Investors are shunning the financial sector. Although financials account for more than 14% of the S&P 500 (SPY), investors (by one measure) have only 2% of their money invested in financials. Some contrarians take this as a buy signal, is it?... >> READ MORE...

Every day about a billion shares of stocks exchange hands on the New York Stock Exchange , but stocks are not the only asset class on the planet. Currencies and bonds are part of the same financial eco system, and we shouldn't ignore their effect on stocks.... >> READ MORE...

Sentiment readings have sent conflicting messages. The VIX is near danger levels for the S&P 500 while the AAII crowd is almost record bearish (which is bullish for stocks). Here's the current sentiment picture and what to make of it.... >> READ MORE...

"No QE3 for you" the Federal Reserve said on Wednesday. The market showed it's disappointment. What a difference would QE3 have made?... >> READ MORE...

Bernanke is the most powerful man in the financial world, but is he also the smartest of them all? A look at his bloopers shows that he's respected not for his smarts but for his ...... >> READ MORE...

Are stocks in the late stages of a bull market rally, in a bear market rally, rolling over, or getting ready for another leg up? Regardless of the actual state, the conclusion and outlook seems to be basically the same.... >> READ MORE...

A long-term S&P 500 moving average crossover is about to trigger the first sell signal in 73 years. What does this mean for stocks and investors?... >> READ MORE...

Why do stocks typically outperform short-term government bonds? It's a question of risk and reward. Brand new research from the New York Fed shows that the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) is the cause for a 55% overvaluation of the S&P 500.... >> READ MORE...

There's much talk about QE3. What would QE3 do for stocks and the economy? Since 2007 the Federal Reserve and European Central Bank (ECB) spent about $3.5 trillion on various stimulus packages. This has kept the S&P 500 afloat while economic activity is deteriorating. ... >> READ MORE...

Trick question: Is the Dow Jones Industrial Average (tracked by the Dow Diamonds ETF - DIA) the most widely recognized stock market index in the world? No, technically it isn't. Here's why and what makes the Dow the most flawed "index" on Wall Street.... >> READ MORE...