In today’s stock market, the best stories win. Nowhere is that more evident than in Tesla shares. The bull thesis for Tesla is mostly predicated on a simple story: Elon Musk’s cozy relationship with President Trump will be very good for Tesla. Investors are buying that story big time. Elon Musk reportedly spent $277 million to support President Trump and other Republican candidates in November. Since Election Day, Tesla’s stock has soared 72%, adding a staggering $570 billion to its market capitalization. In a Bloomberg story about Musk’s Trump trade, Esha Dey writes: “What happened to trigger the turnaround? Nothing…

The other day, we broke down how return of capital (ROC) can be both good and bad for investors in 8%+ yielding closed-end funds (CEFs). But in the case of high-quality CEFs, ROC is, contrary to what most people think, a good thing. Today we’re going to look at some real-world examples to explain how, in fact, return of capital can make up a large share of a fund’s returns. To do so, we’re going to go into five Nuveen funds, the Nuveen S&P 500 Buy-Write Income Fund (BXMX), Nuveen Dow 30 Dynamic Overwrite Fund (DIAX), Nuveen S&P 500 Dynamic…

The exchange traded fund that reflects the price movements of a host of retail stocks hit a new high in November but failed to make it quite that high in December. Certain individual retail equities, on the other hand, found a way to keep going and then established the higher highs. No one disputes the value of diversity when it comes to buying stocks but the investor who can discern which might be better than others could come out ahead. With that in mind, here is the retail ETF chart — and the charts of four individual names that have…

History suggests there never was a realistic chance Volkswagen’s radical restructuring plan would succeed in watering down its counter-productive, politicized corporate structure, although signs of a huge existential crisis on the horizon may still bring about that change. Volkswagen wanted to close three German factories to address efficiency shortfalls as Europe’s biggest automaker faced weaker markets at home and in China, floundering electric vehicle sales and lagging profitability at its own VW brand. After negotiations ending just before the holiday break union leaders declared the talks a “Christmas miracle” because there will be no immediate factory closures, layoffs or wage…

As the 2025 New Year’s excitement ends, look for the U.S. stock market to falter. It is carrying a lopsided enthusiasm from 2024, so 2025 could be a period of adjustment. There are eight issues that have begun to undermine the stock market’s shaky support: First, the stock market rise has outstripped company earnings and other fundamentals (see graph at end of article) Second, the bond market is staging a capital market break from the Federal Reserve’s questionable attempt to cut all interest rates again Third, inflation’s flame is not extinguished, so watch for the seasonal first quarter relaunch of…

Although the major indexes have held up well late in the year, it’s possible to identify weak spots in the mix. The five stocks mentioned below (with price charts) have all recently shown weakness by dropping to below former price support levels — those spots where buyers had previously overcome sellers. 5 Stocks With Drops Below Former Price Support Resmed (NYSE: RMD) The stock chart seems to have developed a head-and-shoulders pattern, said by some analysts to signal lower prices. This seems to have developed as the price in December dropped to below the early October and mid-November lows, designated…

The Swiss luxury watch market is ending 2024 in a stark contrast. While the secondary market has weakened, the auction scene for high-value, unique, provenance-rich watches has experienced a resurgence. As the speculative frenzy of the pandemic fades, prices for many contemporary models have taken a sharp dive. In this shifting landscape, collectors are refocusing their attention on the timeless appeal of rare and historically significant watches. The market isn’t just surviving—it’s evolving. Secondary Market Correction Prices in the secondary market extended their decline throughout 2024. Iconic models such as the Rolex Daytona and Patek Philippe Nautilus have seen price…

Gold’s unrivaled history, dating back to ancient empires, has proven it to be an asset that can thrive during both stability and crisis. While this alone should be convincing enough to own it in one’s portfolio, adding Harry Markowitz’s Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT) [1] into the equation, makes gold as a strategic asset undeniable. The precious metal offers more than just a hedge against uncertainty; it provides diversification rooted in its unique relationship with equities and bonds. By exploring gold’s storied past, its fit within MPT, and its performance under market stress, we uncover how we believe gold can make…

Social media has turned looking good into a social movement, with LVMH’s Sephora brand leading the pack. Teens and young adults have been self-absorbed with appearance since at least the Boomer generation began coming of age in the rock-and-roll ’50s. Today, propelled by the explosion of user-generated “influencer” content on social media sites, it’s Gen Z, along with Millennials, driving global growth in the beauty and personal care business. The worldwide market in 2023 was estimated at about $550 billion, with North American sales representing about 25%. Through 2030, forecasts call for compound annual growth of up to 7.7%—not bad…

The thing most people love about closed-end funds (CEFs) is, well, pretty straightforward: the dividends! With these income plays kicking out average yields of 8.7%, they really can go a long way to helping us secure a safe retirement. Beyond that, though, there are many other reasons why CEFs should be in your portfolio. Access to a collection of high-quality assets, for example, since CEFs are well-regulated and hold a wide range of assets, including stocks, bonds and real estate investment trusts (REITs). Still, with yields that high, it’s fair to wonder if CEFs’ payouts might not be sustainable over…