Anxiety. Uncertainty. Tension. Deadly terrorist attacks. And a dire situation in Syria with no end in sight. 2015 has been a volatile year and November was a particularly volatile month. Little surprise that the markets reflect our global unease, off 1% at the end of the month and with many segments in the red for the year as a whole.

Innovation fuels the investment industry with a steady stream of new products. And yet many of these products are unproven, with hidden risks and consequences that even seasoned investors can’t foresee. Here we take a closer look at one of the industry’s greatest innovations of the 21^st century—Exchange Traded Funds, or “ETFs”—now grown into a multi-trillion dollar marketplace. Does this much-touted product serve your best interests? Read on.

A rewarding month following Q3 turbulence. Whew! You could almost hear the sigh of relief as stocks climbed sharply in October. Take a look at the numbers.

This appealing strategy has pitfalls, too. Who doesn’t want to reduce their tax bill? At the end of the year, one popular tactic is tax loss harvesting, a strategy of selling stocks, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds and other investments that are worth less than what one paid for them. The idea is to use losses to offset realized capital gains on other investments. On the surface, tax loss harvesting seems attractive, but is it a good fit for the long-term investor? It depends.

THE REWARDS OF DOING NOTHING. The end of Q3 was a textbook example of why it pays to be a passive investor. Stocks swung wildly during the final week of August, only to be followed by a quick recovery in which the biggest losers bounced back fast. (Pity the poor investor who sold in fear early that week. But that wasn’t you.) October month to date, US markets have gained 3.8%, international developed markets 5.5%, and emerging markets 7.3%. Read on for our Q3 review, advice about what to do during market corrections, and news about the latest financial come-ons from Wall Street.   

Reaching For A Better Solution: Is Smart Beta Right for You? Wouldn’t it be great if you could reap equal or greater returns while lowering your risk? That’s the allure of new “smart beta” strategies. But are these strategies proven and reliable or simply the latest marketing gimmick to reel in gullible investors? Here we offer a quick primer on what smart beta investing is all about, and advice for those considering it.

AUGUST AGITATION. The dog days of summer brought wild swings in the stock market, testing the fortitude of seasoned investors trained to hold on through market routs. Was August a harbinger of things to come? If so, what should you do now? We’ve got insights and advice to share. Let’s begin with a review of August results.

Many investors are concerned about the news coming from Europe and China. How should investors behave in the midst of a financial crisis? Should one do something different with his or her portfolio? — Let’s look at July’s results before we answer these important questions.

The DJIA climbs above 18,000 but your portfolio performance is tepid. What’s up with that? Learn the answers in our 2015 Q2 review and commentary. Despite a bumpy ride throughout the second quarter, global markets remained calm and stocks traded in a narrow range as Wall Street weighed the debt crisis in Greece, credit problems in Puerto Rico, the see-saw in Chinese stocks and prospects for a U.S interest rate hike. Then, after approaching historic highs, the Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index declined in the last few days of June, finishing the second quarter with a barely positive 0.28 percent return (dividends included).

HOUSTON, DO WE HAVE A PROBLEM? What will happen when interest rates rise? How will it affect your portfolio and the economy at large? This month we consider the potential disruptive force of rising U.S. interest rates and suggest a time-tested strategy for protection.But first, let’s review the numbers from May.