International Investing- Pros and Cons

With today's wars, ethnic strife and oil prices, you might think global investing would be mostly rough sailing these days. Not so, according to global-investment managers who can point to plenty of opportunities for solid growth in overseas markets: Part of the trick is to keep your eye on corporate performance -- and not let the noise of external factors drown out what's good there. (more…)

The Risks of Investing

All types of investments have risks, whether you're investing in stock funds, bond funds, or even money market funds. Stock funds * Market risk: One of the most significant risks you face is the volatility of the market. Stock prices overall can decline—sometimes dramatically—over short or even long periods. You can reduce market risk by holding stock investments for a long time—at least ten years. * Investment style risk: Returns from the types of stocks a fund invests in—such as growt...

Why Costs Matter When Investing

Whatever your long-term financial goals and tolerance for risk, it's important to achieve the best returns possible from your investments. Many people are unaware of how much impact expenses can have on the growth of their long-term assets. That's why you should pay careful attention to all the fees charged by the company you entrust with your savings and investments. (more…)

I Bond Rates

The big news as of late is the new I bond rates. With the current fixed rate of 1.2%, I bonds bought between now and the end of the October will pay 4.8% for the first 6 months, and then 6.92%(!) for the next 6 months. The question, then, for those of you considering buying I bonds, is whether to buy before the end of October or before the end of November. (more…)