Article
We are just days away from closing the books on a very good year for the stock market. While the broad consensus is for the trend to continue in 2014, realities make it seem like next year will actually be tougher.
Rumors of the demise of buy-and-hold investing are greatly exaggerated, to say the least. But to adequately benefit from this tested and proven strategy, investors need to guard against three major pitfalls.
The current air of uncertainty and tentativeness will lift only after the current impasse comes to an end. But what happens to the market afterwards - once sanity returns to Washington?
Overall, stocks have moved sideways lately, and, naturally, bulls and bears have very different opinions on what that means. Consider the best arguments from both sides and decide for yourself.
With respect to the ongoing third-quarter earnings season, the overall picture emerging is less than inspiring. Here's a real-time scorecard so far for this earnings season.
The downgrade of global economic growth by the International Monetary Fund provides a fitting backdrop for the start of third quarter earnings season. This raises the prospect that most companies will cite the weak economic environment to provide a subdued outlook for the fourth quarter and beyond.