As we have seen in past postings, both the S&P and the NASDAQ have been tracking the upward movement in their respective monthly cycles. The S&P target is in the 6200-6300 area. The NASDAQ Composite will likely rally to 20500. The below-surface correction in the market has been concentrated in the big-cap technology stocks. These equities have a strong effect on the indices and have pulled the market down in an erratic trading range since December. Actually, most stocks in the NASDAQ have been rising. More effort is required to find stocks to buy with the market near all-time highs.…

No two ways about it: This stock market is getting twitchy, and it’s (frankly beyond) time for all investors to take it seriously. Trade wars. The possibility of spiking inflation. The Fed’s “will they or won’t they” act around rate cuts. And then there’s the ongoing doubt about whether AI will deliver on its big profit promises. Our 3-Step Volatility Plan: Boost Income, Cut Taxes—and Go Beyond Stocks We’re all feeling it: The market heads higher, and every day it does, the voice in our head telling us that a fall is around the corner grows just a little bit…

President Trump has been talking about tariffs since 1989, when he advocated for a 15% to 20% tax on imports from Japan because of unfair trade practices. This is how he describes Canada, China, Mexico and Europe today. Trump has already imposed a 10% levy on Chinese imports. Meanwhile, Mexico and Canada have secured a 30-day reprieve from planned 25% tariffs, contingent upon their commitments to bolster border security and curb the flow of illicit drugs into the United States. More tariffs are coming. Trump says he is willing to take the short-term pain for potential benefits. We contrarians don’t…

The stock market’s behavior is the gauge by which we can measure Wall Street’s attitude and outlook. Clearly, today’s reading continues to be one of bullish optimism. However, there is a problem with following Wall Street’s current enthusiasm. The four bullish views cited as reasons to own stocks carry the risk of having reality chip away at the optimistic rationale. Today’s four bullish views First is artificial intelligence. Like the many unique developments throughout history, AI has created a widespread rush of action, ideas, strategies, forecasts and money – particularly equity financing so everybody can get rich. Importantly, the initial…

Week in Review Asian equities were mostly higher this week, led by Hong Kong, as the Hang Seng Index gained +7%, and Mainland China, while India and Indonesia underperformed. Alibaba announced the integration of DeepSeek’s AI models into its large language model (LLM) platform on Monday, the latest in a litany of platforms to decide to do so in China, right before the company was tapped by Apple to run the new AI tools to be featured in iPhones sold in China. China reported a healthy increase in consumer prices of +0.5%, the highest reading in five months, on strong…

With an ever-growing list of similar-sounding mutual funds to choose from, finding the best is an increasingly difficult task. How can investors change the game to shift the odds in their favor? Don’t Trust Sector Mutual Fund Labels There are at least 147 different Technology mutual funds and at least 588 mutual funds across eleven sectors. Do investors need 53+ choices on average per sector? How different can the mutual funds be? Those 147 Technology mutual funds are very different from each other. With anywhere from 26 to 317 holdings, many of these Technology mutual funds have drastically different portfolios…

Key News Asian equities were mixed but mostly lower overnight as Korea and Japan outperformed and Hong Kong and Mainland China underperformed. Hong Kong held up better than Mainland China as markets experienced another day of likely profit taking as up sectors from Wednesday’s session were mostly lower. Meanwhile, both markets experienced a rotation into value stocks and sectors. Hong Kong’s volumes, however, remained elevated as turnover increased +30% from yesterday and Mainland investors were net sellers via Southbound Stock Connect. The animated film “Ne Zha 2” broke record at the box office in China, leading its maker the A-share…

The DividendRank formula at Dividend Channel ranks a coverage universe of thousands of dividend stocks, according to a proprietary formula designed to identify those stocks that combine two important characteristics — strong fundamentals and a valuation that looks inexpensive. T. Rowe Price Group presently has a stellar rank, in the top 10% of the coverage universe, which suggests it is among the top most “interesting” ideas that merit further research by investors. 10 Oversold Dividend Stocks » But making T. Rowe Price Group Inc an even more interesting and timely stock to look at, is the fact that in trading…

Have you refinanced your house recently? Me neither. Somehow, for our house it’s already four years ago, though I can remember the transaction like it was yesterday. Full credit for the smart financial move to my wife, who asked about refi timing over (and over) and fortunately got it through my thick head before interest rates really started to rise. Federal Reserve Chair Jay Powell was running the printing presses like crazy and long rates (mortgage included) would eventually lift from basement levels. When refi activity slows, it is bullish for elite 8.5%-yielding Rithm Capital (RITM). RITM, our old Contrarian…

In an age where we are more connected than ever, many people struggle to find lasting love. I have friends who go on multiple dates per week with no luck. I also see those who enter early stages of dating and are shocked by the change in their spending patterns. This is the financial cost of the pursuit of love, and some ways to create connections without added financial strain. Cost Before Getting The Date According to the How Couples Meet and Stay Together project, the vast majority of United States heterosexual couples met online in recent years whereas in…