When it comes to IRA discussions, there are two good solutions for those that qualify. The traditional IRA and the relatively new and frequently under-utilized Roth IRA are both available for most families. Though each is intended to be retirement savings, there are some big differences in how both account types will work. Tax Deductible [...]
As the stock market continues its two year surge and long bonds prices slump in response, the PIMCO Total Return Fund (PTTRX), which grew nearly 100% over the last ten years, appears to be receding into the background as investors jump into equity funds. Although it has recovered a portion of its 5% decline in [...]
A day after the Dow Jones closed about 12,000, stocks traded in a narrow, virtually flat range. The pause in the rally provided time for some equity growth funds to breathe, many of which have realized returns greater than 3.5%, which is roughly what the S&P 500 has gained so far this year. Despite the [...]
The US Economy has begun the new year on something of a tear according to data out of the Commerce Department and the Institute for Supply Management. According to information posted at both websites, consumer spending rose 0.7% in December and the ISM showed that the business barometer increased to 68.8 (figures above 50 generally [...]
Since the new year, International Business Machines (IBM) has been on something of a tear. This morning in a Bloomberg News article, the company revealed a software solution (or application as they are more popularly known these days) that could truly revolutionize social networking on a corporate level. Beneficiaries of the solution include Apple for [...]
Two American Funds Equity Funds To Piggyback on Microsoft Earnings The world’s largest PC Software, Microsoft, announced record second-quarter earnings despite a slowdown in computer sales for the month of December — see our earlier report on Durable Goods. According to the Wall Street Journal, Microsoft’s diluted earnings per share of $0.77 exceeded analyst targets [...]
The Commerce Department announced today that durable goods orders continued to climb, up in December after having climbed in November as well. While the overall trend is certainly promising, deeper investigation into the numbers reveals how some equity mutual funds will benefit and others may suffer. One of the key statistics reported by Bloomberg News [...]
The world’s largest mobile phone maker, Nokia, lowered its outlook for the first quarter of its 2011 fiscal year. Its toughest competitors, Apple and Google’s Android, have been putting pressure on margins. Nokia Chief Executive Officer, Stephen Elop, forecasted that margins would drop in the 7 to 10 percent range, lower than its current margins [...]
by Rich Best After a rather tumultuous decade in which the overall performance of mutual funds is best described as anemic, we may be entering a period of redemption that could have investors smiling again. But the recent financial storm has left the waters somewhat murky, so, before jumping back into the water, investors should [...]
Amidst its efforts to rebuild its reputation, Toyota Motors Corp. issued a recall on 1.7 million vehicles. This latest recall will most definitely irk Toyota President Akio Toyoda who underlined his company’s goal of repairing Toyota’s reputation as a safe and reliable auto maker at the Detroit Auto Show. This latest recall will most certainly [...]
Consumer confidence, one of the key measures of where the economy and, by default, markets are headed rose more than economists had forecast in January. While economists had forecast an increase from 53.3 in the prior month to 54, the confidence in fact rose to 60.6, well beyond those expectations. According to a report at [...]
The Standard and Poor’s/Case-Shiller housing price report released Tuesday shows that housing prices continued their downward trend in November from October. As an average of the 20 cities surveyed by S&P/Case-Shiller Index, prices were shown to have dropped by an additional 1% with 19 of the 20 cities showing declines. The only city showing a [...]
Once a family and financial planner have determined the best financial instrument, it is time to select specific investments to use within the vehicle. For example, establishing a Roth IRA to generate some ‘tax free’ retirement income is only the first step. It will be important to determine how the money within the new account [...]
In its latest information on mutual fund flows for the month of December, Morningstar shows that the fixed income asset class is quickly falling out of favor among retail investors who are more inclined to take on risks and search for growth. The areas where investors are placing their fixed-income money do not included large [...]
McDonald’s reported early on Monday that its net revenues increased by 2% in its fourth-quarter. Revenues increased by 4%, matching the expectations of leading analysts, according to a report by the Associated Press. As a popular holding among the more conservative equity mutual funds on the market, the McDonald’s results tell a different story its [...]
