The economy has had more than its share of trouble lately: Japan's earthquake comes on top of rising oil and food prices, political turmoil in the Middle East and a crop of government austerity measures. But investing opportunities lie hidden behind the bad news.
After a few comatose years following the financial crisis, the IPO market is roaring back. And with names like Facebook and Groupon driving the rumor mill, smaller investors are wondering how to get in on the action. The answer: Carefully, thanks to the many risks.
Prices for copper, gold, wheat, corn and oil are soaring. But how can small investors can take advantage of this growth without taking on way too much risk? That's a good question, indeed. And here are some good answers.
Remember the flash crash? That was the 20 minutes on May 6, 2010 when the Dow lost almost 1,000 points before partially recovering. A new analysis by iShares suggests what may have caused the flash crash and includes three proposals to keep it from happening again.
Stock market volatility has driven many investors out of stocks and into bonds and other fixed-income investments. Bond ETFs have snared a big chunk of the money for their flexibility and safety.
It looks like no-commission trades for exchange-traded funds are here to stay. Several of the largest ETF brokerages -- including iShares, Invesco Powershares and Charles Schwab -- say they don't plan to charge commission anytime soon.
Thirsting for an interesting investment? Consider water. The precious resource could prove very lucrative over the next decade as its use in agriculture, industrial production and other areas surges. There are several water industry stocks and mutual funds that could be good bets.
You can deal with future dollar declines by gaining exposure to foreign currencies -- either by investing in the currencies themselves, or by buying stocks in companies whose earnings aren't denominated in dollars.
More people are putting their money where their values are -- a sentiment that isn't lost on money managers. Just this week, the first of three exchange-traded funds targeted at Christian investors hit the market. Two more will launch next week.
