In his regular “Sunday Money” interview on WBIR, Knoxville’s NBC affiliate station, Paul addressed the Federal Reserve’s decision to raise key interest rates. What does this mean for your money as we rapidly approach year-end? Here is a recap of the Q&A: WHAT DOES A FED RATE HIKE MEAN? The Federal Reserve voted unanimously…
Stay up to date on the financial market! In a recent Schwab Market Snapshot, Liz Ann Sonders, Schwab’s Chief Investment Strategist, talked about the amount of debt in the U.S. financial system.
Last Friday, the S&P 500 index fell 2.4%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 2.1%. This was the first 1% sell-off since June, and the press reports described it as a full-blown market panic. What’s going on? Efforts to trace the reason why quick-twitch traders scattered for the hills on Friday turned up two…
Why do we invest? Why do we rack our brains over where to invest or when to invest? For one thing, we are trying to build wealth and financial independence but we are also trying to protect our standard of living. What is a dollar worth? As we know, the cost of living is higher…
“The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men gang aft agley (oft go astray),” quoted from a Robert Burns poem, is often used to describe the futility of making detailed plans when our ability to execute said plans is uncertain. Market volatility can certainly trigger behavioral responses that are detrimental to our financial plans. Sometimes…
What is a “hedge fund?” Well, simply put, a hedge fund is an investment company that invests in alternative investments (debt, derivatives, options, commodities, etc.) to either beat the market or provide a hedge against unforeseen market changes. Generally, hedge funds are considered to be opportunities for the “smart money” and to sophisticated investors, such…
After the worst yearly start for stocks in history, many investors are feeling some concern. That old myth resurfaces, “Investing in stocks is just like gambling.” Investing in stock is a lot like buying a lottery ticket. Gambling addicts would probably agree. In the 1990s, scads of obsessive day-traders seemed to gamble themselves into personal…
When I meet with a client to discuss their financial plan – whether we’re developing a “new” plan or having an annual review – an important part of the conversation centers around the investment plan and risk tolerance. How are their financial resources going to be invested to meet their wants, needs, and wishes for…
At today’s meeting of The Federal Reserve Board, a decision was made to not increase key interest rates in the U.S. economy. A rate increase is still expected sooner than later, and it will be the first rate hike since 2006. Analysts generally agree that the pace of future rate hikes will be more critical…
While recently participating in a professional education conference, I attended a session on the subject of women and investing. Going into it, I expected a discussion around communication styles or financial planning needs that might be unique concerning female clients. However, I quickly realized that the speaker’s topic was actually around the research showing that…