Investing Topics: Income Insights

You had questions about utility and telecom stocks, we had answers. 

The Environmental Protection Agency's ongoing crackdown on carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants continues to dominate the headlines. But investors shouldn't overlook the importance of utility-regulator relations at the state and local level.

Investors shouldn’t automatically assume that dividend-paying equities are inherently safer than tech stocks or other cyclical fare. When an income-oriented stock cuts or eliminates its dividend, investors not only suffer a diminution of income but also a significant loss of principal during the subsequent selloff. Understanding a company’s underlying business and its growth prospects are essential to separating the winners from the losers.

Detroit's recent bankruptcy serves as a reminder of the potential risks in the municipal-bond market. Here are two strategies to insulate your fixed-income portfolio and build wealth over the long haul.

What telecom names boast the safest dividends? The industry’s Big Four take the title, hands down. Among the smaller fry, Consolidated Communications (NSDQ: CNSL) is in the best shape--one of the reasons short interest in the stock is lower than its peers that trade with reasonable liquidity.