Most Read IRIS Articles of the Week (January 23-27)

Here’s a look at the Top 11 Most Viewed Articles of the Week on IRIS.xyz, January 23-27, 2017 

Click the headline to read the full article.

Enjoy!

1. Inside the Hedge Fund Black Box

As the concept of beta has transformed markets, powering the phenomenal rise of passive investing, ongoing research has extended its application. “Alternative beta” can be used to analyze hedge fund returns, shedding light on the formerly obscure and proprietary factors behind hedge fund performance. — Yazann Romahi

2. 3 Steps to Help Hedge Portfolios in an Unpredictable Market

As we baby-step our way into 2017, two events are a presumed given: interest rates will rise, and volatility will be a fact of life. And while it may be easy to jump to the conclusion that inflation is also heading our way, it is definitely not a given. — Salvatore Bruno

3. 4 Reliable Approaches To Persuade Others

As an FBI counterintelligence agent, I frequently needed to persuade others that it was in their best interests to cooperate with the FBI. My job was to recruit the spy to work for the U.S. — LaRae Quy

4. 4 Things You Can Do to Ensure Your Widowed Clients Don’t Leave

If you have couples clients who are boomers, that is 65 or older – there is a good chance that the husband will die first and the family assets will then be in the control of his wife.  — Paulette Filion and Judy Paradi

5. The Real Reason You Are Not Successful in Life & Business

I wish I had a magic wand. I wish I could waive it at all my clients, and well the whole world and get them to just do it. I don’t care what it is, just do it.  — Matthew Halloran

6. Here’s Why U.S. Stocks Have Performed So Well…

During 2011, in the midst of the federal debt showdown, there would have been very few investors who believed the S&P 500 would return 16% per year over the next five years, especially if they knew that company economic performance would only increase by 5%.  Why did the stock market do so much better over the last 5 years … — Will Holt

7. 7 Things Investors Need to Know for Building a Better Path in 2017

Rising volatility and yields. Toppy valuations. Global policy uncertainty. To handle these bumps in the road, investors need to build a better return path focused on strong up/down capture. Further, we see seven key themes affecting that path ahead. — Richard Brink

8. Can This 401(k) Robo-Platform Defeat the Dark Side of Retirement?

It was thought that when 401(k) plans were introduced to the universe, they would be a rebellious solution to fight the decline of company-sponsored pension plans. However, the numbers are in and they don’t look good for our heroes. — Craig Iskowitz

9. Ask Yourself: Are You Having Enough Fun in Your Life?

Too many of us run by default. We’re stuck in a pattern. We wake up. Go to work. Come home. Eat dinner. Do something with the family. Watch TV. Go to bed. Repeat. We’re inundated in a world of have to’s, should’s, need to’s and sighs… — Cat Lam

10. Four Steps to Breakthrough Results

We do it all the time without even realizing it, it’s called habit and Einstein referred to it as insanity; doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results. So, when it really matters, how do we prevent ourselves from falling into habit? How do we get results? — Elizabeth Stincelli

11. If Mark Cuban Lost His Billions, Here’s How He Would Bounce Back

I read an article recently by Mark Cuban who said that if he lost everything, all his possessions and all his billions, he could be successful by doing two things. — Scott Messer