Stock market-wise, I wish we were back in July 2008. At that time, a 1% swing in the market was an anomaly. Today, it’s the norm. And even though we’ve seen volatility calm down somewhat in recent weeks, don’t be fooled. As we enter another earnings season, we’ll see volatility pick up again. So what are you going to do?

U.S. stock futures pointed to a flat open on Tuesday after data showed April home prices in 20 U.S. cities declined, but less than expected.

Long-short investing strategies aren’t just for hedge funds anymore. Many investors believed diversified “long-only” portfolios would always serve them well, regardless of the market conditions. They expected certain asset classes would perform well even as others were struggling.

A quiet Friday… Euro hits 1.30…  Chinese concern…  This week in data… And Now… Today’s Pfennig!

We are in the midst of the worst economy in decades. Corporate earnings are falling. Unemployment is rising. And there looks to be no relief in sight. While the stock market is due for a bounce (probably a big one), there is no doubt that the general trend is still down.

Emotions still rule the market. The equities market is soaring today thanks to one CEO’s “memo” that promises this whole financial mess is overdone. Why should we believe him now?

If you know how to play the volatile nature of the commodity sector, this article is not for you. Lee Lowell of the Smart Profits Report gives three reasons why commodity investing has changed for the better, and how to profit from them.

Karim Rahemtulla of the Smart Profits Report is on a mission. He is here to rescue you out of the darkness, doom and gloom and into the light on investing in the “brutal bear” market.

This may turn out to be the week options traders have been waiting for. Since this economic crisis began to unfold in early September, the CBOE’s volatility index (the VIX) has soared to record levels. Only recently has the upward pressure begun to wane.

Today, the situation for the VIX is looking quite intriguing. The highly watched index found the momentum to drop below its 50-day moving average. The VIX is currently indicated at 58.93, just below the moving average’s level slightly above the 60 level.

This is only the second time since the end of August the index has traded below its 50-day average. The last time was in late November and the trend lasted for just a few trading sessions.…

Short-term speculators are selling Asian stocks in their droves. No more so than in my favourite market of them all: Vietnam.