Hi sir...what are your thoughts about more junks bonds or small portions in good companies like att binds or deltair airline bonds/ford. More risks but more rewards.
We bought kohl's bond 24 months ago, they are asking us to consider give them options and calling them. Personally I think we are /maybe start of new bull market. We are in same boat thinking what to do w new monies. We owe lots taxations so lucky those bonds partly called so would prob will pay w these restore new monies to taxes
As stated before been buying Fidelity 2020, JNK and more bonds indexes in Mama retired portfolio. These are good long term sustainable vehicles for med long terms and capital preservations IMHO.. unless economy miraculously turn around extremely quickly and rates are set higher...I did read somewhere Feds likely to keep rates low for quite awhile so could be good for 12 24 months w these bonds. Think she has > 60s% bonds and very little equities
You can also look at corp bonds at schwab, all BBB rated or higher,, won't bankrupt but yields could be low 3 4 % (but could be much better than cash and at pars at what you are doing)...probably best continue Dca into those vehicles that did work out for you longer terms. why fix when its not broken?
Whatever you do could be good because you do have many options currently

https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelfoster/2020/08/22/a-tax-free-5-dividend-set-to-soar-this-fall/#51c217dc5e47
A Tax-Free 5% Dividend Set To Soar This Fall
Have you read the latest? The media says municipal bonds, our favorite plays for safe, tax-free dividends, are facing a surge in defaults
Mub have been on a tear recently last 4 5 months...w divs and good prices what else can go wrong?

Futures and options. Well, not for me, but.........you probably don't have any of these in your portfolio:
WEEK/YTD AUG 22
--- LTPZ = +1.9% / + 22% (UST, long duration TIPs bonds
--- TLT = +1.9% /+23.8% (20+ Yr UST Bond
--- EDV = +2.5% / +31.6% (UST Vanguard extended duration bonds)
--- ZROZ = +2.8 /+33.5% (UST., AAA, long duration zero coupon bonds)
WARNING: Hot potato area of bonds.

Last week's title was:

Bonds not getting any love right now

AAA bonds found some "lovers" this past week. For a week compare, if you choose; review the week return at the start of this thread and compare to the below returns.
Well, we investors have the "FED kick" still in place from March, and may invest, with this in mind, where one feels comfortable. At least relative to U.S. investment sectors, hopefully your positions are still seeing profits.
--- From March: The Federal Reserve kick-started the rebound into risk assets by pledging $3 trillion in unprecedented monetary support, going so far as to buy corporate bonds. That led to many investors repeating the mantra: "Don't fight the Fed" as they swooped in to follow the central bank's lead.
Those tiny, tiny yield numbers. Tis is easy enough to read in print or view on the tv screen those yield numbers. However, even in a weeks time; the yield numbers may reflect large percent moves. This past week wouldn't seem like much in the 10 year Treasury yield, being .71% on Aug. 14 (near term high) and at .64% on Aug. 21, so if one glanced on the 14th and again on the 21st and kinda forgot about the numbers; you need to keep in mind that the change is almost a 10% change. If this number were a SP500 number, it would be the news of the week. Now, this 10% change is not fully reflected into performance changes for AAA bonds; but is reflected into a positive direction for price performance, which is where the money is made.
Overview: AAA, safe haven bonds appeared to be more in line with normal performance and movement when investors become a bit twitchy with other market sectors (being overbought/too expensive ???) Do I know if this will persist ???? .......NOPE. Not unlike you, I can only watch price movements and attempt to discover the mood of the equity(s) markets and how this becomes reflected towards AAA bonds. The below is an OMG for those who ponder and wonder about the world of bonds relative to safe havens and/or market expectations from the big players.
4 days ago - Germany's longest-maturity bonds saw demand rise to an all-time high as investors seeking alternatives to dollar assets bought the nation's highest-yield notes. Bids for the nation's 30-year notes outstripped supply by 2.9 times, the highest since at least 1997, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Personal note: the yield on this 30 year bund was at -.05% at the time of the auction.

I should have previously included performance for AGG, as a gauge, which is now included in the below list.
The AGG, formerly known as the Bloomberg Barclays Aggregate Bond Index, is an index used by bond traders, mutual funds, and ETFs as a benchmark to measure their relative performance. The index is broadly considered to be the best total market bond index, as it is used by more than 90% of investors in the United States.
Currently, I glance at data for , but do not track muni's, mortgage or foreign bonds.
A few data views from bondland, for mostly AAA rated bonds:
AUGUST 21 WEEK / YTD
--- AGG = +.4% / +7.1% (widely used bond benchmark)
--- MINT = + .03% / +1.23% (Pimco Enhanced short maturity, AAA-BBB rated)
--- SHY = + .01% / +2.96% (UST 1-3 yr bills)
--- IEI = + .16% /+7.1% (UST 3-7 yr notes/bonds)
--- IEF = +.6% /+11.6% (UST 7-10 yr bonds)
--- TIP = +.6% / +8.7% (UST Tips, 3-10 yrs duration, some 20+ yr duration)
--- LTPZ = +1.9% / + 22% (UST, long duration TIPs bonds
--- TLT = +1.9% /+23.8% (20+ Yr UST Bond
--- EDV = +2.5% / +31.6% (UST Vanguard extended duration bonds)
--- ZROZ = +2.8 /+33.5% (UST., AAA, long duration zero coupon bonds)
***Other, for reference, not AAA rated:
--- HYG = +.8 / -.7% (high yield bonds, proxy ETF)
--- LQD = +.8% / +8.5% (corp. bonds, various quality)
Well, enjoy and be careful.
Regards,
Catch

Here you go! You need to scroll down a little.
https://fintel.io/doc/sec-ryjux-inverse-government-long-bond-strategy-fund-497-2020-may-19-18402-652

Just from observing the net asset values, it appears the Rydex Inverse Government Long Bond fund (RYJUX) executed a 1 for 5 reverse share split. But I haven't been able to confirm that. Does anyone have a web page link that confirms it? Thx!

In looking at stocks. Pulling data form a couple of my barometer feeds I'm finding that the blended P/E Ratio for the S&P 500 Index computes to 26.1 along with it's yield being found at 1.76%. For me, this indicates that stock valuations are streached by some of the metrics that my late father used and scores stocks as overbought.
In looking at bonds. I'm finding that the yield on the US10T is 0.64%. I'm wondering what folks are thinking? That is better than what my money market funds are paying but it is still very low by historical standards. By my late father's standards this indicates that US Treasuries are extremely overbought.
With the above in mind I'm wondering where investors are putting new money to work? For me, I have increased the allocation I have in my income funds from 40% to 45%. My income sleeve has a yield of 4.23% and my hybrid income sleeve has a yield of 3.58%. Within my asset allocation model I am aleady overweight my income area by +5% so no more room to expand there.
This leaves 15% of my cash in low to no yield places such as money market mutal funds and cash savings. My highest paying money market mutual fund PCOXX has paid out a measley yield of 0.53%. Carry this out and for the full years it projects to a yield of less than one percent.
With this, I ponder ... What to do in my quest for better returns with some of my cash as it builds?
Option 1) Sit tight and build cash while I await the next stock market dip (or pull back) where I can put an equity special investment position (spiff) into play. Generally, in the past, I'd look to make at least five percent off my spiffs when engaged. For me, this will work.
Option 2) I can buy more of my commodity strategy fund (BCSAX) which has a yield of better than 2% and as inflation rises usually the price of commodities rise. This fund holds some gold and gold mining stocks as well. It should do well if the US Dollar continues to decline and the price of commodities rise. For me, this will work.
Option 3) I can buy more of my real estate income fund (FRINX). As the US Dollar declines generally real estate values increase plus long term this would act as a hedge against inflation. Woops already have a full allocation to real estate and high yield securites. No go here.
Option 4) Buy more of my convertible (FISCX) and preffered (PFANX) securities funds. Hold up ... already have a full allocation there.
Option 5) Buy more in my asset allocation funds and let my fund managers find opportunity. This would also work because it would spread the funds's asset mix among those I'm already invested in thus maintaining my asset allocation. Two funds that I'm thinking of are CFIAX & INPAX.
So, for me, going forward, over the near term, it looks like my better choices are numbers 1, 2, & 5 of the options I covered.
I am also wondering what you might have thought of and where you might be positioning new money in this low yield environment?
Thanks for stopping by and reading.
Take care ... be safe ... and, I wish all "Good Investing."
I am ... Old_Skeet

Bummer! You have several choices:
1. If you wish to stay with Fidelity, you need to find another substitute global balanced fund.
2. If you are willing to open a brokerage at Vanguard, then you can buy all the Vanguard funds plus other on their NTF platform.
I took the second route when I rollovered my old 401(K) to either Fidelity or Vanguard. At that time I had Vanguard Primecap and Capital Opportunity funds that I want to keep and they were not available at Fidelity.
I consider VGWLX as a conservative value oriented funds. As you noted there are several growth stocks, Microsoft, Cisco System and Taiwan semiconductor on its top ten holdings, that suggested that Wellington is more flexible in their stock picking.

Hi Skeeter,
Yeah, have looked up SPECX. Looks like a good fund. Will add it to my watch list.
As far as mid caps....... have been selling them. Down to three funds. Small and mid caps worry me right now. I think things will get worse this fall and winter, so I don't want to own them. I did buy AMFFX....a small watch position. It's the only value fund I own and I'm in no hurry to add.
As for selling, I sold FEFQX. It was the last tech fund I bought. It had 33% cash, so I got in. Now it has 6% cash. I made good money in a short time period. The fund has a lot of mid tech in it and is way overpriced, I feel. So just took some profits for now.
I like your thinking this market is way overpriced. I have 17 funds in the portfolio at or nearly at 52-week highs. Have never seen anything like that before. So it would not surprise me to see a pullback. And everybody is going to buy it quickly so I don't think it will last long.
My biggest fear is evictions and bankruptcies. They're coming like a slow-motion train wreck. It's going to take a while but it's coming. I know I'm repeating this but it worries me.
Also, told the Dukester you think he's smart. Now he's walking around like he's all that....lol. That's Brown for ya.
God bless
the Pudd
p.s. I'm drinking a longneck now.....

Since the U.S. now appears to be locked into a zero interest rate zone I supect for the forseeable future, I wanted to see if the connection U.S.-based pundits cite between rates and stock performance is as clear as they claim. Japan I think is an interesting example and I wonder if there is a certain point where investors stop caring about rates and think of other things in a zero-rate regime:

Regarding debit/credit card rewards, Amex has beefed up its traditional Shop Small incentive. If you register your Amex card by tomorrow, they'll give you $5 credit if you buy $10+ at a wide variety of small businesses by Sept. 20th. You can do this 10 times.
https://www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/shop-small/

You’ve identified the storyline here. What remains is how will the story end? With a bang or a whimper? And when? Those who’ve seen the last 15 minutes of this movie aren’t letting on - if they know. It’s tempting to forecast a 50% drubbing of the stock market in short order. The “smart money“ waiting in the wings awakens and moves into stocks at sharply lower prices. A happy ending for the forgotten few who resisted the temptation to own equities and held out long enough. Right out of Disney.

For those with longterm views and appropriately positioned accounts & investing mentalities, I suspect it'll end in annoying and noticeable whimper. But for those who 'bet it all on XYZ because CNBC/Twitter/Newsletter said so' and just play the markets the way they play DraftKings or FanDuel or spin a roulette wheel, I suspect it'll end in a big, bloody, bang for them ... as it probably would and serve them right, I guess.
I might speculate on short-term index moves via futures or ETFs but 95+ percent of my investments are for the long term unless the current situation suggests I should 'raise shields' a bit and go defensive ... which I did w/stuff i bought in Feb which I wanted to hold for the long term, but which I sold this month after insane run-ups in recent months.
Too bad there aren't futures on popcorn we could go long on while watching things, eh? ;)

@little5bee I've done a couple credit card deals, but avoid then cuz that's a sure credit pull...
I also do other things, like reward programs where you link your credit card & each time you shop or eat at certain places you get additional rewards. I use iDine & Dosh for this...for example, 1 restaurant I go to, when those 2 programs combine with my credit card rewards, I get 19% cash back, in addition to reward points at the restaurant (where I'm over $1500 in free food & drinks banked now)

I find myself agreeing with Jim Cramer here ... which happens, from time to time.
Remember the irrational exhuberance going into the Dot Com Crash (Pets.Com!), the Housing Bubble (5 houses on NINJA loans!), and now this.
Remember when you start seeing day-trading ads and services on TV and people start buying into the mania thinking they can't ever lose and that markets only go in one direction (up) that it's time to start inching closer toward the fire exit. As Jeremy Irons' character from 'Margin Call' said, "it's not panic if you're the first one out the door."
What is particualrly disturbing is the 'gamification' of investing by platforms like Robinhood that conflate longterm "investing" for wealth-building and retirement planning with "trading".
My investment portfolio is downright boring compared to most people, and I'm fine with that. It's also why I don't believe in the indices or do index-based investing -- because they're so heavily influenced by a single-digit's worth of ultramegacorps and don't reflect broader equity sentiments.

You’ve identified the storyline here. What remains is how will the story end? With a bang or a whimper? And when? Those who’ve seen the last 15 minutes of this movie aren’t letting on - if they know. It’s tempting to forecast a 50% drubbing of the stock market in short order. The “smart money“ waiting in the wings awakens and moves into stocks at sharply lower prices. A happy ending for the forgotten few who resisted the temptation to own equities and held out long enough. Right out of Disney.
Equally likely are an alternative set of scenarios.
- A very long multi-year (even multi-decade) “rolling” decline to normal valuations with alternating good and bad years. Patient investors can still make money in such an environment - but would require more insight and ingenuity than simply buying the index.
- A rotational correction where the big overvalued names fall while the undervalued equity sectors gain. Financials have lagged. And while one might think the energy, commodity, natural resource sectors overvalued after a recent surge, truth be told those areas are just emerging from the worst decade long bear market in history.
- Correction by stagnation. Equities essentially go nowhere for a decade or longer while the dollar sags, global interest rates rise, and the CPI , real assets, real estate climb in value. Even without a sharp decline, equities would have returned to more normal valuations relative to the dollar and other asset classes over a decade or so.
- Black swans. War, domestic upheaval, shifts in the global balance of power, plagues, environmental catastrophe can all upend an economy and jolt markets leading to different end results than anyone anticipated.
.

Good morning Old_Skeet: You may have nailed it with your explanation from above.
Friday's close & my account was flat lined ! 0.00 % gain.
Better than a -0.4 loss on Thursday.
Fridays close below
DJIA
27,930.33 +190.60 (+0.69%)
NASDAQ
11,311.80 +46.85 (+0.42%)
S&P 500
3,397.16 +11.65 (+0.34%)
Russell 2000
1,552.48 -11.83 (-0.76%
Have a good weekend , Derf

Hi guys.
Politics aside.
My perspective (and thinking) on the stock market follow.
A little more on the barometer that will help explain what is now taking place within the S&P 500 Index which it follows. And, why this might be of concern. Over the past couple of weeks the big ten stocks that make up about 28% of the Index (as a group) have increased in their value while a good number of the underlying stocks have decline in their value. As of last week's market close 79% of the stocks wiithin the Index were trading above thier 50 day moving average and at the close of this week the number had declined to 66%. In addition, over the past two weeks there has been money moving out of the Index according to my money flow indicator, which moved from a reading of 84 to 52.
So, explain why the Index has moved upward in price over the past two weeks from 3851 (8/7 market close) to 3397 (8/21 market close) and reached a new high. It is very simple, the top ten stocks (as a group) have done most of the heavy lifting to propell the Index to it's new high while a good number of the underlying stocks have been in decline. The rise in the big ten (as a group) has been more than enough to offset the decine in the underlying (as a group) thus the price of the Index moved upward. After all, this is a cap weighted Index.
In the past, with a decline in money flow along with a good number of stocks moving from above to below their 50 day moving average has often times indicated that a stock market dip (or pull back) is in the making due to a decline in broad based support along with money leaving. This could be because of political convention activity and investors reacting to it by voting with their wallets through the selling of securities. In addition, there was a big increase in short volume in SPY on Friday.
So, what did Old_Skeet do? Absolutely nothing. I am still with my current asset allocation of 15/45/40 (cash/bonds/stocks). For the past five years (since retirement) I have been reconfiguring my portfolio from a growth allocation type which was as high as 10/20/70 down to the present all weather allocation of 20/40/40 which also affords some good income production. If I were to sell I'd be reducing my paycheck. In addition, I've got ample cash to put some into play during a stock market sell off. Presently, due to low cash yields and streached equity valuations I am overweight in bonds by +5%. For now, though, I'm mostly just sitting and watching.
Thanks for stopping by and reading.
Take Care ... Be Safe ... and, Have a Good Weekend!
Old_Skeet

I used to do this all the time, only pulled credit maybe 1 or 2 times, not a super big deal. I did it for a few years, actually used the bonuses to pay my water, sewer, trash...still haven't paid those with my own $$ after like 7 years. Kept a spreadsheet with the websites, logins, terms...
Found a website that tracks all the offers floating around out there, would pick 1 or 2 every 6 months or so, and after closing would circle back & do it over again usually after a year.
https://www.maximizingmoney.com/category/banking-bonus-deals/

Not all funds open for purchase at Fidelity are eligible for automatic investment. For any fund, this eligibility is subject to change, just as a fund being offered NTF is subject to change.

That is for sure. i understand the fee to be on Fidelity NTF platform is no small feast. I am surprise Vanguard even want to sell their funds there. Nevertheless, Fidelity service via phone or eMessaging is excellent. Vanguard was my 401(k) administrator so they became one of the brokerage we use.

@Derf,
One theory advanced by some is that what you observed is a reflection of people chasing the indexes / index funds higher and higher. (Call it “The elephant chasing his tail” syndrome.) So, while several indexes were propelled higher by indiscriminate buying (including from the Robin Hood crowd), the overall market which is owned by (hopefully ) saner managers didn’t rise as much.
Here it is from one experienced observer. I’ve limited the excerpt which is from a paid subscription.
“ ... while today the popular stocks beneath the surface, whether that's Apple or Tesla, (continue) to melt up. It doesn't take much knowledge of historical valuations or an understanding of math for folks to realize that there are so many companies where the valuations are beyond absurd ..... When an index fund gets money, it just goes out and buys and the price makes no difference, which is not what occurs when an active manager gets money. They tend to use some common sense as to what might be too expensive to buy or too cheap to sell.” (Bill Fleckenstein / Aug. 21, 2020)
https://www.fleckensteincapital.com/dailyrap.aspx?rapdate=08-21-2020
© Copyright 2003–2020 by FleckensteinCapital.com LLC

One can open the accounts online and all the terms are online. What else did you need?
Even if one gets more information verbally, all one can safely rely on is what one has in writing.