Investing Articles

Two commonly used components of the financial market are money markets and capital markets. Find out the similarities and differences between them.

Most people, depending on which side of retirement they’re on, feel they either won’t ever be able to retire or stay retired once they are. Many of us watched our parent’s generation put their retirement savings into CDs paying 6%+ and just living off the interest.

If you establish these money-saving habits and patiently allow your wealth to build, you will be taking some huge steps forward in making your financial future more secure.

We all have biases. The key to better investing is to identify those biases and create rules to minimize their effect.

Australia a country rich in natural resources and one increasingly gaining attention from investors. Is it time to put some of your international allocation to work in Australia?

Government bonds issued in foreign currency have drawn a growing amount of interest in recent years. This article explores why governments, particularly those in emerging markets, choose to denominate debt in a foreign currency. It also explores what the potential risks are for the bondholder.

Seasonal timing in the market, best personified by the adage, “Sell in May – Go away,” has long been the subject of debate among investors. The question remains: Is there anything to it?

What people buy and where they shop can provide valuable information about the economy.

Blend math, finance and computer skills to command a high - and well deserved - salary.

One type of security pensions tend to invest in is sovereign debt, or debt issued by a government.

Learning about money may seem intimidating, but it's not as hard as it looks.

Here are four common common behavioral biases for traders and how to minimize their effects on your portoflio.

Find out how your business can get the money it needs - even when the bank says "no".

Being a CFA charterholder can take your career in many different directions. Find out what your option are.

A great deal can happen in between the New York close of the market and the open the following morning. Learn how you can access opportunities and hedge against risk outside regular trading hours.

Get a piece of Warren Buffett's profit by using Form 13F to coattail his picks.

Learn how to make gains even if you don't get in at the right time.

CDs may look safe and attractive but considering most pay a rate that is less than the rate of inflation seniors today risk actually losing money with CDs. We need to be our own money managers now and do the research that’s required. Much of that research is already done and can be purchased through various newsletters.

No one doubts the value and importance of investor education and sophistication, but many investors are not really all that sophisticated. Goldman Sachs was scrutinized for marketing complex securities to its investors without telling them that a major hedge fund had taken a short position against these securities.

Cash is generally regarded as a drag on investment returns, but sometimes it may be preferable to hold a substantial cash amount instead of investing it in other assets. This is because having cash on hand gives an investor the flexibility to acquire an asset or assets at bargain prices when the opportunity arises, such as during periods of uncertainty when cash is king.

Learn why this one particular REIT is a better investment than holding physical property in your retirement portfolio.

Portfolio managers go by a number of job titles, manage different asset types and work under different philosophies. Here are three examples of what they do.

When a government tightens its belt in tough economic times the entire nation feels the squeeze.

The quantitative easing program, recently announced by the new governor of the Bank of Japan, Haruhiko Kuroda, is for a cash infusion of $1.4 trillion by the end of 2014. Will it help the Japanese economy recover?

Learn the ways in which inflation nibbles away at your retirement income, especially in light of the President’s proposal for Chained CPI adjustments to Social Security.

Mutual fund ratings can help investors, but they have their drawbacks as well.

In its simplest form, asset/liability management entails managing assets and cash inflows to satisfy various obligations; however, it's rarely that simple.

Modern portfolio theory and behavioral finance represent differing schools of thought that attempt to explain investor behavior. Perhaps the easiest way to think about their arguments and positions is to think of modern portfolio theory as how the financial markets would work in the ideal world, and behavioral finance as how financial markets work in the real world.

The underlying concept of mixed funds is very appealing. Discover if you're better off with professional management or creating a mixed fund of your own.

Our retirement goals have not changed. We still want enough money to not have to worry about it. How we go about getting there, however, has been changed dramatically.

While investors shouldn’t feel compelled to change their portfolios radically overnight in reaction to the market's daily moves, small adjustments in the face of a bull or bear market could be a prudent move.

According to the World Trade Organization, world merchandise trade value grew by 20% in 2011, to $16.7 trillion.

Whether it's learning how to ladder bonds or finding alternatives, investors seeking better returns need to be more active.

ETFs can be a good alternative to traditional retirement fund options because of their low cost, superior performance and liquidity.

For investors, the surge in new REIT activity is providing some pretty interesting dividend opportunities.

Mega-sized endowments, pension funds and hedge funds have the ability to move the markets and change investing trends.

These versatile instruments have become popular with investors in higher tax brackets and fill a specific niche in the wide selection of fixed-income offerings.

Discover whether ETFs or physical bullion is the best way for investors to get exposure to silver.

Tensions over just how to handle debt are pitting the rich world against the developing world like never before.

Learn how investments in foreign currencies can diversify your portfolio.

Find out the other options Cyprus could use to resolve it's financial troubles, since its proposal to tax bank deposits didn't work out.

The National Small Business Association may not be optimistic about 2013, but we'll show you a few trends that suggest the economy can grow this year.

Are tactical ETFs reasonable and effective investment strategies or just plain speculative behavior?

America's lengthy title reign as "World's Largest Economy" is fast under threat by China's surging economic growth. Find out what the global rankings are forecasted to be for these economic powerhouses.

Blackrock's line of offerings can provide liquidity, diversity and transparency for both sophisticated and novice buyers.

Discover what's behind the Cyprus debacle and what investors should do about the situation.

The growing interest in and complexity of these securities means opportunities for job seekers.

Investing in gold has never been easier than it is today. Check out this article to learn more about gold ETFs and other ways that you can add gold to your portfolio.

In this article, we will look at risks shared by major and junior mining stocks and what they mean to investors.

Most people think of the industrial and developed world as leaders when it comes to green technologies and environmental stewardship. After moving past their high-growth stages, many developed nations have enacted policies over the years designed to help fix and prevent environmental issues and work in harmony with the land.

Investors should be aware of embedded options that may be available in certain securities as these options may affect the value of the security.

Before incurring additional risks in your retirement portfolio, be sure to understand the alternatives and the consequences of your strategy.

Macroeconomic factors like GDP, Inflation, and Retail Sales affect the value of your portfolio. Understanding these economic indicators is vital for every investor in the marketplace.

You don't have to be a boy or act like a boy to win. In fact, doing the opposite could be better for your financial health.

Due diligence should be conducted in knowing the different costs related to ETFs before undertaking an investment in one. The return you get from an ETF investment is dependent on cost factors like the expense ratio.

Foreign direct investments play an increasingly important role in countries as an indicator for a healthy economy in terms of economic growth and long-term capital movement.

Overall, Q4 GDP stats did little to stabilize the teetering global economy. Despite the stumble, financial markets remain mostly bullish on the future.

In this article, we'll compare the juniors and the majors and look at what each can add to your portfolio.

There are many ways to grow a portfolio, and the best approach for a given investor will depend upon various factors.

Despite their popularity, exchange traded funds have some drawbacks that investors should know about.

Take a look at how this effective ratio can be influenced by certain critical factors.

Learn the history, rules and risks of investing in IPO exchange-traded funds.

This great investor mastered a new type of investing with every new market he faced.

Look at the big picture when choosing a company - what you see may really be a stage in its industry's growth.

This is a step-by-step approach to determining, achieving and maintaining optimal asset allocation.

The type of stock that analysts cover can heavily influence their predictions.

The P/B ratio can be an easy way to determine a company's value, but it isn't magic!

Balance risk and return to produce adequate income despite inflation.

There are principles and techniques that are applicable for many different types of investors and growth strategies.

Active trading is an investing style that aims to beat the market. Find out how it works, and whether it will work for you.

This strategy allows you to stop chasing losses when you're feeling bearish.

In addition to the oft-cited fiscal cliff, there are economic, tax, political, geopolitical and earnings pitfalls to avoid.

Congress often debates pressuring China to appreciate its currency, but the yuan/dollar peg has benefits for both countries.

Different funds invest in companies with different market caps. Find out which is right for you.

This sophisticated approach will add flair to your returns.

The many advantages of ETF investing include safety, tax and cost efficiency, and portfolio diversification.

Emerging market ETFs are typically seen as riskier investments, but some of them may be able to strengthen your retirement accounts.

Precious metals ETFs invest in both physical commodities and futures contracts for precious metals.

Many mutual funds charge investors a 12b-1 fee to pay for marketing and promotion expenses.

There appears to be little doubt that investors are adopting higher-risk strategies in the quest for sizable financial reward.

Here's what the Schwab ETF OneSource will mean to the average investor's portfolio and the potential decrease in costs for purchasing ETFs.

The rise in these funds' popularity has contributed to misinformation about what they are and how they work. Learn more here.

A profit/loss plan helps investors recognize mistakes and invest logically, rather than emotionally.

Discover the key elements of a good long-term investment and how to find them.

If these numbers have you in the dark, these easy calculations should help light the way.

From debt financing to equity financing, there are numerous ways to fund a business startup. But which is the best?

Discover which countries have shown the most growth since 1980, and which have shown the more ignominious fizzle and pop.

How can a trader use the Elder-Ray oscillator as the second screen of this system? Find out here.

ETFs are exponentially larger in collective volume than ETNs, but ETFs receive more attention from retail investors.

Here is a look at how ETFs are taxed and the effects that the tax treatment of ETFs will have on investors when they purchase them.

Here are the most affordable commodity ETFs based on expense ratios.

Picking these potential winners is all about sizing up risk. We show you how.

It is true that stocks outperform bonds and cash in the long run, but that statistic doesn't tell the whole story.

Getting big quickly looks good, but companies can get into trouble when they do it too fast. Find out how to spot this trouble.

Check out how the assumptions of theoretical risk models compare to actual market performance.

Dividends may not seem exciting, but they can certainly be lucrative. Learn more here!

Take a page from the fable of the tortoise and the hare by investing in these constant growth stocks.