top stories in News Reel
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Reassessing Property Taxes
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5 Housing Markets Not Sinking (Too Much)
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PLAYFacebook and the St. Petersburg Paradox
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Wilting ETF Returns
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Taking a Walk on the Wildlife Side
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PLAYNasdaq Soars to an 11 -Year High
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The Top Foreign Stock Funds
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5 Ways to (Legally) Track People
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4 Ways to Shrink Your Debt
Feeling overwhelmed? Make your debt payments more manageable.
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How to Settle Your Debts
Debt settlement is not an option to take lightly, but could be considered in certain situations.
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How to Invest in a CD
Even in times of interest rate uncertainty, a certificate of deposit (CD) can still be part of your cash strategy.
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How to Profit From Analysts' Stock Recommendations
WSJ.comIf Wall Street's stock tips were reliable, portfolio selection would be easy. Investors could simply load up on Apple because analysts give it more positive ratings like "buy" and "outperform" than any other stock, according to Thomson ...
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40 Wall Fortunes Rise Again
WSJ.comDonald Trump has avoided what could have been a big problem for one of his most valuable office buildings in New York, partly by taking advantage of the downtown's transformation away from being a citadel for the financial industry.
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Money Games for Kids
WSJ.comA galaxy of new web tools and games have popped up that are designed to teach children about "financial literacy"—the buzzword for the stuff you are supposed to know to stay out of debt and save enough for retirement.
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Rent Payments Can Boost Credit
WSJ.comA new way to help boost your credit history and score: Factor in your rent. Last December, credit-reporting company Experian started including rent-payment history in its credit reports, says Brannan Johnston, vice president and managing ...
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Suze Orman debit card raises many doubts; Commentary: Money expert’s ‘Approved Card’ is nothing special
MarketWatchBOSTON (MarketWatch) — Go to any investment conference and you will hear famous money managers make recommendations, as a starry-eyed audience writes down the names, and you know that a number of those people are going home and blindly ...
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Refinancing Gets Even More Attractive
WSJ.comHomeowners who have resisted the urge to refinance their mortgages until now could be rewarded for their willpower. Mortgage rates have fallen to new lows—and banks are rolling out incentives to win business.
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How to Keep Your Money Resolutions
WSJ.comSave more. Borrow less. There's a reason these two simple-sounding goals land on our lists of New Year's resolutions year after year: We never seem to make any headway with them.
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Debts Go Bad, Then It Gets Worse
WSJ.comA personal bankruptcy is supposed to cut borrowers loose from lenders and debt collectors, but Capital One Financial Corp.—one of the nation's largest credit-card issuers—sometimes doesn't want to let go.
4 New Year's Resolutions for Savings; Deal of the Day: Simple pledges to clip coupons or switch banks can save thousands.
SmartMoney.com"Manage debt" and "save money" are routinely among the top New Year's resolutions as tracked by the federal government. Consumers looking to achieve those goals both may find extra help in the form of a few much smaller promises.
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The biggest threat to your credit score; Commentary: Patience can keep you out of financial trouble
MarketWatchBOSTON (MarketWatch) — We were all taught as children that patience is a virtue. No one said it’s good for our credit scores too. It might seem obvious — those who have patience don’t feel the compulsive need to use credit to get something ...
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Bringing Expired Debt Back to Life
WSJ.comNo one was more surprised than Thomas Carpenito with the credit-card invitation that landed in his mailbox earlier this year. The 27-year-old deli owner from White Plains, N.Y., had about $10,000 in old debts and a credit rating 200 points ...
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A nation of suckers; Commentary: Nancy Pelosi, Spencer Bachus and me
MarketWatchSALT LAKE CITY (MarketWatch) — I’m an idiot. After watching the “60 Minutes” expose of insider-dealing by members of Congress, I’m left wondering (not for the first time, I might add): Why on Earth did I choose journalism as a career? Watch ...
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Debit-Fee Cap Has Nasty Side Effect
WSJ.comJason Scherr had a lot on his mind the day after he opened his fifth Think Coffee shop in Manhattan last week. The fan was blowing too hard, the classical music was playing a little too loudly—and he was trying to figure out how to get more ...
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Top Credit-Card Gripe: Billing Disputes
WSJ.comBilling disputes with credit-card companies topped the list of more than 5,000 complaints lodged with the new U.S. government agency charged with enforcing federal consumer financial laws, according to data released Wednesday.
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The Game Plan; How some people are saving for retirement—and what financial advisers think of those strategies
WSJ.comThe Game Plan takes a look at how individuals and families are saving for retirement��and then asks financial advisers to comment on those strategies. You're invited to share your own retirement-savings plans by sending an email to ...
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Don't Buy Too Much Insurance! Firms are pushing everything from cancer coverage to tuition protection. We check the latest policies—and lay out what you really need.
WSJ.comIn this age of hurricanes, tsunamis, market crashes and banking crises, it isn't any wonder that people are feeling insecure. Companies are responding by rolling out a raft of newfangled insurance policies designed to protect against ...
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Downgrade Q&A: What Investors Need to Know
WSJ.comThe move by Standard & Poor's to cut the U.S. credit rating adds more uncertainty to markets already beset by concerns about a slowing economy and the debt crisis in Europe. Here's what investors need to know before the market ...
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By Laura Saunders; State-Tax Deadbeats Face Tough New Measures
WSJ.comHere's a wake-up call for state-tax scofflaws: On Oct. 4, California Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill requiring the Golden State's motor vehicle department to suspend the driver's licenses of its worst delinquents.
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Fixed-Rate Student Loans—With a Catch
WSJ.comWith tuition bills due in a few weeks, a growing number of banks are offering stretched parents and students new, fixed-rate loans that promise protection from the specter of rising rates -- for a price.
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Why Value Will Beat Growth
WSJ.comGlamour stocks might be losing their glow. Amazon.com, Netflix and Apple have each more than quadrupled in value over the five years through September. But their shares have tumbled of late because of shriveling profit margins, subscriber ...
Post-Downgrade, Higher Rates for Borrowers; In spite of the Fed's promise to keep rates low, consumers may see higher rates on credit cards, auto loans and mortgages
SmartMoney.comIt's been less than a week since Standard & Poor's stripped the U.S. government of its triple-A rating and already consumers are starting to feel the effects, in the form of rising interest rates on many loans.
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This Is a Credit Card—Use It Wisely
WSJ.comForget hauling clothes and furniture. An even bigger challenge for parents and college students awaits: teaching the little darlings how to handle money.
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The Summer of Our Discontent
WSJ.comThis summer offered little respite for nervous investors. A fusillade of big news events rocked markets. Shares made huge daily moves, and big existential questions popped up with alarming frequency.
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MasterCard, Visa Seen Raising Fees on Small Debit Purchases
WSJ.comNEW YORK—In a move that could discourage some merchants from accepting debit cards for small transactions, Visa Inc. and MasterCard Inc. are raising the fees merchants pay for small-ticket debit purchases, according to analysts.
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Low Rates Are Good—and Bad
WSJ.comBorrowers breathed a collective sigh of relief when the Federal Reserve said earlier this month that it would hold interest rates at rock bottom for the next two years. But savers were far from happy.
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Hoity-Toity to Hoi Polloi: Neiman Takes More Plastic
WSJ.comIt used to be that Neiman Marcus's glossy-page snob appeal didn't stop at what you bought. It extended to how you paid. Cash or American Express was fine. But it was much preferred that you use your Neiman card, please.
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Auto Deals Revving Up
WSJ.comYou'll find some of the best deals in years on cars this fall. Incentives are up on some 2011 vehicles because U.S. auto makers have a glut of inventory. And their Japanese counterparts are trying to regain market share after a production ...
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Card Tricks Win Big Rewards for Some Travelers
WSJ.comWant a free trip to Paris? Just sign up. Hard-core collectors of frequent-flier miles are turning credit card sign-up bonus offers into vast stashes of miles, points and expensive trips by opening new card accounts by the dozen. Some ...
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Blood-Sucking Nation
WSJ.comWhen a guy named Vladimir calls you a vampire, it's time to look in the mirror and see if you still have a reflection. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said it last week as the U.S. wrestled with its debt-ceiling crisis.
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Geithner's Faith-Based Finance
WSJ.comQuoted: "There is no chance that the major countries of Europe will let their institutions be at risk in the eyes of the market. "There's not a chance. In fact, I remember the chancellor of Germany saying to the president of the United ...
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Cards for the Bank or Plastic Averse
WSJ.comReloadable prepaid cards are magic bullets to help overspenders and those who steer clear of banks. But they won't build your credit and can cost you plenty in fees if you're not careful.
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Lenders Aren't Passing On Rock-Bottom Rates
WSJ.comWith mortgage rates at a 50-year low and banks near his Brookline, N.H., home touting offers of 4% or less, Tom Rogers thought it would be a perfect time to refinance.
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Mortgage Rates Plumb the Depths, but Hard Part Is Getting That Quote
WSJ.comWith mortgage rates at a 50-year low and banks near his Brookline, N.H., home touting offers of 4% or less, Tom Rogers thought it would be a perfect time to refinance. But in spite of a solid credit score, after an exhaustive survey of ...
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Obama Unveils Plan to Ease Burden of Student Loans
WSJ.comDENVER—President Barack Obama unveiled a plan Wednesday to ease the burden of student debt, speaking in personal terms about the high cost of college.
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When 'Focused' Funds Falter
WSJ.comScan the list of the worst-performing mutual funds of 2011, and you will run across a slew of formerly highflying fund managers whose picks have crashed and burned.
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Running on Empty
WSJ.comThe news is getting ridiculous. How ridiculous? Well, it's like: Congress raging about the debt ceiling, doing nothing about unemployment, foreclosures or the economy, then taking a vacation.
Now, Gold Cards for Everyone; Issuers are pushing premium cards to more people. Are the perks worth the fees?
SmartMoney.comAn invitation to join the ranks of gold- and platinum-card holders isn't the exclusive privilege it once was. Issuers are offering more of these cards, to a wider range of people. The question now: Do you still want one?
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Discover to Buy Citi Student Loan Portfolio
WSJ.comNEW YORK—Discover Financial Services has reached an agreement to buy a $2.5 billion student-loan portfolio from Citigroup Inc., a follow-up to last year's deal in which Citi sold its 80% stake in Student Loan Corp. to Discover in a ...
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Fund Performance; Defying the Trend; Among steep losses for financial stocks, a few funds with big stakes in the sector have held up surprisingly well
WSJ.comFinancial stocks have been laggards this year, clobbering some diversified mutual funds that hold large stakes in the sector. But a couple of funds with hefty weightings have managed to defy that trend.
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Find Solid Stocks in a Wild Market
WSJ.comIt isn't easy buying stocks after the market craters, as it has recently. But the market has rarely looked so appealing in recent decades.
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New Resource For ID Theft
WSJ.comIf you're a victim of identity theft or are just trying to prevent it from happening to you, a new website offers a variety of resources. Earlier this month, the nonprofit Consumer Federation of America launched IDTheftInfo.org, a website ...
As Dow Plunges, Beware 'Low-Beta' Stocks; The latest threat to the European debt deal could send investors scrambling for less-volatile shares. That move could backfire, writes Jack Hough.
SmartMoney.comU.S. stocks shed more than 2.5% on Tuesday, as Greece's call for a voter referendum threw a newly inked European debt deal into doubt. This, after October proved the best month for stocks in decades. Head-scratching volatility like that has ...
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Safeguarding Rewards Points
WSJ.comAmericans are earning more travel-rewards points than ever—but they also are leaving more of them on the table. In a bid to continue to attract and retain big spenders, airlines and hotels are launching new, more-generous rewards programs. ...
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How Some Talking Dogs Cost Me $100,000; How Tight Is Credit In America? A Movie, Kids and a Bad Memory Can Ruin You
WSJ.comThe movie was called "Air Buddies." It featured talking dogs—and it cost me $100,000. Let me explain. My family borrowed the movie and some books from the local library last year before a trip. We wanted the kids to have something to watch ...
New Controversy for Credit Scores; More than 20 different web sites sell credit scores. Which one really matters?
SmartMoney.comFor a key to your financial future, $7 to $20 doesn't seem like much to pay – which is why consumers regularly pony up for a peek at their credit scores. Now a new lawsuit suggests that what they're getting may not be worth it.
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How to Fight a Bogus Bill; Many Medical Bills Contain Errors That Could End Up Wrecking Your Credit Score. Here's What You Need to Know
WSJ.comTHAT SUSPICIOUS CHARGE on your medical bill might be a mistake—but if you let it fester, it could end up damaging your credit score. There are no comprehensive statistics on medical-billing mistakes, but Stephen Parente, a professor of ...
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Why Buying Treasurys Isn't As Crazy as It Might Seem
WSJ.comTreasury bonds are dead. Long live Treasury bonds! Moody's Investors Service and Standard & Poor's this week said they might downgrade the credit rating of the U.S. if Congress doesn't raise the debt ceiling soon—a move ...
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Ways to Save at the Gas Pump
WSJ.comIt's getting pricey at the pump. The average price for regular unleaded gasoline was $3.81 at the end of last week, up $1.05 from a year ago, according to AAA's Daily Fuel Gauge Report. And the Energy Information Administration ...
The New Best Credit Cards; New legislation has made some cards better than others. What to swipe today.
SmartMoney.comAfter years of shrinking credit limits, rising rates and new fees, not to mention government legislation, credit card users have every reason to question the value of the plastic in their wallets. And now that the dust has settled, many may ...
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Should You Sign Up for a 'Professional' Card?
WSJ.comCredit-card issuers are marketing so-called professional cards—formerly reserved for small-business owners or executives—to individuals, a new report says.
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Credit Trends Improve for Card Issuers
WSJ.comRecent data showed continued improvement in credit trends, as fewer card holders fell behind on their payments. Now, the lenders need to increase the size of their loan books.
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Rich? Have We Got the Credit Card for You
WSJ.comU.S. banks are bombarding consumers with some of the most lucrative credit-card offers in years. But many of the goodies are being dangled at affluent people who have plenty of plastic already.
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Bon Voyage! Hot Deals for Travel-Reward Credit Cards
WSJ.comBonuses are back for travel-reward cards. So many credit-card companies are offering deals and perks right now that frequent travelers may want to re-evaluate whether they should switch their card allegiance.
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Banks Look to Replace Lost Debit-Card Fees
WSJ.comSome large U.S. banks are considering allowing debit cards to bounce just like checks. Normally, if a debit transaction is approved, payment is guaranteed, since debit cards don't bounce. But now banks are faced with new rules that will ...
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BMW Buys Car-Leasing Unit From ING
WSJ.comBMW AG's multibrand fleet management division Alphabet acquired the car-leasing unit of Dutch financial services group ING NV for €637 million ($915 million) as part of the German luxury-car maker's wider effort to expand in the ...
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Staid CD Gets a Makeover: Banks Tinker With Options to Lure Funds
WSJ.comWith interest rates remaining stubbornly low, a number of banks are trying to breathe life into a savings product that has been out of favor with consumers for years: the certificate of deposit.
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Beware the Financial Fear Mongers
WSJ.comWorried about your financial status? Someone wants to sell you protection. More and more websites are offering credit and identity-theft monitoring services, and the chance to buy what look like real credit scores. Credit-card issuers, ...
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The Great Customer Courtship; Banks Are Rolling Out New Incentives to Win Your Business. Here's a Guide
WSJ.comWho knew checking and savings accounts were so sexy? Historically low interest rates, tough new capital requirements and heightened competition from brokerage firms are prompting banks to dangle juicy incentives to a group of customers that ...
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CEOs Paid to Crash
WSJ.comAs the portfolios of ordinary shareholders imploded in the second stock-market crash of the 21st century, CEOs looked up from the smoke and ashes and breathed a collective sigh of, "Hey, you know what? It's a buying ...
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Your smartphone may replace your credit cards
MarketWatchIlana Greene, a Chicago-based freelance writer, contributed to this report. SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — On a safari in Kenya, Dylan Higgins pulled out his credit card to pay for himself and his family — and so the tourism workers hauled ...
How Will Leasing a Car Affect My Credit Score? The common advice is to not open any new credit before applying for a mortgage. If I lease a car, how will it affect my credit score, and how much time should I allow before I try to buy a home?
SmartMoney.comThe common advice is to not open any new credit before applying for a mortgage. If I lease a car, how will it affect my credit score, and how much time should I allow before I try to buy a home?
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Banks Dealt a Debit Setback
WSJ.comThe Senate rebuffed the most significant attempt so far to roll back the Dodd-Frank financial-overhaul law, in a blow to banks and credit-card companies that had fought against new debit-card rules that they say will cost them billions of ...
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Credit Scores: Why the Latest Fixes Fall Short
WSJ.comMore consumers than ever this year will see how their credit scores are used to determine their interest rates and loan terms. But the effort to provide more clarity may instead lead to more confusion.
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New Rules to Make It Easier to Get Credit Scores
WSJ.comWASHINGTON—The Federal Reserve and Federal Trade Commission finalized rules that could make it easier for U.S. consumers to obtain free credit scores from lenders.
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Lawmakers Urge Crackdown on Business Cards
WSJ.comA group of four U.S. Senate Democrats, including New York's Charles Schumer and Florida's Bill Nelson, urged the Federal Reserve today to crack down on the marketing of business credit cards, which don't come with many ...
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Mortgage Rates Are Great, If You Qualify
WSJ.comWith interest rates near rock bottom and home prices down, this ought to be a great time to buy a home. But for most people, it's a lousy time to get a mortgage.
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Forget About Black Swans, the One Floating Ahead is Neon
WSJ.comYou've heard of black swans—events that are unthinkably rare, immensely important, and as unpredictable in advance as they are inevitable in hindsight. Now, with no one ruling out a default or downgrade of U.S. Treasury debt, investors ...
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Risk Mismanagement
WSJ.comHmm. Now, here's a tough one: Who should we believe? Ratings agency Standard & Poor's or Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner? S&P last week announced there's a 1-in-3 chance it will lower America's Triple-A credit ...
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Job Cremation Council
WSJ.comGeneral Electric honcho Jeffrey Immelt and American Express boss Ken Chenault laid out some embarrassingly lame ideas for U.S. job creation last week.
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The Week Ahead; Visa's Update to Shed Light on Rivals
WSJ.comFew new financial rules have been as controversial as the limit on debit-card "swipe" fees. The impact of the rule will be a lot clearer on Wednesday when Visa Inc. gives its business update.
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Consumer advocate Warren reaches out to bankers; Small banks will benefit from new consumer agency, adviser says
MarketWatchWASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — A top Treasury official charged with setting up a controversial consumer-protection agency on Tuesday reached out to community bankers by insisting the new government office will put major capital behind making ...
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Mall Owners Struggle to Reverse Declines
WSJ.comShopping malls, once a hub of suburban commercial life, are rapidly losing ground to online shopping and off-mall locations. The empty storefronts make malls less appealing for consumers and create a ripple effect, says Philip Martin, a ...
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Payment-Protection Plans Draw Fire Over Costs
WSJ.comWASHINGTON—A government watchdog on Friday issued a warning about the cost of payment-protection plans, which credit-card companies offer as a way to put payments on hold during times of illness or financial distress.
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Increases in Rates On Credit Cards Ease
WSJ.comWASHINGTON—The nation's new consumer watchdog agency, the subject of much banking-industry angst, plans to release a report Tuesday with some favorable news about giant credit-card issuers: Banks have eased up on credit-card rate ...
Franchises Over 50: What You Need to Know
SmartMoney.comAbout twenty years ago, Marie and Jerry Wiermanski toyed with the idea of opening a franchise but couldn't find a well-managed company they could afford. Now, in their early 60s, the couple has more money in the bank, a stronger desire ...
Should You Apply for a 'Professional' Card? Credit-card issuers are increasingly hawking "professional" cards—which may skirt new federal requirements—to individuals, a new report says.
SmartMoney.comCredit-card issuers are marketing so-called professional cards—formerly reserved for small-business owners or executives—to individuals, a new report says.
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Citi to issue new credit cards after data breach
MarketWatchSAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Citigroup Inc. said Thursday it plans to issue replacement credit cards to customers who might be affected by a security breach in which someone got access to personal information from tens of thousands of ...
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Money Funds Trim Euro-Zone Exposure
WSJ.comAs worries grow about the euro zone's sovereign-debt crisis, U.S. money-market funds have cut investments in the region's banks and shifted money to financial institutions in Norway, Sweden and Canada.
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When a Donation Is Dinged
WSJ.comAfter this month's crisis in Japan, the Red Cross raised tens of millions of dollars via credit-card donations. In response to the tragedy, Visa, MasterCard and American Express waived their credit-card fees, bringing the organization ...
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A Game Plan for Munis
WSJ.comAs the debit-ceiling debate rages on, there are signs of strain in the municipal-bond market. While there's no reason for panic, say advisers and money managers, investors would be wise to think defensively and be ready to make a move ...
Airline Credit Cards Take Off
SmartMoney.comFor fliers annoyed by checked baggage fees and $3 in-flight Snickers, the airlines are touting a solution: Their branded, frequent flier credit cards, which now offer fee waivers and other perks, along with mileage rewards. But like ...
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Increases in Card Rates Ease
WSJ.comWASHINGTON—The nation's new consumer watchdog agency, the subject of much banking-industry angst, released favorable news about giant credit-card issuers: Banks have eased up on credit-card rate increases and turned more ...
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Pro-bank swipe-fee measure fails in Senate; Consumer groups insist merchants will pass debit fee savings to consumers
MarketWatchWASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — A legislative measure that would have delayed and curtailed a Federal Reserve debit-card interchange-fee reduction rule was rejected by the U.S. Senate Wednesday afternoon.
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What Airlines Are Hawking
WSJ.comFor travelers swimming in a sea of airline miles and hotel points or just frustrated that they can't redeem them for a desired flight, there's an alternative: Get a face lift.
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AmEx Teams Up With Foursquare
WSJ.comAmerican Express Co. has struck a deal to offer discounts to shoppers via Foursquare Labs Inc., the two-year-old start-up that lets users win prizes and meet people by using their mobile phones to "check in" at their favorite ...
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How Does Your Credit Score Actually Work?
WSJ.comDid you know that you could get hit with an extra $5,000 in interest payments on a $20,000, five-year car loan because you didn't treat your credit score with the utmost of care?
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What a Downgrade Means for You
WSJ.comThese days, the full faith and credit of the U.S. government may not be enough to impress the credit-raters at Standard & Poor's, Moody's Investors Service and Fitch Ratings. All three firms have placed the U.S. on watch for a possible ...
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How to Wreck Your Credit Score
WSJ.comDon't underestimate the harm that even one missed mortgage payment can do to your credit score—especially if you had good credit to begin with.
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Online Accounts Lose Their Mojo
WSJ.comThose high-yield online bank accounts are getting stingier. The Internet banks that lured customers with juicy rates on electronic savings accounts just a few years ago have cut their rates sharply—and some of their accounts are paying less ...
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With Its Stock Price Buffeted, Berkshire May Be a Bargain
WSJ.comWarren Buffett likes cheap stocks. Right now, he doesn't need to look far to find one. His company, Berkshire Hathaway, has slid in the last three months, making it one of the more striking values in the stock market. Indeed, some ...
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Warren Adviser Considered to Head Consumer Bureau
WSJ.comWASHINGTON—The White House is considering nominating Raj Date, a key adviser to Elizabeth Warren, to head the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, according to a person familiar with the matter.
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The Fall of the House of Kluge Leads to the Rise of the Yard of Trump; The Donald Snaps Up Lawn, Driveway of Foreclosed Manse; Bank Is Not Amused
WSJ.comIn the history of rapid wealth loss, Patricia Kluge stands apart. Once married to one of America's richest men, she won a divorce settlement in 1990 worth more than $100 million and proceeded to spend it on her lifestyle and business ...
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Mobile Banking Gets Riskier; You Can't Beat the Convenience—But It Comes With Privacy and Other Threats
WSJ.com"Digital wallets" that let consumers pay with the swipe of a smartphone could make the plastic credit card obsolete. But the technology also could chip away at consumers' privacy—and tempt them to spend more than they ...
Your Financial Health: Two New Scores
SmartMoney.comFor consumers who have been obsessively tracking, repairing and perfecting their credit scores, two new metrics would like your attention. The Debt Score. The Identity Risk Score. And there'll be more to come, experts say, though ...
Credit Comes Back
SmartMoney.comAfter more than two years of tight lending, banks are loosening their grip, offering more mortgages, student loans and credit cards. In a continuing series, SmartMoney charts the slow return of easier credit, and examines the good deals and ...
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Biden, Lawmakers to Begin Debt Negotiations
WSJ.comTHIS WEEK Debt Talks: Vice President Joe Biden is slated to meet with a bipartisan group of lawmakers to begin negotiations on a framework for deficit reduction.
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Cards Return to School; How Banks Are Circumventing Campus Credit Restrictions
WSJ.comThe Federal Reserve in March moved to close some of the loopholes in the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act, the 2009 law intended to curb abusive credit-card lending. One group of borrowers, though, could still ...
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Economy Points Down, Takes Market With It
WSJ.comWith summer around the bend, investors are fretting about the return of something much more unpleasant: the bear market. Suddenly, there are reasons for worry that stocks could be entering a difficulty period, including suddenly poor ...
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So Many Worries, So Many Buying Opportunities
WSJ.comEverything seems a bit crazier than usual in the markets these days. In such a climate, contrarians see opportunity. There is no shortage of drama. The Greek debt crisis has receded a bit, but it remains very much in the news. China is ...
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Banking on Bank Dividends
WSJ.comYield-starved investors soon may have another place to reap higher dividends: bank stocks. The sector has long been popular with retail investors because of its healthy dividends. But banks were forced to cut or suspend their payouts during ...
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Attack of the Fine Print
Small print has become a giant menace, costing consumers $250 billion a year. New ways to avoid the traps.
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Can These People Teach Financial Planning?
Why classroom experience may not pay off on Wall Street.