Bill Gates evidently made a New Year’s resolution last year — one that he didn’t say much about. Of course, when you’re Bill Gates you don’t have to say much to make the things you resolve happen. In fact, Gates may have only said… Read More

There are a plethora of Chinese ETFs already on the market, so what can investors expect from another offering? Emerging powerhouses of Chinese business. This ETF isn’t limited by size and has free reign to invest across… Read More

Oil at $200 per barrel: That’s what an analyst at Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS) predicted in May 2008. At the time, oil had just hit a record high , surpassing $110 per barrel. A month later, the CEO of the Russian energy company Gazprom predicted $250 per barrel oil. Read More

Back in July, investors eagerly anticipated Alcoa’s (NYSE: AA) second quarter financial snapshot — not for any particular interest in the aluminum sector, but simply because the Dow component happens to kickoff earnings season each quarter. Fortunately, the company pleased the… Read More

“Give me a lever long enough,” said Archimedes, “and a place to stand, and I will move the world.” If the old Greek were alive today, he might well work for Fluor (NYSE: FLR, $41.95), one of the world’s largest public engineering and construction companies.  Fluor designs… Read More

I’m always on the lookout for the right combination of fundamental and technical factors to get a trader’s edge. Look carefully at the following two charts — the first covering the last three months of 2008 and the first three of 2009, and the second covering the… Read More

When there’s no competition for your services, you can pretty much charge whatever you want, advertise as little as you want, and pay dividends to your investors for as long as you like. That’s how defense contractors and refiners have operated for many years, and that’s how… Read More

Today we conclude our three-part series examining the companies with the biggest bank accounts, and whether they are worthwhile investments for the upcoming New Year.   Company (Ticker) Cash/Near Cash General Electric (NYSE: GE) $61.4 Billion Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK-B) $26.9 Billion Ford (NYSE: F) $25.8 Billion Merck (NYSE: MRK)… Read More

Perhaps Willie Nelson put it best.  “If you’ve got the money, honey, I’ve got the time.” The United States’ top 10 most cash-rich companies certainly have enough jack to keep the party going. Today we continue looking at whether companies with a huge cash position make good… Read More

Beginning next Wednesday and for the following two weeks Copenhagen will have the coal industry on pins and needles. That’s where President Barack Obama and leaders of 190 other countries will convene to try to reach a consensus on reducing carbon emissions. It’s doubtful that the international… Read More