Articles

In order to trade in the stock market, one doesn't have to know all of the technical details in buying and selling stocks, in most cases, a basic understanding of the stock market is more than enough. But due to the amount of information that one has to consider, stock trading requires a lot of time and effort in order to become a profitable activity. Thanks to technology, the transfer and retrieval of such information is so much easier.

Much of stock market traders` and investors` time is spent trying to predict what the market will do in the next few days to months. However, the process is not all speculative guessing. If one pays close attention, the market will actually indicate which way it is going. Learning to read the signs of the market takes a little time and patience but the rewards will be great.

Goldman Sachs took the unusual step today of announcing that its bonuses to its 30 most senior executives would be paid in the form of a special stock that could not be sold for 5 years.

Here is a brief article on the new Build America Bonds and their close cousins, tax free Municipal bonds. After reading this you will be able to decide which of the two best suits your needs.

It's becoming clear that asset bubbles, not goods and services inflation has been the biggest bane of the economy over the last 20 years. The cycle of boom and bust seems to be becoming a fixture. This interesting article questions whether the Fed is behind this cycle.

The House today voted to extend the existing estate tax. It was due to expire in 2010 but then return in 2011 at an even higher rate than before. Estates are currently taxed at 45% for any amount over $3.5 million for individuals and $7 million for couples. While that seems like a lot, it includes real estate, family businesses, farms, etc. Family-owned businesses often bear the biggest brunt of the current estate tax, with heirs often having to sell the business to pay the tax liability.

The US taxpayer owns 70% of GM. Why are we permitting someone with no knowledge of the automobile industry to seize control of GM on an interim basis?

Brent White, a Professor at the University of Arizona College of Law has written a provocative paper which makes the case that for many homeowners walking away from their underwater home is the best long-term economic decision. He argues that societal pressure and the fear of ruined credit force many homeowners to stay put, even though doing so is bad for their personal finances and long-term wealth.

The National Association of Realtors announced today that existing home sales for October rose 10.1% to a 6.1 million annual rate from a 5.54 million pace in September. This of course was done with massive government intervention including the $8,000 first-time home buyers tax credit, super low interest rates, and FHA mortgage assistance.

The North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) announced today a settlement with Wells Fargo in which the bank agreed to reimburse $1.3 billion related to the sale of auction rate securities to its clients. That makes it the last of the large banks to put its auction rate security mess behind it.

Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke said today that he doesn't see evidence of an asset bubble in financial markets - equities, gold, commodities, etc. This of course reminds me of Alan Greenspan's famous announcements early in the decade that there was no housing bubble. Yeah, right.

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) which has propped up the housing market by insuring hundreds of billions of mortgage loans, is in danger of running out of money as foreclosures and bankruptcies grow.

The Federal Reserve on Thursday announced final rules that prohibit banks from automatically charging overdraft fees on ATM and debit card transactions. Before a fee can be charged, customers must consent or agree to the charge in return for being allowed to withdraw money. So, let's explain a likely scenario.

The Treasury today announced that the fixed rate for I-Bonds for the next six months if .30%. Combined with the inflation component of 3.06%, it brings the total I-Bond rate for the next six months to 3.36%.

Here is a short article about Junk, or High yield bonds and what is going on in those markets. This seems to still be a good time to jump in.