When we least expect it
I may not have harped on the subject lately or you might have become a more recent reader of this column, but today—short and sweet—I am explaining why investors should be surprisingly hopeful and positive about the stock market in the next 12 -14 months. Long time readers can recite [...]
Fear can cause irrational behavior
A core belief I have when attempting to understand and explain human behavior is that we are all basically driven by the fear of not being enough, and the fear of not having enough. I’ve discussed many times how one’s fear of not being enough can often lead people [...]
Giving Thanks
Wow, what a year this has been! I traditionally fill this space at Thanksgiving time with the same sort of thoughts you will see today. I will not dwell on the fact that it seems the last celebration was about six months ago, but that is just my relative age [...]
Voters vote, and markets react
Were the mid-term election results good for the market? Warren Buffett once said, “if you mix politics and investing you’re making a big mistake.” But with last week’s midterm elections and the subsequent market reaction, I can’t help by comment a little. Anyone who knows me knows I am a [...]
Swarming Sharks
Recent volatility in the stock market and abnormally low interest rates at your bank have brought the financial sharks back to the surface. There are always plenty of sharks swarming in to offer their bait whenever people have a high desire, fear, or need for something. Let’s go over some [...]
Attempting To Eliminate Market Risk Can Be Very Risky
About a month ago I wrote a column about how some financial product marketers use fear to sell their products. While I chose to focus that article on the dangers of signing up for a reverse mortgage, there are other financial products I would also advise people to avoid in [...]
The lottery isn’t the answer
Last night the Mega Millions drawing worth an approximate 1.6 billion (yes billion with a B) was held. I couldn’t help but be intrigued by the subject and thought it would make an excellent article topic. Like in many other workplaces, what we would do if we won, has been [...]
Are the good times over?
2018 has now seen two periods of rapid declines in the stock market. Are the good times really over for good? We don’t think so, but are definitely watching the key factors we focus on to hopefully tell us if things have changed. Over the last several years we have [...]
Giving through a foundation has advantages
About a week ago I had the opportunity to attend the 2018 Toast to our Towns Gala, hosted by the Truman Heartland Community Foundation. The event serves as an opportunity to honor people and organizations who have dedicated themselves to serving Eastern Jackson County. It really is a celebration of [...]
Investment strategies put to the test
If you are a serious investor, your biggest question has been or will be, “When will this present bull market come to its end? Over the decades, I have talked to hundreds of people who have had experiences and results from one end of the spectrum to the other. Most [...]