Investors are concerned that global central banks’ unprecedented levels of monetary easing could eventually spur inflation. That worry has driven a spike in the performance of inflation-protected bonds issued by foreign governments. Read More
Benjamin Shepherd is a recognized exchange-traded fund (ETF), mutual fund and stock expert with an extensive background analyzing time-tested funds, including their managers and strategies. Ben looks for investments that have proven themselves in both bull and bear markets. Ben also specializes in covering emerging markets, pinpointing the most dynamic investments in developing nations for market-beating growth.
Ben is an analyst for Global Income Edge and regularly contributes to Personal Finance, Investing Daily’s flagship product.
Analyst Articles
- February 8, 2012
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The market’s gain during January has already exceeded its paltry return for the entirety of 2011. But that trend should continue, as a strengthening US economy further boosts the equity market. Read More
Our Chinese real estate play has failed to perform as we'd hoped, but we've found a new opportunity in the US residential real estate market, particularly among multifamily REITs. Read More
- February 8, 2012
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Although we’re selling our play in Chinese real estate, that doesn’t mean there aren’t other opportunities in the real estate sector. We’ve found an ETF that specializes in US residential real estate and includes holdings in our favored multifamily REIT subsector. Read More
Despite the fact that Treasury bond yields remain at historic lows, they continue to be in high demand among fearful investors. As a result, the yield spread between Treasuries and BBB-rated corporate bonds is currently just under 2 percent, while A-rated fare is offering a little more than 1 percent… Read More
Brokers hope to lure investors to their platforms with the promise of commission-free ETF trading. But investors must carefully consider which broker has the right lineup of commission-free ETFs and the least restrictive trading policies. Read More
At the start of a new year, I traditionally ponder where to find relative outperformance among the market’s sectors. As such, I believe now is the time for investors to add risk to their portfolios by emphasizing more cyclical corners of the market. While a defensive approach to equities was… Read More
If the market suffers a similar fate in 2012 as it did in 2011, then dividends could be a subtantial driver of investors' returns. Fortunately, our two favorite dividend-oriented ETFs offer enviable yields. Read More
As a complement to this issue's “Street Smart” article, we show what a basic value stock screen looks like and analyze two stocks that fulfilled our value stock screen criteria. Read More
- January 17, 2012
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Although potential headwinds remain, a number of positive trends should make 2012 a “risk-on” year. Read More