Oil Prices Are At Two-Year Lows - Should You Buy Now?

By: Eric Winter of Street Authority

Stock exchanges are not alone in seeing prices pull back lately. In at least one case, however, that is actually a good thing.

Drivers both state-side and abroad have no doubt felt the pain at the pump subsiding this fall. In the United States, many gas stations are now hawking unleaded for under $3.00 a gallon -- a welcome sight in my eyes, at least.

Those lower prices have come at a cost to some portfolios, however.

Oil prices have been steadily declining since making highs in June, falling from north of $104 to around $81 at the time this article was written. Considering that nearly every industry is affected by oil in some way, this means there’s a good chance some of your holdings have fallen in tandem.

Naturally, oil explorers, producers, and those along the supply chain have been hit the hardest. Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE: XOM), the world’s largest oil company by revenue, has fallen 11% since July. In contrast, the SP 500 is only down 2.6% in the same time period. Continue reading "Oil Prices Are At Two-Year Lows - Should You Buy Now?"

4 Lessons From Buffett That Every Investor Needs To Know

By: Eric Winter of Street Authority

Behind each trade or investment, they are there... lurking, waiting to reveal themselves during a moment of weakness.

They are the four fears of investing.

I learned about these early into my trading career, and I've been a victim of each one over time. All drama aside, they affect every investor or trader who actively manages his or her own money.

In no particular order, the four fears are as follows:

1. Fear Of Loss
2. Fear Of Missing Out
3. Fear Of Letting A Profit Turn Into A Loss
4. Fear Of Being Wrong

Despite their prevalence, there are fortunately many methods to help conquer each of these fears. One of these tools comes from the long career and immortalized wisdom of the Oracle of Omaha himself.

While I can't be 100% sure what Warren Buffett would say in regard to each of these problems, we can use his bank of interview quotes and newsletter excerpts to infer what the billionaire would say about understanding and conquering each problem. Continue reading "4 Lessons From Buffett That Every Investor Needs To Know"

High-Frequency Trading: What You Need To Know

Being the "little guy" in the markets is never easy, it seems.

The recent airing of a "60 Minutes" special concerning high-frequency trading (HFT) and Michael Lewis' new book, "Flash Boys: A Wall Street Revolt," went into detail on how retail investors are being duped by this new wave of algorithmic gurus and computer experts.

Lewis' book has sparked controversy across the investing community, with the "Liar's Poker" author claiming the stock market is "rigged." Some high-frequency firms argue the heat is unwarranted, saying they provide liquidity and keep fees down. Just how bad investors are being affected and just how much money is being made from HFT practices have been debated since the program aired. Continue reading "High-Frequency Trading: What You Need To Know"