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Sold all the CEFs purchased in the first couple weeks of ‘25. The last one acquired, RLTY (bought 1/10), did best. All bounced after rates on the 10-year reversed trend earlier this week. Pocketed a 4-5% gain on the CEF collection (including 2 pending distributions). Rolled entire amount into RAPAX - a real assets fund (45% real estate) late yesterday. Equity exposure should end up north of 45% after dust settles. With the earlier mentioned dive into GAA yesterday I’m not planning any more excursions for a while. I think ‘25 will be a harder year to make money. Preservation paramount.
In the IRA: Seemed like a good day to sell micro positions in ICLN and GGSYX for micro losses. I just don't see any reason to expect a turn around any time soon given their global exposure.
I continue to hold GRID and its micro gains. Given its foreign exposure, we shall see how it does in the threatened tariff environment. I also hold it in my taxable, and will continue to hold it there since I feel no need to "simplify" it.
Actual MM cash was at 8%, and most of that has gone into FLOT. There is still a little bit of cash for opportunistic buying should Mr. Market take a flash stumble. I am not predicting such an event or I would have left more in cash.
Took some extra cash and put it in FLOT after reading about it on here. Not much more than MM but as I tell my kids. It's just a couple clicks. I finally got my daughter to move money from a bank to VG MM after telling her the interest rate difference was ~$2/month compared to ~$80/month. Rates matter.
Took some extra cash and put it in FLOT after reading about it on here. Not much more than MM but as I tell my kids. It's just a couple clicks. I finally got my daughter to move money from a bank to VG MM after telling her the interest rate difference was ~$2/month compared to ~$80/month. Rates matter.
Resting 500s starter position in AMLP filled this afternoon. Happy to add more as appropriate.
That fund and related holdings have had a nice run over the last 4 years. Quite the chart. I've got to think the trend is your friend absent a black swan event which would crater demand for energy from those sources.
Resting 500s starter position in AMLP filled this afternoon. Happy to add more as appropriate.
That fund and related holdings have had a nice run over the last 4 years. Quite the chart. I've got to think the trend is your friend absent a black swan event which would crater demand for energy from those sources.
I don't see pipelines being a problem anytime soon, trend notwithstanding .. especially those with an emphasis on natgas. I hold large multidecade quantities already in a few names.
I sold my Canadian pipelines earlier this week on tariff concerns, but would love to buy 'em back sometime.
@Observant1 and @stillers: I also have BISAX, certainly because it has knocked the socks off its peers but also because Brandes Funds runs some really good strategies, domestic and international. When screening for OEFs or ETFs, I find the “Parent” tab on M* to be very useful. There are links to other offerings by the same firm, and often useful stats on inflows and outflows for the parent firm. The “People” tab sometimes provides insights into managers’ backgrounds and also the names of the other funds they manage. At times, the last item is quite useless, as it is for Invesco ETFs where the same person appears to manage far too many funds.
- Moved VDIGX to VDADX and VWENX - Moved small percentage of VWIAX to PRCFX - 2-yr t-note matured and allocated funds for 10-yr TIPS at auction and USFR - Sold DODIX and invested funds in ICMUX - Sold BIMIX and invested in CBLDX
I’m preferring the higher yield vs longer duration bonds, rotating some of the value equity to blend and growth, and the comfort of government bonds to offset the high yield.
Closed the call portion of my WMB collar a month early for 90% gain after today's drop in energy stocks....the put is doing its job nicely. (The collar was put on for a credit, which is even nicer!)
Bought ArchRock starter position with it down 10% today on DeepSeek news. The day I wanted to get into it, it started shooting toward 30, so this was a 'sale' to me.
It's the best natgas compressor company out there imo ... and they'll still be needed to move product around the country regardless what AI needs.
Also is an indie company that could get gobbled up by one of the bigger infrastructure funds -- USAC is beholden to ET so not going anywhere (and has much more debt that Archrock, too.)
We have been trimming S&P 500 in last several months and buying IAU (new position), DBA (new position), BRKB, and active managed bonds. This year we will be more defensive. Made a modest gain last year that that is good enough for us.
”I'll see how things look after I get back from my workout.”
My daily ”workout” is 6” deep in the driveway and accumulating.
Thanks folks for continuing this very informative thread. I’m watching closely but don’t see any need to make changes. I’m tilted in the direction of more inflation. Those types of funds are holding up reasonably well today. In that realm I own RAPAX. During the day I watch GGN, RAAX, VNQ, RLTY, RIO for clues. Yes - there’s precious metals which continue to dance - even today. But I’m avoiding direct exposure due to the volatile nature of the metals and my advanced age near 80.
Positioning: 38% equity / 11% “other”
Beyond what I said above, unless you are a trader, I can’t see any reason for “knee-jerk” reactions. But time might prove me wrong.
I sold out of about half of my current MM positions. In taxable I added to NUV which sports a 4.43% tax-free income. In the IRA, I added to JPIE, and initiated new positions in JPST and PFFA. These changes lift the current portfolio distribution percentage to 4.05%.
I sold 20% 35% of my Bitcoin ETF and was surprised to see it is slightly up today but off 8+% from today's low. GLD is up too. If anyone is tracking meme coins, please post how they (as a group) have done today. I suspect not too well, given Ethereum (not considered a meme coin) is tanking at 17.5% on the day. So, risk off is still on.
I sold out and took profits on a few trump trades that did not recover well during the day today. So, out of FNMA.
I figured anything that did not recover well during the day today is ultra speculative even for the gamblers in this market.
Comments
I continue to hold GRID and its micro gains. Given its foreign exposure, we shall see how it does in the threatened tariff environment. I also hold it in my taxable, and will continue to hold it there since I feel no need to "simplify" it.
Actual MM cash was at 8%, and most of that has gone into FLOT. There is still a little bit of cash for opportunistic buying should Mr. Market take a flash stumble. I am not predicting such an event or I would have left more in cash.
I was referring to ARDBX portfolio managers but should have been clearer.
My post was updated to improve clarity.
I sold my Canadian pipelines earlier this week on tariff concerns, but would love to buy 'em back sometime.
AMLP - Alerian MLP
ALMP - A plumbing business
Thanks!
This is good information.
- Moved VDIGX to VDADX and VWENX
- Moved small percentage of VWIAX to PRCFX
- 2-yr t-note matured and allocated funds for 10-yr TIPS at auction and USFR
- Sold DODIX and invested funds in ICMUX
- Sold BIMIX and invested in CBLDX
I’m preferring the higher yield vs longer duration bonds, rotating some of the value equity to blend and growth, and the comfort of government bonds to offset the high yield.
It's the best natgas compressor company out there imo ... and they'll still be needed to move product around the country regardless what AI needs.
Also is an indie company that could get gobbled up by one of the bigger infrastructure funds -- USAC is beholden to ET so not going anywhere (and has much more debt that Archrock, too.)
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GioFPABW8AAXxH_?format=png&name=small
I am tempted to dump my IRA position in IYK, plus smaller positions in GRID and FIW that would take me to the low-mid 30's.
I'll see how things look after I get back from my workout.
My daily ”workout” is 6” deep in the driveway and accumulating.
Thanks folks for continuing this very informative thread. I’m watching closely but don’t see any need to make changes. I’m tilted in the direction of more inflation. Those types of funds are holding up reasonably well today. In that realm I own RAPAX. During the day I watch GGN, RAAX, VNQ, RLTY, RIO for clues. Yes - there’s precious metals which continue to dance - even today. But I’m avoiding direct exposure due to the volatile nature of the metals and my advanced age near 80.
Positioning: 38% equity / 11% “other”
Beyond what I said above, unless you are a trader, I can’t see any reason for “knee-jerk” reactions. But time might prove me wrong.
The next shoe to drop will be the results from the afternoon call between Trump and Trudeau.
Stand by to stand by.
Stay tuned.
etc.
If interested, here is a nice write up of JPIE by Charles Lynn Bolin:
https://seekingalpha.com/article/4747546?gt=3cab215a7d0a87a5
20%35% of my Bitcoin ETF and was surprised to see it is slightly up today but off 8+% from today's low. GLD is up too. If anyone is tracking meme coins, please post how they (as a group) have done today. I suspect not too well, given Ethereum (not considered a meme coin) is tanking at 17.5% on the day. So, risk off is still on.I sold out and took profits on a few trump trades that did not recover well during the day today. So, out of FNMA.
I figured anything that did not recover well during the day today is ultra speculative even for the gamblers in this market.