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 Flack, Skeeter here …
Thanks for the update. You have me wondering … Why you decided to close the short position and go net long and not to more neutral position? Remember the market peaking process ... I feel it is close if not here.
As you …
Hi Catch22,
Ok, let me state this another way.
Because of the higher yield found in the Federated fund, FMUAX, will have a higher payout to your pocket while USBLX will have the higher total return of the two with greater capital appreciation b…
Hi bee,
Thanks for the extended look on performance ... I can see that USBLX does edge out FMUAX on the one, three and five year total return analysis... however, if one were to look at distributions FMUAX edges out USBLX on yield ... 3.77% vs. 2.…
Hi bee, Skeeter here ...
I have linked below the fact sheet for a stock and muni fund by Federated. Mind you, I have listed the broker sold A shares ... however, Federated does have some funds that are sold without a sales charge. This fund has b…
Hi Tony,
I have for a good number of years followed the Sell in May and back in around October market strategy and I have found it to be of benefit. For me, I sell down equities approaching May ... I don't sell out of them mind you ... and, I incr…
Reply to @catch22:
Hi Catch,
Thanks for your response to my question that I presented to you that asked how you felt one should position for a rising interest rate environment.
Reading what you wrote … In short words … You felt that high yield, s…
Hi Ron,
Thank you for your comment(s). They are indeed welcome. I agree about the guru's. I wonder if at times their comments might be self serving. And, I further believe that one should not take on more risk than they are comfortable with. T…
Reply to @Flack:
Hi Flack,
Good to hear from you.
Actually, I was thinking of you the other day as I was thinking this was the type of market that the new age investor would enjoy in so much as it was now getting more challenging, at least it …
I came across this article and thought I'd post it under this thread. It is Goldman Sachs' take... it is titled "Goldman Sachs recommends staying long." It is linked below for your reading pleasure.
http://www.marketfolly.com/2012/04/goldman-sach…
Thanks Investor,
I appreciate your look at this and your comment. Perhaps that is the case that some of the financials have been reclassified to real estate ... but, there seems to be some other changes too. Communication Services went form 4.30%…
Hi Ted,
Thanks for the information. After I made the post I trolled around a little and came up with about the same weightings as you have linked. I again went back to Instant Xray and pulled another report and their new weightings still appear t…
Hi bee,
Thanks for the information on the tax man stock rally. You know, I have heard a lot about this over the years that the markets seem to get a boost form IRA contributions around mid April ... but, I have never seen anthing that I can recall…
Reply to @catch22:
Hi Catch 22, I will be looking for your weekly review and perhaps some insight into what your take might be on fixed income. I have a pretty good handle on equities but I am not the master of fixed income that you are. Hopeful…
Hi bee,
Thanks for posting the additional link. And, no I had not heard the interview. I did very much enjoy listening to it as Mr. Saut seems to be on my investing wave length and mirrors many of my own thoughts.
My strategy last spring was t…
Hi Mark,
Some don't pay much attention to taxation ... but, I do. For me to sell equities down fauther would require me to sell positions in my taxable account as I curently hold no just equity funds in my 401k and only a small amount of just equi…
Thank you for your questions. My response is below as they were asked.
First for Catch 22’s question … Why did you not sell equities farther down? Mark, I guess I could sell my equities farther down but in doing this I would be generating more ta…
Hi Sven,
Thank you for the question(s), which from my understanding is … What did I do on the way up? I hope the below explains this.
Last summer when equities had pulled back I was a buyer of equities and moved money from form the cash ballast s…
Hello,
An update … Since the S&P 500 Index has pulled back a little better than four percent off its recent high which was in the low 1420’s range to the low 1360’s … I elected to reduce my equity exposure downward to about 50% of the portfolio…
I have been out of pocket and on holiday since Thursday afternoon, just returned, and have been going through my mail, etc. I wanted to get back to those that had questions with my thoughts.
Q: Request for thoughts on the markets form John Newton.…
Hi bee,
Thank you coming to my aid and adding the chart ... Yes, you have the codes set correctly. Indeed it shows how squirrelly it is ... Don't you think?
Thanks again,
Skeeter
Reply to @johnN:
Hi JohnN, Thank you for the kind words.
Currently, for information purposes, I am 20% cash 25% income and 55% equity and other. The equity allocation is one that is currently set by Morningstar's Market Valuation Graph. I tak…
Hello,
I have been studying SGRAX as a replacement for NVOAX and EKGAX for NWGAX. I have linked the Morningstar reports for these funds. I invested in the subject funds because of Mr. Iben and not because they were Nuveen funds. So with his an…
Hi Scott, Skeeter here ...
I moved everything to one broker five or six years back because I was tired of compiling 1099's and spread sheets for my accountant. I met with him last week and told him to enjoy all 58 pages of my 1099. I guess I'll h…
Hello prinx, Skeeter here …
With the forecast of rising interest rates I began to reduce my allocation to fixed income back in October of 2010. I know, you are thinking kind of early … Well, not really … and, here is why. As bond prices began to …
Hi bee, Skeeter here …
I held this fund up to a while back; but, in a different share class, PCRAX. From my thoughts it is a two sleeve fund and one that holds commodity futures and fixed income. It is … as you pointed out … a strong income gener…
Hi all,
I think it is a little of all of the above baked in. And, don't forget the Plunge Protection Team ... From my thoughts, no doubt they have been at work lately as the market just keeps going and going and going upward. Somebody keeps butte…
Hello circa33,
I have linked below a site that tells more on US Government I Bonds. Seems to me they are a very safe invesment and one that can be easily liquidated. I consider my CD's as cash as they are a time deposit which is FDIC Insured. Af…
Hi Catch 22, Skeeter here …
Although I have not responded to your updates in a while I have been reading them.
I agree that equities have run pretty strongly since their October 1st low and have now become too pricey for my taste. Year-to-date th…
Hi Ted,
Back in 1974 I purchased my first shares of stock. It was in a utility company known back then as Duke Power Co and the shares were purchased at $10.00 a share. My average cost today in the position is about $2.50 as it has split several …
Hi Freak,
My interpretation of what they mean based upon my review of the fact sheet is with different valuation ranges for the S&P 500 Index they adjust the stock vs. bond allocation to the fund according to the asset table. The table can be …
Hi Hank,
Well anything worth while is not easy. Although I had my late father to help me along the path of investing ... he is now gone. But, some of his strategies and reasoning still resonate with me today; and, I have found his simple strategi…
Hi Carefree ...
Thank you for the update. I own a sister fund, NWGAX, that Mr. Iben also managed.
I have been following it closely as it has lagged some other funds with a global focus that I own. Perhaps, his departure is the reason. I invested…
Reply to @Accipiter:
Thanks for the heads up on this. I did not realize I had set one up under skeeter. However, this is the one I'll be sticking with.
Have a great day.
Skeeter
Reply to @David_Snowball:
Hi David,
The Duke's of Hazzard was one of my favorite tv programs back in the day.
Catherine Bach, Daisy Duke, was the draw for me. I am not aware that there was ever a character that appeared by the name of Skeeter. …
Reply to @MikeM: Hi Mike, Thank you for the words. Someimes, I wonder if "some" investors figure the cost of trading in and out of securities from taxation on the profits and the associated trading cost. A lot of my invested assets are held in a t…
Hi Catch,
I agree that things could still be slow through the summer. I am not saying by anymeans all systems are a go. Indeed, some sectors are trailing while others seems to be leading. The defensive broad sectors of the S&P 500 Index have…
