Last week, traders seemed focused on two important news stories — the potential trade war with China and Uber’s disappointing IPO. But the stories weren’t all that important to the broader market. However, the more I consider the news, the more convinced I am that there could be an explosive rally in the stock market. Let me explain… The (Psycological) Trade War First, let’s look at the trade war with China. This seemed to be the primary reason the S&P 500 Index dropped as much as 4.4% below its recent high. ​ Last week’s decline ended… Read More

Last week, traders seemed focused on two important news stories — the potential trade war with China and Uber’s disappointing IPO. But the stories weren’t all that important to the broader market. However, the more I consider the news, the more convinced I am that there could be an explosive rally in the stock market. Let me explain… The (Psycological) Trade War First, let’s look at the trade war with China. This seemed to be the primary reason the S&P 500 Index dropped as much as 4.4% below its recent high. ​ Last week’s decline ended when news broke that talks between the United States and China were productive. The news consisted of a single tweet from Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin: “Ambassador Lighthizer and I just concluded productive meetings with China’s Vice Premier Liu He. We will continue our talks in Washington, D.C. next week.” That sparked a 2% rally in the S&P 500. #-ad_banner-#Now, one of the interesting aspects of this story is that many economists believe the proposed tariffs will not have a significant impact on the U.S. economy. There will be higher prices on some items since the costs are likely to… Read More

The term “insider trading” often carries a negative connotation. And, of course, it is illegal to buy or sell shares of a company based on material, non-public information. But insiders — company directors, officers or employees — who buy or sell shares based on non-privileged information are in the clear, although the activity is highly regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). For instance, the SEC prohibits insiders from entering and exiting positions quickly to capitalize on short-term price movements. The rules say that if an insider sells a stock, they cannot buy it back at a lower price… Read More

The term “insider trading” often carries a negative connotation. And, of course, it is illegal to buy or sell shares of a company based on material, non-public information. But insiders — company directors, officers or employees — who buy or sell shares based on non-privileged information are in the clear, although the activity is highly regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). For instance, the SEC prohibits insiders from entering and exiting positions quickly to capitalize on short-term price movements. The rules say that if an insider sells a stock, they cannot buy it back at a lower price for the next six months. On the flipside, if an insider buys a stock, they can’t sell it a higher price for at least six months. Despite the heavy regulations, it’s important to pay attention to what insiders are doing. After all, they are on the front lines. Who else would better know the prospects of the company? They are privy to information regarding new products, competition, and the overall operating environment of the firm — the ultimate due diligence if you will. —Recommended Link— Collect Regular Government-Backed Marijuana Payouts Of $6,751 Or More There’s… Read More

Computer giant Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ) was founded in a California garage in 1939. So was Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) 37 years later.  Both the Palo Alto garage, the birthplace of HPQ, and the modest Los Altos house of Apple fame are, now designated historical landmarks. One of my Fast-Track Millionaire holdings also had humble beginnings — it was founded in the current CEO’s kitchen. Now, I’m not saying it will be a historical landmark someday, but I am expecting big things from the company — which is why we’re holding on for even more gains after a 40% surge in three… Read More

Computer giant Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ) was founded in a California garage in 1939. So was Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) 37 years later.  Both the Palo Alto garage, the birthplace of HPQ, and the modest Los Altos house of Apple fame are, now designated historical landmarks. One of my Fast-Track Millionaire holdings also had humble beginnings — it was founded in the current CEO’s kitchen. Now, I’m not saying it will be a historical landmark someday, but I am expecting big things from the company — which is why we’re holding on for even more gains after a 40% surge in three months. —Recommended Link— 3 Minutes to Collect 12 Times More Money Than Social Security Just make this simple little 3-minute call and you can get set up to start collecting your checks. All told, your checks can add up to $225,326 over the next 25 years. Imagine that! And these checks are supported by $1.75 billion in new money every year. But you must act right now… because the next wave of checks will be sent out in just a few days. Click here for the details. Of course, not every… Read More

The falling share price of retail property owner Washington Prime (NYSE: WPG) has driven its yield north of 20%. At that level, many investors in the real estate investment trust (REIT) were clearly anticipating a dividend cut when the company reported quarterly results last week. It didn’t happen. ​ Washington Prime reaffirmed its current policy of distributing $0.25 per share each quarter. It earned $0.31 per share in funds from operation (FFO) and expects to generate between $1.16 and $1.24 for the full year — providing a coverage ratio of 116% to 124% on the $1.00 per share annual distribution. Read More

The falling share price of retail property owner Washington Prime (NYSE: WPG) has driven its yield north of 20%. At that level, many investors in the real estate investment trust (REIT) were clearly anticipating a dividend cut when the company reported quarterly results last week. It didn’t happen. ​ Washington Prime reaffirmed its current policy of distributing $0.25 per share each quarter. It earned $0.31 per share in funds from operation (FFO) and expects to generate between $1.16 and $1.24 for the full year — providing a coverage ratio of 116% to 124% on the $1.00 per share annual distribution. So the dividend is still safe, at least for now. There is a widespread perception (driven by a steady drumbeat of dour media coverage) that brick-and-mortar shopping is dead. Storefronts everywhere are being boarded up and the nation’s shopping centers will soon be abandoned ghost towns. It’s certainly true that many of the weaker malls and strip centers have already succumbed to the wave of retail bankruptcies and store closures. And there are other half-empty, moribund properties on life support. But let’s not get carried away. The Truth About Retail (And WPG) Americans love to shop — and 90… Read More

One of the things investors fear the most is volatility.  And now that volatility has reared its ugly head again in the markets this week, it’s worth looking back and examining just what exactly makes a market “volatile,” and what we can do about it… —Recommended Link— 3 Minutes to Collect 12 Times More Money Than Social Security Just make this simple little 3-minute call and you can get set up to start collecting your checks. All told, your checks can add up to $225,326 over the next 25 years. Imagine that! And these checks… Read More

One of the things investors fear the most is volatility.  And now that volatility has reared its ugly head again in the markets this week, it’s worth looking back and examining just what exactly makes a market “volatile,” and what we can do about it… —Recommended Link— 3 Minutes to Collect 12 Times More Money Than Social Security Just make this simple little 3-minute call and you can get set up to start collecting your checks. All told, your checks can add up to $225,326 over the next 25 years. Imagine that! And these checks are supported by $1.75 billion in new money every year. But you must act right now… because the next wave of checks will be sent out in just a few days. Click here for the details. What Is “Volatility”? The most commonly used metric to measure market volatility is the Cboe Volatility Index (VIX), commonly referred to as the “fear gauge” or “fear index.” The VIX is a benchmark of expected volatility over the next 30 days in the S&P 500 index. It’s calculated by the Cboe Options Exchange, using the mid-point of real-time index… Read More

One of the defining characteristics of the current world is that economic change unfolds faster than ever.  For thousands of years, the average person survived, eking out a living from farming or some specialized service that helped farmers, like blacksmithing. I’m simplifying a great deal, but this lifestyle remained unchanged for many people until the Industrial Revolution created jobs in factories at a scale that was unimaginable just decades earlier and large cities became the norm.  #-ad_banner-#Large manufacturers drove the economy for more than 200 years until technology began replacing jobs in the second half of the 20th century. Over… Read More

One of the defining characteristics of the current world is that economic change unfolds faster than ever.  For thousands of years, the average person survived, eking out a living from farming or some specialized service that helped farmers, like blacksmithing. I’m simplifying a great deal, but this lifestyle remained unchanged for many people until the Industrial Revolution created jobs in factories at a scale that was unimaginable just decades earlier and large cities became the norm.  #-ad_banner-#Large manufacturers drove the economy for more than 200 years until technology began replacing jobs in the second half of the 20th century. Over the past 30 years, the internet has further accelerated the pace of change, and now change is nearly constant.  One of the more recent changes has been what some call the “gig economy,” which has allowed Uber (NYSE: UBER) and other on-demand service providers to flourish. Many of us have enjoyed the benefits of these companies, but the drawbacks of the gig economy might soon take center stage.  With Uber’s initial public offering (IPO) Friday morning, attention is turning to the company’s financial operations. Basically, Uber and other platforms take a portion of the revenue and pass on the rest… Read More