There’s no doubt that p/e ratios are an important part of many investors’ decision making but relying too heavily on these financial ratios can expose you to serious risk. Successful investors treat p/e’s as just one of many tools, and not a deciding factor. Words: 503

The stock market does not turn on a dime... at least historically that's been the case. There was always a distinctive topping process going on before the bear finally struck. In every case you can look back and detect the same pattern: a marked deterioration of market internals and of interest rate based indicators before any crash so, if history is our guide, we should not expect this time to be different. So, what should we look for?

Buying penny stocks can pay off extremely well when it succeeds but, in addition to the business odds against success, it’s much easier to launch and promote a stock than it is to find a mine, for example, or invent a new battery. That’s why penny stocks are so common, even though profit-making companies are rare. It’s also why we think penny stocks should make up only a very small part of your portfolio. Words: 475

Since there is such a wide range of emotions, it might be helpful for you to do a 'gut-check' before you actually buy or sell any type of security. Knowing how you "feel" about investing might turn out to be just as important as knowing what you "know." Words: 737

Understanding how financial advisors get paid and what your advisor fees are will help you make smarter decisions about your money. Here are a few of the different ways financial advisors get paid and what you need to know about advisor fees. Words: 538

Predictions are in the air - on these pages and everywhere else - so I may as well add my own two-cents to the massive opinion-drenched internet.

You'll get a good return from the stock market -- in nominal terms -- in coming years but in real terms, it's unsustainable and unrealistic. Oil, gold, and agriculture are going to be the biggest winners when the dollar starts its slide. Words: 825

Over the longer term, some of history's top strategists actually say that inflation is a big reason to buy stocks – not to avoid them. Foremost among them is Warren Buffett. His inflation research goes way back. In 1977 – just before the U.S. was about to enter into one of the worst inflationary climates in history – in a column for Fortune magazine he said, “stocks are probably still the best of all the poor alternatives in an era of inflation – at least they are if you buy in at appropriate prices.” Words: 664

Trust in the proven history of the only true money, gold and silver. The charts say there is still time to buy, but any event can trigger a panic and the physical metals will not be had at prices people can now afford.

Manganese is the missing third link needed to wean the global economy off fossil fuels and enable widespread adoption of renewable clean energy and electric cars. Is manganese on your screen? If not, it should be.