There are certainly times when you can see that the odds are heavily stacked in your favor and we have one of those potential scenarios right now in gold.

Do you really need portfolio diversification?...Everyone assumes that broad asset class portfolio diversification is advantageous...[as it] reduces the risk associated with events that can trigger a decline in any one asset class...[and makes] financial planning more reliable and predictable by reducing the variations in portfolio performance from year to year. Simply put, portfolio diversification is a sound investment practice but, [that said,] exactly how much risk reduction, in actual numbers, is obtained through application of this philosophy? [Bottom line, is] asset class diversification all that it’s cracked up to be? This article...addresses...the benefits of diversification among various classes.

Whenever some financial “pundit” says that the best way to get into a stock is by averaging down, we sometimes cringe. Why? Because, at best, you’ll be getting into a stock at a lower average price...but more importantly, you can be getting into a stock that’s poised to sink much, much lower and that’s a risk no one wants to take.

Debt plagues millions of Americans every day. It is such a common problem that many of us don't even think twice about what we owe, or how we landed in such a predicament. The simplest explanation is that debt happens when you spend more than you earn but it's not actually that simple when real life steps in. Unexpected events and bad planning...can leave you facing big debt that may take years to pay off. By understanding some of the main causes of debt, we can make better financial decisions in avoiding it. Let's take a look at some of the worst offenders.

Along with the prestige of being a medal recipient, the awards themselves have worth. The Olympic silver medal value, for example, may surprise you. However, just how much you can get for a medal varies depending on how you break it down.

Using beta to build a portfolio is a smart and easy thing to do. All you have to do is make sure you understand your risk tolerance and not build a portfolio that is overweight in one sector of the stock market...

Although, on one hand, geopolitical risks have increased the appeal of Gold ETFs as safe-haven investments, a rising greenback and fears of rising interest rates are weighing on their performance. This article discusses some ETFs focused on providing exposure to the space...

This looks like an excellent point to short the dollar, which is expected to drop and probably accelerate away to the downside. This should provide a boost for the Precious Metals sector which...will increasingly be seen as a safe haven.

According to the just-released latest quarterly household debt and credit report by the NY Fed, Americans' debt rose to a new record high in the fourth quarter on the back of an increase in virtually every form of debt: from mortgage, to auto, student and credit card debt (although HELOCs posted a tiny decline). With interest rates on household credit rapidly rising, and with no savings to fall back on, this is a recipe for disaster.

...Volatility has now returned to the stock market after a hibernation of several years...[and such] an explosion of volatility is indicative of a change of trend. The recent signals transmitted by this market have been classic and have been telling us that we have entered the final topping process of this extended and stretched economic cycle.