Few sectors have been battered like retail. A trifecta of bearish pressure, including the explosive growth of online shopping, consumer burnout, and with a failure to change with the times, combined to knock the sector lower. #-ad_banner-#Retail stocks are lower by around 30% on average in the last three years. Some have plunged much more, and others have closed their doors permanently. Toys “R” Us is the latest casualty of the retail apocalypse. Over 6,700 retail locations closed their doors in 2017 — a staggering figure no matter how you look at it. Opportunity lays in adversity, and nowhere is… Read More

Few sectors have been battered like retail. A trifecta of bearish pressure, including the explosive growth of online shopping, consumer burnout, and with a failure to change with the times, combined to knock the sector lower. #-ad_banner-#Retail stocks are lower by around 30% on average in the last three years. Some have plunged much more, and others have closed their doors permanently. Toys “R” Us is the latest casualty of the retail apocalypse. Over 6,700 retail locations closed their doors in 2017 — a staggering figure no matter how you look at it. Opportunity lays in adversity, and nowhere is this more evident than the stock market. Buying when there is blood in the street is a time-proven way of earning outsized returns. However, the question has always been when and what to buy. To be sure, some retailers will not survive the current rout. Others will grow stronger and thrive in the face of the meltdown. This is where technical analysis makes sense. While far from 100% accurate, technical price charts can key you in to when trend changes may occur. Things appear to be slowly improving, with the S&P 500 Retail ETF (XRT) just slightly lower in 2018… Read More

I have to say… the way recent events are playing out has me slightly unnerved. Namely, the surprise tariffs on foreign metals and the subsequent resignation of Trump’s chief economic advisor, the level-headed Gary Cohn. —Sponsored Link— Sell These Stocks Right Now These stocks may look solid — but there is trouble lurking underneath the surface. Just-released free list from Zacks Investment Research reveals the names of 220 stocks rated “Strong Sells” to sell immediately. Protect your portfolio — get your FREE copy here. As much as I am pro-America (believe… Read More

I have to say… the way recent events are playing out has me slightly unnerved. Namely, the surprise tariffs on foreign metals and the subsequent resignation of Trump’s chief economic advisor, the level-headed Gary Cohn. —Sponsored Link— Sell These Stocks Right Now These stocks may look solid — but there is trouble lurking underneath the surface. Just-released free list from Zacks Investment Research reveals the names of 220 stocks rated “Strong Sells” to sell immediately. Protect your portfolio — get your FREE copy here. As much as I am pro-America (believe me, I am), I believe the tariff increases could have been executed a bit differently. As one of the world’s most watched “teachers,” we shouldn’t encourage the students to act first, negotiate later. Protectionism may seem like a positive in some aspects, but I agree with past examples that trade wars in a heavily intertwined global economic fabric likely have no winners. The bottom line is that this abrupt shift in trade policy changes the narrative and sentiment quite a bit. And although much of it is likely noise, there’s a real threat to global economic stability and sentiment, even… Read More

February’s spike in volatility saw the largest one-day drop in the Dow’s history — a rude awakening after several years of stock market calm and rising prices. Not only has general volatility spiked but headwinds in specific sectors are causing massive disruptions in the larger index. Shares of tech companies now account for 27% of the S&P 500 with Monday’s sell-off largely driven by weakness in the sector. #-ad_banner-#The 6%-plus drop in shares of Facebook (Nasdaq: FB) alone took 0.1% off the S&P 500 for the day. With the fiscal stimulus of tax cuts already in the rearview, 2018 lacks… Read More

February’s spike in volatility saw the largest one-day drop in the Dow’s history — a rude awakening after several years of stock market calm and rising prices. Not only has general volatility spiked but headwinds in specific sectors are causing massive disruptions in the larger index. Shares of tech companies now account for 27% of the S&P 500 with Monday’s sell-off largely driven by weakness in the sector. #-ad_banner-#The 6%-plus drop in shares of Facebook (Nasdaq: FB) alone took 0.1% off the S&P 500 for the day. With the fiscal stimulus of tax cuts already in the rearview, 2018 lacks a macroeconomic catalyst to support investor enthusiasm. In fact, investor hope has turned to fear of a potential trade war or at least a tariff-induced slowdown. When uncertainty peaks, I like to seek shelter in best-of-breed dividend names. I look for companies with solid balance sheets and a five-year history of growing dividend payments. These dividend growth picks won’t be immune to a broad market selloff, but those regular dividend payments represent a source of guaranteed positive returns. The companies’ commitment to growing those dividends also means you earn a progressively higher return for years on that initial investment. Could… Read More

It’s official. President Trump has just signed an executive order enacting protective tariffs on aluminum and steel. Shipments originating from Mexico and Canada are temporarily exempt while new a new framework for the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is hammered out. All other imports will be subject to duties of 10% and 25%, respectively. —Sponsored Link— Bitcoin Is Skyrocketing! But while the rest of the world is fixated on watching Bitcoin grow.There’s an even BIGGER story developing. There’s a little-known digital asset that could be your key to turning a small investment into millions. Read More

It’s official. President Trump has just signed an executive order enacting protective tariffs on aluminum and steel. Shipments originating from Mexico and Canada are temporarily exempt while new a new framework for the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is hammered out. All other imports will be subject to duties of 10% and 25%, respectively. —Sponsored Link— Bitcoin Is Skyrocketing! But while the rest of the world is fixated on watching Bitcoin grow.There’s an even BIGGER story developing. There’s a little-known digital asset that could be your key to turning a small investment into millions. And it’s more accessible and less risky than Bitcoin. But like all good things, there is a catch. You only have until April 27 to get in on the ground floor. Once this digital asset goes offline, you’ll have missed out on your chance of turning your money into $2.3 million dollar fortune. Click here to learn more about this digital asset now. The decision was made under the auspices of national security, as the United States doesn’t want to be overly dependent on foreign sources of strategic metals. Still, the move drew swift condemnation from… Read More

The housing market remains on fire in many regions across the country.  Home prices have steadily climbed higher since the devastating global real estate crash a decade ago. In fact, the current market appears to be accelerating to the upside. A thriving job market, low interest rates, and consumers rushing to get a piece of the American Dream before mortgage rates potentially climb to unattainable levels are all powering the upward trajectory. #-ad_banner-#New home sales climbed 10% in 2017 to 615,000, with prices appreciating mid-single digits over the last half decade. Price growth was even higher in coastal areas and… Read More

The housing market remains on fire in many regions across the country.  Home prices have steadily climbed higher since the devastating global real estate crash a decade ago. In fact, the current market appears to be accelerating to the upside. A thriving job market, low interest rates, and consumers rushing to get a piece of the American Dream before mortgage rates potentially climb to unattainable levels are all powering the upward trajectory. #-ad_banner-#New home sales climbed 10% in 2017 to 615,000, with prices appreciating mid-single digits over the last half decade. Price growth was even higher in coastal areas and other hot markets. But what I find most bullish about the next few years is the housing shortage. According to Realtor.com, the United States is facing a housing shortage, particularly for first-time home buyers. Housing inventories are at the lowest level in two decades. Javier Vivas, director of economic research at Realtor.com, said, “It really is a shortage of historic proportions.” The housing shortage translates into longer-term profits for builders and others in the housing business as the low inventory assures continued stable to higher prices and therefore profits. Make no mistake: The SPDR S&P 500 Homebuilders ETF (XHB) is… Read More

OK, I know this isn’t what I normally do. And yes, it might sound a bit extreme. But this is so important we need to talk about it.  I still buy and recommend stocks, but as readers of my newsletters know, I talk a lot about reducing risk and risk management. And this is one of the best ways to do that… despite popular belief.  —Sponsored Link— ‘Forever Income’ Retirement Plan: 7.5% Dividends, 56% Upside If you’re currently investing in dividend stocks for retirement income — or nearing retirement and plan to live off dividends… Read More

OK, I know this isn’t what I normally do. And yes, it might sound a bit extreme. But this is so important we need to talk about it.  I still buy and recommend stocks, but as readers of my newsletters know, I talk a lot about reducing risk and risk management. And this is one of the best ways to do that… despite popular belief.  —Sponsored Link— ‘Forever Income’ Retirement Plan: 7.5% Dividends, 56% Upside If you’re currently investing in dividend stocks for retirement income — or nearing retirement and plan to live off dividends in the years ahead — then please take a few minutes to read this urgent new report. Not only could it prevent you from making a huge mistake, it will also show you how to secure 7.5% income and 56% gains! Click here for details, along with 3 great stocks to buy now! With proper planning and perseverance, Profitable Trading’s Jared Levy became a successful trader at a young age. After reading today’s essay, I hope you, too, will understand the importance of strategizing in order to maximize gains. By the time Jared was 18, he… Read More