Now Is Your Last Chance to Capture 20%-Plus Yields in the Rebounding Shipping Industry

     The Baltic Dry Index is a measure for what it costs to transport by sea. When it's down, shipping stocks are down. The index peaked in May 2008 at an all-time high of 11,793. From May to December 2008, it dropped more than -90% to 663, a low not seen in more than two decades. Today, it's in the middle of a rebound.

     Having already tripled off its low, there's still plenty of room for the Baltic Dry to make gains. Its average price over the past ten years is 3225, +55% higher than it stands today. And in the recent past, it's been as high as 11,000, more than five times today's number.

     Despite being able to charge much more for their services, shipper's stocks are still near their December prices. But don't think these stocks are sunk. They'll be back.

     This is because the the Baltic Dry indicates what shippers are actually charging, which directly affects their bottom line. As the Baltic Dry Index raises to its historical level, shipping stocks will shortly follow suit.

     Although there's a fair amount of slippage due to the Baltic Dry being a leading indicator and the particular situation of individual stocks, this index and shippers move together.

     While the yields on many of these companies are near their historical highs and their share prices are near there historic lows, some caution is necessary. Several shippers have cut their dividends. Others have even stopped paying altogether.

     Carla Pasternak, editor of High-Yield Investing recently found this shipper, and it's showing no sign of letting up. Beyond having paid regular dividends like clockwork for 18 quarters, her "Stock of the Month" actually raised it in 10 of them. To find out more about this company, click here.

Home prices fell a record -8.2% in 2008, causing the greatest devaluation since the 1930s. Nevada and California led the drop with prices falling -28% and -26%, respectively.

The National Association of Realtors estimates that home prices will fall another -2.9% this year. But 2010 looks better. The group is predicting a +4.6% gain next year.

-- Bloomberg

Take Advantage of Historically High Yields from the World's Soundest Banks
By Carla Pasternak
January 14, 2009

With capital ratios that are the envy of every banker from London to Santiago, Canadian banks are among the best capitalized.  What's more the country's largest players are continuing to post strong results -- and paying out mouth-watering dividends.

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The Safest Dividend
in the Dow
By Andy Obermueller
Feb. 4, 2009

A number of dividends in the Dow Jones Industrial Average are looking pretty juicy these days.  So the question is appropriate: Which company has the safest dividend in the Dow? We sorted through the blue-chip index and applied several stringent criteria to arrive at the surprising answer. 

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