Here's a statement of the obvious: The opinions expressed here are those of the participants, not those of the Mutual Fund Observer. We cannot vouch for the accuracy or appropriateness of any of it, though we do encourage civility and good humor.
I prefer the third strategy - Hold and Stick to Your Game Plan.
An investor could create a portfolio with an appropriate asset allocation (accounting for risk tolerance and risk capacity) and then rebalance the portfolio periodically.
The second st…
I read an AP article regarding Merck's COVID-19 pill (molnupiravir) earlier today.
When taken a few days after COVID-19 symptoms arise, molnupiravir appears to reduce deaths and hospitalizations by approximately 50%. The results were so strong that …
Very good discussion in this thread.
Over time, I have read about a lot of buying strategies. E.g., DCA, BTD, etc. But I have never read an exit strategy. I think this is a secret sauce people do not share. I hope folks in this forum share thei…
A password manager program makes managing multiple, complex passwords much easier.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) usage will increase security.
If MFA is available, I would recommend using it for financial accounts.
Do not access personal financ…
Unfortunately, there are not many good choices for typical investors in the current environment.
I Bonds are relatively attractive but there is an annual $10K purchase cap*.
Real assets such as farmland, timber, real estate, or broad-based commodi…
Gold's reputation as an inflation hedge is often overstated.
It is not uncommon for gold to generate negative real returns during a decade-long time period.
Link
I fished for bluefish on the Mijoy from the early-to-mid 80's through 90 or 91.
Bluefish are very aggressive feeders and put up a great fight.
It was quite a blast when you found a school of blues!
Also went fishing for tuna and cod on the Gail Fran…
I wouldn't necessarily describe VEMBX as being unique.
However, the fund generated higher returns (5 Yr - Top 2%) with lower volatilty than its EM Bond fund peers.
Nobody knows if VEMBX will continue to outperform in the future.
I don't own this fu…
@WhollyTerriers,
I didn't find the Top 10 Country Breakdown when using the newer M* format.
However, there is a way to obtain region exposure if that would be helpful.
Click 'Portfolio' > Go to 'Fixed Income Exposure Analysis' section > Cli…
David Rubenstein often has interesting guests on his show.
Link
I watched several episodes from Season 7 (current season) the last few days.
Episode 2: McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski
Episode 3: Moderna Chairman Noubar Afeyan
Episode 5: Reid Hoff…
Capital Group, the firm that runs American Funds, will be launching six new active ETFs in the first quarter of 2022. It's interesting that these new ETFs will be transparent - holdings will be disclosed daily.
"Grinder" is what they call a submarine sandwich around my hometown, in western Massachusetts.
We also called sub sandwiches "grinders" in central Connecticut.
Here in western Washington state, they're usually called subs or hoagies.
Grinder is not…
This was a truly horrible event.
A friend called and left a voicemail shortly after the first plane struck one of the towers.
I was still in bed (West Coast) and thought a terrible accident had occurred.
After the second plane struck the other tower…
Frankly, I don't see a need for developed market bonds.
They yield less than U.S. bonds and corresponding funds usually have higher expense ratios.
What's the point?
Investors who are not seeking bonds for "ballast" and are comfortable with heighte…
The SEC requires disclosure of portfolio managers' ownership in the following ranges: none, $1–$10,000, $10,001–$50,000, $50,001–$100,000, $100,001–$500,000, $500,001–$1 million, and over $1 million.
Unless managers with more than $1 million invest…
Several emerging market and currency bets went wrong over the years.
Maintaining a low overall duration also didn't help.
As was mentioned, Mr. Hasenstab could be stubborn in holding losing positions for too long.
"Credit spreads in Europe haven’t been this tight this consistently since, again, the summer of 2007.
In the credit market, unlike stocks, stability like this should ring alarm bells.
Investment-grade issuers, and not just low-grade junk issuers, …
M* take on Tad Rivelle's retirement:
"Rivelle is a giant in the fixed-income world, and his retirement is noteworthy.
However, the strength of the remaining trio of generalist managers and the quality of the specialist teams that support them sh…
Multi-alternative funds tend to be pricey, complex, and opaque.
They may use combinations of various strategies: long/short equity, interest rate/currency bets, derivatives, commodities, arbitrage, etc. Many investors don't understand how these disp…
According to the various prospectuses, flagship customers can open new accounts. The prospectuses don't describe the procedure.
VPMCX:
Vanguard PRIMECAP Fund is closed to new accounts for investors not enrolled in Vanguard Flagship Services® or Va…
"But you don't need to own Vanguard mutual funds or ETFs to get the benefits of its unique low-cost structure. You can (and should?) get them almost anywhere."
True, except for the Admiral shares of actively-managed funds.
Bill Smead was a regular guest on the local PBS finance show "About the Money".
I was impressed by his thoughtful investment strategy and candid demeanor.
I didn't like Smead Value Fund's expense ratio which was rather high.
The fund has performed …
My two most important considerations are 'Commissions and fees' and 'Investment choices'.
The total number of available funds is meaningless if many funds are mediocre.
Having good 'Tools' (screeners, calculators, etc.) is a plus but it is not man…
