Boston Globe - Personal Finance

Underperforming money managers are losing their most reliable scapegoat. Since the 2008 financial crisis, the nation's professional stock-pickers -- who manage billions for pension funds, endowments and wealthy families -- have said stocks were too stuck-together to build smart, market-beating portfolios.

The European Union is bracing for another potential energy crisis in the dead of winter as Russian gas supplies to some member states have suddenly dwindled by up to 30 percent.

CBS Films' haunted-house tale "The Woman in Black" will likely creep to the top of the domestic box office with an expected opening gross of around $15 million.

The Federal Reserve is making it increasingly hard for investors to earn anything, unless they're willing to accept plenty of risk. Ben Bernanke and his Fed are playing the role of adviser, encouraging Americans to get a little more adventurous by shifting savings out of low-yielding bonds and putting it to work in stocks.

Although 2011 is history, you may still be able to save money on your business taxes.

Interest rates aren't budging anytime soon. That means it's time to rethink your financial strategy.

Asian stocks extended a global rally Thursday amid investor optimism that the U.S. economy may grow more than previously expected this year.

Facebook is preparing to file paperwork as early as Wednesday for an initial public offering of stock, according to published reports. Its public debut will be the most anticipated tech IPO since Google went public in August 2004.

Asian stocks were mostly higher Wednesday despite a lackluster day on Wall Street, as improved manufacturing data from China offered reassurance over its economic slowdown.

Greece and the investors who bought its bonds have the beginnings of a deal that could avert a disastrous, long-feared Greek default on its debt. But don't expect a celebration on Wall Street this week.

Remember Greece? It's been two years since a financial crisis erupted in the birthplace of drama, and the final act is still unfinished. A second week of talks in Athens ended Friday with no deal between the country, the European Union and private holders of Greek bonds.

Remember Greece? It's been two years since a financial crisis erupted in the birthplace of drama, and the final act is still unfinished. A second week of talks in Athens ended Friday with no deal between the country, the European Union and private holders of Greek bonds.

Why do Mitt Romney and other wealthy investors pay lower taxes on the income they make from investments than they would if they earned their millions from wages? Because Congress, through the tax code, has long treated investment more favorably than labor, seeing it as an engine for economic growth that benefits everyone.

The U.S. economy grew at a 2.8 percent annual rate in the final three months of last year, the fastest growth in 2011.

Do not look at the calendar and think, "I don't need to start on my small business tax return yet. I have more than three months to do it."

Sony's "Underworld: Awakening" should be wide awake atop the domestic box office again this weekend, with a gross of around $12 million following last weekend's $25 million debut and continued dominance midweek.

Companies that were bailed out during the financial crisis still owe U.S. taxpayers nearly $133 billion. Treasury's plans to recoup that money have been slowed by the volatile stock market and weakness among smaller banks.

Asian stocks edged higher Friday, setting aside weaker-than-expected U.S. home sales amid hopes for an agreement on debt relief for Greece and stronger growth in the world's No. 1 economy