South Korea’s President Moon calls for US, North Korea to lower the bar for mutual talks

Kim Min-Hee/Reuters South Korea’s president said Monday that the United States should lower the threshold for talks with North Korea and that the two countries should start a dialogue soon. Moon asked for China’s support for U.S.-North Korea talks, and Liu responded that China would help facilitate them. Moon also said that North Korea should […]

Northwestern Mutual launches $5 million fund to invest in Milwaukee startups

Life insurance and financial planning giant Northwestern Mutual announced today that it is creating a $ 5 million early stage venture capital fund to invest in startups in its hometown of Milwaukee. Called the Cream City Venture Capital Fund, it will grant selected early stage startups between $ 100,000 and $ 250,000. The announcement comes on […]

Who is the tap dancer in the TV commercial for NFU Mutual? – The Saturday Briefing

HIS name is Grant Neal and he is not a real insurance salesman. He is a graduate of the London Academy of Performing Arts and as well as tap-dancing does ballet and contemporary dance and has a good baritone or tenor voice. He has appeared in a number of musicals in London and elsewhere. And […]

ASK A FINANCIAL PLANNER: Should I start drawing Social Security early and put it in a mutual fund?

Certified financial planner Eric Roberge answers: I’m 63 and still working full time but have nothing saved towards retirement. I’d like to know if drawing social security and putting it in a mutual fund now would be better than waiting until I’m 65 or older? I’m glad you are asking this question before you choose […]

Mutual distrust, common interests: Egypt gets closer to Hamas to counter threats from ISIS

Thomson Reuters CAIRO/GAZA (Reuters) — After years of strained relations, Egypt is moving closer to Hamas in Gaza, offering concessions on trade and free movement in return for moves to secure the border against Islamic State fighters who have killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers in northern Sinai. Egypt has been at odds with Hamas, […]

BOGLE: Hedge funds and mutual funds are full of excuses

Vanguard Mutual funds and hedge funds are full of excuses, according to the man who revolutionized investing for Main Street. John C. Bogle created Vanguard, which in 1976 launched the first index fund – a fund that passively tracks the stock market. Passive investing took some time to catch on, but in recent decades index […]