The End of Emerging Markets

Emerging markets, because of their characteristics, should matter a great deal to investors today. Investors handicap themselves by limiting how much they invest in emerging markets.The differences that justified the segregation of emerging and developed markets have disappeared or are in the process of disappearing.

 

More Americans filed for bankruptcy protection in March than during any month since the federal personal bankruptcy law was tightened in October 2005, a new report says, a result of high unemployment and the housing crash. Federal courts reported over 158,000 bankruptcy filings in March, or 6,900 a day, a rise of 35 percent from February.

 

A good deal of the controversy surrounding the recently passed health-care legislation has focused on the politics, notably the deep rift between Republicans and Democrats.But what about the investing implications? Most health-care stocks have lagged behind the broader market, although pockets, such as health-maintenance organizations, have had big gains over the last year.

 

Exchange traded funds (ETFs) are a nifty and useful investment tool. ETFs, with their transparency, low fees and wide selection of investment themes, have been making inroads on traditional mutual funds, and a major investment banker believes the investment vehicle will continue to do so.

 

Clinging to a promise of high-returns or a chance to replenish a retirement account, the desperate (or shall we say, hopeful?) all too often end up grabbing opportunities that turn out to be straight-up frauds. And as we all should have learned from a crash course in Ponzinomics in 2008, the most cliché rule is still the most spot-on: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.