During the holiday-shortened week, investors witnessed the Nasdaq Composite Index breach 4,000 for the first time in 13 years; meanwhile, the Dow Jones Industrial Average traded above the 16,000 level, a record high logged in the week prior. On the economic front, home building permits rose 6.2% in October, the highest level in five years, while the S&P/Case-Shiller 20 City home-price index rose 13.3% on the year for September. The Conference Board’s consumer-confidence index fell unexpectedly to 70.4 in November from October’s 71.2 reading; analysts were expecting the index to rise to 73.0 [see The Fed Effect: How Monetary Policy Impacts Your ETFs].
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Ongoing speculation that the Federal Reserve will soon begin to taper its easy money program, along with other global economic events, drove an increase in emerging market equities outflows this month. Dodd Kittsley explores why contrarian investors may want to give this sector another look.
This year has shaped up to be quite kind to investors as major equity indexes are holding onto double-digit gains ahead of the anticipated Santa Claus rally. Much to the bears’ frustration, the U.S. economy has continued its slow and steady expansion while the Federal Reserve’s commitment to an accommodative monetary policy continues to resonate […]
Whether you’re trading stocks, bonds, ETFs, or commodity futures, being able to gauge the sentiment of “the crowd” is an undeniably powerful skill to hone. Quantifying how market participants feel is no easy feat, although there are some tools out there that help simplify this process. Sentiment indicators are valuable tools for helping investors quantify […]
Many market watchers are obsessed with when the Fed will begin tapering. However, those who expect the start of tapering to mean the end of easy money, and possibly of related market gains, are missing an important nuance. Russ explains.
As investors have grown frustrated with near-zero rates in the U.S., dividend investing has become a staple in the portfolios of many. Though Ben Bernanke will leave the Fed Chair position in January, it is largely believed that interest rates will not be touched until mid-2015 at the very earliest; this has caused many investors to […]
Here is a look at ETFs that currently offer attractive short selling opportunities. The ETFs included in this list are rated as sell candidates for two reasons. First, each of these funds is deemed to be in a downtrend based on the fact that it is trading below its 200-day and 50-day moving averages, which […]
Here is a look at ETFs that currently offer attractive buying opportunities. The ETFs included in this list are rated as buy candidates for two reasons. First, each of these funds is deemed to be in an uptrend based on the fact that it is trading above its 200-day and 50-day moving averages, which are […]
The 2013 holiday season is just around the corner, and already the U.S. retail sector is gearing up for what could be another make-or-break year for many companies. Many retailers generate significant portions of annual revenues and profit during the holiday months of November and December, with Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales accounting for a significant portion of yearly […]
Last week, Wall Street witnessed the Dow Jones Industrial Average pierce the 16,000 mark, closing above the level for the first time on Thursday. In economic news, the latest FOMC minutes showed that Fed policy makers will likely decide to begin tapering its bond buying purchases in the coming months. Also on the Fed front, the Senate Banking […]
Here is a look at ETFs that currently offer attractive income opportunities. The high-yield candidates included in this list meet two sets of criteria. First, each of these funds is deemed to be a high yield prospect because it boasts an annual dividend yield upwards of 5%.