Investors looking for the next “big thing” in investing are likely to find what they want by seeking out small cap stocks. Small caps are a somewhat flexible term, but any company with a market capitalization under $1 billion is definitely one.  In today’s world, with some companies having trillion-dollar-plus valuations, even $10 billion could be considered small, although after that, you start to get into the mid cap category. Some are growth stocks with a high earnings yield, others are value stocks as determined by fundamental analysis. And not all small caps are penny stocks, as many s...

The stock market has had an incredible ride this year, and with many workers now stuck and home and with sports events cancelled or delayed indefinitely, chances are the ride will stay wild.  That’s because this year’s events have resulted in a confluence of new investors.  Whether they’re simply folks finding more free time during working hours or someone finally willing to try out the stock market with a stimulus (or unemployment) check, there’s been an explosion in small retail investors this year. A few are even skipping straight to futures or options trading, more obscure corners of...

Oil. Black gold. Texas tea. However you refer to it, it’s still a product in hot demand, even in a world seeing lower and lower costs for alternative energy. While the oil sector can be cyclical, it’s also tied to the economy. So it’s no surprise that oil has had a tough year, with Brent crude prices going from $60 at the start of 2020 to negative $40 as traders needed to get out of futures contracts, to a pop back to $40.  That’s an overall move off the lows of $80 per barrel, and chances are with a gradual economic recovery, oil and gasoline demand will remain robust and higher crude o...