We know the dismal foreclosure picture: empty houses, bank losses, and displaced households, struggling to make ends meet. But, wait. Back up to those bank losses. They are the result of mortgage balances not being fully paid by the foreclosed house sales. But that only looks at the bank’s balance sheet. What about the... »
The official announcement of Berkshire Hathaway’s takeover of Burlington Northern included this Warren Buffett quote: It’s an all-in wager on the economic future of the United States. I love these bets. His comments are in the tradition of J.P. Morgan and James J. Hill, who created Northern Securities, the first version of Burlington Northern... »
Investors have been scrambling to increase their yields, even going so far as to take on junk bond and emerging market debt risks. It’s time to revisit the strategy of collecting dividends. High quality common stocks are offering attractive yields, plus there is the potential for real growth. Here’s how to look at the... »
Politicians and the media can be forgiven for focusing on high unemployment, with forecasts of higher levels. Their fear is that Main Street will not share Wall Street’s gains. But a group that should know better, investment professionals and economists, have some members saying times have changed and unemployment should be viewed as a... »
Just when we think the week has established a trend, Friday comes along. With mediocre performance, or a complete reversal, the week’s last day can confuse and plants seeds of doubt. What’s going on? There is actually a good reason for Friday’s independence. And there is an important lesson for us. »
