Issues

Emerging Market Bond ETFs May Be Safer Than You Think

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, May 24, 2012 at 7:30am

“May you live in interesting times.” That’s an old Chinese curse I think someone must have wished on us today. We live in interesting but... [More »]

Market Leaders Forecast More Declines in Store

by Tom Essaye | Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at 7:30am

Professional traders look at more than just movement of the averages to gather insight into the direction of markets. In particular, they ... [More »]

Your thoughts on retirement savings, and some additional points from me …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, May 22, 2012 at 7:30am

Last week’s column on retirement savings rates elicited a lot of comments and thoughts from readers so I want to take some time today to ... [More »]

Lehman-Type Megashock Looming

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, May 21, 2012 at 7:30am

We now face the growing danger of a new financial megashock that could strike at almost any time. It has the potential to be larger than ... [More »]

Eastern European Currencies Poised for a Double-Whammy of Pain

by Jack Crooks | Saturday, May 19, 2012 at 7:30am

It’s well known that the euro zone is in deep trouble. But what isn’t so well known is that the Eastern European countries could be in even ... [More »]

Which banks are at risk of failure? Which markets are set to tank? What should you do about it RIGHT NOW? My answers …

by Mike Larson | Friday, May 18, 2012 at 7:30am

If there’s anything we’ve all learned over the past few years, it’s that knowledge is power when it comes to investing in, borrowing money ... [More »]

Are JPMorgan Chase ETNs Safe?

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, May 17, 2012 at 7:30am

I don’t know about you, but here in Texas I can barely drive a mile without passing a JPMorgan Chase (JPM) branch. They’re even inside ... [More »]

Is There a Contrarian Opportunity for You in J.P. Morgan’s Loss?

by Tom Essaye | Wednesday, May 16, 2012 at 7:30am

By now, you’re likely aware of the $2 BILLION loss by the “chief investment office” at J.P. Morgan (JPM). The firm’s stock has obviously suffered ... [More »]

Meditations on marshmallows and retirement

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, May 15, 2012 at 7:30am

If you want to hear scary stories related to retirement, you don’t have to look very hard. For example, a trade association for the financial services ... [More »]

Transcript: 8 Shocking New Forecasts for 2012 and Beyond

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, May 14, 2012 at 7:30am

Nearly two years ago, we downgraded JPMorgan Chase to a Weiss Ratings of D, implying grossly excessive risk taking by the bank. And virtually every ... [More »]

What More Debt and More Financialization Will Mean for the Euro

by JR Crooks | Saturday, May 12, 2012 at 7:30am

Financialization is the process of turning tangible, intangible, future or present promises into financial instruments. And it can be scary for ... [More »]

Europe melting down! U.S. stalling! What to do right away!

by Mike Larson | Friday, May 11, 2012 at 7:30am

Earlier this year, both in Orlando, Florida, at the World MoneyShow and here in Money and Markets, I said that five “Great Deceptions” threatened the ... [More »]

What Constitutes the Industrial Sector?

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, May 10, 2012 at 7:30am

I’ve been investing in sectors for more than 25 years — first with mutual funds and now ETFs. Following the trends from one industry to ... [More »]

Could Delta’s Bold Move Prove a Winner for Contrarian Investors?

by Tom Essaye | Wednesday, May 9, 2012 at 7:30am

The old saying is that the best way for a billionaire to become a millionaire is to buy an airline. And there’s indeed truth to that. For years airlines ... [More »]

Another good time to look at I-Bonds …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, May 8, 2012 at 7:30am

Last October, I told my Income Superstars subscribers it was a good time to consider diversifying their income portfolios with I-Bonds, and I ... [More »]

New Turmoil in Europe! Double-Dip in the U.S.!

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, May 7, 2012 at 7:30am

It’s happening — all over the U.S. and Europe! Just this past Friday, Washington’s jobless report was a shocker, driving Wall Street ... [More »]

Latest News Confirms Why the Aussie and Kiwi Are Heading Down …

by Jack Crooks | Saturday, May 5, 2012 at 7:30am

Besides all the exciting and potentially damaging political news flowing from China, we got some other surprising news that ... [More »]

Euro Zone Heading Off a Cliff!

by Mike Larson | Friday, May 4, 2012 at 7:30am

Europe is a lovely place to visit. The amazing architecture. The outstanding food. The multitude of cultures and languages. Personally, I can’t wait to honeymoon there in June! [More »]

How to Invest in the World’s Fastest Growing Countries

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, May 3, 2012 at 7:30am

I’m always on the lookout for investment opportunities. The last few years, most of the profit potential seems to be outside the U.S. Thankfully, with ETFs I can ... [More »]

Attention contrarian investors: Canada’s screaming opportunity!

by Tom Essaye | Wednesday, May 2, 2012 at 7:30am

Part of being a good contrarian investor is constantly looking beyond your investment “comfort zone” and trying to find less-followed ... [More »]

Latest annual report on Social Security and Medicare

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, May 1, 2012 at 7:30am

In February, I explained why the “Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012″ simply compounded Social Security’s big-picture problems. And now just two months later the program’s Trustees have released their latest annual report. The conclusion in a nutshell? Surprise, surprise: “The Social Security outlook has worsened significantly relative to last year’s [More »]

The 800-Pound Gorilla in the Room

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, April 30, 2012 at 7:30am

It is THE story of the day. It is THE event that will impact every investment decision you make. If you ignore it, it will cost you. If you harness it, it can make you substantially richer. I’m talking about the end of austerity programs and so-called “fiscal pacts” all over the world. Last year, [More »]

This one little detail could tell you when the euro will lose support

by Jack Crooks | Saturday, April 28, 2012 at 7:30am

If you pay attention to finance and economics, you probably understand the common argument against the U.S. dollar: The Federal Reserve’s monetary policy of targeting price levels and full employment, when extremely accommodative, reduces the value of the currency as money supply grows and interest rates are kept low. That’s why the ongoing campaign by [More »]

If All You Have Is a Hammer …

by Mike Larson | Friday, April 27, 2012 at 7:30am

The evidence everywhere is unequivocal: Despite trillions in printed dollars, euros, pounds, and yen … despite the passage of almost four years since the heart of the credit crisis … despite all the proclamations of government bureaucrats and central bankers, the economy and capital markets remain on the ropes! Take housing … I told you [More »]

Your Profits to Latin America Are Just a Mouse Click Away

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, April 26, 2012 at 7:30am

Where do you look for opportunities? When the subject is international ETFs, people often think first about Europe and Asia. And indeed, you can find profit potential in both those places. But there’s a whole other continent right under your nose! Just look down and you’ll see it — our neighbors to the south in [More »]

Turn fears in the energy sector into pay dirt!

by Tom Essaye | Wednesday, April 25, 2012 at 7:30am

One of the biggest stories of 2012 has been the absolute collapse of natural gas prices. The fall has been truly breathtaking, with natural gas falling from $2.97 at the start of the year, to a sub $2.00 as of the end of last week. This collapse has had numerous peripheral effects on the energy [More »]

Buying to close covered call positions …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, April 24, 2012 at 7:30am

About three months ago, I wrote a Money and Markets column that said I was going to start helping my dad generate more income from his dividend stocks by writing covered call options against them. And since we just closed out our first two positions using a special approach that I have not discussed here [More »]

The Deadliest Vicious Cycle We’ve Ever Seen

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, April 23, 2012 at 7:30am

My family and I have been tracking speculative bubbles and busts for 80 years. We’ve personally witnessed 12 recessions, two depressions, five stock market crashes, three real estate busts, three bank failure epidemics, and two of the most vicious inflationary spirals of all time. But nothing has prepared us for what we’re seeing now! Just [More »]

Is the Yuan Ready for Prime Time?

by Jack Crooks | Saturday, April 21, 2012 at 7:30am

Many commentators who follow the global markets were very excited on the recent announcement that China would “widen the trade band” for its ... [More »]

Housing Rebound Petering Out as Weather Effect Wanes!

by Mike Larson | Friday, April 20, 2012 at 7:30am

Well that didn’t take long! Shortly after I warned that the momentum darlings of this market — Apple (AAPL), Priceline.com (PCLN) and ... [More »]

ETFs for Earnings Season

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, April 19, 2012 at 7:30am

It happens like clockwork. Every January, April, July, and October, publicly-traded companies issue quarterly financial reports. The numbers are dissected instantly, and can ... [More »]

A Doctor Sends a Flashing Warning Sign!

by Tom Essaye | Wednesday, April 18, 2012 at 7:30am

The focus of the entire investing world has once again turned to Europe, where concerns about Spain are leading markets lower. And while traders are ... [More »]

Putting this choppy action in perspective …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, April 17, 2012 at 7:30am

The mainstream media loves hyperbole — so nothing pleases reporters more than the kind of big stock market rally we just had followed by last week’s ... [More »]

What Happens If Central Banks FAIL in Their Giant Experiment?

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, April 16, 2012 at 7:30am

I rarely recommend that you wade through a wordy speech by an economic theorist delivered to an audience of stuffy bankers. But last week’s ... [More »]

Why This Dollar Bull Could Turn Bearish

by Jack Crooks | Saturday, April 14, 2012 at 7:30am

If you’ve been reading my comments on the dollar, you likely know I am long-term bullish based upon the fundamental outlook of the U.S. economy ... [More »]

Bubble cycle playing out … again!

by Mike Larson | Friday, April 13, 2012 at 7:30am

Dot-bombs. Housing. Commercial real estate. $150 oil and commodities. The bubble cycle in asset class after asset class has played out ... [More »]

Club Med in an ETF? Not Yet.

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, April 12, 2012 at 7:30am

ETFs give you a better way to invest in many different assets — and especially international markets. Parts of the world that were “off-limits” to ... [More »]

European officials setting stage for another rollercoaster ride

by Tom Essaye | Wednesday, April 11, 2012 at 7:30am

As someone who has closely watched this European saga for two full years, I have seen a discernible pattern emerge ... At its core, the European crisis has ... [More »]

One more way to save on taxes (and help a child in the process) …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, April 10, 2012 at 7:30am

Okay, we’re really getting down to the wire now, with just one week left to file your taxes on time. This year you actually have until April 17th because ... [More »]

Triple-Crisis on the Near Horizon

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, April 9, 2012 at 7:30am

I return from a wonderful vacation — beardless, tan, and rested ... but also very wary of the unfolding events: Just when everyone thought ... [More »]

The Euro Will Disintegrate … Germany Is the Reason!

by Jack Crooks | Saturday, April 7, 2012 at 7:30am

There are all sorts of reasons I could list to explain why the euro will disintegrate. You have heard a lot of them before. But as this crisis continues to drag ... [More »]

Is the foreign slowdown wave ready to wash up on OUR shores?

by Mike Larson | Friday, April 6, 2012 at 7:30am

The latest figures make one thing abundantly clear to me: Europe is mired in recession. Asia is slowing as well. Despite the ... [More »]

ETF Tax Forms and Tax-Free Alternatives

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, April 5, 2012 at 7:30am

April is here, which means warmer weather for most of us. Unfortunately, it also brings income tax time.This year you get an extra day to procrastinate since ... [More »]

Put Rising Gas Prices to Work for You!

by Tom Essaye | Wednesday, April 4, 2012 at 7:30am

As I look back on the first quarter of 2012, one of the most glaring events was the rise in gas prices here in the U.S. Wholesale gasoline began the ... [More »]

“What about near-term tax hikes on dividends?” and other important questions …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, April 3, 2012 at 7:30am

Although the next Presidential election is still eight months away, a lot of investors are already asking me about possible changes ... [More »]

Growing Rich in Bubble Land

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, April 2, 2012 at 7:30am

In the second half of 20th Century, you could count on the rising U.S. economy to lift nearly all boats. Sure, we had recessions. In fact, in the ... [More »]

It’s as if central banks can do no wrong!

by JR Crooks | Saturday, March 31, 2012 at 7:30am

I’ve spilled much ink on the subject of why central banks are hazardous to our financial health. And it seems more and more people are arriving ... [More »]

The latest on housing, the economy, easy money, and more!

by Mike Larson | Friday, March 30, 2012 at 7:30am

There's so much to talk about sometimes, I hardly know where to begin. This is definitely one of those weeks, considering the powerful rally we've seen in stocks ... [More »]

Trade Broken Products at Your Peril

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, March 29, 2012 at 7:30am

Investors in a VelocityShares exchange-traded note took a huge hit last week — losing more than 50 percent in two trading days. Ouch! The sad part is that ... [More »]

How You Can Profit from the “Year with No Winter”

by Tom Essaye | Wednesday, March 28, 2012 at 7:30am

If you live in the northern parts of the country, it’s probably not news that this has been the “year with no winter.” Indeed, I recently read that this winter has ... [More »]

One huge reason to consider a Roth IRA …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, March 27, 2012 at 7:30am

Last week, I went over the major advantages and differences among the various types of Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) available to ... [More »]

ETFs Take You around the World

by Ron Rowland | Monday, March 26, 2012 at 7:30am

We’re in a new age of international investing. As recently as a year ago, numerous foreign markets were off-limits to all but big, sophisticated ... [More »]

Why the U.S. dollar may be in a sweet spot … a place it hasn’t been for a long time

by Jack Crooks | Saturday, March 24, 2012 at 7:30am

Everyone is rightfully excited over the potential for a strong rebound in the U.S. economy. And there is nothing short of the ... [More »]

Déjà vu all over again in housing!

by Mike Larson | Friday, March 23, 2012 at 7:30am

In late 2009, just a few months before the 2010 spring selling season for homes got underway, the Philadelphia Housing Sector Index (HGX) started to ... [More »]

How to Ride the Technology Sector with ETFs

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, March 22, 2012 at 7:30am

Today’s stock market is starting to remind me of 1999. Back then, you may recall, the technology sector led the whole market higher. The same thing is ... [More »]

Three ways to put the U-turn in Treasuries to work for you!

by Tom Essaye | Wednesday, March 21, 2012 at 7:30am

Last week most of the financial media focused on the fact that the stock market made new highs for the year and hit the highest level since 2006. Indeed impressive. But I don’t believe that was the week’s most significant event ... [More »]

Some of My Favorite Tax Shelters

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, March 20, 2012 at 7:30am

In last week’s column, I talked about the tax treatment of various types of dividend payments ... and toward the end, I said you could avoid most of the ... [More »]

Why I Like Smaller Natural Gas Stocks Right Now …

by Sean Brodrick | Monday, March 19, 2012 at 7:30am

U.S. natural gas prices are currently trading near ten-year lows. And while most investors think that makes natural gas stocks a bad bet right now ... [More »]

How Global Rebalancing Could Send the Dollar Soaring!

by Jack Crooks | Saturday, March 17, 2012 at 7:30am

Back in November, I laid out the case for a multi-year bull market in the U.S. dollar. At the time I shared several reasons, and ... [More »]

Bonds get rocked! Is the low-rate era over?

by Mike Larson | Friday, March 16, 2012 at 7:30am

Interest rates are the lifeblood of the capital markets and the real economy. Lower rates and easy money fuel asset bubbles and economic ... [More »]

Limit Volatility or Use It for Profit – ETFs Help You Do Both!

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, March 15, 2012 at 7:30am

You’ve heard it before: “Stocks are just too volatile right now.” So is volatility really a bad thing? And what the heck is volatility, anyway? We’ll talk about it today ... [More »]

For contrarians, a crisis can bring opportunities

by Tom Essaye | Wednesday, March 14, 2012 at 7:30am

This week marks the one-year anniversary of the tsunami hitting Japan and the Fukushima nuclear meltdown. Undoubtedly the country is still ... [More »]

When Uncle Sam Wants Your Dividends …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, March 13, 2012 at 7:30am

I hate to remind you, but Tax Day is now just about one month away ... and unless you’re one of those really prepared people, it’s likely that you’re ... [More »]

Why Am I Paying So Much for Gasoline?

by Sean Brodrick | Monday, March 12, 2012 at 7:30am

It’s making many Americans so angry they’re ready to bite chunks out of their steering wheels. As a nation, we’re driving fewer miles. We’re using ... [More »]

Why following this one variable can make your currency trading profitable

by Jack Crooks | Saturday, March 10, 2012 at 7:30am

As you may know, currency trading is not an easy game. That’s because currencies are driven by many variables. And even when a ... [More »]

What happens when the real world gets in the way?

by Mike Larson | Friday, March 9, 2012 at 7:30am

What can derail the best laid plans of central bank mice and policy-setting men? The real world! You see, as I’ve been saying for months now, just about the only thing that has mattered to the stock market was the worldwide wave of money printing. [More »]

Solar’s Day in the Sun Not Here Yet

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, March 8, 2012 at 7:30am

With Middle East tension driving oil prices higher, investors are again looking at alternative energy sources. ETFs that specialize in this niche have shown extreme volatility this year ... [More »]

Chinese premier reveals HOW to invest in China

by Tom Essaye | Wednesday, March 7, 2012 at 7:30am

In the mid 2000’s, “Buy what China is buying” was an investment mantra that often circulated around professional trading desks. The point of that ... [More »]

Can you still find good values in this market?

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, March 6, 2012 at 7:30am

A lot of investors tell me they’re frustrated by all the recent stock market strength. Why? Because they got caught sitting on the sidelines and now ... [More »]

Major multi-front war on the near horizon!

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, March 5, 2012 at 7:30am

For the first time in decades, the Middle East is on the brink of a war that could involve multiple countries … on multiple fronts … [More »]

Beware: Central Bank Bearing Gifts!

by Jack Crooks | Saturday, March 3, 2012 at 7:30am

The joy and confidence that once accompanied the fabrication of the euro single currency regime, a system that would once and for all unite Europe and increase ... [More »]

Remember, the Money Has to Go Somewhere!

by Mike Larson | Friday, March 2, 2012 at 7:30am

Sometimes, investment analysis can be extremely complicated ... You have to be able to turn a balance sheet upside down and inside out ... [More »]

ETFs: Coming to a 401(k) Near You!

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, March 1, 2012 at 7:30am

Once upon a time, American companies took care of their workers — before retirement and after. Big employers offered generous pension plans guaranteed for life. Those days ... [More »]

Two Key Indicators Waving Caution Flags

by Tom Essaye | Wednesday, February 29, 2012 at 7:30am

There’s no question that the rally we’ve seen in markets up to this point in the year has been impressive. Through the end of last week, the S&P 500 was up almost 9 percent and we’re not even through two full months of 2012! [More »]

Another idiotic decision on Social Security …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, February 28, 2012 at 7:30am

It’s no secret that I’m a harsh critic of the Social Security program, including the very way in which it was constructed back in the 1930s. More importantly ... [More »]

Four New Dangers in the Middle East

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, February 27, 2012 at 7:30am

Ever since I was born in 1946, the Middle East has been at the core of the most enduring, most vexing, and most economically impactful conflicts ... [More »]

An Easy Way to Buy Emerging Market Currencies

by Jack Crooks | Saturday, February 25, 2012 at 7:30am

I am often asked: What do you think of emerging market (EM) currencies? My usual answer is that many, especially those among the ... [More »]

5 Great Deceptions, 5 Protective Strategies for Today’s Markets

by Mike Larson | Friday, February 24, 2012 at 7:30am

Just a few days ago, I had the privilege of speaking to several hundred people at the World MoneyShow in Orlando. The gist of my presentation? [More »]

Get Aboard the Natural Gas Wave with These ETFs!

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 7:30am

Last week Sean Brodrick used my space to tell you some Inconvenient Truths About Alternative Energy. I think he is right on track about the natural gas ... [More »]

China-Canadian Trade Talks Open Doors for Uranium Producers

by Tom Essaye | Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 7:30am

While the world has been consumed watching the geo-political events unfolding in Europe and the Middle East, I think one of the ... [More »]

Answers to your biggest questions …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 7:30am

Between my recent trip to the Orlando MoneyShow and all the regular e-mails I get from readers, I’ve had a lot of questions coming my way lately ... [More »]

A highly unusual TRIGGER event for a great boom …

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, February 20, 2012 at 7:30am

In the early 1950s, my family formed a corporation exclusively for the purchase of natural gas properties — a sector we believed would be at the core of a ... [More »]

How to Profit as Global Debt Soars

by JR Crooks | Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 7:30am

It’s no secret that the world’s central bankers and governments are cranking out money at lightning speed to stave off a global depression. Let’s assume ... [More »]

One of my favorite investment plays right now …

by Sean Brodrick | Friday, February 17, 2012 at 7:30am

Let me tell you a story about a guy named Chris Moreno. He lost his job more than two years ago. And the 38-year-old was having trouble finding new work ... [More »]

Inconvenient truths about alternative energy …

by Sean Brodrick | Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 7:30am

The year is 1979. And with the Arab oil embargo in full swing, Americans are coming face-to-face with an unpleasant truth — that our country has become dependent on ... [More »]

What Comes After Peak Oil?

by Sean Brodrick | Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 7:30am

Yesterday I told you how it’s getting harder and harder to find new sources of oil — and why that essentially means “peak oil” has already arrived ... [More »]

The End of an Energy Era

by Sean Brodrick | Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 7:30am

As a natural resource analyst, I spend a lot of time looking for the next big trend ... the commodities that are most in demand ... the technologies that are changing the way we produce these resources ... [More »]

Heralding the Next Great Fuel Revolution

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, February 13, 2012 at 7:30am

Over a half century ago, my family made a major investment — in a unique energy source that we knew would someday be at the heart of a great fuel revolution. [More »]

Euro zone: Nice rally, but risk still palpable on Greek death spiral

by Jack Crooks | Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 7:30am

If you are wondering why the euro rallied sharply over the last couple of weeks, hitting a two-month high against the dollar on Thursday, the answer is ... [More »]

So what SHOULD you buy in a world fraught with risk?

by Mike Larson | Friday, February 10, 2012 at 7:30am

In Europe, despite news of what seems like the hundredth Greek deal, default is all but inevitable down the road. In the Middle East, tensions are ... [More »]

Defend Yourself from the Fed with These New Inflation ETFs

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 7:30am

Inflation can be deadly to your investments. It’s a silent killer, too — one that reduces your “real” asset value even when the “nominal” worth looks higher. As my colleague Mike Larson said just a few weeks ago, the Federal Reserve and other central banks are printing money at a faster and faster rate. A [More »]

The Real Truth Behind the New Jobs Numbers

by Tom Essaye | Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 7:30am

Even though you know that trading the headlines is a sucker’s game, plenty of people who continually miss that memo wind up driving stocks up or down based on what they think the day’s headlines really mean. [More »]

Simple steps to a better retirement plan …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 7:30am

In a couple days, I’ll be heading down to Orlando to attend the 2012 World MoneyShow. I always enjoy my time at this annual event because it gives me a chance to interact with other investors on a more personal level. I get to hear what they’re thinking about … to discuss the investments they’re [More »]

Three Official Lies About Jobs! Two Official Lies About Housing! Plus, the Hard, Factual Truth!

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, February 6, 2012 at 7:30am

While Washington announced last Friday that unemployment dropped to 8.3% ... And while Wall Street rejoiced with another rally ... [More »]

Central banks throw the euro a life raft … how you can profit

by JR Crooks | Saturday, February 4, 2012 at 7:30am

My idea that the euro would rally was based on its sell-off being a bit overextended and expectations it (and other assets) would ... [More »]

Split between “Real” and “Asset” Economies Never More Clear Than Now

by Mike Larson | Friday, February 3, 2012 at 7:30am

Many average investors like to think that the performance of the STOCK market is closely tied to the underlying ECONOMY. And in most ... [More »]

ETFs Are Going BATS … and Why You Should Care!

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, February 2, 2012 at 7:30am

The ETF marketplace changed last month. You didn’t notice? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Today I’ll tell you all about it. You already know that ... [More »]

More Evidence of the Power of Contrarian Investing

by Tom Essaye | Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 7:30am

It seems that the only thing traders and investors on TV want to do is try to handicap when a bunch of government officials and bureaucrats in Europe will finally make up their minds and solve the crisis still gripping the region. But while that may be a fun mental exercise, I prefer to use [More »]

Now is the time for this advanced (but easy to use) strategy!

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 7:30am

Writing covered calls is a strategy I’ve discussed here before, but I wanted you to know that I am now getting ready to actually start ... [More »]

The Most Lipstick on the Biggest Pigs Ever!

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, January 30, 2012 at 7:30am

We’ve seen the political and financial elites paint lipstick on a pig before. But never anything like this! Consider the pig in Washington: Uncle Sam continues to run the worst ... [More »]

Why the Yen Is Set to Weaken

by Jack Crooks | Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 7:30am

The problems facing Japan have been building up for some time. And I don’t believe the coming negative impact on its currency can be delayed much longer. Earlier this week I gave ... [More »]

Fed pledges low rates till kingdom come! What it means …

by Mike Larson | Friday, January 27, 2012 at 7:30am

Last week, I discussed how the European Central Bank has lost its marbles, launching its own version of quantitative easing. I dubbed it “QE-E.” I also said ... [More »]

Four Paths to Real Estate Profits with ETFs

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 7:30am

I’ve spent my investment career following sector momentum, and it’s worked out pretty well. ETFs make it even better. Right now my indicators show ... [More »]

Is Europe Throwing Us into a 1930s Moment?

by Tom Essaye | Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 7:30am

The market has been watching Europe, particularly the fact that (as of this writing) a deal still hasn’t been struck between the Greek government, the Troika ... [More »]

Finding New Buys in Retail …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 7:30am

The holiday shopping season is now behind us, but that doesn’t mean investors should ignore retailers now. In fact, I just made a new recommendation in ... [More »]

How to Make Money During the Greatest Economic Battle of a Lifetime

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, January 23, 2012 at 7:30am

Never before in our lifetime have we seen a fiercer fight between two opposing forces — global recession and mad money printing! The opposing forces are ... [More »]

Does the ECB Have a Plan to Rescue the Euro? None That I See!

by Jack Crooks | Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 7:30am

We’re constantly talking about how much help the euro zone needs to escape the economic mess they’ve created. So will the European ... [More »]

Is QE with a European Twist Driving Markets?

by Mike Larson | Friday, January 20, 2012 at 7:30am

Low volume stock rallies driven by nothing fundamental ... A steady upward move in bond prices, and decline in interest rates ... [More »]

Which ETFs Could Suffer from Latest Euro-Zone Downgrades?

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, January 19, 2012 at 7:30am

If you’re a regular reader of Money and Markets, you weren't surprised last Friday when Standard & Poor’s downgraded the sovereign debt of ... [More »]

Two Credit Card Companies I Got My Eye On

by Tom Essaye | Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 7:30am

While the markets have spent the last several months focused on the macro economic issues of Europe, this week brings a slew of earnings. And even in ... [More »]

Inside: The names of three big winners from my portfolios!

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, January 17, 2012 at 7:30am

Normally, I don’t name individual investment recommendations in this column because I don’t think it’s really fair to my paying Income Superstars ... [More »]

Why the Cascade of Downgrades Has Barely Begun

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, January 16, 2012 at 7:30am

If you think U.S. politicians are often hypocritical in their denials of financial sins, take a look at what’s happened in Europe: Just a few weeks ago, when leading European ... [More »]

What does the drop in unemployment mean for the dollar and euro?

by JR Crooks | Saturday, January 14, 2012 at 7:30am

My son, JR, he has some interesting insights regarding the U.S. Nonfarm Payrolls report, which came out last Friday. And I think you’ll benefit by reading them. [More »]

Like clockwork, another year brings calls for another housing market “bottom”

by Mike Larson | Friday, January 13, 2012 at 7:30am

What was one of the best performing sectors in late 2011 ... and the first several days of 2012? Would you believe HOUSING?? [More »]

Health Care ETFs Poised to Repeat Good 2011

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, January 12, 2012 at 7:30am

The final numbers are in, and 2011 was officially a “flat” year for the S&P 500. Without dividends, the large-cap stock index was actually down a fraction. With dividends, it ... [More »]

How the SX7P Could Help You Make a Bundle In 2012

by Tom Essaye | Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 7:30am

After a few weeks of relative quiet from Europe during the holiday season, things are starting to heat back up in the region. This week will see a return of ... [More »]

Important forecasts for the stock market in 2012 …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, January 10, 2012 at 7:30am

Last week I told you why I continue to insist that most investments I recommend pay for themselves through steady income generation, and why ... [More »]

The ONLY Way to Make Serious Money in 2012 …

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, January 9, 2012 at 7:30am

I’m a proud contrarian investor. So was my father, Irving Weiss. I began my career when I founded this company over four decades ago. He ... [More »]

Why 2012 Could Bring the Needed Dip in the Aussie Dollar

by Jack Crooks | Saturday, January 7, 2012 at 7:30am

President Obama got some good news yesterday morning: The U.S. unemployment rate fell to 8.5 percent from 8.7 percent. Imagine, though, the ... [More »]

Why 2012 looks to be even ROUGHER than 2011!

by Mike Larson | Friday, January 6, 2012 at 7:30am

Welcome to 2012! I trust you had an enjoyable holiday season like I did ... and that you’re just as ready as I am to make this your most profitable year ever. [More »]

Six Reasons to Avoid Japan In 2012

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, January 5, 2012 at 7:30am

One of the best ways to make money in ETFs is to not lose money. I know it sounds obvious, but I can assure you that many people don't get this key point. So if I can ... [More »]

In 2012, remember that it’s a market of stocks!

by Tom Essaye | Wednesday, January 4, 2012 at 7:30am

When I was a trader on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, I often heard an old saying repeated: “Remember that this is a market of stocks, not a stock market!” [More »]

The secret to a worry-free 2012 …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, January 3, 2012 at 7:30am

At the end of every year, I start looking back for some ideas of what the future might hold. And it’s no different this time. I suppose if you rely on ... [More »]

The Triumph of Contrarian Investing

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, January 2, 2012 at 7:30am

My father was the ultimate contrarian. He rarely trusted Wall Street. He never followed the crowd. And he was repeatedly among the few that uncovered some of the most... [More »]

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 »]

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 »]

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 »]

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 »]

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 »]

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 »]

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 »]

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 »]

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 »]

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 »]

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 »]

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 »]

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 »]

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 »]

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 »]

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 »]

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 »]

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 »]

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 »]

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 »]

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 »]

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 »]

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 »]

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 »]

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 »]

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 »]

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 »]

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 »]

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 »]

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 »]

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 »]

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 »]

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 »]

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 »]

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 »]

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 »]

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 »]

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 »]

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 »]

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 »]

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 »]

Global Rate Hiking Cycle Gathers Steam; What to Do …

by Mike Larson | Friday, December 31, 2010 at 7:30am

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse, here in the U.S. markets late last week. But on Christmas Day, China’s central bank shocked investors ... Specifically, the People’s Bank of China raised short-term ... [More »]

Six ETFs to Consider Dumping Today

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, December 30, 2010 at 7:30am

Happy Holidays! Many people have the last day of the year off, but not stock and ETF traders. Since 2011 New Year’s Day falls on a Saturday, the NYSE and other exchanges are open for a full day. This is good ... [More »]

Monetary Tightening Threatens China’s Economic Prospects

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, December 29, 2010 at 7:30am

China’s role on the global stage has grown tremendously during the past several years. And there are valid reasons to believe this trend will continue. But it will not go as smoothly as many pundits assume ... [More »]

One reason to bet on U.S. stocks in 2011

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, December 28, 2010 at 7:30am

There are definitely plenty of reasons to be concerned about the U.S. economy — and the broad market — in the year ahead. There are definitely plenty of reasons to be concerned about the U.S. economy — ... [More »]

CBS 60 Minutes: “Day of Reckoning Is at Hand!”

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, December 27, 2010 at 7:30am

At this very moment, cities and states all across this country are facing their day of reckoning, with far-reaching consequences for the economy, investors and every American citizen. This morning, I will ... [More »]

Happy Holidays

by The Entire Money and Markets Team | Saturday, December 25, 2010 at 7:30am

Our Money and Markets team is off today, spending some quality time with family and friends. But we wanted to take a moment to wish you all the best during this holiday season. Your friendship and loyalty ... [More »]

Lessons Learned by Looking Back at 2010

by Mike Larson | Friday, December 24, 2010 at 7:30am

The year is winding down, and boy has it been an exciting and volatile one. Bonds. Currencies. Financial stocks. Some of the gyrations we’ve witnessed in those instruments over the past 12 months were ... [More »]

Dangers and Opportunities in Muni Bond ETFs

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, December 23, 2010 at 7:30am

Bonds of all kinds took a beating over the last few months — ever since Ben Bernanke began hinting he would launch another “quantitative easing” money-printing program. Ben was true to his word. And the ... [More »]

European Sovereign Debt Crisis Set to Spread … Government Bonds at Risk!

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, December 22, 2010 at 7:30am

According to its homepage, the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) is an organization that fosters international monetary and financial cooperation and serves as a bank for central banks. The BIS fulfils ... [More »]

Stocking Stuffers for Your Favorite Investor

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, December 21, 2010 at 7:30am

At my home, the tree is up. Our gingerbread house — a rather elaborate one, at that — has been assembled. And we’ve already been entertaining a number of guests over the last couple weeks ... [More »]

New Riches in a New Miracle Economy

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, December 20, 2010 at 7:30am

Brazil’s economy is booming, and I can assure you, it’s not a bubble. I am also certain that the vast riches being made are not a flash in the pan. Let me tell you why I’m so confident. First, because my family and ... [More »]

Insanity on the Potomac — Treasury investors recoiling in horror!

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Sunday, December 19, 2010 at 7:30am

Given the insanity on the Potomac last week, I cannot imagine a time when a clear vision of the future would be more crucial. At 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, President Obama signed a new fiscal package, ... [More »]

The U.S. is Muddling Along, Which Right Now … Doesn’t Look So Bad!

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, December 18, 2010 at 7:30am

For the better part of 2009 and for the second half of 2010, the world’s focus has been on how dreadful things look in the U.S. and how great the opportunities are said to be everywhere else. But despite all ... [More »]

What to Do as the Fed Plays Ostrich

by Mike Larson | Friday, December 17, 2010 at 7:30am

The latest Federal Reserve meeting came and went this week. And I gotta tell you, the Fed should replace the eagle on its website with an ostrich! I say that because the post-meeting statement was a bunch ... [More »]

Consumers on a Shopping Spree … Five ETFs to Help You Profit!

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, December 16, 2010 at 7:30am

If you’re like most Americans, you know December as the “Season of Shopping.” So today I’ll give you some ideas on how you can make money to replace what you’ll spend this month. Consumers lost some of ... [More »]

THE GLOBAL DEBT TRAP How to Escape the Danger and Build a Fortune

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, December 15, 2010 at 7:30am

We have just released our new book, The Global Debt Trap: How to Escape the Danger and Build a Fortune, which we think is timed perfectly for the events now swirling around us. And as our way of thanking you ... [More »]

A Social Security “Shot Across the Bow”

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, December 14, 2010 at 7:30am

For nearly two years, I’ve been telling current Social Security recipients to consider using a little-known provision to boost their payments substantially. And in recent months, I ratcheted up my warnings to ... [More »]

Grand Compromise or Great Conspiracy?

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, December 13, 2010 at 7:30am

When Americans went to the polls last month, many thought they were voting for a return of fiscal sanity in Washington. And with fiscal sanity, we'd have far better assurance of bond-market stability ... [More »]

The End Game for the Euro

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, December 11, 2010 at 7:30am

The euro is doomed, and the consequences of its demise are far-reaching — both in terms of the dangers for anyone who is unprepared and the opportunities for those who are. This is so important I have ... [More »]

Interest Rates Surge as Fed, Congress Crush Debtholders

by Mike Larson | Friday, December 10, 2010 at 7:30am

Washington, 0. The bond market, 1. That’s the score folks, in case you haven’t been keeping track. The Federal Reserve Chairman said his $600 billion “QE2” program would lower interest rates. Instead, rates ... [More »]

Follow the Trend with Small-Cap Growth ETFs

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, December 9, 2010 at 7:30am

With exchange traded funds (ETFs), global stock markets can be sliced and diced in hundreds of different ways. You can invest by country, by geographic region, by industry sector, and by various combinations ... [More »]

Ben Bernanke Ready to Print Still More!

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, December 8, 2010 at 7:30am

Fed President Ben Bernanke earned his nickname “Helicopter Ben” as early as 2002 when as a Fed Governor he gave his famous speech Deflation: Making Sure It Doesn’t Happen Here. “Helicopter money” is a term he coined to describe ... [More »]

Should U.S. investors fear a “Japan scenario?”

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, December 7, 2010 at 7:30am

With Ben Bernanke and the Federal Reserve now into their second round of quantitative easing, a lot of investors are becoming increasingly worried about the U.S. “becoming like Japan.” In short, they're ... [More »]

Warning: Muni Bond Chaos Imminent

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, December 6, 2010 at 7:30am

Whenever folks from Washington or Wall Street try to persuade you that the Great Debt Crisis is now “over,” I suggest you shake their hands politely, usher them to the door, and tell them to never come back ... [More »]

Why I’m giving away over $250,000 in prizes and memberships

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Sunday, December 5, 2010 at 7:30am

Hi, I’m having a great Sunday and I hope you are too! I’m happily giving away prizes and memberships valued at over $250,000 in the Weiss Forecast Challenge. Here’s how it works ... [More »]

The Moment of Truth for Medicare

by Gavin Magor | Saturday, December 4, 2010 at 7:30am

Traditionally this is the season when we look forward to the giving and receiving of gifts. But maybe we’ll look at things differently this year ... because on Wednesday, according to The National Commission on ... [More »]

Deficit Commission Fiddles While Rome (and Dublin … and Athens … Lisbon) Burns!

by Mike Larson | Friday, December 3, 2010 at 7:30am

The meltdown in Europe’s debt market just keeps getting worse. In the past several days ... Ireland was forced to follow Greece down Bailout Road. The country needed $113 billion in aid to fill a Grand Canyon ... [More »]

Does Your ETF Own Derivatives?

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, December 2, 2010 at 7:30am

What’s in your exchange traded fund (ETF)? The obvious answer is “stocks” if it is a stock ETF, and “bonds” if it is a bond ETF. That’s not always the case, though ... [More »]

The Solution to the Government Debt Problem Is Well Known

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, December 1, 2010 at 7:30am

Last Thursday in a government declaration, German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke about the debt problems in Ireland and other European countries. She said, “Europe needs a new culture of stability,” and added, “A better monitoring ... [More »]

Not much time left for year-end moves!

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, November 30, 2010 at 7:30am

Lots of meals with friends and family. Hundreds of e-mails about shopping deals. And even a trip into the woods to saw down a nine-foot douglas fir for our living room. Yes, this past weekend clearly kicked off ... [More »]

New phase of debt crisis! Striking NOW! Despite rescues!

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, November 29, 2010 at 7:30am

A belated “Happy Thanksgiving!” — from our family to yours! Sadly, though, even while most Americans were enjoying the holiday or hitting the malls, much of Europe was sinking deeper into a new, more ... [More »]

The Euro Zone’s Timeout Is Expiring!

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, November 27, 2010 at 7:30am

Last year’s Thanksgiving weekend was an unusually active holiday news cycle. Of course, it was when Tiger Woods had his bizarre car accident outside of his home. That saga would dominate the news for ... [More »]

Why I’m THANKFUL for the Bond Market Sell Off

by Mike Larson | Friday, November 26, 2010 at 7:30am

I don’t know about you, but I’m still stuffed from yesterday! I ate enough turkey to feed a small army, and that’s not even counting all the trimmings. But frankly, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Thanksgiving is ... [More »]

A Day for Giving Thanks

by The Entire Money and Markets Team | Thursday, November 25, 2010 at 7:30am

Our team is at home today, celebrating with friends and family. But we wanted to let you know just how grateful we are for the trust you place in us each and every day ... [More »]

FINAL 10 hours for $100 reward!

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Wednesday, November 24, 2010 at 2:00pm

My Three Urgent Questions video goes offline at 11:59 PM tonight, and when it does, your $xx reward for watching disappears as well! [More »]

Warning: Stock Market Sentiment Is Way Too Bullish!

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, November 24, 2010 at 7:30am

In forecasting stock market movements, I’ve developed a model consisting of many components and indicators. Here’s a brief overview of where four of my five basic categories stand now: ... [More »]

Dividends? Thanks but no thanks, banks!

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, November 23, 2010 at 7:30am

Dividends have been all over the news lately, including a number of stories talking about the possibility that banks will begin paying out solid dividends again. Well, it might be a week for giving thanks, but I’m ... [More »]

FDIC: 903 banks in trouble. What to do …

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, November 22, 2010 at 7:30am

Martin here with an urgent update on the next phase of the banking crisis. Just this past Friday, the government released new data showing that the FDIC's list of "problem banks" now includes 903 ... [More »]

A World Awash in Government Intervention, Delays the Inevitable

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, November 20, 2010 at 7:30am

The past three years have been dominated by government intervention ... The U.S. propped up the banks with TARP money, and then gave banks ultra-easy money terms to recapitalize. And to unfreeze ... [More »]

List of Fed’s enemies grows longer as bond market carnage spreads

by Mike Larson | Friday, November 19, 2010 at 7:30am

It’s always gratifying when the mainstream media picks up on a theme you’ve been banging away at for weeks. And boy is that happening now. Just get a load of the headlines we’ve seen in recent days ... [More »]

Go for Profits with International ETFs

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, November 18, 2010 at 7:30am

Let me ask you a question. Suppose you have the ability to invest in any stock market in the world. One of the largest markets has lagged badly for many years now. And there are few reasons to think the ... [More »]

Telling Trend Reversals: The Dollar and Bonds

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, November 17, 2010 at 7:30am

In last week’s Money and Markets column, I wrote about Bernanke’s quantitative easing policy. The goal of the policy is to create higher stock and housing prices by pushing the dollar and interest rates down. So, ... [More »]

Time to Take Profits from Corporate Bonds?

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, November 16, 2010 at 7:30am

Back in May of 2009, I wrote an article here in Money and Markets called “Time to Start Nibbling on Corporate Bonds.” As the name implied, I argued that investors looking for opportunities in fixed-income ... [More »]

Fed money printing getting even wilder!

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, November 15, 2010 at 7:30am

I’ve seen a lot of crazy monetary shenanigans in my lifetime — in Brazil, Japan and elsewhere. But I’ve never seen anything quite like the explosion of out-and-out money printing we’re witnessing in ... [More »]

Dazzling Bargains in Commodities

by Sean Brodrick | Sunday, November 14, 2010 at 7:30am

Is gold a bargain at $1,400 an ounce? Is crude oil a screaming deal at $85 a barrel? Absolutely! In fact, I think the prices of many commodities such as gold, crude oil, wheat, soybeans, copper and silver will ... [More »]

Euro Back Under the Microscope

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, November 13, 2010 at 7:30am

Investors, politicians and the media have had tunnel vision for the better part of the past five months. And it’s been directed squarely on the United States. The world has been transfixed on the dollar. Experts ... [More »]

Bernanke QE2 Program Backfiring! Global Money War Intensifying!

by Mike Larson | Friday, November 12, 2010 at 7:30am

The reviews are coming in fast and furious — and they’re downright terrible! I’m not talking about the latest romantic comedy or action movie. I’m talking about the reviews of the Federal Reserve’s ... [More »]

Go for the Gold with Mining ETFs

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, November 11, 2010 at 7:30am

Do you like to dig? I have to admit, it’s not my favorite thing. But if I knew there was gold in the ground I might think differently. In fact, there is gold in the ground — and plenty of other valuable minerals, ... [More »]

Fed money-printing scheme triggering bond price meltdown!

by Mike Larson | Wednesday, November 10, 2010 at 1:30pm

Since talk of new money-printing first surfaced a few weeks ago, 30-year bond yields have jumped sharply higher — from 3.46% to 4.29%. That’s a 21% surge in borrowing costs! It’s the biggest interest ... [More »]

Bernanke’s Monetary Policy Is Doomed!

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, November 10, 2010 at 7:30am

Last week Ben Bernanke wrote an article for The Washington Post to justify the Fed’s decision of another round of quantitative easing. Here’s his core argument: “Easier financial conditions will promote economic ... [More »]

Silver EXPLODES 5.8%! Gold surging! Global firestorm about Fed money printing

by Larry Edelson | Tuesday, November 9, 2010 at 3:15pm

The precious metals markets are going wild even as I write these words. This is precisely what we recommended investing in with our online presentation that so many investors are rushing to view right ... [More »]

Four Steps to Fine-Tune Your Portfolio

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, November 9, 2010 at 7:30am

In my last couple of columns, I told you about two different portfolios that I’ve been running, both of which contain dividend stocks and have been performing very strongly. That prompted some of you to write in ... [More »]

4 ETFs Beating the Dow by a Mile

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, November 8, 2010 at 7:30am

Martin here with a quick update on four of our favorite exchange traded funds (ETFs). From the first trading day in May through this past Friday, November 5, the Dow is up 4 percent. That’s actually ... [More »]

A Personal Story with Huge Profit Implications

by Larry Edelson | Sunday, November 7, 2010 at 7:30am

Larry here, with a personal story that may help you understand just how explosive the right investments can be in this new world of money printing gone wild. It’s why a lot of our readers are making so much ... [More »]

Currencies: Seven Charts You Should See

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, November 6, 2010 at 7:30am

The currency market, as well as all markets, have been heavily focused on the U.S. and the Fed’s plans for more quantitative easing (QE). And that’s had a huge impact on the dollar and on dollar sentiment. The ... [More »]

Winners and Sinners in the Global Money War

by Mike Larson | Friday, November 5, 2010 at 7:30am

There’s a Great Global Money War raging right now — and the U.S. is losing. That’s the inescapable conclusion I draw from the market action I see on my screens ... the headlines coming across the tape ... [More »]

Gold up $41! Commodities, currencies exploding higher!

by Larry Edelson | Thursday, November 4, 2010 at 11:55am

Larry here with an urgent update on gold, silver, platinum, sugar, and almost every tangible asset under the sun. It’s been less than 24 hours since the Fed announced it’s cranking up the printing presses ... [More »]

Sorting Out the Asia ETFs

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, November 4, 2010 at 7:30am

You shouldn’t be surprised if I tell you I like Asia. I talk about Asia frequently, both in my Money and Markets columns and in International ETF Trader. The reason is simple: Asia is where I see the best ... [More »]

News flash: $600 billion Fed funny money! Big LIE!

by Larry Edelson | Wednesday, November 3, 2010 at 3:45pm

This is it — the hot news that Wall Street was waiting for with bated breath. Fed Chief Bernanke’s going to buy another $600 billion in Treasury securities to pump liquidity into the economy ... [More »]

Sentiment Indicators Signaling a Major Top

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, November 3, 2010 at 7:30am

The S&P 500 index is nearly back to its April high. In the bigger picture the market can be seen as tracing out a major topping formation lasting nearly one year. Valuations are historically high, and macroeconomic ... [More »]

It’s a LANDSLIDE! What to do …

by Larry Edelson | Tuesday, November 2, 2010 at 3:00pm

It's all over but the shouting! According to last-minute polling, Republicans will gain up to 60 House seats, including a very vocal Tea Party caucus. Meanwhile, incumbents who have held the same seats for ... [More »]

The Power of Carefully Chosen Dividend Stocks

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, November 2, 2010 at 7:30am

Last week, I talked a little bit about the recent performance of my dad’s income portfolio. In case you missed that column, the upshot was that every new recommendation I’ve made is up and beating the ... [More »]

The most amazing week of our lifetime …

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, November 1, 2010 at 7:30am

If there ever was a single week promising to deliver the most amazing financial changes of our lifetime, this has got to be it — with TWO D-Days hitting in the next 48 hours. D-Day #1 comes tomorrow, with the ... [More »]

Fed President: Bernanke Making "A PACT WITH THE DEVIL"

by Monty Agarwal | Sunday, October 31, 2010 at 7:30am

When Fed President Hoenig declared last week that Bernanke is making "a pact with the devil," he wasn't kidding. Nor was he talking about a little side deal that would someday be forgiven in money heaven ... [More »]

Currency War: "The Worst of Wars"

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, October 30, 2010 at 7:30am

Last week, here in Money and Markets, I suggested that the recent G-20 finance minister meetings could have a meaningful influence on the next trend in global currencies and other key markets. Therefore, we ... [More »]

QE2 Sends Interest Rates Up. Yes, Up!

by Mike Larson | Friday, October 29, 2010 at 7:30am

So if the latest reporting is to be believed, QE2 is a fait accompli. The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday said the Federal Reserve plans to purchase “a few hundred billion dollars” worth of Treasuries over a ... [More »]

My Answers to Your Questions

by Monty Agarwal | Thursday, October 28, 2010 at 1:38pm

The upcoming midterm elections have now shifted more decisively toward Republicans, and polling analysts from both parties agree about that trend. Plus, the Fed has now virtually declared that it will ... [More »]

Get Down Under With Australia ETFs

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, October 28, 2010 at 7:30am

See if you can guess the country ... Straddles two different oceans, Part of the British Commonwealth, Huge wilderness area, English-speaking, Democracy, Capitalist, Technologically and industrially ... [More »]

Seeking Profit Potential When Stocks Sink AND Soar

by Mike Burnick | Wednesday, October 27, 2010 at 11:00am

The outcome of next Tuesday’s election could easily set off a chain reaction of events in our economy … and perhaps worldwide. Will the U.S. economy be able to grow enough to avoid a double-dip recession ... [More »]

Treasury Bond Bubble about to POP!

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, October 27, 2010 at 7:30am

Financial history shows that interest rates — and hence bond prices — have risen and fallen in long-term trends spanning decades. The following chart shows the 10-year Treasury since 1953. As you can see, ... [More »]

Five strategies I'm using to help dad beat the stock market

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, October 26, 2010 at 7:30am

You might remember that back in June my 63-year-old dad decided to let me begin managing his $100,000 retirement account at Vanguard. The goal was to help him get better returns than he was earning with ... [More »]

Urgent Joint Release by Larry and Martin

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, October 25, 2010 at 7:30am

Tomorrow is your last day to see the extremely timely about the strategies and investments to be used in Martin's $1,000,000 portfolio, starting THIS week. The reason it's so timely? Because of FIVE powerful ... [More »]

New buys this week! Your deadline: THIS TUESDAY!

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Sunday, October 24, 2010 at 7:30am

If you haven’t seen our most recent online presentation, I think you’d better do so before this weekend is over. The reason for the urgency is quite straightforward: The presentation is about the strategy and ... [More »]

G-20 Meetings Could Prove Very Important for Currencies

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, October 23, 2010 at 7:30am

While many investors have their eyes on the G-20 Summit in November, this weekend’s gathering of G-20 finance ministers could prove to be the more significant event for markets. If you take a look at recent ... [More »]

Mortgage Mess Comes Back to Haunt Bankers … Again

by Mike Larson | Friday, October 22, 2010 at 7:30am

Halloween is right around the corner. So it’s only appropriate that — just like some bad horror movie character — the mortgage monster keeps coming back to haunt bankers. Indeed, major financial ... [More »]

G-20 HEADS UP: Losing battle to stem CURRENCY WARS!

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Thursday, October 21, 2010 at 2:00pm

I'm getting ready to put my $1,000,000 portfolio into a series of new investments, using an approach that could have generated a 2,478% total return in all types of market environments ... [More »]

Profit from Rising Food Prices with ETFs

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, October 21, 2010 at 7:30am

Here’s a question for you ... and I’m pretty sure your answer is “Yes.” The question is: Do you eat? Food is a basic necessity of life. We all need to eat. Some of us eat more than others do, of course. Sadly, ... [More »]

Flash update: Mortgage mayhem spreading!

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Wednesday, October 20, 2010 at 2:39pm

The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) has just announced that new mortgage applications have slumped again despite some of the lowest interest rates in history — a drop in demand that bodes ill for the ... [More »]

Banks and the Unfounded Hope of Easy Money

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, October 20, 2010 at 7:30am

The main driver of the stock market rally off the late-August low seems to be the Fed’s relatively clear announcement of quantitative easing number two. Market participants seem to think that another round ... [More »]

Urgent Alert: China Raises Rates! What it means …

by Monty Agarwal | Tuesday, October 19, 2010 at 12:00pm

Thank you, Beijing! By raising interest rates this morning for first time since 2007, China has triggered profit taking in everything from currencies to commodities! Great! That is now triggering precisely ... [More »]

Further Limiting Your Risk with CDs (or Bonds)

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, October 19, 2010 at 7:30am

It’s now official: As I suggested last week, Social Security recipients are not getting any cost-of-living increase in 2011. This marks the second straight year of flat monthly checks. That fact, combined with ... [More »]

Two Game-Changing Decisions

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, October 18, 2010 at 7:30am

If you think all the game-changing decisions to be made on November 2 will be by voters at the ballot boxes, think again! In his latest online presentation, Monty Agarwal reminds us that, on that very same ... [More »]

Gutting the dollar is now official!

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Sunday, October 17, 2010 at 7:30am

It’s official now. The Fed said it in their meeting notes. And Bernanke said it again on Friday: He’s going to run the money printing presses. It’s the same trick we’ve seen in countries like Brazil, Argentina and ... [More »]

Reflation Trade Is Overdone

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, October 16, 2010 at 7:30am

In recent weeks, the dollar has been the centerpiece of speculation surrounding the outlook for global economies, rising protectionist threats and the resurgence of global asset prices. And it all derives from ... [More »]

Tensions Rise as Global Policymakers Part Ways

by Mike Larson | Friday, October 15, 2010 at 7:30am

The tension out there is so thick you can cut it with a knife. I’m talking about the tension building between central bankers and policymakers in developed nations and their counterparts in so-called emerging ... [More »]

Diversify Out Of U.S. Dollars With ETFs

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, October 14, 2010 at 7:30am

Do you pay attention to the currency markets? You’d better, if you want to survive and thrive in these crazy times. I have to tell you I am NOT a currency expert. For deeper analysis I refer you to my ... [More »]

European Investors Haven't Been this Bullish in Nine Years!

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, October 13, 2010 at 7:30am

Price-earnings ratios and dividend yields are showing that the stock market is expensive. And my big-picture economic indicators are signaling high recession risks. My liquidity indicators are confirming this ... [More »]

Will 2011 be another stagnant year for Social Security checks?

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, October 12, 2010 at 7:30am

In just a few days, the Social Security Administration is going to let retirees know how much their checks will go up next year. Or, in this case, how their checks aren’t going to go up at all. If you were ... [More »]

Election's impact on stocks, gold, oil, currencies and more!

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, October 11, 2010 at 7:30am

If you think the winds of change in Washington — both on the political scene and at the Fed — can have a big impact on the financial markets, wait till you see what can happen in the coming political storm! For ... [More »]

China's Currency War: Enemy #1 for Global Economy

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, October 9, 2010 at 7:30am

When Brazil’s finance minister said the world was in a currency war, it came as big news to many people — a surprising “new” economic threat. But there’s nothing new about a currency war. China has been ... [More »]

Central Bankers' Global Race to the Bottom

by Mike Larson | Friday, October 8, 2010 at 7:30am

Well, that pretty much seals the deal. I’m talking about the latest, lousy batch of employment data. The ADP Employer Services report out Wednesday showed the economy shedding 39,000 jobs in September ... [More »]

Seven New ETFs Cover New Ground

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, October 7, 2010 at 7:30am

The exchange traded fund menu is growing fast. So far this year more than 170 new ETFs and similar exchange-traded products have hit the market in the U.S. Quite a few of the new ETFs were just ... [More »]

Don't Let September's Rally Trick You

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, October 6, 2010 at 7:30am

You’ve probably heard the optimistic hype surrounding September’s stock market performance. The S&P 500 gained an impressive 8.8 percent during a month that has a bad reputation among stock market investors ... [More »]

Do even CDs trump long-term Treasuries right now?

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, October 5, 2010 at 7:30am

Last week I told you why many mutual fund investors could be setting themselves up for serious losses in Treasury bonds. Just to recap – the idea was that mutual funds often buy and sell before their bonds ... [More »]

How to Time the Market’s Biggest Moves

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, October 4, 2010 at 7:30am

One of the great dilemmas of any investor is timing the market. I’m not talking about the very short-term ups and downs. Nor am I recommending the kind of quick in-and-out trading that merely racks up more ... [More »]

QE2: This Time Is Different

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, October 2, 2010 at 7:30am

Since the Fed’s most recent meeting, everyone seems to have an opinion about another round of extraordinary monetary stimulus and the economic and market reactions such a move could leave in ... [More »]

The Biggest Disconnect of All Time

by Mike Larson | Friday, October 1, 2010 at 7:30am

I’m seeing one of the biggest disconnects of all time — between the underlying U.S. economy and the performance of the stock market. Just consider what we’ve learned about the economic fundamentals in ... [More »]

Five Tech ETFs to Look at Now

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, September 30, 2010 at 7:30am

You can always count on one thing in the technology sector: Change! The cutting-edge inventions that fascinated us so much back in the 1990s are de rigueur now. Where will we be in ten years? I can only ... [More »]

If the Recession Has Ended, Why Is the Fed So Worried?

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, September 29, 2010 at 7:30am

The National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) is the official arbiter of U.S. economic history. It sets the officially accepted dates for the beginning and the end of U.S. recessions. And on September 20, its ... [More »]

A Hazard of Buying Bond Funds Now

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, September 28, 2010 at 7:30am

A number of us here at Weiss have been warning you about the dangers of buying bonds in this ultra-low-interest-rate environment, especially longer-dated U.S. Treasuries. But as I recently told my ... [More »]

3 Government Warnings of Financial Fiascos!

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, September 27, 2010 at 7:30am

For my family, fiscal balance is not — and never was — a partisan issue. My father, for example, had little interest in politics but was passionate about savings, hard work and avoiding waste. When I was a ... [More »]

How to Put a Stronger Yuan to Work for You

by Jeff Manera | Saturday, September 25, 2010 at 7:30am

China has perpetually managed its currency, the yuan, to be undervalued. Estimates range from 30 percent to 40 percent on the amount the currency would appreciate if it was allowed to freely float with ... [More »]

Fed confirms: QE2 on tap … despite dismal failure of QE1! Have these guys gone nuts??

by Mike Larson | Friday, September 24, 2010 at 7:30am

This week, Federal Reserve officials did it. They jumped the shark. Crossed the Rubicon. Bought a ticket on the express train to financial Never Never Land. Whatever you want to call it. I say that because ... [More »]

For Income and Diversification, Have You Considered International Bond ETFs?

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, September 23, 2010 at 7:30am

In these turbulent times, plenty of investors just want steady income. Others realize they need to look outside the U.S. as they ride out the storm. Yet in a world where some once-stable economies are ... [More »]

Once Again, Gold Confirms Its Uptrend

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, September 22, 2010 at 7:30am

When the dot com bubble burst and stocks entered a secular bear market, gold did just the opposite and began a secular bull. As you can see on the chart below, this bull market is doing quite well. In fact, on ... [More »]

Are state pension plan fixes breaking retirement promises?

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, September 21, 2010 at 7:30am

In early July, I told you how lawmakers have consistently overpromised and underdelivered when it comes to retirement plans for state and local government workers. And why, in doing so, they’ve only heaped ... [More »]

Urgent Lessons from Japan

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, September 20, 2010 at 7:30am

Imagine a world where the economy never emerges from recession. Imagine a time and place in which economists talk first of a double-dip recession, then about a triple-dip recession ... and ultimately ... [More »]

Biggest Ever Yen Intervention – and What It Means for You!

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, September 18, 2010 at 7:30am

Last week, I pointed to the challenges facing Switzerland and Japan’s currencies. As for the yen, I said that nothing short of actual intervention would relieve the pressure on its exporters. I also said that I ... [More »]

Short-Term Rally; Long-Term Worry Still the Name of the Game

by Mike Larson | Friday, September 17, 2010 at 7:30am

I often get asked the question: “Why are you so gloomy?” Or “Why can’t you look at the BRIGHT side of things?” And you know what my answer is? In regular life, I am an optimist. Optimistic to a fault ... [More »]

You’re the Winner in the ETF Price War

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, September 16, 2010 at 7:30am

A price war is breaking out in the exchange traded fund (ETF) industry. While it’s not good news for everyone — ETF sponsors, for instance — investors can now get more for their money than ever before! ... [More »]

Global Liquidity Drying Up — Commodities, Stocks and Economies at Risk!

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, September 15, 2010 at 7:30am

Last week I wrote about how mutual fund cash holdings had fallen to a 3.4 percent record low. That means mutual fund managers have never been more highly invested in the stock market than they are now! ... [More »]

Your Five-Step Strategy for Market Uncertainty

by Sharon A. Daniels | Tuesday, September 14, 2010 at 2:00pm

We have been warning you that the U.S. economy is still sinking fast despite massive government spending, lending and guarantees. In fact, there are a growing number of uncertainties facing our economy and ... [More »]

Checking Out the Retailers

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, September 14, 2010 at 7:30am

While Americans haven’t completely abandoned their spendthrift ways, there’s no doubt that the typical shopper is thinking a lot more about their purchases ... and in general, our nation is revisiting the idea of ... [More »]

Will You Win the Bull-Bear Tug-O’-War?

by Sharon A. Daniels | Monday, September 13, 2010 at 7:30am

Martin is in Japan this week, visiting his son Anthony and checking up on Asian markets firsthand. So he asked me to fill in for him today. I’m pleased to have this opportunity — especially at this time of the ... [More »]

Can Switzerland and Japan Solve Their Currency Problem?

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, September 11, 2010 at 7:30am

Currencies play an important role in the economic health of a country — impacting the flow of trade and capital. For instance, a weak currency can be quite good for an economy in times of recession. It ... [More »]

The Feeding Frenzy in Fixed Income

by Mike Larson | Friday, September 10, 2010 at 7:30am

More than a decade ago, investors speculated wildly in dot-com stocks. You don’t need me to remind you how that ended. Then a half-decade ago, investors went hog wild in real estate. That didn’t work out so ... [More »]

Can Green Energy ETFs Put Green In Your Wallet?

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, September 9, 2010 at 7:30am

Remember a few years ago when “alternative energy” was all the rage? With crude oil trading at $150 and gasoline prices above $4 a gallon in many places, breaking free from our dependence on fossil fuels ... [More »]

Mutual Fund Managers Got It Wrong … Again!

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, September 8, 2010 at 7:30am

History shows that as a group mutual fund managers act like a typical crowd ... susceptible to herding and group thinking. They are most heavily invested near important market tops. And at market bottoms most ... [More »]

Finding New Opportunities in Volatile Markets

by Mike Burnick | Tuesday, September 7, 2010 at 2:00pm

Don't look now ... but the WORST month for stocks has just begun! Historically, the month of September is the absolute worst month of the year to be invested in the stock market! And there aren't many ... [More »]

Four Ways to Make Your Money Work Harder

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, September 7, 2010 at 7:30am

After a great Labor Day weekend, a lot of Americans are now back at their desks, hard at work ... and I’m no exception. But while you might rather be back at the beach or the family barbecue, the good news ... [More »]

Happy Labor Day

by The Entire Money and Markets Team | Monday, September 6, 2010 at 7:30am

This is the one time each year when our country steps back and recognizes the great achievements of American laborers. In celebration, our team is taking a much-needed break from the hard work of ... [More »]

China Knows the Fate of the Euro

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, September 4, 2010 at 7:30am

This week, the U.S. Commerce Department gave China another pass on its currency manipulation, ruling against charges it was undercutting U.S. aluminum makers. This puts China’s currency back on the radar ... [More »]

"Double-Dip" Deepens as Housing Collapses

by Mike Larson | Friday, September 3, 2010 at 7:30am

The Double-Dip recession I’ve been predicting for some time is deepening. And nowhere is the emergence of this powerful economic force more clear than in the housing market. All the fresh economic data confirms ... [More »]

Think Small When Going International

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, September 2, 2010 at 7:30am

You won’t be surprised when I say the U.S. markets are lousy right now. Can you find niches that are performing well? Sure — I often highlight these for you when I see them. But most U.S. stocks and ... [More »]

Government Defaults and Inflation Are the Norm, Not the Exception

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, September 1, 2010 at 7:30am

The past 15 years have certainly been exciting for investors. During the second half of the 1990s we experienced one of the largest stock market bubbles of all times ... and its bursting. Then, only a few ... [More »]

A stock that shrugged off the last recession …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, August 31, 2010 at 7:30am

Back in the fall of 2008, investors were running from the stock market like crazy because recessionary conditions had clearly set in. And with “double-dip” headlines all over the place and the Dow back around ... [More »]

Bernanke Hallucinating

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, August 30, 2010 at 7:30am

If Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke honestly believes what he said at Jackson Hole on Friday — that he can save the economy by printing more money and buying more bonds — he’s hallucinating. Through the first ... [More »]

Two Ways to Prepare for “Tail-Events”

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, August 28, 2010 at 7:30am

With bond yields and stock markets in the world’s major developed economies petering away, more people are asking: Where can we find investment returns? Wall Street’s answer: Emerging markets. The ... [More »]

Why M&A Activity Is Heating Up

by Jeff Manera | Friday, August 27, 2010 at 7:30am

The markets have been taking a beating over the past few weeks. Plunging existing home sales, disappointing jobless claims and weak manufacturing activity numbers are to blame. However, as you can ... [More »]

Play the Yield Curve with New ETNs

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, August 26, 2010 at 7:30am

Many individual investors spend their time thinking about stocks. Which stocks are going up? How high are they going? Should I buy now? These can be important questions, but stocks aren’t the only ... [More »]

Why A Devaluation Wave Could Push Markets To March 2009 Lows

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, August 25, 2010 at 7:30am

As I said in last week’s column, liquidity indicators and leading economic indicators have deteriorated quickly since March. At the same time sentiment indicators reached levels usually seen at stock market ... [More »]

The Perils of Tapping a 401(k)

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, August 24, 2010 at 7:30am

Fidelity just released a new report and it’s pretty depressing. The upshot? A record number of Americans are making hardship withdrawals from their 401(k) retirement plans. Worse yet, the number of U.S. ... [More »]

Transcript: 8 Bold New Forecasts for 2010

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, August 23, 2010 at 7:30am

Exactly one year ago, in the first Weiss global forum, we forecast a massive shift in wealth from Western countries bogged down in debt and recession ... to Asia and emerging markets enjoying rapid growth ... [More »]

Clear Signals That Market Risk Is Elevating

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, August 21, 2010 at 7:30am

It’s no secret the economic data in the U.S. and other major economies have rolled over. That’s why bond yields have taken another nose dive — hitting record lows in Germany and nearing record lows in the ... [More »]

Broken Bank Stocks a Canary in the Market Coal Mine?

by Mike Larson | Friday, August 20, 2010 at 7:30am

If there’s one sector of the stock market that trades like death warmed over, it’s the financials. Bank stocks simply can’t get out of their way these days. Take the KBW Bank Index (BKX) of 24 leading U.S. ... [More »]

Three Ways into South America with ETFs

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, August 19, 2010 at 7:30am

In last week’s column we looked at some ETFs focused on the booming countries of Southeast Asia. Today we’re turning our spyglass in a different direction. We’re looking at the southern portion of the western ... [More »]

The Bond Market Is Signaling Trouble Ahead

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, August 18, 2010 at 7:30am

My outlook for the economy and the stock market has steadily and significantly deteriorated since March 2010. That’s when monetary indicators started to signal renewed emerging stress in the financial system, ... [More »]

Answers to Three Important Dividend Questions

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, August 17, 2010 at 7:30am

I get asked a lot of great questions — both on my blog and through e-mails — and today I want to answer three very important ones that all relate to dividend investing. Let’s start with a major source of ... [More »]

The Most Profitable Global ETFs

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, August 16, 2010 at 7:30am

If you’ve been missing some of Ron Rowland’s columns on exchange traded funds — ETFs — that we publish here each Thursday, then I think you may be making a serious tactical error. I say that for three reasons ... [More »]

Fed's Wake-Up Call Gives the Euro a Dose of Reality

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, August 14, 2010 at 7:30am

The Fed surprised many people this week when it announced it would respond to the deteriorating economy with more efforts to stimulate. It was a splash of cold water on the face of the world, a wake-up call ... [More »]

Fed Policymakers Screw It Up Again!

by Mike Larson | Friday, August 13, 2010 at 7:30am

Albert Einstein famously defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. But apparently the message hasn’t gotten through to the folks in the Eccles Building in ... [More »]

Profit from Booming Southeast Asia with ETFs

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, August 12, 2010 at 7:30am

As you know, I’m a fan of emerging markets and a big proponent of exchange trades funds (ETFs). They fit together almost perfectly. Today I want to focus on one fast-growing region that is getting more and ... [More »]

Major leading indicator in free fall!

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, August 11, 2010 at 7:30am

In my July 14 Money and Markets column, I explained how the Economic Cycle Research Institute’s (ECRI) Weekly Leading Index confirmed my bearish forecast. Back then, the index's growth rate was minus ... [More »]

Income Triple Plays

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, August 10, 2010 at 7:30am

Tomorrow is my dad’s 63rd birthday and his card is on its way. Of course, I already sent him a few presents more than a week ago — the first recommendations for his new income portfolio. And I’m happy ... [More »]

Massive Wealth Shift in Full Swing

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, August 9, 2010 at 7:30am

Martin here with a quick update on foreign markets. One year ago, in our 2009 Global Forum, we forecast a massive shift of wealth — from the United States, bogged down with huge deficits and chronic, ... [More »]

Yen on Intervention Watch

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, August 7, 2010 at 7:30am

As major global economies are beginning to feel the threat of another bout with recession, Japan is dealing with an extra challenge: An unwelcomed strong currency. Weak structural economic fundamentals ... [More »]

The Dismal Jobs Picture – and the Fed's Misguided Medicine

by Mike Larson | Friday, August 6, 2010 at 7:30am

Can we just stop sugarcoating the issue? Dispense with the happy talk? Instead, let’s cut to the chase here: This job market sucks. Plain and simple. By this stage in a true economic recovery, the country ... [More »]

Power-Up Growth and Income with Utilities ETFs

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, August 5, 2010 at 7:30am

Years ago, people would categorize themselves as either "growth" or "income" investors. The latter group typically consisted of people who were either retired or independently wealthy. Today the lines are a ... [More »]

Martin Weiss Interviews Peter Schiff

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Wednesday, August 4, 2010 at 11:30am

When asked about Obama's role in the economy, most Wall Street pundits are content to either cheer or jeer from the sidelines. They give you their opinion. They tell you what to buy or sell. And then ... [More »]

GDP Report Adds to My Bearish Forecast

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, August 4, 2010 at 7:30am

The Commerce Department confirmed what I’ve been saying for weeks: The economy is in shambles, there is no growth momentum and the next bear market leg is about to strike! Last Friday the Commerce ... [More »]

A new mortgage fee; Plus, five golden rules …

by Amber Dakar | Tuesday, August 3, 2010 at 7:30am

If you’re in the market to buy a new home, be aware that the U.S. Treasury Department is considering a new mortgage fee to fund the backstops it gives for loans purchased through Fannie Mae and Freddie ... [More »]

The Dangerous Game of Confidence

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, August 2, 2010 at 7:30am

We are near a major turn in markets and preparing landmark new recommendations this week. So I’m going to be very brief and get straight to the point: Wall Street brokers and pundits seem to think their ... [More »]

How to Cut the Risk in Your Portfolio

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, July 31, 2010 at 7:30am

I normally talk only about currencies in my Money and Markets columns. But today I want to make an exception and address some commonly held misconceptions many investors have about their ... [More »]

Solving the Mystery of the "Great Disconnect"

by Mike Larson | Friday, July 30, 2010 at 7:30am

We have a “Great Disconnect” on our hands. On Monday, the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas released its latest manufacturing survey. This wasn’t old, stale data; the survey was conducted in mid-July ... [More »]

The Number of ETFs Is Exploding

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, July 29, 2010 at 7:30am

As I watch the exchange-traded fund (ETF) universe grow, I keep having flashbacks to the huge increase in the number of mutual funds in the 1990s. Back then everyone wanted to own large cap growth funds ... [More »]

European Banking Stress Test: Much Ado about Nothing

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, July 28, 2010 at 7:30am

On Friday the Committee of European Banking Supervisors (CEBS) revealed the results of its banking sector stress test. The objective of the test, in the CEBS's dry words, was to "provide policy ... [More »]

The Best Sectors for Dividends Now …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, July 27, 2010 at 7:30am

Last week, I told you where my favorite places were to get solid income and protection from a possible double-dip recession. Today, I want to follow-up on that theme by telling you about some of ... [More »]

Four Shocking Bombshells Bernanke Did NOT Tell Congress About Last Week

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, July 26, 2010 at 7:30am

In his testimony before Congress last week, Ben Bernanke lifted the Fed’s skirt and gave us a glimpse of the disasters now sweeping through the U.S. economy. But there are four bombshells he did NOT talk about ... [More »]

Why Currencies Play an Important Role in Earnings

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, July 24, 2010 at 7:30am

It’s earnings season. And more and more companies are talking about currencies. The headlines read like this ... “Weak Euro a Drain on S&P 500 Revenues” “Currency Fluctuations Wipe $500 Million off IBM ... [More »]

Where's the Credit?

by Mike Larson | Friday, July 23, 2010 at 7:30am

I used to love those Wendy’s commercials in the 1980s. You know, the ones that mocked the burger patties at competing restaurants with the catchphrase “Where’s the beef?” Today, I can’t help but ask a ... [More »]

Make the Trend Your Friend with Bond ETFs

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, July 22, 2010 at 7:30am

Recent economic data is pointing toward a second wave of recession ... and maybe even outright deflation. One key consequence: Long-term interest rates are low and getting lower. Today I’m going to ... [More »]

China Has a Painful Surprise for the Global Economy

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, July 21, 2010 at 7:30am

China implemented one of the world’s most aggressive economic stimulus programs to fight the recession of 2008. And the country went on something akin to a debt binge. Credit growth surged as much 50 percent ... [More »]

Where to Find Recession-Proof Stocks

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, July 20, 2010 at 7:30am

Isn't it amazing how quickly the mainstream media talk has turned from green shoots and recoveries to double-dip recessions and a whole laundry list of new economic worries? The whimsical nature ... [More »]

Transcript: Four Profit Bonanzas for Turbulent Times

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, July 19, 2010 at 7:30am

Rarely are the signs of an economic downturn as clear as they are today — collapsing consumer confidence, sinking retail sales, another round of housing market troubles, and much more. And even more rarely ... [More »]

What the Big Mac Can Tell You about Currencies

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, July 17, 2010 at 7:30am

Currencies have experienced a massive wave of volatility in the past three years. Driving some of that volatility are the early stages of a sovereign debt and currency crisis. As I laid out in my June 26 ... [More »]

Pushing on a String … Again?

by Mike Larson | Friday, July 16, 2010 at 7:30am

In the wake of the latest batch of “double-dip” chatter, the market’s attention is shifting back to the Federal Reserve. Investors are asking a simple question: “What, if anything, will the Fed do if the ... [More »]

Capitalizing on the Rich

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, July 15, 2010 at 7:30am

Do you want to be rich — or are you already there? The answer, of course, depends on how you define “rich.” Today we’ll look at this surprisingly difficult question — and then consider a few exchange traded ... [More »]

Latest ECRI Weekly Leading Indicator Confirms My Bearish Outlook!

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, July 14, 2010 at 7:30am

In last week’s Money and Markets column, I recommended getting out of the stock market. This was based on my cyclical model having turned bearish. Plus there was a clear breakout of the S&P 500 and many ... [More »]

Galveston vs. Social Security

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, July 13, 2010 at 7:30am

I have devoted a number of my recent columns to the problems with Social Security and many state pension plans. And in one particular article, I also told you how the Amish have used a little known ... [More »]

Profiting From Economic Schizophrenia

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, July 12, 2010 at 7:30am

If last week’s massive price swings in the U.S. stock market proved anything, it’s that the world’s investors are massively confused. They have every right to be. After all, even the world’s most respected ... [More »]

Your Chance to Profit as the Euro Rally Fizzles Out

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, July 10, 2010 at 7:30am

Over the past month, the talk from European officials about the sovereign debt crisis has gone relatively quiet. Meanwhile, the euro has bounced aggressively from 1.1877 to over 1.27 versus the dollar. It's ... [More »]

More "Stress Test" Hokum, this Time in Europe

by Mike Larson | Friday, July 9, 2010 at 7:30am

Of all the questionable bailout and backstop programs the government rolled out in the wake of the credit crisis, the whole “stress test” episode for the banks stands out the most. The idea was that the Fed and ... [More »]

What the Tour de France Can Teach You About Investing

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, July 8, 2010 at 7:30am

I love the Tour de France. That’s why about this time last year, I gave you Three Investing Lessons from that venerable athletic event. The comparison between bicycle racing and investment success seemed ... [More »]

Five Signs Telling Me the Bear Market Is Back

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, July 7, 2010 at 7:30am

The stock market’s rise since the March 2009 lows was nothing more than a bear market rally. Yes, it was a huge rally, but not out of the realm of similar historical examples. Low trading volume, still high ... [More »]

State Pension Woes Only Worsening …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, July 6, 2010 at 7:30am

I know some investors right now who are making major mistakes when it comes to retirement planning ... First, they have been consistently underestimating how much money they’ll need down the line. In ... [More »]

The Morning After: An Extreme New World

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, July 5, 2010 at 7:30am

I trust you’ve had a great Independence Day! In four days, we will have published 1,776 editions of Money and Markets — one for every year between the birth of Christ and the birth of our nation. But, right now ... [More »]

Three Key Markets Pointing to More Economic Pain Ahead

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, July 3, 2010 at 7:30am

In the past two weeks, we’ve seen China de-peg its currency from the dollar, the UK roll out historical fiscal austerity measures and Japan release details on a plan to tackle its massive debt load. The knee-jerk ... [More »]

Double-Dip Recession Warning Signs Everywhere! Batten Down the Hatches!

by Mike Larson | Friday, July 2, 2010 at 7:30am

The bright red warning signs of a double-dip recession are flashing everywhere. And I do mean EVERYWHERE. In just the past few days, we learned that ... New home sales imploded 33 percent to ... [More »]

Six Ways to Brazil

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, July 1, 2010 at 7:30am

Anyone familiar with international investing knows about Brazil. It’s hard to ignore the fifth largest country in the world by geography and population, the South American commodities powerhouse, and the largest ... [More »]

Gold Mining Stocks on Verge of Breaking Out!

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, June 30, 2010 at 7:30am

The long-term story for a gold and a gold mining stocks bull market is clear and easy to grasp: Dubious monetary policy and irresponsible fiscal policy with government debt rising all over the world are a ... [More »]

Yet Another Bailout for Reckless Savers and Investors?

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 7:30am

We all watched in horror as Washington bailed out failing financial institutions ... dishonest lenders ... and greedy borrowers and speculators with our tax dollars. And as responsible savers and investors, we ... [More »]

Derivative Monster: Alive and Kicking Despite Reforms

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, June 28, 2010 at 7:30am

Anyone who thinks the new financial reform law will save us from the next debt disaster must be dreaming. Here are the facts ... Fact: The U.S. derivatives that helped cause the last debt crisis ... [More »]

The Big Picture, Part II: Following the Worst Crisis Since the Great Depression

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, June 26, 2010 at 7:30am

Last week, I laid out some important historical context for establishing a solid perspective on the big picture — a broad view of where the global economy stands and what we should expect going forward ... [More »]

Lousy Economy Pulling Rug Out From Under Housing

by Mike Larson | Friday, June 25, 2010 at 7:30am

Heads up, folks! It’s time for a very important housing market update from the front lines. More than a year ago in these cyberpages, I told you that housing was stabilizing. All my indicators pointed to an ... [More »]

ETFs for the Gold Bull Market

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 7:30am

A little over a year ago I told you about Four Easy Ways to Trade Gold With ETFs. Since then, gold has shot up from below $1,000 to as high as $1,265.30 this past Monday. Is it going still higher? If so, you ... [More »]

Two Leading Indicators Pointing to Another Recession

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, June 23, 2010 at 7:30am

There are two well-known and important leading economic indexes for the U.S. economy: The Conference Board’s Leading Economic Index (LEI), and The Weekly U.S. Leading Economic Index published by the ... [More »]

Transcript: Extreme Income Portfolio Makeover

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, June 22, 2010 at 7:30am

Washington has shown a complete disregard for our nation’s savers, especially those in — or near — retirement. Interest rates on traditional income investments are being kept artificially low ... [More »]

4 Urgent Warnings From The Most Unlikely Source

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, June 21, 2010 at 7:30am

A former emperor with no clothes is finally telling the naked truth. His name: Alan Greenspan. His primary role in history: Chief architect of the boom-and-bust cycle that caused the fiscal madness he now ... [More »]

The Big Picture, Part I: Following the Worst Crisis Since the Great Depression

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, June 19, 2010 at 7:30am

It’s easy to lose perspective on where the global economy stands ... to be confused by the daily deluge of information. So today, in the first of a two-part series, I want to give you some perspective on the big-picture and where we are today ... [More »]

The "Snowball" Scenario Sinks Sovereigns

by Mike Larson | Friday, June 18, 2010 at 7:30am

A blockbuster draft report from the European Commission saw the light of day recently, thanks to some reporting from Bloomberg. It highlights an incredibly dangerous Catch-22 facing many sovereign nations ... [More »]

Get Outside the Style Box with ETFs

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, June 17, 2010 at 7:30am

You’ve likely heard these investment buzzwords on TV or read them in the business section of your newspaper: Buy small-cap value! Look for opportunities in mid-cap growth! Go to large-caps for safety ... [More »]

Two Consequences of the Stimulus Programs Washington Wants You to Ignore!

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, June 16, 2010 at 7:30am

Over the past two years, we’ve seen the largest stimulus policies the world has ever produced. As a result, sovereign debt and central banks’ balance sheet holdings have gone through the roof! A glance at the ... [More »]

Three Ways to Get Downside Protection with Dividend Stocks

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, June 15, 2010 at 7:30am

You have only today and tomorrow to register for the urgent phone call I’m holding with my dad this Thursday at noon. During that call, I’ll tell you and Dad how to revamp your income portfolio to get an ... [More »]

Glimpses of the End Game

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, June 14, 2010 at 7:30am

Anyone not blinded by greed can plainly see the sick cycle we’re in: First, the government helps create a great asset bubble. Next, the government-created bubble bursts under a dark cloud of hardship for ... [More »]

The Dollar’s Bull Market Is Just Getting Started!

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, June 12, 2010 at 7:30am

The dollar index has surged 20 percent since last November. And this week, it was sniffing around its 2009 high! That’s pretty impressive, especially given that the 2009 high was driven by an across the board ... [More »]

Debt Facade Cracking in U.K. as Sovereign Contagion Spreads

by Mike Larson | Friday, June 11, 2010 at 7:30am

When Greece’s markets first started cracking wide open, a lot of claptrap spewed forth from Wall Street. The general consensus: The problems in Athens would stay bottled up in Athens. They would remain ... [More »]

Six Beaten Down ETFs in the Southern Hemisphere

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, June 10, 2010 at 7:30am

For the past two weeks, I’ve talked about exchange traded fund (ETF) bottom-fishing. First we looked at nine domestic sector ETFs, then last week we reviewed six opportunities in Europe. The financial crisis is ... [More »]

Another Warning Bell Rings for the Stock Market

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, June 9, 2010 at 7:30am

A short four weeks ago, the stock market impressed us with what was later dubbed a flash crash — a sudden 1,000 point plunge in the Dow Industrial Average, followed by an equally fast retracement of half ... [More »]

The income investments Dad and I are going to talk about next week …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, June 8, 2010 at 7:30am

Next week, my Dad and I are going to have a heart-to-heart talk about an extreme makeover for his income portfolio. First on my list of income investments to propose to Dad are my favorite , crash-resistant, ... [More »]

The Biggest Shock of All

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, June 7, 2010 at 7:30am

Why did the specter of collapse in far-away Hungary help sink the Dow by 323 points on Friday? And why did similar scenarios in Greece, Spain, and Portugal trigger the Dow’s 1,000-point Flash Crash one ... [More »]

U.S. Stocks Offer Important Signals for Currency Investors

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, June 5, 2010 at 7:30am

Currencies represent the truest reflection of economic fundamentals and market sentiment. Therefore, they continue to be an important segment of the financial markets to watch. Since the “flash crash” in the ... [More »]

Economy Stalling as Easy Money Effect Wears Off!

by Mike Larson | Friday, June 4, 2010 at 7:30am

The evidence is coming fast and furious — and it all points in the same direction! Washington’s “bought and paid for” economic recovery is stalling out as the easy money effect wears off. Just consider what ... [More »]

Beaten-Down ETFs Part II: Europe

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, June 3, 2010 at 7:30am

Last week I told you to keep your eyes on nine sector ETFs that have been crushed in the recent market downturn. Today I’m going to continue the same discussion starting with beaten-down ETF #10. This ... [More »]

The Euro Is Washed Up — But the Dollar Is No Better

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, June 2, 2010 at 7:30am

Greece has made it obvious: The euro is doomed. This fact had been obvious to all the euro critics from the very beginning. All the arguments against the possibility of a common currency for very disparate ... [More »]

Your worst retirement nightmare …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, June 1, 2010 at 7:30am

Wow! My dad was here visiting over the holiday weekend, and in between a round of golf and some barbecuing, I showed him all the great comments flooding my blog. He was amazed and relieved to hear ... [More »]

From Our Family to Yours

by The Entire Money and Markets Team | Monday, May 31, 2010 at 7:30am

Our Money and Markets family — including editors, contributors, spouses, and children — are growing; and we hope yours is too. We all join hands ¬¬to remember our loved ones who have fallen and to wish you a peaceful Memorial Day! [More »]

China's Currency Manipulation: About to Cause a Global Explosion?

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, May 29, 2010 at 7:30am

Tim Geithner, Hillary Clinton and 200 other American bigwigs visited China this week. First on the agenda: China’s position on the rising tensions between North and South Korea. With the rest of the ... [More »]

Credit Crisis Indicators Going Bonkers Again! Batten Down the Hatches!

by Mike Larson | Friday, May 28, 2010 at 7:30am

Heads up people. Something very big is happening in the global credit markets — something you darn well better pay attention to. The very same “Credit Crisis” indicators that were flashing red before the ... [More »]

Nine Beaten-Down ETF Bargains

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, May 27, 2010 at 7:30am

In case you haven’t noticed, most of the world’s stock markets took a hard fall the last few weeks. Exchange traded funds (ETFs) got walloped, too. Is the selling over? Perhaps. But even if we ... [More »]

Beware of Any Short-Term Rallies!

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 7:30am

Things have changed rather quickly for the stock market. Up until two weeks ago it was very difficult for a technical analyst to make a bearish argument. All over the world the big indexes were trending ... [More »]

Here's how to get our list of weakest and strongest banks …

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Tuesday, May 25, 2010 at 5:11pm

Yesterday, I promised to give you free access to Weiss Ratings’ list of weakest and strongest banks. With 73 bank failures so far this year, double last year’s pace, this information is especially important ... [More »]

What Is My Dad Doing for His Retirement?

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, May 25, 2010 at 7:30am

I’m getting so many reader questions about my parents’ Social Security and retirement, I could write a book about them. You want to know: What are my parents planning for their retirement? What ... [More »]

Weiss Ratings: 20 Giant Banks Still Vulnerable

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, May 24, 2010 at 7:30am

Later this morning, Weiss Ratings is issuing a landmark press release, warning that 20 giant U.S. banks are still vulnerable to serious financial difficulties — and even failure. (I’ll name them in a moment.) ... [More »]

Massive Currency and Debt Devaluations Lie Ahead

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, May 22, 2010 at 7:30am

The run-up in the stock market from March 2009 until last month was sharp and rewarding ... for some. But there was one problem, it came with disproportional risk. You see, the stock market rose to an extent ... [More »]

Missed the MoneyShow? Then Don’t Miss Out on This!

by Mike Larson | Friday, May 21, 2010 at 7:30am

I was in Las Vegas last week for the MoneyShow — and let me tell you, it was a blast! I enjoy meeting subscribers face to face, and I really appreciate the tough, probing questions that were asked of me ... [More »]

Our SIXTH Warning: Dow in Danger!

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Thursday, May 20, 2010 at 4:07pm

By my count, this is at least our SIXTH clear, unambiguous warning of danger in the Dow — sent to you in just the last 60 days! On March 27, Mike Burnick warned you — right here in Money and Markets ... [More »]

All Crude Oil Is Similar, But Crude Oil ETFs Are Not

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, May 20, 2010 at 7:30am

You may have noticed that crude oil prices plunged over the last few weeks. On May 3, the June crude oil futures peaked at more than $87. Then on Monday, May 17 the same contract slipped below $70 ... [More »]

Five Tips for Trading ETFs

by Ron Rowland | Wednesday, May 19, 2010 at 7:30am

Every week I tell you about exchange traded funds (ETFs) that you can use for various investment purposes. You could be wondering, though, what’s the best way to buy them. So in today’s column I’ll ... [More »]

Wow! Thanks for Sharing Your Thoughts on Social Security …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, May 18, 2010 at 7:30am

Last week’s column on the Amish opting out of Social Security generated a tremendous response. Within a few hours of publication, I had hundreds of comments on my blog. I want you to know that I appreciated ... [More »]

Sovereign Debt Crisis: Emergency Strategy Update

by Larry Edelson | Monday, May 17, 2010 at 7:30am

Just days ago, the cradle of Western democracy — Greece — was in flames! Rioters attacked banks, businesses and government buildings. The entire country plunged into chaos. Spain, Portugal ... [More »]

Gold Forecasts and Golden Profits

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Sunday, May 16, 2010 at 7:30am

Larry Edelson's gold forecasts have been so accurate — and his recommendations so profitable — we are doing everything humanly possible to help make sure you don't miss them. We held a major ... [More »]

Japan: The Sleeping Sovereign Debt Giant

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, May 15, 2010 at 7:30am

Over the course of this year in my Money and Markets columns I've presented some compelling reasons why the euro zone and the euro were in for a life threatening crisis. And despite the general consensus ... [More »]

Budget-Busting Bailouts in Europe to Drive Global Debt Burden Higher!

by Mike Larson | Friday, May 14, 2010 at 7:30am

I’ve been out in Las Vegas this week for the MoneyShow. So naturally, I have gaming on the brain. My conclusion after reading the latest news out of Europe? The European Central Bank (ECB) and ... [More »]

What ETF Investors Can Learn from the May 6 Flash Crash

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, May 13, 2010 at 7:30am

If you had any doubt that today’s markets aren’t what they used to be, it should be gone after last Thursday. U.S. stocks were already having a bad day thanks to riots in Greece, elections in ... [More »]

A Topping Formation Is Taking Shape

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, May 12, 2010 at 7:30am

The economy and the stock market usually don’t turn on a dime. Their behavior is more like an oil tanker, needing time and space to change direction. In the stock market this shift is called a topping ... [More »]

Just Saying No to Social Security …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, May 11, 2010 at 7:30am

Lancaster — known throughout the U.S. as Pennsylvania Dutch Country — is about 40 minutes away from my house. And whenever I pass through the area, I'm reminded of what it means to be ... [More »]

Weiss Ratings' challenge to S&P, Moody’s, and Fitch: Downgrade the Long-Term Debt of the United States Before It’s Too Late

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, May 10, 2010 at 7:30am

Dear S&P, Moody’s, and Fitch, You are the world’s three dominant rating agencies, largely controlling the ratings of bonds and debts issued by thousands of corporations, municipalities, and sovereign governments. [More »]

Europe WANTS a Lower Euro

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, May 8, 2010 at 7:30am

The euro is in devaluation mode ... in a sharp 17 percent decline against the dollar over the past five months. And I’ve written extensively on why, and why it still has further to go. Now I believe a covert ... [More »]

Greek Crisis Turns Deadly Serious; Will the World’s Governments Learn from It?

by Mike Larson | Friday, May 7, 2010 at 7:30am

This week, the financial crisis in Greece turned deadly serious. No longer are investors just losing boatloads of money. People are starting to lose their lives! The latest bout of chaos struck on Wednesday during ... [More »]

Great news: Weiss Ratings is back!

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Thursday, May 6, 2010 at 9:00am

Jupiter, Florida, May 6, 2010 — Weiss Group, LLC, a leading provider of independent research and ratings since 1971, has announced today that it has bought back the bank and insurance company ratings ... [More »]

Add Energy Income with an MLP ETN

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, May 6, 2010 at 7:30am

You’re probably having a tough time these days if you live off the interest from your investment portfolio. For example, according to Bankrate.com, money market accounts are now yielding a paltry 0.76 percent ... [More »]

How to Protect Your Wealth from the Greek Calamity

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, May 5, 2010 at 7:30am

The Greek government is bankrupt. Simply put: It has systematically spent much more than it could afford. Now the inevitable day of reckoning has arrived. A 110-billion euro bailout package by other European governments and the IMF has been announced. But can this political rescue solve Greece’s ... [More »]

Is it too late to buy stocks?

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, May 4, 2010 at 7:30am

I love fielding intelligent questions on the markets and other financial topics, and lately you’ve been sending me plenty of them. For example, a Dividend Superstars subscriber named Sharlene recently ... [More »]

The Great Interest-Rate Explosion of 2010-2011 How to Protect Your Wealth and Profit

by Mike Larson | Monday, May 3, 2010 at 7:30am

The dot-com bubble of the late 1990s. The housing bubble of the mid-2000s. They both wreaked massive havoc on investor portfolios. Trillions were lost ... both here and abroad. At Weiss Research, we take ... [More »]

The Dominos Are Lining Up for a Sovereign Debt Crisis!

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, May 1, 2010 at 7:30am

Boy, what a week! I’ve been warning about a troubled euro and a building sovereign debt crisis for some time. And the bond and currency market activities this past week are a clear example that the ... [More »]

Financial Ebola Sweeps Through Global Bond Markets

by Mike Larson | Friday, April 30, 2010 at 7:30am

The cost of borrowing for the Greek government shot up almost NINE-FOLD in the span of six months. That is bond market Armageddon. And it’s playing right on the trading screen of every investor around ... [More »]

Greece, Europe and ETFs

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, April 29, 2010 at 7:30am

When Americans hear about Greece, the first thought that comes to mind is usually “ancient history.” Now Greece is all over the headlines for its financial woes. But if truth be told ... [More »]

A Clear Warning Sign: Global Liquidity Is Drying Up!

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, April 28, 2010 at 7:30am

In last week’s Money and Markets column I told you the majority of my indicators are signaling that the stock market has probably entered the last phase of its medium-term uptrend, which began in ... [More »]

Early earnings season indicators looking good …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, April 27, 2010 at 7:30am

Yet another earnings season is upon us, and so far things are looking good. For example, through the middle of last week about 85 stocks in the S&P 500 (worth 26 percent of the index’s total value) ... [More »]

Rising Taxes, Shrinking Social Security: Help Secure Your Retirement Now

by Sharon A. Daniels | Monday, April 26, 2010 at 3:00pm

If you’re retired, or soon will be, then you are probably concerned about making your wealth last through the golden years. Of course, you want to be prepared financially so you won’t have to make any ... [More »]

Rising Rates Right Around the Corner! Protect Yourself NOW!

by Mike Larson | Monday, April 26, 2010 at 7:30am

Benjamin Franklin once called death and taxes the only certainties in this world. These days, I’d add rising interest rates! I believe they’re coming ... that the Federal Reserve is powerless to stop the inevitable ... [More »]

Greek domino topples; Rest of the "PIIGS" next!

by Mike Larson | Sunday, April 25, 2010 at 7:30am

It’s Sunday morning and I’m enjoying some quality time with my two girls. Yesterday it was a local baseball game; today they’re all excited about seeing the new “Oceans” movie. I guess you could say it’s ... [More »]

Watch the Euro for Important Clues on Global Markets

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, April 24, 2010 at 7:30am

If you’re looking for clues on where stocks, commodities and global economies are headed, you might be better served keeping a close eye on the euro, rather than on the incoming stream of corporate ... [More »]

Housing Market Changes Open Surprising Pockets of Investment Value

by Mike Larson | Friday, April 23, 2010 at 7:30am

Boy did last week’s column prompt a lot of comments. And frankly I’m not surprised. Many people thought I was nuts when I called the housing market top in 2005. They simply didn’t believe my prediction that ... [More »]

Goldman Sachs and ETFs

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, April 22, 2010 at 7:30am

Last week the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission filed a civil lawsuit against Goldman Sachs (GS) alleging fraud. And the news hit Wall Street like a volcano! Of course the SEC sues companies ... [More »]

The Stock Market Is Starting to Look Toppy

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, April 21, 2010 at 7:30am

From a big-picture perspective, the stock market’s advance off the March 2009 low is nothing more than a huge, bear market rally. To understand how I come to that conclusion, just look at two classical ... [More »]

Teaching Your 401(k) to Roll Over and Other Tricks

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, April 20, 2010 at 7:30am

Last week’s column talked about some of the “everyman” tax shelters available these days — including 401(k) plans and IRAs. Today I want to talk about how those two different accounts relate to each ... [More »]

14 Risks with Supposedly "Safest" Securities

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, April 19, 2010 at 7:30am

When AT&T, California, New York City or virtually any other borrower wants your money and offers its bonds for sale, it’s required to give you a prospectus that properly discloses all the relevant risks. It has a legal ... [More »]

How Greece Can Impact YOU!

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, April 17, 2010 at 7:30am

The economic problems in Greece have made front page news for the better part of the past three months. And I’ve written several columns here in Money and Markets on the ongoing drama and its influence ... [More »]

Helpful Selling Lessons for Today's Housing Market

by Mike Larson | Friday, April 16, 2010 at 7:30am

By now you should know I believe the biggest story for the capital markets is no longer housing. It’s interest rates. But that doesn’t mean I’m ignoring the housing market. Far from it. Heck, you could say ... [More »]

Zero in on Small Cap Sectors with New ETFs

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, April 15, 2010 at 7:30am

The exchange traded fund (ETF) menu is getting bigger all the time. Many of the new ETFs you hear about are just “me-too” clones of existing funds. But every once in a while something truly innovative comes ... [More »]

Have We Entered A Bond Bear Market?

by Sharon A. Daniels | Wednesday, April 14, 2010 at 7:30am

Bond investors were poised to hit the panic button last week ... nervously watching as yields on 10-Year U.S. Treasury bonds briefly pierced the 4 percent level for the first time in well over a year. Their ... [More »]

Three Cheers for Tax Shelters!

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, April 13, 2010 at 7:30am

Okay, before you get the wrong idea ... today’s article is not going to talk about hiding money in foreign countries or any other strategy that is either suspicious or outright illegal. Cheating on your taxes is ... [More »]

Surging Interest Rates Ahead, Part I

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, April 12, 2010 at 7:30am

Brace yourself for one of the greatest interest-rate surges in decades — beginning first in the long-term Treasury markets … later spreading to shorter term Treasuries … and ultimately enveloping nearly every ... [More »]

Global Markets Giving Three More Warning Signals for the Euro

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, April 10, 2010 at 7:30am

It’s been two weeks since the bailout speculation surrounding the Achilles’ heel of the euro zone, Greece, has had some closure. European officials kept the balls in the air as long as they could in an attempt ... [More »]

Why I Worry So Much about Bonds

by Mike Larson | Friday, April 9, 2010 at 7:30am

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before ... First, the Federal Reserve slashes interest rates and floods the economy with cheap, easy money. Second, some asset class starts to benefit from the influx of ... [More »]

Get Aboard the Trend in Consumer Spending with Sector ETFs

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, April 8, 2010 at 7:30am

I’m a consumer. You’re a consumer. In fact, just about everyone you know is a consumer. But in these tough economic times, we often have to prioritize. On the other hand, not everyone is closely ... [More »]

5 Unconventional Ways to Save

by Amber Dakar | Wednesday, April 7, 2010 at 7:30am

Federal income tax returns are due in eight days. And as you’re scrambling to get yours finished, how you’ve spent your money in 2009 should be fresh on your mind. That’s why this is a great time to start ... [More »]

Your Choices for Keep-Safe Cash

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, April 6, 2010 at 7:30am

Every time Easter approaches, I find myself thinking of baskets, eggs and all the other words we investors typically associate with portfolios and diversification. So I was certainly ready with plenty of ... [More »]

Foreign markets surge again! Where. Why. What to do.

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, April 5, 2010 at 7:30am

Martin here with a quick follow-up to last Monday's "The Great Dichotomy! Again!" While U.S. markets have gained a bit more in the last few days, the key foreign markets I told you about have literally ... [More »]

Europe: Out of Time-Outs

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, April 3, 2010 at 7:30am

In sports, if the opposition is on a roll and the momentum is squarely against you ... you need a “time-out.” This interruption in action can break the rhythm of the opposing team and give your team a moment ... [More »]

Obama’s Bank Tax Plan — the Real Economic Consequences

by Monty Agarwal | Friday, April 2, 2010 at 4:00pm

President Obama plans to introduce a fee on the largest banks in the country — those with assets greater than $50 billion — in an effort to get back “every single dime” for the taxpayers. This levy will start June ... [More »]

Feds Scrutinizing Derivatives in ETFs

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, April 1, 2010 at 7:30am

Last week I told you about political risk in exchange traded funds (ETFs). Almost as if on cue, later that very day, the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) announced it is conducting a “review” of ... [More »]

Quiz: How Financially Savvy Are You?

by Amber Dakar | Wednesday, March 31, 2010 at 7:30am

Since April is just one day away I thought I’d give you more information about what makes this month so special. April is known for several monthly observances and celebrations. Did you know April ... [More »]

Why I Just Recommended Two Industrials

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, March 30, 2010 at 7:30am

If you read this column with any frequency, you know that I have continued to argue that the best values in U.S. stocks remain in defensive areas like consumer staples and utilities. So why, then, did I just ... [More »]

The Great Dichotomy! Again!

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, March 29, 2010 at 7:30am

While the U.S. economy is still bogged down by massive federal deficits and a new wave of home foreclosures, key foreign economies are already leaping ahead without those heavy burdens. Just look ... [More »]

Three Defensive Plays for the Next Market Sell-off

by Mike Burnick | Saturday, March 27, 2010 at 7:30am

Since Bryan is on vacation this week, Martin asked me to pinch-hit as a guest editor today. And it couldn’t come at a better time, because at present, the Weiss Capital Management† investment team is is on ... [More »]

Bond Market Verdict: Treasuries Riskier Than Toilet Paper!

by Mike Larson | Friday, March 26, 2010 at 7:30am

I have a lot of respect for Warren Buffett. As Nilus has noted before, he’s one of the world’s best long-term investors. He has a knack for buying low and selling high. And his Berkshire Hathaway holding company ... [More »]

Controlling Political Risk with ETFs

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, March 25, 2010 at 7:30am

Even if you aren’t very interested in politics, you have to admit that political factors can have a huge impact on your investments. These days government policy affects everything — for better or worse ... [More »]

How Perceptions Have Changed

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, March 24, 2010 at 7:30am

Not long ago the euro was rising, and everybody seemed to hate the U.S dollar. During that market phase I constantly asked a rhetorical question: Why do you think the euro is any better than the dollar? Now ... [More »]

Three Things Your Investments Must Do

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, March 23, 2010 at 7:30am

Yet another Federal Reserve meeting is now behind us, and I’m wondering why I even bother to read the releases anymore. After all, Bernanke & Co. pretty much say the same thing month in and month out ... [More »]

Bernanke Running Amuck

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, March 22, 2010 at 7:30am

Fed Chairman Bernanke is running amuck, and for the first time since the birth of the U.S. dollar, our government is egregiously abusing ... [More »]

Next Leg for the Euro: Down

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, March 20, 2010 at 7:30am

There are two major issues facing global currencies in the months ahead. And both have escalated in the past week. Issue #1: The Greek Drama. Act I: Sovereign debt fears. In the first act of the euro-zone ... [More »]

Another Challenge for Bonds?

by Mike Larson | Friday, March 19, 2010 at 7:30am

It should be pretty clear that I’m bearish on the bond market. The massive budget deficits and debts we’re racking up should hammer Treasury prices. So should the steadily growing concern about the credit ... [More »]

How to Trade the BRICs with ETFs

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, March 18, 2010 at 7:30am

You’ve heard of the BRIC countries, right? Brazil, Russia, India and China are the four top emerging markets. For various reasons, all have much better long-term prospects than most of the so-called "developed" ... [More »]

The Economy Is Not Always the Stock Market Driver

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 7:30am

In the long run, economic development and — especially — corporate earnings are the main drivers of stock market performance. But this relationship is very loose. It becomes tight only if your time horizon is ... [More »]

More Retirement Disasters

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, March 16, 2010 at 7:30am

I can’t believe the number of frightening retirement stories I’ve seen in just the last week. They suggest that the vast majority of our country’s citizens are completely unprepared for life after work. They point ... [More »]

The Great Credit Squeeze

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, March 15, 2010 at 7:30am

If you think that the sovereign debt crisis is mostly behind us ... that America’s federal deficit is turning into a non-issue ... or that we can just go back to business as usual ... you’d better consider the ... [More »]

The Four Stages of the Prospective Dollar Bull Market

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, March 13, 2010 at 7:30am

Since last November, the dollar has climbed steadily against a basket of currencies — most notably against the euro. And based on my analysis, I think it’s just the early stages of this trend. In fact, for many ... [More »]

How to Survive The Three Most Imminent Disasters of 2010-2012

by Sean Brodrick | Friday, March 12, 2010 at 1:54pm

Needless to say, I’m delighted to see my book surge to #2! But what pleases me even more is the fact that more investors are finally learning how to take urgently-needed steps to prepare for THREE major ... [More »]

Politicians: “Don't Like the Message? Shoot the Messenger!”

by Mike Larson | Friday, March 12, 2010 at 7:30am

Okay, stop me if you’ve heard this one ... You have an entity that took on too much debt. It cooked its books. It failed to get its fiscal house in order. Its “executives” repeatedly refused to take the ... [More »]

Five Reasons I’m Skeptical About Target-Date ETFs

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, March 11, 2010 at 7:30am

Are you planning to retire someday? Unless you are already retired the answer is almost certainly “Yes.” It’s the American Dream! Of course, there’s nothing magical about age 65. Some people end their ... [More »]

Market Breadth Medium-Term Bullish

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, March 10, 2010 at 7:30am

There is a lot more to the stock market than just the popular averages everybody is talking about. You see, when the averages move you can’t tell how many stocks participated, so you don’t know how broad that ... [More »]

The 3 most IMMINENT disasters. How to survive …

by Sean Brodrick | Tuesday, March 9, 2010 at 12:52pm

Of all the major disasters and threats to your security ahead — and all the major profit opportunities — three stand out as the most imminent of all: Disaster #1: America’s Empire of Debt. If you think ... [More »]

The Dividends Are Flowing Again …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, March 9, 2010 at 7:30am

Last year’s dividend numbers were the worst in more than half a century, as corporations large and small struggled with a lack of financing, weak economic conditions, and poor earnings. But now, things are ... [More »]

Gravest Dangers and Greatest Profits

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, March 8, 2010 at 7:30am

We now face the gravest financial dangers — and the greatest profit opportunities — in two generations. But before I tell you about what the future could bring, let me tell you how my family and I have ... [More »]

The $21 Billion Hot Potato

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Sunday, March 7, 2010 at 7:30am

With global investors attacking any sovereign government that's running massive deficits or stuck with a pile of bad debts ... And with Uncle Sam obviously the world's greatest debtor, beggar and ... [More »]

British Pound in for a Sharp Fall?

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, March 6, 2010 at 7:30am

In my December 26 Money and Markets column I focused on the outlook for 2010, and the looming threats to global risk appetite. I warned that sovereign debt problems posed a major threat to global ... [More »]

Brits Pounded As Debts, Deficits Hit Home. Next Up: Us!

by Mike Larson | Friday, March 5, 2010 at 7:30am

Boy are things getting ugly in the U.K. The British currency, the pound, is getting crushed. The price of long-term British debt securities, called gilts, is heading down. And the cost of default insurance on the ... [More »]

Three ETFs for Rising Interest Rates

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, March 4, 2010 at 7:30am

Wall Street is obsessed with interest rates. Many consumers are, too, especially anyone who wants to buy a home or car. There’s a good reason for this: Debt — or you might call it “leverage” — is the ... [More »]

IMF Doubles Inflation Target!

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, March 3, 2010 at 7:30am

I grew up in Germany, a country that went through hyperinflation twice during the 20th Century. Maybe that’s the reason I learned inflation is bad and inflationary policies are diabolic. Inflationary periods are ... [More »]

New Wisdom from Berkshire Hathaway

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, March 2, 2010 at 7:30am

It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Warren Buffett (and his business partner Charlie Munger, too). That’s why I eagerly await the release of Berkshire Hathaway’s annual shareholder reports. The latest ... [More »]

Transcript: Nine Shocking New Predictions for 2010-2012

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, March 1, 2010 at 7:30am

We have just ended an online video conference to brief investors on major events that could forever change your future. We made nine new predictions to pinpoint, as accurately as possible, how and ... [More »]

Why You Should Be Worried About China

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, February 27, 2010 at 7:30am

Toward the end of last year, many market followers were speculating on a Fed hike as early as the first half of 2010. Global stock markets had experienced explosive bounces, commodity prices had surged from the ... [More »]

Another Report from the Housing Market's Front Lines

by Mike Larson | Friday, February 26, 2010 at 7:30am

I’ve been talking about interest rates an awful lot lately ... and for good reason. The next BIG story in the bond market is clearly the sovereign debt crisis. But I don’t want to ignore the housing market ... [More »]

ETFs Beat HOLDRS Hands Down!

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, February 25, 2010 at 7:30am

If you’ve been reading my Money and Markets columns for any length of time, you know I’m a big proponent of exchange-traded funds (ETFs). And I think they’re one of the most exciting investment innovations ... [More »]

Leading Economic Indicators Keep Rising, but …

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, February 24, 2010 at 7:30am

Last Thursday the Conference Board published its Leading Economic Index (LEI) for the U.S. In January this historically-reliable indicator increased 0.3 percent after shooting up 1.2 percent in December ... [More »]

Soaring College Costs: Adding Insult to Injury

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, February 23, 2010 at 7:30am

Last Thursday I got a call from a friendly guy who said he was a senior at my college alma mater. Sensing where the conversation was about to go, I simply said “Just so you know, I’m not going to donate ... [More »]

Armageddon

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, February 22, 2010 at 7:30am

If you thought Wall Street’s debt crisis was traumatic, wait till you the see the consequences of Washington’s debt crisis! Never before in history has a world power like the U.S. been so utterly buried in debt! And never before has that debt been financed ... [More »]

The Future of the Euro in Question

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, February 20, 2010 at 7:30am

At the beginning of this year, I wrote a Money and Markets column entitled “Will the Euro Become the Most Hated Currency for 2010?” At that time, the euro/dollar exchange rate was about 5 percent off of its ... [More »]

Debt Auctions Bombing … China Heading for the Hills … Higher Rates Dead Ahead!

by Mike Larson | Friday, February 19, 2010 at 7:30am

You can’t count on Washington to proactively warn you about major economic and market problems ... Politicians and Fed policymakers failed to warn investors away from tech stocks during the Nasdaq ... [More »]

Five ETF Targets to Consider Selling Now

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, February 18, 2010 at 7:30am

In my Money and Markets columns I usually tell you about opportunities I see in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and how you can grab them. Today I want to do something a little different: List some ETFs ... [More »]

Three Walls of Worry Explain the Stock Market Corrections

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, February 17, 2010 at 7:30am

Stock markets around the world are down about 10 percent since their January highs. Complacency, which was so high only weeks ago, has quickly vanished ... [More »]

The most popular questions from Orlando …

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, February 16, 2010 at 7:30am

In last week’s column, I promised to talk more about some of the questions I was asked at the Orlando MoneyShow — both during my live presentation as well as in private conversations during the event ... [More »]

RED ALERT: Next debt crisis near!

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, February 15, 2010 at 7:30am

One year and five months ago — armed with a 92-page white paper and 59,000 petitions — we warned Congress about the grave danger of government bailouts. To download the white paper, “Dangerous ... [More »]

Risk Aversion: The Final Wave

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, February 13, 2010 at 7:30am

Over the past months I’ve written extensively in my Money and Markets columns about the bubbling over of the risk trade. I also warned about the rising threats that would likely make a sustainable recovery ... [More »]

In Case You Didn’t Make It to the MoneyShow …

by Mike Larson | Friday, February 12, 2010 at 7:30am

Last week’s World MoneyShow in Orlando was a huge success! I had the pleasure of meeting several of you at the Gaylord Palms Hotel, and I couldn’t have been happier with the constructive feedback you shared ... [More »]

Alternative ETFs Offer More Ways to Profit

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, February 11, 2010 at 7:30am

Whether you’re investing in stock exchange traded funds (ETFs), bond ETFs, commodity ETFs, currency ETFs, international ETFs, or even inverse ETFs, you’re stuck with one big problem: Any way you look ... [More »]

Is the End of this Correction Near?

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, February 10, 2010 at 7:30am

In last week’s Money and Markets column, I told you about some stock market indicators to watch. Since then, the market has fallen even further. So today I want to update you on what’s happening ... [More »]

The Undeniable Power of Steady Dividends

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 7:30am

I was both amazed and encouraged by the great turnout I received for my workshop at last week’s MoneyShow. And if you were among the nearly 400 attendees who came to see me speak, I’d like to ... [More »]

The Greatest Money War of All Time

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, February 8, 2010 at 7:30am

We are caught in the grips of a great war! It is not a traditional land or sea war with tanks and battleships. Nor is it an anti-terrorist, guerilla war for hearts and minds. Rather, it is war of a third kind — pitting government bureaucrats against millions of investors ... [More »]

The Biggest Threat to Investor Wealth! EVER!

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Sunday, February 7, 2010 at 7:30am

While our federal deficit explodes and U.S. stocks sink, I’ve been actively meeting our readers on my personal blog to share ideas on how to build the optimal growth portfolio in trying times like these ... [More »]

Win-Win Scenario for the Dollar

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, February 6, 2010 at 7:30am

The debt problems in Dubai threw a wrench in the happy-go-lucky risk trade of last year. And since then, the perception of the state of the global economy has been unraveling. All of the sudden, the world ... [More »]

A Time for Honesty, Sacrifice, and a Serious Financial Course Change

by Mike Larson | Friday, February 5, 2010 at 7:30am

I just got back from my first lengthy vacation in years — to New York, London, and Paris. I enjoyed many fine meals and fun nights out with friends. I got to see everything from the Rosetta Stone and ... [More »]

Get Energized With Energy ETFs

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, February 4, 2010 at 7:30am

Energy is big business here in Texas. Just about everyone in the state knows someone in the industry, if they aren’t employed in it themselves. In fact, energy is big business everywhere! Crude oil, ... [More »]

Watch These Three Stock Market Warning Signals

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, February 3, 2010 at 7:30am

The stock market does not turn on a dime. At least historically that’s been the case. Take Japan as an impressive example ... At 10,300 the Nikkei is now 74 percent below its all time high of December ... [More »]

Thoughts on Obama's New Retirement Initiatives

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 7:30am

Last week I told you about some of Washington’s latest ideas on “fixing” Social Security. And the very next night — as part of his first State of the Union address — President Obama referenced some of his own ... [More »]

The Next Contagion

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, February 1, 2010 at 7:30am

The next contagion is beginning to spread around the globe. It is unexpected on Wall Street, misunderstood in Washington — and very dangerous. It could sabotage the plans of the U.S. Treasury, the Federal ... [More »]

Portfolio Pandemonium!

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Sunday, January 31, 2010 at 7:30am

Without careful thought and planning, my concern for most investors is simple: They could face pandemonium in their portfolios! I don’t want that for you, and that’s why I have been devoting ... [More »]

Fed's Currency Swap Lines: A BIG deal for the Dollar

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, January 30, 2010 at 7:30am

The Fed met this week on monetary policy. It was a bit of a snoozer. What wasn’t a snoozer, however, was what they’ve included in their recent monetary policy statements regarding currencies ... [More »]

Time to load up on gold and silver?

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Friday, January 29, 2010 at 1:00pm

I sincerely hope you’re spending some time each day over at my personal blog. If you’re looking for extremely valuable investing insights and ideas from your fellow investors and yours truly, it’s ... [More »]

Banks Can No Longer Sing “What a Friend We Have in Washington”

by Mike Larson | Friday, January 29, 2010 at 7:30am

These days, the financial industry’s locus of power can’t be found in London. It’s not in New York City. Frankfurt? Tokyo? Davos, Switzerland? Nope, nope, and nope. The real decisions that impact ... [More »]

Why You Should Ignore New ETF Filings

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, January 28, 2010 at 7:30am

The old saying says, “Don’t believe everything you read.” While this is good advice, investors today have a bigger problem: News that is accurate but irrelevant. I see this all the time as I track the ... [More »]

Hedge Fund Investing

by Monty Agarwal | Wednesday, January 27, 2010 at 7:30am

Hedge funds and the managers who run them have been getting a lot of publicity lately — and not of the flattering kind. We have massive Ponzi schemes, equally massive losses and outsized systemic risks ... [More »]

These Are Supposed to Be Social Security Fixes?

by Nilus Mattive | Tuesday, January 26, 2010 at 7:30am

I take retirement matters very seriously, which is why I’m constantly on the alert for any hint of a change coming out of Washington. And make no mistake: There have been times when I agree with new ... [More »]

TWENTY-TEN: A YEAR OF TRANSITION Key Investment Themes for 2010 and Beyond

by Sharon A. Daniels | Monday, January 25, 2010 at 3:00pm

Never before have we seen such a stark contrast between our economy here at home ... bogged down by chronic unemployment and massive debts ... and other markets and economies around the globe ... [More »]

The Rude Awakening of 2010

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Monday, January 25, 2010 at 7:30am

The heyday of the Bush-Obama bailout frenzy is coming to an end. The bailout’s base of public support, tenuous from the outset, is collapsing. Its chief architects — Treasury Secretary Geithner and Fed Chairman Bernanke — are politically dead ... [More »]

Why the Dollar Rally Has Legs

by Bryan Rich | Saturday, January 23, 2010 at 7:30am

In December I wrote a Money and Markets column making the case for a bottom in the dollar. And since then the evidence supporting that thesis has grown. I also said there are plenty of ugly currencies ... [More »]

Flash update: Market turn in the making!

by Martin D. Weiss Ph.D. | Friday, January 22, 2010 at 1:15pm

From its intraday high to this morning’s low, the Dow has lost over 430 points just in the last three trading days ... breaking through critical support ... raising the specter of AT LEAST a big ... [More »]

Credit Card Changes Looming for 2010

by Amber Dakar | Friday, January 22, 2010 at 7:30am

Do you remember the days of easy credit? It doesn’t seem that long ago when we “benefited” from loose lending standards in the credit card industry. It seemed like every day there were multiple credit ... [More »]

Get Rolling with Transportation ETFs

by Ron Rowland | Thursday, January 21, 2010 at 7:30am

Today I’d like to tell you about a sector that is deeply intertwined with economic recovery. I’m talking about transportation. We live in a mobile society, even if we are in the internet age. Not only do ... [More »]

Japan: An Inflationary Spiral Ahead?

by Claus Vogt | Wednesday, January 20, 2010 at 7:30am

During the past few years you have most likely read about Japan’s so-called lost decade or its so-called deflationary malaise. And you may have heard warnings that the Japanese experience might be the ... [More »]

Getting Back to U.S. Stocks and 2010