Investing Insights

Negative second-quarter GDP growth is not out of the question, says Morningstar's Bob Johnson, but the third and fourth quarters should rebound.

Companies that have solid intellectual property and very strong portfolios around software will continue to drive earnings growth and are good long-term holdings, says Morningstar's Grady Burkett.

As yields rose, both taxable- and municipal-bond funds saw record monthly redemptions in absolute terms in June.

Five stats from the market and the stories behind them. This week: the Fed's word on flexibility, Microsoft's new look, and two e-bookends.

Deficit reductions for the current fiscal year could lead to less government borrowing, but also less spending, which would weigh on GDP, says Morningstar's Bob Johnson.

Morningstar's Matt Coffina and Connie Hsu put master limited partnerships in layman's terms but note few values currently exist among these energy firms.

The recent slip in performance of PIMCO's Total Return mutual fund and ETF is no reason for investors to sell shares, as the funds have strong track records, say Morningstar's Tim Strauts and Eric Jacobson.

Five stats from the market and the stories behind them. This week: No game-changer in June jobs, a yield surge in Portugal, and our suggested allocation to the bitcoin ETF.

Although June payroll gains were better than recent averages and hourly earnings rose, the report was not entirely upbeat, says Morningstar's Bob Johnson.

Many managers are of the mind that rates have gone about as far as they're going to go for a while, so investors probably don't want to exit the bond market while their funds are down, reports Morningstar's Eric Jacobson. Plus, get an update on fund category performance in the second quarter as well as updates on fund leaders and laggards, including PIMCO Total Return.

The outcome of the Detroit's distressed-debt situation could be a litmus test for how other municipalities nationwide move forward with their payment obligations.

Five stats from the market and the stories behind them. This week: consumers drag down GDP, home sales hit a six-year high, and target-date funds reach $500 billion in assets.

Tweedy, Browne manager John Spears touches on his team's process in finding yield opportunities, and also his appreciation for Wells Fargo.

Although the third read on first-quarter GDP came in lighter than expected, Morningstar's Bob Johnson is sticking with 2%-2.25% full-year GDP estimate.

Even if you're a staunch DIY investor, a financial professional can provide very useful input for retirement planning, estate planning, taxes, and more.