Stocks have just about doubled since March 2009 and individual investors don’t seem to care. Jason Zweig has details and explains why he thinks it may be awhile before small investors return to the market.

Errors occur most frequently when judgment is rocked out of the boat by emotion, hindsight, and misconceptions about how securities react to varying economic, political, and hysterical currents. You are the commander of your investment yacht. Use these ten risk-minimizers as investment capital life preservers:

Risk minimization requires the identification of what’s inside a portfolio. Risk control requires decision-making by the owner of the investment assets. Risk management requires a selection process from a universe of securities that meet a known set of qualitative standards.

Risk minimization requires the identification of what’s inside a portfolio. Risk control requires decision-making by the owner of the investment assets. Risk management requires a selection process from a universe of securities that meet a known set of qualitative standards.

Why do we jump through all of these “prevent-defense” hoops? Because we just don’t know how or have the patience to design and manage a classic, safer, plain vanilla, stocks and bonds portfolio. The market cycle is the favorite son of the investment gods. You either make it your friend or fail as an investor!

The Stock Market is a dynamic place where investors can consistently make reasonable returns on their capital if they comply with the basic principles of the endeavor AND if they don’t measure their progress too frequently with irrelevant measuring devices

By Jonathan Burton SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Knowing that there can be too much of a good thing, many investors are wary about how stock and bond markets this year will follow their remarkable 2009 surge. One thing’s for sure: This year won’t be like the last. “We’re not going up 65% in the first [...]

by Douglas Rice Thursday, December 24, 2009 Becoming a millionaire used to mean you were on top of the world. Nowadays, it means you are climbing up the ladder. While a million dollars is completely out of reach for many people, it’s just a step along the way for many others. Why? Because it doesn’t [...]

Robert Lenzner, 11.20.09, 7:13 PM ET Odds are the huge rebound since March has run its course. And even though it yields nothing, it’s time to raise cash. Nothing is screamingly cheap. The easy money has been made in both equities and fixed income. From the low point in March, it seems you can’t pick [...]