Pay close attention to the quality of the municipal bonds and municipal bond funds that you own or are considering buying.That's the best advice for investors in this panicky 2011 in which fleeing the muni bond market is a national obsession. to

The restaurant industry, hit hard by recession and high unemployment, is seeing less investor appetite for its stocks.While people must eat, they are increasingly careful about how they spend their money to do so.As in any severe shakeout, of

Why do tech stocks build us up just to let us down?Technology's track record is one of dramatic peaks and valleys for its investors. However, its most recent run-up seems to have more fundamentals behind it than many of the past periods of for a

DELHI, INDIA—Traffic in India's capital city is intense. Modestly powered three-wheel "tuk-tuk" taxis compete daily for space on streets crowded with trucks crammed full of passengers, motorcycles with small children sandwiched between their a

Will beginners rush in where veterans refuse to tread?The exodus from financial markets by many weary investors who have lost both courage and money is understandable. They need a timeout.Continued market volatility, however, also has a on be

For conservative investors seeking a little balance in their lives during volatile times, a balanced mutual fund makes sense this year.With a typical mix of around 60 percent stocks and 40 percent fixed income, balanced funds split the between a

"Retire rich." Those words entice us from magazine covers in the supermarket line, infomercials on late-night TV, pop-up ads online, and flyers distributed by investment firms.Often accompanied by photos of happy folks on lawn chairs, yachts, or

Retirement investing is important, but not quite as effortless as it's sometimes made out to be.Onward and upward forecasts for 401(k) employee retirement accounts often disregard that financial markets carry inherent risk, which means periods a

Europe's ongoing fiscal trauma may present opportunities for U.S. investors.There could, for example, be possibilities in European stocks that are depressed in price or in stocks of the U.S. multinational companies most likely to gain from risk

The future is now. Use your 2009 tax return as a line-by-line blueprint for constructing your 2010 financial strategy.Examine what went right and wrong as you determine your next tax and investment moves. Keep in mind the new conversion rules of