All Hail The World’s Weakest Currencies

A few years back we posted an article titled “The 5 Worst Currencies in the World.” Somewhat to our surprise, the topic generated an incredible amount of traffic, which – belatedly – led to this post. Anyone can sit down to a computer and cast aspersions at the...

Digital Currency Trades Strong in a Changed World

When James Howells tossed out an old hard drive recently, he didn’t realize he’d tossed out a fortune. But the hard drive contained 7500 Bitcoins the Welsh-born IT professional had “mined” several years before – now worth a whopping $7.5 million, as the digital...

Invest to Protect Investments

Smart investing creates opportunities for building wealth over the long term, and that’s what makes investing – and real estate investing in particular -- so appealing. But there’s another kind of investment that many would-be entrepreneurs miss – the smaller...

Mortgage Lending: A New Direction for 2014?

After nearly five years of ups nd downs following the massive housing collapse of 2008, the mortgage industry may be facing a watershed year in 2014 – and the shift from refinancing to purchases could mean good news for the economy as a whole. According to a new...

Is Foreign Investment Driving the Recovery?

By several major benchmarks, the economic recovery appears to be on the upswing. The employment picture is rosier and the housing market –always the backbone of economic stability – is humming too. But a recent report by the National Association of Realtors reveals...

Ten Quotes In Praise of Property

In a volatile world filled with economic uncertainty, real estate endures. That’s why a healthy housing market supports a rosy outlook for other indicators such as employment and consumer purchasing. The value of real estate as a stable commodity that supports the...

Can the Coin Make Wallets Obsolete?

The boundary between the physical and digital worlds continues to blur. More and more financial transactions are one-click easy thanks to an array of digital tools. Now, a new device called the Coin aims to convert a user’s entire wallet to a single digital device...

Are Big Banks in the Government’s Cross Hairs?

Last week, JP Morgan Chase settled yet another banking fraud case for a cool $18 billion – the largest single settlement ever for an individual company. As the US Department of Justice readies yet more criminal charges against Chase and other megabanks, some financial...

When Banks Say No, Private Loans Open Doors

By some key benchmarks, this is a good time to borrow money. Interest rates are staying relatively low and more consumer protections are in place to help borrowers avoid becoming victims of bad baking practices. But in spite of – and in part because of - those...

Mortgage Lenders Send Mixed Messages

It’s been five years since the housing crash of 2008 and the subsequent unfolding of widespread malfeasance in the banking and mortgage lending industry, but the dust hasn’t settled yet. The complex interplay between bank fraud lawsuits, government-backed legislation...