Opinions

We may be headed for an opportunity driven by chaos. These are the times when money can be made. The stock market is on full alert with the news that the United States may mount a military intervention against the controlling government in Syria on speculation of it using chemical

One of the keys to investing that I have tried to convey to my readers is the importance of market sentiment. Even if the long-term fundamentals remain strong, over the short term, shifts in market sentiment will cause prices to become quite volatile. As I pointed out many times over

In my previous article, I talked about the U.S. economy and how it will likely stall this year. The second estimate for the second-quarter real gross domestic product (GDP) growth comes out tomorrow, and I’m not that optimistic. In fact, I’m becoming more pessimistic towards GDP growth going forward. If

When I talk to friends and family, one of the most common concerns they tell me about is their frustration over the current economic recovery—with the slow pace of job creation and the relatively high number of unemployed keeping a tight lid on wages. A new study has quantified the

Gold prices have bounced back, jumping above $1,350 an ounce; but I contend that the advance will not be sustainable as the metal remains in a bear market. The problem we are seeing is that the mining sector is under duress, especially the junior miners who are struggling to maintain

The debate to drive up the minimum wage continues in America; many are calling for an increase from the current $7.25 per hour to over $10.00 per hour. While I totally agree the minimum wage established in July 2009 needs to increase, I also warn that a higher minimum wage

When it comes to buying stocks, one question I am often asked is: what is one of the most overlooked factors that investors miss? While some people might create an investment strategy for buying stocks based on valuation or growth levels, one common variable that is crucial for long-term success

The recent minutes of the last Federal Reserve meeting (July 30-31, 2013), were released last Wednesday. Looking through the minutes, my opinion has not changed that the Federal Reserve will indeed begin to reduce its asset purchase program sometime this year. While the U.S. economy is clearly not in an

A friend of mine recently asked me a question that many others might be asking as well: why do mining companies swing so often from optimism to pessimism? If we take a look at how the mining companies have reacted to price over the past few years, we can see

The low trading volume in the stock market implies that many investors and institutional money may be sitting on the sidelines. Yet for the professional money, such as hedge funds and private wealth, you cannot just sit on cash, since you’re usually paid a lofty amount to manage money and

The tax increases and lack of wage increases appear to be impacting America; for a country needing to see its gross domestic product (GDP) expand, this is not what you want to hear. Of course, sluggish consumer spending and GDP growth may also force the Fed to refrain from cutting

With the second-quarter earnings season nearly completed, I must admit the results were average at best. In fact, with about 450 of the S&P 500 companies having reported, 72% beat their mean estimate, according to statistics from FactSet. (Source: “FactSet Earnings Insight: S&P 500,” FactSet, August 9, 2013.) You may

I’ve always been a fan of long-term investing, as it allows big picture thinking to be more important than short-term gyrations. One of my concerns when it comes to developing a long-term investing portfolio is the Chinese economy. Over the last 10 years, we’ve seen the Chinese economy take a

Japan reported disappointing second-quarter GDP growth last week, which rattled the stock market. Now, while Japan’s economy is the third-largest in the world, its importance in the global economy is not as significant now as it was over 30 years ago. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is going to make the

This past weekend, I was at a barbecue at a friend’s house. While we did talk about such usual topics as the upcoming NFL season as well as the ongoing soap opera that is Alex Rodriguez, one of the questions I was asked was about the Federal Reserve. More to

If Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke were a baseball player, I doubt he would be very good. He may be able to drift around the minor leagues, but clearly, he’s not “big league” material. I surely wouldn’t have him as a manager or bench coach either. As some of you

When we enter the 2013 fall season, we will surely be hit with yet more talk regarding government debt. As the U.S. hits the debt ceiling once again, political grandstanding will be the name of the game. While the budget deficit has improved from the depths of the recession, it

When America began to spend and spend in the 1980s with very little regard for its mounting federal national debt, we all realized it was not sustainable, especially if the cost side was not controlled. The end result was higher taxes and budgetary cuts from the sequestration. When a country’s

The recent shift in market sentiment towards interest rates has caused many people to begin scratching their heads, wondering what this means for their investment strategy. This move up in interest rates should not be a surprise to my readers, as you’ve been hearing me discuss this issue since last