The attention of investors shifted from the Middle East to Japan late last week, as the natural devastation caused by a massive earthquake trumped the manmade chaos that has been playing out in Libya, Saudi Arabia, and elsewhere in the oil-rich region. With rescue efforts intensifying in the north of Japan after a magnitude 8.9 quake and resulting tsunami, a potential nuclear crisis has emerged as another threat that could impact the entire country. The death toll had climbed to nearly 1,600 on Sunday, but by some estimates that figure will reach as high as 10,000 as rescue efforts continue. [click to continue…]
Last year was a good year for most asset classes, as investor portfolios continued to recover from the recent recession. The difference in performance between many comparable funds was significant, and many of the best performers of 2010 are relatively small funds that maintain considerably smaller asset bases than their more popular competitors. Below, we [...]
Frustration in Japan is running high these days, as the thorn in the side of the struggling Asian economy digs deeper still. While many in America cheer any appreciation in the dollar–a strong greenback makes Asian electronics and European vacations more affordable–Japan has learned the hard way about the adverse impacts of a rallying local [...]
With ongoing weakness in Europe pushing the euro to double digit losses against major rival currencies this year, many investors have sought out safe havens such as the U.S. dollar to ride out the storm. The presence of general economic uncertainty has sent the greenback sharply higher against virtually every major currency year-to-date. However, a [...]
On the issue of currencies, investors are somewhat divided. Some prefer to avoid currency investing altogether, likening the activity to high-stakes gambling that can lead to big swings in fortunes in a matter of minutes. While this might be an accurate portrayal of leveraged forex trading, proponents of including currencies as an asset class within [...]
