World News Center
Sector Investing Isn't for Amateurs
December 4, 2008 NEW YORK -- Sector investing can look deceptively easy.
Superman Gets a 2nd-Quarter Bruising
December 4, 2008NEW YORK -- If Bill Miller were an athlete, he'd be an Olympian with a rock in his shoe. Miller manages Legg Mason Value Trust, the only mutual fund to outperform the Standard & Poor's 500-stock index for the past 15 calendar years. But Value Trust had, in his own words, "a dreadful second calendar quarter."
Get Smarter About Your Retirement
December 4, 2008NEW YORK -- The professionals who managed your pension fund used to ensure you'd be ready for retirement. That was their job. At many companies, pensions are no longer a promise, which means you might need to do the work of a professional retirement fund manager yourself.
As Strains Go Global, It's a Time to Pick and Choose Abroad
December 4, 2008NEW YORK -- Investing in overseas stocks has been like a whirlwind trip abroad for U.S. investors the past few years. Now the journey has ended, at least temporarily, with a lesson in market forces.
Proxy Ballots Feature Human Rights and Climate Change Issues
December 4, 2008NEW YORK -- Discussions of the bloodshed in Darfur and issues like climate change occur regularly in the world of politics, but lately these issues have wedged their way into often dry financial disclosures.
With Low Fees, ETFs Rival Mutual Funds
December 4, 2008NEW YORK -- While mutual funds are a staple of many 401(k) and other retirement plans, exchange-traded funds are likely to become serious competitors in the coming years.
End of Year Offers Time to Evaluate Goals
December 4, 2008 NEW YORK -- It's a time of year when we make promises of self-betterment that we have little intention of keeping. Sure, failing to drop those last few pounds or slog through a big read like "Ulysses" might be disappointing, but losing sight of investment goals can lead to longer-lasting troubles.
Time for a Portfolio Tuneup
December 4, 2008NEW YORK -- The final weeks of the year offer mutual fund investors an opportunity to make changes in their holdings. It's worth taking the time because a few deft moves now could make way for big gifts: smaller tax bills and more-rounded portfolios.
'Backtesting' May Not Predict Performance
December 4, 2008NEW YORK -- In investing, like sports, the numbers can be compelling but don't always tell the whole story.
With Some Advice, 401(k) Investors Get an Edge, Survey Finds
December 4, 2008NEW YORK -- Sales pitches bombard us every day with advice on what to eat, what to wear, and what to do with our money. While savvy consumers are quick to duck many of these distractions, investors looking for advice on how to save for retirement should think twice before tossing aside the colorful brochures of their 401(k) managers.
