For the last several years, with short-term interest rates close to zero, bonds have been the Rodney Dangerfield of the investment world: “I get no respect!” However, since March 2022, the Federal Reserve has lifted interest rates 11 times. This hit bond prices on the...
investing
When to be a Contrarian Investor
As an investor, do you follow the crowd or march to your own beat? If more the latter, you might be a contrarian: “A person who opposes or rejects popular opinion.” When is it appropriate to be a contrarian investor? When markets are experiencing extreme highs or...
Inflation is challenging. Take a breath and re-balance your investment portfolio
“I will survive!” sang Gloria Gaynor in the 1970s. Back then, it could have been a battle cry: Oil prices surged, inflation peaked at 14%, and the U.S. stock market plunged 45%. Almost 50 years later, we are facing challenges on the same fronts, but not at the...
Rollercoaster markets don’t have to take you for a ride
It is Disney World’s 50th anniversary. If your investment portfolio was a Disney ride, what would it be? Maybe Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride or Space Mountain? Despite the bumpy ride, most every theme park ride ends up where it started. In the third quarter of 2021, U.S. stock...
Don’t let FOMO or a golfing buddy rule your investing decisions
Where do you get the financial information upon which you base your investment decisions? If we are being honest, the answer for many people is probably: a family member, a cable television show, or a magazine or newsletter. “Well Paul, you are wrong! I get my...
Want results from your investments? Don’t get emotional
Famed investor Benjamin Graham once said, "The investor's chief problem, and even his worst enemy, is likely to be himself." DALBAR, a financial market research firm, conducts an annual study of investor behavior. With 25 years of data, the study’s conclusion is...
After a Long Year, There’s More Clarity Ahead For Investors
After a long year, these spring days seem particularly sweet. Unlike 2020, when uncertainty was so widespread, we now see more clearly looking ahead. The recent government checks to consumers, plus the big infrastructure project on the drawing board, could boost the...
Speculating on Hoops and Investments
It’s madness, March Madness! It is always fun to fill in a NCAA basketball tournament bracket, whether for family bragging rights or for the office bracket pool. As the tournament unfolds, most of the basketball powerhouses smash lesser rivals while a few Cinderella...
New Baby in the Family? Here’s Some Financial Advice
In the midst of much trial and tribulation around our country, can I share a personal story on the lighter side of life? I’m a first-time grandpa. This experience is good beyond my imagination – all the joy with none of the responsibilities! Still, as a financial...
Should I Buy GameStop Stock?
Hello all! Just when you thought it couldn’t get any wackier!? It did. Several weeks ago, my son asked me if I had seen what was happening with GameStop, AMC and Blackberry stocks. My honest reply was, “No, but are those companies still in business?” In “short,”...