Equity is a synonym for an investment in a company through the purchase of stock. Equity can be a complex idea, but it simply represents ownership. In investments, this usually … Read more →

On days when the markets fall by hundreds of points, it’s easy to forget those long streaks of positive weeks that pushed stocks to new records almost daily. It’s easy to … Read more →

Operating income is the income of a corporation minus operating costs, cost of labor and other basic business expenses. Companies are in the business of making a profit. They show … Read more →

Inevitably, as a long bull market for stocks grinds on, investors begin to wonder: How long will it last? A bull market is usually defined not by a specific time … Read more →

A zero sum game is a game or transaction where the gains of one side are mirrored exactly by the losses of the other side. Investors often hear the phrase … Read more →

In every business, it is said, there’s really only two markets, the high end and low end. Judging from the continuing price war in the indexing space, the low end … Read more →

An investment grade bond is a bond that meets or exceeds minimum investment risk levels established by a private risk-rating agency. One way to establish the risk of a bond … Read more →

Like most Americans, you’re likely hanging on every word from our nation’s capital. Every week, sometimes every day, there seems to be some kind of earthshaking announcement, some legislation ahead, … Read more →

The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a stock index that represents some the largest companies in the U.S. economy. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, often called the “Dow,” is an … Read more →

New data from Morningstar, the mutual fund research firm, recently noted that mutual funds have increased their holdings of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) dramatically. How dramatic? In 2006, just 595 funds … Read more →