Many successful capital management firms and hedge funds took a scalding bath in August. In fact, Jeremy Grantham believes that up to half of the hedge funds and many of the private equity firms “will cease to exist.” But taking investment risks isn’t our method. Rather, my consistent advice to you over the years has been to rely first and foremost on adding cash to your retirement account through interest and dividends. The more you focus on compounding, the better you will sleep. This month I have a bank stock and three other companies that I am adding to my Monster Master List for you to invest in, as well as updates on my Top Ten Common Stocks. Also this month, I cover a mutual fund with a large stake in big bank stocks and what they are doing to make sure that shareholders have a reliable source of income. Make it a good month!

Tags: American Century Global BGEIX, Andarko Petroleum, Anglo American AAUKF, Apache APA, APC, BA, BAC, Bank of America, BDJ, BDV, BlackRock Dividen Achievers Trust, BlackRock Enhanced Dividend Achievers Trust, BlackRock Global Opportunities Equity trust, BOE, Boeing, boton globe, butterfly effect, C, Chevron, citigroup, compound interest, Corp. SYY, CVX, DODBX, Dodge & Cox balanced, Dodge & Cox income, DODIX, EWJ, Garmin, GDX, general electric AAA-rated 6.45%, GRMN, iShares MSCI japan, JM Smucker, Long-Term Capital Management, Market Vectors Gold Miners Index, mutual funds, NEM, nestle, Newmont Mining, NSRGY, PBG, PEP, Pepsi Bottling, Pepsico, PG, PRJPX, Procter & Gamble, RGR, ruger, SJM, Sturm, Sysco, T-bills, T. Rowe Price, T. Rowe Price Japan, TROW, United technologies, UTX, Vanguard GNMA, Vanguard Precious Mining & Mtals, VFIIX, VGPMX, wall street journal

The experts say…”stratospheric oil prices are here to stay and the housing bubble will not burst.” I disagree, and I give you the reasons why for both of these topics. I also discuss hedge funds, the US$ and a slowing world economy, but there still is a lot to be enthusiastic about. This month’s issue is loaded with great opportunities for you in funds (new and old friends), gold and stocks that should capture your attention. All of these stocks and funds connect to my Big Ideas and the impact of China’s growth on the world economy. I also have 2 stocks that I want you to sell and a merger that I want you to buy. I have also added 16 new charts to my Economic Analysis to help you understand what is going on in the world. The August issue is filled with great opportunities for you. This will be the issue that helps you overcome the inertia and take action.

Tags: Alan Greenspan, Alberto Gonzales, Alliance Resource Partners, ARLP, Australia, automobile, BAC, Bank of America, BEGRX, Bernanke, BHP, BHP Billiton, Brazil, CAG, Cameco Corp., Canadian General Investments, cars, CAT, CAtellus, Caterpillar, CCJ, CGi.to, ChevronTexaco (CVX), China, China National Offshore Oil Corp., Christopher Cox, CNOOC, coal, Codelco, commodity, ConAgra, copper, currency reserves, drought, energy, Europe, ExxonMobil, FAL.TO, Falconbridge, Fed, Federal Reserve, Fidelity, Fiduciary/Claymore MLP Opportunity Fund, FL.TO, Florida, FMO, Franklin Mutual Series Beacon, Franklin Mutual Series Qualified, Franklin Mutual Series Shares, gas, GDP, Germany, global warming, gold, gold Panda, harley-davidson, HDI, hedge fund, Hong Kong, housing, hurricane, India, JALSX, Janus Fund, Japan, JOE, Kaz, KL Financial Group, KRB, LCTM, Long-Term Capital Management, Madame Zhang Li Ju, Maine, Martin Feldstein, MBNA, metals, Michael Luttig, Middle East, Milton Friedman, mining, missiles, mortgages, MQIFX, MUTHX, natural gas, natural resources, New Zealand, nickel, Noranda, Norilsk, Norway, NRD, oil, Overseas-China Bank, PandaAmerica, PCL, PLD, Plum Creek, Precious Metals & Mining Fund, PRNEX, Prologis, R. Glen Hubbard, real estate, Renaissance Technologies, RiverTown, Russia, Sandra Day O'Connor, SEC, Singapore, South Africa, St. Joe, T. Rowe Price New Era Fund, TAREX, TAVFX, TAVIX, Third Avenue International Value Fund, Third Avenue Real Estate Value Fund, Third Avenue Value Fund, TOPP, Topps, Univision, uranium, vanguard, VGPMX, water, Weimar Republic, Wintergreen Fund, WMC, WMC Resources, XOM