Investing in Health Care: 3 Innovative New Drugs to Watch

According to analysts, about 1 in 13 successful drugs is a “blockbuster.” Blockbuster drugs net over a billion in revenue and keep pharmaceutical companies profitable. Many new drugs can fail, get out-competed by other drugs, or never hit full stride, costing companies hundreds of millions of dollars lost to research, marketing, and approval.

Recently, I came across a few up and coming drugs and wanted to shed some light on whether investing in their respective manufacturing companies is a good idea or not.

1) Novartis- Malarial Drug – “spiroindolones”  Read more...

5 Great Money Making Investments for Everyone

In this volatile economy, is there such a thing as a good investment?

Every morning, I read the Wall Street Journal for a glimmer of hope for the US economy. On some days, today being one of them, the paper is filled with good news followed by a positive forecast and a upbeat market. Just when I think we have what it takes to get out of this economic stagnation, my hopes are dashed with one bad news after another. For myself and others following finance, this has been the common theme for the entire past year. We all face the same question: When will there be any certainty in forecasts?  Read more...

5 of the Best and Worst Stock Picks for Spring 2010

Every quarter, we release the best and the worst stock picks for the next 3 months based on market analysis, economic data, and trend indicators. We have compiled a great list for our spring collection.

If you think there are other must buy/ must drop picks, let us know.

Top 5 Best Picks for Spring 2010

1) WellCare Health Plans (WCG) – One of the most successful companies coming out of the health care reform bill. WellCare was able to successfully maneuver itself to be a mediator between the government and large health care companies. With over $1.2 billion in assets and no debt, it looks like one of the strongest non – pharmaceutical companies.  Read more...

The Best and Worst Housing Markets of 2010

What’s really going on with the real estate market? Does anyone really know?

Last year, I gave you the best and worst housing markets for the 2009 year, with the average percent fall (and very rarely, gain) in selling prices.

This year, real estate prices seem to follow no pattern. In some areas, they are recovering from their 2008 price lows and in other areas, foreclosures keep piling up. Investors have it tough… speculators are everywhere, pointing to positive signs in the economy one day and then predicting doomsday the next.  Read more...

7 Must Have Stocks for Winter 2010

The early months of 2010 will see the stock market quietly gain ground on huge losses in 2008. Coming from the abyss, some publicly traded companies will immediately feel the benefits of a better economy, while others will not be affected until the end of 2010.

In 2010, Wall Street will bet on the positive direction of the economy, interest rates, and inflation. However, in the first quarter, smart investors may also benefit from good research and strong picks. Strong individual results – especially unexpected earnings and sales growth – could help certain stocks stand out from the crowd.  Read more...

Is Investing in Gold a Good Idea?

The price of gold hit $1,100 an ounce today on signs of a weakening dollar. With the stock market as volatile as ever with the coming end of a bullish market, many investors are thinking about buying gold. Gold has always outperformed other commodities during times of economic uncertainty and this “super-recession” is no different.

Here are some things to consider in order to understand if buying gold is the best idea for you:  Read more...

10 Stocks to Avoid in 2009

This is the second part of SmarterSpend.com series on managing your stock market funds.

In the first part of my series, I highlighted the best performing stocks in the 2008 year, including the dismal third quarter, and analyzed the significance of the recession on stock performance in the upcoming fiscal year. I will use the same approach to identify 25 key stocks that every investor should avoid in 2009. The key to finding successful stocks in a recession this deep is identifying the effects of the lack of money supply to consumers, businesses, and corporations.  Read more...

Stocks You Need to Have in 2009

In the past four months, the US stock markets have found themselves in a state of havoc. The Dow Jones has now fallen almost 50% from its previous highs in 2007, NASDAQ dropped from about 2,700 to a current level of 1,400, and the     S & P has also dropped in similar proprtions, from a high of 1540 in the third quarter of 2007, to a current level of 764.90. Whole companies have been wiped out in a matter of days from rapid drops, retirement funds have lost trillions of dollars, American automobile manufacturers were barely saved with emergency government funding, and the entire American banking system is on the verge of collapse.  Read more...

2009 Best & Worst Housing Real Estate Markets

Let’s start with the good news: Historically, housing prices don’t drop consecutively for more than a few years. In cases where they do drop more than a few years, the reduction rate is very little. With the current credit crisis and a record 19 million vacant homes in the country, there is no shortage of houses to buy if you have the money, although I recommend waiting out until mid- July. Experts predict another 25% drop in prices by the end of 2009. If you’re looking for a house, these upcoming months could be the best time. Here is a graph of the change in average US home prices:

As with all good news, there is always some bad news. In this scenario, the bad news heavily outweighs the good news. Several of the once booming housing markets, such as the Inland Empire in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Phoenix, have seen the worst drops in prices.  Detroit, home of the automobile Big Three, is probably going to never recover from the losses this decade as thousands of jobs have been lost and houses are selling for next to nothing (a 0-16 football team probably didn’t help either). Prices are plummeting nationwide, there is no money to fill in the vacancies, and more homes are being foreclosed every day. We could be in for a hellish two years. This list attempts to quantify the specifics of the housing market in larger metropolitan areas in the US by ranking the biggest drops in house prices (worst areas) and the best areas (least drops/ increases)  Read more...