Investing Strategy

By now, most of us know the 2020 narrative about “stay-at-home” stocks and big tech having a great year while airlines, casinos, and hotels slumped. But is there a way investors could’ve identified the potential winners early? A deep dive into long-term societal trends might be key.

The January Effect is based on the belief that stocks tend to rise higher, on average, in January. Will we see it happen in the new year? Although past performance is never a guarantee of the future, consider watching the last trading week of the year for possible clues.

When a company goes public, insiders are often restricted from selling their ownership stakes for a certain amount of time called a “lockup period.” But when the restriction is lifted, share prices sometimes take a hit. Here’s what you need to know.

When investing in IPOs, your time horizon should match your objective. Learn why momentum investing and long-term investing are two distinctly different animals.

The Federal Reserve has no intention of raising the Fed funds rate until 2023. That doesn't mean you should avoid investing in fixed income. There are some advantages to investing in fixed income when interest rates are low.

As the sports world comes back to prominence after the coronavirus-related shutdown, sports betting stocks have gotten considerable attention. Interested in this sector? Here's a play-by-play for investors.

Demand for legal marijuana has increased, helping public pot companies. Even sales of CBD—derived from nonpsychoactive hemp—are expected to grow, although many small brands have gone out of business.

Asset allocation is a basic discipline for diversifying your portfolio, especially if you have a long-term investing strategy. Relative valuations are important.

After years of tepid inflation—that is, a general rise in prices—recent readings indicate it could be on the rise, helped by dovish monetary policy and fiscal stimulus. Is that good or bad? Here's a primer on inflation and what it could mean for your portfolio.

Special-purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) have been around awhile, but they’ve gotten some new attention in 2020. Here’s a look at the mechanics and risks for investors involved in blank-check companies.

Beyond the world of stocks and bonds lies another category of assets: alternative investments. Learn about commodities and other alternative types that may be available to retail investors.

Growth stocks versus value stocks—a case can be made for both. But which way should an investor's portfolio lean these days?

Looking for a few rules to help you plan your long-term investing? Here are five guidelines to help keep your long-term portfolio aligned with your objectives.

Target date funds, also sometimes called life cycle funds, offer some simplicity, but it’s important to be aware of the drawbacks before investing.

As the coronavirus pandemic sent markets reeling, many investors wonder if there's such a thing as a safe investment. Technically, no investment is risk-free. But some investment practices can be safer than others.

If you’re among the 28 million stock plan participants in the United States, you might be thinking about how the recent downturn and protracted market volatility have affected your stock options, restricted stock, or participation in a stock purchase plan. There might be a silver lining to this cloud.

Wild stock market swings? Bear market? Staying invested for the long term may keep you on course.

The escalating coronavirus pandemic that triggered a bear market in U.S. stocks in early 2020 looks to have tipped us into a possible recession. How can you prepare for and invest during a recession and bear market?

After a market drop, some investors might move their money to wait it out. Find out why staying invested may be a better approach than stock market timing.

Are you a shareholder and want to have some say in a company’s decisions? Vote your proxy.

When markets sell off, sometimes quality names with solid fundamentals get placed in the bargain bin along with everything else. When that happens, make sure you have your wish list in place.

Investing is a lot like building a fantasy sports team: You assess your game plan, do your research, and make changes as needed. And if you’d like to practice in a “fantasy” stock market, consider the paperMoney® trade simulator by TD Ameritrade.

Closed-end funds are a subset of mutual funds with some unique characteristics versus typical open-end mutual funds. Here’s the rundown.

Valentine’s Day is potentially a great time to invest in flowers, chocolate, or other perishable indulgences for your loved ones. It may also be a good time to give your stock portfolio a little love.

2019 was a tough year for cannabis stocks, but 2020 could be better if weaker companies get weeded out, more U.S. states legalize the drug, and federal legislation makes headway in Washington.

Learn how an investment philosophy that incorporates dynamics, diversification, and discipline can help you manage the complexity and volatility of the markets.

Socially responsible investing is maturing, growing in assets, and moving into new territory. Find out where ESG investing is heading next.

Broker-dealers and advisors are both obliged to work in your best interest but in different ways. Learn about the regulatory differences between the two, as well as several key terms.

New companies have been cropping up to support the budding cannabis industry. From hydroponic, heat lamp, and greenhouse firms to packagers and distributors, ancillary industries up and down the cannabis supply chain are building this industry.

Investing results may depend to some extent on luck, but research and science play a larger role in portfolio strategy.

When your broker or financial advisor recommends that you read an investment or fund prospectus, it’s for a good reason. A prospectus can offer clues to help you assess an investment’s risks.

Just as families tend to dial it back a bit during the summer months, so do markets and market participants. Here are a few potential opportunities and pitfalls to consider when searching for summertime sizzle.

What positive practices in environmental friendliness, corporate governance, and positive employee relations make different companies qualified to be called “socially responsible”?

TD Ameritrade offers a full menu of tools, previews, and third-party analysis around earnings season. Here’s how you can find and make best use of them.

In 1960, 13% of all U.S. households were made up of one person. That number has risen to 28%. Companies and industries are taking note. Is your portfolio prepared?

Many investors prefer a globally diverse strategy, but some find that a portfolio focused on U.S. stocks and assets is better for their situation. Consider your time horizon and risk tolerance as well as your long-term goals to determine which might be right for you.

Shifting tastes and preferences have led to the emergence of publicly traded plant-based meat alternatives such as Beyond Meat (BYND), and established food producers are responding.

The hazy legal environment surrounding marijuana stocks can be tricky to navigate, particularly for U.S. federal employees and their contractors.

As institutional money flows into the legal cannabis industry, more retail-level investors might be wondering how to get in on the action. Here’s a primer.

Quarterly earnings calls, a routine practice for most U.S. corporations, can be a rich source of insight and ideas for investors.

Many famous investors have said that people should invest in what they know, but there’s more to the saying than just that. Does this apply to IPO investing?

Tending a garden and dividend investing have some things in common, including the need for high quality and patience.

Learn the difference between penny stocks and micro-cap stocks, plus the potential risks of such investments, to help you decide if you should consider them.

Do you have the right financial advisor? Learn some of the key traits of a great financial advisor and some of the warning signs that may suggest you choose a different financial advisor.

Explore the importance of value investing in a volatile market and learn how to build a durable portfolio to help you weather the storm.

There’s more to portfolio diversification than stocks and bonds. Factors like market capitalization, international vs. domestic holdings, and sub-sector exposure all deserve consideration as you build a well-diversified portfolio.

Eager to learn how to invest in the stock market? Some basic info and tools to get you started.

There are some important things to keep in mind when deciding how to invest for shorter term goals.

The so-called January effect and other seasonal patterns have long been part of market vernacular, but investors need to separate reality from myth.

Portfolio managers often use questionnaires to help investors with asset allocation, but sometimes there’s a disconnect between investors’ answers and their real-life objectives and risk tolerance. Keith Denerstein of TD Ameritrade explains.

Interest in environmental, social, governance investing (ESG) is rising. Learn how you can invest in an ESG managed portfolio.

Short-term traders and long-term investors use technical analysis to help them determine potential entry and exit signals for their investments.

Gross domestic product (GDP) data is key to understanding the health of the U.S. economy, but may not be so critical for stock market traders and investors.

Learn how to identify stock market trends using moving averages to help add context, support decision making, and complement other forms of analysis.

When deciding whether to invest in ETFs or mutual funds, it may help to know whether you're an active or buy-and-hold investor.

Don't miss out on potential gains to your portfolio. Staying fully invested during market swings helps you catch the big days of S&P market gains.

Some investors like to self-direct their portfolios, but for others, working with a professional money manager might make more sense. Which is for you?

Should a long-term investor ever consider a radical shift in their investing approach, or is a gradual evolution better? Is the grass really greener?

Learn about the risks and potential benefits of "socially responsible" fixed income investing, or what some call "green bonds."

In low-interest rate environment, investors sometimes look to dividend-paying stocks as a mean of generating income.

Learn the ins and outs of preferred stock, and the differences between preferred stock, common stock, and corporate bonds.

Learn about the "positions" to fill as you build your investment portfolio.

It’s getting easier than ever for socially conscious investors to monitor companies for their environmental, human rights, and other initiatives.

Some experts say it’s important to allocate a portion of your portfolio to cash. What’s the right amount for you?

Sustainable investing is more popular than ever as we celebrate Earth Day 2017. What can investors do to put more “green” into their portfolios?

Are you a long-term investor hoping to use time to your advantage? Don’t chase trends, and especially don’t try to time the market. There are other ways.

Investment in alternative energy companies and ETFs may offer rewards, but also come with risks. Here are some considerations.

Looking to grow? A growth fund is a basket of stocks designed to deliver capital appreciation as opposed to dividend income.

How might rising interest rates impact long-term investing decisions? Discuss the impact of a rate hike on long-term savings: fixed income, long-term care.

Ready to brush up on your investing and trading? Here are six of the best investing books of all time.

Like the changing leaves outdoors, fall signals a change in the historical patterns of the stock market. Learn what the “best six months” has in store.

Technical analysis and drawing trendlines can keep you informed about the trends unfolding in your investments and may even support your decision making.

In recent years, passively managed index funds have attracted big money flows. What are the advantages and risks of investing in index funds?

Support and resistance are two of the most important concepts in technical analysis. How can investors potentially gain an edge by applying them?

You might assume green initiatives are the core of socially responsible investing, but there’s a long list of factors that go into evaluating a company’s ethi

Our chief market strategist breaks down the day's top business stories and offers insight on how they might impact your trading and investing.

Intermarket analysis and far-reaching ETFs can help you tackle global markets.

Are you too obsessed with stock benchmarks? You may be indirectly and directly following results that are far removed from your portfolio’s long-term aim.

Looking for new ways to win in the stock market? Dividend-paying stocks can be quite attractive.

Modern portfolio theory (MPT) is built on asset allocation, diversification, and rebalancing your portfolio without letting human emotion interfere.

Alcohol, tobacco,and gaming stock sectors are called the triumvirate of sin. For investors, it can pay be sinful.

Don’t panic and sell your long-term retirement investment. Instead, consider going shopping during a stock market down phase.

Study intermarket analysis, specifically bonds, for potential clues on the next leg for Federal Reserve policy and stock market reaction.

Study intermarket analysis for a more complete investing picture. Pull in bonds, currencies, and commodities with typical stock market research.

Ask yourself if your investing goals and personality traits favor active or passive strategies—or combining the best of both in a smart beta approach.

Weigh the opportunities and risks of thematic investing, which targets demographics like the big spending of the 92-million-strong millennials.

Beta, a method of measuring an investment’s volatility relative to the broader market, is one way to gauge risk. It works even better when you remember to re-measure.

Hedge funds are often the envy of investors on the outside looking in. But from the fees to stomach-churning swings, there’s a lot for retail investors to learn.

A winning well -thought- out investment plan requires you need to dig deeper to get an edge on the crowd. Here’s a few secondary ways to play big themes.

First in a series of brief, instructional articles that start at the beginning and build to combining and applying basic option trading principles in more complex strategies, including spreads.

Investors looking for well-priced, quality stocks might borrow a page from Warren Buffett and Benjamin Graham, but only with the help of a stock screener.

Climate-conscientious stock-picking that's evolved past volatile solar and wind.

The Motley Fool details four big mistakes that could devastate your finances.