HotTopic

Despite the dismal economy, some investors have been snapping up teen retail stocks, driving their prices higher. But the combination of high fashion and high prices doesn't necessarily earn a company a premium price tag, or a place in a well-managed portfolio. Keep these metrics in mind to separate the bargains from the poseurs.

Two surprises in the finance biz: A small group of bond investors has thrown a wrench into Bank of America's massive mortgage securities settlement, while the Fed revealed a secret $15 billion loan it made to Goldman Sachs in 2008. But in retail, there are no bad surprises on same-store sales so far.

Get 25% off a purchase of $50 or more at Hot Topic starting today through Jan. 31. Click here to get the discount and use code HTA25OFF50 at checkout. Hot Topic's clothes are similar to H&M and Forever 21 in that they' are relatively cheap and more fashion-forward than, say, The Gap. I like...

Some deals only come around once or twice a year, but offer savings that justify the wait. This post is part of our series on such 'don't miss' sales. Okay, I'm going to start with the obvious, just to get it out of the way: I am WAY too old for Hot Topic. Their target demographic is in the...