After plunging steadily in recent weeks, share prices in the oil and gas exploration appear to have finally found a floor. Some stocks such as Halliburton (NYSE: HAL) and Schlumberger (NYSE: SLB) sharply rose on Wednesday after falling close to their 52-week lows, while other stocks such as Diamond Offshore… Read More

For most investors, the health of the U.S. economy should be the most important item to track. How the economy fares will directly correlate with how the Nasdaq, NYSE and S&P 500 perform — over the long-term. But right now, attention is focused on… Read More

Earlier this month, gold prices hit an all-time high, as the yellow metal fetched more than $1,240 an ounce. Yet gold bugs still think the price can hit even higher highs, back to the nearly $2,000 per ounce figure hit in the 1980s, on an inflation-adjusted basis. That could spell… Read More

Many publicly-traded firms are in a steady state of flux, acquiring rivals and jettisoning businesses no longer deemed core to the parent company‘s mission. Both situations can be lucrative for astute investors — buyouts can deliver big premiums over current market values, and… Read More

Spurred by the Obama administration and public pressure around the world, this industry will have to change — and fast. New environmental regulations are emerging from Washington and Europe that are compelling the industry to change its ways and play a bigger role in the fight against global warming. Read More

The Dow Jones Industrial Average has notched another loss this morning, a triple-digit decline as I write this, with some wondering if the blue-chip index can remain above the 10,000 mark. All sectors are in the red. What… Read More

There is a company that has long been one of the top holdings in the mutual funds of legendary asset manager Ron Baron. I wondered why Mr. Baron has, for so long, put so much faith in this entity. I did some research and discovered the answer was literally encapsulated… Read More

Gold prices continued to hit historic highs Wednesday, approaching $1,240 an ounce after closing at a record high Tuesday. The yellow metal is hitting new peaks as investors grow worrisome over the European debt crisis and the $1 trillion rescue package meant to help Greece and other… Read More

How many times have you walked through the aisles of your local grocery store and mindlessly grabbed items off the shelf that are staples of your home? Things like spaghetti sauce, dish soap, shampoo, paper towels… the little necessities life requires. How many times have you plucked… Read More

As I write this shortly after Thursday’s market close, it wasn’t clear how much — if any — of today’s plunge could be attributed to human or computer error, or illiquid electronic trading systems for that matter. The one thing we do know for sure: the Dow… Read More