Sep 11, 2010 | Investment Basics
In my books and seminars I discuss determining market tone before making any investment decisions. One of the main factors I utilize in this evaluation is the VIX. The VIX is the ticker symbol for the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) Volatility Index, which is a...
Aug 14, 2010 | Investment Basics
I am a big believer in setting yourself up for success. This is accomplished through education, motivation, commitment and organization. Investors reading this article and others are definitely seeking education, and are motivated and committed. However, without...
Jun 13, 2010 | Investment Basics
Triple Witching Friday…..what a scary term! Is it the day after Halloween? NO. Is it a hazing ritual for a college fraternity? Not even close. Well then, what is it? It is an event that takes place when stock index futures, stock index options and stock options all...
Nov 21, 2009 | Investment Basics
So you have a money market account and invest in a money market fund. You feel that your money is safe and you can access it quickly but the interest rate is nothing to write home about. That’s about all most of us know about these money market instruments so as...
Sep 5, 2009 | Investment Basics
A few weeks ago, I wrote an article pertaining to The Yield Curve which describes a graph of the interest rates of short, intermediate and long term treasury debt securities. This sparked dozens of questions and comments from our readers on this subject so I thought...
Jul 18, 2009 | Investment Basics
Here’s my take on the economy and how it influences our covered call decisions: In a healthy economy, stocks are more likely to appreciate in value and we can then take a more aggressive posture with our investments. This means selling more O-T-M strikes and...
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