Dear Mr. Berko: Recently, I've been hearing the term "labor force participation rate" on most of the news shows. Could you please explain what this term means in simple-to-understand English? And what do you think of investing in diamonds? A jeweler friend says the price...
These three stocks are about as safe as it gets. You're likely aware that stocks tend to be more volatile than other asset classes. That simple fact keeps many from putting money to work in the the stock market, which is a shame because stocks offer investors the...
Wells Fargo is guilty of the same type of behavior that got its less-respected peers, Bank of America and Citigroup, into so much trouble eight years ago -- that is, cutting corners to boost profits irrespective of risk. I learned something important about Wells Fargo (NYSE:WFC) over the past...
A report that Apple is in talks to buy a British sports- and racing-car maker McLaren Technology Group raises questions, starting with this: Why? Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) has approached McLaren Technology Group, a British maker of high-end sports cars and owner of a Formula One racing team, about a...
The IBM Personal Computer debuted 35 years ago, igniting a new way of computing that empowered individuals and forever changed the way we work and play. The pioneers knew they were on to something, but they had no idea just how much impact the changes would...
As I write this, summer is almost over – at least in Florida for those of us with kids. The calendar says “dog days of August,” the thermometer says “hot,” and the presidential debates have not yet started. The Olympics are inspiring us with all...
Dear Mr. Berko: Is there a group called the Plunge Protection Team that is part of the Federal Reserve and is supposed to prevent stock crashes and allow the administration to manipulate the prices of stocks and commodities? -- BW, Bethlehem, Pa. Dear BW: Few civilians...
If your portfolio is stressing you out, these two stocks could take a load off your mind. I have good news for those of you who hate checking your portfolio every time the stock market makes an abrupt change: There are plenty of companies in the...
Dear Mr. Berko: I bought 1,000 shares of Hilton Worldwide at $29 in March 2015, and the stock's performance has been a bummer. How will the increasing minimum wage in California and elsewhere affect this stock? Should I sell it and take a loss, or...
The market for biosimilar medicine could skyrocket to $20 billion in the coming years. Over $100 billion in annual sales for top-selling biologic medicines will soon be up for grabs, and that's leading to a gold rush to develop biosimilars. With the biosimilar market poised to eclipse...
