An initial public offering of a stock, called an IPO, can be either a sucker’s game or a chance for instant riches. Determining the outcome requires a great deal of work, knowledge, and luck. Most investors have none of the above when it comes to IPOs.
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Portfolio Advice
CBD is a real market
Cannabidiol is popping up all over the country. Local drug stores, supermarkets and health food shops, among other retailers, can’t seem to get enough of this stuff on the shelves. Is this a fad, a fake, or does it have some real health benefits?
The business of baseball
Attendance is down, as is viewership, as we head into the 2019 season. Major League Baseball is hoping some rule changes will turn around the decline. Will it be enough, and does it matter anyway?
Europe, the world’s sick sibling
The European Community is beset by worries. Brexit, trade threats, a slowing Chinese economy, and internal politics at home have all conspired to slow growth, employment, and positive sentiment.
The Fed stands tall
Sometimes it takes a while, but financial markets almost always test a new incoming Federal Reserve Bank Chairman. On Wednesday, Jerome Powell faced his test and passed with flying colors. Of course, a glance at the stock market averages at the end of the day on Wednesday, would have the casual observers scratching their heads.
The origin of Black Friday
As you finish your turkey and prepare to get an early start on Black Friday shopping, you might wonder how shopping became such an integral part of your Thanksgiving holiday. The term has followed a circuitous route through our financial history.
Mid-term results take investor focus off Washington
True to form, the opposition party regained control of the House, while the ruling party, in this case the GOP, retained control of the Senate. If history is any guide, this means that little in the way of legislation will be coming out of Congress for the next two years.
Time to check your risk tolerance
It is a good time to take a reality check on how aggressively you are invested. The 6.9% decline in the S&P 500 Index over October was gut-wrenching. But entirely within the realm of probability given the historical data. Here are some questions to ask.
The “Fortnite” Addiction
Chances are, if you are over 50, you have probably never heard of “Fortnite,” a video game that boasts over 40 million players worldwide. Those with children, however, may not only know it, but are playing it themselves.
How to Avoid Recession, Immigrate to Australia
“Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” Statue of Liberty poem
Italy’s crisis threatens financial markets
A political crisis in the fourth largest economy in Europe has spilled over into the financial markets. Global stock exchanges greeted Italy’s present political dysfunction by registering major declines–and the crisis may just be getting started.
It is no longer enough to simply manage money
Back in the day, money managers were revered. News stories spotlighting the year’s “hottest hands,” or that hedge fund’s rising star were all the rage. Retail investors chased performance and paid for it. But times are changing, and simply beating the market for a year or two fails to impress most investors.
What’s up with oil?
Two years ago, the experts were telling us that the price of oil would continue to fall. Twelve-dollar oil was a real possibility. The end of OPEC was nigh as well as their ability to influence geo-politics. It appears those predictions were premature.
The Facebook fallacy
After a grueling two-day inquisition before both houses of congress, Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, has left the building. The question is how much did anyone really learn about the privacy issues of this social media behemoth?
Beware the tax hit from mutual funds
Plenty of investors will be faced with an unpleasant surprise. Any day now, one or more of the mutual funds that you own will be sending out their capital gain distributions for the year. The tax hit could be quite large this year.
The Korean Question
So far, the political tension between the United States and North Korea has been confined to a war of words and not much else. This week’s verbal threats and counter-threats, however, reached a new level. What might that mean for the financial markets?