These violent market swings can be devastating for the short-term investor. But Jon Herring says market volatility is handing long-term investors a once-in-a-generation chance to buy world-dominating companies at bargain prices.

The typical dividend aristocrat is a mature company with wide moat that has weathered the storms of many boom and bust cycles while continuing to increase dividend payments to shareholders. These companies as well as the dividend champions are the cornerstone to my dividend strategy.

Barron's latest ranking of the companies most esteemed by investors highlights some familiar favorites, including No. 1-ranked Johnson & Johnson.

The transcript of the May 16, 2008 Ruane, Cunniff & Goldfarb Investor Day at the St. Regis Hotel, New York City. The transcript includes a lot of interesting questions about individual stocks.

Now that more than half the year is behind us, I thought it would be interesting to look at my top 5 performers through July 31, 2008. As dismal as the stock market has been this year, there are still some bright spots. One bright spot is that my top five performers have all achieved double-digit positive total returns since I owned them and positive returns in 2008. Here they are with comments:

A closer look at GMO’s 7-year asset class expected returns.

A summary and commentary of the previous and current economic indicators, including CPI, consumer spending, and more.

some things are just silly

Mackey is dreaming

Tom Dyson says the best way to protect your portfolio from the fallout of a failing Fannie and Freddie is to invest in high-dividend stocks…

Energy covers everything from the oil majors to small alt-energy start-ups. This is a tricky sector. If you don’t pick and choose carefully, you could easily lose your shirt.

Now that the markets are in bear market territory several questions come to mind.
1. How long will the bear market last?
2. Should one invest in stocks now?
Also, a table on length of last nine bear markets.

Slim purchased 998,500 shares of Saks for $9.6 million, an average of $9.64 a share.

We’re standing on the tracks and the train is coming, says Wayne Mulligan. But that’s no reason for investors to not play the market. Wayne says going long on discount retailers is the best way to profit from low consumer confidence. And with fuel prices on an unsustainable uptrend, investors should look to the alternative energy market. Meanwhile, the auto industry is facing ruin.

This short post by Todd Sullivan includes a video of Warren Buffett and Bill Gates being interviewed on Fox Business. The topic is missed acquisition opportunities.