Investing Basics News & Latest Investing Basics Headlines

Readers' Tips for Financial Renewal, Part 3: Investing for the Long Term

10:15AM 2/06/2012

A few weeks ago, we asked DailyFinance readers for their best tips for putting your financial house in order. We've covered saving and spending wisely. Now, we move on to another key to long-term financial security: making your money work for you.

Bonds Beat Stocks in 2011 -- But Don't Expect That to Repeat

1:00PM 1/12/2012

By Rick Aristotle Munarriz, The Motley Fool

Economy, Stock Picks, Investing Basics, Stocks in the News, Market News

For the first time in several decades, the 30-year annualized returns of Treasury bonds surpassed the dividend adjusted gains of the S&P 500 in 2011. Take a picture if you want -- because this won't last.

Why You Need to Be Your Own Stock Analyst

11:35AM 1/06/2012

By TheStreet.com

Investing, Investing Basics

Sell-side analysts are often criticized for acting too slowly when it come to downgrading companies and lowering estimates. That means if you rely on the experts, you'll be reacting late too.

Don't Get Taxed for Bad Timing on Your Mutual Fund

6:15AM 12/07/2011

By Dan Caplinger

Investing Basics, Taxes

Nobody likes to pay taxes, but its worse when you're stuck paying them on income you never earned. Unfortunately, that's exactly what happens to many of us every year around this time, thanks to a quirk in how mutual funds operate and are taxed.

How to Tell If a Company Is Drowning in Debt

1:00PM 11/29/2011

By Tim Beyers, The Motley Fool

Investing, Investing Basics

Like consumers, companies can take on too much debt. The debt-to-equity ratio offers one way to tell whether a leveraged business is taking on too much. Here's how you can do the simple math before you invest.

4 More Smart Tax Moves for the Holiday Season

11:20AM 11/07/2011

By Sheryl Nance-Nash

Investing, Investing Basics

Thanksgiving's still two weeks away: You're getting ready for Black Friday, not April 15. But all those one-day deals pale next to what you could save on your taxes by taking a few smart steps before Dec. 31.

Learning Mathanese: How to Calculate Free Cash Flow (and Why It Matters))

10:30AM 11/04/2011

By Tim Beyers, The Motley Fool

Investing Basics, Ask an Expert

Today brings part three in a our series on Mathanese -- the numbers behind investing's big equations. But as much as math may turn you off don't click away. There's nothing too complicated here, despite how intimidating money managers make it seem. Our subject: free cash flow.

Why Even the Wealthiest 1% Are Fed Up With Wall Street

10:55AM 11/02/2011

By Laura Rowley

Investing, Delta Air Lines, Marriott International, Walt Disney, Investing Basics

The Occupy Wall Street crowd has plenty of reasons to complain about how the big financial institutions treat Main Street America. But you'll be shocked to find out how poorly the masters of the investment world treat their richest clients. Multimillionaire and ex-CEO Al Checchi pulls back the curtain.

Michael Moore Occupies Wall Street (But You Should Invest In It)

10:15AM 11/02/2011

By Rich Smith, The Motley Fool

People, Investing Basics

Filmmaker and political gadfly Michael Moore has joined the Occupy Wall Street movement, and his tirades against corporate greed, bailouts for bankers, unemployment are all mostly accurate and on point -- but when he says "the 99%" should stay out of the markets, he's giving terrible financial advice.

A Simple Strategy to Boost Your Returns

1:35PM 10/18/2011

By John Rosevear, The Motley Fool

Pfizer, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Verizon, McDonald's, Merck, Investing Basics, Chevron

Options: It's a word that makes you shiver with fear or salivate at opportunity. In fact, there's one options strategy that's almost certain to add some extra money to your portfolio over time, without adding lots of risk. It's the technique known as writing covered calls, and it's perfect for times like this.