Common. By definition, it sounds plain. Ordinary. On the other hand, preferred has a much nicer connotation. It’s a descriptor indicative of an added perk or upgrade. The same is true in the financial world. Common and preferred stocks both convey equity ownership in a business. But while the former grants voting rights, the latter carries something even better: preferential dividend treatment.…
Last week, I explained why I believe uranium will outperform gold over the remainder of this decade. As I noted then, “there is an energy crisis brewing due to rapidly increasing demand for data centers to support artificial intelligence (AI).” Without a doubt, demand for uranium will increase as this country expands its nuclear power capabilities. But there is another…
It’s easy to think of the major U.S. stock market indexes as permanent and unchanging over the decades. The financial equivalent of Mount Rushmore. But unlike that famous monument chiseled into the South Dakota hills, the corporate icons enshrined in the Dow Jones aren’t exactly set in stone. In fact, there have been 59 changes made over the years by…
Now that the Labor Day weekend is behind us, it’s time to focus on the one thing that unites most Americans: football season! Just as the favorites don’t always win at football, the stock market isn’t always the best place to invest your money. That doesn’t often happen, but one of those times may be coming this fall depending on…
Markets got a jolt last week after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell signaled that a rate cut may be coming soon. Speaking at Jackson Hole, Powell noted that “downside risks to employment are rising,” and hinted that monetary policy will need to adjust. Traders took him at his word—the Dow soared over 800 points on the day, and futures markets…
Most of the headlines about artificial intelligence (AI) focus on the winners—companies building the tools, designing the chips, or leveraging automation to cut costs. But every revolution has two sides, and as investors we need to recognize that while AI will create massive opportunities, it will also disrupt—and in some cases devastate—certain business models. Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) and other…
Market jitters returned last week as the S&P 500 fell 2.5%—bringing it to just 1.5% above where it stood back in February. When markets take a dive, the reflexive advice often comes quickly: “Buy the dip!” But should you follow it? Sometimes, buying the dip can be a smart way to pick up quality assets at a discount. Other times,…
With the Federal Reserve holding interest rates steady in 2025 and inflation hovering just below 3%, high-yield savings accounts remain one of the safest vehicles offering real, positive returns. In an environment where stocks are volatile, bonds are mixed, and many investors are holding cash on the sidelines, these accounts can serve as both a parking spot and a source…
I recently spent a few days in Granville, Ohio. It’s a lovely village with a Main Street straight out of a Hallmark Channel movie. The locals are friendly, the sidewalks are clean, and dogs are everywhere. That’s what I expected to see. But what surprised me was what I saw fifteen miles west of there in New Albany. The pastures…
On July 4, President Trump signed into law a sweeping new tax package that locks in—and in some cases expands—many of the provisions from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). While the headlines have focused on the extension of lower tax rates, there’s a lot more buried in the fine print. And while some parts of the law…