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Why You Should Invest in European Stocks
Tweet Share on Facebook July 27, 2010 CommentMuch has been made of the fiscal difficulties that some European Union countries, most notably Greece, are experiencing. Less has been said about what opportunities may exist for investors interested in the countries in the EU. Dean Tenerelli, manager of the T. Rowe Price European Stock fund, says that there are many cheap opportunities in Europe. As a whole, he believes Europe is inviting for investors who are willing to look past some of the macroeconomic problems there. U.S. News caught up with Tenerelli to get his outlook for the region. Excerpts:
[See U.S. News's list of The 100 Best Mutual Funds for the Long Term, and use our Mutual Fund Score to find the best investments for you.]
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The Hayward Effect: BP Shares Rally
Tweet Share on Facebook July 26, 2010 CommentWhile emotions are generally hard to qualify, investors’ disdain toward beleaguered BP CEO Tony Hayward may finally have gotten a price tag. Amid reports that Hayward will step down, BP’s stock has surged, with investors tacking roughly $5.6 billion back onto the company’s market capitalization
[See U.S. News's list of The 100 Best Mutual Funds for the Long Term, and use our Mutual Fund Score to find the best investments for you.]
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What 12b-1 Reform Means for Investors
Tweet Share on Facebook July 21, 2010 Comment (4)The Securities and Exchange Commission has voted to get rid of 12b-1 fees as they currently exist, all but capping off a prolonged campaign by investor advocates to rein in mutual funds’ annual expenses. In a unanimous vote, the SEC came out against the fees, which in 2009 drained $9.5 billion from investors’ accounts. Still, no changes will take effect until a 90-day comment period has passed and the public’s input has been evaluated.
[See U.S. News's list of The 100 Best Mutual Funds for the Long Term, and use our Mutual Fund Score to find the best investments for you.]
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The Long and Short of Managing Volatility
Tweet Share on Facebook July 19, 2010 Comment (2)As the market continues to seesaw, Americans have been pouring into investments that promise shelter and stability. One common destination of these asset flows has been long-short mutual funds. As their name implies, these funds carve out both long and short positions. Broadly speaking, they count on their longs to anchor their portfolios during strong markets and expect that their shorts will pick up the slack during rough times. As a result, while their hedges prevent them from gaining eye-popping amounts in bull markets, they generally won’t face huge losses in bear markets either. On the back of safe-haven demand, the number of long-short funds has exploded. Currently, there are 105 distinct long-short funds in Morningstar’s database, up from 61 at the end of 2006. Meanwhile, they attracted $10.5 billion in new investments last year. That dwarfs the $2.6 billion they attracted in 2007. Clearly, then, these funds have experienced an uptick in popularity. The more important question is: Do they work?
[See U.S. News's list of The 100 Best Mutual Funds for the Long Term, and use our Mutual Fund Score to find the best investments for you.]
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Next Up for the SRI Movement: Israel?
Tweet Share on Facebook July 15, 2010 Comment (11)A national group has called on TIAA-CREF to divest from a number of companies that are tied to Israel. The group, Jewish Voice for Peace, is pushing for the financial services company to blacklist companies that “profit from the violation of international law through home demolitions, the destruction of life-sustaining orchards, the construction of roads and transit that only Israelis can use, the killing of civilians by drones, and many other injustices.”
[See U.S. News's list of The 100 Best Mutual Funds for the Long Term, and use our Mutual Fund Score to find the best investments for you.]
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Wall Street Banks: Too Big to ... Invest in?
Tweet Share on Facebook July 9, 2010 Comment (1)In the aftermath of the financial sector’s implosion during the downturn, many have been quick to say that investing in large banks is almost like spinning a roulette wheel. For the Appleseed mutual fund, that simile has just taken on newfound importance. Appleseed, a top-performing fund known for its socially responsible focus, has announced that it will bar itself from investing in too big to fail banks.
[See U.S. News's list of The 100 Best Mutual Funds for the Long Term, and use our Mutual Fund Score to find the best investments for you.]
