WSJ: The Reasons an ETF Succeeds or Fails

By SIMON CONSTABLE

The world is awash with exchange-traded funds, but not all succeed in appealing to investors. Some attract billions of dollars, and some barely anything.

So, what determines a fund’s success? Read more here.

Photo by Jamie Street on Unsplash

Barron's: Why It’s Time to Bail Out of Deutsche Bank

By SIMON CONSTABLE

There’s not much to love about Deutsche Bank. The German banking giant is mired in legal woes, the stock is expensive, and a restructuring will dog its performance for some time. Deutsche Bank shares have the potential to fall 30% on top of already-brutal declines. “We fail to see an improvement in the underlying business,” said a recent Morningstar report. Read more here.

Barron's: A Toast to J.D. Wetherspoon

By SIMON CONSTABLE

It’s time to quaff some shares of British pub chain J.D. Wetherspoon.

The stock (ticker: JDW.UK), which recently dropped after an earnings scare, is cheap and has a persistently high return on equity. “We view the pull-back as a compelling buying opportunity,” states a recent report titled “Playing the Long Game,” from European broker Berenberg. Read more here.

Forbes: Investors Get Bitten By the Gold Bug Again

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Investors started piling into gold exchange-traded funds in October.

Overall they added 23 metric tons of the metal to investments such as the SPDR Gold Shares ETF (GLD), according to a recent report. The Gold Shares ETF holds bars of solid bullion. Read more here.

Photo by Zlaťáky.cz on Unsplash

Forbes: Investors Should Love Tech Regulation, If It Ever Happens

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Some investors have caught the jitters over the crescendo-like call for more tech-company regulations.

They shouldn't. Read more here.

Forbes: Who's To Blame For GM's Woes -- Trump Or The Fed?

By SIMON CONSTABLE

There's more to General Motors' problems than steel tariffs.

While it is convenient to blame President Donald Trump for the recent mass layoff announcement at my former employer, there are other perhaps more important things to consider. Read more here.

Forbes: Why Stock Investors Should Cheer Plunging Oil Prices

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Some people are doing an awful lot of handwringing over plunging oil prices.

They shouldn't be. When oil prices take a major hit, just like we've seen recently, then stock prices should surge in short order, according to detailed historical market analysis. Read more here.