Moody’s enjoys a strong competitive positions and has solid near-term growth prospect By Blue Chip Portfolios Summary Moody’s shares have proved an excellent investment over the past decade The company enjoys strong competitive advantages due to limited competition The stock has been a longtime holding of Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway I view the stock as attractive at current levels Shares of Moody’s Corporation (MCO, Financial) have come under selling pressure lately amid concerns of a broader economic slowdown. The stock has been a long-time holding of Warren Buffett and has delivered excellent long-term results for shareholders. Over the past 10…

President Donald Trump surprised global markets with his much-anticipated announcement of sweeping import tariffs. While most investors expected the White House to implement reciprocal tariff rates, the final plan resembled a worst-case scenario. The tariffs were significantly higher than anticipated, leaving investors worried about the implications. The executive order outlined both a universal tariff of 10% and a country-by-country tariff with some exemptions. Rates will apply uniformly to all non-exempt products rather than varying by product and were based on perceived total trade barriers for each country. Total trade barriers include actual tariff rates plus non-tariff measures that can impact…

Inheriting significant wealth can feel both exhilarating and overwhelming, especially if it arrives unexpectedly or without preparation. We discuss with Liz Gillette, founder and senior advisor at Curio Wealth, based in Annapolis, Md., about how individuals can thoughtfully tackle this transition—balancing new possibilities with intentional planning and aligning their financial decisions with their core values. Larry Light: You’ve worked with individuals and families navigating inheritance, and you use the phrase: what do you do when “money is no object”? How does that take on new meaning when someone inherits significant wealth? Liz Gillette: That phrase is something we often toss…

Warren Buffett has made billions of dollars over the years by ensuring all sorts of perils. If the risk is priced correctly, insurance companies can earn attractive returns by taking in premiums today while assuming a small probability of a large payout down the road. Still, insurance companies are exposed to tail risk, which is the occasional outsized loss due to an extraordinary event that causes huge losses. That’s where catastrophe bonds, also known as insurance linked securities, come into play. These bonds allow insurance companies to offset some of the tail risk in their portfolios, providing them with regulatory…

Key News Asian equities had a quiet night on light volumes, as global investors sit on the sidelines in advance of Wednesday’s can’t-miss TV: tariff announcements. The Philippines managed a +1% gain, while Indonesia and Pakistan remain closed for Eid al-Fitr. Hong Kong and Mainland China bounced around the room, posting small gains on light volumes as Mainland China’s volume dipped below the RMB 1 trillion value traded level for the first time since January 13. Markets were quite resilient, in my opinion, though foreign ownership of the space remains low. Xiaomi fell -4.19% and was Hong Kong’s most heavily…

On 4/4/25, Bristol Myers Squibb, Two Harbors Investment , and American Express will all trade ex-dividend for their respective upcoming dividends. Bristol Myers Squibb will pay its quarterly dividend of $0.62 on 5/1/25, Two Harbors Investment will pay its quarterly dividend of $0.45 on 4/29/25, and American Express will pay its quarterly dividend of $0.82 on 5/9/25. 10 Stocks Where Yields Got More Juicy » As a percentage of BMY’s recent stock price of $59.55, this dividend works out to approximately 1.04%, so look for shares of Bristol Myers Squibb Co. to trade 1.04% lower — all else being equal…

Don’t buy into this trade panic—truth is, the market’s “tariff tantrum” is a goldmine for us contrarians. Today we’re going to mine it with two stocks whose dividends are skyrocketing—including one that’s pumped up its payout by 410% in the last decade alone. Worrying Times Are When Fortunes Are Made We contrarians know that times like these are when the mainstream crowd makes its biggest mistakes. And those blunders give us the chance to snag the strong, and growing, dividends they’ve tossed in a panic. Like the first of two stocks we’re going to talk about today. From a first-level…

For the first 70 days of the President Trump’s administration, sustainable investors have navigated legal and regulatory uncertainty in thematic areas from diversity to climate. Many institutional investors remain interested in systemic and systematic risks and their potentially destabilizing impacts on investment portfolios. At the same time, a number of these investors are reluctant to take a stand on issues that the Trump administration is rolling back. These investors may benefit from considering the wisdom of two late cultural icons: Bruce Lee and Whitney Houston. “Be Like Water, My Friend” Drawing from Taoism, Bruce Lee inspires millions toward a mindset…

Italian luxury sports car maker Ferrari’s U.S. sales and profits won’t be hurt very much by whatever new tariff regime President Donald Trump finally introduces, according to analysts. Britain’s financially troubled Aston Martin, which generates one-third of its sales in the U.S., looks a bit more vulnerable. The U.S. accounts for about 25% of Ferrari sales. The upcoming U.S. tariff regime changes, provisionally set at 25%, are being greeted often by commentators in Europe as Smoot-Hawley Act 2.1. This refers to tariffs introduced in 1930 which provoked a tit-for-tat global tariff war and stymied trade. This was said to have…

I believe the U.S. economy is at a precarious crossroads. Growth is slowing faster than expected, inflation remains stubbornly high, and fiscal imbalances are becoming harder to ignore. For investors, policymakers, and households alike, this moment demands sharp focus and decisive action. The risks of stagflation—a toxic combination of rising unemployment and persistent inflation—are no longer theoretical. They’re knocking at the door. Let’s break down the key challenges shaping this precarious moment and what they mean for the road ahead. Growth Is Losing Momentum – Fast The February Personal Consumption Expenditures report delivered a sobering reality check: U.S. economic growth…