U.S. police departments face huge expectations. Aside from all of the performance scrutiny they’ve been under in recent years, they also face the same problems as other parts of our government institutions: they are under great pressure to reduce spending while also achieving strict regulatory targets. One of the best ways for police departments to help with all of these problems? Body cameras. #-ad_banner-#Recent studies  show that when police officers use body cameras it dramatically reduces use of force incidents. Researchers at the University of South Florida recently released the results of a yearlong pilot program with the Orlando Police… Read More

U.S. police departments face huge expectations. Aside from all of the performance scrutiny they’ve been under in recent years, they also face the same problems as other parts of our government institutions: they are under great pressure to reduce spending while also achieving strict regulatory targets. One of the best ways for police departments to help with all of these problems? Body cameras. #-ad_banner-#Recent studies  show that when police officers use body cameras it dramatically reduces use of force incidents. Researchers at the University of South Florida recently released the results of a yearlong pilot program with the Orlando Police Department. The study randomly selected 46 officers to wear body cameras and compared their behavior to 43 officers not equipped with body cameras. The results are telling. In the 12-month period from March 2014 through February 2015, use of force incidents dropped 53% with officers wearing body cameras. Civilian complaints against officers wearing body cameras fell 65%. A study across the Atlantic is even more convincing. The Cambridge University in England conducted a study of 2,000 officers from four UK police departments and two U.S. police departments. The study found a 93% drop in civilian complaints against officers wearing body… Read More

A couple of months ago, I introduced you to our newest expert analyst Genia Turanova. We brought Genia in to take the helm of two of our most important and successful premium newsletters (The Daily Paycheck and Game-Changing Stocks). And she hasn’t disappointed. In fact, one of her most recent picks for Game-Changing Stocks is up 20% in a matter of 10 trading days — and she believes there could be even more upside ahead. Before I tell you about that pick, I should also mention that another one of our strategists, options expert Jared Levy, has been following the… Read More

A couple of months ago, I introduced you to our newest expert analyst Genia Turanova. We brought Genia in to take the helm of two of our most important and successful premium newsletters (The Daily Paycheck and Game-Changing Stocks). And she hasn’t disappointed. In fact, one of her most recent picks for Game-Changing Stocks is up 20% in a matter of 10 trading days — and she believes there could be even more upside ahead. Before I tell you about that pick, I should also mention that another one of our strategists, options expert Jared Levy, has been following the very same stock for some time as well. And he’s recommending a safe way to play the upside the stock still has while also protecting against the downside.  —Sponsored Link— AGHI: First 243% Profits. Then 390%. Are 1,775% Gains Next?​ AGHI keeps making investors unbelievable gains. In less than a year, this stock has returned triple-digit gains… twice. Every time they get a little attention — share prices just don’t stop climbing. And this time 1,775% profits could be yours. Click here to learn more.  That stock in question is social… Read More

Editor’s note: In this week’s Market Outlook, John Kosar will lay out the reasons why investors should expect a near-term decline in stocks and why it’s not a good idea to put new money to work here on the long side. However, that doesn’t mean you need to sit on the sidelines waiting for a correction. Using a “backdoor” trading method, Jared Levy has turned similar declines into gains of 62.4% in nine days (2,532% annualized), 33.8% in four days (3,080.4% annualized) and 18.5% in a single day (6,759% annualized). If you’d like to get ahead of the next market… Read More

Editor’s note: In this week’s Market Outlook, John Kosar will lay out the reasons why investors should expect a near-term decline in stocks and why it’s not a good idea to put new money to work here on the long side. However, that doesn’t mean you need to sit on the sidelines waiting for a correction. Using a “backdoor” trading method, Jared Levy has turned similar declines into gains of 62.4% in nine days (2,532% annualized), 33.8% in four days (3,080.4% annualized) and 18.5% in a single day (6,759% annualized). If you’d like to get ahead of the next market correction, you can try his backdoor strategy with a 60-day, no-risk guarantee. Get the details here. The market took a breather last week following two consecutive weeks of gains, as most major U.S. stock indices finished just fractionally higher. The strongest performer was the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100, which gained just 0.4%, while the small-cap Russell 2000 brought up the rear, losing 0.2%. #-ad_banner-#  Bigger picture, the S&P 500 remains situated right in the middle of a three-month period of sideways investor indecision as two key questions overhang… Read More

Baron Rothschild’s 18th century rule that, “The time to buy is when there’s blood in the streets,” is just as applicable today as it was 300 years ago. But today, we’re nearly eight years into a bull market and it’s tough finding value in stocks, let alone bargains around panic-selling. The S&P 500 has returned 273% adjusting for dividends since the 2009 low and individual sectors are trading at bubble-worthy highs. Even the healthcare sector, one of the worst performing of the year, has jumped 360% since 2009 and trades at 16-times trailing earnings. #-ad_banner-#But investors in one sector are… Read More

Baron Rothschild’s 18th century rule that, “The time to buy is when there’s blood in the streets,” is just as applicable today as it was 300 years ago. But today, we’re nearly eight years into a bull market and it’s tough finding value in stocks, let alone bargains around panic-selling. The S&P 500 has returned 273% adjusting for dividends since the 2009 low and individual sectors are trading at bubble-worthy highs. Even the healthcare sector, one of the worst performing of the year, has jumped 360% since 2009 and trades at 16-times trailing earnings. #-ad_banner-#But investors in one sector are in full panic-mode. That sector is facing a perfect storm of fundamental and political issues. Several companies within the group are facing threats to their very existence. Few investors are talking about the long-term upside in the group but one investment provides the opportunity to reduce your risk while still benefiting from the rebound. Dark Clouds Over European Banking European banks have lagged their U.S. peers since the 2009 recession. The slower economic recovery in the EU and continuing problems in Greece have weighed on the sector. While the European Central Bank was able to step in and avoid… Read More

Typically, I’m an optimistic, glass is half full kind of guy. I have to be. I’m an investment guy. Doesn’t mean I’m not realistic, though. In September 2011, Stifel Nicolaus macro strategist Barry Bannister published a report stating “We believe a ‘Depression’ began in 2000, moderated by U.S. reserve currency status and coordinated monetary and fiscal intervention.” That’s a mouthful. My translation: when the Tech Bubble burst, everything started heading downhill, culminating with the financial crisis of 2008. However, thanks to central bank and government policies like quantitative easing and TARP, things didn’t look or feel like Great Depression 2.0. … Read More

Typically, I’m an optimistic, glass is half full kind of guy. I have to be. I’m an investment guy. Doesn’t mean I’m not realistic, though. In September 2011, Stifel Nicolaus macro strategist Barry Bannister published a report stating “We believe a ‘Depression’ began in 2000, moderated by U.S. reserve currency status and coordinated monetary and fiscal intervention.” That’s a mouthful. My translation: when the Tech Bubble burst, everything started heading downhill, culminating with the financial crisis of 2008. However, thanks to central bank and government policies like quantitative easing and TARP, things didn’t look or feel like Great Depression 2.0.  #-ad_banner-#In 2008 and 2009, there was even a lot of talk about massive, New Deal style “shovel ready” projects to help rebuild America’s rapidly aging infrastructure, which would create jobs and stimulate all facets of the nation’s foundering economy. A hybrid federal/municipal bond called a Build America Bond (BAB) was created to finance some of the projects that actually made it to the street.  But most of the projects never materialized and our infrastructure continues to crumble. Flint, Michigan’s lead-tainted drinking water is stark evidence. According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, American infrastructure, from dams to roads to… Read More

You don’t need me to tell you that the internet changed the way we live. From emails that have pushed snail mail out of business to online shopping that endangers brick and mortar shops, our daily lives have been transformed forever.  So why does internet dating still carry a stigma in some quarters — or does it?  —Recommended Link— 2-Digit Code Predicts Market Crash This little-known indicator predicted the last market collapse… and can save you from the next one too. Full details here. For those of us who lived most of our lives before the internet, cell phones… Read More

You don’t need me to tell you that the internet changed the way we live. From emails that have pushed snail mail out of business to online shopping that endangers brick and mortar shops, our daily lives have been transformed forever.  So why does internet dating still carry a stigma in some quarters — or does it?  —Recommended Link— 2-Digit Code Predicts Market Crash This little-known indicator predicted the last market collapse… and can save you from the next one too. Full details here. For those of us who lived most of our lives before the internet, cell phones or texting, the old way of meeting people — in our place of work, study or through friends or relatives — still takes precedence. But for people who’ve lived most of their lives with the internet, filling out an online dating profile is as familiar as downloading a tune. #-ad_banner-#Among all age groups, though, the level of acceptance has been growing strongly. According to Pew Research Center, 41% of American adults say they know someone who uses online dating, and 29% indicate they know someone who has married or entered into a long-term partnership with someone they met online.  In… Read More

The banking sector enjoyed a nice run higher as investors saw the reality of rising interest rates getting closer. Banks make money by borrowing it at lower short-term interest rates and lending it at longer-term interest rates. So, the yield curve — the difference between short- and long-term rates — is critical. #-ad_banner-# If the Federal Reserve raises short-term rates, with all else being equal, the yield curve will flatten, making it harder for banks to make money. All things are never equal, though, and the chain of events in the… Read More

The banking sector enjoyed a nice run higher as investors saw the reality of rising interest rates getting closer. Banks make money by borrowing it at lower short-term interest rates and lending it at longer-term interest rates. So, the yield curve — the difference between short- and long-term rates — is critical. #-ad_banner-# If the Federal Reserve raises short-term rates, with all else being equal, the yield curve will flatten, making it harder for banks to make money. All things are never equal, though, and the chain of events in the capital markets is thought to push long-term rates higher, as well. Pundits think long-term rates will rise more than short rates, and that will make the yield curve steeper. However, that does not seem to be happening now. The yield curve remains as flat as it has been since early July, which represented a nine-year low and a level last seen as the financial crisis was still unfolding. While the yield curve spent the first half of September steepening and broke a one-year trendline to the upside, something happened mid-month to abruptly change that. Out of the blue, markets got… Read More

Quick, which nation reported the strongest economic growth last year?  I’ll give you a hint. The country is rich in minerals and agricultural products, is situated squarely in the Pacific’s volcanic Ring of Fire, and has an incredibly diverse population that speaks 852 different languages.  #-ad_banner-#I’m talking about Papua New Guinea. While most of its citizens live in rural farming communities, this island nation has been outrunning the world’s economic powerhouses. Some of the credit belongs to an influx of foreign capital. ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM), Total (NYSE: TOT) and Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE: RDS) are just a few of the… Read More

Quick, which nation reported the strongest economic growth last year?  I’ll give you a hint. The country is rich in minerals and agricultural products, is situated squarely in the Pacific’s volcanic Ring of Fire, and has an incredibly diverse population that speaks 852 different languages.  #-ad_banner-#I’m talking about Papua New Guinea. While most of its citizens live in rural farming communities, this island nation has been outrunning the world’s economic powerhouses. Some of the credit belongs to an influx of foreign capital. ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM), Total (NYSE: TOT) and Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE: RDS) are just a few of the parties vying for a piece of the country’s rich oil and gas resources.  Papua New Guinea is also blessed with valuable metals such as gold, copper, nickel and cobalt. High in the rainforests of Enga Province, Barrick Gold (NYSE: ABX) pulled 493,000 ounces of the yellow metal from the Porgera Mine last year, and this is just one of sixteen large-scale mining projects in the country. Elsewhere, others are busy growing cocoa, coconut, and palm oil, the country’s top agricultural exports. Thanks to all these resources, the country enjoyed robust GDP growth last year that has been estimated at anywere… Read More

The internet turned 47 years old this year. That’s if you count from the first computer-to-computer linkup on ARPANET in 1969. Even counting from the creation of the world wide web in 1989, the online revolution would be getting close to its 30s. While few companies are trading at the dizzying heights of the dot-com bubble, there are still quite a few names that trade as ‘growth’ stocks on the assumption of years left to internet growth. But what if the internet stops growing? #-ad_banner-#Nearly everyone in the United States (89%) is connected and internet penetration is as high as… Read More

The internet turned 47 years old this year. That’s if you count from the first computer-to-computer linkup on ARPANET in 1969. Even counting from the creation of the world wide web in 1989, the online revolution would be getting close to its 30s. While few companies are trading at the dizzying heights of the dot-com bubble, there are still quite a few names that trade as ‘growth’ stocks on the assumption of years left to internet growth. But what if the internet stops growing? #-ad_banner-#Nearly everyone in the United States (89%) is connected and internet penetration is as high as 94% of the population in the United Kingdom. What happens when the growth that investors are assuming to drive internet-related companies just isn’t there? Turns out it may already be happening. A new study by Adobe suggests that internet growth has slowed considerably or even stopped altogether and it could be disastrous for a few tech names. The Internet Is Dead, Long Live The Internet A report by Adobe suggests that internet traffic may have reached its peak as fewer net new people come online every year. The company’s first Advertising Demand Report was compiled from more than 1.1… Read More