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.
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MikeM
I know you are not a fan of his, Mona (understatement :) )
Another Bills fan!!! Junkster just sent me a note saying the same. GO BILLS! They will be right down the road from me when training camp starts next week at St. John Fisher College. But tickets sold out in hours, so I won't be going. Are you from the area, Western NY?
Reply to @VintageFreak: I don't disagree. I was really trying more to compare funds one might buy (instead of traditional bonds) to diversify their portfolio in lieu of an equity correction. I happen to think that in broader terms, market neutral an…
Welcome back Cathy. I'm glad you have a hobby you really enjoy.
There have been many posts recently about people's worries and about what they are doing with their money now. Of course anything can happen, even another great recession, but my take …
Reply to @MJG: I don't believe for a minute that you didn't calculate your post to be controversial. There was no mistake in commingling thoughts. You are analytical and articulate and you wouldn't mix the two topics unless you meant to do so. Other…
Arnott is using the PIMCO Short Strategy fund in his portfolio. M* has his portfolio at about -17% equities, which is enough to drop the funds performance around -2% YTD.
He's either early on the bet and it could work out for him, or it could be s…
MJG, what the heck was that about? A well deserved tribute and acknowledgment of America's war dead and wounded with a controversial sprinkle of abortion numbers thrown into the middle of your post. Then ending with "Happy Memorial Day everyone". To…
Maximum tax rates are a funny thing. Nobody really pays them. If you look back to the 1950's and 60's, max fed tax rates were over 90%. Were the high earners who were at the max bracket really paying 90% taxes? Of course not. Loop holes were put in …
Sears stock has done really well in 2012 (+45%) and 2013 YTD (+24%) per M*.
FAIRX holds 8.5% and FAAFX 7.6%. I thought those percentages were higher last year but I could be wrong. Did Berkowitz take profits and reduce Sears stock in his portfolio…
"In short, I need advice on how to consolidate across the board so that my portfolio becomes more focused."
Oh I'd say your portfolio is very focused now. Focused on just one investment type. Has it been your choice not to have a diversified portfo…
Reply to @Sven: I agree with you that there isn't a big reason to follow Gaffney. But I for one did decide to significantly reduce my LSBDX holding after Fuss announced his retirement (there is no "if". he said he's going) and when Gaffney left Loom…
There have been a few daily-staple posters I enjoyed over the years that reduced participation or just plain went away. I used to log in each morning as soon as I got to work for rono's 'Asia and the Metals' daily and Ted's links. Fundmetals consist…
All the funds mentioned are good picks and I don't think you can definitively say one will be better than the other in the future. I notice that MPGFX looks more like a multiCap fund than a large blend which M* calls it. I kind of like that in a man…
Reply to @AndyJ: Not really sticking up for the PBS shows, but is PBS unique in bad financial and economic reporting? I'd actually take Suzie Orman any day over watching Cramer's circus antics or Kudlow's daily political rants.
Reply to @rono: Thanks for chiming in rono. After reading your post, I'm even more glad I dropped my miners fund last year. Way to much volatility for me in that sector. At 59, I just don't see the reward being worth the risk. Prices may be close to…
Reply to @hank: We'll have to agree to disagree. To me, moving towards fixed income as you get closer to retirement is certainly a 'sound' principle. But I guess my first point was 1) these funds are no more risky than a self guided portfolio of the…
Hi Hank. Dumb article I think. The article says there is risk in retirement date funds??? There is risk in every investment. The article suggests a better option is to pick low cost index stock and bond funds and balance according to your risk toler…
Reply to @VintageFreak: Sorry I got on your case about your buy. Hope it works out for you. I'm also sticking with a controversial fund/manager in Eric Cinnamond and ARIVX. Some could and have argued this fund won't turn around either, but I have co…
Reply to @VintageFreak: So, what would be an example of something fundamentally wrong with a manager? I don't care how smart this guy is or how many college degrees he may have, if his managing system has ignored the last 5 years of one of the best …
I'll get on board with the Hussman bashing. I just don't get how anyone could still have faith in this guy's investing process. The worst part is his unabashed ego. He will steadfastly say he is right and the world around him is all wrong, while th…
Hi Hank. I traded my smallish holding of TGLDX and for CSRSX last year. Since then the PM/miners fund is down ~30%. The REIT fund up ~15%. Reits my be volitle, but nothing like the volitility of miners. They'll have their day in the sun again, but t…
Reply to @bee: Hi Bee. What short term adjustments did this fund take that correlate to Bogle's suggestions? I have to admit, I had the same thought as investor. When I looked up the funds performance, it was less then stellar. And I would never con…
It's my 2 cents that commodity and natural resource funds generally do well during growth and expansion cycles. Industries have to be expanding, countries have to be growing and consumers have to be spending. I don't see that on the near term horizo…
Reply to @bee: You are starting at Monday's close, so you are only looking at Tuesday-Friday results. Monday was a pretty bad day which makes all those fund results worst.
Reply to @bee: Bee, fwiw, many of the funds you listed were actually negative over last week, per M*. For example, PRNHX, a fund on my watch list, was -2.63%. Yahoo confirms M* on a couple I checked. TOLSX was -0.54%. PRASX was up, but only 0.97%.
I'll assume since this is a PIMCO fund we again see the power of derivatives. And oh what rocket fuel that can add. Of course, that strategy can back fire big-time too. But PIMCO seems to do well with the strategy.
Bee, you were right on your asse…
Reply to @Hiyield007: On this board, PGDPX barley gets mentioned, but I think it is a wonderfully constructed fund for dividend income growth. I first heard of it early last year from KevinDow on this board. Sounded like a well diversified strategy …
Reply to @Hiyield007: My mistake. RYOIX is what I own. Fairly new buy for me. I've held PRHSX but wanted to add something different to the health care sector. Saw RYOIX mentioned here on MFO, quite possibly from you.
I gave up on PM mutual funds TGLDX and USAGX last summer and I am so - so glad I did. I like to put some money into sector bets , but never again for precious metal, minor funds. Right now my sector bets are on GASFX, PRENX, CSRIX, PRHSX and RYBOX …
I think PGDPX also fits that description. It holds more high yield than it does equities, but it has been a great steady-eddie dividend income fund. I sold my PRPFX holding and bout this fund. I've owned it for about a year now and I'm happy with th…
Doesn't look now like Cyprus is going to move the U.S. market... But if the market does finally correct, first thing I'm going to buy is a 6pack of Samuel Adams beer. Then I'll sit back and get ready to put some money back into the market. I'm less …
Hi Art. Actually hope you get more responses on this topic. I think a poll would have to be too specific to really answer your questions.
My opinion, if you already have the portfolio distribution you want for the long-run, you won't hurt yourself…
I just don't see a reason for categorized long/short fund. But on the other hand, I really like funds like FPACX where the manager has great flexibility in adjusting his/her portfolio. A caveat to that is I want the manager to have a "protect princi…
I agree with Investor that your description of the Roth is confusing. Either it belongs to you or it belongs to him. Are you maybe the beneficiary?
Anyway, as far as 1 or 2 funds; I like the VWINX suggestion (though I don't own it). A fund I have …
Hi Skeeter. I'm looking forward to the golf season too. Like Hank in Michigan, here in Upstate NY we have to wait for the temperatures to increase a bit. But our golf league did get together last week to pay league dues, talk 'smack' and have a coup…
Charles, this is the best work I have ever seen on this topic. I've purchased books on the subject in the past, but always came away somewhat confused and deciding it wasn't worth my time. You've shown that it can be quite simple. You came into this…
