Posts by Christian Hill
Time to (Re)Build Your Portfolio
The last 10 months in the market have been terrible. The Dow is down more than 30 percent, the S&P is down around 35 percent. One day we may look back on this year as the single greatest financial crisis ever, depending on how the next few months unfold.
Read MoreHomebuilders Make a Nice Contrarian Play
The housing market is mired in a slump that shows no signs of letting up. Home values continue their slide. Foreclosures are at a record-setting pace. So why am I bullish on homebuilders?
Read MoreDon’t Let the Future of Solar Pass You By
Sustainable energy and “going green” have been and continue to be popular topics of discussion. The markets took note, and stock prices of many companies in this industry ballooned over the past 12 months. The air slowly leaked out of that balloon, though, and prices fell back to earth.
Read MoreCashing Out a 401(k) Might Not Help As Much As You Think
With the downturn in the economy and rising costs, many Americans are feeling the pinch in their pocketbooks. As a way of getting extra money to pay bills, some are thinking about pulling their money out of their 401(k)s. While this may help short-term, there are serious drawbacks you need to consider. • First and…
Read MoreThe Price Could Be Right to Buy Into This Travel Site
Priceline built its business on the premise that people want to pay a lower price for travel services than what is advertised. The company started by targeting air travelers with good deals on flights. It has since expanded to include hotels, rental cars, and vacation packages.
Read MoreA Phone Call That You Need to Make
The average American has at least one credit card and carries a balance of more than $1,700. Faced with mounting minimum payments on their cards and shrinking monthly budgets, what is a consumer to do? Answer: Call your credit card company and negotiate a lower interest rate.
Read MoreMutual Funds Don’t Necessarily Mean Low Risk
Mutual funds traditionally get high marks for being a “low-risk” investment. But if you think about them that way, you could be putting your money at risk…
Read MoreA World-Famous “Hero” for Your Portfolio
Video games were once the domain of children and “computer geeks.” But the industry has undergone a major transformation in the last 10 years and is now an integral part of the entertainment genre. Some video game players actually earn well over six figures by competing in tournaments.
Read MoreMy Case for the Automakers
“You make money when you buy, not when you sell.” So says the old adage. It’s especially important to keep this in mind in today’s market. Buying opportunities abound, and now is the time to take advantage of that and make your money.
Read MoreKnow When to Say When
We have all been there…
Sitting at a bar, head in your hands, you’re wondering how it happened. How could your favorite stock have fallen so far, so fast? It looked so promising months ago. But here you are, sick to your stomach over it.
Read MoreDon’t Act Too Quickly or You Could Get Burned
Back in April, my colleague Rick Pendergraft wrote about the troubles he saw facing Starbucks (SBUX). A few days later, the company’s stock fell almost 11 percent on reports that it would likely miss its second-quarter earnings numbers. Starbucks investors who followed Rick’s recommendation to get out could have made a nice little profit. Those…
Read MoreAn ETF With a Bright Future
The world of exchange traded funds (ETFs) is ever-evolving. Nowadays, you can invest in a fund that covers just about any niche market. One that has caught my interest lately is the Claymore/MAC Global Solar Energy Index ETF, with the ticker symbol TAN. (Apparently, even Wall Street has a bit of a sense of humor.)
Read More