When interest rates reach historic lows, some investors turn to dividend-yielding stocks when in search of income-generating investments. When a company makes a profit, that money can be put to two uses: It can be reinvested in the business. It can be paid out to the company’s shareholders in the form of a dividend, a … Read more
Have you ever taken a close look at paper money? Each U.S. bill has the words “Federal Reserve Note” imprinted across the top. But many individuals may not know why the bill is issued by the Federal Reserve and what role the Federal Reserve plays in the economy. Here’s an inside look. The Federal Reserve, … Read more
According to Yale University’s Crash Confidence Index, only about 27% of investors are confident the stock market will not crash sometime during the next six months.1 But if fear leads investors to avoid the entire investment class, they may limit their potential returns. For example, during the 20-year period ended December 31, 2018, stocks had … Read more
There is no shortage of analysis for anyone interested in investing. A search for the term “stock market analysis” turned up over one billion results on Google and well over 70 million on Yahoo.1 The majority of stock market analysis can be lumped into three broad groups: fundamental, technical, and sentimental. Here’s a close look … Read more
In February 2018, Jerome Powell was appointed as Chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. He became the 16th chair to take over the helm of the world’s most influential central bank. Among other duties, he and the Fed governors are tasked with adjusting short-term interest rates to help control inflation … Read more
Tip: Public Costs. Average in–state tuition and fees for public four-year institutions was $9,970 for the 2017-2018 school year. Out-of-state tuition for these same institutions averaged $25,620.Source: College Board, 2017 It doesn’t take a degree in finance to see the cost of college continues to rise. In its 2017 report, the College Board showed that public … Read more
Everyone loves a winner. If an investment is successful, most people naturally want to stick with it. But is that the best approach? It may sound counterintuitive, but it may be possible to have too much of a good thing. Over time, the performance of different investments can shift a portfolio’s intent – and its … Read more
Looking at their recent track records doesn’t do much to settle the debate. Over the past decade, as a whole, value stocks have not performed as well as growth stocks. But looking at a larger body of cumulative data, reaching as far back as 1926, this has not always been the case. Let’s dive in … Read more
The growth of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) has been explosive. In 2005, there were less than 500; by the latter half of 2021, there were over 8,000 investing in a wide range of stocks, bonds, and other securities and instruments.1 At first glance, ETFs have a lot in common with mutual funds. Both offer shares in … Read more
“If the current annual inflation rate is only 1.4 percent,1 why do my bills seem like they’re 10 percent higher than last year?” Many of us ask ourselves that question, and it illustrates the importance of understanding how inflation is reported and how it can affect investments. WHAT IS INFLATION? Inflation is defined as an upward … Read more
Ancient Chinese merchants were said to have developed a unique way to manage their risk. They would divide their shipments among several different vessels. That way, if one ship were to sink or be attacked by pirates, the rest stood a good chance of getting through. Thus, the majority of the shipment could be saved. … Read more
What has upswings and downturns, troughs, peaks, and plateaus? Though such terms could easily describe a roller coaster ride, they are also commonly used to describe the business cycle. The business cycle – also known as the economic cycle – refers to fluctuations in economic activity over several months or years. Tracking the cycle helps … Read more
Our Partners:
