As we approach the halfway mark to the second quarter, investors have lost most of the confidence that defined Q1. With major equity benchmarks soaring and positive data piling in from all around the world, the U.S. economy seemed to finally have some solid ground to stand on. But recent weeks have seen a resurgence of the nagging euro crisis as a number of countries continue to deal with enormous debt piles. But the euro countries are not the only ones to have fallen on hard times, as their neighbors to the north are having problems of their own [see also The Ten Commandments of Commodity Investing]. [click to continue…]
Bullish momentum quickly returned to Wall Street following Monday’s rampant sell-off. Stocks broadly marched higher on Tuesday as investors were pleased to hear that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had raised its global growth forecast. The IMF expects for global economic growth in 2012 to come in at 3.5%, a modest improvement from the previous [...]
With the second quarter underway, stocks have gotten off to a rough start after a promising opening session. Two straight days of sell-offs sparked fears that Q2 may not fare quite as well as the previous three-month stretch. Many investors were distraught to hear that the Fed has no formal plans for a third quantitative [...]
After last week’s bullish run, investors are anxiously waiting to see if we are due for a pullback, or if the bull train will continue at full speed. This week will be relatively quiet, although U.S. markets will likely be very active today as Ben Bernanke is set to testify before congress. Bernanke’s commentary, or lack thereof, [...]
Amid all of the issues plaguing Europe, the U.K. has been struggling to find its footing, despite isolating itself from the flailing currency. The U.K. has been faced with high unemployment rates and a shrinking economy for some time now, as fourth quarter GDP recently came in at an unimpressive -0.2%. Though the British equity market would like to get [...]
After a strong close to last week–the Dow jumped by more than 150 points in the last two sessions–U.S. stock markets will have to wait until Tuesday to try to continue the positive momentum. Major exchanges are closed on Monday in observance of President’s Day, which this year falls two days before the anniversary of [...]
After an up and down week, the coming trading days should be relatively calm. Though there will be key economic data releases in a number of countries, this week ahead will have a tameness about it (as far as can be predicted), which may offer markets a well-deserved break from all of the volatility that [...]
The bulls took charge on Wall Street last week as investors reacted positively after a number of encouraging economic data releases. Home builders confidence and existing sales continue to point towards signs of a recovery in the battered down U.S. housing market. Better-than-expected jobless claims also helped restore confidence in the domestic economic recovery. Earnings [...]
iShares, the ETF market leader in the U.S. with more than 200 individual funds across virtually every asset class, will notch another first for the industry later this month when it becomes the first ETF provider to list products on the BATS Exchange. January 24 will mark the first day of trading for eight new [...]
As most investors are painfully aware at this point, Europe is not in the best of fiscal shape at present. The continent is in the midst of a prolonged debt crisis that is now threatening the continued existence of the euro, and has transformed the region into a form of portfolio Kryptonite; most investors won’t [...]
Equity markets have taken a wild ride this past year as everything from an unimaginable earthquake in Japan to a looming debt crisis in Europe has taken its toll on investors’ confidence. As 2011 draws to a close, many are left scratching their heads in confusion and uncertainty, given the predominantly gloomy economic outlook that [...]
