Did the Oracle of Omaha, Warren Buffett really tell his minions to buy an index fund at a recent Berkshire Hathaway shareholder meeting? Indeed. He now says that active portfolio management offers no real advantages. It may be a challenge to deliver superior returns day in and day out, but it can be done. In fact, there are values all over the globe that provide investors the opportunity to outperform the market indexes.

Well that was entirely predictable. The last trading day of the month combined with a big dud of an announcement from the Federal Reserve and stocks sold off late in the day. Could this be a sign of things to come for the month of May? I think so...and so does Warren Buffett, John Bogle, and Richard Band.

Global warming may be irrefutable, but don't tell that to my fellow Minnesota natives who just endured another 2 feet of snow! Aside from inconvenience, the extra long winter is the perfect weather for those that like to play in the snow. Could that means sales of snowmobiles be better than expected?

My question today is what should investors be doing now? While many experts suggest a buy and hold strategy that essentially puts all of the emphasis on the future, there are many that use trading strategies which can be used in the here and now: Trading options.

China is one of the greatest investment opportunities of the century, but while there are enormous profits to be made, investing China can be somewhat treacherous. Let me be your guide to profits in my new book, China Fireworks: How to Make Dramatic Wealth from the Fastest-Growing Economy in the World.

Buddhists believe that there is no future and no past. There is only now. Investors would be wise to add a little Buddhism into their portfolio style these days. Obviously, Buddha isn't here, but there is a viable stand-in and his name is Richard Band.

Beijing has taken great strides to improve its air quality, cleanliness, and airport efficiency in preparation for the Olympics. On my recent trip to China, I was quite impressed with the improvements and how one of my stock recommendations is poised for great growth.

My mentor in this business made a fortune buying stocks when there was blood in the streets. Over his 25 plus years in the business he made the majority of his gains in the aftermath of complete devastation.

There is simply no better trait than to have an unflappable mind when dealing with the often maniacal movements of the market. In early March, Dan Wiener of The Independent Advisor for Vanguard Investors interviewed Jim Barrow, manager of the Vanguard Selected Value Fund for his insight on the current market condition.

Right now, Taiwan is one of my favorite stock markets in Asia. There are some major political changes currently taking effect in Taiwan, and they have created once-in-a-lifetime investment opportunities for us. Let's take a look at Taiwan's improving economy, and how we can profit from it.

Picking stocks in a volatile stock market can be a tricky business. InvestorPlaceBlogs.com stock pickers have a proven track record of beating the pros and the market. We've scoured their portfolios and posts to bring you the very best they have to offer in today's market. Find out which stocks they are buying!

I've often commented on the resiliency of the U.S. economy. When faced with adversity, the American worker works harder to carry us out of any economic decline. If you think the American worker is determined what does that make the Chinese worker? In China, making things happen has resulted in double-digit growth!

The funny thing about pessimism is that once it takes hold, investors assume that it will last forever. The stock market exhibits these same human tendencies in a bear market. Pessimism never seems to end… except that it almost always does! That's why the best investors, like Richard Band, keep an even keel no matter the situation.

Does anyone else wonder what would have happened had the Federal Reserve not bailed out Bear Stearns? If you believe the propaganda, we very well may have avoided financial Armageddon. But is that really true? As a die hard free market guy, the intervention bothers me at a base level. But, for those investors who manage their portfolios with ETFs, the Bear Stearns bailout provides the "all clear."

Given that the global economy depends on fossil fuels, anything that replaces oil will be quite huge. It is really cut and dry. That's why the solar sector has drawn so much interest. Hey, the sun will be here for billions of years. No worry about supply and no worry about waste. The sun burns clean and the conversion to energy leaves no smokey mess. So why in the world are solar stocks getting pummeled in the market?

It may seem counterintuitive, but investment banks are rolling in the dough. Despite the massive write downs of sub-prime mortgage losses trading desks are making big dollars due to high volumes and volatility. If you think of your own portfolio as a mini-investment bank, you can do the same. Here's how.

As we all know, every major Wall Street investment banks have been hit hard by the mortgage crisis. But what many investors don't realize is that many of these firms had to be bailed out by Sovereign Wealth Funds form China and other Asian countries. Here's what they do and how they bailed out U.S. Banks.

At a time when investor uncertainty is high, individuals considering throwing in the towel may be better served by letting someone else steer the ship! They can't. That's why now is the perfect time to augment your portfolio with mutual funds. And a good place to start is Dan Wiener's The Independent Adviser for Vanguard Investors.

As I write this missive, the global markets are selling off in the wake of the Bear Stearns implosion. Remarkably the U.S. market is not following suit, well at least not yet. Could the markets be any more uncertain? I think not. So, what is an investor to do in this crazy environment? Ride the rails!