A stock broker, an actuary and an agent are all caught drinking smuggled liquor while staying in Saudi Arabia. Under Saudi law, simply possessing alcohol is an offense punishable by death. However, the local prince is feeling generous that day, so he commutes the death sentence and instead sentences each to 20 lashes. After further …
Continue reading Who Said Insurance Agents Have NO Sense of Humor?
As of 2011, The Investment Company Institute reports that the 401(k) plan retirement system holds over $3,000 billion in assets, over 50% of which are found in stock-based mutual funds. Despite their popular use, many investors are uncomfortable with them and unfamiliar with the "rules of the road" when it comes to the proper care …
Continue reading Top 5 Critical Retirement Plan Mistakes To Avoid
By Edward Luce A driver is stuck in a jam in Washington. A man knocks on his window: “Terrorists have kidnapped Congress, and they’re asking for $100m otherwise they’ll burn them with gasoline,” the man says. “We’re going from car to car to get donations.” What are people giving on …
Here is your Weekly Insights update from Curian’s Asset Management Group. This informative capital market update is designed to help those of you who want to manage your own money. Stay informed about important developments in economics and the markets. CONTINUE READING...
By Liz Ann Sonders - Senior Vice-President and Chief Investment Strategist at Charles Schwab Today, housing represents a record low of US gross domestic product at about 2 per cent compared with more than 6 per cent at its 2005 peak. But the psychological impact of housing on individuals, the stock market and the broader …
Continue reading Time for Policymakers to Get Real on US Housing
OK. Enough woe and gloom, technical mumbo jumbo, esoteric financial jargon, rain and cloudy skies. Where's the sushine, for God's sake? This is Homecoming Weekend! If this isn't time for a little levity, when is the time? Law of the Perversity of Nature: You cannot successfully determine beforehand which side of the bread to butter. …
By Laszlo Birinyi The S&P 500 has been perilously close to a 20 per cent decline in recent weeks which would, by definition, terminate the bull market which began in March 2009. Given the economic circumstances and the continuing political turmoil on both sides of the Atlantic, most commentators believe it is only a matter …
Continue reading Reasons to Be Bullish, But With a Lower Case ‘b’
From the Financial Times and Scott Minerd When Ben Bernanke, chairman of the Federal Reserve, emerges from his meetings with the Federal Open Market Committee, he addresses the media in that most Delphic of dialects – “Fedspeak.” Like any good central banker, he is careful to preach the piety of price stability. Even if he …
Continue reading QE3 on its Way As Fed Prepares Phillips Trial
By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN CITIGROUP is lucky that Muammar el-Qaddafi was killed when he was. The Libyan leader’s death diverted attention from a lethal article involving Citigroup that deserved more attention because it helps to explain why many average Americans have expressed support for the Occupy Wall Street movement. The news was that Citigroup had …
By Gil Weinreich, AdvisorOne October 24, 2011 After years of housing market decline that has weakened the economy and depressed consumer sentiment, a number of analyses are strongly suggesting that a turnaround in the beaten sector may finally be at hand. Indeed, the market seems to be adding its endorsement to these analyses, with the …
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