Our economy is definitely struggling, but it has not yet entered a recession—although the job loss report from Friday has me concerned. In this month’s issue, I have added 10 charts; eight of these charts do not yet indicate a recession. In fact, two of the charts hint at continued economic expansion. During these tough economic times, it is important to find investments that offer fairly predictable returns with sustainable and growing cash flows. In this issue, I give you two infrastructure plays that fit the bill—one is an ETF and the other a U.S. based company with an attractive 7.2% yield. I also have added a new timber ETF and two closed-end funds to my Monster Master List. Make it a good month.

Tags: airport, ALCO, Alico, Alliance Resource Parters, American Express, American Society of Civil Engineers, ARLP, Awakening Councils, AXP, BHP, BHP Billiton, BlackRock Asset Equity, BTU, Canadian Pacific, Chavez, Chinese Internet use, chvy volt, Claymore/Clear Global Timber Index, coca-Cola, CP, CUT, depression, ECF, economy, employment, Federated Investors, FII, Forbes, Higway Trust Fund, infrastructure, Iran, Iraq watch groups, iShares S&P Global Infrastructure ETF, J.M. Smucker, Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, KMP, KO, Macquarie Infrastructure company trust, MIC, murder rates, Natural Resource LP, NRP, Obama, oil prices, omega-3, Peabody Energy, Pfizer, Phillip carret, public infrastructure, recession, Rep. Mike Pence, Republican Study Committee, Rio Tinto, RTP, Saudi Arabia, Senator mcCain, SJM, Tortoise Energy, TYY, Walter Schloss, Xstrata, XTA.L

It’s a presidential election year here in the United States, and elsewhere in the world, there are some nasty conditions arising in countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, and China. Given all this, it’s very important that we stick to my core investment strategy — dividends, income and compound growth. And there are also some great international investments. This month I discuss one of my international favorites–it has become a world-class knowledge-based economy.

Tags: AA, Achievers Trust, AL, Alcoa, Alico, American Century Global Gold, American Express, Anadarko Petroleum, Apache, APC, Australlian dollar, avoid, AXP, Bank of Florida, Barron's, BDJ, BDV, BGEIX, BHP, BHP Billiton, BlackRock Dividend Achievers Trust, BlackRock Enhanced Dividend, BlackRock Global Opportunities, BlackRock World Investment Trust, BOE, BOFL, BWC, C, Canadian dollar, citigroup, Clinton, Companhia Vale do Rio Doce, Cresud, CRESY, CVRD, DIA, Dodge & Cox International, Dow Diamonds Trust, Dow Jones, Dow Jones Iindustrials, DUK, Duke Energy, election, EWA, EWH, EWL, EWS, FDX, Federal Express, Federated Investors, FICDX, Fidelity Canada, Fidelity Select Natural Gas, Fidelity Select Natural Gas Fund, FII, Franklin Mutual Series Financial Services � -Z Class, FSNGX, general electric, Giuliani, GLD, harley-davidson, HBC, HOG, HSBC Holdings, Illinois Tool, Investment Trusts, iShares MSCI Australia, iShares MSCI Hong Kong, iShares MSCI Singapore, iShares MSCI Switzerland, ITW, JOE, McCain, NAREIT, National Association of Real Estate, Obama, PCL, PEP, Pepsico, PLD, Plum Creek Timber, PPP, PRJPX, ProLogis Trust, purchasing power parity, RDS.A, Rio Tinto, Romney, Royal Dutch Shell, RTP, Singapore dollar, St. Joe, streetTracks Gold Shares, Sysco Corp, SYY, T. Rowe Price Emerging Europe & Mediterranean, T. Rowe Price Japan, TAREX, TAVIX, TEFAX, the Wall Street Journal, Third Avenue International Value, Third Avenue Real Estate Value, Transports, UL, UNG, Unilever, United States Natural Gas ETF, Vanguard GNMA, Vanguard Value Index, Vanguard Wellesley Income, VFIIX, VIVAX, VNO, Vornado Realty Trust, VWINX, Xstrata, XTA.L, yuan

Oil and gold prices are skyrocketing. The housing slump, along with the sub-prime write-off mess, has nowhere near run its course. Manufacturing employment is falling. And all this is occurring in the ever-important election year. But despite my jaundiced view of the U.S. presidential candidates and the storm clouds advancing over the U.S. economy, there are still promising investment opportunities to ride out the turbulence — you just need to stay focused, patient, and objective. This month marks my annual Q&A issue, so along with discussing the economy and the potential for a recession, I answer a number of the questions weighing on your minds.

Tags: AA, AAUK, ALCO, Alcoa, Alico, Anglo American, BA, Bank of Florida, BHP, BHP Billiton, Boeing, BOFL, BTU, Cameco, CCJ, China, China Panda, coca-Cola, coins, Dodge & Cox income, DODIX, Enerplus Resources, ERF, FDG, Fording Canadian Coal, GE, general electric, GLD, global economy, gold, Harry Winston Diamond Co., inflation, JOE, KO, manufacturing employment, municipal bonds, natural gas, NEM, Newmont Mining, NILSY, Norfolk Southern, NSC, oil, PBG, PCL, Peabody Energy, Penn West Energy, PEP, Pepsi Bottling, Pepsico, PG, Plum Creek Timber, president, presidential cycle, PRJPX, PRNEX, Procter & Gamble, PWE, Rayonier, RDS.A, recession, Rio Tinto, Royal Dutch Petroleum, RTP, Russia, RYN, Southwest Water Company, St. Joe, streetTracks Gold Shares, SWWC, Sysco, SYY, T. Rowe Price Group, T. Rowe Price Japan, T. Rowe Price�New Era, TAVIX, Teck Cominco, TEK-SVB.TO, terrorism, Third Avenue International Value, TimberWest Forest Corp., TROW, TWF.UN, UL, Unilever, United Parcel Service, UPS, Vanguard GNMA, Vanguard Growth Index, Vanguard Precious Metals & Mining, Vanguard Precious Metals & Mining Fund, Vanguard Short Term Investment Grade, Vanguard Value Index's, Vanguard Wellesley Income, Very Light Jet, VFIIX, VFSTX, VGPMX, VIGIX, VIVAX, Vladimir Putin, VLJ, VWINX, W.M. Wrigley, WWY

Do we have boom times in the U.S. or the start of a nutcracker of a new recession? For some of you, the next year is going to feel like a depression. For others, opportunities will be abundant, and you will enjoy tremendous gains in your portfolios. To help you end up on the latter side, this month I give you an overview of this complex economic, monetary, and investment scenario. And while the market’s volatility amid the credit mess can cause investors to worry, there are some reasons for optimism — especially considering the differences between today’s digital-age economy and the economy of old. Also remember that with volatility come opportunities to buy some very cheap stocks. In this issue, I also have updates to both my Monster Master Lists, with two new stocks and one new fund. Plus, all of our Top Ten Common Stocks remain strong buys, so read the January issue to find out more. Happy Holidays.

Tags: ABER, aber diamond, Anheuser Busch, BA, BAC, BACprJ, Bank of America, barclays, BHP, BHP Billiton, BKH, Black Hills, Boeing, BU, C, CDO, citigroup, coca-Cola, CPRF, credit cycle, Credit Suisse, CS, DIA, Dodge & Coz Stock, DODGX, don imus, dowdiamonds trust, EWS, EWZ, export, FDG, Fording Canadian Coal, GE, general electric, GLD, Harry Winston Diamon Corp., Hormel Foods, HRL, illinois tool works, industrial production, iShares Brazil, iShares Singapore, ITW, JNJ, johnson & johnson, KO, mcCormick, MKC, models, nestle, NILSY, Norilsk Nickel, NSRGY, nutcracker, PCL, PEP, Pepsico, pum creek, Rayonier, Rio Tinto, RTP, RYN, schlumberger, securitization, SLB, StatoilHydro, STO, streetTracks Gold Shares, TAVIX, Third Avenue International, Vanguard GNMA, VFIIX, WFMI, Whole foods, Young World Money Forecast

Today’s sub-prime lending mess has many institutional investors wringing their hands. So, this month I give you updates on all the hedge funds that have been clobbered by the sub-prime fiasco. Plus, many investors are worrying about a possible recession, but if you’ve been following my advice and set up a counterbalanced portfolio, a recession is a nonevent for you. Check out why I why I don’t think a recession is in the cards. Also, I have two new additions to the Stock Monster Master List, and I give you some insight into why I’m taking a huge position in a utility fund that you should be investing in as well. And I also have updates on our Top Ten Common Stocks and a new preferred that you should add to your portfolio. Make it a good month.

Tags: AAUK, AL, Alcan, American Century Global Gold, Anglo American, BDJ, BGEIX, BHP, BHP Billiton, BlackRick Enhanced Dividend Achievers Trust, BlackRock Global Opportunities Equity trust, BNI, BOE, BTU, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Canadian Pacific Railway, coca-Cola, CP, DEO, DIA, Diageo, Dodge & Cox income, DODIX, Dow Diamonds Trust, Fed, Fidelity International real Estate, Fidelity Natural Gas, FIREX, FSNGX, GE, general electric, harley-davidson, hedge funds, HOG, ING Group, KO, Microsoft, MSFT, PCL, Peabody Energy, PEP, Pepsico, Plum Creek Timber, PRASX, PRJPX, Rayonier, Rio Tinto, RTP, RYN, T. Rowe Price Japan, T. rowe Price New Asia, UL, Unilver, United technologies, UTX, Vanguard GNMA, Vanguard Precious Metals & Mining, Vanguard Value Index, Vanguard Wellesley, VFIIX, VGPMX, VIVAX, volatility, VWINX, Wal-Mart, William Wrigley, WMT, WWY

As the month of July was coming to a close, the Dow fell by over 300 points in one day. On a day like this a fortress-like portfolio mix of 50% high-grade fixed income and 50% dividend-paying stocks, allows a prudent and astute investor to not only sleep well but perhaps even gloat a little. This month, I talk about what’s best for your portfolio if you’re about to retire in the next 5 to 10 years. Plus, I cover the six positions I am adding to that are in our portfolio. If you are looking to smooth out your portfolio, check out my fixed-income strategy. I discuss the potential of zeros and how my Young Research Valuation Indicator can point out buy signals for you. And I have one new stock for you and one stock to sell, plus a new list of blue-chip preferreds and an update on our Agricultural Commodities portfolio. Make it a good month!

Tags: Alcan, Alcoa, Alexander & Baldwin, Alico, American Express, BHP Billiton, BlackRock, Boeing, Cresud, DB Agricultural Commodities Fund, Deutsche Bank, Dodge & Cox International, Federated Investors, Fidelity Canada, general electric, harley-davidson, ING, iShares Singapore, johnson & johnson, JP Morgan, Merrill Lynch, Microsoft, New Era, Pepsico, Piedmont Natural gas, Plum Creek Timber, Powershares, retirement, Rio Tinto, ruger, Sturm, Syngenta, T. Rowe Price, T. Rowe Price Japan Fund, Tiffany, treasury, Vanguard GNMA, Vanguard Wellesley Income, Wal-Mart, withdrawal rate, Wrigley, Xstrata, Young Valuation Indicator, zeros

Of the more than 8,000 mutual funds in existence, only a handful are worthy of consideration for your investment options. The majority are just closet index funds masquerading as something unique. But there is a growing segment of the investment industry that has overtaken mutual funds and they are ETFs. ETFs have caught on in a big way. So big, that this month I am adding nine to my Monster Master List. With these additions, you can now construct a diversified ETF-only portfolio. Along with the ETFs I have one new stock, and four A-rated Preferreds to help you avoid the leveraged buyout industry taking over many BBB-rated firms. Plus, I have changed the layout for my issue to include a full two-page update of my Top Ten Countdown stocks. I’ve also added my What’s Up & What’s Down column to the main issue. I believe you’ll find these enhancements very informative and useful. Make it a good month!

Tags: Alexander, Alico, American Express, assets, Australia, Baldwin, barclays, Barrick Gold, benchmard, BHP Billiton, capital gains, citigroup, Dodge & Cox Balanced Fund, ETFs, Federated Investors, GE Capital, income tax, iShares MSCI Canada Index Fund, iShares MSCI EAFE Value Index Fund, iShares MSCI Japan Index Fund, iShares MSCI Sweden, iShares S&P Global Materials Sector Index Fund, Jardine Matheson, johnson & johnson, land, Market Vectors Gold Miners, Market Vectors Russia ETF, Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, Nazis, Newmont Mining, Nomura Small Cap Japan, Norilsk Nickel, Plum Creek, Precious Metals & Mining, Preferreds, rifle, Rio Tinto, Southwest Water, SPDR DJ Wilshire International Real Estate, SPDR Russell, St. Joe, Sweden, Swiss, Switzerland, Tiffany, Unilever, Vanguard GNMA, Vanguard Short Term Investment Grade, Vanguard Value ETF, Wells Fargo, Whole foods

There’s no doubt in my mind that the world’s greatest and most successful rock and roll band is the Rolling Stones. However, this success would not have been possible without an enormous amount of focus and patience by the band. Focus and patience are what this issue is all about. What are you doing to make sure your portfolio maximizes its compound interest and dividends? This month, I provide some options to help you stay on point. Also, I revisit a few funds that you need to increase your holdings in, as well as introduce two new funds and three new stocks that I believe should be a part of your portfolio. Read this month’s issue for all the exciting details. Make it a good month.

Tags: ABER, aber diamond, ABX, American Century Global Gold, Australia, Barrick, Ben Grahm, Blackrock Enhanced Fund, Canadian General Investments, CAT, Caterpillar, Century Bank, Chemistry and Synergy, China, coca-Cola, diamonds, DIS, Disney, dividends, FAL, Falconbridge, Federated Investors, FII, FLEX, Flextronics, GE, general electric, harley-davidson, HDI, Hong Kong, Inco, iShares, iShares Goldman Sachs Natural resources Index fund, J.M. Smucker, Janus Fund, JOE, KO, Marvel, MVL, N, Norfolk Southern, NSC, Oak family funds, PDG, PEP, Pepsico, Placer Dome, power investing, presidential cycle, quadrennial theory, RGR, Rio Tinto, RTP, ruger, Singapore, SJM, St. Joe, streetTracks Gold Shares, Sturm, T. Rowe Price, T.Rowe price Dividend Growth, Third Avenue International Value, Third Avenue Small-cap value, TimberWest Forest, TROW, Union Pacific, United technologies, UNP, UTX, Vanguard GNMA, Vanguard Growth & Income, Vanguard Precious Metals & Mining, Warren Buffett, WFMI, Whole foolds

Discipline and patience were two things that the Boston Red Sox could have used in the 2003 Championship Series against the Yankees. And we preach about both everyday here at Intelligence Report — discipline to stay true to our diversified portfolio and the patience to keep our focus on the long term. This approach made us successful in 2005 and will continue to help us profit in the future. This month I discuss some of our successes from the past year as well as answer a number of your questions. I also provide you with a few opportunities to help your IRAs in the next year. As we continue in the New Year, be sure to read this month’s issue for my latest advice.

Tags: Alliance Resource Partners, Archstone-Smith, ARLP, ASN, BHP, BHP Billiton, BlackRock Dividend Achievers Trust, BlackRock Global Opportunities Equity trust, BPL, Buckeye Partners, Cameco, Canadian General Investments LTD, CCJ, China, Coal Master Limited Partnerships, counterbalancing, diversification, Dodge & Cox International, EQR, Equity residential, Fidelity International real Estate Fund, Holland balanced Fund, iShares Australia Omdex Fund, iShares MSCI Singapre Index, Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, KMP, Macquarie Infrastructure company trust, MIC, Natural resource Partners, Norfolk Southern, NRP, NSC, PII, Polaris, REIT, Retirement Compounders, RGR, Rio Tinto, Royce Value Trust, RTP, ruger, Smith & Wesson, streetTracks Gold Shares, Sturm, SWB, T. rowe Price New Asia, T. Rowe Price New Era, T. Vanguard Long-Term Investment grade, Third Avenue International, Third Avenue Small-cap value, Third Avenue Value, Union Pacific, UNP, Valero L.P., Vanguard GNMA, Vanguard Inflation Protected Securitites Fund, Vanguard Precious Metals & Mining, Vanguard Short Term Investment Grade, Vanguard Wellesley, Vanguard Wellington Balanced, VLI

In 1959, I started studying the stock market. Since then there has not been a single stock market downer in the year leading up to a presidential election. In fact, stocks usually make big gains-more so than in any other year of the election cycle. In this issue, I cover the impact of the presidential election cycle on the stock market, especially the year preceding the election. But the bulk of the issue is spent discussing my investment strategy. You need to read what I have to say about Japan versus South Korea. I also discuss fixed income and what you can expect in 2006 with regard to my Big Idea — the impending retirement of 76 million Americans. I have some new funds and some old for you to consider as well as some new stock offerings. Make sure to read this month’s issue; it will help you prepare for 2006.

Tags: AA, ABX, AL, Al Qaeda, Alcan, Alcoa, American Century Zero Cupon, Archstone-Smith, ASN, Barrick Gold, BHP, BHP Billiton, BlackRock Dividend Achievers Trust, BlackRock Global Energy & resources Trust, BP, Cameco, Canadialn General Investments, CCJ, China, Commodity Real Return, COST, Costco, Dodge & Cox income, election year cycle, ExxonMobil, FAL, Falconbridge, FCEa, Fidelity International real Estate, Fiduciary/Claymore MLP Opportunity Fund, forest City, GDP, General Jon Abizaid, Iraq, iShares MSCI Australia Index, iShares MSCI Singapre Index, jazz, Katrina, MCD, McDonalds, Microsoft, MSFT, Mutoual Series, NEM, Newmont Mining, Norfolk Southern, NSC, PCL, PDG, PEP, Pepsico, PIMCO, PIMCO All Asset, Placer Dome, PLD, Plum Creek, President Bush, PRJPX, Prologis, Rayonier, RD, Rio Tinto, Royal Dutch, RTP, RYN, streetTracks Gold Shares, T. Rowe Price Japan Fund, T. Rowe Price New Asia Fund, T. Rowe Price New Era, T. Rowe Price Teck cominco, Third Avenue International, Third Avenue International Value, third Avenue Real Estate, Third Avenue Small-Cap, Third Avenue Small-cap value, Third Avenue Value, Third Avenue Vanguard Precious metals & Mining, Union Pacific, UNP, Vanguard GNMA, Vanguard Inflation Protected Securities, Vanguard Intermediate Term Treasury, Vanguard Precious Metals & Mining, Vanguard Short Term Investment Grade, Vanguard Wellesley Income Fund, Vanguard Wellington, VWELX, XOM