Asset Allocation

Larger allocations to gold are merited, then silver and investors should consider very small allocations to platinum and palladium.

If you are saving money for a down payment on a house or a car you plan on buying next year and you do not want to risk your money in the stock market looking for somewhere to invest for the short term is the way to go and there are some really good options out there for you. Below is a list of 6 solid short term investment options for you to consider.

Companies which spent years developing their brands can see their business disappear almost overnight. It’s like a black swan event except with industries not the economy. If you’re an investor, it might not be enough to just look at the competition. You need to look at how technology can destroy a business.

A prudent investor is able to spot when an asset becomes a high risk and then has the sense to move his or her funds into one that is a lower risk but, unfortunately, complacency has turned investors brains into mush. Real estate & stock asset values are near their top while the silver price is closer to its bottom. Thus, assets that are near a top are HIGH RISK, and those near a bottom are LOW RISK. It’s really that simple.

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.

Overall, the market was due for a pullback. It seemed like every trading day in January, the market was only rising so it is only natural that, eventually, the market was going to fall but it’s just that many didn’t think this type of volatility was going to happen so soon. Here are some things to keep in mind.

Imagine that five years ago you invested $10,000 in the S&P 500. How much would it be worth today, with dividends reinvested but adjusted for inflation?

Today's infographic dives deep into dividends - what they are, how they work, their interesting history, as well as what they can offer investors over time.

History tells us we should expect higher stock prices in the next quarter, mid-year, and by the end of 2018. The trillion-dollar question is, “When will this all end?”

Sentiment surveys clearly show how bears have given up, and neutrals have capitulated and this particular trend may have room to run further.