I wouldn’t blame you if you weren’t aware of what I’m about to tell you. After all, the headlines lately have been dominated by trade wars, domestic politics, and then the holiday season, of course.  But there is a political upheaval taking place thousands of miles from us that is going practically ignored. (And no, I’m not talking about Hong Kong.) And while what’s happening is being ignored by the mainstream media, it could prove to be a once-in-a-generation opportunity for savvy investors. I’m talking about the political crisis in Argentina. I’ll touch on this more in a moment. But… Read More

I wouldn’t blame you if you weren’t aware of what I’m about to tell you. After all, the headlines lately have been dominated by trade wars, domestic politics, and then the holiday season, of course.  But there is a political upheaval taking place thousands of miles from us that is going practically ignored. (And no, I’m not talking about Hong Kong.) And while what’s happening is being ignored by the mainstream media, it could prove to be a once-in-a-generation opportunity for savvy investors. I’m talking about the political crisis in Argentina. I’ll touch on this more in a moment. But first, a little background…  What Business (And Life) Is Like In Argentina For those who aren’t aware, I have some personal experience with Argentina. In fact, I lived there for a time many years ago. And while my Spanish isn’t what it used to be, I still remember the stories I was told by the locals. And I experienced a few things myself, of course…  ​In the brief time I lived in Argentina, I had friends and colleagues who were raped, beaten, bitten, robbed, and held at gunpoint. I once witnessed a police car speed down our neighborhood street and literally… Read More

The stock market, as measured by the S&P 500, gained nearly 30% this year. It was truly an incredible run. The last time we saw this sort of return was 2013, when the market ended the year up 29.6%. Here’s a bar chart of S&P 500 returns over the last 30 years so you can see how 2019 stacks up to past performances. However you look at it, this has been quite a year. But you might be surprised to learn that this wonderful year for the stock market has been “hated” by investors… You see, typically when we have… Read More

The stock market, as measured by the S&P 500, gained nearly 30% this year. It was truly an incredible run. The last time we saw this sort of return was 2013, when the market ended the year up 29.6%. Here’s a bar chart of S&P 500 returns over the last 30 years so you can see how 2019 stacks up to past performances. However you look at it, this has been quite a year. But you might be surprised to learn that this wonderful year for the stock market has been “hated” by investors… You see, typically when we have a good month or year investors pour more money into the stock market. For instance, in 2017 stocks returned a superb 19%. Investors, not wanting to miss out on future returns, poured $54.2 billion into stocks in the first month of 2018. That’s the largest monthly inflow in years. The same holds true when the market is falling… You might recall that this time last year the S&P 500 was in freefall. It fell as much as 15% in the month of December alone. Investors were scared. They yanked $57.4 billion from equities during that last month of 2018. In… Read More

Marijuana stocks are breaking out, right on schedule.  Stocks in the sector got ahead of the fundamentals earlier this year. One reason for that is that the impact of regulations are difficult to determine in advance. Legalization, for example, seems bullish. And it generally is — but if taxes are too high, then the illegal market will thrive alongside the legal market.  This is what happened in many parts of the country, and it is being addressed. So as we head into 2020, I have some thoughts on how the industry will take shape. In short, I’m predicting that the… Read More

Marijuana stocks are breaking out, right on schedule.  Stocks in the sector got ahead of the fundamentals earlier this year. One reason for that is that the impact of regulations are difficult to determine in advance. Legalization, for example, seems bullish. And it generally is — but if taxes are too high, then the illegal market will thrive alongside the legal market.  This is what happened in many parts of the country, and it is being addressed. So as we head into 2020, I have some thoughts on how the industry will take shape. In short, I’m predicting that the legal cannabis industry is likely to flourish as concerns about safety increase. You read that right. NPR recently explained the safety problem the industry is poised to address: As of Dec. 17, there were 2,506 hospitalized cases of e-cigarette, or vaping, product use associated lung injury, which is now referred to as EVALI by the CDC. The incidents were reported in all 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands, since the summer. Fifty-four deaths have been confirmed in 27 states and the District of Columbia. The CDC’s data… Read More

Einstein called it “the most powerful force in the universe.” But you don’t need to be Einstein to understand why it’s has also been called an investor’s best friend — or to see how you can profit from it. The modern world’s most celebrated intellect was referring to the concept of compounding — the practice of earning money on what you have already earned. Fortunately, you don’t need to be an Einstein to understand why compounding has also been called an investor’s best friend — or to see how you can profit from it.  Stop me if you’ve heard this… Read More

Einstein called it “the most powerful force in the universe.” But you don’t need to be Einstein to understand why it’s has also been called an investor’s best friend — or to see how you can profit from it. The modern world’s most celebrated intellect was referring to the concept of compounding — the practice of earning money on what you have already earned. Fortunately, you don’t need to be an Einstein to understand why compounding has also been called an investor’s best friend — or to see how you can profit from it.  Stop me if you’ve heard this one: In ancient Greece there was a merchant — let’s call him Demetrios — who had a reputation as a savvy money-handler. An acquaintance brought over a wagon-load of drachmas (coins variously estimated to be worth about $0.19 apiece) and asked Demetrios to put the money in a trust and invest it for 2,000 years. Demetrios kept all of his acquaintance’s money as commission, save for a single 19-cent drachma, which he invested in an Athenian bond paying 3% annually. After 2,000 years of reinvesting the returns from the 3% payout, according to the math, that drachma would have grown… Read More

I spent some time working in a bank branch as a financial advisor back in the early 2000s. It’s a pretty good gig, if for no other reason than the inordinate number of paid holidays (Columbus Day, Flag Day, Arbor Day). But what really amazes me is that almost 20 years later, the bank hasn’t really changed a bit. This is a timeless business model. —Recommended Link— Shocking Marijuana Discovery Could Turn Every $1,000 Into $61,770​ Scientists have stumbled on a technology that could drive every marijuana “grow op” into bankruptcy. Early investors have a… Read More

I spent some time working in a bank branch as a financial advisor back in the early 2000s. It’s a pretty good gig, if for no other reason than the inordinate number of paid holidays (Columbus Day, Flag Day, Arbor Day). But what really amazes me is that almost 20 years later, the bank hasn’t really changed a bit. This is a timeless business model. —Recommended Link— Shocking Marijuana Discovery Could Turn Every $1,000 Into $61,770​ Scientists have stumbled on a technology that could drive every marijuana “grow op” into bankruptcy. Early investors have a shot at returns up to 6,077% on the biotech that’s become Wall Street’s “best-kept secret.” A Senate vote within weeks could change the marijuana industry forever. Click here for details. Just think of the number of products and services that have been disrupted or rendered obsolete since then. VCRs. Dot Matrix printers. Fax machines. Floppy disc drives. But banks are just as viable and important today as they were a century ago. More than that, you could argue the financial system is the backbone of the entire economy. After all, borrowing and lending are what grease… Read More

Christmas just came early. That’s because it’s time for my monthly check-in on companies that are likely to announce a dividend hike in the coming month. If you’re new to this, here’s how it works… In each issue of my premium newsletter, High-Yield Investing, I scan the market for noteworthy special dividend hikes on the horizon, as well as for potential dividend hikes over the next four to six weeks. I give special attention to outsized double-digit increases and reliable dividend-payers that have been steadily growing payouts for a decade or more. I flag these stocks first for my premium… Read More

Christmas just came early. That’s because it’s time for my monthly check-in on companies that are likely to announce a dividend hike in the coming month. If you’re new to this, here’s how it works… In each issue of my premium newsletter, High-Yield Investing, I scan the market for noteworthy special dividend hikes on the horizon, as well as for potential dividend hikes over the next four to six weeks. I give special attention to outsized double-digit increases and reliable dividend-payers that have been steadily growing payouts for a decade or more. I flag these stocks first for my premium readers. Then, I share them with the public. It’s that simple. If you’re looking for potential portfolio additions to research further, I can’t think of a better place to start. So without further delay, here’s what I’ve found this month… 1. Coca Cola (NYSE: KO) – Coca-Cola doesn’t really need an introduction, other than a reminder that this global beverage giant is far more than just its namesake soda. Yes, the Coke brand is one of the world’s most valuable, worth an estimated $59 billion. But it’s just one of twenty thoroughbred brands in the stable that each rake in… Read More

As you may be aware, there’s been a lot of political news recently. From the impeachment to the primary debates, we’ve had wall-to-wall coverage all over the TV networks.  And while the impact of politics on the markets is a little overstated, it is true that some of what happens will affect the market in one way or another.  As we enter 2020, get ready for the volume to be turned up all the way to eleven. But before the beginning of the long process — one that includes caucuses, primaries, conventions and billions of dollars in commercials — I… Read More

As you may be aware, there’s been a lot of political news recently. From the impeachment to the primary debates, we’ve had wall-to-wall coverage all over the TV networks.  And while the impact of politics on the markets is a little overstated, it is true that some of what happens will affect the market in one way or another.  As we enter 2020, get ready for the volume to be turned up all the way to eleven. But before the beginning of the long process — one that includes caucuses, primaries, conventions and billions of dollars in commercials — I wanted to look at how the stock market generally fares in election years. —Recommended Link— The 5G Revolution Is About To Explode This Ignored $5 Stock​  5G has the potential to add $3.5 trillion to the U.S. economy and turn more everyday investors into millionaires than any other technology in mankind’s history. A new report reveals how one bargain-basement $5 stock is positioned to decimate the 5G competition and turn a $5,000 stake into $117,385 inside of 12 months. But time’s running out… Click here for details. The chart below shows… Read More