Friday's surge in the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) wasn't nearly the biggest move in the index's history. Let's view it with some perspective

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Even a 1% fed funds rate means interest rates will remain exceptionally low -- far from anything resembling "tight" interest rate policy.

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With rising yields come falling prices, and with falling prices come dramatic headlines.

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May was something of a tale of two markets and two economies as we were divided between the good and the not so good.

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Vanguard's Personal Advisor Services its essentially an entry in the "robo-advisor" field. The service will appeal to those with small savings who want basic advice and little human contact.

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It has been a rocky start to May in the markets, particularly in the bond market.

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The service economy is still expanding but not quickly, and in some respects, it's barely moving forward. Only the employment gauge improved and not by much.

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I should warn you that we are probably going to continue to see some weak reports before the turn finds its way into the numbers.

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The same benefits that accrue to index fund investors, such as low operating costs and low turnover, can be found at funds run by human managers -- you just have to look for them.

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How can we get a teenager to save for retirement? You probably can't. So, my advice is to help them.

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It's been a terrific six-year bull run. So, are we at the tail end of a raging bull market that's about to be gored?

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The removal of the word "patient" signaled that we could see a rate increase at the June Fed meeting, and lowered forecasts for growth and inflation signaled that maybe, just maybe, a rate increase could come later in the year, rather than sooner.

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It's fairly safe to say that the next six years won't see returns as strong as those from the last six, but just because the last six years were strong doesn't mean we are poised for a crash.

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Diversification, though often met with derision, works in the long run and is one of the building blocks of my approach to investing.

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You can put all your money into one of the most expensive currencies and stock markets, but it's quite easy to envision circumstances where that could work against you.

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Vanguard released estimates of the supplemental distributions it will be paying in March for funds including VGPMX, VDIGX and VGHCX.

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Many market indices have set new records, and the Nasdaq finally crossed 5000 again last week.

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The highlight of last week belonged to Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen, who continues to try to protect the Fed's flexibility when it comes to the timing of a change in policy.

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Despite the Fed's waffling, bonds could still get a reprieve from the impact of regular rate hikes, and stocks will benefit from the fact that the interest rate environment remains very, very "constructive," meaning stocks are a good buy.

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U.S. consumers all seem to be spending their extra money on big-ticket items.

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When stocks hit new highs, only one of two events can follow: Stocks can either go on to make a new high, or they can decline to some lower level.

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After a decade fraught with manager turnover and miscues, it appears that, in at least one respect, Vanguard Capital Value Fund (MUTF:VCVLX) is on a steady course.

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Some Vanguard funds are nurtured by expert managers and grow to be profit-building stars, but others can doom your portfolio to mediocrity -- or worse, major losses.

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Despite all this volatility, both the Dow and S&P 500 are less than 5% below their all-time highs.

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Lower oil prices mean lower profits for oil companies and exploration and production (or E&P) companies. However, lower oil prices could also mean higher profits for a host of companies.

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Regardless of your age or income level, you should strongly consider making your 2015 contributions now, rather than later. And if you still haven’t done all you can for 2014, do that first.

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The big news was the GDP revision showing that, in the final analysis, the U.S. economy grew at a 5% annualized rate in the third quarter, which is the fastest quarter on record in 11 years

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For all the 31 new highs set this year, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is only up 7.6% through November, while the S&P 500 is up 11.9%. Optimistic? Yes. Wildly so? No.

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The appeal of Vanguard's ultra-short bond fund will probably be for those investors taking income distributions out of their holdings rather than reinvesting. Price moves will be small and yields should rise at a decent rate as interest rates rise.

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The stock market continues to hit to new highs in the U.S., but investors are still seeing mixed signals from Europe and the emerging markets.

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These Vanguard funds bought Alibaba (BABA) shares in September when Alibaba had one of the biggest initial public offerings of the decade.

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Stay on top of the latest on the Bank of Japan, U.S. politics and unemployment, Saudi Arabia adjustment of oil prices and Vanguard.

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A recent lawsuit makes some pretty major allegations about Vanguard's 'at-cost' structure -- and it could have seismic implications for the fund industry.

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Selected Value isn't a bad fund, but Vanguard's recent addition of Pzena Investment Management isn't likely to help performance much.

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Don't let the headlines fool you. Monday's drop is not something investors should be worried about.

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Inflows are up for both passive and active management mutual funds, and down for the laggards of 2013.

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For all the taper tantrum and government shutdown drama, market volatility took a chill pill in 2013. But that's unlikely to continue in 2014.

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Honey, they shrunk the fund -- or did they? If you're seeing a dip in your Vanguard mutual funds this week, there's a perfectly sound reason.

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Is Vanguard in revolt? I don’t believe so. Let’s call this evolution, rather than revolution.

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Lower unemployment seems like no-brainer good news -- but Wall Street's initial read was that it might prompt a faster taper.

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Economic data is sending mixed signals, from consumer spending that's not comparable to last year to flat home sales with positive revisions.

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With October now past, five-year returns for mutual funds no longer include the losses of October 2008. Don't be fooled by misleading numbers.

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With several funds reporting capital gains this quarter, Vanguard investors will see the effect in their taxes.

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Life-cycle funds like Vanguard STAR promise diversification and low risk…but along with that comes low returns.

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Ed Bousa offers his best ideas in an undiluted fashion through Vanguard Wellington Fund.

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Real estate funds like Vanguard REIT ETF offer a wild ride, even when combined with a global diversifying fund.

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It's not enough to just invest in any mutual fund -- you need to be sure your money is in capable hands. Find out which fund manager is advisor Dan Wiener's favorite.

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A recent article stated that assets under management at Vanguard's Total Stock ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ Index Fund surpassed Pimco's similar fund, but the 'news' is both wrong and wrong-headed.

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Active management works, and Virginie Maisonneuve is proof. Will Vanguard International Growth returns suffer once she moves on to a new job at PIMCO?

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The U.S. government shutdown and the 5-year anniversary of the financial crisis will make comparisons of economic data not representative.

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