I seldom feature currency funds but the market’s recent sell-off is presenting a potential investment opportunity through the Swiss franc. Although the U.S. dollar often is a currency that holds up well in times of trouble, the Swiss franc is another fairly stable currency amid uncertainty. The CurrencyShares Swiss Franc Trust (FXF) is a fund

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Fear’s a powerful thing. It can make men do what they normally wouldn’t do, and even what they really don’t want to do.   When those men manage money for a living, fear often pushes them into assets that they hold primarily as safe havens to ride out the tumult.   This is precisely what’s […]

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    When the levee breaks, I’ll have no place to stay… –Led Zeppelin, “When The Levee Breaks”   I am beginning to think the markets are watching the European version of the film “Groundhog Day.” That’s because last Wednesday, stocks were down in a big way over how to deal with the massive debt

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Consider this your warning.   Over the next four weeks, you need to pay extremely close attention to the global equity markets. That’s because the confluence of events, circumstances, data points and policy responses that unfold over the next month will set the stage for the direction of the financial markets in the second half […]

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“Discipline isn’t a dirty word. Far from it. Discipline is the one thing that separates us from chaos and anarchy. Discipline implies timing. It’s the precursor to good behavior, and it never comes from bad behavior. People who associate discipline with punishment are wrong: with discipline, punishment is unnecessary.”   –Buck Brannaman, The Faraway Horses:

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This week, we saw stocks stage a modest comeback, as the major averages all finished the pre-Memorial Day week in positive territory. That comeback, however, took place with a whole lot of volatility. Stocks jumped out of the gate on Monday with strong gains, but by midday Wednesday the selling had accelerated to the point […]

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 "In war, you win or lose, live or die — and the difference is just an eyelash." –Gen. Douglas MacArthur The great American military leader knew that when it comes to war, the tiniest things make the difference. This theory also can be applied to investing, because here even the slightest mistake can send your

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As I have indicated in the recent past, energy stocks are well worth considering as investment opportunities. Coal stocks, in particular, have declined following an uncharacteristically warm winter in the United States. However, as coal demand increases in emerging markets such as China, India, and Africa — where it remains a cheaper energy source than

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  Stocks are down big time today, and there’s one reason — Europe. The machinations over how to deal with massive debt, a bailout plan and Greece’s viability as a member of the European Union (EU) is coming to a head this week, as policymakers in the region may have only a small window of

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Stocks suffered their worst weekly losses of the year, and the major averages now are right about where they were in late January. The selling in May has left domestic stocks up only about 2% since the beginning of the year, a huge disappointment for the bulls considering their stellar showing through the first quarter. […]

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