Exposure to variable-rate preferred stocks offers dividend income stream that moves with rates.
<i>Breakfast with Benjamin:</i> Sugar-coating data to downplay retirement-income challenges. Plus: Simplified Fed-speak, ETFs continue to threaten active management, leveraged-loan fund investors hit the bricks, and there are still undervalued stocks worth considering.
But there's plenty of resistance from plan sponsors
ETF assets have more than doubled every four years since 2000. Financial markets willing, global ETF assets could reach a best-case $3.1 trillion by yearend, up from 2013's $2.2 trillion. Those numbers have people like Deutsche Bank's Sebastian Mercado making interesting correlations.
'Plowhorse economy' ambled along despite some negative news; how much upside room is left?
Coffee is up 80% this year. Lean hogs are up 28%. Corn is up 13%. Gold is up 12%. Most of these same commodities were down last year, and any of them could fall at the drop of a hat. How can an investor take advantage of these markets...and sleep at night?
Expectations that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates leads to biggest selloff since '10
Regulator says a decision will come in November.
ETFs that lend portfolio securities can generate additional income, but disclosure on those activities isn't forthright
90% of the assets put in ETFs in quarter went to low-cost provider.
<i>Breakfast with Benjamin:</i> Fighting technology with technology. Plus: Know your ETF or don't invest, how not to advise clients, a pyramid to financial success, biotech on the rebound, and Russia addresses meat shortage with the Easter turkey
