The housing market remains on fire in many regions across the country.  Home prices have steadily climbed higher since the devastating global real estate crash a decade ago. In fact, the current market appears to be accelerating to the upside. A thriving job market, low interest rates, and consumers rushing to get a piece of the American Dream before mortgage rates potentially climb to unattainable levels are all powering the upward trajectory. #-ad_banner-#New home sales climbed 10% in 2017 to 615,000, with prices appreciating mid-single digits over the last half decade. Price growth was even higher in coastal areas and… Read More

The housing market remains on fire in many regions across the country.  Home prices have steadily climbed higher since the devastating global real estate crash a decade ago. In fact, the current market appears to be accelerating to the upside. A thriving job market, low interest rates, and consumers rushing to get a piece of the American Dream before mortgage rates potentially climb to unattainable levels are all powering the upward trajectory. #-ad_banner-#New home sales climbed 10% in 2017 to 615,000, with prices appreciating mid-single digits over the last half decade. Price growth was even higher in coastal areas and other hot markets. But what I find most bullish about the next few years is the housing shortage. According to Realtor.com, the United States is facing a housing shortage, particularly for first-time home buyers. Housing inventories are at the lowest level in two decades. Javier Vivas, director of economic research at Realtor.com, said, “It really is a shortage of historic proportions.” The housing shortage translates into longer-term profits for builders and others in the housing business as the low inventory assures continued stable to higher prices and therefore profits. Make no mistake: The SPDR S&P 500 Homebuilders ETF (XHB) is… Read More

OK, I know this isn’t what I normally do. And yes, it might sound a bit extreme. But this is so important we need to talk about it.  I still buy and recommend stocks, but as readers of my newsletters know, I talk a lot about reducing risk and risk management. And this is one of the best ways to do that… despite popular belief.  —Sponsored Link— ‘Forever Income’ Retirement Plan: 7.5% Dividends, 56% Upside If you’re currently investing in dividend stocks for retirement income — or nearing retirement and plan to live off dividends… Read More

OK, I know this isn’t what I normally do. And yes, it might sound a bit extreme. But this is so important we need to talk about it.  I still buy and recommend stocks, but as readers of my newsletters know, I talk a lot about reducing risk and risk management. And this is one of the best ways to do that… despite popular belief.  —Sponsored Link— ‘Forever Income’ Retirement Plan: 7.5% Dividends, 56% Upside If you’re currently investing in dividend stocks for retirement income — or nearing retirement and plan to live off dividends in the years ahead — then please take a few minutes to read this urgent new report. Not only could it prevent you from making a huge mistake, it will also show you how to secure 7.5% income and 56% gains! Click here for details, along with 3 great stocks to buy now! With proper planning and perseverance, Profitable Trading’s Jared Levy became a successful trader at a young age. After reading today’s essay, I hope you, too, will understand the importance of strategizing in order to maximize gains. By the time Jared was 18, he… Read More

Last year, I wrote a somewhat bearish article on the long-term price of oil. While I am sticking to my guns long-term, a recent research piece published by Confluence Investment Management’s Bill O’Grady (one of the best energy analysts) sets a near-term bullish tone for the price of crude and natural gas. O’Grady suggests that oil prices remain steady thanks to “OPEC production discipline and solid global oil demand”. Based on his firm’s methodology, he suggests a fair value price of $72.49. Looking at a recent chart of the price action for West Texas Intermediate (WTI),… Read More

Last year, I wrote a somewhat bearish article on the long-term price of oil. While I am sticking to my guns long-term, a recent research piece published by Confluence Investment Management’s Bill O’Grady (one of the best energy analysts) sets a near-term bullish tone for the price of crude and natural gas. O’Grady suggests that oil prices remain steady thanks to “OPEC production discipline and solid global oil demand”. Based on his firm’s methodology, he suggests a fair value price of $72.49. Looking at a recent chart of the price action for West Texas Intermediate (WTI), I would have to agree. As the first quarter of 2018 ends, crude has traded in a 10-point range. If O’Grady’s forecast is accurate, it would suggest a near-term upside of 18% — not bad for an asset that will be range-bound for the near future. Natural gas may be going along for the ride as well. After a significant pullback, it looks as though the commodity has bottomed. So how do investors play this short-term trend? One of the best ways would be in the master limited partnership (MLP) space. I’ve identified three names in… Read More

Legal cannabis is already the fastest growing industry in North America. North American cannabis sales jumped 30% in 2017, a repeat of 2016’s stunning gain. While that’s impressive on its own, the pace of growth is about to accelerate due to a huge catalyst directly on the horizon. Canada has announced plans to legalize recreational cannabis by July 2018. That would make Canada the first developed country in the world to legalize both medical and recreational cannabis. It’s also set to unleash a multi-billion dollar industry. Cannabis sales are expected to be between $5 and $7… Read More

Legal cannabis is already the fastest growing industry in North America. North American cannabis sales jumped 30% in 2017, a repeat of 2016’s stunning gain. While that’s impressive on its own, the pace of growth is about to accelerate due to a huge catalyst directly on the horizon. Canada has announced plans to legalize recreational cannabis by July 2018. That would make Canada the first developed country in the world to legalize both medical and recreational cannabis. It’s also set to unleash a multi-billion dollar industry. Cannabis sales are expected to be between $5 and $7 billion in the first 12 months after legalization. That would be between a 400 percent and 600 percent increase from Canada’s 2017 numbers. If you want to learn how you can potentially profit from this cannabis revolution, let me tell you about one of the most promising companies in Canada’s high-growth cannabis market. #-ad_banner-#​Aphria (TSE: APH) is an early leader in Canada’s high-growth cannabis industry. With a market cap of $2.4 billion, Aphria is the second-largest cannabis company in Canada behind Canopy Growth Corp’s (TSE: WEED) $6.6 billion. Shares of Aphria are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the… Read More

One of the signs of a healthy market is the number and the overall quality of new companies going public. This is how investors get a wider array of choices, as well as a chance to learn more about new ideas. It’s also how we, as investors, get an opportunity to get in on the ground floor. (Or as close to the ground floor as possible.) Indeed, the more choice we have, the better. —Sponsored Link— Bitcoin’s April 27 ‘Flash Point’ Could Ignite A Frenzy April 27 could be a fateful day in the cryptocurrency… Read More

One of the signs of a healthy market is the number and the overall quality of new companies going public. This is how investors get a wider array of choices, as well as a chance to learn more about new ideas. It’s also how we, as investors, get an opportunity to get in on the ground floor. (Or as close to the ground floor as possible.) Indeed, the more choice we have, the better. —Sponsored Link— Bitcoin’s April 27 ‘Flash Point’ Could Ignite A Frenzy April 27 could be a fateful day in the cryptocurrency markets. One that could change bitcoin forever — and send dozens of other cryptocurrencies flying. So what’s this April “Flash Point” Event? You’ll have to click here to find out. HINT: It involves an EXTREMELY popular e-commerce company… Yes, THAT e-commerce company. Click here now, or miss out on this explosive opportunity. This is why I like to watch how initial public offering (IPO) activity is shaping up. My interest in the IPO market isn’t purely academic. It’s not because I love data (although I do love it —… Read More

Have you ever “unplugged” from your cell phone? If you have, you’ve likely experienced the phenomenon of phantom vibrations — the perception that your phone is ringing or vibrating when in fact it’s not. (In the 1990s, people reported incidences of “phantom pager syndrome.”) We’ve become so accustomed to being “connected” that for many it controls our lives. My cell phone is the first thing I reach for in the morning (and usually the last thing I’ve touched before falling asleep). I can turn on and adjust the music streaming through my Sonos speakers, my Apple TV, and my heat… Read More

Have you ever “unplugged” from your cell phone? If you have, you’ve likely experienced the phenomenon of phantom vibrations — the perception that your phone is ringing or vibrating when in fact it’s not. (In the 1990s, people reported incidences of “phantom pager syndrome.”) We’ve become so accustomed to being “connected” that for many it controls our lives. My cell phone is the first thing I reach for in the morning (and usually the last thing I’ve touched before falling asleep). I can turn on and adjust the music streaming through my Sonos speakers, my Apple TV, and my heat and air conditioning. Heck, nowadays you can use your smartphone to lock and unlock your doors, control your lights, open your garage, start your car… I even use it to track the internal temperature of whatever meat I’m smoking. —Sponsored Link— Top 10 Blue Chip Stocks To Buy Now Louis Navellier just completed his latest analysis on more than 5,000 stocks and 10 rose to the top of the list. 10 top-notch stocks that are his top picks for double or triple-digit gains in the months ahead. The full list — every name, every buy… Read More