The Markets (as of market close June 30, 2016) In the world of equities, the second quarter of the year was anything but dull. April saw the large-cap S&P 500 and Dow make marginal gains, with the small-cap Russell 2000 and the Global Dow leading the way for the month. The Fed left interest rates [...]
The Markets (as of market close July 1, 2016) The beginning of the week saw equities still reeling from the Brexit vote. However, the markets closed with a flourish, recouping all of the losses from the prior week. Each of the indexes listed here enjoyed positive returns by week's end with each index gaining over [...]
Common Financial Wisdom: Theory vs. Practice In the financial world, there are a lot of rules about what you should be doing. In theory, they sound reasonable. But in practice, it may not be easy, or even possible, to follow them. Let's look at some common financial maxims and why it can be hard to [...]
The Markets (as of market close June 24, 2016) The Brexit referendum vote sent a tidal wave of negative returns throughout the world's stock markets, including the indexes listed here. The large-cap Dow lost over 270 points on the week and, along with the S&P 500, dropped over 1.50% from the prior week. In fact, [...]
Rebalancing Your Portfolio Tip: Rebalancing Schedule. When to rebalance? There is no set rule. Some rebalance when their portfolio’s allocation is off by a specific percentage — say 5%. Others may be comfortable setting the target higher or lower. Everyone loves a winner. If an investment is successful, most people naturally want to stick with [...]
The Markets (as of market close June 10, 2016) The major market indexes listed here were relatively flat for the week. Despite gains earlier in the week, losses Thursday and Friday wiped out most of the positive returns. By midweek, the S&P 500 reached its highest level since last July only to give back most [...]
Diversifying Outside of the Business: Strategies for Small-Business Owners Small-business owners are especially vulnerable to a dangerous investment practice: under-diversification. For many, their business represents the lion's share of their net worth. With fortunes riding largely on the success or failure of a single business in a single industry, business owners are exposed to heightened [...]
Debt Optimization Strategies As part of improving your financial situation, you might consider reducing your debt load. A number of strategies can be used to pay off debt. However, before starting any debt payoff strategy (or combination of strategies), be sure you understand the terms of your debts, including interest rates, terms of payment, and [...]
How to Help Keep Identity Thieves Away The more business we do and information we share online, the more identity theft becomes a growing threat to our financial security. There are ways you can help protect your good name and credit. Here are some tips to help keep you and your family safe. Monitor Your [...]
Clearing Financial Hurdles on the Road to Retirement When friends and loved ones finally raise their glasses to bid you a long and healthy retirement, you do not want to be worrying about how your bills will get paid. That is why it is so important to participate in your company's retirement plan now. On [...]
