Last night, my wife sent me out of the house to pick up a few grocery items, she was cooking a special desert for an Independence Day barbeque that we were invited to.  It was late, so I headed to my local Mega-Wal-Mart.  The parking lot was packed and people were loading up their cars with everything from groceries to cheap imported Chinese goods. Read the full story

Many investors believe that if you want to achieve big returns, you have to take big risks. They believe that safe, boring companies yield nothing but boring results. These investors are wrong. And it has cost them a fortune. Read the full story

Tuesday

Earnings Announcements: AMAT

Wednesday

Economic Reports: Retail Sales

This is the first major report coming out this week, and could have a real impact on the markets. Expectations are for a decline in sales since last month, albeit at a slower rate than previous months. I’ve mentioned it before, but until Americans feel confident about the future of the economy, they won’t spend money. A slowing decline could show some hope that things are bottoming out. Tied into this report, and worth noting, is the large number of clothing retailers that are reporting this week (Macy’s, Nordstrom’s, JC Penney, Abercrombie and Fitch, Kohl’s, and American Apparel), and Wal-Mart’s earnings are announced on Thursday. Read the full story

I suggest you only purchase companies that have a history of consistently raising their dividends.  These companies will survive and thrive no matter what happens in the economy. Read the full story