Consistency could legitimately refer to more than a half dozen investing concepts. What I mean is… which funds produced positive returns over the last 5 days as well as 1-, 3- and 6-month periods.

Granted, the first few days of February gave a quick boost to equities. Yet the last 3 trading sessions in January were exceptionally unfavorable. It follows that a 5-day gain shows near-term toughness.

In the last 2 weeks the market sold off on both positive and negative news. Many analysts rushed to change market outlooks from uptrend to confirmed downtrend. Is the long-awaited stock market correction finally arriving?

Volatility Is Back

For investors tired of miserly yields with minuscule annual increases from common stock, let alone trying to squeeze out another 1/8 percent on a CD or money market fund, the selected purchase of preferred stock may be a much better alternative at this time.

My criteria for initially screening preferreds is simple. The call price (if applicable) is $25.00, buy at a discount from that price; a company rating that is in the investment grade realm with solvent prospects and the security being researched is liquid(trading over 20,000 shares per day). Those investors with a more liberal screen will find a large number of investment-grade preferreds with yields over those listed below, though they are generally trading over the $25.00 call price.