It’s been 22 years since the Berlin Wall came down. Since then, economies behind the Iron Curtain have been slowly building a head of steam. Even though countries such as the Czech Republic, Romania and Croatia have not yet caught up to their Western neighbors in terms of… Read More

For the most part, the price of a stock does very little in telling investors whether it is a good value or not. Any astute investor will do his or her best to estimate their own fair value for a stock. However, in certain circumstances, an extremely high… Read More

After two months as a newly-public company, shares of GM (NYSE: GM) have posted a decent 10% gain, slightly better than the 6% gain posted by the S&P 500. Then again, rival Ford Motor (NYSE: F) has risen by an even more impressive 14% since… Read More

On an unseasonably warm day this past November, two men you might have heard of — Bill Gates and Warren Buffett — visited the town of Gillette. This tiny city in northeastern Wyoming is home to less than 30,000 people. Yet, it was important enough to host… Read More

With the market soaring to two-year highs, is it time to play offense or defense?  Only hindsight will tell for sure. However, one thing is obvious right now:  The crowd is playing offense. As the prognosis for a stronger recovery has increased, investors have been gravitating toward… Read More

You’ve no doubt heard the Bush-era tax cuts have been extended. After much sound and fury, Congress voted to extend the tax breaks to all Americans, including those in the top income brackets. The tax cuts were set to expire at midnight on Dec. 31, but will… Read More

There is a clear downside to the impressive bull market we’ve seen during the last 22 months: it’s getting harder and harder to find real bargains. To ferret out value plays, investors are increasingly turning to stocks that have lagged the market, hoping to… Read More

As we move into 2011, economists increasingly believe that the United States and Europe will start to see an economic rebound, joining China, Brazil, India and other emerging economies in a full-fledged global economic upturn. A closer look at recent price action in the crude oil markets underscores a risk that rising economic activity brings — and an opportunity for investors… Just as when oil prices moved below $40 a barrel when the economy hit the skids a few years ago, the price reflected a sense that demand for oil… Read More

As we move into 2011, economists increasingly believe that the United States and Europe will start to see an economic rebound, joining China, Brazil, India and other emerging economies in a full-fledged global economic upturn. A closer look at recent price action in the crude oil markets underscores a risk that rising economic activity brings — and an opportunity for investors… Just as when oil prices moved below $40 a barrel when the economy hit the skids a few years ago, the price reflected a sense that demand for oil would collapse in the face of an even deeper economic meltdown. But it also created some clear winners and losers. When it became apparent that no such cataclysm would emerge, oil prices rebounded back to the $50-75 range, reflecting a global economy that was lukewarm. That set the stage for a reversal of winners and losers as oil approaches $100 a barrel (more on that in a bit). Like the proverbial frog in the boiling pot of water, rising oil prices are already starting to impact the economy in various subtle ways. Read More

Mary Meeker, known as the “Queen of the Net” during the heady 1990s, is back. Her latest prediction is that the mobile Internet will be a huge wealth generator. She even thinks it will surpass the Internet and that mobile commerce will overtake traditional e-commerce.     The fact… Read More

As part of your ongoing investment research, it pays to periodically check in with company insiders. When they are buying or selling a company’s stock, you’ll get a first-hand suggestion on whether shares are a bargain, or possibly ripe for a fall. Decisions on when to… Read More