The bull market appears to still be alive and well for equities, but the risk of rising interest rates is plaguing bonds and investments tied to big dividends. What equity investors also…
ThinkstockUtility investors have been able to enjoy a true safe haven when it comes to collecting high-yield dividends and above-market dividend yields for years now. That may be coming to an end.…
thinkstockThe utility sector has suffered the wrath of selling. As these are all high-dividend stocks and as many long-term investors had substantial capital gains, the investment community has been selling these handily…
ThinkstockElection Day has come and gone. President Obama won a second term. The current electoral vote was by a margin of about 3 to 2 (unofficial), but the percentage last seen was…
thinkstockOn the day that the Presidential election is happening, investors are throwing money into the inflation winners. The problem is that maybe this is not an inflation trade. Maybe it is a…
Most investors have discovered that earning less than 1% per year in short-term Treasuries or even less than 2% out in the 10-year Treasury is no fun. Longer-dated Treasury bonds also are proving…
By now you know that we have started to become cautious on some of the top dividend stocks. It is not that we think anything is wrong at the companies, and it…
Investors cannot make any money in the bond market right now merely by buying and holding Treasury bonds forever. The problem is that Treasury yields are at record lows. In some parts…
We are mostly in a world where many investors are now just willing to settle for a “return of capital” rather than a “return on capital.” Still, retirees and investors who rely…
By now the markets figured out that all of this week’s preliminary jobs numbers did in fact call it right that the unemployment and jobs report was right. So investors are scrambling…
The 10-year Treasury hit yet another record low under 1.6% today and stocks are in the tank again due to poor economic data. Europe continues to face a meltdown and the hope…
The utility sector has been a rather poor performer so far in 2012, as investors have sought growth and less dependence on high payouts, and higher dividend taxes could be a possibility…
2011 was the year of the utility stocks offering investors high dividend yields of well over 4.0%. 2012 has not gone so well for the sector, with 25 of the 34 S&P 500…
American Electric Power Company (NYSE: AEP) saw a great 2011 and its earnings should hold up incredibly well if Ben Bernanke and friends at the Federal Open Market Committee live up to…
So far we are seeing a continued rotation. What worked great in 2011 is being sold and the worst performing groups are being bought. No sector with as many names in it…
