https://money.usnews.com/investing/funds/slideshows/9-of-the-best-energy-etfs-to-watch?src=usn_invested_nl
These affordable funds give investors many options to tap into the potential for profits
. Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (ticker: XLE). XLE is the largest energy sector fund as measured by assets under management, with about $15.5 billion in market value at present. It's a simple way to play the sector, and a very liquid ETF that is reasonably priced, with an expense ratio of just 0.13 percent, or $13 annually for every $10,000 invested.
It’s worth noting, however, that the fund is not very diversified. With 30 holdings and roughly 40 percent of the entire portfolio allocated to mega-caps Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) and Chevron Corp. (CVX), one big move in either of these stocks can really affect the fund. Still, the fund is popular and widely held.
2. Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Energy ETF (RYE). If you don't like putting all your eggs in one basket, you can avoid the overreliance on Exxon and Chevron with this fund. The RYE similarly has about 30 holdings spanning the largest and most influential energy stocks, but uses an equal-weight strategy and rebalancing to ensure each position represents about 3 percent of the portfolio.
That adds diversification, but many large-cap energy stocks on this list like exploration player Occidental Petroleum Corp. (OXY) or oilfield service company Baker Hughes (BHGE) are in many ways subject to the same industry pressures and may not necessarily differ tremendously in their performance. – Jeff Reeves
I likely will add energy etf soon dca or buy more of PBA

The article is of moderate interest though you won't learn anything that increases your net worth except possibly to not pay for macro advice.The problem is if 10 experts make predictions and 3-5 are correct (optimistic but possible)how will you know who to follow.

FYI: At a recent press luncheon held by a major investment firm in Manhattan, a trio of portfolio managers stood in front of a PowerPoint presentation projected onto the restaurant’s wall and proffered vague predictions for the year ahead. As the managers talked, journalists dug into the breadbasket and dutifully scrawled notes into the requisite branded notebooks provided by the firm.
Similar scenes have been playing out at breakfasts, lunches, and happy hours all over midtown since just after Thanksgiving: investment managers hawking their market predictions for the next year to a captive audience of reporters over a hearty steak and a glass of wine or coffee and pastries. These events are generally built around the publication of asset managers’ year-end prediction reports, which aim to call everything from election outcomes to GDP growth for the coming year.
While most journalists are not inclined to say no to a free lunch — or notebook, or selfie stick, or whatever tchotchkes are on offer — they are inclined to question whether the reports these events are predicated on are worth much and, indeed, if they’re accurate.
Regards,
Ted
https://www.institutionalinvestor.com/article/b1c723q2s2s9f8/Does-Anyone-Care-About-Year-Ahead-Outlooks

@msf,
There is VINEX also as an option.
Regarding BCSVX, maybe the fund was quite new to the scene so you wanted to see how the fund performed since it commenced during 2016?

@msf: BCSVX is also heavily invested in tech and healthcare, another form of concentration. GISOX has only 15% in small and micro caps, while DRIOX is almost 2/3 in mid caps. It may well be that you'll need two or three funds to do the job.

There are no perfect funds, which is why I asked about thoughts. Tough year or not, BCSVX is turning in (relatively speaking) outstanding performance. I'm trying to remember why I didn't include this fund in my list. Could be the somewhat high fee (1.5%), or the very concentrated nature of the fund (40% in the top ten holdings).
Some people like this - the concentration, obviously not the fees - but the risk concerns me. On the other hand, throw together three concentrated (and non-overlapping) funds, and I could see building a portfolio like that.

Some years ago, DRIOX and FKSCX (both of which were closed due to incoming monies) were performing well while PRIDX was somewhat as well as the DRIOX and FKSCX. Over the last couple of years or so (until early 2018 when the international market started to sputter) PRIDX was performing well while DRIOX and FKSCX started to perform mediocre. My point is that while some faltered, my others investments picked up the slack. I didn't invest all my money in one particular fund.
I also owned ARTJX which did well in the very beginning when it was first offered in 2002 with AUM nearing $1B at its peak; however, over the last several years, ARTJX started to perform mediocre. I started to look at other options; hence, PRIDX, DRIOX, and GPIIX. I recently sold my ARTJX due to the fund change as well as the large CG paid. We all know the recent change involving ARTJX.

Big hitters managing this CEF: Galley, Sherman, Gundlach. They are promising to distribute 12.5% for the coming calendar year, based on the fund's NAV in late December. Currently trading at an 11% discount, the fund is 25% leveraged, and up to this point in 2018 it has returned 43 cents per share as Return of Capital. (Headache for shareholder at tax time.) This is only the third year of its existence. They can't be accused of offering plain vanilla.

Thanks for the thoughts.
I agree (with slick) that it usually takes some time for a new manager to put his own imprint on a fund. Not infrequently the old fund does at least as well as the new fund even after that. A too easy example is PIMCO/Bill Gross. Sometimes, both funds do well (TCW/Gundlach). Wait and see sounds reasonable.
It looks like DRIOX is open (though it is closed at some brokerages, e.g. Vanguard). It's TF at Schwab and Fidelity, and NTF at Merrill Edge. A quick glance shows performance, asset mix (small, growth oriented; fair smattering of EM), and cost 1.23% all adding up to a reasonable candidate. But what is going on with 143% turnover? I haven't looked closely into this yet. The other funds you (shadow) have are closer to 25% turnover.
I do have access to the other two funds (maintaining a small toehold for just such a use), so that's not a concern for me. Though I checked with T. Rowe Price and they will not move a holding in kind from an IRA to a taxable account. So if one is planning to gain access that way, be forewarned.
Out of curiosity, what's your thinking in holding a few different funds in the same space? Personally, I find that if there are two (I try to keep it down to that number) or three that I really can't decide between, I'll put money into all of them. After a few years, either I feel more comfortable with one of them and stick with that one, or still don't find much difference. In that case, I'll say what the heck and just pick one since the choice among them doesn't seem to make a difference.

FYI: RiverNorth/DoubleLine Strategic Opportunity Fund, Inc. (the “Fund”) (NYSE: OPP) announced that its Board of Directors (the “Board”) has approved a new level distribution policy effective January 1, 2019. The Fund is also maintaining its previously declared monthly distribution for December 2018. More information follows below.
Regards,
Ted
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181211005662/en/RiverNorthDoubleLine-Strategic-Opportunity-Fund-Announces-Approval-12.5
M* Snapshot OPP:
https://www.morningstar.com/cefs/XNYS/OPP/quote.html

Mr. Ritholtz offers valid insights to the market flips.
He noted: "Now, we see broader signs that global growth is slowing. Corporate profits may have hit a peak. Economies are cyclical, and the U.S. has gone almost a decade without a recession, roughly two times longer than the average interval between slowdowns. That implies we are overdue for a slump. None of the usual signs of an imminent recession are present, but 2020-21 isn’t an unthinkable time line."
>>>I suggest that part of the equity market sell is relative to the "bold" just above. Superior profits may have run their course for the time being; and that so many companies have issued hugh amounts of bonds to purchase this company or that one.
Pay off of these bonds against a back drop of slowing profits is not the best forward outlook an investor would desire. I recall, not many decades ago; when some companies had decent debt/equity ratios. Today, not so sure who the few companies may be.
>>>Secondly, per my recent post of POTUS lying about results of an agreement with China regarding trade and tariffs at the recent G-20 meeting; further provides cause for one to be a bit twitchy about forward equity values as an investor. Also, how are companies expected to plan for further than 4 weeks down their business road with the constant mis-directions emanating from the DC bunch.

FYI: For those looking for an explanation of why the stock market suddenly became tumultuous in the fourth quarter of 2018, you can stop searching: The answer is President Donald Trump.
I don’t say this lightly.
Regards,
Ted
https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2018-12-10/donald-trump-owns-this-stock-market

@john
I didn't find where the author stated that these 3 reits were a buy in case of a market crash. Where does this statement arrive from ???
ADD: nice to view that you changed the subject line to remove the "market crash" aspect (Dec., 2011).
The 3 stocks noted in article, 20 year cycle. The returns are impressive since the market melt, but also have quite the up/down cycle, for the faint of investment hearted. I'll have to review further, these indicated % returns. https://stockcharts.com/freecharts/perf.php?AIV,EPR,WELL&p=6&O=011000
Below link is for about 2.5 years, being Nov., 2007 - March, 2011 (which allows for a 2 year period after the market bottom). This chart suggests these are not appropriate holds for a down market, IMHO, yes???
https://stockcharts.com/freecharts/perf.php?AIV,EPR,WELL&l=2221&r=3062&O=011000

"Corporations are people, my friend."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/mitt-romney-says-corporations-are-people/2011/08/11/gIQABwZ38I_story.html
They are not natural persons but ones conceived by humans.
Hmm, maybe I should rethink my choice of verbs :-)

FYI: It is time to position your portfolio to survive a volatile 2019.
Most veteran market observers agree than an array of factors, from trade disputes to rising interest rates, will create more turbulence as an aging bull market becomes more vulnerable to emotion-driven selloffs. Adding to the uncertainty is the fact that market strategists seem to have an array of forecasts for the markets in 2019—both positive and negative.
Regards,
Ted
https://www.wsj.com/articles/where-to-put-your-money-in-2019-1544411580

US futs open around 6PM ET ... but to get a true sense of how the overnight might turn out, wait until the Asian markets -- ie, China -- opens at 9.
US futs < 1% at tonight's open, so......buckle up, folks!

That is why he is known as The Fixer. How are they differ from John Gotti and their companies?

But seems to know which side his bread is buttered on. And standing with “Individual 1” when things got hot wasn’t in his plan. One wonders if he’s protecting somebody else?
Just noticed this thread is listed under “Fund Discussions”. LOL

@ron
Appears that Sunday and other evenings begin futures trading at 6pm, EST.
"Unless otherwise noted, all of the above futures products trade during the specified times beginning Sunday night for the Monday trade date and ending on Friday afternoon. Open on Sunday night at 5:00pm CT/6:00pm ET.Nov 16, 2018"
This site is of some interest, that I do view; although not a futures trader, but curious to what the world is doing.
https://www.investing.com/indices/indices-futures

All ratings have been updated on MFO Premium site, including MultiSearch, Great Owls, Fund Alarm (Three Alarm and Honor Roll), Averages, Dashboard of Profiled Funds, and Fund Family Scorecard. The site now includes several analysis tools, including Correlation, Rolling Averages, Trend, Ferguson Metrics, Calendar Year and Period Performance.

1) What does this have to do with mutual funds?
2) This is how you know that Mr. Cohen is not mobbed up. Seriously, 12% isn't worth bending over to pick up off the street for any respectable mob guy.