We all know the expression that a fool and his money are soon parted. But as we observe the irrational actions of energy traders lately, it begs the question: How did these fools and their money get together in the first place?Case in point: The irrational exuberance now bidding up the… Read More

As the steward of the Personal Finance Income portfolio, I’ve been reconsidering what financial companies and banks deserve to be called income investments, especially given the revelations of fraud and scandal at Wells Fargo and Deutsche Bank.And the more I look, the more I like firms that have been pursuing… Read More

More U.S. utilities are falling into the hands of their northern neighbors. Here’s what’s fueling the trend—and why it’s not going away. Read More

Tonight’s the final presidential debate.Oh. Boy. Like most Americans, I just want this campaign to end. Can we just fast-forward to Election Day and move on?In fact, the more relevant debate for investors is: what to buy now?U.S. stocks, foreign stocks, bonds? Or maybe increase cash, like the pros are doing?In… Read More

Short interest in Twitter (betting that the stock would fall) fell precipitously just before its recent decline. Twitter, the social media/messaging app known by its bluebird silhouette, raced up almost 40% to $25 earlier this month on takeover rumors. When the buyers failed to appear, its wings were clipped and… Read More

Coal miners and pipeline plays dominated the energy sector’s Q3 performance rankings. Read More

Professional investors have more of their portfolios in cash than at any time since 9/11.That’s remarkable—and a hopeful sign for the market in 2017.As we’ve said before, the U.S. stock market is vulnerable to a correction. Valuations are high, interest rates are likely to move higher, and there’s a not-insignificant… Read More

Economically, the energy sector has been in the doldrums for years now.But for investors, it’s been anything but boring.That’s because during the long cyclical downturn, energy prices have been fairly volatile. Check out this price graph for crude oil over the past 20 years.The collapses in 2008 and 2014 stand… Read More

Bankers have been in the hot seat thanks to a wave of scandals, ushering in the departure of Wells Fargo’s (NYSE: WFC) CEO and driving Deutsche Bank’s (NYSE: DB) share price below even financial crisis levels. On top of that, while revenue and earnings at most of the major banks… Read More

TransCanada just fired the first shot. Read More