Barcelona Attacks Not Affecting Gold or Markets
The terrorist attack in Barcelona may have shaken up Europe, but its effects on US markets appeared to be negligible. The Dow was down over 274 points, posting its biggest one-day loss in over three months. Domestic concerns seemed to be the primary cause for that, however, with disappointing business earnings numbers distressing investors. Further concerns over shakeups within...
Alan Greenspan Warns of Bond Bubble
Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan warned recently that the bond market bubble is in danger of bursting sometime soon. The originator of the phrase “irrational exuberance” is once again pointing out the dangers of low-interest rates and the likelihood that when rates start rising they will rise rapidly. Greenspan’s Fed and Low-Interest Rates The irony of Greenspan’s most recent comments...
Private Equity Booming Thanks to Pension Funds
Four of the largest publicly-traded private equity funds recently reported their largest quarterly increase in total assets under management in four years. Much of that increase is due to insurance funds, pension funds, and others pouring money into private equity funds in a bid for better returns on investment. That doesn’t bode well for retirees hoping to benefit from...
How to North Korea-Proof Your Investment Portfolio
The ongoing war of words between North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump has been escalating in recent days, with North Korea threatening to attack Guam with nuclear weapons...
Currency Risk and Retirement: Whither the Dollar?
If you’re nearing retirement, or even just starting to plan for retirement, you’ve probably started putting together a list of all the things you need to do and all the things you need to avoid. Make the right investment choices, diversify your portfolio, save more money, come up with a budget. You think you’ve taken care of every possibility,...
Skyrocketing Volatility Numbers A Warning Sign For Markets
The usual calm that pervades financial markets during August has been shattered in recent days. Investors have become increasingly nervous, stock markets have...
Saving Money Is Important All the Time
Too many people fail to save enough money. While savings rates in the United States increased during and immediately after the financial crisis, they have since fallen back towards historically low levels....
How Much Longer Will the Bull Market Run?
If you’ve been watching stock markets recently, you’ll know that the Dow Jones Industrial Average just recently topped 22,000 points for the first time. It’s a pretty amazing run that...