Oil slipped nearly 1% to below $77 on Friday as a stronger dollar weighed on prices and falling equities raised concern about the economy and the outlook for energy demand.
The dollar rose for a second straight session Friday as investors cut exposure to risky assets and high-yield currencies ahead of a holiday-shortened week in the United States.
Mergers are all the rage in Corporate America again. Healthy companies are looking to take advantage of their strong balance sheets and surging stock prices to strike while the iron is hot.
Question: I'm 26 and want to set up a diversified portfolio for retirement. I'm almost totally invested in stocks, but I know that I should put some money into bonds. I really don't understand how they work, however, and I don't feel comfortable investing in something I don't understand. For example, I think I get the basic idea of a bond, but when I see bond yields fluctuate, I get confused. Aren't they supposed to have a consistent interest rate? --John, Portchester, New York
Warren Buffett said he's making an "all-in wager on the economic future of the United States" with the purchase of railroad Burlington Northern Santa Fe. Let's hope it's a bet that Buffett wins.
Question: I'm 30 years old and have savings of about $50,000. I've never invested in stocks or mutual funds, but I would like to start. Can you recommend some resources that can help educate me about investments and give me a better understanding of how they work? --Suresh T., Jacksonville, Florida
The top job of managers at every company is the same: allocating capital. Should money be spent on internal growth or acquisitions? Should capital be returned to shareholders via dividends or share repurchases?