Stocks

Gold prices are inversely correlated with the USD. When investors lose confidence in the currency, gold prices go up and vice versa. This is exactly the reason why gold remains an important investment commodity. When the stock market goes sour, people can always liquidate physical gold to cover their assets. The world has long left the gold standard but there are plenty of reasons why people should still invest in the precious yellow metal. Here are some reasons to consider gold as part of your investment portfolio.

A commodity that holds its value. Unlike fiat money, gold has maintained some form...

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There are several potentially major changes to how much tax you will have to pay on stock dividends. Here is some advice that you need to consider about your investment portfolio. Under current U.S. tax law, dividends paid to holders of U.S. corporate or publicly-traded stock are currently taxed at the same rate as long-term capital gains. This rate is generally much lower than the rate that a taxpayer will pay on his or her ordinary income. Taxpayers in the highest tax bracket, for example, are subject to the highest ordinary income tax rate of 35%, but income from “qualified...

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The Internet has made a lot of things much easier than they once were. Instead of loading up and going to the mall, we can shop online. Telecommuting, which was once virtually unheard of, is now pretty common. And while investing in stocks once required a trip to a brokerage, or at least a phone call, it's now possible to do it from the comfort of your own home. Here is some advice on the pros and cons of online investing. The ability to trade online has attracted many investors who otherwise might not have gotten started. But there is...

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With so many investors questioning traditional market thinking about index-based investing, exchange traded funds (ETFs) are starting to move beyond their traditional passive, index territory into more active management. To some, it’s a fad. To others, it’s a serious threat to the territory traditionally held by mutual funds. Yet one thing so far is clear. Many of the biggest names in the mutual fund world are now seeking permission from the Securities and Exchange Commission to offer actively managed ETFs. ETFs are baskets of securities that trade like stocks and until recently have almost always tracked market indexes like...

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