IVV: Buying the S&P 500 Without Commissions
Investors have plenty of ETF options to track major U.S. asset classes. The benchmarks sometimes have significant overlap, and in some cases more than one ETF follows the same index. How do you tell which one is better? One important factor is expenses. Take two ETFs designed to track the S&P...
Cloud Computing: The Next Big Thing In Technology?
One of the best reasons to invest in the technology sector is the evolutionary nature of tech companies. The truly successful ones don’t rest on their laurels after introducing an important product. They’re constantly looking for something else to spur sales and profits. A recent addition...
Unemployment and the Investor
Investors received the latest jobs data from the Labor Department on Friday. December’s unemployment rate was unchanged at 10%. Employers cut 85,000 positions from their payrolls and dashed hopes that jobs would be added at the end of 2009. Last month’s cuts added to the over seven million lost...
Are Airlines Toast?
Like a lot of people, I used to enjoy flying. Packing up, going to the airport, standing in line, and jetting off to exotic places like Chicago was a welcome break in my otherwise non-adventurous life. No more. Now I view airline travel as an occasional necessary evil. New security measures resulting...
Technology Rises and Buying Facebook
Technology stocks have done well this year. The Technology Select Sector SPDR (XLK) bottomed out in March and by late October was up more than 60%. Tech has performed better than any other sector year-to-date – up 33.7% as of Friday’s close. Part of the tech gain is related to how new media companies...
SEC Tries To Get Efficient
Under criticism for letting Bernie Madoff’s scheme drag on for years, the Securities & Exchange Commission is trying to improve itself and rebuild its image. This is an excellent idea, and good timing too, given that the people who ignored Madoff for so long have now moved on to bigger and...
Banks to Buy in Light of TARP
TARP, the “Troubled Asset Relief Program,” has been the minds of many financial sector analysts ever since the Emergency Economic Security Act of 2008 allowed banks to tap the US Treasury for cash. Whether TARP was necessary to stabilize the banking industry is for economic historians to...
CEO Compensation: What It Is And Who Makes The Most?
“How much do you make?” It’s one of those taboo questions that usually goes unasked during polite dinner conversation. But after a few beers, the vocal chords are often limbered enough to divulge family secrets. Tax return numbers may slip off the tongue. Even so, such private matters are usually...
Cash For Clunkers Extended
Cash For Clunkers is back. After burning through its initial $1 billion in a week, the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS) aka ‘Cash For Clunkers,’ received another round of funding from Washington. Last Thursday, the Senate voted to extend the popular car buying program before their Summer break....
The Recession Has Been Extended?
With weeks of positive vibes behind us and a climbing market to boot, the unwelcome cry from Friday was: ‘Hold the celebration – the recession has been extended.’ The 2nd quarter gross domestic product (GDP) numbers were released on Friday. Here’s what Bloomberg reported: “The first 12 months...
