As Wall Street’s biggest banks prepare to report fourth quarter earnings for 2011, many analysts expect the results to cap off a horrible year — at least by their formerly high-flying pre-recession standards. As a result, …
stocks
What Last Year’s Stock Market Says about 2012
Day to day, the stock market may feel like a roller-coaster, but in fact the U.S. is experiencing stagnation with a very, very faint upward trend.
U.S. Stocks Rise on Strong Economic Data; Oil Jumps on Iran Threat
U.S. stock prices jumped higher on the first trading day of 2012 after new economic data showed gains in construction and manufacturing activity. Meanwhile, oil prices surged amid escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran, …
Skittish Market’s Winners and Losers Point the Way
A highly volatile stock market may have given you whiplash in 2011. But as the year draws to a close, the final numbers don’t look so dramatic: the S&P 500 is poised to end the year almost exactly where it began, and about as …
The U.S. Government Bond Bubble (And What To Do About It)
Treasury bond prices will likely suffer a major decline in the next few years. Here are eight high-yielding stocks that are a smarter alternative for the income part of your portfolio.
The Blackberry Moral (Or: The Trouble With Too Many Options)
We were intrigued but not surprised by a recent article in the New York Times detailing troubles at Research in Motion, maker of the Blackberry. Among several problems facing the Canadian tech company is an overabundance of …
Zynga Pops 10% Then Drops Below IPO Price in Lukewarm Debut
Online game-maker Zynga went public Friday, raising $1 billion in the biggest Internet IPO since Google in 2004. The company’s shares opened at $11 — 10% above the $10 offering price — before quickly falling as low as $9.50, …
Zynga’s Valuation Could Reach $10 Billion After IPO
Web gaming phenom Zynga, which is preparing to go public Friday, does not have a complicated business. People love to hang out on Facebook and share stuff with their friends. People also love to play online games. So it’s no …
Why Investors Leave $200 Million A Year Sitting on the Table (And How to Get Your Share)
Investors collectively spend more than $200 million a year in excess fees on S&P 500 index funds alone, a study finds. They get nothing for that money, which could be compounding in their accounts instead.
Why the Euro Crisis Proves Stocks Are the New Bonds
Woe to the unfortunate souls still exposed to European debt. The smart money (read: people like Warren Buffett and the world’s more successful hedge funders) got out of it a year and a half ago. It almost doesn’t matter whether …
Is Facebook Really Worth $100 Billion?
That’s the question many people are asking amid rising chatter that the booming social network plans to go public in 2012 and raise up to $10 billion in a deal that could value the company at more than $100 billion.
How the Lost Decade is a Boon for Your Portfolio
The lost decade has a silver lining: investors who accumulate shares during long market dry spells end up with twice as much money, new research shows.