The U.S. dollar has exploded, forcing stock investors to pay attention. The strength or weakness of the currency can have tremendous influence over stock prices, making it critical for investors to understand the correlation. Market prices are influenced — both positively and negatively — depending on the sector and direction of the U.S. dollar.  A strong dollar benefits some industries while hurting others. Right now, the USD is on its way back up. #-ad_banner-#After 2017 was spent in an aggressive downward trend, the greenback bottomed in January 2018, proceeding to build a technical price base for the next 12-plus weeks. Read More

The U.S. dollar has exploded, forcing stock investors to pay attention. The strength or weakness of the currency can have tremendous influence over stock prices, making it critical for investors to understand the correlation. Market prices are influenced — both positively and negatively — depending on the sector and direction of the U.S. dollar.  A strong dollar benefits some industries while hurting others. Right now, the USD is on its way back up. #-ad_banner-#After 2017 was spent in an aggressive downward trend, the greenback bottomed in January 2018, proceeding to build a technical price base for the next 12-plus weeks. At the start of April 2018, the currency started to tick higher until technical resistance at both the 50 and 200-day simple moving averages were broken on the upside. Now, with the support of both major moving averages, there is little doubt that a substantial uptrend has been established. I have little doubt that the greenback’s climb will continue for the rest of 2018 at a minimum. The combined factors of upside technical price momentum, advancing interest rates, and improving economy provide little choice for the U.S. currency to do anything but gain strength. Now that we have established that… Read More

Finding high dividend yields has become difficult. Income investors are often forced into accepting low returns or taking on excessive risk in sketchy stocks and junk grade bonds. It seems every high-yielding investment has a corresponding unacceptable risk level in today’s low rate environment. Fortunately, there is a solution for income investors. #-ad_banner-#Earning 6%-plus yields in an investment considered to be safer than common stock is possible. Here’s how: If you have not already guessed it, I am referencing preferred stock. Many investors are not aware of the benefits of preferred stock or even what it is. This article will… Read More

Finding high dividend yields has become difficult. Income investors are often forced into accepting low returns or taking on excessive risk in sketchy stocks and junk grade bonds. It seems every high-yielding investment has a corresponding unacceptable risk level in today’s low rate environment. Fortunately, there is a solution for income investors. #-ad_banner-#Earning 6%-plus yields in an investment considered to be safer than common stock is possible. Here’s how: If you have not already guessed it, I am referencing preferred stock. Many investors are not aware of the benefits of preferred stock or even what it is. This article will explain preferred stock and reveal five stocks are creating 6% and more excellent dividend yields. The two classes of stock are common and preferred. Both categories carry an ownership interest in the company, but that is where the similarities end. The primary difference is that common stockholders usually have voting rights for the company’s decisions while preferred stockholders may or may not have the right to vote. An excellent way to think about the preferred stock is that it is similar to a bond. Preferred stockholders have a stronger right to the company’s assets, earnings, and dividends than common stockholders. Read More

I read a lot of research. It’s my job. I don’t mind. Comes with the territory. Most of it just involves gathering data and checking the pulse of what’s going on. There are only a handful of analysts, though, whose work I follow consistently. One of those is Stifel Nicolaus equity strategist Barry Bannister. #-ad_banner-#Bannister predicted the violent pullback the market enjoyed in February, and, in a recent report, the outlook is rather gloomy. “Our models for the S&P 500 point to minimal price upside in 2018 and a bear market (-20%) in the coming year,” Bannister writes. “What matters… Read More

I read a lot of research. It’s my job. I don’t mind. Comes with the territory. Most of it just involves gathering data and checking the pulse of what’s going on. There are only a handful of analysts, though, whose work I follow consistently. One of those is Stifel Nicolaus equity strategist Barry Bannister. #-ad_banner-#Bannister predicted the violent pullback the market enjoyed in February, and, in a recent report, the outlook is rather gloomy. “Our models for the S&P 500 point to minimal price upside in 2018 and a bear market (-20%) in the coming year,” Bannister writes. “What matters for investors,” he continues. “is that any decline is likely to be unusually rapid…” Gulp. The culprit, according to the analyst, was and will be the Fed and other central banks around the world. Bannister believes that central bankers are tightening monetary policy too aggressively and markets are reacting negatively to the action. He recommends that investors start moving to more defensive positions in consumer staples and utility stocks. His timing may be dead on. This chart is a good indicator. The thin line is the Dow Jones Industrial Average with the thicker line representing the Dow Utilities. Read More

Many Americans are optimistic about achieving a comfortable retirement. They fund their 401(k) or IRA in hopes of accumulating a nest egg that has the potential of providing enough income for the rest of their lives. Unfortunately, too many Americans invest too conservatively to accomplish their goals. This is especially true for investors under the age of 40 — who face the prospects of a future much different than their parents and grandparents due primarily to Social Security’s bleak future. #-ad_banner-#This was confirmed in a study conducted by Wells Fargo that found 59% of Americans focus more on avoiding losses… Read More

Many Americans are optimistic about achieving a comfortable retirement. They fund their 401(k) or IRA in hopes of accumulating a nest egg that has the potential of providing enough income for the rest of their lives. Unfortunately, too many Americans invest too conservatively to accomplish their goals. This is especially true for investors under the age of 40 — who face the prospects of a future much different than their parents and grandparents due primarily to Social Security’s bleak future. #-ad_banner-#This was confirmed in a study conducted by Wells Fargo that found 59% of Americans focus more on avoiding losses than trying to maximize gains. And it’s not just young workers who invest too conservatively, either. The study showed that investors in every demographic group prefer minimizing losses to growing their balances. Now, this strategy is fine for older workers nearing retirement age, but it’s contraindicated for those with longer time horizons. Now, for the average investor, pursuing returns in a passive low-cost index fund is an acceptable way to invest for the long term. But that doesn’t mean that 100% of an investor’s funds should be invested this way. Investors should put a portion of their savings into more… Read More

I’m a T-Mobile (NASDAQ: TMUS) convert. After many years with AT&T and a short bout with Sprint, I finally took the plunge and never looked back. My reception in most metro areas is the same or better than it was with AT&T, and my unlimited plan (which even comes with a personal hot spot), costs me just a $75 flat fee each month — like it has for years. —Sponsored Link— My No. 1 Rule: Don’t Buy Options! Most options traders place high-risk trades, hoping for a big payout. But they lose… a LOT! That’s… Read More

I’m a T-Mobile (NASDAQ: TMUS) convert. After many years with AT&T and a short bout with Sprint, I finally took the plunge and never looked back. My reception in most metro areas is the same or better than it was with AT&T, and my unlimited plan (which even comes with a personal hot spot), costs me just a $75 flat fee each month — like it has for years. —Sponsored Link— My No. 1 Rule: Don’t Buy Options! Most options traders place high-risk trades, hoping for a big payout. But they lose… a LOT! That’s why Jim Fink flips options trading on its head, allowing him to make money more than 85% of the time. For a brief window, he’s offering his personal strategy guide to readers which could unlock $67,548 in extra income for you in the next 12 months. Get the full details here. I can’t tell you how many of my friends on other networks complain about their high cell phone bills and spotty service. Most can’t believe I pay so little for service and get certain perks included, like the aforementioned hot spot, as well as free… Read More

A Southwest flight was forced to make an emergency landing on April 17 when an engine suffered a mid-flight failure. Shrapnel from the engine failure penetrated the plane, causing the death of one passenger and seven others to be insured. Another Southwest flight was diverted and forced to land on May 2 due to a cracked window. #-ad_banner-#Surprisingly, shares fell just 2% after the first incident and were down only 1.5% on the day of the cracked window. That resilience in the face of what could have been a devastating day is little consolation for shareholders though against a 21%… Read More

A Southwest flight was forced to make an emergency landing on April 17 when an engine suffered a mid-flight failure. Shrapnel from the engine failure penetrated the plane, causing the death of one passenger and seven others to be insured. Another Southwest flight was diverted and forced to land on May 2 due to a cracked window. #-ad_banner-#Surprisingly, shares fell just 2% after the first incident and were down only 1.5% on the day of the cracked window. That resilience in the face of what could have been a devastating day is little consolation for shareholders though against a 21% plunge from a multi-year peak reached in January. In fact, the entire industry seems to have hit some major turbulence as of late with the U.S. Global Jets ETF (NYSE: JETS) off 8.8% since January. Airline Stocks Are Falling From The Sky As bad as two equipment problems in less than a month may seem, airline stocks are falling for a different reason. The biggest burden on airlines has been the jump in jet fuel prices. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reports North American fuel prices have jumped 47% in the year through April,… Read More

You may have missed this headline amid the constant stream of news over the last few weeks, but I couldn’t help but raise my eyebrow when I saw this… Former House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, a Republican, has joined the advisory board of a major cannabis company. —Sponsored Link— Motley Fool Issues Rare Triple-Buy Alert This three-time recommendation from the Motley Fool looks a lot like Berkshire in 1992. Click here to join. At one point, the speaker said he was “unalterably opposed” to weed. Now, after seeing how the… Read More

You may have missed this headline amid the constant stream of news over the last few weeks, but I couldn’t help but raise my eyebrow when I saw this… Former House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, a Republican, has joined the advisory board of a major cannabis company. —Sponsored Link— Motley Fool Issues Rare Triple-Buy Alert This three-time recommendation from the Motley Fool looks a lot like Berkshire in 1992. Click here to join. At one point, the speaker said he was “unalterably opposed” to weed. Now, after seeing how the happy little plant helped a friend suffering from back pain, he says his views have evolved. He now thinks cannabis is a potential solution for treating soldiers affected by post-traumatic stress disorder as well as the nation’s opioid epidemic. #-ad_banner-#The company, New York-based Acreage Holdings, has a national footprint, a long history (for the cannabis space) and is vertically integrated — it grows the plant, processes it and markets it in states that allow its sale for medicinal or adult (that is, “recreational”) use. The Changing Tide This is what folks in the business call a “big get.” His… Read More