SKARBECK: Betting against Indiana would be losing strategy
I wholeheartedly agree with the theme advocated last week by fellow IBJ columnist Mickey Kim that, throughout our country’s history, a bet against America has been a bad bet.
Investing Column
Articles
KIM: More wisdom from Buffett: Don’t bet against America
Buffett believes in America and puts his money where his mouth is.
SKARBECK: Long-term investors look beyond Fed news
The cognoscenti who dissect every word in Federal Open Market Committee statements predicted “patient” would be dropped from the March 18 “Fedspeak” press release. They were correct—and Voila!, the Dow Jones tacked on 300 points.
KIM: How the ‘Oracle of Omaha’ built Berkshire Hathaway
To understand the evolution of Buffett’s investment process, it’s important to know his history with Berkshire.
SKARBECK: 15 years later, what we can learn from tech bubble
Many stock investors would like to forget the early 2000s and the vast sums of money lost. Yet valuable lessons can be learned from studying this textbook case of market irrationality.
KIM: ‘Mini-tenders’ not part of investor Happy Meal
Mini-tenders are often used to catch small investors off guard and take advantage of their lack of knowledge.
SKARBECK: Beware of the strategists who see more gains ahead
The strength of the U.S. stock market has almost every “strategist” predicting that stocks will continue their upward trajectory this year.
KIM: What investors can learn from last Super Bowl play
Outcome is the result, but doesn’t tell you anything about how that result was achieved. Outcome is about the “right now.
SKARBECK: Rising ranks of ‘unicorns’ suggests bubble forming
While unicorns bestow wealth to a group of newly rich entrepreneurs, they might not be particularly profitable for investors.
KIM: Overly narcissistic CEOs are toxic to companies
Narcissism can be a precursor to selfish and/or unethical CEO behavior, which can also cause your investment to perish.
SKARBECK: How Switzerland bank wreaked currency havoc
Financial markets were rocked on Jan. 15 when the Swiss National Bank surprised the world by removing its three-year cap on the Swiss franc/euro exchange rate.
KIM: Enjoy our low oil prices; here’s why they tumbled
At a basic, Economics 101 level, an imbalance has developed between supply and demand.
SKARBECK: Who could have predicted last year’s mighty market?
It is doubtful that any analyst predicted the interest rate on the 10-year Treasury bond would fall dramatically from 3.03 percent to 2.17 percent.
KIM: Resolve to get comfortable with uncertainty in 2015
if you can get comfortable with uncertainty; adopt a long-term perspective; and follow a disciplined, patient and unemotional investment approach, you’ll be miles ahead of most investors.
SKARBECK: Market’s run stirs up index-investing debate
The ongoing debate between “active” portfolio management and “passive” management is again a hot topic as 2014 comes to a close.
KIM: Internet sensation enables investments in classrooms
DonorsChoose enables public schoolteachers to post classroom project requests and donors to pick the projects they want to support.
SKARBECK: Main Street is finally enjoying fruits of recovery
While recent years have been a boon to upper-income groups, evidenced by sales of luxury goods and rising stock prices, the economy now seems poised to provide a boost to the broader population.
Kim: Let state help shoulder the high cost of college
This holiday season, skip buying the got-to-have whatever and consider establishing or making a gift to a young person’s 529 plan account. Not only is it a gift that will last a lifetime, but if you’re an Indiana resident, the state will pick up 20 percent of the cost.
Skarbeck: Stock market investors fare well in the long run
Steadfast investors are seeing new highs as the market indexes are now some 20 percent above the high reached in 2007 before the credit crisis.
Kim: Distributions can sting mutual fund investors
U.S. mutual funds are required to “distribute” realized capital gains and income to shareholders at least annually, making this a tricky time of year for investors to buy shares in taxable accounts.