The financial crisis and its aftershocks continue to rattle investors. If memories of the credit crunch and market meltdown weren’t bad enough, investors must also contend with a spate of stories about financial advisors who have been convicted or accused of fraud. Sir Allen Stanford and Bernard Madoff immediately spring to mind, but the news has also been dotted with tales of crimes perpetrated by smaller financial advisers. Read More

Despite months of rough waters, some Mediterranean economies now have a wind at their back. This fund provides exposure to this under-the-radar growth story. Read More

Preferred-stock funds have fallen out of favor this year as risk averse investors have flocked to bonds and aggressive market participants have cast their gaze to emerging markets. But those shifts in investor sentiment have created an opportunity to pick up some attractive yields. Read More

US-based dividend payers can raise distributions because of huge cash hoards. Global dividend stocks will likely see payout boosts arising from organic sales growth, making global payouts more sustainable than domestic fare. This fund will allow you to take advantage of both foreign and domestic dividend growth. Read More

This has been an eventful year for the markets, and a number of investors and money managers will be eager to put 2010 behind them. Read More

A bevy of single-country ETFs hit the market this year, but many failed to catch on. Newly launched Russia and Norway ETFs could buck the trend. Read More

In an attempt to kick start the sputtering US economic recovery, the Fed has begun pumping hundreds of billions of new dollars into the financial system. The move may build inflation expectations, but job creation is a tougher nut to crack. Read More

While the Republican victories in the midterm elections make an extension of the tax cuts implemented by George W. Bush more likely, it’s hardly a done deal. Tax planning is imperative as uncertainty looms, and municipal bonds remain an excellent tool for reducing your obligation to the tax man. Read More

Population growth and scarce drinking water demands old school solutions Read More

The hotly contested midterm elections are over, and the results were largely in line with expectations. Republicans, particularly Tea Party-backed candidates, won control of the House of Representatives and secured strong gains in the Senate. Read More