Almost as predictable as the seasons are statements made about investing, relative to the season. It is quite common to hear investors speak optimistically of a “summer rally” or cautiously anticipating heightened investing risk in the fall. Mark Twain echoed this popular notion when he described October as “one of the particularly dangerous months” for stocks. (Twain quickly … [Read more...] about Bears Business Brief: Calendar anomalies: Summer rallies and fall risk
By: James Philpot Much has been rightly made of the recent U.K. vote to leave the European Union. If you are like me, when you see a Brexit news item you tell yourself you really should read about it. Then, a second or two later, you turn the page to check on your favorite stocks, sports team or soap opera. Here, for your convenience, is a brief guide to the what, why, … [Read more...] about Bears Business Brief: Brexit: What you want to know – in about 500 words
By: James Philpot In my prior column, I discussed principles for dealing with financial windfalls. To reiterate, financial windfalls do happen. Most are not very large (maybe in the five-figure range), but sometimes much larger windfalls (6-plus figures) force us to decide whether to take a large lump sum or a series of annual payments. I propose that almost everyone will be … [Read more...] about Bears Business Brief: Big financial windfall? Take the annuity.
By: James Philpot The recent record Powerball jackpot prompted many fun discussions about what we would do with a nine-figure payout. One recent discussion reminded me of my school days, when my investments professor asked the class what we would do if someone gave us $100,000. One by one, we answered that we did not know, until one student said, “I’d go to Hawaii!” The … [Read more...] about Bears Business Brief: What if you DID win Powerball?
By: James Philpot How well off are you? Where are your financial strengths and weaknesses? In recent columns, my colleague Rayanna Anderson discussed using financial statements in managing a business. You can similarly approach your personal finances and goals, and in this column I will begin a series on personal financial statements by discussing the balance … [Read more...] about Bears Business Brief – Where are your financial strengths and weaknesses?