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.
Hi Catch 22,
Earlier this morning I read the article and then looked at my portfolio. I can make it on as little as a 4% return over inflation which is less than the 8.9% stated in the article. In addition, I looked through my stack of funds; and…
Hi @slick,
Thanks for opening the thread about a subject that should interest many. I am not going to comment on what I have been doing within my own portfolio for I feel I have written perhaps more than I should have about it in other threads. I…
Hello,
Old_Skeet’s market barometer finished the week down six points with a reading of 140 putting it in overvalued territory. It began the month with a reading of 152; and, with this, moved from the middle of fair value to just short of the midd…
Hi @johnN,
John thanks for posting the article on utilities. Eventhough utilities account for about 3% of the S&P 500 Index they currently make up about 7% of Old_Skeet's holdings. I'm thinking of raising my utility sector weighting by about …
Hi folks,
I felt giving up the buy, sell, and ponder thread was a way to get more folks involved. In addition, I am going to throttle back on the number post that I make in hope new posters will come forward and make comment or even start new thre…
Hello,
This week ... It seems the bulls still run!
On Baseball ... The Durham Bulls are this season's Minor League National Champions defeating the Memphis Redbirds (this week) with a score of 5 to 3. This season they won their fifth Governors' C…
Hi @Sven,
I too have been more conservative within my portfolio and have been moving money left within my portfolio into more conservative asset positions due to relative high asset valuations. I have reduced the number of equity funds in my domes…
Hi @Crash,
I don't have a comment on the subject fund but I feel the smids are starting to rebound. And, if the tax system gets overhauled they most likely will recover lost ground and them some.
I've been thinking of raising my allocation in the…
@MikeW,
Thank you for your question.
Here is how I manage my sector weightings. First, I Xray my portfolio so that I have a good idea of how it is currently positioned. In addition, I strive to maintain certain allocation weightings within my se…
Hello,
With the S&P 500 Index having some nice gains this week Old_Skeet's market barometer moved from a reading of 153 down to 145 which is still in fair value territory but only by 1 point. Generally, a higher barometer reading indicates mor…
Hello,
While I ponder if anything should be done within my portfolio with all that has happened over the past couple of weeks ... Old Skeet has decided to just sit. This week the barometer closed the week with a reading of 153 up one point from la…
Hello,
I want everyone to know I'm not leaving the board as scott did a couple years back. But, I did want to step back form hosting an on-going thread. I am glad to see that Puddnhead and Duke picked the thread up to keep it going. I'm sure the…
Here is another thought ... if external cash is to be included then so should profits (or losses) made from sold securities and performance of other securities held outside of the mutual funds in computing portfolio returns. What I have been writin…
Hello ... again,
Yes, I saw what Old_Joe wrote and here is what I discovered in the past when using a money market ticker symbol as a proxy for cash. And, why I don't use it.
In the past I have used AFAXX as a proxy for cash. Actually, my extern…
Hi everyone,
I appreciate all comments even form those that raised issues.
After some thought I plan to continue to report investment performance as derived from Moringstar Portfolio Manager. There are a couple reasons for this. One, it is how M…
Hi @MikeM,
Thanks for making comment on the subject of how to report cash. For information purposes I include CDs as a cash holding, plus there are two savings accounts, along with a health savings account and on top of that there are interest bea…
Hi @bee and @Junkster,
Moringstar does report cash held within a mutual fund in Xray ... but, for cash held outside in portfolio manager I've had to add it using the following symbol (in caps) "CASH$" on the data entry page of Portfolio Manager. T…
Not so ... @Junkster, I started reporting both ways about a year ago. And, more recently reporting only investment returns. Where is it listed or detailed that there is a standard on the forum for performace reporting? Sorry, you are having diff…
Hi @Junkster,
Thanks for stating your position towards my portfolio reporting.
Yes, these are investment returns (excluding the cash sleeves) for mutual fund positions only. Look a couple post above mine with what Ted posted as his portfolio's re…
Hello,
Old_Skeet's portfolio which totals 47 funds ... for the day and for the week ... all green. And, currently, no red year-to-date or for the rolling twelve months either. The worst performing sleeve is my small/mid cap sleeve found in the gr…
Hi @bee,
Thanks for posting.
I noticed, Money Market has moved up two places from 16th to 14th.
In the past, I've done well buying the bottom listed asset other than cash. And, now that small caps are ranked below cash I'm thinking they just m…
Hi @Maurice,
Actually, I don't pay higher fees than any others that hold their mutual funds in firm name ... only the fees the mutual fund companies send them. No brokerage account wrap fees either. I know how the system works and I use it to my …
Plain and simple ... I fax written instructions to my broker requesting a return confirming call. I figure a fax is more secure than email plus the fax gets an automated time and date stamp when it is received at the brokers office by their system …
Hello,
For what it is worth.
American Funds has some good funds and GBLAX (A Shares) is one of them. It is a value style fund that is heavy in the large cap space although it does has some good sector allocations form my perspective. I passed, a…
Hello,
This will be Old_Skeet's last post as your host of "What Are You Buying Selling or Pondering?" About two years ago when scott left the board I picked the thread up to keep it going. I'm thinking a new host will perhaps bring some new and e…
Well ... It is about time Arnott got the train back on its tracks. A few years back I owned PASAX and it did absoutely nothing for about three years while some other tactical allocation funds that I own dusted it britches thus I kicked PASAX to the…
Hi bee,
Why don't you do an Instant Xray analysis on your portfolio and then do one on the three funds (trident) you have referenced. Thus far this year small caps and value have trailed growth. If you portfolio has a value tilt (as mine does) it…
Hi @Maurice,
I ran scott's handle and he was last active back in December, 2016. However, he could visit without signing in. Some might remember scott as starting the thread ... What are you buying ... selling ... or pondering?
Skeet
Hi @Maurice,
I use to own Marketfield but after it became bloated and its performance dropped after Mainstay bought it ... I let it go. In addition, I did the same with Ivy Asset Strategy as it became bloated. I looked at Marketfield just the oth…
Hi @MikeW,
I developed the barometer to help determine when there was value in the 500 Index and also to drive my equity weighting matrix within my portfolio to determine how much equity I should hold within my equity allocation range, (45% to 55%)…
The seasonal trend is for stocks to go soft during the summer ... especially, August. From what I have read, this seems to be so more times than not. I'm not surprised that earnings need to catch up with valuation. Stocks are not cheap as the art…
Hi @MikeW,
I use the barometer as my key driver to adjust my equity allocation along with the calendar concerning seasonal trend strategies. A poster named Tony appeared several months ago after reading about the barometer and suggested that the E…
I had problems with Morningstar earlier today too. They seem to have gotten things fixed as Portfolio Manager, Instant Xray and the Market Valuation graph are now working on my machine.
Hello today is Saturday August 19, 2017.
A barometer reading update.
For the past three weeks the barometer has had rising readings (146, 152 & 155). Generally, a rising reading indicates more investment value is coming into the S&P 500 I…
