By Matthew Kerkhoff

Last month we introduced a new series on options. The goal of this series is to provide a basic overview on how options can be used to help protect and manage a portfolio.

In the first article we discussed exactly what calls and puts are, and went over some of the vocabulary associated with options. If you missed it, click here to read that article first.

Today we’re going to explore calls and puts in more detail, and walk through examples of buying and selling a call option. The goal here is to provide a blueprint of how call and put options work, before we begin to apply them to specific strategies.

By Matthew Kerkhoff

The market’s relentless push higher has made it feel as though you can own just about anything (other than bonds and gold) and it will move higher. But beneath the surface of new highs, churning undercurrents are pushing some areas of the market higher, while leaving others behind.

Since the election, a particular narrative has taken hold and it has sent investors scrambling to reposition themselves. That narrative includes lower taxes, less regulation, and substantial fiscal stimulus.

By Matthew Kerkhoff

Benjamin Graham, who is sometimes referred to as the “father of value investing,” is a legend in the investment community. Author of “Security Analysis” (1934) and “The Intelligent Investor” (1949), his work has helped shape the entire securities analysis profession.

Perhaps best known as Warren Buffett’s mentor (Buffett actually named one of his sons after Graham), Graham conveyed many key insights about investing.

By Matthew Kerkhoff

The monthly nonfarm payrolls report (aka. the “jobs report”) is one of the most important economic reports investors follow each month. Seen as both an important gauge of the economy’s momentum, and a major driver of Fed policy, the report rivals GDP in terms of its overall importance.

But many investors view this report through a “more is better” lens, that may soon no longer be appropriate.