Oil fell over $10.00 .
Gold off $36.00
PM miners off 2.6%
Wheat got whacked
Most industrial metals weaker
Seems maybe forks folks are reasoning Putin ain’t such a bad dude after all … or possibly that the end of the war is nearer?
In Japan short rates were rising so fast (overnight) Bloomberg reported the BOJ was considering imposing some type of rate freeze.

12. Muriel Siebert brokerage !

13

. 18 .Vanguard. (I made that up.)

@sfnative There, I fixed it for you.

All,
I managed to parse this from my digital subscription. I value their content and feel compelled to properly cite and gracefully share:
The Economist Business
Mar 26th 2022 edition Surge pricing
Mar 26th 2022
How companies use AI to set prices
The pricing of products is turning from art into science
Few american business tactics are as peculiar in a freewheeling capitalist society as the manufacturer’s suggested retail price. P.H. Hanes, founder of the textile mill that would eventually become HanesBrands, came up with it in the 1920s. That allowed him to use adverts in publications across America to deter distributors from gouging buyers of his knitted under garments. Even today many American shopkeepers hew to manufacturers’ recommended prices, as much as they would love to raise them to offset the inflationary pressures on their other costs. A growing number, though, resort to more sophisticated pricing techniques.
A seminal study from 2010 by McKinsey, a consultancy, estimated that raising prices by 1% without losing sales can boost operating profits by 8.7%, on average. Getting this right can be tricky. Set prices too high and you risk losing customers; set them too low and you leave money on the table. Retailers have historically used rules of thumb, such as adding a fixed margin on top of costs or matching what competitors charge. As energy, labour and other inputs go through the roof, they can no longer afford to treat pricing as an afterthought.
To gain an edge, shopkeepers have been turning to price-optimisation systems. These predict how customers will respond to different pricing scenarios, and recommend those that maximise sales or profits. At their core are mathematical models that use oodles of transaction data to estimate price elasticities—how much demand increases as the price falls and vice versa—for thousands of products. Price-sensitive items can then be discounted and price-insensitive ones marked up. Merchants can fine-tune the algorithms to prevent undesirable outcomes, such as double-digit price surges or larger packages costing more by unit of weight than smaller ones.
These systems are becoming cleverer thanks to advances in artificial intelligence (ai). Whereas older models used historical sales data to estimate price elasticities for individual items, the latest crop of ai-powered ones can spot patterns and relationships between multiple items. Makers of pricing software are incorporating new data sources into their models, from customers’ tweets to online product reviews, says Doug Fuehne of Pricefx, one such firm. The cloud-based platform developed by Eversight, another provider, allows retailers to test how slight increases or decreases in the price of, say, Heinz ketchup at different stores affect sales not just of that specific condiment but across the category. It is used by big manufacturers such as Coca-Cola and Johnson & Johnson, as well as some supermarkets (Raley’s) and clothes- sellers (JCPenney).
All this makes pricing systems “much more three-dimensional”, observes Chad Yoes, a former executive at Walmart who oversaw pricing at the retail behemoth. Retail bosses are keen to promote this sophistication to investors, who value firms’ pricing power at a time of high inflation. In February Starbucks, a chain of coffee shops, boasted about its use of analytics and ai to model pricing “on an ongoing basis”. us Foods, a food distributor, has touted its pricing system’s ability to use “over a dozen different inputs” to boost sales and profits.
Price-optimisation may make prices more volatile. “Retailers are pricing faster today than they ever have before,” says Matt Pavich of Revionics, another pricing-software firm. That is especially true in the fast-moving world of e-commerce. But even Walmart reviews the prices of many items in its stores 2-4 times a year, says Mr Yoes, up from once or twice a few years ago.
What pricing systems do not do is lead inexorably to higher prices. Mr Pavich calls this misconception “one of the biggest myths” about products like his. Sysco, a big food distributor which rolled out new pricing software last year, is a case in point. The firm says the system allows it to lower prices on “key value items”—as price-sensitive bestsellers are known in the trade—and raise them on other products. It can thus increase profits by expanding sales while maintaining margins. That keeps investors content and shoppers sweet. ■
For more expert analysis of the biggest stories in economics, business and markets, sign up to Money Talks, our weekly newsletter.
This article appeared in the Business section of the print edition under the headline "Artificial prices"
Published since September 1843 to take part in “a severe contest between intelligence, which presses forward, and an unworthy, timid ignorance obstructing our progress.”
God bless
the Pudd

13. Vanguard. (I made that up.)

Actually, the ranking methodology is mentioned in the paper copy (pg 30) & the e-version. There were 6 broad categories & 106 subcategories. Barron's also opened demo a/c and trading a/c at each brokerage for firsthand evaluation. A weighted-average score of 6 broad categories determined the rankings. But this detail is not linkable.

My next article on MFO is about inflation along with a study of funds that do well. I was home on break and just returned to work. I see that I have missed some posts on the discussion board about commodity funds such as COM being lower volatility. Yes, commodity funds will be volatile, but COM has a lower drawdown because it is long/cash on 12 different commodities. COM is a good choice for those wanting inflation protection with lower volatility.
In the article, I will discuss Allianz PIMCO Inflation Response Multi-Asset (PZRMX) which is a real return fund available no-load at Fidelity. Real return funds are less volatile than most commodity funds partly because they have a limited allocation to commodities and some in inflation protected bonds, among other assets. I own the Fidelity FSRRX real return fund. I have researched PZRMX and while I like it, am happy with FSRRX.
After writing the article, I researched Allianz PIMCO Inflation Response Multi-Asset on Vanguard and found that the institutional class (PIRMX) is available with a minimum of $25,000 and lower fees of 0.73% vs 1.18%. It is a fund worth considering.

Fed./Treasury/global Central banks............what these folks do is way past my pay level; and worse, I don't have access to their inside data. I do, however; wonder if they always think they get everything right. They likely feel they know what they're doing in a given time frame.......past that, they may feel like flipping a coin for a "policy choice". Too many moving parts, IMO; especially now.
This article wandered into my mail inbox today. It presents some ideas of what I have "wondered" about, but couldn't have expressed proper; relative to interest rate increases other policy changes. I direct this too, towards the big banks and investment houses.............are they just a bunch of rich puppies following the smell of a piece of bacon for their own reasons?
And yes, as the very long "bond" thread indicates; this a lot of bond blood in the streets at this time.
Article, Seeking Alpha
Informational only: Enjoy.
Remain curious,
Catch

GQEPX ntf at Schwab $100 minimum.

Can’t help noting. Bloomberg this evening is showing the U.S. 10 year treasury at 2.47% and the 30 year just slightly higher at 2.58%. Makes no sense at all!
EDIT - Worse than I thought. At 10 PM Sunday: U.S. 30 year 2.61% / U.S. 5 year 2.59%
Essentially, the 30 year isn’t paying anything more than the 5 year (albeit 0.02%) How can that be?

RSIVX Riverpark Strategic Income Fund is a unique fund in that it invests in various debt securities (some less liquid and many non-rated), distressed debt, with a decent allocation to foreign, some convertibles, and a 15% slug to equities.
Some holdings are duplicated from RPHYX, which is Riverpark's short-term HY fund. That's probably the more conservative sleeve.
As @Junkster had mentioned earlier, its held up quite well recently. I think that it's energy and utility investments might have helped there. Its up +0.44% YTD, and over 6% for the past year.
RSIVX is kind of a "go anywhere bond fund", but with a small allocation to stocks added on. Its been working pretty well in this environment.

+1.

We don't have any large screen or high definition video equipment, so we contract for the cheapest service tier provided by AT&T Uverse. All we really wanted when we signed up was reasonably fast internet browsing and email.

Than you might enjoy this …
“Due to excessive levels of inflation, the price of the Starlink kit is increasing from $499 to $549 for deposit holders, and $599 for all new orders, effective today. In addition, the Starlink monthly service price will increase from $99 to $110. The new price will apply to your subscription on 5/8/2022.”
Gottcha!
(Story was also covered in the WSJ. Their rocket launches also went up in price.)
Sorry folks are having trouble with the M* tracker. I’m not as tech savy as OJ. No idea why that would be. Works wonderfully for me on wifi and not bad either on cellular when out of the house. One wonders why the importance of speed? I guess if you’re doing a lot of day trading it makes a difference. But I wouldn’t trust those minute by minute price changes enough to trade off them. Can always log in to your brokerage for better price info.
I also pay for a portfolio tracking app as a backup. More bells and whistles, but tends to lag M* in timely quotes. And it doesn’t always display more thinly traded etfs.
PS - just running off a router roughly 25 feet away I range anywhere from 35 - 200 mbps. Probably has a lot to do with location of the satellites which constantly traverse the horizon (one every minute or two).

@racqueteer- All I can tell you is that the speed test numbers come back shown as "Mbps", using two or three different speed test sites.
We are using AT&T "Uverse", which uses fiber to a point near our home, and then dumps the high-speed data onto the copper telephone lines that feed the house. Those copper lines run for at least a block, or maybe a bit more, and are ancient.
Here is some info that I copied from the "Uverse" site. Our speeds are very close to the "Tier 10" specs.
Internet speed
Each internet service option has a different service capability speed range. The term speed describes the rate a particular broadband internet access service can transmit data. This capacity is measured by the number of kilobits (Kbps), megabits (Mbps), or gigabits (Gbps) that can be transmitted in one second.
Most high-speed broadband services (IPBB) deliver internet through a hybrid fiber and copper network. IPBB provides users with faster download speeds compared to traditional DSL service. All speed tiers are asymmetrical (the download and upload speeds are different).
AT&T Speed Tier: Internet 10
Expected Speeds:
Download: 10
Upload: 1

Actually a pretty intelligent discussion under the title “Training Investors to Be More Rational”
(Provided FYI)
1. Interactive Brokers
2. Fidelity
3. E*Trade
3. Charles Schwab (apparently a tie for #3)
5. TD Ameritrade
6. Merrill Edge
7. tastyworks
8.Webull
9. Ally Invest
10. Robinhood
10. J.P. Morgan Self-Directing Investing (apparently another tie)
11. SoFi Invest
Sorry - I’m not sure what specific criteria were used. For Fidelity they praise its many online features which include tracking of gains and losses as well as some educational tools directed at newer younger investors.
Coincidentally, the magazine includes a fitting tribute to Ned Johnson as did the WSJ a few days ago.

Rajiv Jain was featured in Barron's 11/22/21 Part 1 & 10/25/21 Part 2.
https://ybbpersonalfinance.proboards.com/board/12/market-insights

If you want laddering, DRSK maintains 90-95% in an investment grade corporate bond ladder and invests the remainder in equity call options. Up 7% annual since inception in August 2018. Held up extremely well during the 1st quarter 2020. I own only a small bit which is part of a 9-10% hedge position against unexpected (expected :)) declines in equities. / ER .60%
Not a replacement for a pure fixed income fund. Just tossing it out for consideration.

@Charles
More info on ETF bond ladders here
https://www.invesco.com/us/en/insights/how-to-build-a-bond-ladder.html
https://www.ishares.com/us/resources/tools/ibonds
Detailed analysis of redemptions and returns of ishares ibonds going back to 2012
https://www.ishares.com/us/literature/investor-education/ibonds-series-case-study-en-us.pdf
pdf shows all of ibond MUNIS redeemed at or above starting NAV. Two of ibond corporates redeemed at a loss from initial NAV but only 1.5% or so. I can't find any data for the Bullet shares on redemption NAV
Ibonds are far more diversified with thousands of individual bonds, vs hundreds in Bullet shares.
I ran a comparison of a five year Muni ibond ladder with VMLUX.
Duration is 2.49 vs 2.3 for VMLUX SEC 30 day yield is 1.22 vs 1.23.
To compare with VWIUX ( Dur 4.3) need to use Bullet shares for 7 year ladder ( ibonds only go to 2028 now)
Bullet dur 4.08 SEC 30 day yield 1.59%
Bullet 8 year ladder Dur 5.37 yield 1.77
VWIUX dur 4.9 SEC yield 1.77
These are equal amounts in each ladder. You could tweak it to adjust duration if you wanted.
With ETFs, like an individual bond, you know when and what $ you will get back for known future expenses.
You also do not have to deal with amortization issues with premium bonds, and can deduct capital losses like any other ETF.
If current income is the goal, there is a slight advantage to OEFs, but you should ignore the current market price.

As @MikeW says, GQEPX is worth consideration. For its first three years of existence M* classified it as LCG and gave it low marks in its comparison group. Recently, ISTM, Jain has embraced a value discipline, a development M* recognizes in its style box. I wonder if the reported 143% turnover reflects this shift. I don’t have snapshots of the fund’s earlier portfolio holdings that might facilitate a comparison. In the event, PBLRX is 30 times bigger with only 40 positions, so it’s unlikely to be able to pivot as GQEPX seems to have done. It’s also obvious that Jain has no ESG mandate to follow; you get tobacco in his fund. I tend to like funds with smaller asset bases and concentrated holdings, criteria that Jain’s fund meet. By way of disclosure, I still hold AKREX, even though its AUM have mushroomed; it does still have a very concentrated portfolio. I think Jain is a very good LCG EM manager and my reason for not owning his fund is that I don’t see the value in EM stocks that some analysts appear to see.

Failed banks are definitely handled differently. I worked with someone who in the 1980s sought out the highest yielding banks in Texas he could find. They were dropping like flies on a daily basis. But as you described, they closed on Fridays and he had access to his money the next Monday.