At some point not enough bogeymen exist to justify keeping the U.S. economy from operating under normal conditions.But on the heels of July’s surprisingly strong employment report, Fed chair Janet Yellen may feel compelled to raise interest rates next month if the rest of the economy remains on track. Inflation is also… Read More

It’s not just Olympians going for the gold. Read More

In my most recent Technical Nuggets column, (August 1, 2016) I noted: “Lower interest rates have created momentum conditions where higher prices continue to bring in buyers.  This momentum dynamic has pushed this bull market much further than anyone could have expected and the current trend remains up but… Read More

I usually avoid discussing politics in these columns, given the odds of getting nasty emails from one side or the other (sometimes both). But it’s election time and we can’t ignore the elephant and the donkey in the room: who’ll be sitting in the White House next year. I believe… Read More

We have to be careful when drawing conclusions about a president’s affect on stock market and the economy. For example, traditionally the pro-business Republican Party is regarded as good for the stock market, while the more regulatory-minded Democratic Party is viewed as an impediment to economic growth. However, no evidence supports those… Read More

July is typically a slow month for real estate, but I recently heard a local realtor say she had to hire police officers to control the traffic at an open house last month. National numbers echo this strength. So much for the dog days of summer—at least in the housing… Read More

The U.S. stock market is set for a big move as it lumbers through the traditionally dull “dog days of summer” and traders assess the post Brexit rally world.  The big question is whether a continuation of the current rally can last as the poor earnings season continues and the… Read More

Shares of Personal Finance Growth Portfolio holding Gilead Sciences (GILD) dropped nearly 9% in early trading on Tuesday after the company released its third quarter earnings report that fell short of last year’s results. Quarterly revenue of $7.8 billion this year was less than last year’s sales of $8.2 billion,… Read More

Unilever just bought the privately held (and unprofitable) Dollar Shave Club for a cool billion dollars. Not a huge transaction for Unilever, but another seismic shift for retailing—and a shift that spells opportunity for those who can decipher these tremors.Dollar Shave Club (as explained in its quirky ads) ships razor… Read More

It takes old technology to power the new Read More