We’re 11 days past the July 1 deadline, and California still doesn’t have a budget in place. Democratic lawmakers and Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger remain at loggerheads about a $26 billion budget shortfall. Schwarzenegger says he won’t accept any more taxes. Without a budget, the state can’t spend money. Without… Read More

Living in Canada, I see first-hand the impact of the falling U.S. dollar. From 2002-2007, the Canadian dollar soared uninterrupted over its stateside counterpart. Over that time, it usually cost me less and less to purchase anything in U.S. dollars… whether it be investments or even vacations. Even though I… Read More

President Harry Truman once said he wanted to hire a one-armed economist. When asked why, he replied, so the economist couldn’t say “on the other hand.” For Barack Obama, finding a one-armed economist is even more pressing. Obama is faced… Read More

 The average stock in the S&P 500 Index sports a dividend yield of just 4%. But in many countries around the world, the average stock offers a significantly higher yield. In… Read More

There are only eight of these securities in the world. They carry an astronomical average dividend yield of 17.2%. Read More

     How would you like to get a cut of the take almost every time someone pops open a beer in Chile… or a bottle of juice or mineral water for that matter?      When a Chilean says, “Una cerveza, por favor,” seven times out of eight,… Read More

Value-seeking income investors need look no further than the ailing banking sector to find some hidden gems. The U.S. government has lent and guaranteed literally trillions of dollars to financial institutions to keep them from going bankrupt. Treasury’s plans to buy toxic bank assets… Read More

Two months ago, panic-stricken municipal bond investors were fleeing for the exits. The muni market was roi fears that issuers would default and bond insurers… Read More

Question: Why are so many companies suspending or cutting their dividends lately, and what can I do to protect myself from this trend? My problem is not just which securities to avoid, but what about the ones I already own? Answer: This question is on just about… Read More

Pop quiz: Who’s the most credit-worthy borrower in the world?      Seven U.S. companies have “AAA” credit ratings, the highest available from Standard & Poor’s. Among these titans of industry are such names as Johnson & Johnson, Microsoft and Berkshire Hathaway.      But one… Read More