For investors who need income, especially with current interest rates at such low levels, we cannot emphasize enough the value of a growing dividend stream, not just the current yield of a stock or bond. Indeed, Wall Street Journal editorial writer, Robert Pollock recently pronounced that Ben Bernanke had "repealed Einstein". Einstein was regarded as a great proponent of the power of compound interest, reportedly calling it "the eighth wonder of the world" and "the most powerful force in the universe." Pollock's argument, which echoes so much of what we have written over the last year, points out that you can't compound a zero percent return. Furthermore, since inflation is a positive 1.7% year-over-year (as measured by the CPI), any interest rate that is below the inflation rate means compounding is a negative.

David Fuller's view One of Fullermoney's two favourite themes in recent years has been Dividend Aristocrats. Subscribers will find innumerable reviews of these shares which are listed in Asia, Europe and North America, in the Archive. Just use the 'Search' facility shown upper-left, fourth item down.

For investors, this is a must-read issue of The Weekly View, in my opinion.