City of Oakland, California, municipal bonds. How can I buy them? Good/bad idea? [more inside]
posted by Mountain Goatse on Jun 19, 2009 - 7 answers

For investing small amounts every month, is a S&P 500 index fund or a tax-free bond fund more beneficial? [more inside]
posted by stevechemist on May 13, 2009 - 11 answers

How risky are bond mutual funds? [more inside]
posted by david1230 on May 10, 2009 - 3 answers

Seeking fire-and-forget asset class investment advice for retirement: TIPS? Global Equities Index/Wilshire 5000? I know this is mildly controversial, but it seems like the 'common sense' approach has changed lately from "stocks for the long run" to "risk = loss." See especially here. [more inside]
posted by anotherpanacea on Mar 26, 2009 - 7 answers

Speak to me of deficits. If a country goes into deficit by selling bonds to other countries' foreign banks, is that debt ever used as a geopolitical bargaining chip? Why/why not? [more inside]
posted by [ixia] on Feb 5, 2009 - 11 answers

Two years ago, when the DJIA was at 11,200, I thought the market was approaching its peak, and I moved money from an index stock fund to government bonds. For the next two years, I kicked myself as the market hit 14,000. [more inside]
posted by CollectiveMind on Oct 12, 2008 - 15 answers

In June 2007, I bought a 5-year bond with a 6.5% coupon on the day it was issued. I understand how bond prices rise and fall, generally as a result of interest rates and confidence that the bond issuer will be able to repay the debt. However, I have a few nagging questions about this investment... [more inside]
posted by kamelhoecker on Sep 13, 2008 - 4 answers

So, we just had a baby and grandmothers keep coming up to us and handing us checks for $50 and saying "This is so you can buy a savings bond for the baby." However, I would like to hear about alternative saving/investing ideas for my daughter. [more inside]
posted by ND¢ on Jul 28, 2008 - 18 answers

What's the advantage of treasuries over savings accounts? [more inside]
posted by justkevin on Jun 25, 2008 - 11 answers

InvestingFilter: Is there anything inherently flawed about investing in index funds? [more inside]
posted by reenum on Jun 18, 2008 - 24 answers

Please to give ideas on depressed stocks/funds/securities to put some money into during the downturn. [more inside]
posted by SlyBevel on May 12, 2008 - 14 answers

Please suggest publications or online resources you like for the purpose of monitoring the direction of financial markets. [more inside]
posted by beagle on May 7, 2008 - 2 answers

Strips-Tint-US Treasury (bonds)... I need to know the original cost/adjusted basis for reference number: XXXXXXXXX and XXXXXXXXX. What is my tax person asking? How do I get this info? Google has failed me.
posted by zeek321 on Apr 11, 2008 - 3 answers

Help me understand US Treasury securities. [more inside]
posted by Flunkie on Apr 4, 2008 - 10 answers

My neighbor's husband is currently holed up at Riker's while his people are scraping bail money together... She's almost there and they both have asked me to cosign the bail bond or whatever it is... [more inside]
posted by eedele on Jan 22, 2008 - 25 answers

What is a bricks-and-mortar store at which I could buy a set of model elements / bonds - the molecule model things that students use as they are learning organic chemistry? [more inside]
posted by Chanther on Jan 7, 2008 - 14 answers

Can I short sell a bond? [more inside]
posted by amsterdam63 on Dec 5, 2007 - 5 answers

NASD licenses (specifically series 7 & 63) requires company sponsorship to obtain. Once obtained, you need company sponsorship to maintain the licenses. Is there a company who will maintain your licenses for you while you are not working in the financial industry? Perhaps for a fee on top of the annual registration costs? I believe you have two years from separation with your employer to obtain a new sponsor.
posted by lawstudent09 on Oct 6, 2007 - 5 answers

Does this (fictional) international finance scenario I'm writing make sense? If not, how can I tweak it so it's more accurate? (Bond traders, investment bankers, or economy-buffs, feel free to chip in!) [more inside]
posted by np312 on Oct 3, 2007 - 8 answers

Help me ascertain the correct job title for a character I’m writing who deals in high stakes international finance. Difficulty level: I have a limited understanding about stocks, bonds, or securities. [more inside]
posted by np312 on Sep 14, 2007 - 8 answers

My daughters regularly get US Savings Bonds from relatives as presents. Can I do better for them? [more inside]
posted by mcstayinskool on May 24, 2007 - 11 answers

I've got $20,000 coming to me, and this may possibly be a bad thing. Mature Bonds vs. Charity filter... [more inside]
posted by josingsinthehall on Nov 28, 2006 - 9 answers

I'm trying to get some decent, low risk investment income in the short term, as I am in a state where I may need access to my funds as early as 6 months to a year from now. Where should I put my money? [more inside]
posted by evadery on Sep 21, 2006 - 10 answers

Help me understand U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities. [more inside]
posted by ikkyu2 on Sep 3, 2006 - 12 answers

Kids Savings bond (EE) question: If they are past their "hold" period, isn't it better to cash them in and put into their 529 fund where they are likely to earn better than 3-4%???
posted by turtle42 on Sep 2, 2006 - 2 answers

Investment finance question: Where can i find the historical correlation coefficients between Certificates of Deposits and US. Gov't bonds? Where can I find the equivalent info for Canadian GICs vs Canadian gov't bonds?
posted by storybored on May 16, 2006 - 2 answers

BaseballFilter: Any statistical analyses on Barry Bonds' alleged steroid use? [more inside]
posted by Xalf on May 8, 2006 - 16 answers

My grandmother recently passed away and in her possession we discovered a matured "CATS" (Certificate of Accrual on Treasury Securities) "Series P" bond to be paid to my name. It's nothing huge, a few thousand dollars, but it matured in 2002. Though I'm fairly sure I've figured out how to redeem it, I'm having absolutely no success in understanding exactly what a "CATS" bond is. Plenty of Google results but it's all Greek to me, quite frankly. [more inside]
posted by incomple on Apr 11, 2006 - 21 answers

I want as many links as can be given for real estate websites. Actually its a little more specific than that. I dont know much about real estate, and its something I would like to know much more about. I dont want any websites that are real estate directories, only websites that have articles about real estate. preferably beginner articles, but thats not necessary. I would also appreciate similar links to articles about other types of investment. Also, any good real estate forums would be helpful. Thanks.
posted by JokingClown on Nov 16, 2005 - 12 answers

I’m looking for help establishing a college fund for the children of a murder victim. [more inside]
posted by Doug on Oct 25, 2005 - 4 answers

I was given a $500 savings bond dated 7/27/05. Is there any way to cash it in today?
posted by UncleHornHead on Oct 6, 2005 - 17 answers

InvestmentFilter
You've got $10,000 to invest for your 6 month old child. How do you invest it for security and growth? (+) [more inside]
posted by fenriq on Dec 29, 2004 - 26 answers

Investment Question: Broadly speaking, if somebody believes that interest rates are likely to substantially increase in the near to mid-term, what would be the best investment strategy?
posted by willnot on Nov 3, 2004 - 5 answers

Election season special. Just to make sure I'm not missing anything: when a ballot measure says it will "issue $30 million in bonds" to pay for a highway or school retrofit, that means "go into debt" or "borrow the money," right?

Secondarily, let's say such a measure passes - what's to stop a legislature from canceling it thereafter, in order to balance a state/federal/municipal budget? Is that bond money somehow "separate" from the general fund?
posted by scarabic on Oct 21, 2004 - 7 answers

Tradeweb is an unqualified success. Built in collaboration with eight major banks, it's a trading platform to facilitate the sale of bonds and other fixed-income assets. It's hosted over 46 trillion dollars in transactions. Yet this Reuters article says that Thomson just acquired the platform for between 500 million and a billion dollars - which seems like an impossibly low price. How is that possible? (from the give mark-cuban-a-login department)
posted by djacobs on May 21, 2004 - 4 answers

InvestmentFilter: So I'm permanent now at work, and have to pick a 401k option. I don't think i'll be there for many years, and cashed out the last time I had one. (But then again, i'm older now, and 70 is only 31 years away).What do you guys suggest for a 1-3 year timeframe, 401k-wise, given the fluctuating market? (If I need to, I have absolutely no qualms about cashing out again, and have never had much faith in the market at all, in general.) [more inside]
posted by amberglow on Jan 29, 2004 - 23 answers