The financial media has been on fire with frightening stories about the pending fiscal cliff due to begin on Jan. 1, 2013. The fear in the market is strongly reflected by a drop of more than 900 points in the Dow Jones… Read More

Roughly a decade ago, consumers finally realized they were truly addicted to the Internet.  If you spent a few days offline, without checking e-mail or favorite websites, then withdrawal symptoms began to occur. More recently, we’ve become dependent on a new fix: “WiFi.” As we roam towns and cities, or… Read More

When the market hit bottom in March 2009, investors needed to weigh two variables: The negative pull of a weak economy against the positive push of compelling low valuations. That push-and-pull dynamic has stayed… Read More

Very few hedge fund managers get to have an investing maxim named after them. But so many people follow in the slipstream of activist hedge fund manager Carl Icahn, trying to profit from his moves, that there’s even… Read More

I’m a strong believer in following the big money when it comes to stock investing. Most of the time, when I need an investment idea, I look for the stocks hedge funds are buying. The good thing is that the reversal… Read More

If every era of investing can be characterized by a few select themes, then the current one can surely be noted by a stunning rise in corporate cash balances. Many companies have spent the past few years in cash-generating mode, yet they have seen few opportunities to invest that cash… Read More

Expiring patents are usually bad news for major pharmaceutical companies, especially if the patents are for popular “blockbuster” medications generating $1 billion or more of annual revenue. When those patents expire, the patent… Read More

Without realizing it, our everyday rants about housing, grocery prices and car loans are sprinkled with Federal Reserve influences. Even if you don’t actually utter the words “the Fed” in such conversations, you are touched in numerous ways by our nation’s… Read More

In America, we have let our guard down when it comes to our banking relationships. We assume that everything will be fine if our bank fails. After all, the FDIC insures our deposits up to $250,000. Why worry?  I hate to break this to… Read More

We are mere weeks away from kissing 2012 goodbye and saying hello to bigger and better things in the new year. Smart moves between now and December 31 can make all the difference in reaching your retirement goals, whether you’re starting out in your career or just a few years… Read More