Issues

Investors Hate Uncertainty? Poppycock!

by Jack Crooks | Saturday, December 31, 2011 at 7:30am

To me it is mindboggling we still hear financial commentators and others who should know better utter this inane phrase on a regular basis ... [More »]

My #1 profit play for 2012 …

by Mike Larson | Friday, December 30, 2011 at 7:30am

It’s no secret that I’m calling for major market weakness going into the New Year. Why? Because I don’t believe any of the bailout hype coming out of Europe ... [More »]

3 ETF Trends of 2011 … and 3 Predictions for 2012

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, December 29, 2011 at 7:30am

Happy New Year! I know 2012 isn’t here just yet, but it’s never too early to get started. Today I’ll give you my top three predictions for next year’s ETF ... [More »]

Building a Strategy for Navigating the Rapidly Changing Euro in 2012

by Kevin Kerr | Wednesday, December 28, 2011 at 7:30am

This has been a tumultuous and challenging year for traders. Most are happy to see it go. So as a new year approaches ... [More »]

Gearing up for another great year!

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, December 27, 2011 at 7:30am

With 2012 right around the corner, I want to talk about some simple steps you can take right now — or in the New Year — to greatly improve your financial life. [More »]

Our Best Collective Wisdom on THE BIG PICTURE

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, December 26, 2011 at 7:30am

I don’t use ancient Mayan calendars. Nor do I subscribe to Nostradamus. Yet, throughout modern history, if there ever was a year when all the stars were ... [More »]

Merry Christmas from the ECB … and Happy New Year from the Federal Reserve!

by Jack Crooks | Saturday, December 24, 2011 at 7:30am

The $50 billion in renewed currency swap lines at the beginning of December was a nice stocking stuffer for the euro zone ... [More »]

The most important lesson of 2011!

by Mike Larson | Friday, December 23, 2011 at 7:30am

It’s at times like these, with the year winding down, that I always get contemplative. I like to ponder the last 12 months of market action, and consider what lessons we ... [More »]

HOLDRS Closure Marks the End of an Era

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 7:30am

Happy Holidays! I hope everyone has a great time with family and friends. Before the weekend starts, there’s one last business item you may want to settle. So pay ... [More »]

Fed Proposal to Strengthen Banks

by Weiss Ratings | Wednesday, December 21, 2011 at 3:14pm

The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System just issued a proposal to strengthen regulation and supervision of large bank holding ... [More »]

Baltic Banking Crisis Widening; Bank Depositors Cashing Out!

by Kevin Kerr | Wednesday, December 21, 2011 at 7:30am

I’m reporting this week from the Eastern front of the euro-zone meltdown, where an unfolding banking and confidence crisis could be signs of ... [More »]

Last-minute investment gifts …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, December 20, 2011 at 7:30am

I’m a chronic procrastinator, especially when it comes to getting presents. And since I’m sure you might also find yourself in need of a last-minute gift for ... [More »]

Weiss Ratings: Sluggish Demand Triggers Downgrades of China, Canada, Saudi Arabia

by Weiss Ratings | Monday, December 19, 2011 at 2:00pm

China, Canada, and Saudi Arabia face sluggish global demand, triggering a downgrade in sovereign debt by Weiss Ratings ... [More »]

2012: Worse than 2008!

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, December 19, 2011 at 7:30am

If you think 2008 was a bad year, wait till you see 2012! The world’s largest banks have far less capital, the world’s largest governments have far less bailout power, and each is ... [More »]

Asia Screeches … Dollar Zooms

by Jack Crooks | Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 7:30am

I find it interesting how complacent many investors still are regarding Asia, China in particular. But I guess if one vests so much time and effort to ... [More »]

Global economy fading fast … and no one’s coming to the rescue this time!

by Mike Larson | Friday, December 16, 2011 at 7:30am

There’s no longer any doubt. It’s not something the bulls can argue against. The global economy is fading fast — from one ... [More »]

Put Cash in Your Wallet with ETF Tax-Loss Harvesting!

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, December 15, 2011 at 7:30am

Exchange traded funds (ETFs) are wonderful for many reasons. And as year-end approaches, I want to remind you of a key strategy using ETFs — because it can ... [More »]

How to gear up your portfolio for 2012!

by Monty Agarwal | Wednesday, December 14, 2011 at 7:30am

2011 has been a challenging year for a lot of investors, amateurs as well as professionals. Buy and hold mutual fund type strategies have simply ... [More »]

Portfolio managers’ year-end pains can be your 2012 gains!

by Tom Essaye | Tuesday, December 13, 2011 at 7:30am

When I was a professional portfolio manager, December was always the most nerve racking month of the year in my office. In fact, while most people were ... [More »]

New Danger of a Systemic Collapse

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, December 12, 2011 at 7:30am

Some stock investors never seem to learn. They hope and pray for a new government rescue from Washington or Brussels. They wait with bated breath for each ... [More »]

Monti Drives Stake in Euro’s Heart — Sends Italy Down Greece-Paved Road!

by Jack Crooks | Saturday, December 10, 2011 at 7:30am

As I watched the ECB news conference on Thursday, I kept wondering how the ECB president, Mario Draghi, could have ... [More »]

To print or not to print? That’s the question for the ECB!

by Mike Larson | Friday, December 9, 2011 at 7:30am

If there’s one thing we’ve learned about central banks in the past few years, it’s that they will print money — and then print some more ... [More »]

Why Emerging Market ETFs Belong on Your Watchlist

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 7:30am

The year is almost over, and the world’s supposedly “advanced” economies are still falling into chaos. Whether it’s Europe, the U.S., or Japan, the outlook for 2012 looks ... [More »]

The Thirst for Oil Continues … and the U.S. Is Getting Squeezed Out!

by Kevin Kerr | Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at 7:30am

Oil prices have been on a wild ride the second half of 2011, and that’s likely to continue for the foreseeable future. A myriad of factors are ... [More »]

Why heating oil looks so hot right now …

by Tom Essaye | Tuesday, December 6, 2011 at 7:30am

Whether they come from Washington or Europe, it seems like news headlines (and rumors) are now influencing the stock market more than ... [More »]

Weiss Ratings downgrades 5 European countries! New euro-zone rescue schemes dead on arrival!

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, December 5, 2011 at 7:30am

While European leaders scramble to propose new euro-zone rescue schemes in preparation for still another “crunch meeting” this week ... [More »]

Monetary collusion masking a vulnerable Aussie dollar

by Jack Crooks | Saturday, December 3, 2011 at 7:30am

This week global central banks announced a coordinated effort to inject liquidity into credit markets. From Reuters: “The central banks of ... [More »]

Avalanche of Downgrades Overwhelming Bondholders! What to Do …

by Mike Larson | Friday, December 2, 2011 at 7:30am

Maybe it’s because we got our first genuine “cold” front here in South Florida — dropping the mercury all the way to 53 degrees. But the ... [More »]

Don’t Keep the ETF Leftovers!

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, December 1, 2011 at 7:30am

A week ago we celebrated Thanksgiving in the U.S. I hope you had a great time with your loved ones. Now families from coast to coast are dealing with ... [More »]

Two Pipeline Plays to Heat Up Your Portfolio This Winter!

by Kevin Kerr | Wednesday, November 30, 2011 at 7:30am

The U.S. remains dependent on foreign oil supplies from the Middle East. And that relationship has put our economy over an economic ... [More »]

How willing are you to go against the crowd?

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, November 29, 2011 at 7:30am

The way I see it, the idea of being a “contrarian investor” has gotten all twisted around by the mainstream media. It’s not as simple as just ... [More »]

Contagion spreading FAST! No more time to wait!

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, November 28, 2011 at 7:30am

The global contagion is spreading so quickly, it could strike the United States before yearend. It’s the same contagion that began over two years ago in Greece ... [More »]

The Japan-China Parallel: Is the Hot Money Already Running from China?

by Jack Crooks | Saturday, November 26, 2011 at 7:30am

“If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.” — Lao Tzu - Most everyone thinks they know where China is headed — that is ... [More »]

European, U.S. Debt Markets Flashing Red!

by Mike Larson | Friday, November 25, 2011 at 7:30am

I don’t know about you. But I think I ate enough turkey yesterday to last me until the New Year! Getting family and friends together, watching football, ... [More »]

Happy Thanksgiving!

by The Entire Money and Markets Team | Thursday, November 24, 2011 at 7:30am

Our Money and Markets team is at home today, celebrating the holiday with friends and family. [More »]

Plan Now and Reap a Harvest of Profits in 2012!

by Kevin Kerr | Wednesday, November 23, 2011 at 7:30am

When the clock strikes midnight on December 31 this year, many traders, fund managers and individual investors will be glad to ring in the ... [More »]

Three things to check off your list before 2012 …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, November 22, 2011 at 7:30am

I think it’s safe to say that this week marks the beginning of the mad holiday rush that will last until we ring in 2012 ... heck, a biker dressed as Santa ... [More »]

Deficit committee FAILS! What will happen next …

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, November 21, 2011 at 7:30am

Never before in modern history has the U.S. government faced a greater fiscal disaster! And never before has it failed so miserably to confront it! This past weekend, instead of ... [More »]

My Nine Reasons Why the U.S. Dollar May Have Bottomed

by Jack Crooks | Saturday, November 19, 2011 at 7:30am

It’s always difficult to pinpoint where we are in terms of a trend, whether it’s in stocks, bonds, or other assets. Long-term trends in the ... [More »]

Europe credit markets imploding! Why it matters to YOU!

by Mike Larson | Friday, November 18, 2011 at 7:30am

In this market, it’s easier than ever to be confused. I say that because Wall Street pundits and European technocrats keep telling you that ... [More »]

Does Another Lehman Have Your Money?

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, November 17, 2011 at 7:30am

One letter can make a huge difference in your portfolio — especially the letters “F” and “N.” For instance, consider the investments called ETF and ETN. In both cases, ET stands for ... [More »]

Medicare Supplement Insurance: Choosing Your Plan

by Weiss Ratings | Thursday, November 17, 2011 at 7:00am

We all want to age gracefully, and we want health care benefits that will keep us agile for as long as possible ... [More »]

How Spread Trading Can Cut Your Risks in Volatile Markets

by Kevin Kerr | Wednesday, November 16, 2011 at 7:30am

The wild swings we’ve been experiencing in the markets lately are unprecedented. Even seasoned fund managers are left scratching their heads ... [More »]

How my own dad’s portfolio is faring right now …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, November 15, 2011 at 7:30am

If you’re a regular reader of this column, you may already know that I’ve been helping my own father invest $100,000 of his retirement money ... [More »]

Do I Need Medicare Supplement Insurance?

by Weiss Ratings | Monday, November 14, 2011 at 3:00pm

If you’re one of 48 million Medicare beneficiaries, you probably know that Medicare won’t cover many of your annual health expenses ... [More »]

The Next Two Victims of the Debt Contagion

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, November 14, 2011 at 7:30am

Rarely in history can we look toward the immediate horizon and see a future event that is virtually certain, very dangerous, and totally underestimated by the ... [More »]

Is a return to the gold standard on the horizon?

by Jack Crooks | Saturday, November 12, 2011 at 7:30am

I’m not trying to scare you. But here are a few popularized quotes from Jon Maynard Keynes that you should pay attention to ... [More »]

What I Learned about Europe’s Credit Crisis in Germany

by Mike Larson | Friday, November 11, 2011 at 7:30am

Europe is at the heart of the current credit crisis. Developments in Italy, Greece, and the rest of the PIIGS countries are driving the ... [More »]

Medigap Tip: Save Like a Celebrity

by Weiss Ratings | Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 3:00pm

Baby boomers born in 1946 join approximately 40 million Americans eligible for Medicare supplement insurance (Medigap) this year. And many of their ... [More »]

New Fund Gives You Early Warning of Europe’s Crisis

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 7:30am

The fireworks in Europe are just getting started. Leaders and bankers across the Continent are playing the same “extend and pretend” game U.S. bankers have used with ... [More »]

How to Get a One-Up on Wall Street!

by Kevin Kerr | Wednesday, November 9, 2011 at 7:30am

The Hippocratic Oath is taken by doctors and other healthcare professionals swearing to practice medicine ethically and promising not to do more harm than good ... [More »]

Answers to your questions on Treasuries, inflation, and a whole lot more …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, November 8, 2011 at 7:30am

Last week’s column on I Bonds generated quite a buzz ... so today I’d like to address some of the questions, comments, and other issues ... [More »]

The True Cause of America’s Troubles

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, November 7, 2011 at 7:30am

Are you wondering why the U.S. economy has now stagnated — despite the largest government stimulus, bailouts, stimulus, and money printing of all time? [More »]

How to Avoid the 6 Traits of Market Fools

by Jack Crooks | Saturday, November 5, 2011 at 7:30am

Traits we all exhibit at times are what swiftly separates us from our money. And today, I’d like to examine these common traits. [More »]

Whaddaya know? Europe screws it up again!

by Mike Larson | Friday, November 4, 2011 at 7:30am

Two days. Two lousy days. That’s how long the “Bailout Rally” in the euro currency lasted in the wake of last week’s European summit! We shot up from ... [More »]

Sometimes it’s what you DON’T own that boosts your odds of success

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, November 3, 2011 at 7:30am

It’s easy to get caught up in recent stock market action. Then there are investment advisors who often go to the other extreme, urging their clients to ... [More »]

Coming your way: The end of the oil age! Are you prepared?

by Kevin Kerr | Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 7:30am

It may seem like it should be the opposite, but due to the ongoing global economic debacle and uncertainty right now, opportunities for investment in ... [More »]

Why you should pay attention to today’s I-Bond announcement …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 7:30am

I’ve talked about inflation-protected bonds many times before — including both Treasury-Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS) and I-Bonds. And while I don’t believe the former represent compelling bargains at the moment, as I just told my Income Superstars subscribers — the latter are still a great way to get a very nice return with virtually zero [More »]

What’s your country’s TRUE rating? Here’s the answer …

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, October 31, 2011 at 7:30am

If you’re among those who think the central bankers and finance ministers of the world really have a clue about how to bail out bankrupt borrowers and end a debt crisis … I urge you to take another look at what I wrote last week about the NINE MAJOR CRISES they’ve bungled in the past [More »]

Stronger yuan, higher labor costs, eurozone threaten China’s advantage

by Jack Crooks | Saturday, October 29, 2011 at 7:30am

Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney said the euro-zone crisis poses the biggest risk to Canada’s economy; and it could take years to fully play out. But that’s one reason why he just announced the BOC has lowered the growth targets from 2.8 percent to 2.1 percent in 2011 and from 2.6 percent to 1.9 [More »]

Why I keep hammering on the “hope vs. reality” theme!

by Mike Larson | Friday, October 28, 2011 at 7:30am

We’ve had one heck of a party on Wall Street in the past few weeks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average shot up from 10,404 on October 4 through 11,891 yesterday ... [More »]

How to Occupy Mall Street with Retailing ETFs

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, October 27, 2011 at 7:30am

As protesters “occupy” Wall Street, Americans are considering how — or if — they’ll be able to occupy the space under this year’s Christmas tree. Christmas? It’s not ... [More »]

Cold Weather … Hot Profits!

by Kevin Kerr | Wednesday, October 26, 2011 at 7:30am

The crisp smell of autumn leaves, the chill in the air, and pumpkins, and turkey and stuffing, are all leading indicators that once again old man winter’s wrath will ... [More »]

Three Basic Technical Analysis Measures I Like …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, October 25, 2011 at 7:30am

Last week, I talked about a way to invest in markets without the need for perfect timing. But with all the sharp moves we’ve been witnessing, what if you want to try and ... [More »]

Two Big Days of Reckoning — Oct. 26 and Nov. 23!

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, October 24, 2011 at 7:30am

Mark your calendar for two historic days that could shake Wall Street to its foundation and change the Western world forever ... The first is Europe’s day of reckoning, postponed to Wednesday, October 26 ... [More »]

Aussie Dollar in a Copper Cauldron!

by Jack Crooks | Saturday, October 22, 2011 at 7:30am

I keep thinking that any day now the Australian dollar will take a dirt nap. It took one back in mid-2008, falling a stunning 39 percent in just three months in the midst of the ... [More »]

Tread carefully when rumors are flying!

by Mike Larson | Friday, October 21, 2011 at 7:30am

Wall Street has had a serious case of “buy the rumor” lately, with the Dow tacking on more than 1,200 points amid multiple reports of alleged bailout programs ... [More »]

Is Technology Ready to Move Higher?

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, October 20, 2011 at 7:30am

Now is a rough time for stock market bulls ... and being a bear isn’t much easier. Record daily volatility makes it tough to go either way. I’ve found that sector rotation offers much more opportunity than ... [More »]

Fortune Favors the Brave

by Kevin Kerr | Wednesday, October 19, 2011 at 7:30am

Throughout 2011 the markets have been on an incredibly wild ride for investors. And many traders are left scratching their heads as to what to do next in these volatile ... [More »]

A great way to avoid stock market ruin …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, October 18, 2011 at 7:30am

As part of our Italian vacation, my family and I visited the ancient Greek ruins of Agrigento, Sicily. And even as we approached the ... [More »]

October 23, 2011: The Next Big Day of Reckoning

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, October 17, 2011 at 7:30am

This coming Sunday, October 23, will go down in history as one of the most important days of the 21st century. On that day, the leaders of 27 European countries will ... [More »]

Successful Trading Is NOT about Being a Genius

by Jack Crooks | Saturday, October 15, 2011 at 7:30am

During my currency trading career, three books have had a profound influence on me by dispelling several common beliefs. And perhaps they can help you too. The first was ... [More »]

Chase this rally? No way!

by Mike Larson | Friday, October 14, 2011 at 7:30am

If you didn’t know, read or watch anything before October 4, you’d think we were in the strongest economy and strongest market environment ever! After all, the Dow ... [More »]

The Grand Parade of New ETFs

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 7:30am

New exchange-traded funds are launching almost every week. By my count, U.S. investors have access to more than 250 new ETFs and ETNs so far this year ... [More »]

Wake Up … Smell the Profit Potential!

by Kevin Kerr | Wednesday, October 12, 2011 at 7:30am

In the world of commodities and resources, the demand for certain key items has increased exponentially as the global appetite for cars, homes, and better food has ... [More »]

The other side of the income equation …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, October 11, 2011 at 7:30am

I spend most of my time showing investors new ways to boost their investment income. But I have to tell you that I also love finding new ways to save money, too! So when I ... [More »]

7 Major Advance Warnings

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, October 10, 2011 at 7:30am

As soon as we see the likelihood of major bankruptcies and defaults, we don’t wait around. We warn you immediately. We know you need time to get your money out of danger. And we also know ... [More »]

The Bank of England falls off the wagon. The pound could be sore in the morning!

by Jack Crooks | Saturday, October 8, 2011 at 7:30am

Another major central bank opens up the flow of more liquidity. This time it was the Bank of England (BOE). And it was only a matter of time. The UK ... [More »]

Bear market is here! Are you prepared?

by Mike Larson | Friday, October 7, 2011 at 7:30am

I’m convinced more than ever that we are entering a new bear market, and a double-dip recession. Here’s why ... [More »]

Natural Disasters Pummel Property and Casualty Insurers

by Gavin Magor | Friday, October 7, 2011 at 7:00am

Property and casualty insurers are having a tough year. Natural disasters cost money, and guess who ultimately pays — the consumer ... [More »]

Physically-Backed Gold ETFs Provide Convenience

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, October 6, 2011 at 7:30am

The global economic crisis isn’t getting any better. Yes, we see rallies in various markets, but they’re getting weaker and shorter. The smart money is taking the opportunity to ... [More »]

Another Bank Bites the Dust

by Gene Kirsch | Wednesday, October 5, 2011 at 1:00pm

On Friday, regulators closed First International Bank, Plano, Texas. This brings the total number of U.S. bank and thrift failures to 74 for 2011, behind last year’s pace of 127 ... [More »]

The Putin Put Trade Is Back On

by Kevin Kerr | Wednesday, October 5, 2011 at 7:30am

Over the last several years Russia has seen an incredible influx of investment from all over the world as emerging markets, like China, try to secure its vast resources. The oil and mineral ... [More »]

Banks or Credit Unions: Which are Safer?

by Gene Kirsch | Tuesday, October 4, 2011 at 12:00pm

Now that we’ve completed the second quarter 2011 ratings for both banks and credit unions, it’s a good time to think about the safest place to put your money. Is a bank the safest haven or is the credit union down the street a better alternative? You want some assurance that you’re going to get [More »]

Five beaten-down European dividend stocks worth looking into …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, October 4, 2011 at 7:30am

Soon enough, I’ll be leaving for an Italian vacation with my dad, wife, and daughter. We’ve been planning to do this trip for quite some time now, and it should be a great chance for ... [More »]

Use Your Debit Card … and Pay Up!

by Weiss Ratings | Monday, October 3, 2011 at 3:00pm

The Associated Press recently reported that Bank of America is planning to start charging customers a $5 monthly fee for using a debit card ... [More »]

A Massive Battle Between Inflation and Deflation!

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, October 3, 2011 at 7:30am

A massive battle between inflation and deflation is enveloping the globe. And for now at least, deflation is winning. On the side of inflation are those who want to perpetuate the status quo ... [More »]

Are hedge fund managers dumping gold to raise cash?

by Jack Crooks | Saturday, October 1, 2011 at 7:30am

The swift sell-off in gold surprised many, as it seemed a foregone conclusion that this gold game was so easy. “Oh yeah, $2,000 gold and beyond is slam dunk ... [More »]

The Facts About FDIC Insurance

by Weiss Ratings | Friday, September 30, 2011 at 4:30pm

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) is a federal agency that promotes public confidence and stability in the nation’s banking system ... [More »]

Hunt for European bailout enters “Theatre of the Absurd” territory!

by Mike Larson | Friday, September 30, 2011 at 7:30am

The fumbling around for a “solution” to the European debt crisis continued this week. And frankly, we’re entering “Theater of the Absurd” territory! What does that mean for you? Simple ... [More »]

The Difference between Cheap Price and Good Value

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 7:30am

“Calling the bottom” is one of the hardest tasks most investors ever face. A wrong choice can devastate your portfolio. We all fantasize about “bottom-fishing.” Usually it happens in hindsight. We hear on TV ... [More »]

Commodities Down, but Far from Out!

by Kevin Kerr | Wednesday, September 28, 2011 at 7:30am

Over the last decade commodity prices have been surging at a breathtaking rate, except perhaps for the end of 2008 and into early 2009, when we saw a significant correction. Even so, the vast ... [More »]

Investors Should Really Be Finding Safety in Dividends

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, September 27, 2011 at 7:30am

It’s amazing, but people just keep flocking to 10-year Treasuries for “safety!” In fact, as the recent stock market sell-off really got going, the yield on these U.S. government bonds hit 1.6714 percent … [More »]

12 Giant U.S. Banks Vulnerable to Disaster!

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, September 26, 2011 at 7:30am

Imagine this scenario ... The largest economy in the world is on the brink of a financial meltdown that could make the debt debacle of 2008 seem small by comparison. Its giant banks are buried in ... [More »]

The Flight to Safety Intensifies!

by Jack Crooks | Saturday, September 24, 2011 at 7:30am

I noticed copper and the Australian dollar were both getting crushed on Monday. And gold — while not tumbling as fast as, say copper — is also seeing its fair share of selling this week. But ... [More »]

Bernanke’s “twist” falls flat! Dow plummets! What to do …

by Mike Larson | Friday, September 23, 2011 at 7:30am

Folks, I’ve been warning you repeatedly — for the last several months — to get defensive. I’ve urged you to sell most of your stocks, dump risky bonds, eliminate your ... [More »]

Europe’s Safe Havens Are History

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, September 22, 2011 at 7:30am

Like I told you last month, European unity was always an illusion. Now the crisis is entering a new and more ominous phase. What about Greece? Whether you call it “default” or something else, the facts ... [More »]

Going for the Gold

by Kevin Kerr | Wednesday, September 21, 2011 at 7:30am

The rising price of gold is hardly breaking news; after all it’s been on a parabolic climb for the last several years. However, even though it’s had a meteoric rise, I think we ... [More »]

Three More Little-Known Facts about Social Security …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at 7:30am

Last week’s column on how Washington’s latest jobs plan could further impact our already-ailing Social Security program got a lot of great comments from readers. For example, here's what ... [More »]

Transcript: Emergency Global Forum: Will This Debt Crisis Be Worse Than 2008? (Edited, as needed, for clarity)

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, September 19, 2011 at 7:30am

We stand on the threshold of one of the most dramatic financial disasters of our lifetime: The default of the oldest democracy in the history of ... [More »]

Warning Flags: Gold … and Emerging Currencies

by Jack Crooks | Saturday, September 17, 2011 at 7:30am

Two Thursdays ago President Obama threw a crack at South Korea: “... while they’re adding teachers in places like South Korea, we’re laying them off in droves. It’s unfair to ... [More »]

As Go the Credit Markets, So Go Stocks!

by Mike Larson | Friday, September 16, 2011 at 7:30am

I have a simple rule I follow when it comes to investing in markets like these: As go the credit markets, so go stocks! Or stated another way, if you spend all your time watching ... [More »]

How to Invest in Private Equity Like a Billionaire!

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, September 15, 2011 at 7:30am

You’ve heard the story before: The rich get richer while the rest of us try to keep up. In theory, the U.S. is a land of democracy and equal opportunity — but somehow it doesn't ... [More »]

European Disunion

by Kevin Kerr | Wednesday, September 14, 2011 at 7:30am

The massive differences between the various nations in the European Union have always been apparent. But now as the euro zone is literally crumbling in front of us, the depth of that divide has become ... [More »]

“We’ll fix the economy by stealing more from your retirement!”

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, September 13, 2011 at 7:30am

If you read my column with any regularity, you have a good idea of where I stand on the Social Security program. But in a nutshell: I believe the way in which it was initially constructed — and, more importantly, continually expanded over ... [More »]

Vermont’s Home Owners Catch a Lucky Break!

by Gavin Magor | Monday, September 12, 2011 at 4:30pm

Residents of Vermont should be able to count on their homeowners insurance to pay claims for damage caused by Hurricane Irene. Why? Because the state's homeowners insurers have the ability to pay. Despite the devastation left ... [More »]

2008 All Over Again?! Or Worse

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, September 12, 2011 at 7:30am

Years ago, Dad and I often talked about the circular nature of history — the Crash of ’29 and the Crash of ’87 ... the Florida land boom of the ’20s and the real estate bubbles of later years ... the bank failures of the Great Depression and the bank failures of the 1980s ... [More »]

The Most Important Rule of Currency Trading

by Jack Crooks | Saturday, September 10, 2011 at 7:30am

There is so much talk out there about what moves currencies. Granted, at any point in time it could be anything ... news, geopolitics, economics, earthquakes ... on and on ad infinitum. But I want to step back a bit from the news and hot trade ... [More »]

Is Your Bank Doomed?

by Gene Kirsch | Friday, September 9, 2011 at 4:30pm

We don’t have the ability to see into the future. But we do have an excellent track record of identifying problem banks that end up in failure. In fact, of the 68 institutions that failed so far in 2011, 66 or 97% were rated E+ or lower (“Very Weak”) by Weiss at the time of [More »]

The Shocking Case for Dow 7,000!

by Mike Larson | Friday, September 9, 2011 at 7:30am

How far can we fall? How ugly are things going to get? How likely is a 2008-style meltdown? I have a two-word answer for you: Dow 7,000! That’s an incredibly likely downside target. So today, I’m going to lay out my shocking case for a ... [More »]

Ten TIPS to Tip Inflation in Your Favor

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, September 8, 2011 at 7:30am

Ben Bernanke keeps saying the Federal Reserve will do “everything it can” to encourage economic growth. But his first two “quantitative easing” programs were no help for average Americans. They were very beneficial for Wall Street, though, so the big banks ... [More »]

Acceptance Is the Key to Profits in the Energy Markets

by Kevin Kerr | Wednesday, September 7, 2011 at 7:30am

The world keeps turning, and the resources keep getting used up. It’s really quite simple. Despite that fact, the “experts” continue the debates over Peak Oil, and for that matter, peak food, and peak everything else ... [More »]

Back to school with 529 plans …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, September 6, 2011 at 7:30am

It’s hard to believe, but my four-year-old daughter is gearing up for yet another stint at the local preschool. And next year at this time, I’ll be dropping her off at a bona-fide elementary school! So, yes, I’m painfully aware of how quickly time goes by ... [More »]

Have a great Labor Day!

by The Entire Money and Markets Team | Monday, September 5, 2011 at 7:30am

We work hard to bring you the best unbiased financial content to be found anywhere, online or off. But in celebration of Labor Day, our team is taking a much-needed day of rest today ... [More »]

The Dollar as a Reserve Currency Is Awful, until You Consider the Alternatives!

by Jack Crooks | Saturday, September 3, 2011 at 7:30am

I hear a lot of complaints about the U.S. dollar as the world’s reserve currency. Many of the criticisms leveled at the buck aren’t on the mark ... many are. But there are good ... [More »]

European Bailout Fatigue Spells Big Trouble for Stocks!

by Mike Larson | Friday, September 2, 2011 at 7:30am

There comes a time when you just can’t go back to the well. When your citizens — in the words of Howard Beale from the movie Network — stand up and say “I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore!” ... [More »]

Making $22 Million the Easy Way

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, September 1, 2011 at 7:30am

How would you like to make $22 million? No matter how wealthy you may be, that’s a nice amount of money. Better yet ... how about making $22 million with no extra work? Seriously — it’s free cash for labor you’re already doing. Your answer is probably ... [More »]

Will Your Insurer Be There When It’s Over?

by Weiss Ratings | Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 7:30am

Hurricanes are one of nature’s most destructive weather occurrences. They start as smaller storms and most rage harmlessly in the ocean. Occasionally, though, they grow into powerful storm systems with intense winds and heavy rain. These storms ... [More »]

Are Dividends Just for the Rich?

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, August 30, 2011 at 7:30am

In response to last week’s column about dividend stocks vs. Treasuries, a reader named John wrote in to say, “If you have a couple million dollars, higher-priced dividend stocks make sense. For the smaller investor, not. $100,000 is not going to ... [More »]

America’s Largest Candidate for Bankruptcy

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, August 29, 2011 at 7:30am

One of America’s giant financial institutions, which I’ll name in a moment, could be a candidate for bankruptcy in a double-dip recession scenario. It controls nearly $2.3 trillion in assets and has 57 million customers. It does big business with ... [More »]

Ditch the dollar for these two trading opportunities …

by Jack Crooks | Saturday, August 27, 2011 at 7:30am

When we think of trading opportunities in the currency market our first question is usually: What’s the dollar doing? From an analytical perspective, that’s the right question to ask first because the dollar is the world’s reserve currency and ... [More »]

Wall Street Missing the Boat on Fed and QE!

by Mike Larson | Friday, August 26, 2011 at 7:30am

QE2 had less of an impact than QE1. QE3 would have an even smaller impact because everyone in the world knows that QE ultimately doesn’t work. I’m talking about nothing more than a few hundred Dow points ... [More »]

Euro Unity Was Always an Illusion

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 7:30am

Last week Mike Larson told you how Europe is an economic basket case. And today I want to talk about that a little more. Why? Because Europe is the epicenter of an earthquake that rocked world markets this month — and the shock is far from over! Yet ... [More »]

Russia: The Next Big Winner in Resource Riches

by Kevin Kerr | Wednesday, August 24, 2011 at 7:30am

The new economic reality is making it clear that the U.S. dollar is no longer the world’s absolute reserve currency. And at the same time the euro is coming apart at the seams! The flight out of fiat currencies and into tangible assets is ... [More »]

So Which Market Is “Getting it Wrong?”

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, August 23, 2011 at 7:30am

Last week, Mike Larson did a great job of outlining some of the problems facing the global economy ... and there’s no doubt they’re pretty big hurdles. This explains why we saw yet another week of massive volatility, and some truly ... [More »]

Failures Projected as Mortgage Insurers Struggle

by Gavin Magor | Monday, August 22, 2011 at 7:30am

I’m on my way home from Europe, so I asked Gavin Magor, Weiss Ratings’ senior financial analyst, to fill in for me today. As you’ll see, Gavin’s current thoughts on the financial health of mortgage insurers — and the broader implications for the housing market — support everything Mike Larson told you here last week. [More »]

Six Steps to Financial Doomsday: The Ultimate Financial Catastrophe

by Mike Larson | Saturday, August 20, 2011 at 7:30am

In the last five editions of Money and Markets, I’ve detailed how the United States has taken the same steps toward economic doomsday that have triggered Europe’s current financial nightmare ... [More »]

Six Steps to Financial Doomsday: Washington Declares WAR on the Dollar!

by Mike Larson | Friday, August 19, 2011 at 7:30am

So far in this series, we’ve seen how the United States has taken the same steps towards economic doomsday that Europe has; made the same blunders that are now bringing Europe to its knees: First, Washington ... [More »]

Six Steps to Financial Doomsday: Europe Crashing! U.S. Is Next!

by Mike Larson | Thursday, August 18, 2011 at 7:30am

The news out of Europe could not be more frightening: Its debts are mounting as it bails out its most endangered states. Its banks are stretched to the breaking point as they struggle to prepare for the default of member states they ... [More »]

Six Steps to Financial Doomsday STEP #3: We’ve Sold Our Birthright for a Mess of Porridge

by Mike Larson | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 7:30am

Our big reliance on foreign debt began in the year 2000. Back then, Washington owed foreigners a total of $1 trillion. The single largest loans came from Japan. In fact, at that time, the U.S. borrowed more ... [More »]

Six Steps to Financial Doomsday STEP #2: Government Debt Exploding!

by Mike Larson | Tuesday, August 16, 2011 at 7:30am

Yesterday, in the first installment of his “Six Steps to Financial Doomsday Series,” Mike Larson examined the first massive blunder Washington has made to bring us to this point — out-of-control spending. Today, Mike continues his series by looking at the impact of America’s massive debts. I strongly recommend that you do NOT miss a [More »]

S&P Downgrade Hits Bank Stocks Hard

by Weiss Ratings | Monday, August 15, 2011 at 5:00pm

If you’ve been watching the market, and who hasn’t, you can’t miss that bank stocks have been hit hard following the Standard & Poor’s downgrade of U.S. credit. As of market close on Friday, August 12, US Bancorp (USB) and Huntington Bancshares (HBAN) were both down over 10% from the open on August 5th. Wells [More »]

Six Steps to Financial Doomsday STEP #1: Government Spends Everything It Has

by Mike Larson | Monday, August 15, 2011 at 7:30am

Europe is in tatters. Its governments are barely clinging to power. Its economy is crippled and bleeding. Its banks are fighting for their very lives. The cost in human terms is horrendous. Millions of jobs have been vaporized. Family businesses ... [More »]

Market Activity Proving There are Few Places to Hide

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, August 13, 2011 at 7:30am

When Standard & Poor’s downgraded U.S. government debt last week, everyone was stirring about the prospects of a big sell-off in the dollar and U.S. Treasuries — but it didn’t happen. Instead, we witnessed a mass sell-off in nearly all other ... [More »]

Embracing the Volatility for Major Profits!

by Mike Larson | Friday, August 12, 2011 at 7:30am

These are some of the most volatile markets I’ve ever seen. Down 630 points on the Dow Jones one day. Up 430 points the next. And that’s not all! We’ve seen $50-$70 daily moves in gold ... 8-cent moves in the value of the Swiss franc ... [More »]

Health Insurers Profit from Job Losses

by Weiss Ratings | Friday, August 12, 2011 at 7:00am

It’s not the health insurance industry’s fault so many people are unemployed. But insurer’s profits are up, and the likely cause is the shift in insurance enrollment from group health to Medicaid. Profits of the nation’s health insurers rose dramatically for … Click here to read more … Weiss Ratings is the nation’s leading independent [More »]

Move to the Front of the Line with Preferred Stock ETFs

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, August 11, 2011 at 7:30am

Imagine you’re standing in line, waiting to enter a big concert or Las Vegas show. You dutifully wind back and forth between the velvet ropes. You can’t wait to take your seat. Then just as you’re about to go in, the snooty usher brusquely closes the rope right in front ... [More »]

How to play this pullback in energy prices

by Kevin Kerr | Wednesday, August 10, 2011 at 7:30am

The best time to look at buying in any market is when it’s on its lows. And one sector that is being beaten like a dog right now, is offering some great buying opportunities on the cheap. Energy. Since January, oil prices have traded at or near ... [More »]

The Weiss Ratings Challenge

by Weiss Ratings | Tuesday, August 9, 2011 at 2:30pm

Weiss Ratings throws down the gauntlet. After giving Standard & Poor’s “the nod” for taking an important, first step in fairly rating U.S. sovereign debt, Weiss renewed The Weiss Ratings Challenge, asking the dominant rating agencies to take a closer look, suggesting they have yet to give investors a realistic picture of U.S. credit. Click [More »]

If you need a vacation from this market …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, August 9, 2011 at 7:30am

I spent last week on a family vacation to the Outer Banks of North Carolina ... and based on all that happened in the markets, maybe it was the very best time to be away from my desk! Make no mistake, I was still glued to stock quotes zipping ... [More »]

S&P punctures bubble! What to sell and what to buy …

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, August 8, 2011 at 7:30am

The first-ever downgrade of U.S. debt, announced Friday by Standard & Poor’s, hit Asian stocks hard last night and is about to slam into U.S. markets at the opening bell a couple of hours from now. That’s what’s going to grab the headlines, and ... [More »]

Delinquent Mortgages Threaten U.S. Banks

by Weiss Ratings | Monday, August 8, 2011 at 7:00am

If you’re like most of us, you have money in a bank … a checking account, a savings account or a CD. So you’ll want to pay close attention to a study Weiss Ratings just completed on the financial health and safety of the nation’s largest banks. Here’s what we uncovered … Click here to [More »]

Markets Melting, More to Come

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, August 6, 2011 at 7:30am

In late May, when the S&P 500 was trading just shy of its “post-crisis” highs, I made the case for why we should expect more pain ... a lot of it. And I said, with QE2 ending in June, QE3 may follow. Today, I revisit some of that big-picture analysis. In ... [More »]

Recession strikes! Markets tank! Next …

by Mike Larson | Friday, August 5, 2011 at 7:30am

The “recovery-less recovery” in the U.S. economy is over. Finito. Done. That’s the only conclusion a rational investor can come to in light of the latest numbers. Just consider what we’ve learned in the past few days ... [More »]

Is Your Credit Union Safe?

by Weiss Ratings | Friday, August 5, 2011 at 7:00am

If you think credit unions automatically give you a safe haven far removed from the weakened U.S. banking system, think again. We’ve crunched the numbers and done the analysis to help you ... [More »]

The Best ETFs For Hurricane Season

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, August 4, 2011 at 7:30am

Here in Texas, we expect summer to be hot. Somehow we cope with 100-degree days. This year has been worse than usual. And to make matters worse, we’re in the middle of a severe drought, too. Here in Texas, we expect summer to be hot. Somehow ... [More »]

Reinventing the American Dream, Abroad!

by Kevin Kerr | Wednesday, August 3, 2011 at 7:30am

The late George Carlin, the outspoken and controversial comedian and modern day philosopher, said it best: "The reason they call it the American Dream is because you have to be asleep to believe it."  Well these days that’s certainly true. America’s forefathers and the first colonists risked everything to escape tyranny in Britain, and they [More »]

New Rules, Bad Mortgages Weigh on Bank Stocks

by Weiss Ratings | Wednesday, August 3, 2011 at 7:00am

Many banking stock prices have fallen to fresh new 52-week lows with the likes of Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs among them. Others have come perilously close to their yearly lows, some even approaching multi-year lows. You won’t have to look far to find other bank names you’ll recognize. In fact ... [More »]

About those “guaranteed” retirement benefits …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, August 2, 2011 at 7:30am

I continue to get a lot of feedback on my recent columns about Social Security. While some of you get what I'm saying - and are painfully aware of just how real the risks are - a number of responses suggest that many people still fail to recognize ... [More »]

Day of Reckoning! TOMORROW!

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, August 1, 2011 at 7:30am

Beware! Within the next few days, Washington and Wall Street may mount a new, sweeping PR campaign designed to deceive investors about the crisis. Deception #1. If Congress raises the U.S. debt ceiling tomorrow, they will try to convince you that the crisis is “over” — that they have largely “solved the problem” and that [More »]

Sovereign Debt Crisis Queuing Up Round Two of the Global Financial Crisis

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, July 30, 2011 at 7:30am

Without question, the sovereign debt crisis is in full swing … It is unsustainable debt that is threatening to break up the 12-year-old European Monetary Union. And it is unsustainable debt that is threatening default and downgrade to the most ironclad credit in the world: The credit of the United States. Investors and the media [More »]

Sovereign debt crises … economic slump … and now, earnings trouble?

by Mike Larson | Friday, July 29, 2011 at 7:30am

Things aren’t looking good on the debt crisis front in Europe ... just a few days after the “great bailout!” [More »]

How to Invest in the Fountain of Youth

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, July 28, 2011 at 7:30am

Like many of you, I’m a Baby Boomer. Now I find myself north of 50 and the prospect of getting “old” isn’t very attractive. [More »]

The dollar is following a well-worn path of destruction

by Kevin Kerr | Wednesday, July 27, 2011 at 7:30am

The mighty U.S. dollar’s fall from economic grace didn’t happen overnight. It’s been a long and painful process driven by bad judgment, irresponsible fiscal policies, and arrogance. Like many fiat currencies before it, the greenback’s paper and the ink printed on it is only worth what individuals are willing to assign to it. Otherwise it [More »]

Looking for Dividend Stocks with Buffett’s Criteria

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, July 26, 2011 at 7:30am

I’ve praised Warren Buffett in this space before, and for good reason — he has one of the most successful — and longest-running — investment track records in the world. Better yet, he always manages to keep ... [More »]

Countdown to D-Day

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, July 25, 2011 at 7:30am

The United States government is now just eight days from D-Day — the day of debt default. If it actually happens, the ensuing chaos could bring the end of the United States as we know it today. And if it’s averted ... [More »]

The Next Stop for Revolution: Europe. Is the U.S. Far Away?

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, July 23, 2011 at 7:30am

This past week we’ve seen yet another bailout scheme from euro-zone officials. This one is perceived to be the magic bullet to solve all of the failing monetary union’s problems. But I think we’ve seen this movie before ... [More »]

Financial Stocks Tanking! Ignore at Your Own Peril!

by Mike Larson | Friday, July 22, 2011 at 7:30am

The KBW Bank Index includes 24 of the nation’s largest banks — “Too Big to Fail” institutions such as Citigroup (C), Bank of America (BAC), and JPMorgan Chase (JPM) ... “superregionals” like U.S. Bancorp (USB) and PNC Financial Services ... [More »]

Are Any Treasury ETFs Safe?

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, July 21, 2011 at 7:30am

Your heroes in Washington D.C. are locking horns about the government debt. If they don’t reach a deal very soon, the Treasury may have to stop borrowing money next month. This is, of course, exactly what the Treasury should have done a long time ago, in my opinion. The ... [More »]

Rare Opportunities in the Metals for the 21st Century

by Kevin Kerr | Wednesday, July 20, 2011 at 7:30am

For many investors today’s uncertainty and fear is overwhelming: The looming debt debacle in Washington and the potential breakup of the European Union has seemingly crippled their ability to protect their investments and ultimately their ... [More »]

Important update on Social Security and the debt ceiling …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, July 19, 2011 at 7:30am

As I first mentioned in an e-mail alert last week, the ongoing debt negotiations in Washington now include serious talks about alterations to the Social Security program. A number of you have since been asking questions about how ... [More »]

Weiss downgrades U.S. debt! What to do …

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, July 18, 2011 at 7:30am

Weiss Ratings has just downgraded the debt of the United States government to a C-minus — approximately equivalent to a BBB- rating by S&P, or one notch above speculative grade (junk). This is critical for you ... [More »]

More Sovereign Downgrades in the Pipeline, Defaults to Follow … What to Do!

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, July 16, 2011 at 7:30am

It’s easy to get confused by the daily deluge of information. For the past several weeks, the news on global economies and financial markets has been especially volatile ... [More »]

Why so many bailouts, and trillions of newly printed dollars, STILL aren’t fixing the world’s problems!

by Mike Larson | Friday, July 15, 2011 at 7:30am

The European sovereign debt crisis. The double-dip in the U.S. housing market. The resumption of the U.S. economic slump. Policymakers certainly have their hands full right now. Hardly a day goes by without ... [More »]

Don’t invest in bond ETFs … without using this FREE tool

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, July 14, 2011 at 7:30am

Some people never learn. Officially, the U.S. economy has been out of recession for two years now. Have you noticed any “boom?” Probably not, unless you happen to work in lower Manhattan or Washington D.C. Yet the markets are still ... [More »]

Don’t Ignore Inflation … Embrace It!

by Kevin Kerr | Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 7:30am

For several years now I, and other traders I respect, have been warning of a day of reckoning that would eventually come to pass for the global economy. We pointed feverishly to a time in the future when ... [More »]

Sometimes the most powerful investing strategies are also the simplest!

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, July 12, 2011 at 7:30am

A lot of folks just don’t get dividends. They think they’re little throwaway payments that companies make to shareholders. Or they say only deep-pocketed investors really benefit from ... [More »]

Jobs crumble! Debt talks failing!

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, July 11, 2011 at 7:30am

Everything we’ve been warning you about is starting to happen — fast! The U.S. job market is crumbling ... the Washington debt talks are failing ... and the unprecedented convergence of both these events is mandating urgent ... [More »]

All Eyes on Europe … While China Quietly Weakens

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, July 9, 2011 at 7:30am

In recent weeks the crisis in Europe has continued to dominate world markets. But behind the scenes China, the world’s highly touted global growth savior, has been proving more and more fragile. China continues ... [More »]

Why this summer, it truly IS different!

by Mike Larson | Friday, July 8, 2011 at 7:30am

They’re lining up in the wake of last week’s rally. You know who I’m talking about. The “second half recovery” crowd. Two years ago, in the summer of 2009, they said a short-term pullback in the market ... [More »]

Boost Your Income This Year with International ETFs

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 7:30am

Income-hungry investors are having a rough time right now. Interest rates are at historic lows in the U.S. Worse, Ben Bernanke and his chums at the Fed seem determined to keep rates near zero. Even threats ... [More »]

The world’s most important commodity is often the most overlooked!

by Kevin Kerr | Wednesday, July 6, 2011 at 7:30am

For many people when they think of natural resources and commodities, immediately gold and oil come up as the most important on the planet. They certainly tend to get the most attention. But does that really ... [More »]

All-American Income Independence …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, July 5, 2011 at 7:30am

Talk about a fireworks display! Markets have been roiled by a number of events lately — from talk of a new double-dip in U.S. real estate to broader signs that the American economy could be headed for ... [More »]

Why the Great Greek Tragedy Has Barely Begun

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, July 4, 2011 at 7:30am

This is a memorable day for the United States of America, both to warmly celebrate our past and coldly contemplate our future. But if you want the truth about what’s likely to happen next — in the wake of ... [More »]

The robust recovery isn’t underway; time to take matters into your own hands!

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, July 2, 2011 at 7:30am

Just months ago, Wall Streeters and politicians were cheering that a recovery was well underway. Many forecasters were projecting 2011 to be a big year, with growth to be better than 5 percent — the kind of ... [More »]

Recession Warning Flags Flying Again!

by Mike Larson | Friday, July 1, 2011 at 7:03am

The United States emerged from a grueling 18-month recession just two short years ago, according to the business cycle arbiters at the National Bureau of Economic Research. Yet for many Americans, the ... [More »]

Three Often-Overlooked Risks of Inverse ETFs

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 7:30am

The ETF revolution allows everyday investors to achieve the impossible. Just a few short years ago, short-selling, leverage, spreads, and commodities were practical only for the Wall Street insiders. Now, with ETFs, anyone can play ... [More »]

Why Obama’s Desperate Move Could Send Oil Prices Soaring!

by Kevin Kerr | Wednesday, June 29, 2011 at 7:30am

The sudden announcement last week that the International Energy Agency (IEA) would release strategic oil supplies onto the world markets caused a significant selloff. And crude oil prices dropped around $9 in ... [More »]

When it’s actually okay to “go naked” …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, June 28, 2011 at 7:30am

A few weeks ago, I told you about covered call writing ... which is my favorite income-generating options strategy. And in that article, I told you that I absolutely, positively did NOT recommend writing naked ... [More »]

Government lying about debt crisis! What to do …

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, June 27, 2011 at 7:30am

Do you believe what government officials and experts are saying about the debt crisis? If so, you’re taking your financial life into your hands. Just consider how many times they’ve been wrong, issued deliberately misleading ... [More »]

Why the Smart Money Is Running for Cover!

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, June 25, 2011 at 7:30am

Earlier this year, I wrote a Money and Markets piece titled “Social Unrest Setting the Stage for Sovereign Defaults.” We had already seen overthrows in Tunisia and Egypt, Libya was underway and other Middle ... [More »]

Time to dust off the credit crisis playbook!

by Mike Larson | Friday, June 24, 2011 at 7:30am

Football teams that use the same playbook year after year are virtually guaranteed to lose. Their opponents figure out what their game plan is, they adapt to it, and they shut them down. Yet for some reason, politicians around the world ... [More »]

International ETFs … Minus the Currency Risk!

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, June 23, 2011 at 7:30am

Have you noticed how the best-performing ETFs and mutual funds often specialize in international stocks? Funds focused on emerging markets, Asia/Pacific, China, Brazil and many others dominate the top of ... [More »]

Hunger Pains: The Food Crisis Hits Home

by Kevin Kerr | Wednesday, June 22, 2011 at 7:30am

For a very long time in America we’ve enjoyed a seemingly endless, cheap, and abundant variety of foods from all over the globe. Although for many of us, our understanding of food supply and what it takes to ... [More »]

The first dividend stock I ever bought …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 7:30am

Last week, one of our country’s most storied corporations officially turned 100. And it just so happens to also be the firm that started my love affair with both the stock market and dividend payments. The ... [More »]

IMF Warns of “Perverse Feedback Loop”! Greece! Banks! US!

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, June 20, 2011 at 7:30am

I’m doing everything I can to keep my family safe from what could be the worst financial storm of our lifetime, and I hope you’re doing the same. Indeed, in three damning reports issued just this past Friday, the International Monetary ... [More »]

Greece just a symptom of the REAL Problem!

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, June 18, 2011 at 7:30am

If you think the Greek debt crisis is the cause of Europe’s major ills, think again. It’s just a symptom of the far deeper problems I’ve been telling you about all alongAs I'll explain in this issue, the European Central Bank (ECB) is loaded ... [More »]

Urgent Alert: Dump Your REITs Now!

by Mike Larson | Friday, June 17, 2011 at 7:30am

Right here in Money and Markets — in May 2007 — I issued one of my most important and prescient warnings ever. I proclaimed the multi-year run in the real estate investment trusts, or REITs, over. And I ... [More »]

Can Active Management Be Indexed?

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, June 16, 2011 at 7:30am

Regular readers know that I love ETFs. This fairly recent invention has revolutionized investing for millions of people. Now I think we’re entering a new era of innovation. Why? Today we’re going to look at some ... [More »]

Oversold, but Unable to Bounce!

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at 7:30am

Four weeks ago I discussed the quickly deteriorating macroeconomic picture, both in the U.S. and internationally. Since then the outlook has corroded further yet. Especially noteworthy: Interest-rate ... [More »]

Answers to some of your latest questions …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, June 14, 2011 at 7:30am

Over the last few weeks, I've covered a lot of ground in these Money and Markets columns — from dollar-cost averaging to more advanced options strategies. And naturally, a lot of you have been following up with ... [More »]

Don’t touch these stocks with a ten-foot pole!

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, June 13, 2011 at 7:30am

Major stock sectors are now in a race for the bottom. These are stocks on a rendezvous with their lowest lows reached in the debt crisis of 2008-2009 ... sinking back into the danger zone that came with ... [More »]

Time to Deploy the Hedges; Search for Values!

by Don Lucek | Saturday, June 11, 2011 at 7:30am

There’s no denying that some recent negative economic reports are giving the market trouble. For instance ... *The industrial economy staggered under temporary supply chain disruptions, with the ... [More »]

Steroids Wearing Off! Key Sectors Slumping! Urgent Action Required!

by Mike Larson | Friday, June 10, 2011 at 7:30am

I’ve been a huge football fan for years. I started watching Dallas Cowboys games when I was five because I loved the star on the team’s helmets. I cheered for the Miami Dolphins because I live in South Florida ... [More »]

Five International Bond ETFs to Look at Now

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, June 9, 2011 at 7:30am

When you get a chance at two birds with one stone, it’s usually a good idea to take it. Three birds with one stone is even better! Right now we have a shot at combining three of my favorite investing ... [More »]

Inflation Doesn’t “Just Happen”

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, June 8, 2011 at 7:30am

First of all, inflation is man-made. It is the wealth-destroying outcome of reckless monetary and fiscal policies. For instance ... From 1949 to 1969, when the Bretton Woods monetary system was working ... [More »]

How to capture those key investing moments …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, June 7, 2011 at 7:30am

It seems like only yesterday that I was writing to you about my daughter Vela’s first birthday ... and using the occasion to make the case that dollar-cost averaging was a terrific way to approach the stock ... [More »]

WARNING: Sinking bank stocks spell big trouble!

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, June 6, 2011 at 7:30am

The last time U.S. bank stocks started sinking, it spelled a lot more trouble than anyone dreamed possible; and now, it’s beginning to happen again. Starting in February 2007, the KBW Bank Stock Index, ... [More »]

Signs Pointing to Another Round of Global Recession

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, June 4, 2011 at 7:30am

Over the past several weeks it’s become clear that the global economy is turning down ... *Japan returned to recession last month. So did Denmark. *Malaysia, Botswana, Ireland, Australia, Portugal and ... [More »]

Economy losing steam! Three moves to make now!

by Mike Larson | Friday, June 3, 2011 at 7:30am

I sure hope they have a lot of lipstick in Washington and on Wall Street. Because they’re going to need it to gussy up the latest economic news! Just over the past several days, we’ve learned that ... [More »]

Telecom Sector Rides the Internet Wave

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, June 2, 2011 at 7:30am

If, like me, you’re old enough to remember a time without the Web and e-mail, the fact that you’re able to read an online publication like Money and Markets is impressive. Even more so if you are reading it on ... [More »]

The Stock Market Is Sending Three Bearish Messages

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, June 1, 2011 at 7:30am

The stock market is a leading economic indicator with an impressive track record. And that’s exactly how I am interpreting three recent developments and why I want to warn you about them today: Bearish ... [More »]

China’s Electricity Shortage Implications

by Rudy Martin | Tuesday, May 31, 2011 at 3:00pm

This year, China has been facing rolling power blackouts that are likely to get worse before they get better. According to the China Electricity Council, the country’s supply may lag demand by 30 gigawatts this ... [More »]

A good call for higher income …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, May 31, 2011 at 7:30am

In my latest issue of Income Superstars, I told my subscribers about a compelling way to get even more income out of many of the stocks I’ve recommended to them ... and it’s a strategy that I’ve discussed ... [More »]

Our Three Immediate Recommendations for Safety and Profit

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, May 30, 2011 at 7:30am

I’m working from home, commemorating Memorial Day and focusing on giving you simple, practical solutions to avoid the unprecedented threats to your money on the immediate horizon: Threat #1. Bank failures. ... [More »]

The World Is Still Around; So Is the Dollar!

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, May 28, 2011 at 7:30am

In the past four weeks, the dollar has surprised many people by staging a broad-based bounce. I wasn’t among them. For more than two years, every time the dollar has turned down, there has been a ... [More »]

European Debt Crisis Accelerating … Again!

by Mike Larson | Friday, May 27, 2011 at 7:30am

Oh boy, here we go again! After trying to paper over the problem for several months, the European Central Bank (ECB) is rapidly losing its battle against the debt crisis in the “PIIGS” countries — Portugal, Ireland, ... [More »]

New Home Sales Pop in April, Inventory Hits Lowest Level Ever

by Mike Larson | Thursday, May 26, 2011 at 3:00pm

We just got the latest look at the new home market from the Census Bureau. Sales rose 7.3 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 323,000 in April from 301,000 in March. That beat economists’ ... [More »]

Total Europe? There’s No ETF for That.

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, May 26, 2011 at 7:30am

For a continent with such magnificent heritage, Europe is a mess. The post-WW2 economic order is unraveling by the day. Look at what we’ve seen just in the last couple of weeks ... Greece is once again ... [More »]

Three Paths Out of the Government Debt Trap

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, May 25, 2011 at 7:30am

The governments of Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece, and Spain have a problem very similar to the U.S. and many other countries. It’s easy to describe: Too much debt as the result of living beyond their means for ... [More »]

Latest CD Options Give You More Flexibility

by Weiss Research | Tuesday, May 24, 2011 at 3:00pm

As market volatility continues to keep investors cautious, many are holding cash on the sidelines where interest rates remain dismally low. And with interest rate increases looming, no one wants to get ... [More »]

Now here’s a powerful foreign dividend payer!

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, May 24, 2011 at 7:30am

Last week, I talked about a long-time dividend recommendation of mine ... one that embodied many of the characteristics I think make conservative income stocks such strong wealth builders. Today, I want to ... [More »]

Will the U.S. default? Is it really possible?

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, May 23, 2011 at 7:30am

What happens on the day Uncle Sam runs out of money? Or equally drastic: What happens when he’s no longer able to borrow from Peter to pay Paul and misses payments to countless creditors around the ... [More »]

QE2 coming to an end. Why QE3 could follow!

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, May 21, 2011 at 7:30am

Next month, the Fed will be winding down its second round of quantitative easing. But will it be for good? Back in August, at a meeting of global finance officials in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Fed Chairman Bernanke ... [More »]

The “Forgotten Crisis”

by Mike Larson | Friday, May 20, 2011 at 7:30am

We’ve hit the debt ceiling. And in early August, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner will run out of strings to pull to keep us from defaulting. That’s undermining confidence in our bonds. We’ve all been paying ... [More »]

Cut Your Exposure as Stock Markets Weaken!

by Weiss Research | Thursday, May 19, 2011 at 3:00pm

This week, the markets are fidgety, making twists and turns. Not unexpected for all the chaos going on throughout the world. And every investor without access to top-shelf research and timely ... [More »]

27 ETF Roads to China!

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, May 19, 2011 at 7:30am

You hear a lot about China in the financial news, and with good reason. China’s explosive growth is changing the world in unprecedented ways ... and creating once-in-a-lifetime investment opportunities ... [More »]

Editor’s Picks of the Week

by Weiss Research | Wednesday, May 18, 2011 at 3:00pm

As of February 2011, there were approximately 5,000 companies listed on the major exchanges. That’s a 2 percent drop from 2009 and a 42 percent drop from a high of 8,823 in 1997 according to data ... [More »]

S&P overvalued; emerging markets weaken. What to do.

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, May 18, 2011 at 7:30am

There are many reasons to expect the current cyclical bull market in stocks to give way to the next vicious bear. Let me give you my top six. First of all ... The Market Is Way Overvalued. As I’ve written before ... [More »]

Housing Starts, Permits Plunge in April

by Mike Larson | Tuesday, May 17, 2011 at 3:00pm

We just got our latest look at home construction, and it wasn't good ... Housing starts plunged 10.6 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 523,000 in April from an upwardly revised 585,000 in ... [More »]

A smoking hot stock from my current portfolio …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, May 17, 2011 at 7:30am

I’ve been talking about the stock market lately — both from a big-picture perspective and also by looking at individual companies. But I have NOT talked about any of the specific companies in the portfolios I run ... [More »]

What I’d tell Ben Bernanke if he was in the REAL “Hot Seat”!

by Mike Larson | Monday, May 16, 2011 at 7:30am

Last Thursday, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke went before the Senate Banking Committee to answer questions about the Dodd-Frank bill. His testimony focused on bank regulation, financial stability, ... [More »]

Lehman Brothers Crisis: Just the Opening Act

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, May 14, 2011 at 7:30am

In 2008, the failure of Lehman Brothers nearly collapsed the global financial system. To avert collapse, it required unprecedented global government bailouts, backstops and policy responses. These efforts ... [More »]

Is Another Economic “Tipping Point” at Hand?

by Mike Larson | Friday, May 13, 2011 at 7:30am

I’ve been railing against the Federal Reserve’s reckless monetary policies for a while now. QE2 and ultra-low interest rates are fostering new asset bubbles, distorting the markets, driving the price of ... [More »]

Hitting the Debt Ceiling

by Mike Larson | Thursday, May 12, 2011 at 6:00pm

There is a huge political debate going on about the national debt and the debt ceiling. You can’t open a Web page, newspaper or magazine without reading the concerns of government officials and everyday ... [More »]

What Silver’s Recent Plunge Teaches Us about Leveraged ETFs

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, May 12, 2011 at 7:30am

Before the electronic ink could dry on last week’s column, Is the Gold/Silver Ratio at a Tipping Point?, silver crashed. So did ETFs that track this niche in the precious metals market. I hope you avoided all the ... [More »]

How to Use the Weiss Sovereign Debt Ratings to Protect Your Wealth and Profit

by Mike Larson | Wednesday, May 11, 2011 at 3:00pm

A country’s overall financial health impacts a lot more than its government bonds. It can also help determine the flow of money into that nation’s stocks and currency. So you can use the Weiss Sovereign Debt Ratings ... [More »]

It’s 2007/08 All over Again!

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, May 11, 2011 at 7:30am

Today looks eerily similar to what was going on in 2007 and early 2008. Then, as now, the vast majority of my macro-economic and stock market indicators issued massive warning signs. And then, as now, the ... [More »]

Protect Your Home Equity and Wealth

by Mike Larson | Tuesday, May 10, 2011 at 4:00pm

Five years ago, while everyone in the world seemed to be rushing out to buy the next big McMansion, I warned about a bust in housing sales, and it happened. I warned about a downturn in housing prices ... [More »]

The very strongest sectors and countries right now …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, May 10, 2011 at 7:30am

Last week, I shared a recent stock screen I conducted ... and I commented on some of the specific companies that it turned up. Today, I want to continue looking at the stock market, but from a much ... [More »]

Doomsday Scenario

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, May 9, 2011 at 7:30am

Consider this doomsday scenario: Catastrophic impacts felt by every American. A broad range of government payments stopped, limited, or delayed, including military salaries, Social Security, and ... [More »]

Coming this Wednesday: America’s Financial Armageddon

by Mike Larson | Sunday, May 8, 2011 at 7:30am

America’s Financial Armageddon is rushing towards us like a runaway freight train, and this coming Wednesday we will explain exactly how and when in an emergency briefing with that exact title. [More »]

A Market Littered with Speculators

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, May 7, 2011 at 7:30am

It seems that the widely accepted view of global markets for many months has been conveniently compartmentalized, and neatly described as: “Fed’s Easy Money Policies = Higher Asset Prices into ... [More »]

The Value of REAL Sovereign Debt Ratings

by Mike Larson | Friday, May 6, 2011 at 7:30am

If there’s anything we’ve learned about the major ratings agencies, it’s that they’re almost ALWAYS a day late and several bucks short. In the early 1990s, they failed to downgrade or adequately warn about ... [More »]

Is the Gold/Silver Ratio at a Tipping Point?

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, May 5, 2011 at 7:30am

Gold and silver are flying higher this year — and so are the exchange traded funds (ETFs) that track them. Can the trends continue? More important, how can you best profit from them? Today we’ll explore those ... [More »]

Here Comes China

by Rudy Martin | Wednesday, May 4, 2011 at 3:00pm

The International Monetary Fund just dropped a bombshell, and nobody noticed. For the first time, the organization predicted when the U.S. economy will be overtaken by China, and the “Age of America” ... [More »]

The Hidden Consequence of Inflation

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, May 4, 2011 at 7:30am

Last Wednesday Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke repeated what he stands for: A rampant inflationary monetary policy. He seems totally oblivious with the sad history of inflationary policies. And ... [More »]

Win with Chinese Coal Stocks

by Rudy Martin | Tuesday, May 3, 2011 at 3:00pm

International coal prices hit $124 per ton last week, the highest level in five months, largely due to strong demand from reconstruction projects in Japan. But coal supply is also tight, because of flooding in Australia ... [More »]

Finding New Buys in this Fast-Moving Bull Market …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, May 3, 2011 at 7:30am

This past Saturday, my daughter’s preschool held their annual “Fun Fair” ... an afternoon of pony rides, moonbounces, face painting, and general disarray. After an hour spent volunteering at the ... [More »]

Swept Up Into an Inflation Tornado

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, May 2, 2011 at 7:30am

Precisely two weeks from today, on May 16, 2011, the U.S. government will exhaust its power to borrow money. That’s the official estimate of when the U.S. Treasury bumps up into its debt ceiling ... runs out ... [More »]

Sizzling Demand for Meat Drives China-Brazil Deals

by Rudy Martin | Sunday, May 1, 2011 at 3:00pm

When Dilma Rousseff, Brazil’s new president, visited China recently, the business delegation travelling with her hammered out several deals. One of the success stories of the trip was the Brazilian meat production ... [More »]

The U.S. dollar on the edge of a great cliff! Within a hair of ALL-TIME LOW!

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Sunday, May 1, 2011 at 7:30am

Global investors are dumping dollars like there’s no tomorrow. After plunging for nearly a year, the greenback is down a staggering 15.9% since last June alone. This week, it hit a low of 72.834, a meager ... [More »]

The Dollar: Sliding or Crashing?

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, April 30, 2011 at 7:30am

Much has been made of the persistent slide in the dollar in recent months. Many proclaim it’s the end of its status as the primary world reserve currency. Others suggest it’s a notice of the demise of America ... [More »]

Hey Ben, wake up! The problem is your message, not its delivery!

by Mike Larson | Friday, April 29, 2011 at 7:30am

So this was it. The week where a Federal Reserve Chairman finally stepped out of his ivory tower and came down to speak to the unwashed masses. Specifically, the Federal Open Market Committee didn’t just ... [More »]

Major press release: Weiss Ratings rates U.S. credit!

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Thursday, April 28, 2011 at 10:45am

I am about to send out the single most important press release of my lifetime, and I want you to be among the first to get this vital information: Starting today, Weiss Ratings is issuing ratings on the credit ... [More »]

ETFs Offer Eight Ways to Weight the Same Stocks

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, April 28, 2011 at 7:30am

ETFs are a big help in many ways. One of the top benefits is that you are relieved from the task of deciding which individual stocks to buy out of the thousands available. Stock-picking is tough business. What you ... [More »]

Inflation on the Rise? Five Sectors Set to Rise

by Mike Burnick | Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at 3:00pm

Earlier this year in our 2011 outlook, we pointed out that the growing threat of inflation ... both in the US and especially in emerging economies ... is one of the key issues for investors this year. The latest batch ... [More »]

History Teaches Four Important Lessons about Investing

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at 7:30am

Just look at the long-term chart of the Dow Jones Industrial Average below. The first thing you’ll probably notice is that it starts at the bottom left and rises strongly to the top right of the chart. So the message ... [More »]

Don’t Put Your Entire Nest Egg in One Basket

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, April 26, 2011 at 7:30am

Every year, Easter is one of those gentle reminders that spring is finally here for real, and that summer is waiting around the corner. Of course, professionally speaking, all the seasonal references to eggs and ... [More »]

A Financial Atom Bomb

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, April 25, 2011 at 7:30am

Nearly a year ago, I publicly challenged S&P, Moody’s and Fitch to downgrade the long-term debt of the United States government — to help protect investors and prod Washington to fix its financiers ... [More »]

S&P throws down the gauntlet! Prepare for the consequences!

by Mike Larson | Friday, April 22, 2011 at 7:30am

Almost one year ago, Weiss Ratings challenged the major credit ratings agencies. The gist of the message? Stop dillydallying around and downgrade the long-term sovereign debt rating of the United States in ... [More »]

Housing Starts Rebound in March

by Mike Larson | Thursday, April 21, 2011 at 3:00pm

Housing starts, the number of new residential homes being built and permitted, were just released by the U.S. Commerce Department for March. While the numbers reflect a rebound, from February’s decline for ... [More »]

Health Care ETFs Seizing the Lead!

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, April 21, 2011 at 7:30am

I’m a momentum investor. What does that mean? I just try to identify leading market sectors and then keep my portfolio aligned with them. Sometimes the strength is fairly obvious, and at other times it’s harder ... [More »]

Two Collapse Scenarios

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, April 20, 2011 at 7:30am

Never before has the government’s manipulation of financial markets created greater dangers — and opportunities — for investors! How do we know? Because lesser manipulations in recent years have ... [More »]

Who Will Win Latin American Communications?

by Rudy Martin | Tuesday, April 19, 2011 at 3:00pm

The Telecom and Media sectors in Latin America are in a titanic power struggle – deserving of its own soap opera series. The end prize here is an estimated 400 million or more Latin Americans using computers ... [More »]

Some tough questions from readers!

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, April 19, 2011 at 7:30am

You’ve been writing in like crazy lately, and asking me some really tough, intelligent questions. So I think it’s only fair that I publish some of the very best ones — along with my answers — for everyone to read ... [More »]

Better Than Bonds? Income Alternatives to Consider for Inflationary Times.

by Mike Burnick | Tuesday, April 19, 2011 at 7:00am

For fixed income investors, it's time to review your strategy ..."as bonds' golden age comes to an end." At least that's what a recent article in the Financial Times proclaims. The story points out how the unique ... [More »]

Warning: 5,291 banks and thrifts are weak! What to do …

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, April 18, 2011 at 7:30am

Beware! Despite nearly three trillion dollars in government stimulus, bailouts and money printing since 2008 ... There are still 2,707 banks and 2,584 credit unions in America vulnerable to future financial woes ... [More »]

Why the Euro Is in the Path of a Slow-Moving Train

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, April 16, 2011 at 7:30am

Mark Twain once said, “If you don’t read the newspaper you are uninformed, if you do read the newspaper you are misinformed.” That couldn’t be truer in this crisis era. And for self-preservation, you’re probably ... [More »]

Memo to Fed: Ignoring a problem doesn’t make it go away!

by Mike Larson | Friday, April 15, 2011 at 7:30am

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. Fed Vice Chair Janet Yellen. New York Fed President Bill Dudley. Rather than use their official titles, I think I’ll just call them the founding members of the “Ostrich Club!” ... [More »]

Your ETFs and the Tax Man

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, April 14, 2011 at 7:30am

If you haven’t filed your income tax return yet, “The Day” is almost here! Millions of Americans are sweating right now as they frantically sort out deductions, credits and amortizations. Mutual funds have long been ... [More »]

IMF Study: Who Will Pay and How?

by Money and Markets, Staff Writer | Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at 5:00pm

In April, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) released a copy of a study on the U.S. fiscal imbalance.  The analysis was issued in the form of a working paper not to be reported as representative of the views or ... [More »]

A Sad Day for Western Civilization

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at 7:30am

When the currency of great nations and unions sinks steadily in value — as we are seeing now with the once-mighty U.S. dollar and even the once-proud euro — one must step back from the day-to-day fray ... [More »]

Do You Want to Invest in an Annuity?

by Money and Markets, Staff Writer | Tuesday, April 12, 2011 at 5:00pm

I don’t know about you, but everywhere I turn someone is trying to sell me an annuity. The sales pitch tells me it’s a secure and risk-free investment, I don’t know about you, but that always makes me a bit wary ... [More »]

Latin American Airlines Bump to Safety

by Rudy Martin | Tuesday, April 12, 2011 at 3:00pm

The current stock market weakness could prove an opportunity to participate in major long-term growth in Latin America’s aviation industry. The area’s airline companies thrive due to limited competition in ... [More »]

When Uncle Sam wants your dividends …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, April 12, 2011 at 7:30am

Okay, I promise this is the last column I’m going to write about taxes for a long time. Really! It’s not like I enjoy talking about them all that much, mind you. It’s just that we are right down to the filing deadline ... [More »]

Dead Ahead: America’s Ultimate Budget Battle

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, April 11, 2011 at 7:30am

If you think last week’s battle of the budget was brutal, wait till you see what’s coming next! Within just a few weeks, the U.S. government will hit its debt ceiling of $14.29 trillion — and if Congress fails to raise ... [More »]

About Currency Trading

by Money and Markets, Staff Writer | Sunday, April 10, 2011 at 5:00pm

I don’t know about you, but I am a beginner when it comes to currency trading. The potential to make money trading currencies seems great, but if you’ve never done it before, there are probably some things ... [More »]

A Global View: Five Central Bank Decisions Serve as Warnings!

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, April 9, 2011 at 7:30am

This past week we heard from a slew of key central banks on monetary policy. And when it was all said and done, we got important information on what to expect from the markets and economies going forward ... [More »]

How to Protect Yourself from Our “Keystone Kop” Congress!

by Mike Larson | Friday, April 8, 2011 at 7:30am

I don’t know about you. But when I watch these Congressmen on TV argue back and forth about the budget, I’m reminded of those old Keystone Kops episodes. The 1910s-era silent films featured a rotating ... [More »]

Should You Invest In India?

by Rudy Martin | Thursday, April 7, 2011 at 3:00pm

India remains an attractive market to invest in. It’s the second most populous country in the world, with more than 1.2 billion people. Of the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China), it has the lowest ... [More »]

Nine New ETFs Rising Above the Noise

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, April 7, 2011 at 7:30am

I keep pretty close tabs on the ETF industry. I’m not easily impressed, but I have to say that sponsors are on a roll in 2011. They’re bringing out innovative new products at a record pace. Today I will ... [More »]

World Currency Market Report

by Bryan Rich | Wednesday, April 6, 2011 at 3:00pm

Currency market participants have been repositioning and our models are signaling to do the same. The drivers are several key fundamental influences ... [More »]

Interest Rate Outlook

by Mike Larson | Wednesday, April 6, 2011 at 1:00pm

With the job market showing some signs of improvement and the Fed beginning to take into account broader economic factors, it’s a good bet we’ll start to see interest rates rise in the near future ... [More »]

How to Profit from Brazil’s Booming Internal Growth!

by Rudy Martin | Wednesday, April 6, 2011 at 7:30am

During his visit to Brazil two weeks ago, President Obama praised Brazil for its transformation into a thriving and increasingly affluent country. And I couldn’t agree more! In the last decade, Brazil has seen more ... [More »]

Bullish on Corn

by Sean Brodrick | Tuesday, April 5, 2011 at 5:00pm

We're really bullish on gold and silver, but those aren't the only commodities heating up. Take corn for example, it ended last week going up the absolute limit allowed by the Chicago Board of Trade ... [More »]

The Trend Is Your Friend

by Sean Brodrick | Tuesday, April 5, 2011 at 3:00pm

Taking a look at recent trends can be a good way to get a feel for market direction and identify Electronically Traded Funds (ETFs) that are poised to take advantage of the anticipated market moves. Here are two ... [More »]

Tax day tips for MLP investors …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, April 5, 2011 at 7:30am

While I’m hardly an expert on taxes, I do insist on doing my own return every year. And since I specialize in income investments, I also field tons of tax-related questions on dividend stocks and other investments ... [More »]

Where does it all end?

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, April 4, 2011 at 7:30am

The U.S. labor market is improving alright — but not in the way the government would have you believe. Walt Disney’s Robert Iger got a 30 percent pay hike last year, taking home total compensation of $28 ... [More »]

USDA Crop Report and You

by Money and Markets, Staff Writer | Sunday, April 3, 2011 at 5:00pm

The USDA released its planting projections for the coming spring and stocks report.   These reflect farmers planting intentions and the current store of grains on hand. Planned Acreage (million acres) ... [More »]

S&P Upgrades Colombia

by Rudy Martin | Sunday, April 3, 2011 at 3:00pm

Grammy award-winning, Colombian singer Shakira was honored by Harvard University with 2011 Artist of the Year a few weeks ago. After accepting the award, Shakira challenged Harvard students to ... [More »]

Are You “Black Swan” Proof?

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, April 2, 2011 at 7:30am

The first quarter of 2011 has come to a close. And while it was good for the stock market, it wasn’t good for the world. In fact it came with an unimaginable cocktail of economic shocks. First it was floods in ... [More »]

Bernanke Battling Dissention in Own Ranks?

by Mike Larson | Friday, April 1, 2011 at 7:30am

I’ve been talking a lot recently about how the Ben Bernanke Fed is facing policy challenges from abroad. Central banks the world over have been raising interest rates for months, in both the emerging and ... [More »]

Stock Picks for Obama’s New Energy Policy

by Sean Brodrick | Thursday, March 31, 2011 at 3:00pm

President Obama made a speech where he announced a goal of cutting oil imports by a third over the next decade. He included a pledge to have federal agencies buy only alt-fuel vehicles by 2015 and a ... [More »]

“Mommy, Where Do ETFs Come From?”

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, March 31, 2011 at 7:30am

It’s the question every parent dreads: “Where do exchange traded funds come from?” If you haven’t heard it yet, you eventually will. You can just tell the little ones “Ask Ron Rowland,” and let me answer the ... [More »]

Why the Case for a Big Bear Just Got Stronger!

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, March 30, 2011 at 7:30am

The stock market environment is extremely risky. In fact, Interest rates have been rising since August 2010, Many emerging markets have started to implement increasingly restrictive monetary policies, ... • The labor market is in dire straits with new hiring stagnant [More »]

A kid-friendly tax shelter to consider before April 18 …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at 7:30am

In my last few columns I’ve been talking about a number of ways you can both save for retirement and reduce your tax burden. But today I want to talk about one more type of tax shelter that’s great for a ... [More »]

New Protests, Riots and Revolutions: 5 Lessons for Investors

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, March 28, 2011 at 7:30am

The disasters in Japan may be fading from the headline news, but not from the daily life of my family. While Anthony is helping with a food drive in Tokyo, we spent Sunday at a Red Cross fund-raising drive ... [More »]

Portugal is big warning flag for ALL investors!

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, March 26, 2011 at 7:30am

Remember 2007 when the subprime mortgage crisis began to unravel? If you recall, the cracks in the real estate market were exposed. And the problems kept spreading. First it was small mortgage lenders that ... [More »]

Rising Inflation Turning Up the Heat on Central Bankers!

by Mike Larson | Friday, March 25, 2011 at 7:30am

A hilarious thing happened earlier this month. The President of the New York Fed, William Dudley, tried to justify the Federal Reserve’s easy money policy. In a speech before the Queens Chamber of Commerce, ... [More »]

Urgent Market Update on Gold, Silver, Oil, Dollar!

by Mike Larson | Thursday, March 24, 2011 at 5:00pm

Just a short while ago, gold futures surged to the highest level in world history — $1,449 an ounce. Silver hit $38.18, the most since the Hunt Brothers cornered the silver market in 1980. Crude oil touched ... [More »]

The Rundown on Japan ETFs

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, March 24, 2011 at 7:30am

We’re less than three full months into 2011, and the year is already chock-full of stunning world events. Yet if you depend on the media to tell you what is happening, you may miss some of the most important news ... [More »]

The Greatest Complacency of the 21st Century

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, March 23, 2011 at 7:30am

Many of our readers know intuitively that their neighbors and friends have become complacent about the world around them, but they don’t know how to prove it. Today, I’ll show you two ways to do just that ... [More »]

The Ins and Outs of IRA Plans …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, March 22, 2011 at 7:30am

After last week’s column on Solo 401(k) plans, I got some great questions on other retirement account options, especially IRAs. I can’t think of a better time to address those other choices ... especially since ... [More »]

Mind-Boggling Political Cowardice!

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, March 21, 2011 at 7:30am

Naked ambition and mind-boggling political cowardice have engulfed Washington! Our leaders have done nothing — absolutely nothing — to reduce the largest budget deficits of all time. Instead ... [More »]

New, Just-Released Video: “American Apocalypse”

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Sunday, March 20, 2011 at 7:30am

Our leaders in Washington are knowingly sentencing our once-great nation to an economic Armageddon of biblical proportions. They have done nothing to fix the biggest federal deficits of all time. They have done everything to accelerate the tragic decline in the U.S. dollar. And they have stood by complacently — even cheered — as the [More »]

Intervention in the Yen — and the Huge Opportunity for You!

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, March 19, 2011 at 7:30am

Japan's currency has gained nearly 40 percent against the dollar since the economic crisis erupted in the middle of 2007. And 8 percent of the yen's gains came during the past week despite the devastation from ... [More »]

$200 Billion Hit to World’s 3rd Largest Economy! What to Do …

by Mike Larson | Friday, March 18, 2011 at 7:30am

The images and stories out of Japan are truly heartbreaking. The devastating earthquake and resulting tsunami several days ago killed thousands of people ... [More »]

Disaster in Japan: The REAL Impact

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Thursday, March 17, 2011 at 3:33pm

Excuse my French, but all hell is breaking loose around the globe. The disaster in Japan has completely overshadowed news ... [More »]

Alternative Energy Phoenix Rises from Nuclear Ashes

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, March 17, 2011 at 7:30am

The catastrophe in Japan rocked world markets in the last week. On a human and economic scale, this quake’s impact is likely to be much worse than what Hurricane Katrina did to New Orleans. One thing ... [More »]

EU Politicians Seek to Unload PIIGS Bonds. Two Steps You Should Take Now …

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, March 16, 2011 at 7:30am

Since last Friday all eyes have been geared toward the catastrophe in Japan. That’s indeed understandable. However, there has been another important development with far-reaching implications that is worth ... [More »]

Over 2,500 U.S. Credit Unions Considered Weak

by Weiss Ratings | Tuesday, March 15, 2011 at 9:30am

While the nation's 7,500 credit unions generally offer lower cost banking services to consumers, 2,573, or 34.3%, are included ... [More »]

Build Your Retirement While Flying Solo

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, March 15, 2011 at 7:30am

It’s unfortunate, but the plain truth is that a lot of the very best retirement strategies just don’t get much play by the mainstream media. Take that little-known Social Security payback provision that recently ... [More »]

Why I Pray Japan Will Avert a Bigger Nuclear Disaster

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, March 14, 2011 at 7:30am

Explosions and meltdowns at nuclear reactors in Japan this past weekend will forever change the world of energy. Authorities have already scheduled widespread power outages starting today — and they could ... [More »]

The Astonishing Secret of Mexico’s Long-Lost Silver Treasure Maps

by Sean Brodrick | Sunday, March 13, 2011 at 7:30am

Tomorrow is the last day to sign up for the new mining stock recommendations I’m released on Tuesday. Plus, it’s also your last chance to save $1,195. Meanwhile, just as some pundits were saying silver was ... [More »]

Rate hike lurking; keep a close eye on the euro!

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, March 12, 2011 at 7:30am

In the short term, market participants tend to have a very narrow focus when it comes to determining what information influences their decision making. And we’re certainly seeing that now ... [More »]

Settling the commodities debate — once and for all!

by Mike Larson | Friday, March 11, 2011 at 7:30am

Is it just me, or does it seem like we’ve been here before? Oil prices are soaring into the triple digits, driving the cost of gas toward $4 a gallon and beyond. Soybeans are skyrocketing. Wheat is surging. Corn is ... [More »]

Argentina — A New ETF Lets You Get There from Here

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, March 10, 2011 at 7:30am

A few weeks ago I told you about opportunities in a huge Asian country overshadowed by an even bigger neighbor. I was talking about India. The bigger neighbor, of course, is China. There’s a similar situation in ... [More »]

In the Least Ugly Contest, the Dollar Is Ready to Rally!

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, March 9, 2011 at 7:30am

Fundamentally, the U.S. has major problems. The government’s budget deficit is projected to hit a record $1.6 trillion this year — nearly 11 percent of the gross domestic product, making it the biggest gap ... [More »]

Bargains abound in big pharma stocks …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, March 8, 2011 at 7:30am

About a month ago I told you about some of my favorite sectors for income right now, and healthcare was one of them. Today I want to drill down a little further and talk about a specific industry within that ... [More »]

One of the Biggest Bull Markets of All Time — How to Profit

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, March 7, 2011 at 7:30am

We are now witnessing one of the greatest commodity bull markets of all time. Silver surged to $35 per ounce on Friday, quickly reversing a temporary setback the day before ... cleanly piercing a 31-year ... [More »]

Silver stock gains: 104%, 275%, 720%! What to do …

by Sean Brodrick | Sunday, March 6, 2011 at 7:30am

In the last 12 months alone, select silver stocks have surged by 104%, 275%, even 720%! (More details in a moment.) These opportunities are so remarkable, I’ve taken some unusual steps to make sure you ... [More »]

Seven Charts from Last November … You Must See!

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, March 5, 2011 at 7:30am

Last November, the Fed officially announced its plans for a second round of quantitative easing — better known as QE2. This was a step most experts confidently professed would destroy the dollar. Despite ... [More »]

News Flash: Silver and gold stocks up 11%, 24%, 46% in 1 WEEK!

by Sean Brodrick | Friday, March 4, 2011 at 11:00am

Frankly, I’ve never seen anything like it: Mining stocks are positively exploding in price. U.S. Silver is up 11% ... Silver Mines is up 13% ... Silvercrest Mine is up 15% ... Endeavour Silver is up 16% ... [More »]

U.K., other countries showing the courage to get policy right!

by Mike Larson | Friday, March 4, 2011 at 7:30am

Here in the U.S., we have a problem: A lack of courage in Washington. Specifically, the courage among policymakers to make the difficult decisions — and take the difficult actions — to deal with our financial ... [More »]

Dollar Falling Off a Cliff – What to Do …

by Sean Brodrick | Thursday, March 3, 2011 at 2:00pm

The world is definitely NOT buying Bernanke’s snake oil — to the contrary: They’re dumping dollars with both fists! As a result, the euro is flying against the dollar this morning — and the dollar positively fell ... [More »]

What’s All This Talk about Oil Futures and Contango?

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, March 3, 2011 at 7:30am

No doubt you’ve seen many headlines about oil prices lately. Often they refer to oil “futures.” What does that mean? I’m not a futures trader. I’m not suggesting you become one, either. But to make wise ... [More »]

Two Weak Spots in the Economy, and Two Major Risks!

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, March 2, 2011 at 7:30am

The current economic rebound is not a healthy and sustainable one. That’s because it is the result of the largest monetary and fiscal stimulus program ever! For proof, just look at disposable income: A record ... [More »]

5 Key Forces Driving Global Markets

by Sharon A. Daniels | Tuesday, March 1, 2011 at 3:00pm

Is the post-Great Recession bull market on shaky ground? There are several opposing forces we see that are likely to impact. Witness the striking divergences across global markets, asset classes and even ... [More »]

Inside: Your retirement questions answered …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, March 1, 2011 at 7:30am

Over the last few weeks, I’ve had a chance to interact with many of you — both in person at the Orlando MoneyShow and also through some lively discussions on my personal blog. Today I’d like to answer three ... [More »]

Prices surging! Interest rates next! Are you ready?

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, February 28, 2011 at 7:30am

Today’s your last day to see Sean’s blockbuster presentation on silver AND get his $200 “thank-you” gift for watching. And the big-picture trends now in motion couldn’t be more supportive: Just since last .. [More »]

An Embarrassment of Riches

by Sean Brodrick | Sunday, February 27, 2011 at 7:30am

Tomorrow is not just the last day of February. It’s also your last day to see the brand new presentation on my 3 favorite, cheap silver stocks and still receive my $200 “thank-you” gift for watching. Timing is ... [More »]

Social Unrest Setting the Stage for Sovereign Defaults!

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, February 26, 2011 at 7:30am

Earlier this month, when tensions were just flaring up in Egypt, I wrote on February 5 a piece here in Money and Markets titled, “How Egypt’s Civil Unrest Could Spread to Asia, and What It Means for Your Investments!” ... [More »]

BOE, ECB Put Pressure on Fed; Four Ways to Profit!

by Mike Larson | Friday, February 25, 2011 at 7:30am

The list of opponents to the Federal Reserve’s “easy money forever” policy is growing longer. In the U.K. ... we learned that the Bank of England is tilting more to the hawkish side. Policymaker Spencer Dale joined ... [More »]

4 Ways to Fight Inflation with ETFs

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 7:30am

Inflation is creeping up everywhere. Prices for gold, silver, oil, gasoline, food, even soft drinks are all creeping higher. You see it every day. The one area where we aren’t seeing inflation is wages. With the ... [More »]

The Fastest Doubling of the S&P 500 Since the Great Depression!

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 7:30am

Since its low in March 2009 the S&P 500 Index has doubled. Last week The Wall Street Journal stated that it was the fastest doubling since 1936. That rally began in March 1935 and reached the 100 percent gain ... [More »]

Bigger profits without bigger risks?

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, February 22, 2011 at 7:30am

Let’s face it: Ben Bernanke’s near-zero interest rate policies have been absolutely crushing conservative savers and investors. At the same time, they have been sending pretty much all other asset classes ... [More »]

Inflation surges! Silver near 31-year highs! Profit opportunities abound!

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, February 21, 2011 at 7:30am

Suddenly, the global inflation monster, long considered dead and buried, has returned with gale force ... and silver, one of the most sensitive to inflation, has just surged close to 31-year highs. Fortunately for ... [More »]

Safer Stocks

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, February 21, 2011 at 7:30am

While the country is still struggling to lift itself out of this Great Recession, many investors don’t want to take big chances with stocks that are unproven or high risk. Nor do you have to. You should be able to ... [More »]

Here’s the secret strategy I promised you …

by Nilus Mattive | Sunday, February 20, 2011 at 7:30am

My personal blog has been on fire this last week with thousands of readers stopping in for our discussion on the best ways to profit from this stock market rally without losing sleep at night. In fact, for the past ... [More »]

I’m No Dollar Permabull. I Just Go with the Facts!

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, February 19, 2011 at 7:30am

I’ve given plenty of arguments in my Money and Markets columns over the past couple of years as to why I think the pontifications about the dollar’s demise are greatly exaggerated. The fact is, the dollar is ... [More »]

How to profit without pain …

by Nilus Mattive | Friday, February 18, 2011 at 12:30pm

I’m continually amazed at the witty, insightful — and potentially profitable — ideas being posted on my blog ... especially in reaction to yesterday’s question: What would it take for you to FEEL GOOD about ... [More »]

Inflation everywhere … including my break room!

by Mike Larson | Friday, February 18, 2011 at 7:30am

Inflation finally hit home a few days ago. There I was, counting out change for the soda machine in my company’s break room. Three quarters — 75 cents — is what ... [More »]

Is it right to be sitting out this stock rally?

by Nilus Mattive | Thursday, February 17, 2011 at 1:00pm

Wow! My personal blog is lighting up with activity right now — all responding to my question: “Which threats to the economy and stock market have you sweating bullets over the safety of your portfolio?” ... [More »]

India’s New Bear Market

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, February 17, 2011 at 7:30am

I’m not a buy-and-forget kind of investor. I like to rotate my portfolio and stay with the intermediate-term relative strength. Emerging market exchange traded funds (ETFs) frequently show up near the top of my ... [More »]

How You Can Profit from the Latest Warning Sign

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, February 16, 2011 at 7:30am

There is no denying that the emerging world — especially China, India, and Brazil — has had a nice growth spurt. And there are convincing reasons to expect them to continue their long-term growth stories ... [More »]

Metals … Energy … Agriculture … ALL BOOMING! What Do YOU Think Is Driving Commodity Prices Sky-High?

by Sean Brodrick | Tuesday, February 15, 2011 at 12:00pm

Look at this chart! The CRB Commodities Index has not been rallying for two years ... Its rise ACCELERATED starting in June of last year. It’s still FAR from the highs it reached in 2008. And it has a long, ... [More »]

Three Critical Threats to Your Retirement

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, February 15, 2011 at 7:30am

I’m not going to mince words, today. Whether you’re far away from retirement like I am, or you’ve already stopped working, you face at least three critical threats ... Retirement Threat #1: The Social Security ... [More »]

Six Shocking Changes …

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, February 14, 2011 at 7:30am

It was exactly 40 years ago that my father and I founded this company, Weiss Research. And to mark the occasion, I have just released The Ultimate Money Guide for Bubbles, Busts, Recession, and ... [More »]

Three shocking events!

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Sunday, February 13, 2011 at 7:30am

With each passing day, new shocking events drive us closer to the next phase of this debt crisis. EVENT #1: In New York, where the city is facing a $2.4 billion budget deficit, it’s getting nasty. Mayor ... [More »]

Politicians Pushing for a Corporate Tax Holiday: What It Would Mean for the Dollar

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, February 12, 2011 at 7:30am

There’s been talk escalating this week in Washington about offering U.S.-based multinational companies a tax break to bring home their earnings from foreign subsidiaries. It’s well known that the U.S. is sitting ... [More »]

Dissension in the Fed’s ranks! What it means …

by Mike Larson | Friday, February 11, 2011 at 7:30am

A remarkable thing happened this week. Truly remarkable. But just in case it got lost amid the Egyptian chaos ... coverage of the subzero temperatures up north ... or the after-analysis of the Super Bowl, I’m going to shout it from the rooftops ... [More »]

The ETF Boom: 1124 and Counting!

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, February 10, 2011 at 7:30am

The selection of exchange-traded funds is exploding, and this is great news for you. Why? Because a bigger selection means more choices as well as more competition. That leads directly to lower fees and trading ... [More »]

Long-Term Yield Moves Higher. Three Steps You Must Take Now!

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, February 9, 2011 at 7:30am

The following chart shows the yield of the 30-year Treasury bond since January 2007. It’s as clear as crystal that a huge bottoming formation has been taking place since October 2007. The upper boundary ... [More »]

My favorite sectors for income now …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, February 8, 2011 at 7:30am

Overall, the S&P 500 handed investors a total return of 15 percent last year, which is pretty darn good. But as always, I think we have to look even deeper than just the broad market’s surface performance if we ... [More »]

The Most Dangerous Bubble of All

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, February 7, 2011 at 7:30am

If you agree that the tech bubble of the 1990s and the housing bubble of the 2000s were extreme, then you must not ignore a bubble that could be the most dangerous of all — grossly overvalued bonds. That's ... [More »]

How Egypt’s Civil Unrest Could Spread to Asia, and What It Means for Your Investments!

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, February 5, 2011 at 7:30am

In recent weeks we’ve seen riots in Algeria, a coup in Tunisia and a massive public uprising in Egypt. The catalyst: The combination of skyrocketing food prices and high, persistent unemployment. But while most ... [More »]

What Exactly Is the Fed Waiting for Again?

by Mike Larson | Friday, February 4, 2011 at 7:30am

In just the last few days, we’ve seen ... * Brent crude hit $100 overseas. That’s a key benchmark of world oil prices, and the fact that it breached the triple digits for the first time in over two years is a huge ... [More »]

Egyptian Riots … ETFs … and the Opportunities

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, February 3, 2011 at 7:30am

If you turned on your TV in the last week or so, you almost certainly saw coverage of the protests in Egypt. Almost overnight, the media narrative moved from Washington to Cairo. Unfortunately, much of ... [More »]

The Fed’s Secret Third Mandate Just Revealed!

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, February 2, 2011 at 7:30am

Officially the Federal Reserve System has a dual mandate: Promote price stability and maximum employment. Now it has admitted to a third one. More on that in a ... [More »]

The Incredible Shrinking Social Security Fund

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, February 1, 2011 at 8:30am

Last week, I talked about mounting problems for state and city pension funds ... along with the possibility that some of them could ultimately go belly up. And while a lot of folks continue to say such a thing could never happen, I have ... [More »]

Shocking New Failures Possible in the U.S. and Overseas

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, January 31, 2011 at 7:30am

If you missed all or some of our online video, America’s Day of Reckoning, today is your last day to view it; and the content couldn’t be more in sync with the dramatic events now unfolding. Indeed, just when ... [More »]

Why Japan Needs a Weaker Yen, and How You Can Play It

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, January 29, 2011 at 7:30am

Standard & Poor’s downgraded Japan’s sovereign debt rating this week. It was the first cut in Japan’s rating in nine years. Japan now joins Greece, Ireland, Portugal, Spain — all of which have been downgraded in ... [More »]

Rate Hike Rumblings Increasing in the Interest Rate Market

by Mike Larson | Friday, January 28, 2011 at 7:30am

Psst! I have a secret for you. Central bankers in developed markets may actually start raising interest rates some day! Shocker, I know! But if you follow the latest market moves — and listen to some of the ... [More »]

Two Muni ETFs to Avoid — and One That’s Surprisingly Safe!

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, January 27, 2011 at 7:30am

Last week I received an e-mail solicitation that was both hilarious and sad. It came from a broker trying to sell municipal bonds from Illinois. He touted them as “investment grade” and was impressed by the ... [More »]

My 13 Reasons Why Gold Still Has Further to Go

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, January 26, 2011 at 7:30am

Financial history teaches that market prices are not just subject to cyclical fluctuations — mainly following the business cycle. They are also liable to much longer lasting secular trends, often spanning 15 years, ... [More »]

Dead ahead: State and city pension FAILURES!

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, January 25, 2011 at 7:30am

Last week The New York Times dropped a bombshell, reporting that “policy makers are working behind the scenes to let states declare bankruptcy and get out from under crushing debts, including the pensions ... [More »]

A Landmark Event You MUST Not Miss

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, January 24, 2011 at 7:30am

If anyone tries to persuade you that the massive financial crisis striking cities and states is “no big deal,” tell them to take a hike. It’s here. It’s big. And it’s bound to impact you no matter what you invest in. [More »]

China: Boom or Bust?

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, January 22, 2011 at 7:30am

As China’s economy has continued to put up stellar economic growth in the midst of one of the worst global economic crises on record, it’s widely believed that China will lead the world out of its downturn and ... [More »]

Test AFF links for MAM

by Money and Markets | Friday, January 21, 2011 at 2:18pm

This text is visible to anyone – FIELD9 or AFF. FIELD9=0 => content visible for anything except when AFF (or aff) present P.S. Would you like me to tell you how you can get my two latest precious metals recommendations — my two hot new picks for Global Resource Hunter? Another text, visible to anyone [More »]

So where CAN you get some yield?

by Mike Larson | Friday, January 21, 2011 at 7:30am

With European sovereign debt? Nope. Municipal and state debt? Nope. Long-term U.S. Treasuries? Haha! Don’t make me laugh! None of those are good places to generate income, for all the reasons I’ve ... [More »]

Gold Isn’t All That Glitters in ETF Land

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 7:30am

When most people think of “precious metals,” they mean gold. Sure, some other metals are valuable too. But gold is where the real action is, right? Maybe. But now thanks to continuing innovation by ETF ... [More »]

Protect Yourself from Central Bank Lies!

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at 7:30am

If you believe what central banks say and you plan your investments accordingly, you could be in for some big surprises. Consider, for example, some of the lies spouting forth from the U.S. Fed and the European ... [More »]

Four steps to a richer retirement

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, January 18, 2011 at 7:30am

Take a quick survey of the retirement landscape and things look pretty darn dire. According to a survey conducted by Wells Fargo last month, the average American has managed to save a meager 7 percent ... [More »]

New Debt Crisis Striking RIGHT NOW!

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, January 17, 2011 at 7:30am

Martin here with an urgent update on the new debt crisis we’ve been warning you about so persistently day after day — the collapse of the tax-free bond market. This crisis is no longer something you hear about ... [More »]

Crisis Investing 101

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Sunday, January 16, 2011 at 7:30am

I’m at my home office this morning, poring through hundreds of comments from readers like you. Indeed, it’s been a fascinating week for me here at Weiss Research. All week long, we've ... [More »]

Be Wary of Rosy Outlooks for 2011 … and Profit Along the Way!

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, January 15, 2011 at 7:30am

Last year Byron Wien, the former Morgan Stanley strategist, former billion-dollar hedge fund strategist, current Vice-Chairman of Blackstone and highly touted market prognosticator predicted 2010 would be ... [More »]

European dominoes continue to tip! Immediate steps to avoid losses …

by Mike Larson | Friday, January 14, 2011 at 7:30am

Do you remember Baghdad Bob from Gulf War II? He was the Iraqi minister of information who kept pledging that the U.S. was being routed and our troops were nowhere near Baghdad ... even as they were ... [More »]

ETFs for the FASTEST Growing Emerging Markets

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, January 13, 2011 at 7:30am

Pop quiz time! Name a country that has: More than a billion people ... A massive domestic economy ... A wealthy aristocracy and rising middle class ... Huge and growing exports, and ... Nearly a dozen ETFs ... [More »]

NEWS FLASH: Treasury says Fed deficit is EXPLODING!

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Wednesday, January 12, 2011 at 3:00pm

At 2:00 PM Eastern time today, the U.S. Treasury announced that our government added another $80 billion to the cumulative budget deficit in December ... [More »]

3 Looming Danger Signs; 2 Amazing Opportunities

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, January 12, 2011 at 7:30am

Rarely have I seen a greater dichotomy between the dangers looming for traditional investments and the amazing opportunities in a wide variety of alternative investments! But first let’s talk about the three immediate danger signs ... [More »]

Two big income investing trends to watch in 2011

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, January 11, 2011 at 7:30am

Last week I talked about some relatively simple steps you could take to streamline your finances and increase your wealth in 2011. Today, I want to follow up on that story and talk about two of the biggest ... [More »]

Two Urgent Questions for You This Morning

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, January 10, 2011 at 7:30am

With so many major cities and states now on the brink of bankruptcy, I have two very urgent questions for you this morning: What cuts in government services are you aware of in YOUR area? And how do you and ... [More »]

The Falling Euro May Offer the Best Investment OPPORTUNITY in 2011

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, January 8, 2011 at 7:30am

As we start the New Year, the global investment climate looks remarkably similar to this time last year. The world is getting more bullish on the outlook for the U.S. Meanwhile, the unfolding sovereign debt ... [More »]

Memo from Washington: We’re going to borrow, print, and spend no matter what!

by Mike Larson | Friday, January 7, 2011 at 7:30am

The municipal bond crisis we’ve discussed before is continuing to fester. The sovereign debt problems I’ve mentioned are continuing to threaten regional bond markets in Europe. And the rise in interest rates here ... [More »]

BRIC Countries Invite South Africa to Join

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, January 6, 2011 at 7:30am

Happy New Year! Something very, very important happened in the closing days of 2010, and very few people noticed. The “BRIC” club is expanding to include South Africa. Today I’ll discuss this development ... [More »]

The Contrarian Viewpoint

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, January 5, 2011 at 7:30am

The financial media has for the most part finished their presentations of expert forecasts for the coming year. And as you’ve probably gathered, most of the strategists from the major Wall Street houses expect ... [More »]

Four Financial Resolutions for 2011

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, January 4, 2011 at 7:30am

Okay, another fresh year is upon us and millions of folks are now embarking on diets, smoking cessation plans, and new exercise routines. Those are all noble pursuits, to be sure. However, today I want to ... [More »]

Brazil’s Auto Industry is Booming!

by Rudy Martin | Monday, January 3, 2011 at 7:30am

Martin is on his way back from Brazil this morning. So he has asked me to open the New Year with this special report, which, by the way is ALSO about Brazil! Brazil is the world’s fifth largest car producer, ... [More »]

New Year’s Wishes

by The Entire Money and Markets Team | Saturday, January 1, 2011 at 7:30am

Our entire Money and Markets team wishes you a New Year that brings health, wealth and peace to you and your loved ones ... [More »]