On the Growth of Mutual Funds in the US

The mutual funds industry in the US is a multi-trillion dollar industry.At the end of 2014, the industry managed assets of about $16.0 Trillion up from just over $1.0 Trillion in 1990. The growth in assets under management over the years has also led to a fierce competition with a multitude of players entering the …

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Average Tax Rate on Cigarettes by Country

Cigarettes are one of the most highly taxed products around the world. Equity investments in cigarette companies generally tend to payoff well in the long run as firms in the sector provide solid dividends and stable consistent growth. Successful investors have long observed the unique advantages of making money from cigarette makers. Here is a quote from Warren …

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Why Search for High-Yielding Dividend Stocks Abroad

When searching for income stocks foreign markets offer many attractive opportunities. Stocks with dividend yields of 3% or more can be found abroad to the 2% for US stocks as represented by the S&P 500. Though many sectors within the S&P 500 such as telecoms have much higher dividend yields, investors looking to diversify and also …

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Knowledge is Power: Emerging-Market Supercycle, Canadian Banks, Building Blocks of Diversification Edition

“I got nothing against the press” (Vanguard Blog for Advisors) Will Rising U.S. Debt Levels Keep the Fed On Hold? (Schwab) Is South Africa the next Brazil? (Money Observer) What Will Drive the Next Emerging-Market Supercycle? (AB Blog) The House View: The Building Blocks of Diversification (Salient) Natural Capital: What Is the True Cost of Food? (Der Spiegel) The …

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Lafferty: The World’s 15 Highest Rated Banks

London-based Lafferty Group released a new ranking of global banks based on a variety of factors. This list has many surprises. Here is a brief description of the methodology used: Using quantitative and qualitative criteria and looking at areas such as strategy, culture, customer care, brand promise and financial performance, Lafferty Group uses the banks’ annual …

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