Success can be fatal in technology. That’s because success leads to growth, and that frequently stifles the original creativity and innovative spirit that made the company great in the first place. That predictable cycle has been on display once again in the past few years, with industry leaders Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) and Intel (Nasdaq: INTC) failing to capitalize fully on growth in mobile markets. In the dynamic technology sector, the biggest and most successful companies sometimes struggle to stay current with the latest trends, much less lead the… Read More

Success can be fatal in technology. That’s because success leads to growth, and that frequently stifles the original creativity and innovative spirit that made the company great in the first place. That predictable cycle has been on display once again in the past few years, with industry leaders Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) and Intel (Nasdaq: INTC) failing to capitalize fully on growth in mobile markets. In the dynamic technology sector, the biggest and most successful companies sometimes struggle to stay current with the latest trends, much less lead the market with groundbreaking technology or innovation. But one well-known technology giant is breaking the mold. Few companies have ever experienced such a meteoric rise, with shares up 750% after going public less than 10 years ago, making it one of the most valuable in the world. But unlike many other mega-cap market leaders content to let growth stifle innovation, this company continues to produce market-leading technology in multiple high-growth markets.#-ad_banner-# Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) is already one of… Read More

Success can be fatal in technology. That’s because success leads to growth, and that frequently stifles the original creativity and innovative spirit that made the company great in the first place. That predictable cycle has been on display once again in the past few years, with industry leaders Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) and Intel (Nasdaq: INTC) failing to capitalize fully on growth in mobile markets. In the dynamic technology sector, the biggest and most successful companies sometimes struggle to stay current with the latest trends, much less lead the… Read More

Success can be fatal in technology. That’s because success leads to growth, and that frequently stifles the original creativity and innovative spirit that made the company great in the first place. That predictable cycle has been on display once again in the past few years, with industry leaders Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) and Intel (Nasdaq: INTC) failing to capitalize fully on growth in mobile markets. In the dynamic technology sector, the biggest and most successful companies sometimes struggle to stay current with the latest trends, much less lead the market with groundbreaking technology or innovation. But one well-known technology giant is breaking the mold. Few companies have ever experienced such a meteoric rise, with shares up 750% after going public less than 10 years ago, making it one of the most valuable in the world. But unlike many other mega-cap market leaders content to let growth stifle innovation, this company continues to produce market-leading technology in multiple high-growth markets.#-ad_banner-# Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) is already one of… Read More

Mutual funds are one of the great success stories in the history of financial services. In 1970, just 360 funds existed in the United States, with assets under management at $48 billion. By the end of 2011, there were more than 14,000 mutual funds — with assets of $13 trillion. Thanks to these funds, new classes of investors could access the market, and the financial services industry enjoyed huge gains. #-ad_banner-# But now, after decades of… Read More

Mutual funds are one of the great success stories in the history of financial services. In 1970, just 360 funds existed in the United States, with assets under management at $48 billion. By the end of 2011, there were more than 14,000 mutual funds — with assets of $13 trillion. Thanks to these funds, new classes of investors could access the market, and the financial services industry enjoyed huge gains. #-ad_banner-# But now, after decades of growth, the mutual fund industry is under attack. With bloated fee structures, insufficient transparency, ongoing conflicts of interest, and years of underperformance, the mutual fund industry is experiencing a tidal wave of capital outflows. Domestic equity funds lost $154 billion in assets in 2012 — the fifth consecutive year the industry has had a net outflow. What’s driving the shift away from mutual funds? Exchange-traded… Read More

Warren Buffett‘s incredible success in the stock market has been built on two principles. The first is his long-term buy-and-hold mentality. Buffett likes to invest in companies with strong fundamentals and staying power that operate in industries with high barriers to entrance. That enables Buffett to hold on to shares for the long haul without having to worry about new players disrupting the competitive… Read More

Warren Buffett‘s incredible success in the stock market has been built on two principles. The first is his long-term buy-and-hold mentality. Buffett likes to invest in companies with strong fundamentals and staying power that operate in industries with high barriers to entrance. That enables Buffett to hold on to shares for the long haul without having to worry about new players disrupting the competitive landscape.#-ad_banner-# Owning stocks for the long haul has produced some of Buffett’s biggest gains. Take The Washington Post Co. (NYSE: WPO), for example. Buffett first began buying shares in 1973, recognizing the company’s long-term potential in the highly insulated media business. Forty years later, Buffett still owns those shares and is now sitting on a 6,800% gain, with his $11 million investment ballooning to $820 million in spite of shares falling… Read More

Las Vegas is one of the all-time great boom towns in U.S. history. Nothing more than a forgotten Dust Bowl in the 1940s, Vegas grew into one of the hottest tourist destinations in the world by the late ’50s and early ’60s. Tourists, vacationers, celebrities and gamblers from across the world flocked to Vegas, producing an economic boom that continues to produce huge gains for investors. But now, 50 years later, that same incredible growth story is repeating itself in another part of the world. In fact, this… Read More

Las Vegas is one of the all-time great boom towns in U.S. history. Nothing more than a forgotten Dust Bowl in the 1940s, Vegas grew into one of the hottest tourist destinations in the world by the late ’50s and early ’60s. Tourists, vacationers, celebrities and gamblers from across the world flocked to Vegas, producing an economic boom that continues to produce huge gains for investors. But now, 50 years later, that same incredible growth story is repeating itself in another part of the world. In fact, this Far East gambling destination is growing so fast that its annual revenue last year was more than six times that of Vegas. I’m talking about Macau, the undisputed leader in the global entertainment and gambling industry.#-ad_banner-# Along with Hong Kong, Macau is one of two special administrative regions of China. Under the principle of “one country, two systems,” Macau enjoys a high degree of autonomy, governed by its own legal system, police force, monetary system and immigration policy. Read More

Canada continues to be a standout player in the global economy. While Europe and China struggle with recessionary conditions, Canada’s February GDP (gross domestic product) showed a solid 1.7% gain, its fastest pace since July 2012. January’s growth was also revised higher, giving the economy its two strongest back-to-back gains since July and August of 2011, causing many analysts to raise first-quarter GDP growth estimates to… Read More

Canada continues to be a standout player in the global economy. While Europe and China struggle with recessionary conditions, Canada’s February GDP (gross domestic product) showed a solid 1.7% gain, its fastest pace since July 2012. January’s growth was also revised higher, giving the economy its two strongest back-to-back gains since July and August of 2011, causing many analysts to raise first-quarter GDP growth estimates to 2.3% from 1.5%. The Canada economy continues to get a big boost from its mining and energy industries, with growth in mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction expanding 2.2%, the fifth straight increase. Mining and quarrying alone expanded 6.4% on higher output at potash mines. Output in oil and gas extraction rose 1% from higher oil production.#-ad_banner-# Canada is also benefiting from the fact that it didn’t fall as deeply into recession as many other countries did during the financial crisis. No Canadian bank needed a… Read More

Canada continues to be a standout player in the global economy. While Europe and China struggle with recessionary conditions, Canada’s February GDP (gross domestic product) showed a solid 1.7% gain, its fastest pace since July 2012. January’s growth was also revised higher, giving the economy its two strongest back-to-back gains since July and August of 2011, causing many analysts to raise first-quarter GDP growth estimates to… Read More

Canada continues to be a standout player in the global economy. While Europe and China struggle with recessionary conditions, Canada’s February GDP (gross domestic product) showed a solid 1.7% gain, its fastest pace since July 2012. January’s growth was also revised higher, giving the economy its two strongest back-to-back gains since July and August of 2011, causing many analysts to raise first-quarter GDP growth estimates to 2.3% from 1.5%. The Canada economy continues to get a big boost from its mining and energy industries, with growth in mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction expanding 2.2%, the fifth straight increase. Mining and quarrying alone expanded 6.4% on higher output at potash mines. Output in oil and gas extraction rose 1% from higher oil production.#-ad_banner-# Canada is also benefiting from the fact that it didn’t fall as deeply into recession as many other countries did during the financial crisis. No Canadian bank needed a… Read More

There aren’t any players with a bigger impact on the market than hedge funds. Not only are hedge funds thought leaders, employing thousands of forensic analysts to sniff out the best investment opportunities, they are also huge, frequently carrying multibillion-dollar positions that can single-handedly move a market. That’s why hedge funds have gained a cult following, watched closely by investors trying to gain insight into what the biggest players… Read More

There aren’t any players with a bigger impact on the market than hedge funds. Not only are hedge funds thought leaders, employing thousands of forensic analysts to sniff out the best investment opportunities, they are also huge, frequently carrying multibillion-dollar positions that can single-handedly move a market. That’s why hedge funds have gained a cult following, watched closely by investors trying to gain insight into what the biggest players on the Street are up to. A signal that a hedge fund or the entire industry is hot for a new stock can send shares soaring. And that’s exactly what is happening to the most popular stock among hedge funds during the first quarter. This market leader has been on a tear, up 36% on the year after hedge funds poured $1.6 billion into its shares in the first quarter. Read More

There aren’t any players with a bigger impact on the market than hedge funds. Not only are hedge funds thought leaders, employing thousands of forensic analysts to sniff out the best investment opportunities, they are also huge, frequently carrying multibillion-dollar positions that can single-handedly move a market. That’s why hedge funds have gained a cult following, watched closely by investors trying to gain insight into what the biggest players on the Street… Read More

There aren’t any players with a bigger impact on the market than hedge funds. Not only are hedge funds thought leaders, employing thousands of forensic analysts to sniff out the best investment opportunities, they are also huge, frequently carrying multibillion-dollar positions that can single-handedly move a market. That’s why hedge funds have gained a cult following, watched closely by investors trying to gain insight into what the biggest players on the Street are up to. A signal that a hedge fund or the entire industry is hot for a new stock can send shares soaring. And that’s exactly what is happening to the most popular stock among hedge funds during the first quarter. This market leader has been on a tear, up 36% on the year after hedge funds poured $1.6 billion into its shares in the first quarter. I’m… Read More

The S&P 500 has been charging higher in 2013, producing an impressive 16% gain in just the first five months of the year. But certain sectors have performed better than others. At the… Read More