WALL STREET JOURNAL RADIO FEATURES

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MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR RETIREES.

 

DETAILS IN A MOMENT.

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JUST BECAUSE YOU’RE HEADING OUT TO PASTURE, YOU DON’T HAVE TO STOP MAKING HAY.

 

AS THE OF NUMBER RETIREMENT-AGE BABY-BOOMERS CONTINUES TO GROW, SO DO THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO KEEP A HAND IN THE WORKPLACE.

 

IN A SURVEY OF EMPLOYERS BY THE CONSULTING FIRM WILLIAM M. MERCER, 59 PERCENT SAID THEY HAVE A POLICY ON RE-HIRING RETIREES. ONLY FOUR PERCENT SAID THEY’D NEVER RE-HIRE THEM.

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MOST OTHER EMPLOYERS, MEANWHILE, SAID THEY MIGHT BE WILLING TO PUT RETIREES BACK ON THE PAYROLL...USUALLY ON A PART-TIME OR TEMP BASIS, SOME EVEN FULL-TIME.

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IT MIGHT MAKE YOU WONDER ABOUT THE COMPANIES THAT HAVEN’T THOUGHT ABOUT THE ISSUE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. EXPERTS SAY MORE BUSINESSES SHOULD DEVELOP PLANS TO UTILIZE OLDER, EXPERIENCED WORKERS... ESPECIALLY WHEN NEW, QUALIFIED PEOPLE ARE HARD TO FIND.

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BUT MORE EMPLOYERS ARE LEARNING...OFFERING INCENTIVES TO OLDER WORKERS, SUCH AS REDUCED HOURS, JOB SHARING, CONSULTING WORK AND TELE-COMMUTING OPTIONS. AND MORE WORKERS ARE DISCOVERING THAT GETTING A GOLD WATCH DOESN’T MEAN YOU HAVE TO SIT BY WATCHING TIME TICK AWAY.

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I’M _______ FOR THE WALL STREET JOURNAL.

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INVESTING YOUR MONEY IN OVERSEAS STOCKS.

 

DETAILS IN A MOMENT.

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IT MAY BE TIME FOR YOUR INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO TO DEVELOP A FOREIGN ACCENT.

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MANY EXPERTS SAY EUROPEAN STOCKS LOOK LIKE A SOLID BET THESE DAYS...AS MORE TRADE BARRIERS COME TUMBLING DOWN AND U-S BUSINESS OVERSEAS STARTS TO PICK UP. THAT DOESN’T MEAN YOU SHOULD DIVE IN WITHOUT DOING SOME RESEARCH. MAKE SURE YOU STUDY COMPANIES AND INDUSTRIES FIRST.

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THERE ARE SPECIAL RISKS TOO. A STRONGER DOLLAR, FOR EXAMPLE, WOULD CUT INTO FOREIGN INVESTMENT RETURNS. AND SOME NATIONS WILL BE STUCK IN A RECESSION LONGER THAN OTHERS. STILL, MANY ANALYSTS THINK THERE IS MONEY TO BE MADE.

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YOU CAN BUY STOCKS TRADED IN EUROPE THROUGH MAJOR BROKERAGE FIRMS. BUT FEES CAN BE HIGH AND YOU MAY HAVE TO PAY A FOREIGN-BASED CUSTODIAN TO HOLD THE SHARES.

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IT’S MUCH EASIER TO INVEST IN AMERICAN DEPOSITORY RECEIPTS, OR A-D-Rs, WHICH TRADE HERE AND REPRESENT STOCK IN FOREIGN COMPANIES. ANOTHER OPTION IS TO INVEST IN A MUTUAL FUND THAT SPECIALIZES IN EUROPEAN STOCKS. MORE MONEY IS TAKEN OUT TO PAY FOR THE FUND’S EXPENSES THAN WITH U-S STOCK FUNDS. BUT THOSE COSTS ARE GOING DOWN AS MORE PEOPLE BUY SHARES.

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I’M _______ FOR THE WALL STREET JOURNAL.

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BARRON'S FEATURE

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HERE’S THE LATEST INVESTMENT NEWS FROM BARRON’S.

 

IT’S BEEN A ROUGH ROAD FOR THE GOLF BUSINESS. THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A GOLDEN ERA FOR THE SPORT. AGING BABY BOOMERS WOULD HAVE MORE TIME AND MONEY…CREATING THE PERFECT DEMOGRAPHIC FOR DUFFERS.

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INSTEAD, THE NUMBER OF GOLF ROUNDS PLAYED IN THE U-S FELL THREE PERCENT LAST YEAR AND A RECORD FIFTY COURSES WENT INTO FORECLOSURE, SWITCHED TO OTHER USES OR WERE SOLD DIRT CHEAP.

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THIS WEEK’S BARRON’S REPORTS THAT AS THE STOCK MARKET SURGED, SO DID GREENS FEES AND CLUB MEMBERSHIP PRICES. WHEN THE ECONOMY WENT OFF THE FAIRWAY, MANY GOLFERS COULDN’T SHOULDER THE COSTS AND COMPANIES SLASHED EXPENSE ACCOUNTS FOR FUN AND GAMES.

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COULD A PICK-UP IN THE ECONOMY REVIVE GOLF? MANY EXPERTS DON’T THINK SO. A LOT OF BOOMERS, THEY SAY, SPEND MORE TIME WITH THEIR KIDS AND GRANDCHILDREN. AND GOLF HASN’T KEPT UP WITH THE TIMES.

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FOR INVESTORS, ONE OF THE FEW GOLF PLAYS WITH A DECENT SCORECARD IS FORTUNE BRANDS, MAKER OF TITLEIST BALLS AND CLUBS, COBRA CLUBS AND FOOT-JOY APPAREL. BUT IT’S A CONGLOMERATE WITH A LOT OF OTHER CLUBS IN ITS BUSINESS BAG. AND OTHER GOLF INVESTMENTS LOOK MORE AND MORE LIKE A BOTTOMLESS SAND TRAP.

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THAT’S THE LATEST FROM BARRON’S.  I’M _____________

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