As European policymakers meander toward a resolution to the Continent’s sovereign debt crisis, some investors might be tempted to invest in the region’s battered markets via ETFs. But investors should continue to avoid broad European ETFs in favor of country- and sector-specific ETFs. Read More

Money market funds may soon offer slightly greater yields thanks to the US Federal Reserve's "Operation Twist." But their yields will still pale in comparison to the ones offered by this ultra short-term bond ETF. Read More

Emerging economies will drive energy demand for the foreseeable future. As such, the world will continue to depend on coal as an abundant source of cheap energy. Read More

Most state and local governments are emerging from the downturn with their finances intact. Such stability has emboldened investors to assume greater risk in the municipal bond market. Read More

For the final issue of Louis Rukeyser’s Mutual Funds, we review our method for selecting the right mutual fund. Read More

Japan is generally derided as an economic mess, but investment opportunities abound in the nation’s export sector. Indeed, Asia’s emerging middle class is creating new markets, which makes Japanese firms less dependent upon their nation’s domestic economy. Read More

With the announcement that the Fed is engineering a “twist” in rates, income investing has become even more challenging. Read More

Generations of investors have traditionally followed an allocation strategy which called for holding 60 percent of assets in stocks and 40 percent in bonds. But recent experience has shown that such a strategy doesn’t always preserve capital; during the global financial crisis nearly every traditional asset class fell in tandem. But there are a number of alternative asset classes that can cushion investors’ portfolios against downside risk by maintaining their value when the markets fall. We recently spoke with Steve Hammers, portfolio manager of Encompass EMP Alternative Strategies Fund (CAIAX, 888-944-4367), to learn how multi-asset alternative funds can help investors hedge against market downturns. Read More