Emerging markets have been the success story of 2009. While more developed economies such as the United States and Europe have struggled to recover, countries like Brazil, Russia, India and China are on a roll. Country (… Read More

Today’s home sales report might not have caught your eye, but the news is good and worth reviewing for investors looking for potential market-beating gains. Existing-home sales in October jumped a record +10.1% from the previous month. Sales are up +23.5% since their October 2008 low, which also marks a… Read More

Something’s got to give. At a time when the aging of the U.S. population is beginning to accelerate, the construction pace of new housing and care facilities for seniors is shrinking. Between 2010 and 2020, the number of Americans 65 and older will grow +36%, compared with a growth rate… Read More

Some things are universally true. No one ever went broke taking a profit, for instance. Also: Companies that offer lower costs always have a significant competitive edge. This is becoming especially true for companies in the health-care field as cost becomes an ever… Read More

The most valued company in the United States? If you guess Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO) or ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM) or Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK-A), you’re way off. Hint: This company been around since 1851 and does business in nearly every town in the world. Another hint: A band called The Five Americans made… Read More

Gold has been grabbing all the headlines lately as the price for the precious metal has hit record highs. In the weeks and months to come, however, you’re going to be hearing about a far more pedestrian commodity: Rice. The price of rice has started to climb based on reports… Read More

What’s the first thing that pops into your mind when you hear “Standard & Poor’s”? It’s likely the benchmark S&P 500 Index. But there’s so much more that Standard and Poor’s has to offer. Read More

People in the United States only hear about “the middle class” in an election year, when candidates promise not to raise taxes. The rest of the time, Americans don’t think much about the middle class, even though that’s where most people find themselves. That hasn’t been the… Read More

The Oracle has spoken. Fresh on the heels of his recent $44 billion deal to buy the railroad Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Warren Buffett’s latest filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission Monday night shows his company, Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK-B), has acquired new… Read More

Warren Buffett is up to his old tricks again. Buffett’s holding company, Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK-B), is buying the railroad Burlington Northern (NYSE: BNI) in a savvy move that’s sure to bear fruit for years to come. But as StreetAuthority’s Andy Obermueller recently… Read More