Let’s face it. When it comes to treasure, few of us picture stock certificates and bond coupons. Instead, we usually conjure up images of gold bars stacked high in Fort Knox or glittering gold coins strewn about sunken galleons. Over… Read More

Back in October 2007, when the Dow was sitting at record highs above 14,000, there weren’t too many bargains out there. A furious multi-year advance was winding down, and valuations had become overly stretched. Most stocks at the time were trading well above… 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

The minutes of the Fed‘s late January Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting provide some grim reading. Fed members drastically lowered their expectations for U.S. economic growth in 2009 and 2010 and indicated a great deal of uncertainty as to the timing and… Read More

The Baltic Dry Index is a measure for what it costs to transport by sea. When it’s down, shipping stocks are down. The index peaked in May 2008 at an all-time high of 11,793. From May… Read More

Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) said Friday it had hired a veteran Wal-Mart executive, David Porter, to oversee the development of brick-and-mortar retail stores. He will report to Kevin Turner, Microsoft’s COO, who also has ties to Bentonville.    Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) changed computer marketing with its hip advertising. It… Read More