Cover 27 Industries Buying Just Seven Diversified Stocks

If you’re optimistic about American industry, here’s an easy way to buy it all at once. United and Babson Investment Report in Wellesley Hills, Mass., notes that by purchasing stocks in seven particular diversified companies, all solid performers, “investors would be gaining representation in 27 industries, i.e., almost every major industry.”

Here are the seven: Dover, DuPont, Emerson Electric, General Electric, Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing, Procter & Gamble and Textron. They comprise a nice portfolio to lock up for about 20 years - and, better than a mutual fund, stocks allow you to determine for yourself when you’ll be hit with capital gains taxes.

Check commodity broker history

If you’re considering making an investment in commodities such as wheat or pork bellies, remember that they can only be offered and sold by commodity brokers registered with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission. To check the registration status and disciplinary history of a firm or individual broker, call the National Futures Association’s Consumer Protection Hotline at (800) 676-4632. For information about how to file a complaint against a CFTC-registered commodity professional, call the CFTC at (202) 418-5506, or check the Web site at www.cftc.gov/.

Booklet explains bond funds

Stock funds may be getting all the attention, but investors also need to learn about bond funds. To help investors better understand bond funds, the Vanguard Group is offering a free 42-page booklet called “Bond Investing: The Role of Bond Mutual Funds In Your Investment Portfolio.” The booklet explains bond basics, how a bond fund works, how to measure bond fund performance, characteristics of bond funds such as credit quality, and how to select the right bond fund. For a copy of the booklet call Vanguard at (800) 523-8552, or check the Web site at www.vanguard.com/.