New love for mortgage REITs

2014 could be a good year for mortgage REITs and here's why. Plus: Which housing markets are vulnerable to rising rates, gold-mining stocks for the truest gold bugs, an ETF end zone dance, social media apps took over in 2013, and more proof of Obamacare bumbling.

A closer look at how mortgage REITs could prosper this year shows that interest rates might not be a big factor. Of course, you have to know why you’re investing in something that invests in mortgage bonds but trades like a stock. What’s not to like about a double-digit dividend yield?
As interest rates slowly creep higher, the housing market already is looking fragile. Zillow identifies 10 places where a 5% mortgage rate could potentially crush the housing market. A reality of rising rates
If you can look past a consensus forecast calling for gold to drop another 14.5% this year and continue to hold out hope in the heavy metal, there are some gold-mining stocks worth watching. With gold now hovering around $1,200 an ounce, any price increases will directly benefit gold miners. Don’t count on rising gold prices alone to justify the position
In yet another jab at relative performance, the ETF space is highlighting that fact that hedge funds saw outflows last year while index-based investing gained ground. No mention of the fact that ETFs probably are the least expensive product on the market, while hedge funds have to be the most expensive. Investors vote with their feet
2013 was a record year for mobile apps and social media. Messaging and social app usage triples
In the latest embarrassing display of your government at work, an HHS cybersecurity chief admits to raising concerns over the Obamacare website. He said the questions he raised leading up to the botched launch went unanswered or were ignored. The site didn’t follow basic best practices