Useful Websites for Investors
Provided here is a list of websites of interest to investors…
General Investor Information
American Association of Individual Investors – (www.aaii.com) AAII is a nonprofit organization that arms individual investors with the education and tools they need to build wealth. From stock investing to financial planning and retirement funding, AAII covers all your needs.
Chicago Board of Options Exchange (CBOE) – (www.cboe.com/default.aspx) The definitive source for options trading information and education.
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) – (www.sec.gov/investor.shtml) The mission of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is to protect investors, maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets, and facilitate capital formation.
Securities and Exchange Commission Company Lookup (EDGAR) – (www.sec.gov/edgar/) provided by SEC which includes the EDGAR of disclosure documents that public companies are required to file with the Commission.
NYSE Euronext – (www.nyse.com/) NYSE Euronext (NYX), the world’s leading and most diverse exchange group, completed its acquisition of the American Stock Exchange® (Amex®), becoming the third-largest U.S. options marketplace and enhancing the company’s leadership in ETFs, cash equities, closed-end funds and structured products.
Yahoo! Finance – (finance.yahoo.com) Favorite website providing full-featured investment education and valuable investor resources.
Google Finance – (www.google.com/finance) Favorite website providing full-featured investment education and valuable investor resources.
Investopedia – (www.investopedia.com/) Investopedia helps you understand complex financial concepts, improve your investing skills, and learn how to manage your money. Whether you’re in a classroom, a boardroom or your living room, our editors and network of financial advisors and experts have answered your questions and proudly earned your trust since 1999.
For bond investors – www.investinginbonds.com, and www.emma.msrb.org.
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) – (www.finra.org/Investors/ProtectYourself/index.htm) The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), is the largest non-governmental regulator for all securities firms doing business in the United States. All told, FINRA oversees nearly 5,000 brokerage firms, about 173,000 branch offices and approximately 659,000 registered securities representatives.
Created in July 2007 through the consolidation of NASD and the member regulation, enforcement and arbitration functions of the New York Stock Exchange, FINRA is dedicated to investor protection and market integrity through effective and efficient regulation and complementary compliance and technology-based services.
Leading Economic Indicators
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED) – (fred.stlouisfed.org/) This site offers a wealth of economic data and information to promote economic education and enhance economic research. The widely used database FRED is updated regularly and allows 24/7 access to regional and national financial and economic data.
Economic events calendar – (www.census.gov/epcd/econ/www/indijun.htm) U.S. Census Bureau calendar of economic indicator statistics release dates.
Consumer confidence – (www.conferenceboard.org) measures how consumers feel about their personal economic situation, and their expectations for the future.
Consumer price index – (www.bls.gov) Department of Labor – Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Consumer Price Indexes (CPI) program produces monthly data on changes in the prices paid by urban consumers for a representative basket of goods and services.
Crude oil prices – (www.bloomberg.com/energy) Changes in crude oil prices affects consumer spending. Higher prices in effect add an “oil tax” on consumer budgets.
Currency – (finance.yahoo.com/currency-investing) A rising or falling U.S. dollar impacts exports. As the dollar declines, it is cheaper for foreigners to buy U.S. goods and services, helping multinational companies. A falling dollar may lower foreign demand for U.S. securities.
Durable Goods – (www.census.gov/manufacturing/m3/index.html ) Orders for hard goods (self-life of at least 3 years).
Employment report – (www.dol.gov) The United States Department of Labor’s official website.
Interest rates – (www.federalreserve.gov) When the Fed cutes rates, it is attempting to stimulate the economy. When it raises rates, it is applying the “breaks”. Bond prices usually fall when interest rates rise.
Housing starts – (www.commerce.gov) The U.S. Department of Commerce.
Producer price index – (www.bls.gov) The Producer Price Index (PPI) program measures the average change over time in the selling prices received by domestic producers for their output. The prices included in the PPI are from the first commercial transaction for many products and some services.
Retail sales – (www.census.gov/retail) Retail sales data are an excellent gauge of consumer confidence.
Hint: When analyzing leading economic indicators, it is import to look beyond the immediate number and evaluate the change since the previous report as well as the direction of the change of the past several reports. In other words, analyze the trend of the data.
Taxation
Internal Revenue Service – (www.irs.gov/) U.S. Department of the Treasury providing access to taxes forms, publications, and tax topics.
The Joint Committee on Taxation – (www.house.gov/) The Joint Committee on Taxation is a nonpartisan committee of the United States Congress, originally established under the Revenue Act of 1926. The Joint Committee operates with an experienced professional staff of economists, attorneys, and accountants who assist Members of the majority and minority parties in both houses of Congress on tax legislation.