The biotech industry is known for extreme innovation that can frequently lead to huge gains for early investors. Take Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) for example. When the company released its groundbreaking cholesterol medicine Lipitor in 1996, the best-selling drug in the history of the pharmaceutical industry,… Read More

Fourth-quarter earnings season is almost over and the results have been pretty underwhelming. Out of the 342 S&P 500 companies that have reported so far, representing 78% of the index‘s total… Read More

Brazil is an undisputed economic powerhouse. Not only is it the leading emerging market and the largest economy in South America, it is the sixth-largest economy in the world after overtaking England in 2011. Read More

Brazil is an undisputed economic powerhouse. Not only is it the leading emerging market and the largest economy in South America, it is the sixth-largest economy in the world after overtaking England in 2011. The country’s incredible rise to global prominence has been driven by its rich trove of natural resources.#-ad_banner-# Brazil’s largest export is iron ore, and is the world’s third-largest producer behind only China and Australia. Brazil’s iron ore exports are up more than 200% in just the past… Read More

Brazil is an undisputed economic powerhouse. Not only is it the leading emerging market and the largest economy in South America, it is the sixth-largest economy in the world after overtaking England in 2011. The country’s incredible rise to global prominence has been driven by its rich trove of natural resources.#-ad_banner-# Brazil’s largest export is iron ore, and is the world’s third-largest producer behind only China and Australia. Brazil’s iron ore exports are up more than 200% in just the past three years. Brazil is also a major player in energy. It is currently the 13th-largest exporter of crude in the world, but that’s rapidly changing… The country’s growth in energy got a big boost in 2006 with the discovery of the Lula oil field off its eastern coast, lifting Brazil’s proven and probable reserves by 150% to 50 billion barrels. The Economist projects that will help the country rise to the sixth-largest oil producer in the world by 2020. Agriculture is also a huge part of Brazil’s booming… Read More

Earnings season is the most dangerous time of the year for companies and investors alike. The Street frequently punishes companies that fall short of expectations, with investors quickly bailing on stocks that show even a glimpse of… Read More

It’s no news that gold has been one of the hottest investments in the past decade. With the dollar on a steady decline, gold has gained more than 500% in the past 12 years, crushing the S&P 500’s paltry 12% return. Take a look… Read More

It’s no news that gold has been one of the hottest investments in the past decade. With the dollar on a steady decline, gold has gained more than 500% in the past 12 years, crushing the S&P 500’s paltry 12% return. Take a look at the meteoric gains below. Anyone who’s invested in the yellow metal has made a lot of money… And the trends that have been driving gold higher in the past 12 years are still… Read More

It’s no news that gold has been one of the hottest investments in the past decade. With the dollar on a steady decline, gold has gained more than 500% in the past 12 years, crushing the S&P 500’s paltry 12% return. Take a look at the meteoric gains below. Anyone who’s invested in the yellow metal has made a lot of money… And the trends that have been driving gold higher in the past 12 years are still well in play. The U.S. dollar continues to depreciate under heavy stimulation from the Federal Reserve and lingering trade deficits. And the world still views gold as a safe haven against inflation and social instability, with political events in Europe and the Middle East fueling more demand. But owning bullion is unrealistic for most investors. Not only is it incredibly difficult and dangerous to store bullion, but it’s also capital-intensive at $1,650 an ounce. That’s why many investors, including former Texas congressman Ron Paul, are focusing on gold-mining… Read More

If something looks too good to be true, then it probably is. Nowhere is this more true than in the stock market.  The late years of the 1990s were a great example of this. Internet… Read More

If something looks too good to be true, then it probably is. Nowhere is this more true than in the stock market.  The late years of the 1990s were a great example of this. Internet stocks with little to no earnings were burning up the charts, pumping out huge gains and leading many investors to believe that an early retirement was close at hand.#-ad_banner-# The housing boom of the early to mid-2000’s also showcased… Read More

If something looks too good to be true, then it probably is. Nowhere is this more true than in the stock market.  The late years of the 1990s were a great example of this. Internet stocks with little to no earnings were burning up the charts, pumping out huge gains and leading many investors to believe that an early retirement was close at hand.#-ad_banner-# The housing boom of the early to mid-2000’s also showcased this dynamic. Everyone and their grandmother became an expert at speculating in real estate. The narrative on the Street was that “housing prices never go down.” We all know exactly how both of those stories ended. Investors jumping on the bandwagon looking for quick and easy gains turned out to incur huge losses. But now, a few years down the road, there is another kind of investment that is gaining critical mass. With yields on… Read More

Retirees are being confronted with a huge dilemma. In the past, investors on the verge of retirement could simply shift into fixed-income assets and still generate plenty of income to support a comfortable lifestyle.#-ad_banner-# Take the 10-Year… Read More