Investment Commentary – 5/28/2015 Dow – 18,162.99 (5/27/15 close) S&P 500 – 2,123.48 (5/27/15 close) 10-year Treasury – 2.13% (5/27/15 close) As it becomes increasingly likely that the 2nd estimate of 1st Quarter 2015 GDP will be revised into negative territory this week, it is important to examine what may have been responsible for this [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: You may already be aware that many businesses offer discounts to senior citizens. These discounts are often well-known and advertised, so you can't really miss them. But you may not know about many of these hidden discounts at common places of business. They aren't advertised, and in many cases you have [...]
In his “Get a 2nd Opinion” interview, Mark Roberts spoke with Frankie Boyer of Biz Talk Radio. He explained our biggest fear in life is “you don’t know what you don’t know,” so it’s wise to always get a second opinion—including when it comes to finding a new financial advisor.
Investment Commentary – May 20, 2015 Dow – 18,285.40 (5/20/15 close) S&P 500 – 2,125.85 (5/20/15 close) 10-year Treasury – 2.25% (5/20/15 close) U.S. equities advanced last week, with the S&P 500 Index notching new record closes on Thursday and Friday. A pullback in bond yields, more mergers-and-acquisitions (M&A) activity and a wave of companies [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: Reverse mortgages are sometimes criticized as being a bad deal for seniors. But for some retirees, a reverse mortgage may be a good idea. The main thing to remember is that a reverse mortgage provide financial relief for some people, in the right situation. So what is a reverse mortgage, and how [...]
Investment Commentary – May 13, 2015 Dow – 18,060.49 (5/13/15 close) S&P 500 – 2,098.48 (5/13/15 close) 10-year Treasury – 2.28% (5/13/15 close) Last week demonstrated how equities and bonds have been mired in a meaningful rise in volatility, a shift partly driven by the recent tick higher in bond yields. The yield on the [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: In September 2014, Home Depot experienced a data breach involving 56 million payment cards. This security attack was larger and lasted longer than the December 2013 hacking of Target’s payment system, involving 40 million credit and debit cards. About one in three people who received data-breach notification letters in 2013 became [...]
Investment Commentary – May 6, 2015 Dow – 17,841.98 (5/6/15 close) (+0.11% YTD) S&P 500 – 2,080.15 (5/6/15 close) (+1.02% YTD) 10 year Treasury – 2.24% (5/6/15 close) (+3.23% YTD) A combination of higher interest rates and mixed company earnings kept U.S. stocks in general under pressure last week. The losses, however, were more severe [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: Did you know that until recently, you had to pay to see your credit score? Luckily, as of February, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau released a new initiative allowing more than 50 million Americans to access their credit scores for free. That access will soon expand to millions more Americans. The [...]
Investment Commentary – April 29th, 2015 Dow – 18,035.53 (4/29/15 close) (+1.20% YTD) S&P 500 – 2,106.85 (4/29/15 close) (+2.33% YTD) 10-year Treasury – 2.04% (4/29/15 close) (-5.99% YTD) The Federal Reserve lowered its economic outlook today after a harsh winter chilled the U.S. economy’s growth, reducing the odds for an initial interest rate hike [...]