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Sven
Lynn,
Thank you so much. I am planning on a 3-year ladder since I am a year away from retirement. Lots of spreadsheet work to calculate the income replacement needed. This ladder will create a steady income stream. So thank you for all your help.
I moved back to high quality bond funds this year. Some of which you covered in the SA article. For now, I will stay with agency bonds to the bond ladder. I will pick active managers for corporate bonds.
Sven
If there is something Investor is unhappy with, let us know.
Not that I was aware of. Like others said he may be very busy with work and family etc. I hope he will return.
Pimco made big bets (large macro calls) and many did not fared well in 2013. I recalled this is not the first time Gross made bad choices. Even the most skillful managers had bad years. Pimco Total Return is simply too big to be flexible....
I think there's as much difference between short duration junk and regular high yield as there is between short term investment grade and long term investment grade. Don't know if there are enough short duration junk funds for Morningstar to consid…
Local currency bonds have had a rough 2013. Comments from well respected managers, Luz Padilla (DoubleLine EM Income, DBLEX) and John Carlson (Fidelity New Mkt Income, FNMIX) appeared in a recent article.
bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-26/fidelity-to…
My favorite global all cap fund, which I own, is THOAX, Thornburg Global Opportunity Fund A. It has a multi sector, style and a country orientation. I have linked its Morningstar report below along with its fund fact sheet. I have heard that it c…
FMIJX has a fairly broad investment mandates across the globe, even the name implies "international equity" only. It has about 13% domestic stocks (multinational), 12% cash and employs currency hedging. Over time it is likely to become more global…
The comments below are more interesting than the article itself. We too had a solid return in 2013. 1999 was a remarkable year, then came the tech bubble...
Mr. Hasenstab has made good bets over time. At the height of 2008's European recession he invested heavily in Irish bonds and it worked out great for the investors. Ukraine seems to be in similar situation, but there are more political risk.
Reply to @mrdarcey: As a side note, ARTGX did just lower it's ER to the still steep, but not otherworldly 1.38%
I notice that newer Artisan funds charge higher overall fees than older ones. Case in point, the management team running ARTGX also mana…
Reply to @MJG: Thank you for reminder. There is no free lunch. Few active managers out-perform their respective indeces consistently over long period of time. Love to invest with DFA funds but that requires more fee with DFA approved advisors.
Good article on current issues not centered around slowing growth.
On a related topic, another noteworthy article (not sure if it has been posted previously).
nytimes.com/2014/01/29/business/international/fragile-five-is-the-latest-club-of-emergi…
Reply to @MikeM: The Harris Associates have had the right calls on Europe and Japan several years ago. At present, they have most EM exposure through Japan instead directly. I think Europe and Japan will likely to do well in the near term.
Europe is recovering slowly, thus there is more upside and better valuation relative to US.
Already holding Vanguard Europe ETF, VGK and active managed fund, Franklin Mutual European, MEURX.
Another noteworthy multi-sector fund to consider:
Eaton Vance Bond, EVBAX. Managed by former co-manager of Dan Fuss, Kathleen Gaffney on a small asset basis compare to that of Loomis Sayles Bond. Front load is waived at Fidelity brokerage. In it…
The second interview is even more informative than the first one. While Bill Miller is making a compelling case for Apple stock, I am not sure of his overly bullish sentiment.
Looking forward to the third interview.
Reply to @bee: Can't open the article from your link. Let's try this one from Bloomberg.
bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-04/tax-break-for-ira-conversion-lured-10-of-millionaires.html
While the thesis has merit, this fund carries a front-end load, 5%. There are other solid no- load MFs out there including FPA, Oakmark, FMI and Harbor.
Reply to @Ted: In early last year, I sold both Pimco and Doubleline Total Return funds and added to Eaton Vance. An experienced manager and small asset base are good formula to do well. While Dan Fuss is near 80, he still has two other experienced…
Another comparable multi-sector bond fund, Eaton Vance Bond has done even better in 2013 with 7.8% total return. It is managed by Dan Fuss's former co-manager, Kathleen Gaffney along with 2 co-managers. Overall portfolio makeup is similar with hig…
Reply to @cman: I am beginning to think Minimum Volatility is something dreamed up by the marketing departments as what customers may be looking for in the current environment. The same thinking that led to Absolute Return funds, Market neutral fund…
Reply to @slick: Glad to hear you are finding the tool useful. We use VIG in our taxable account and VDIGX in tax deferred accounts.
Years ago I manage my parent's retirement accounts through Merrill Lynch, but we moved to Vanguard for many rea…
Another approach is to use M* portfolio X-ray tool, which is available free from T. Rowe Price. Registration is required. The tool provides the overall cost (from MF), breakdown of US vs international equities (large and small), bonds, cash, and s…
For what it worth the fund is appointing/promoting a long time analyst as a co-manager. Not sure the reason(s) for Ken Feinberg's departure. He has worked with Chris Davis for well over a decade. Anyone has more information?
selectedfunds.com…
Reply to @Junkster: Reminds me of all the "sophisticated" investors seduced by Bernie Madoff. Let's revisit this in a couple years.
I couldn't agree more. Be careful...
Adding more to:
American New World R5, RNWFX (40% EM)
Franklin Mutual Global Discovery class Z, MDISX
Yacktman, YACKX
Vanguard Healthcare ETF, VHT
Vanguard Europe ETF, VGK
Selling:
Doubleline Total Return, DBLTX and add to Eaton Vance Bond, EVBAX (…
Reply to @cman:
ETF combo EFAV,EEMV,USMV - all available commission free on Fidelity at much lower ERs and more tax efficiency would provide more flexibility to a portfolio and with no minimums.
Yes these are good options. Here is more information …
While traveling oversea we use credit cards exclusively for fraud protection in addition better exchange rates than those local banks.
Debit cards are easy to get, but one have to watch it carefully. There is no free lunch in today's plastic mon…
