Dragons Breath

To hear American carmakers and the United Auto Workers tell it, government assistance is non-negotiable. Cash infusions courtesy of the taxpayer are necessary to protect a vital industry, keep people employed, and maintain Detroit’s place as one of commerce’s “shining beacons.” Yet the world’s second-largest car company manages to not onlyContinue Reading

Investors who want to own stocks in the technology sector may decide to buy exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that track the Nasdaq. When investors refer to the Nasdaq, they typically refer to the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index, which is composed of more than 2,500 companies. Companies in this group vary widely inContinue Reading

There are distinct benefits to grandparents paying for early education for their grandchildren. Most nanas and pop-pops have probably heard about the benefits of funding a 529 account. This type of account helps pay off those formidable education costs by allowing their issue’s issue to draw from it tax-free toContinue Reading

The steel industry is part of the basic materials sector and consists of companies involved in steel production, mining, and related activities. Although steel historically has been a major U.S. industry, the number of steel mills that produce the metal has declined sharply in the past several decades due toContinue Reading

The COVID hangover is real. Apple Inc. (AAPL) recently decided to delay staff’s return to the office until at least January 2022, pushing back its original target of October. But with surging cases, Delta and Lambda variants running rampant, and the CDC’s reversal of mask guidelines, Apple wants to playContinue Reading

Companies in the consumer discretionary sector sell goods and services that are considered non-essential, such as appliances, cars, and entertainment. Prominent examples include Home Depot Inc. (HD), McDonald’s Corp. (MCD), and Nike Inc. (NKE). Consumer discretionary companies tend to be more sensitive to the overall business cycle because consumers areContinue Reading

Oil generates revenue for countries with enough oil reserves to produce more than their domestic consumption. And for those economies that are heavily dependent on imports, oil expenditures must be factored into national budgets. Not surprisingly, events like unrest in oil-producing regions, new oil field discoveries, and advances in extractionContinue Reading

Honda Motor Company (HMC) is a public multinational auto manufacturer headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The company also manufactures motorcycles, power equipment, jet aircraft, solar cells, and robotics. It has assembly plants in Europe, North and South America, and Asia. Honda has established major manufacturing plants in the United States, and in 2013,Continue Reading

The reserve ratio is the amount of reserves – or cash deposits – that a bank must hold on to and not lend out. The greater the reserve requirement, the less money that a bank can potentially lend – but this excess cash also staves off a banking failure andContinue Reading