Inflation is when prices on normal goods and services moves higher over time. A common tool used to track inflation is the CPI or Consumer Price Index.

Risk Management for All Markets

From: VanEck

• An introduction to the importance of market breadth measurements
• The construction behind the Ned Davis Research CMG US Large Cap Long/Flat Index (NDRCMGLF)
• Risk management during bull and bear markets and navigating secular trends – only 54% of time spent in bull markets historically
• The merciless mathematics of loss; negative performance requires a larger percentage of returns than what was lost to…

What is a Dividend? Stock Dividends Explained

From: Investing Made Simple

Dividends are one of the most powerful investing tools and should be completely understood by investors. Dividends are when a company distributes a portion of its cash (or additional shares) to its shareholders.

Promissory Notes: Promises, Problems

From: www.nasaa.org

Many investors seek out safe, fixed-rate investments, especially ones that can boost the interest they earn. You, too, may be looking for sound investments that pay better than average interest to generate income or meet the needs of your overall investing plan. But as you consider new investment products or services, always remember the correlation between risk and reward: every investment involves some degree of risk,…

What is socially responsible investing?

From: REAP, LLC. | Retirement & Estate Advisors & Professionals

The demand for socially responsible investing has grown 33 percent since 2014, signaling increasing investor interest in making a positive difference in the world. Is this a passing fad or an investment factor worth considering?

SRI and ESG
Sustainable, responsible and impact investing (SRI) focuses on environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) criteria in…

Lengthening the Investment Time Horizon

From: MFS White Paper

Summary

• Investors are increasingly short term in their orientation, even while demographic trends point to longer life expectancy and the need for larger pools of retirement funds.
• Various reasons have been posited for this short-term view; they include the role of incentives, media and financial reporting and numerous decision-making biases identified by behavioral researchers.
• An arbitrage opportunity exists for managers with a longer investment horizon: There are more…
  
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How to become financially independent in 5 years

From: money.cnn.com

Done with the job? Ready to do your own thing?

Those who are on track to be “financially independent and retiring early” — or “FIRE” — are.

You’d need to be fired up to sock away enough money to quit your job and retire in just five years. But it’s not impossible.

Some people, like Claudia and Garrett Pennington take extreme measures like…

Callan Periodic Table of Investment Returns

Annual Returns for Key Indices Ranked in Order of Performance (2007–2016)

3 Questions to Ask Before Investing in a Franchise

From: REAP, LLC. | Retirement & Estate Advisors & Professionals

As a consumer, you’ve probably visited a franchise at least once in the last month. But have you ever thought about owning one? If you’re the entrepreneurial type and looking for a career change or another income stream, it might be worth considering. This kind of business venture allows you to be your own…

Stop Fooling Yourself About 8% Easy Returns

From: www.bloomberg.com

There's an amazing amount of denial going on right now.

Investors are simply ignoring current market dynamics and are still expecting average annual returns of 8.6 percent, according to a Legg Mason Inc. survey of income investors released this week. Those who were employed expected more than 9 percent gains, with retirees expecting less. Actual returns have come…