Few sectors of the economy have proven to be Wall Street game changers over the years, as our highly interconnected global market sometimes leaves little room for uncorrelated returns. Technological innovation and development, however, is perhaps one of the most crucial corners of the market, as this industry continues to be one of the few “growth” frontiers left in the economic landscape. But with such a high potential of lucrative returns, there is a relatively high associated risk. While many other economic sectors, like healthcare and utilities, are associated with consistent returns given the relatively stable nature of their operations, the technology sector is far from predictable. But for those willing to stomach the risk, there are multiple ETF options that focus on this attractive sector [see ETFs To Play Gartner's 2013 IT Outlook]. [click to continue…]
Lifted once again by another batch of strong earnings, stocks rallied as bullish momentum dominated Wall Street. Blue-chip giant IBM (IBM) reported fourth quarter earnings and revenues that topped analysts expectations and provided a 2013 earnings outlook that exceeded current projections. Google (GOOG) also beat analyst estimates, though revenues came in lower than expected. Meanwhile, […]
While investors kept a close watch on budget negotiations, a slew of better-than-expected economic reports and upbeat commentary from China’s new leader helped stocks claw their way out of negative territory. The Institute for Supply Management’s non-manufacturing purchasing index rose in the month of November, exceeding analyst’s expectations for a drop in service sector activity. Factory orders […]
Originally created for buy-and-hold investors looking for cost-effective ways to diversify their portfolios, ETFs have gained popularity among active traders as well; these financial instrument have proven to be responsive and liquid, serving as viable trading vehicles for those looking to implement any number of shorter-term strategies. With innovation also comes complexity, however, and ETFs […]
Major equity indexes briefly peered into positive territory yesterday as profit-taking pressures permeated Wall Street shortly after the opening bell. The bulls tried to take charge after better-than-expected Chinese manufacturing data and solid housing numbers were revealed at home; new home sales in September came in at 389,000, topping estimates of 387,000. Pessimism ultimately prevailed […]
Another slew of sour earnings reports rocked Wall Street today, forcing stocks to log their worst single day drop in almost four months. Among today’s disappointments were bellwethers Microsoft (MSFT), General Electric (GE), and McDonald’s (MCD), all of whom posted earnings reports that missed the mark. Meanwhile, U.S. existing home sales for the month of September fell […]
Investing in technology can be a roller coaster ride, with advances and discovery driving a market that likely has some hand in every aspect of our lives. One company that has dominated the space is the behemoth Apple (AAPL), whose innovation in the industry has propelled it to become one of investor’s top picks in […]
With no major economic news, markets straddled the flat line for most of the day as trading volumes sunk to rather anemic levels. For the most part, investors have been treading lightly the last few days as they await Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke’s speech later this week at the annual symposium in Jackson Hole, […]
Consumer electronics giants Apple and Samsung have stolen the tech-sector headlines as the two behemoths have been waging a multi-billion dollar war over patents. Apple is demanding that Samsung pay up $2.5 billion for allegedly stealing the design technology for its smartphones at tables from the iPad and iPhone; on the other hand, Samsung is pointing the […]
Stocks ended on a positive note last week although Friday’s rally wasn’t enough to mask the looming uncertainties still plaguing virtually every corner of the global market. Asian markets remain wobbly on concerns over the Chinese economic recovery, while in Europe bond yields remain elevated as investors await for lawmakers to implement the Spanish rescue package. At […]
Yet another volatile week for stocks as they were finally able to snap their six day losing streak, much to the delight of traders across the nation. With the euro zone still in shambles, and a slowdown threatening the Chinese economy, investors have been digging for good news wherever it can be found. The coming […]