If you had a crystal ball in the 1960s, you probably would have seen that Japan would turn out to be a great investment. The country’s economy was growing nicely, family birth rates were high enough to ensure a young workforce, its education… Read More

A seldom mentioned emerging market country is nurturing a future oil giant. Few are aware that Colombia is a growing and dynamic economy. Many people think of Colombia as a violent and lawless place dominated by drug cartels, or perhaps even… Read More

Ever notice how the simplest task is more complicated these days? Like buying cereal at the grocery store? I just popped in to get a box of Cheerios and was confronted with no less than 6 different varieties: honey, frosted, chocolate, multi-grain, banana nut and oat clusters. Read More

The BRICs are out-of-style. Brazil, Russia, India and China are already yesterday’s investing theme. And as it becomes increasingly apparent that the United States and Europe will be growth-constrained in the near future, investors are now checking out a new bloc of emerging economies called the CIVETS (Colombia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Egypt, Turkey and South Africa). Growth in these countries has started to catch the attention of globally-focused money managers and, conveniently, there is an exchange-traded fund (ETF) focusing on each country that allows individual investors to own a piece. The… Read More

The BRICs are out-of-style. Brazil, Russia, India and China are already yesterday’s investing theme. And as it becomes increasingly apparent that the United States and Europe will be growth-constrained in the near future, investors are now checking out a new bloc of emerging economies called the CIVETS (Colombia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Egypt, Turkey and South Africa). Growth in these countries has started to catch the attention of globally-focused money managers and, conveniently, there is an exchange-traded fund (ETF) focusing on each country that allows individual investors to own a piece. The question is, are these countries suitable for your portfolio? #-ad_banner-#Looking under the hood Over the years, I have had the good fortune to travel extensively and have brought back a few investing perspectives from my trips to Colombia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Egypt and Turkey (I’ve never been to South Africa). And after consulting with Nathan Slaughter, our resident ETF expert at StreetAuthority, here are my cursory thoughts: Vietnam — I was extremely impressed by this country during my visit in 2007. It is blessed with a low-cost but… Read More

Heading off early next week ahead of the Labor Day weekend? So are many others, including Wall Street traders. As they leave their trading desks, trading volumes can get awfully light. That makes the markets vulnerable — on the upside or the downside — to any news items that are unexpected. With a dearth of corporate news but a boatload of economic releases next week, investors need to stay vigilant. Here’s a look at four key items to watch: 1) On Tuesday, August 30th, we’ll get the latest reading from the monthly Case-Shiller home… Read More

Heading off early next week ahead of the Labor Day weekend? So are many others, including Wall Street traders. As they leave their trading desks, trading volumes can get awfully light. That makes the markets vulnerable — on the upside or the downside — to any news items that are unexpected. With a dearth of corporate news but a boatload of economic releases next week, investors need to stay vigilant. Here’s a look at four key items to watch: 1) On Tuesday, August 30th, we’ll get the latest reading from the monthly Case-Shiller home price index. The data reflects June prices, and this report is coming off a surprisingly robust tally the prior month that showed a +4.6% gain in home prices in May. In fact, this report has looked a tad better for 15 straight months, after bottoming with an -18% drop in February, 2009. Many of those ensuing months were still negative, but less so as time passed. Now, with a string of three straight positive readings, can we keep it up? Any reading above +5.0% would be a real positive for the markets and could boost housing stocks. Then again,… Read More

U.S. banks had a great run. From December 1994 to December 2006, the KBW Bank Sector Index (an index of leading banks) soared nearly +400%. But the financial crisis ended that party. Now the index is at 1996 levels again. Read More

Oil looks to be on the way down and I have a way you can potentially take advantage of the opportunity with an inverse exchange-traded fund (ETF) First, I want you to take a look at the chart for the… Read More

The United States isn’t yet teetering on the brink of insolvency like Greece — but it’s not for a lack of trying. In fact, we’re on an eerily similar path. According to the U.S. Treasury, our national debt is currently more… Read More

I’ve never been an alarmist. I spend far more time talking about promising investment opportunities than spouting financial doom and gloom. But there’s a real debt crisis brewing in the United States, and turning a blind eye to the problem won’t make it go away. An endless… Read More

While the United States, China and Japan duke it out for the top three economic slots in the global economy, Germany has settled in as number four. And from where investment pros sit in Bonn, that’s a pretty nice place to be. While China wrestles with possible bubbles, Japan tackles deflation and the United States frets about its government spending, Germany has spent much of the last few years away from the headlines. But behind the scenes, the country is undergoing a powerful export-led transformation that should catch… Read More

While the United States, China and Japan duke it out for the top three economic slots in the global economy, Germany has settled in as number four. And from where investment pros sit in Bonn, that’s a pretty nice place to be. While China wrestles with possible bubbles, Japan tackles deflation and the United States frets about its government spending, Germany has spent much of the last few years away from the headlines. But behind the scenes, the country is undergoing a powerful export-led transformation that should catch the attention of investors here in the United States as well. According to just-released data from Germany’s Federal Statistics Bureau, German exports are currently rising at a +25% to +30% clip compared to a year ago. That’s a remarkable feat when considering that most of its major trading partners appear too sickly to absorb all that trade. The export surge is due to a bit of methodical planning and a bit of serendipity. To be sure, German policy planners have always made sure that business conditions remain favorable by providing a very strong economic and trade infrastructure. Read More