What the experts say

Rising prospects for airlines

Airline stocks look ready for takeoff, said Andrew Bary in Barron’s. Carriers are starting to focus on increasing profits rather than just market share, “and that’s great news for investors.” Most airline stocks have been pummeled this year over concerns about high fuel costs and the struggling economy, but the carriers’ fundamentals look bright. Consolidation in the industry has allowed airlines to “remain profitable despite a weak economy,” and debt levels are down after several big airlines used “bankruptcy to restructure labor agreements, aircraft-leasing obligations, and pension plans.” The skies look clearest for United Continental, which could save $1 billion this year because of its recent merger; Delta, which is “benefiting from the integration of its merger with Northwest”; and Alaska Air, which boasts “veteran management, good labor relations, and an under­appreciated West Coast network.”

Cashing in on a declining dollar

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It’s easier than ever to make a buck on the dollar’s decline, said Rachel Louise Ensign in The Wall Street Journal. Mutual funds and exchange-traded funds that bet on the dollar’s moves against other currencies like the euro or the yen have seen their assets rise by more than a third this year. But pick your currency fund carefully­—they can be volatile and “some have unusual structures.” Since currency swings can “zig and zig unpredictably over short periods,” invest in multiple currencies to limit your risk. Some funds hold physical currencies while others profit on foreign interest rates, so the “financial nuts and bolts” deserve a close look. But now may be the time to act, since “many signs point to the dollar continuing its decline.”

A spate of new investment apps

Brokerage firms are launching apps for smartphones and tablets to give investors 24/7 access to their portfolios, said AnnaMaria Andriotis in SmartMoney, but they’re not all created equal. If you want speedy information about the market’s latest tumble, apps from OptionsXpress, Schwab, and Fidelity earned good marks during a recent iPhone test. For investors who want to buy and sell on the go, TD Ameritrade’s app “offers the most trading options.” E*Trade alerts users when a stock reaches a certain price “even when its app is closed.” But beware: Constant access “could lead to knee-jerk investment decisions.”