Is J.C. Penney a better bet than gold?

Nothing lasts forever, as investors in gold and J.C. Penney are being reminded.

FORTUNE – One of the wildest months the gold market has seen in years is coming to an end. The yellow metal has been recovering from its biggest drop in 30 years after prices plummeted 13% in mid-April. But while gold continues to rebound strongly, it's unlikely to return to its bull run anytime soon.

In fact, it may not MORE

Behind the myth of the 'spring slump'

Recent economic data suggests that another spring slowdown is upon us, as we've had the past three years. But it may not be real at all.

FORTUNE – When Wall Street learned Friday that the U.S. economy grew slower than expected during the start of the year, it renewed talk that we may be in for another "spring slump," if not a "spring swoon."

Whatever you call it, a slowdown in the MORE

Wall Street isn't bowing to caps on pay

Bonuses certainly aren't what they used to be before the crisis, but it still pays to be on Wall Street -- at least for those who've held onto their jobs.

More bad news for student loan borrowers

Young, educated workers were once seen by banks as the most promising borrowers. That's no longer the case, thanks to student loan debt.

FORTUNE – Graduation season is upon us. It used to be that in the years after hopeful twentysomethings bid farewell to campus life, they'd start borrowing to buy many things typically associated with adulthood -- namely, a car and a home. Many had college loans to repay, but MORE

The upside of China's slowdown

The news that consumer spending growth is slowing in China isn't all bad. Just ask Burberry.

FORTUNE – Plenty of people were expecting an end to the China-led luxury boom last year, but as Burberry's latest sales report suggests, China's consumers are more resilient than many of us think.

On Wednesday, the British fashion house reported better-than-expected sales, thanks largely to strong demand in China and Hong Kong for handbags and the MORE

Why gold is falling even as global economic fears intensify

Gold is usually a safe haven for investors during times of economic turmoil. Not this time around. And Wall Street expects it to get worse.

FORTUNE – As gold plunges to new two-year lows, a paradox has emerged: The decline reflects better news in the U.S. economy, but it also suggests bad news in other parts of the world as bullion loses its luster as a safe-haven investment.

After rising for 11 MORE

Behind the foreclosure surge in New York, New Jersey

How did New York and New Jersey jump to the top of the foreclosure list, behind only Florida? Red tape.

FORTUNE – Just as most of us believe we've seen the worst of the housing market's collapse, two unlikely states are only now getting hit with a wave of foreclosures: New York and New Jersey.

The region was largely spared when home prices disastrously tumbled in 2007. New York and New Jersey, MORE

3 reasons why it's different for Japan this time

Japan has repeatedly tried to revive its economy, but investors might just buy it this time around.

FORTUNE – Japan has struggled to keep its standing as the world's third-largest economy. For the past 15 years, it has been plagued by falling prices, making it the only major economy to undergo prolonged deflation since the Great Depression. Over the years, the government has tried to reboot the economy to what it once MORE

Why cash may never die

There is 42% more cash in circulation in the U.S. than five years ago. Why this makes sense, even as we use plastic more frequently.

FORTUNE – It's been said that America is on the cusp of a cashless economy, with the growth of check cards, debit cards, prepaid cards, and more recently, online mobile phones as alternatives to carrying cash. Even Fortune said it in a 2012 cover story, The MORE

This earnings season, hope is an investing strategy

While investors brace for a slower earnings season in the first quarter, they see a turnaround later this year.

FORTUNE  -- The unofficial start of corporate earnings season kicked off Monday, with Alcoa (AA) announcing how it did during the start of the year. The world's largest aluminum maker reported better than expected earnings as demand from U.S. automakers increased, but revenue fell short of expectations.

Alcoa isn't going to be the MORE