U.S. Bank Profits: A Beautiful Piece of Fictionby Satyajit Das.Posted Mar 11, 2014.Banks sure have turned things around, eh? Since 2009 (in the years following the financial crisis it helped create) global stock prices have rallied significantly. And financial stocks, in particular, have done considerably well - with US banks up by over 200%. But as Satyajit Das points out, these gains are just part of an elaborate fiction...
Warren Buffett: World Class Hypocriteby Chris Mayer.Posted Mar 10, 2014.Warren Buffett is a great investor. Perhaps the greatest investor in history. But the most impressive thing about Warren Buffett isn't his portfolio... It's convincing mom and pop investors he's just like them. Chris Mayer explains why this couldn't be further from the truth, and offers a warning to those who are vulnerable to The Oracle's folksy charm...
On a Manhunt for Newly Created Currencyby The Mogambo Guru.Posted Mar 7, 2014.Thanks to the tireless efforts of the Federal Reserve, currency in circulation is up $72.5 billion in the last year - which equates to $234 for every man, woman and child in America. And after rifling through his wife's purse yielded fruitless results, The Mogambo Guru has launched an all-out investigation to find his share. Read on...
The Rights Trap: Constricted By a Sense of Entitlementby Harry Browne.Posted Mar 6, 2014.People tend to believe they are endowed with a few specific "rights" - property, liberty, happiness, etc. Unfortunately, as Harry Browne explains, rights only exist in theory. In practice they don’t accomplish much - no matter how much people may discuss them. Read on...
Timeless Tax Tips: There is Always a Loopholeby Harry Browne.Posted Mar 5, 2014.As the old saying goes, the only two certainties in life are death and taxes. But while the former may be inevitable, there are ways to mitigate the latter's influence on you and your personal wealth. So today, the late Harry Browne offers a few timeless tips on how to minimize your tax burden. Read on...
Detailed Strategies to Combat the Tax Manby Neil George.Posted Mar 4, 2014.Believe it or not, it IS possible to have the kind of secure and comfortable retirement you deserve. Of course, judging by the president's tax proposal, the feds will stop at nothing to prevent that. That's why today, Neil George offers his expertise on how to keep the tax man from decimating your retirement savings. Read on...
Ukraine: An Expensive U.S. Promiseby Dave Gonigam.Posted Mar 4, 2014.As the situation in Ukraine surges forward, the U.S. position in the conflict is as murky and uncertain as the outcome of the entire mess. But that won't stop people from speculating. Dave Gonigam explains why any response thus from from U.S. (or from Russian economic aide Sergei Glazyev) is just laughable lip-service. Read on...
A Stamp of Approval for Alternative Investmentsby Geoff Anandappa.Posted Mar 4, 2014.In recent years, the collectible art market has gotten a lot of press - both for the astounding prices being witnessed and the solid investment returns it's provided investors. Today, Geoff Anandappa examines another such market - one that has gone relatively unnoticed by most investors... Ahem, except for Bill Gross, that is. Read on...
Money: A Concept No One Understandsby Don Paarlberg.Posted Mar 3, 2014.The concept of "money" is a difficult one to grasp. And that's especially true in today's world of faith-based money and credit. But that hasn't always been the case. In fact, there was a time when "money" was sublimely easy to understand - when it was based on tangible goods of real use. Don Paarlberg explains...
An Investor’s Take on the Marijuana Marketby Dan Steinhart.Posted Mar 3, 2014.Marijuana is now legal in two states. And if the trend continues, many other states may soon follow suit. No doubt this will present several new investment opportunities for forward-thinking investors. But are any of those investments worth looking at right now? Dan Steinhart looks at the current and future prospects of this burgeoning market. Read on...