Market wisdom that withers on a closer look

NEW YORK – Everybody knows that January predicts the stock market’s direction for the year and that the best time to sell stocks is at their spring peak. And among stock market experts, it’s a sure bet that the market will soar in the year before an election. But what passes for stock market wisdom […]

A Year of Anxiety (And Excellent Returns)

Many of you reading this will be surprised to discover that 2012 was a great year to be an investor. Amid the unhappy headlines, anxiety over America’s finances, a highly-partisan presidential election, worries about the Eurozone and the potential for recession, stocks quietly rewarded patient investors with double-digit gains. The year started off with dire […]

Negotiating A Path Away From the Edge

We’re hearing a lot about the fiscal cliff in this post-election time period, and surprisingly, considering the angry partisanship of the campaign, some of the news is encouraging. The White House and Congressional leaders, elected officials from both sides of the aisle, are saying that they believe they can reach agreement before the end of […]

Post-Election Considerations

One piece of uncertainty is behind us, and other pieces of uncertainty now come into focus. Indeed, we know that President Obama will continue to serve our country as President for the next four years. We also know that the Senate has become more Democratic, yet not enough to avoid filibusters. You need a two-thirds […]

Does QE3 Matter to You or the Economy?

On September 13, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke announced that the Fed would undertake a new program to stimulate the U.S. economy–and the move was immediately dubbed “QE3” by pundits and columnists. But what, exactly, is it, and how is QE3 likely to affect you and the rest of us? “QE,” stands for “quantitative easing,” […]

Market Brief: Coordinated Policy Action

Don’t step in front of a freight train. Wise words, indeed, both in reality and when it comes to investing. Toward the end of the week last week, traders seemed to believe that there may be a coordinated policy freight train coming down the tracks. The result was the biggest two day rally in the […]

Market Brief: Integration

“No liability without controls.” Those were the words of German Chancellor Angela Merkel in mid-June. Four simple but meaningful words. What did she mean by it? Simply, she was telling Europe that Germany is unwilling to accept the liabilities of other countries unless Germany has some level of control over the policies and activities of […]

What End of Bush Tax Cuts Means for You

Unless Congress takes action, it’s not just the “rich” who will see higher tax bills The so-called Bush tax cuts are scheduled to expire at the end of this year. While you may already know that, you may not fully understand what’s in store for you and your family. Here’s what to expect. Higher Tax […]

An IPO to Post Home About

We’re hearing a lot about the Facebook initial public offering. Later this week, investors will have the opportunity to pay between $28 and $35 a share to own a piece of the addictive social networking service. People everywhere are clamoring to get at least a few of the 337.5 million shares that will be offered […]

Profit Margin Focus

We are about a week into Q1 earnings season, and outlining the trends we’re seeing seems timely. The feeling is 2012 will likely be a year of still positive economic growth as well as positive, yet slowing, earnings growth. Wall Street analysts, usually a somewhat optimistic bunch, have been tempering down their expectations for almost […]