Despite the European debt crisis and the related market turmoil, total U.S. exports demonstrated six months of record-breaking increases last year and reached an all-time high of nearly $180 billion in September 2011.1–2 Rising exports have generated nearly half of U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) growth since the recession ended in June 2009.3 Sales of […]

  Toward the end of 2011, an index that measures the hiring intentions of small businesses rose to its highest level in three years, and another report estimated that small businesses have added about 1.2 million new jobs since October 2009.1–2 All told, businesses with fewer than 500 employees have created about 65% of new jobs […]

  It’s not surprising that some people have a strong desire to steer their money toward entities that endeavor to make a difference in the world. Growing investor interest — and wider recognition that social and environmental issues can amount to material financial risks and/or rewards for corporations — has landed socially responsible investments (SRIs) […]

  Lawsuits have become increasingly common in our society. From 1951 through 2009, the cost of torts (civil suits) rose at more than double the annual rate of general inflation and even surpassed the annual increase in medical expenses (see chart). In this litigious environment, it is especially important to protect your assets and your […]

  Nearly 20 million U.S. households have a Roth IRA — a significant number considering that it has been around only since 1998. However, Roth IRA participation still lags behind that of traditional IRAs, which were first introduced in 1974.1 The good news is that you can invest in more than one type of IRA […]

  In April, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecasted global economic growth of 3.5% for 2012, noting that the U.S. economy had gradually gained momentum, whereas China and other emerging economies appeared to be headed for gradual slowdowns. However, the IMF also warned that if the debt crisis in Europe deteriorated into a worldwide financial […]