Investing News

Monetary policy will be in the spotlight this week, with the Federal Reserve, the Bank of England (BoE), and the Bank of Japan (BoJ) all scheduled to hold policy meetings and decide on interest rates. Sweden’s central bank could be the first to act, with an interest rate decision to hike rates by 75 basis points (bps) expected tomorrow. The Fed is

Over the last few years, cryptocurrency has become an increasingly popular option for investing. The crypto market is known for its volatility but has captured the attention of a large number of investors looking for new ways to seek profit in their portfolios. But amid such a new and unregulated financial market, investors are left

Investors can trade futures to speculate or hedge on the price direction of a security, commodity, or financial instrument. To do this, traders purchase a futures contract, which is a legal agreement to buy or sell an asset at a predetermined price at a specified time in the future. Futures came about in the mid-19th century, allowing

Lucas Walton Builders Vision, the investing and philanthropy platform of billionaire Lukas Walton, has shifted its $1 billion endowment into what it calls “impact investments,” leading a broader shift in family offices to connect their investing and giving. Chicago-based Builders Vision will announce today that its Builders Initiative Foundation has moved 90% of its endowment

Unless you are independently wealthy, setting aside money today to see that you have enough for the years down the road by starting a retirement fund is not an option—it’s mandatory. Unfortunately, inertia can be a powerful force, and going from not saving to saving can be daunting to most people. So much investment and

Macaulay Duration vs. Modified Duration: An Overview The Macaulay duration and the modified duration are chiefly used to calculate the duration of bonds. The Macaulay duration calculates the weighted average time before a bondholder would receive the bond’s cash flows. Conversely, the modified duration measures the price sensitivity of a bond when there is a

Marriage vs. Common-Law Marriage: An Overview There are many things you and your partner have to think about when you’re making a life together from where you’re going to live, who will take charge of the cooking, and whether or not you’re going to have kids. But that’s not all. Couples also have to decide what

Quantitative analysts develop high-level trading and risk management strategies using complex algorithms and mathematical equations. This is a career for the top 1% in numerical proficiency. If you were always the math whiz in class, even at the post-graduate level, a lucrative career in quantitative analysis could be in your future. Most quantitative analysts have

A pyramid scheme is a fraudulent and unsustainable investment pitch that relies on promising unrealistic returns from imaginary investments. The early investors actually get paid those big returns, which leads them to recommend the scheme to others. Investors’ returns are paid out of the new money flowing in. Eventually, no new investors can be found

If you’ve ever watched the TV show Extreme Couponing or read about a customer who got $200 worth of groceries for next to nothing, you’ve probably wondered what’s in it for the manufacturers and stores who offer these coupons. Are they actually making money in the process, or are customers getting away with legalized robbery?

A gilt-edged bond is simply a high-grade type of debt. What blue-chip stocks are to ordinary equities, gilt-edged bonds are to regular bond issues. As with any bond, the federal or corporate issuer is borrowing money from investors at a set rate of interest for a specific period of time. Key Takeaways A bond is

What Is a Prepaid Card? A prepaid card is a type of debit card, similar to a reloadable gift card or stored-value card. You can load it with a cash balance and use it anywhere a particular card network—Mastercard, Visa, Discover, or American Express—is accepted. Here is why you might consider one. Key Takeaways Prepaid

Investors, the Federal Reserve, and businesses continuously monitor and worry about the level of inflation. Inflation—the rise in the price of goods and services—reduces the purchasing power of each unit of currency. Rising inflation can be harmful: input prices are higher, consumers may lose purchasing power unless their incomes rise, and monetary policy measures to contain

The price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) is one of the most widely used metrics for investors and analysts to determine stock valuation. In addition to showing whether a company’s stock price is overvalued or undervalued, the P/E can reveal how a stock’s valuation compares to its industry group or a benchmark like the S&P 500 index. The P/E ratio helps investors determine the market value

Don’t churn. Avoid unauthorized trading. Don’t forge documents. Don’t give false or misleading information. Preserve client confidentiality. Above all, don’t steal or “borrow” your clients’ money. These practices are all standard protocols for financial advisors. However, there are less obvious guidelines you need to adhere to so you can avoid getting sued as a financial advisor. In 2019, the

When you don’t have a big budget, marketing can be a challenge, but there’s plenty a small business owner can do to attract and maintain a customer base. The rise in digital marketing has made it easier for small business owners to find a way to create a presence and attract informed buyers. Before your

Bitcoin has not only been a trendsetter, ushering in a wave of cryptocurrencies built on a decentralized peer-to-peer network, but also has become the de facto standard for cryptocurrencies, inspiring an ever-growing legion of followers and spinoffs. Key Takeaways A cryptocurrency, broadly defined, is a form of digital tokens or “coins” that exist on a

In recent decades, consumers have become increasingly dependent on credit. When you use credit, you are borrowing money that you promise to pay back within a specified period. Having lenders extend you credit is a great privilege. If you have a good credit rating, enjoy it. Also, use credit responsibly. Credit is fragile—one slip-up can

Oil and gas operations are very capital-intensive, yet most oil and gas companies carry relatively small amounts of debt, at least as a percentage of total financing. This can be seen in debt-to-equity (D/E) ratios. Keep in mind that not all oil companies are involved in the same operations. A company’s position along the supply chain influences

The never-ending reports of breaches and hacks prove that your sensitive financial and personal data isn’t necessarily safe, particularly when it comes to credit cards. One of the largest data breaches involved Capital One. The credit card company reported that personal information of 106 million of its customers had been compromised in July 2019. Data