Bernanke dares you to buy stocks; Commentary: But most retail investors aren’t biting

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke reiterated this week the message he has been sending for months about interest rates, the economy and the stock market.

The real Apple tax scandal; Commentary: Senators should scrap the corporate tax

Higher Yields in a Low-Interest World

The pickings are growing increasingly slim for retirees looking to boost the income generated by their savings.To earn yields of 5% or more, investors—who once would have relied on the relative safety of bank certificates of deposit or ...

Will iPhones still exist when Apple bonds mature? What the company might be selling when its 30-year bonds mature

Should you buy Apple bonds? Despite the brand’s appeal, they may not make sense for most

The Wall Street cicada index; These bugs may get better returns than Warren Buffett

When ‘loser’ ETFs close, investors can lose too; Tax bills and ‘survivorship bias’ can trip up the unwary

Next month, iShares, the largest exchange-traded fund provider by assets, will do something it hasn’t done in more than a decade: close one of its 290 ETFs.

This week’s Mutual Funds and ETF stories

Exchange-Traded Funds; Companies Add to Lineups of 'Free' ETFs; Still, trading commissions are only one cost, so other funds may be more attractive on balance

Lehman Selling Pieces of Stakes Acquired in Archstone Deal

The estate of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. is looking to raise about $2 billion by selling about half of the stock it got when it sold apartment giant Archstone to two of its largest competitors.

Gold U. Takes It on the Chin; Hit Is $300 Million at Endowment for Texas Schools, Which Invests in the Metal

Procter & Gamble plays it safe with CEO return; Ex-CEO returns to helm after Bill Ackman agitates for change