As Fear Gripped Markets, Even Reliable Mutual Fund Strategies Didn't Work. It's been a rocky year for all investors, but for those who parked their money in mutual funds, it's been downright shocking.

An Unbelievable Yield. Telephone reps at mutual fund companies usually read from a script. Not the fellow I got Monday afternoon on Vanguard's line, name of Irwin. He was a live wire, speaking extemporaneously and with enthusiasm when I asked whether it's true that Vanguard Tax Exempt Money Market Fund..

Surviving the Storm. The message was hard to miss last week: No more wishful thinking -- it's time to prepare yourself for a grim job market.

China to allow margin trading, short selling on trial basis: govt. China will soon allow margin trading and short selling of securities on a trial basis, the China Securities Regulatory Commission said Sunday.

30-year mortgages rise to 6.10 percent. Rates on 30-year mortgages have risen for a second straight week, climbing to the highest level in a month.

Asian markets plunge on fears crisis is spreading. Asian stock markets plunged Monday as investors took scant comfort from Washingtons passage of a $700 billion bank bailout and focused instead on deepening financial turmoil in Europe that threatens to slow global growth.

Giving Cash to Children. When should kids be taught about money? Personally, I think as soon as possible. Even expectant mothers should discuss finances with their kids while they're in the womb. Hey, why not? We're told to play classical music during pregnancy. So why not turn on CNBC or the Fox business network for the..

Young Adults Should Handle Own Finances. Age 21 and Beyond: Ready to Launch Once your kids are college seniors and you're confident they've learned to make their spending money last for a whole semester, they're ready to apply for a credit card -- on their own. My rule: Don't put your kids on your accounts or, even worse, co-sign for their..

Congress passes bailout, focus shifts to fallout. The U.S. government enacted a landmark $700 billion bank bailout on Friday, but investors questioned whether it could contain a panic that began on Wall Street and spread to become a global financial crisis.

Talking to Your Kids About the Financial Crisis. Last week I called my son, the college sophomore, and asked if the financial crisis was topic A in his economics class. "Not really," said Peter. "We have a test coming up so we're covering the material in class.".

Stocks sink, yen surges as crisis intensifies. Asian stocks fell 4 percent on Monday and the yen surged to a 2-year high against the euro as investors doubted the scattered European response to the financial crisis and the $700 billion U.S. bank bailout could prevent a global recession.

What's Hot -- and What's Not. You don't top your peers every year for the past dozen years by adhering to conventional thinking. That, at least, is the reasoning of Rudolph-Riad Younes, co-manager of the remarkable Julius Baer International Equity A fund.

AIG to keep core insurance, sell assets to pay U.S. loan. American International Group Inc, crippled by losses on bad mortgage bets, said on Friday it will focus on its main insurance operations and put the rest of its businesses up for sale to repay up to $85 billion borrowed from the U.S. government.

Slip in Oil Creates Updraft for Airlines. Own oil stocks lately? Not good. Own airlines? Good. The misfortune of the one has been a blessing for the other. Since oil prices peaked on July 3 and started to head down, airline stocks have taken off, lifted by the promise of lower fuel prices. Of the 21 publicly traded airlines, shares of al..

The Wall Street Whirlwind. Boy, that felt bad. Few investors can remember a more tortuous quarter than the one that just passed. The financial system creaked and rocked and nearly collapsed. The names are notched in our nightmares: Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch, AIG, Washington Mutual. So how did..

Chart a Road Map to Weather Rocky Times. In the 1950 movie "All About Eve," actress Bette Davis slyly uttered a memorable line: "Fasten your seat belts. It's going to be a bumpy night.".

AIG to sell Japanese life insurance units. American International Group Inc, plans to sell its three Japanese life insurance businesses, an AIG spokesman said on Saturday, in sale Japanese media estimated could top $9.5 billion.

Lawmakers reject bailout as markets swoon. U.S. lawmakers rejected a $700 billion bailout plan for the financial industry in a shock vote that sent global markets sliding as the world credit crisis claimed more banks.

August Retail Sales, Wholesale Prices. After a week of dismal data, this week could offer a breather. Friday, the Commerce Department will report retail sales figures for August. Given that major retail chains reported weak August sales last week, don't look for any uplifting numbers, but economists do expect a 0.3 percent gain. Also..

Toronto stocks dive as commodities retreat. The Toronto Stock Exchange's main index fell nearly 7 percent on Thursday to its lowest level in more than two years, battered by concerns over the outlook for fertilizer producers and a drop in oil and gold prices.