasts to refer to the NCAA's national college...

A Day At The Races

March 2002

You may have noticed that on a clear bright day in February, NASCAR resumed its racing season with the granddaddy of all racing events, the Daytona 500...

Crisis in Confidence

February 2002

Just when it looked as though we were pulling away from the September 11 pall, our neighbors in Houston tossed a large wrench into the works...

2001: A Perfect Storm?

January 2002

Another year has come and gone, but it was not just any year. A fitting title might be The Perfect Storm. The year started with a bang and...

Fourth Quarter Huddle

December 2001

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Wolf of a Different Color

November 2001

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To the Strong Go the Spoils

October 2001

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Avoid Sandcastles

September 2001

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The Rise and Fall of a Dynasty, err, I Mean the Stock Market

August 2001

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Alphabet Soup: Anatomy of a Market Rebound

July 2001

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Oh Ye Of Little Faith

June 2001

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What Goes Up ...

May 2001

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Nervous? That’s Healthy!

April 2001

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Indexing the Indexes

March 2001

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High Stakes Gambling?

February 2001

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Is It Time to Bond With Your Broker?

January 2001

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Risky Business?

December 2000

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Diversify, Diversify, Diversify

November 2000

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All That Glitter...

October, 2000

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If It Sounds Too Good...

September 2000

In the days of Adam and Eve, the choices were pretty simple - to eat or not to eat. Imagine what the snake would have offered if he had access to...

Come on, Have a Heart!

August 2000

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What Do I Do Now?

July 2000

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Avoid The Mutual Funds Dividends Tax Ambush

June 2000

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Lifestyle Funds

May 2000

This one-stop investment may be for you if you are too busy or lack the knowledge to take care of your own portfolio....

Ways to Cut Uncle Sam's Tax Bill

April 2000

Keep more of your profits in 2001....

Mutual Funds at Tax Time

March 2000

Three methods of calculating your mutual fund profits....

On-line Stock Scams - Buyer Beware

February 2000

Don't be afraid to invest online; just do your homework....

What is a Brokerage Window?

January 2000

New ways to trade stocks using your 401(k) and brokerage windows....

Stock Trading: Tax Rules and Strategies

December 1999

Tax advice for full and part time traders....

Stock Tip Lesson: Diversify

November 1999

Wall Street history is a key factor for todays' stock market investors....

After-Hours Trading Revolution

October 1999

The after-hours trading revolution is changing the business of trading securities....

Strategists View on Technology Stocks

September 1999

Stock market strategists recommend the strongest technology stocks among the best opportunities to buy this year....

Mutual Funds Not Always Tax Friendly

July 1999

Learn what savvy investors know about tax loopholes for Mutual Funds...

Investment Managers Urge to Act Quickly

June 1999

Congress is attempting to eliminate several popular tax strategies so Wall Street investment managers are urging clients to act quickly. Many tax-saving techniques may be curbed if some in congress have their way....

Simplify Your Portfolio

May 1999

Ross Levin, Certified Financial Planner, says owning too many funds leads to overlapping investments, high fees and paperwork overload....

Guaranteed Income Contracts (GICs)

April 1999

Stable value funds are a good choice for people who cannot afford to lose any of their principal, says Ray Martin of State Street Global advisers. These funds, also known as Guaranteed Income Contracts or GICs, provide a guaranteed return of principal an...