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Bob's Journal

Found 460 Articles.
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Bob’s Journal for 4/21/22

April 21, 2022

Interest Rates on Safe Investments Soar Market interest rates are rising. That’s bad for bonds but good for safety-first investments. While the headlines focus on big losses in bonds, they rarely point out that the yields available to conservative investors are higher than they’ve been in years. Stan the Annuity Man Haithcock points out that […]

Bob’s Journal for 4/14/22

April 14, 2022

‘Great Resignation’ Reversing Course The latest data indicate many of those who retired early in 2020 and 2021 are returning to the workforce. About 2.6 million Americans retired earlier than expected from February 2020 through October 2021, according to estimates from a Federal Reserve economist. Economists assumed many left the work force because they had […]

Bob’s Journal for 4/7/22

April 7, 2022

Major Changes in Market Trends in the First Quarter Most investment markets made sharp turns in the first quarter of 2022. The new trends began late in 2021, but there were many analysts who believed the changes were temporary. Instead of reversing, the new trends accelerated in early 2022. The sustained rise in inflation led […]

Bob’s Journal for 3/31/22

March 31, 2022

The Correction-or-Bear-Market Debate After stock market indexes decline more than 5%, investors often ask the same two questions. What’s the difference between a correction and a bear market? Are we headed for a bear market or a correction? There’s no official or formal definition of either a correction or a bear market. Most market observers […]

Bob’s Journal for 3/24/22

March 24, 2022

Market Recovery vs. Dead Cat Bounce The S&P 500 rose 6.15% in the week ending last Friday, March 18. Did that surge indicate the end of the market decline since last November’s peak? Or was it the proverbial dead cat bounce? For some perspective, I looked at the last two extended bear markets, one from […]

Bob’s Journal for 3/17/22

March 17, 2022

The Surge in Energy Stocks It is hard to believe the numbers on the 2022 rally in energy stocks. Not long ago, you almost had to pay investors to hold energy stocks. All commodities, including energy commodities, were in long-term bear markets. In addition, governments globally were ramping up their campaigns to encourage businesses and […]

Bob’s Journal for 3/10/22

March 10, 2022

Most People Want the Guaranteed Paycheck in Retirement We’re in the first generation of retirees who rely primarily on 401(k)s and other savings instead of pensions for retirement income. But the change wasn’t the idea of employees, and it looks like workers prefer the old system. The change was instituted by employers and government policies, […]

Bob’s Journal for 3/3/22

March 3, 2022

Act Before March 25 to Lock in The Best Long-Term Care Insurance Benefits The cost of the best long-term care insurance (LTCI) plan around is scheduled to increase, but you can beat the price increase. My friend and top insurance expert, David Phillips, recentl5y alerted me to the scheduled price increase. But my readers who […]

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