How to Profit From Putin's Dividend Plan... and This MLP Gets a Failing Grade

Sunday, October 13, 2013 In the current edition of the Investment U Weekly Update, Bond Strategist and Host of The Oxford Club's Market Wake-Up Call Steve McDonald runs down the key issues affecting the global economy - and your investments. (Click the image to play.) This week, you'll find... A Brink's Job Big Money Water The "Slap in the Face" Award: Our Useless Media You can check it out in this video. SPONSORED Forget Coca-Cola: Buy This Stock Instead Did you know there's another soda company that's growing profits 12 times faster than Coke and 60 times faster than Pepsi? And it's getting praised in The New York Times, Washington Post, and more? Get the name of this stock now while it's still largely unknown. Here are the stories that were featured in Investment U this week... How You Can Own a Startup By Andrew Gordon, Special to Investment U Investing history was made last month. And you probably didn't even notice. It's a big deal. You can browse the Internet and find thousands of vetted startups in which you can now legally purchase an equity stake. Until recently, a vast majority of Americans had been walled off from these young companies, which gave Wall Street some of its biggest profits... Click here to read the full story. What You Should Really Worry About By Alexander Green, Chief Investment Strategist Investors are nervous about the economy, nervous about the stock market, nervous about political dysfunction in Washington. That's as it should be. As the old Wall Street saw tells us, "a bull market climbs a wall of worry." And there is always plenty to fret about. The problem is most investors worry about the wrong things - things they can't do anything about and that usually don't pose much of a threat, anyway. You're far better off worrying about the right things - things you can actually change that will help you earn a higher return on your money. Click here to read the full story. This MLP Gets a Failing Grade By Marc Lichtenfeld, Chief Income Strategist In the fourth grade, I became obsessed with music. I listened to rock 'n' roll and pop music every waking moment that it was possible. I fell asleep to my clock radio listening to 99X, my favorite radio station in New York. One of the songs I remembered they played all the time was Toto's "Hold the Line." Whenever I hear that song these days, I always smile - and usually sing, much to my kids' mortification. However, anyone who holds LINE - the ticker symbol for Linn Energy (Nasdaq: LINE) - may not have those same warm feelings that I do when Toto comes on the radio. In fact, they may feel more like they just watched Miley Cyrus "twerking." Sick to their stomach. Click here to read the full story. A Government Default Doesn't Matter By Alexander Green, Chief Investment Strategist When I tell investors that a U.S. government debt default doesn't really matter, they look at me like I'm crazy. After all, Uncle Sam is the world's highest credit. The country has always paid its obligations. And a default could send serious shudders through the world financial system. Yet it still doesn't really matter. Why? In part because this "financial crisis" is an entirely manufactured one. Don't get me wrong. Washington is playing a dangerous game. And markets abhor uncertainty. But the risks are less than many suppose and the long-term consequences will be minuscule. Here's why. Click here to read the full story. How to Profit From Putin's Dividend Plan By David Fessler, Energy and Infrastructure Strategist Most income-oriented investors don't have Vladimir Putin's name in mind when searching for high-yield stocks. Perhaps they should. In November 2012, Russia's strong-arm leader began requiring that state-owned companies pay a minimum 25% of profit as dividends. The dividend plan, combined with the fact that Russian energy stocks are currently trading at bargain prices, makes for an appealing opportunity. Although 11 of the 17 Kremlin-backed companies included in the MICEX (Bloomberg's Russian stock index) have so far flouted the rule, one can ignore Vladimir Putin only for so long. Click here to read the full story. Be sure to check out some of the other investment stories that we've published recently on our website at InvestmentU.com. Putting Aside the Hashtags and Hype What Government Shutdown? What to Do With Your Money in Your 30s Moto X Could Push Google (GOOG) Well Above $1,000 a Share – SHARE INVESTMENT U – If you enjoy reading Investment U, why not share it with your family and friends? Simply send them this link, so they can sign up (for free, of course). – QUESTIONS – Republish Investment U on your website or blog for free. Learn how. Have a question for our editorial team? Contact us. 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