diversification

Some investors recognize that their investing strategy is failing and want to learn how to begin investing differently. We recommend that these investors diversify, look beyond financial factors, and stop trying to pick market tops and bottoms

This report is written with one purpose in mind—to make you a better investor. How to Invest in Stocks Successfully shows how our three-part approach works for thousands of investors. It helps you develop the positive habits that lead to the best investment decisions.

Hot stock tips come from a lot of sources, including friends, family, co-workers, the mainstream media, and investment professionals. However, that doesn’t mean they have any investing value.

One of the largest mountain resort companies in the world, Vail Resorts continues to grow. In 2017 it added Whistler Blackcomb, Canada’s largest ski resort, to its expanding portfolio of properties. Despite lower snowfalls, revenue and earnings are up thanks to success in selling season passes. Geographical diversion and high barriers to entry also help protect the company from weather risk.

U.S. retail sales continue to recover as employment, wages and consumer confidence rise. The growth of online shopping has also contributed to the recovery. Still, the pace of future gains for retailers will largely depend on how fast interest rates move up.


Here are two ETFs that aim to benefit from the continuing rise in consumer spending (for more information, see the supplement on page 49).


SPDR S&P RETAIL ETF $45 (New York symbol XRT; TSINetwork ETF Rating: Aggressive; Market cap: $427.8 million) invests in firms that are involved in the U.S....

Investors looking for the best real estate investments need to realize that it can be a complex undertaking, and both timing and leverage play a crucial part in the success of real estate investing.

The best performing ETFs have low management fees, diversification, and are more tax-efficient than many other investments

We think conservative investors can hold up to 10% of their portfolios in foreign stocks. One way to do that is by choosing exchange-traded funds (ETFs) with an overseas focus.


The best of those funds continue to offer very low management fees and well-diversified, tax-efficient portfolios of high-quality stocks.


Here’s a look at four international ETFs we see as buys, and two we feel you should continue to hold.


ISHARES MSCI EMERGING MARKETS INDEX FUND $47.90 (New York symbol EEM; buy or sell through brokers) aims to track the MSCI Emerging Markets Index.


The fund’s geographic breakdown follows: China, 29.8%; South Korea, 15.0%; Taiwan, 11.6%; India, 8.1%; Brazil, 7.4%; South Africa, 6.7%; Russia, 3.6%; Mexico, 2.9%; Malaysia, 2.5%; Thailand, 2.4%; Indonesia, 2.1%; and Poland, 1.2%.


Its top stocks are Tencent Holdings (China: Internet), 5.4%; Samsung Electronics (South Korea ), 4.6%; Alibaba Group (China: e-commerce), 3.8 %; Taiwan Semiconductor (computer chips), 3.7%; Naspers (South Africa: media and Internet ), 1.9%; China Construction Bank, 1.6%; Industrial & Commercial Bank of China, 1.2%; China Mobile, 1.20%; Baidu (China: Internet ), 1.1%; and Ping An Insurance Group (China), 1.0%.


iShares launched the ETF on April 7, 2003....

Stock market info, such as low market performance expectations and hidden value, can point to buying opportunities. However, there’s a lot more to it—and here are some additional tips.

PIZZA PIZZA ROYALTY INCOME CORP. $13.98 (Toronto symbol PZA; Shares o/s: 24.6 million; Market cap: $436.4 million; Dividend yield: 6.1%; www.pizzapizza.ca) holds certain trademarks and trade names used by Pizza Pizza restaurants in Canada.


Those proprietary names are licensed to Pizza Pizza for 99 years....