Markets

April 11, 2016 Canadian One Comment

Canadian dollar jumps, stock markets surge

Canadian dollar jumps, stock markets surge TORONTO – The Canadian dollar was flirting with 77 cents US this morning after getting a big bump from a strong employment report. The loonie had been below 76.50 cents US just before the March jobs figures were released at 8:30 a.m. and soared just … Continue reading at […]

April 9, 2016 Canadian No Comments

Job gains and higher oil prices boost Canadian dollar, stock markets

Job gains and higher oil prices boost Canadian dollar, stock markets The dollar rose above 77 cents U.S., up more than 1 cent on Friday, as Statistics Canada reported 40,600 jobs were created last month. The job numbers showed the largest one-month increase in employment in six months. As the price of crude oil strengthened […]

March 30, 2016 ETF No Comments

Three Tips for Investing in Emerging Markets

Three Tips for Investing in Emerging Markets Based on my decades of experience as both an advisor and an investor, I’ve compiled three quick tips to help you make sense of this … Alternatively, you can diversify through an exchange-traded fund (ETF) and leave the work to proven, active fund … Continue reading at wallstreetdaily.com […]

March 8, 2016 Headlines No Comments

Markets eye $50 a barrel oil but rebalancing may not be over, IHS says

Markets eye a barrel oil but rebalancing may not be over, IHS says Predictions of an oil rally to $ 50 a barrel has markets excited, but IHS’s top oil analyst cautions that the commodity hasn’t done rebalancing yet. Oil prices jumped on Monday, with global benchmark Brent crude breaking above the vital $ 40-a-barrel […]

February 29, 2016 Dividends No Comments

Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company: Solid Dividend, Strong Emerging Markets Exposure Make This One A Buy

Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company: Solid Dividend, Strong Emerging Markets Exposure Make This One A Buy Recently announced confirmation of dividend payout. A play on the strong economy of the Philippines and on emerging markets. A sound way to invest in a blue chip representative of the Philippines economy as a whole. PLDT is set […]

February 9, 2016 News No Comments

Europe seen lower as global markets sag

Europe seen lower as global markets sag European equities are expected to open lower on Tuesday, continuing a global sell-off on concerns over economic growth. European markets tumbled at Monday’s close to finish sharply lower, as heavy losses in several sectors, a continued decline in commodity … Continue reading at cnbc.com Midroog Ltd. Raised The […]

February 6, 2016 Headlines No Comments

Workers’ wages up, but slower job growth worries financial markets

Workers’ wages up, but slower job growth worries financial markets The inside track on Washington politics. Be the first to know about new stories from PowerPost. Sign up to follow, and we’ll e-mail you free updates as they’re published. You’ll receive free e-mail news updates each time a new story is published. Continue reading at […]

January 24, 2016 Mutual Funds No Comments

Some funds offer to tame market’s chaos, but at a price

Some funds offer to tame market’s chaos, but at a price But be careful, the funds carry their own risks. These mutual funds and exchange-traded funds own stocks that could charitably be described as boring. Think utilities, telecoms and other companies whose profits — and thus stock prices — don’t … Continue reading at thetimes-tribune.com […]

"The housing bubble will burst rather than gradually deflate, following the rapid and violent pattern of decline of nearly every financial bubble throughout history," Lubaszka says. "Higher interest rates negatively impact not only the health of the housing market but other economic segments as well. The stock market takes a hit because higher rates make it more costly for companies to pay for debt. Higher rates hurt corporate profit margins and reduce stock value, bad news given the deep debt situation so many companies are in today."

According to Lubaszka, the U.S. dollar has lost more than 80% of its original value since the early 70's when we went to a floating currency, a situation not helped very much by the debut of the Euro in the late 1990s. Unlike American dollars, a portion of the Euro is gold-backed, a stability feature that has helped it outperform the dollar over the long haul. It is for this reason that many foreign investors have been taking money out of U.S. dollars and putting it into gold and oil instead, one explanation for why the price of both has continued to rise in recent months.

Immediate annuities can be fixed or variable. While a fixed immediate annuity payment depends on the amount you contributed, your age, as well as the interest rate at the time or purchase; a variable immediate annuity depends on the type of investment purchased.