Posts belonging to Category Smart Investing Tools



Investors in Wells Timberland REIT Get Hammered

 

Wells Timberland REIT recently revised the estimated value of its shares down to $6.56 per share, 34.4% below its 2006 initial public offering price of $10 per share. The new estimate is reportedly based on appraisal information from a forest consulting firm and a certified public accounting firm; however, the REIT’s board made the new […]

Are Municipal Bonds Headed for a ‘Train Wreck?’

 

CNNMoney’s well-respected senior editor-at-large, Allan Sloan, has a warning for municipal bond investors ? look out below, because even investment grade municipal bonds are mega-inflated by lighter-than-air interest rates and are sure to pop when interest rates (and tax rates) rise. Repeat: high grade munis, he says, are at risk (“Municipal bonds: A train wreck […]

Massachusetts’ Action Reveals the Dangers of Crowdfunding Investments

 

Massachusetts has filed fraud charges against two out-of-state companies, Prodigy Oil and Gas LLC and Synergy Oil LLC, in connection with their sale of unregistered securities to Massachusetts investors. Prodigy raised at least $464,000 from one Massachusetts investor and Synergy raised $35,000 from two investors, according to Commonwealth Secretary William Gavin’s complaint.

Investors’ Appetite for Risk is on the Decline

 

American investors’ confidence and risk tolerance remain low despite the stock market rebound. The 2008 global financial crisis, the dot com bubble burst before that, and a volatile stock market dominated by hedge funds and computerized trading appears to have permanently reset the risk parameters of most older investors. According to a recent study (the […]

Carefully Choose the Type of Financial Adviser You Need

 

Choosing a financial adviser is a critical decision that should be approached with thought and care. Before choosing one, it is important to understand the different types of advisers and know which type you are seeking. A recent Wall Street Journal article offered some good tips.

Some Warning Signs of Elder Financial Abuse

 

Financial exploitation of the elderly is a serious and growing problem that has affected, and sometimes devastated, many lives. We hear most often about exploitation by scam artists who are, at least initially, strangers to the victim. What may come as a shock is the fact that exploitation by trusted family members and others close […]

It is Important for Investors to Know about their Broker’s Recruitment Compensation Package

 

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority is considering a rule change that would require firms to disclose brokers’ recruitment compensation packages to transferring customers. Brokers who are recruited to change firms often receive financial incentives that may subtly encorage them to engage in unlawful sales practices, such as churning and unsuitable sales, in order to generate […]

Brokers Unload More Structure Notes on Investors

 

Investors are urged to be cautious about purchasing structured notes. Brokers are on track to sell more than $10 billion of structured notes linked to the S&P 500 stock index this year. In fact, sales will reach the highest levels in at least three years, according to Bloomberg (“Structured Notes Tied to S&P 500 Set […]

SEC Reports an Increase in Enforcement Actions

 

The Securities and Exchange Commission has ramped up enforcement actions against investment advisors, broker-dealers and senior executives over the past two years, the agency said in a statement. SEC Chairman Mary Shapiro attributed the increased activity in part to a reorganization that includes special units staffed by experts in the complex financial products and transactions […]

Should Investors Use a Stockbroker as their Portfolio Manager?

 

The stockbroker to portfolio manager trend has been going on for several years and can carry significant risks for investors. (See InvestmentNews, “I’m a rep, I’m a PM, too”). In most broker-as-portfolio-manager programs, the broker has complete discretion to purchase and sell securities (i.e., manage the account) like an investment advisory representative, restricted only by […]