Category Archives: General Tips
Your First Investment: How to Choose the Ideal Mutual Fund
If you’re a new investor and looking to get started with your first mutual fund, then congratulations – you’ve taken the first step towards financial freedom. But with more than 9,500 mutual funds to choose from, trying to screen for just one can be seem overwhelming. It’s almost enough to stop you dead in your … Read More
Overconfidence by Investors Could be a Harbinger of Things to Come
Market optimism is at an all-time high based on investor sentiment. The markets have entered the new year at record highs, while the current bull market is now the second longest in U.S. history. Yet no one seems to be uncertain about where its headed. There’s no evidence of hedging in the markets or bearish … Read More
Where Will Interest Rates Go in 2018 ?
The Federal Reserve raised interest rates three times throughout 2017 with the current benchmark rate between 1.25 and 1.50 percent. The sharp uptick in bond yields towards the end of December could be a harbinger of things to come and investors are gearing up for a possibly volatile year. The yield on the 10-year treasury is … Read More
The Business of Space Travel
Since the advent of the space program, the realm of space exploration and science has been almost completely government-led. But those days are over with a number of new ventures, including Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic, Amazon’s Blue Origin and of course Elon Musk’s SpaceX company. Private funding has greatly advance rocket science, leading to reduced … Read More
Risk and Allocation Basics
Investing in the markets is a bit of a double-edged sword. The higher the potential for gain, the greater the risk becomes. It works the other way too – the less risk you take on, the fewer gains you’re likely to have. Striking the right balance is essential for building the ideal portfolio. Taking on … Read More
Trading Futures: The Essential Guide for Beginners
Most investors are familiar with investment vehicles like mutual funds, stocks, bonds, ETF’s and even commodities, but few are knowledgeable about futures. A basic futures contract is simply an agreement between a buyer and seller to buy or sell a particular asset at a specified price on a specified date. Futures were originally designed for … Read More
Here’s Why You Should Stay Far Away from Bitcoin
Regardless of whether you’re an active trader or just someone with internet access, you’ve probably been hearing a lot about Bitcoin. The crypto-currency can’t seem to avoid the headlines right now and it’s because of the incredible growth its undergoing. In the past three months, Bitcoin has risen nearly 400 percent, going from around $4,000 … Read More
The Hidden Dangers of Defensive Stocks
Holding defensive stocks is important to even the most aggressive portfolio. They can help balance out volatility and returns through steady gains and dividend payments. If the market undergoes a correction, defensive stocks typically hold their ground relatively well – and could even go higher depending on the industry. But defensive stocks are often misunderstood … Read More
What to Expect from the Markets in 2018
This late in the year, all eyes are already focused on what 2018 will bring to the markets. While the year isn’t quite over yet, we’ve seen the resurgence of the oil industry following the OPEC-led collapse, the continuation of economic expansion and a steady Fed policy of increasing interest rates. Will 2018 be more … Read More
What the Holiday Shopping Season Says about the State of the Economy
The holiday season is here and businesses across the country are gearing up for their biggest year yet. Retail sales growth is expected to be up 3.8 percent from last year according to the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC). And despite the popularity of online shopping, physical brick-and mortar stores are expected to contribute … Read More