A few days ago, MarketWatch featured another update of their so called ‘Lazy Portfolios.’ If you missed my previous blog on it (http://thewallstreetbully.blogspot.com/2007/01/beyond-ridiculous-portfolio-for-all.html), it’s a selection of various Vanguard low-cost, no load (good idea) index funds. In various configurations, it has outperformed the benchmark S&P; 500 index over 1, 3 and 5 years. The repeated chest bumping every quarter is …
Investment Management: Brokers vs. Investment Advisors
If you are planning to employ the services of a professional to help you manage your portfolio, you need to know that not all financial advice is regulated in the same manner. For example, commissioned brokers operate on a different standard than do Registered Investment Advisors. Since I am a fee-only investment advisor, I definitely have a bias as to …
ETF Income Investing: Should You Take A Short-Term Gain?
Yesterday, one of my readers posed an interesting question: “I own both IIC and EVM (Muni CEFs) in my taxable Scottade account. This week, I noticed a large price spike about mid week followed by a price drop today and yesterday. I believe it had to do with some news of dividend payout dates. Here is my question for you. …
Mutual Fund Wisdom: Quit Hanging On To Losers
Yesterday’s piece in MarketWatch titled “Quit hanging on to milquetoast funds” contained a lot of truth. In an interview, Steve Goldberg of Tweddell Goldberg Investment Management said that “investors should look at their mutual funds as if they are buyers or sellers, rather than holding on to lukewarm performers hoping for improvement.” He added that “most people hang on to …
No Load Fund/ETF Tracker updated through 4/13/2007
My latest No Load Fund/ETF Tracker has been posted at:http://www.successful-investment.com/newsletter-archive.phpSideways to upward bias pushed all major market indexes slightly higher. Our Trend Tracking Index (TTI) for domestic funds moved higher as well and now sits +4.60% above its long-term trend line (red) as the chart below shows: The international index rallied as well and has now moved to +9.37% above …
A Bear Market Killer: One No Load Fund That Bucked The Trend
A few days ago, I was discussing the bear market of 2000–2003 with a prospective client, when he pointed out that he actually held on to one fund profitably through the severe downturn. Really! Even though we avoided most of the bear by being in cash on the sidelines, any fund which has the ability to hold up against the …