Investing

You might have loved them once, but there are some things that you can't hold on to forever.

SMART INVESTOR

Time to take out the trash

Trevor Hoey You could hope for an upswing, but maybe it's better to stop dreaming and start taking a look at the stocks you need to hock.

SUIT YOURSELF

Does red zone thrill, or are you still a bit green?

Emily Chantiri It is never too early to start investing, but one strategy does not suit all.

REPORTING SEASON

Expect all sorts in results mix

Katherine Jimenez There could be some golden opportunities this reporting season, with housing-related stocks and foreign currency earners expected to be the big performers.

QUIRKY INVESTMENTS

Light in weight, steep on price

James Cockington Stamps are becoming attractive to investors who like owning something real, something tangible, with its own history.

HOT STOCK

Money to be made in the mess miners make

Brian Han Waste management expert Tox Free Solutions is riding high - but are its shares worth a punt?

UNDER THE RADAR

The gems hiding in the cloud

Richard Hemming The lines are blurring between the different types of IT companies, nowhere more than in the ''cloud''.

THE CHARTIST

History shows we're due for a downturn

Rod Myer Could market jitters turn into something much worse? Technical analysis points to a third bear just around the corner.

SUPER

Wise money eyes Google, and British homes

JOHN COLLETT Investors' love of Australian shares means they miss out on some overseas opportunities.

INTELLIGENT INVESTOR

All set for a good gold punt?

Nathan Bell 2013 was a gloomy year for gold but after some bad times the metal is now shining more brightly.

INTELLIGENT INVESTOR

How to pick a good financial adviser

Richard Livingston Step one: check for a few grey hairs on their head.

SCAMS

Move to halt the new wolves of Wall Street

Andrew Tangel US regulators suspend trading in 255 small caps in bid to stop repeat of 'pump-and-dump' schemes seen in Scorsese's film.

Big players point the way

JOHN COLLETT Half-yearly results, due this month, will indicate how share investors are likely to fare for the rest of the year.

TIME TO SELL

Your next move when share prices tumble

Barbara Drury When share prices fall, investors need a plan. Should you sell to protect your capital or hang in there and buy more?

THE 'HONEST' BROKER

Simpler way to join the market

MARCUS PADLEY Listed Investment Companies are a good option if you want a diversified portfolio without having to manage it yourself.

INTELLIGENT INVESTOR

Long-dated bonds help counter low rates

Matt Ryan Low interest rates make other asset classes look more attractive and drive the prices of equities and property higher.

EDUCATION

Make school costs feasy peasy

JOHN COLLETT It's that time of year again, when the children return to school and - for fee-paying students - their parents learn how much they'll be expected to cough up for the privilege.

GETTING STARTED

Strong economy, weak market

David Potts There's a whole year hanging on how the market finishes this month, but it's dragging the chain.

QUIRKY INVESTMENTS

The rise of the collectorator

James Cockington A new breed of buyer has taken over the auction world. Part-investor, part-interior decorator, they're becoming known as ''collectorators''.

HOT STOCK

This growth story ticks all the boxes

Brian Han Once part of Amcor, Orora's cardboard business is thriving and the shares are worth a look.

Market sell-off painful, but not unexpected

JOHN COLLETT The sell-off on global sharemarkets was always expected after the bumper returns of 2013.

Retail

Why Harvey Norman has run out of steam

Nathan Bell This may sound like value investing heresy - I recommend you sell Harvey Norman, largely because it has a strong balance sheet and an owner manager.

QUIRKY INVESTMENTS

Beauty from the sea

James Cockington Beach shack chic is going mainstream with artists such as James Edwards finding a strong market for their work.

ASK NOEL

Bigger lump sum or decent pension?

Noel Whittaker What's the best pension plan with a big mortgage but a bad history of handling lump sums?

FURTHER AFIELD

Offshore paydays loom in bourse boom

Katherine Jimenez Offshore stocks have provided Aussie investors with some of the strongest returns seen in years - a trend that's set to continue in 2014