I sold my 1994 Mazda 626 — affectionately called “The Green Monster” — to a neighbor about two years ago. The car had served me well and still had enough life left to see his two teenagers through those dicey “new driver” years. I’m happy to report that the teens… Read More

During the past decade, analysts have collectively raised and lowered their rating on Walmart (NYSE: WMT) hundreds of times. Perhaps they shouldn’t have bothered. The stock has gone nowhere in 10 years, having been mostly stuck between $45 and $60 for all of that time. But just because the stock… Read More

I have a little quiz for you. I’ll describe a few features of one of the most intriguing places in the world to invest, and you tell me which nation I’m talking about. Ready? This country produces more copper than any other nation in the world. It… Read More

I have a chart that I want to show you. It’s nothing complex or hard to understand. In fact, I take pride in how simple it is to read. You’ll be surprised that the information shown in this chart is the result of just six months of… Read More

The United States and China have been locked in a dysfunctional relationship for far too long. We here in the states have been consuming Chinese imports at an ever-rising rate. And China has helped fuel our addiction by keeping its goods very cheap. It’s managed this by pouring much of… Read More

What a roller coaster. On Friday the markets drop about -3%. As of the close today, most of that has been made back. I know investors are wondering what they should do.  In most cases, I think the answer is “nothing.” As Warren Buffett said, “I buy on the assumption… Read More

Talk about some serious volatility. The past two years have been some of the most hectic ever — on both the downside and the upside. Meanwhile, if you’re trying to escape the ups and downs in some of the typical safe-haven investments, you’re being paid next to… Read More

I’ve noticed an emerging trend from my subscribers. It started out about two years ago as a whisper. Month by month, email by email, that whisper has become a little louder. Today, I’m hearing it loud and clear and received my last email about it just a… Read More

Investors may feel like they have nowhere to turn during times like these. Equity investors have seen a -35% return in the S&P 500 during the past 10 years, making it known as “The Lost Decade.” Meanwhile, those who turn to bonds are likely to find themselves sorely disappointed — the 10-year T-bill currently yields a measly 3.02%. So what’s an investor to do? Well, there is a security that provides diversification with bond-like regular income along with a shot at capital gains. Trouble is, most people haven’t heard of… Read More

Investors may feel like they have nowhere to turn during times like these. Equity investors have seen a -35% return in the S&P 500 during the past 10 years, making it known as “The Lost Decade.” Meanwhile, those who turn to bonds are likely to find themselves sorely disappointed — the 10-year T-bill currently yields a measly 3.02%. So what’s an investor to do? Well, there is a security that provides diversification with bond-like regular income along with a shot at capital gains. Trouble is, most people haven’t heard of it. And if they have, investors often shy away from them because they seem too complicated. It’s a real shame, because these readily available securities often make terrific investments for a portfolio. The security in question is known as “preferred stock.” Investors should think of preferreds as stock-bond hybrids, because they share characteristics of both. Let’s walk through how a preferred issuance is characterized and how investors can score juicy and stable returns. Hospital REIT Ashford Hospitality Trust (NYSE: AHT) issued eight million… Read More

Every portfolio needs a strong foundation of stable and dependable investments. Solid income producers and tried and true equities are the hallmark of a prudent retirement plan.   But is that enough?   Those of us heading into retirement may have to do more with our… Read More