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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.
  • NASDAQ enters new bull market
    That article is from 1/24/2025. (Wall Street underestimating)
  • AAII Sentiment Survey, 5/14/25
    AAII Sentiment Survey, 5/14/25
    BEARISH remained the top sentiment (44.4%, high) & neutral remained the bottom sentiment (19.7%, very low); bullish remained the middle sentiment (35.9%, below average); Bull-Bear Spread was -8.5%* (below average). Investor concerns: Tariffs, jobs, inflation, recession, Fed, budget, debt, dollar, geopolitical, Russia-Ukraine (168+ weeks), Israel-Hamas (67+7 weeks). For the Survey week (Th-Wed), stocks UP, bonds down, oil UP, gold DOWN, dollar up. NYSE %Above 50-dMA 64.91% (positive). A temporary US-China trade deal followed a US-UK deal. An uneasy India-Pakistan truce followed short air-skirmishes. #AAII #Sentiment #Markets
    Sentiments are CONTRARIAN indicators.
    *Negative since 2/5/25.
    https://ybbpersonalfinance.proboards.com/post/1988/thread
  • NASDAQ enters new bull market
    Dan Ives (Webush Securities) remains bullish on tech.
    In summary:
    - in January 2025 Ives forecast a 25% gain for tech stocks in the year.
    - In late March / early April he turned bearish calling Trump’s tariff war a “disaster” for the sector.
    - Last week after the tariff truce with China, Ives again turned very bullish on the sector.
    Here’s Ives on Bloomberg last week.:

    Disclosure: In this thread I’ve tried to share some positive takes on the markets in hopes it adds to our broad perspective. None of this is not intended as investment advice. I do not invest in technology stocks or funds due to my age / personal circumstance. I haven’t for many years. Nor do invest in any SPX index funds. Never have. But watching the S&P may still shed light on the overall market.
  • NASDAQ enters new bull market
    S&P tops key technical level - From Barron’s May 14
    ”Bulls should also be celebrating the S&P 500’s move above its 200-day moving average, an important technical milestone, on Monday.”
    “Adam Turnquist, chief technical strategist for LPL Financial … said that the recent trade deal progress ‘has led to a likely peak in investor fear and policy uncertainty.’
    “Along those lines, the Cboe Volatility Index or VIX, a measure often referred to as Wall Street’s fear gauge, has tumbled from a heightened level of above 50 in early April all the way back to just over 18. The slide in the VIX—coupled with a move above the 200-day moving average for the S&P 500—typically bodes very well for stocks.”
    https://www.barrons.com/articles/stock-market-s-p-500-moving-average-8f058112?st=hbiBqE
  • the May MFO is live!
    I love the May issue. It's exactly how I have been invested for 25 years. It has been all about great risk/reward funds for the current market.
    Both of the articles below were excellent
    My Investment Strategy For 2025
    Building a chaos-resistant.
    You can have just own 2 funds like PRWCX+FPACX for decades. These 2 flexible funds/managers can do it all; just enjoy the ride.
    As someone who have used mostly bond OEFs, investor should consider one of Sherman funds from less volatility to more (RPHIX,CBLDX,RSIIX).
    There is a another excellent bond fund that hardly mentioned, APDPX. See (link).
    This Artisan Global Unconstrained bond fund has MFO risk=1 and MFO rating=5. This fund has an amazing 3 year performance of 9% + SD=2.8 annually
  • Fund Fee Trends to Watch in 2025
    Much of the Morningstar fee data are up to 12/31/24.
    Additional fee data to 12/31/24 can also be found in ICI Fact Book, 2025, Ch 6.
    https://www.icifactbook.org/pdf/2025-factbook-ch6.pdf
  • Fund Fee Trends to Watch in 2025
    Investors plowed money into cheap index ETFs amid recent market turbulence.
    If sturdy inflows continue, the average fee fund investors pay should decline further in 2025.
    Vanguard, already the low-cost leader, slashed fees on 168 share classes in February 2025,
    saving its investors an estimated $350 million just this year.
    ETFs remain far cheaper than mutual funds, on average, but the gap is narrowing.
    New ETFs are more expensive than they used to be.
    This is due to the emergence of higher-cost investment strategies relatively new to the ETf wrapper.
    "Given the intense competition among this low-margin cohort, there’s been a subtle, or not-so-subtle,
    push from firms into more complicated, and more expensive, investment strategies.
    Investors are slowly catching on, too."

    "These strategies, which include options-based ETFs, public/private vehicles like interval funds,
    and other new developments, charge high fees compared with the cheap index funds investors
    have historically preferred. Assets in these emerging products are growing but they still represent
    a small piece of the pie. Some firms are trying to expedite that growth."

    https://www.morningstar.com/funds/4-fund-fee-trends-watch-2025
  • Another BLX note. Sustainable development, reducing waste (5/5/25)
    Bladex and the Panama Canal: An Alliance Transforming Plastic Waste into Progress for Communities
    06:00:00 AM ET, 05/05/2025 - PR Newswire
    In Latin America, where social, environmental, and economic challenges are so diverse, strategic partnerships have become a key tool for advancing towards truly sustainable development. An 81-meter pedestrian bridge reconstructed with recycled materials exemplifies the power of alliances to protect our environment and transform lives in our region.
    PANAMA CITY, May 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- What was once considered waste is now a symbol of hope. Thanks to the joint efforts of Banco Latinoamericano de Comercio Exterior, S.A. (Bladex), the Panama Canal, and the Botellas de Amor Foundation, a new pedestrian bridge has been inaugurated in the Watershed of the Panama Canal, built from over 3 tons of recycled plastic.
    This initiative prevented this plastic waste from ending up in landfills, rivers, or oceans, transforming an environmental problem into a concrete solution that enhances the quality of life for communities and protects the natural environment.
    The structure, measuring 81 meters in length, connects four communities, significantly improving the mobility and safety of over 300 people. Beyond its functionality, this bridge symbolizes the power of collaboration to promote sustainable solutions and generate tangible social impact.
    Jessica Janson, Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications and Social Investment at Bladex, stated: "With every step taken on this bridge, we reaffirm that waste can become a solution, and that a true commitment to sustainability has the power to transform lives."
    This initiative is part of Bladex's ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) strategy and reflects its commitment to sustainable development in Panama and the region. It is the second bridge of this type delivered by the institution; the first was inaugurated in 2023 in the Kosovo community of Puerto Caimito, Panama, as part of its vision to convert environmental challenges into opportunities for Latin American communities.
    "The purpose of Bladex is to build bridges between Latin America and the world to support the development of our clients and the region. Projects like this are an extension of that purpose brought to life within communities and form part of our contribution toward a more sustainable, inclusive, and human future for our region," said Jorge Salas, CEO of Bladex.
    The project was built using plastic profiles manufactured by Fundación Botellas de Amor from recycled materials and benefited from the operational and logistical support of the Panama Canal. The collaboration also included collection campaigns, environmental awareness initiatives, and volunteer activities led by Bladex and the Panama Canal.
    "For the Panama Canal, being part of this project is a source of pride. It reflects our commitment to the environment and to the communities within the Panama Canal Watershed," said Ilya Espino de Marotta, Deputy Administrator of the Panama Canal.
    The Watershed of the Panama Canal is crucial at an international level as it is the source of water for the operation of the Canal. It is vital for global maritime navigation, facilitating the transit of ships between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and connecting 170 countries through 180 maritime routes. It is also key for the supply of drinking water for the Panamanian population. The watershed also hosts communities that are conscious of protecting their environment and a rich biodiversity, with significant protected areas.
    This bridge not only connects communities; it connects purposes. It confirms that when Latin America works in partnership, the results become stories that inspire. Therefore, Bladex will continue to promote initiatives with tangible impact that can progressively expand throughout the region.
    About Bladex
    Bladex is a multinational bank originally established by the central banks of Latin American and Caribbean countries. It began operations in 1979 with the mission of promoting foreign trade financing and regional economic integration. Headquartered in Panama, the Bank also has offices in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and the United States, and a representative license in Peru, supporting regional development and serving a client base that includes financial institutions and corporations.
    Bladex has been listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: BLX) since 1992. Its shareholders include central banks and state-owned entities from 23 Latin American countries, commercial banks and financial institutions, as well as institutional and retail investors through its public listing.
    Contact:
    Jessica Janson - VPS, Comunicaciones Corporativas e Inversión Social
    Correo: [email protected]@bladex.com> / Tel.: (+507) 210-8500
    Dirección Casa Matriz: Edificio Business Park, Torre V, Avenida La Rotonda, Urb. Costa del Este,
    Panamá, República de Panamá
    Spanish:
  • NASDAQ enters new bull market
    Fidelity brokerage suffered a temporary outage due to heavy volume on their website.
    Article
    My trades Monday between 9:30 and 10:00 AM (sell 2 stocks / buy 2 CEFs) had been planned over the weekend. Had little to do with the ”unliberation” event. Fido’s site seemed a bit slow but worked. After the trades successfully executed and I attempted to rearrange some deck chairs inside their optional $4.99 basket, that feature seemed to grind to a halt for 5 or 10 minutes. Window dressing only. Did not involve any trades.
    I always wonder what prompts retail investors to engage in heavier trading on these big market days? Best guess for yesterday is many were cashing in after getting back to break-even - but don’t know.
  • GQEIX
    When I see your question @dily the first thing I take a look at (for better or worse) is the portfolio composition. The top 10 and sector composition at Fidelity and M* match pretty closely and didn't provide any pokes in the eye with a sharp stick BUT, BUT, BUT they differ from that shown on the GQG website for what that's worth. All 3 show an effective date of March 31, 2025.
    The portfolios I see at Fidelity and at M* are dated Dec 31, 2024. The factsheet with top ten holdings at the fund's website is dated March 31, 2025.
    M* reports a 148% turnover rate, rendering the 2024 reports dubious at best. What jumps out at me is the most recently reported top holding, Philip Morris Int'l (PM). In three months it jumped from #5 (6.08% of portfolio) to #1 (6.51%). By itself, that might not say much, but then one sees Altria (MO) at #4 (4.17%), a completely new holding for 2025. Who knows how much more tobacco the fund bought since March 31.
    Yesterday, they went up in smoke. PM dropped 2.87% and MO dropped 4.17%.
    Some of the PM drop could be because of the dollar's surge, but MO's decline suggests an industry wide dip. Hard to separate the dollar and individual company effects from an industry-wide dip since other major players are foreign. JAPAY (Japan Tobacco ADR) dropped 2.18%, BTI (BAT ADR) dropped 1.58%.
  • NASDAQ enters new bull market
    Fidelity brokerage suffered a temporary outage due to heavy volume on their website. S&P 500 nearly made it back positive territory since Libration day.
  • SP500 Goes Crypto
    As a publicly traded security, it has to comply to SEC reporting regulations. What are the outstanding risks to the market and investors of having Coinbase/COIN in S&P500 in the future?
  • SP500 Goes Crypto
    Discover/DFS is a financial with $50+ billion market cap. Looks like DJ/S&P Committee decided that a modern financial replacement with a similar market-cap is Coinbase/COIN.
    At 0.10% weight, the nature of SP500 won't change. But this is great news in the crypto world. First, Bitcoin ETP, then Ether ETP, and now admission into SP500.
    Dubai/UAE may be the crypto capital now. But the US is catching up fast.
  • Tariffs
    Interesting article from Bloomberg on this trade de-escalation, and China got what they wanted.
    https://finance.yahoo.com/news/xi-defiance-pays-off-trump-212056893.html
  • Obscure Bet On Bonds Almost Crashed Treasury Market
    "Huge washouts hit the $29 trillion Treasury market in recent days,
    as investors looking to exploit small price differences in the bedrock of financial markets
    were overcome by volatility resulting from President Trump’s tariff fight."

    "It hinges on moves in the swaps market, a cornerstone of global trading activity.
    Specifically, it relates to the swaps spread, or difference, between the 30-year
    floating Secured Overnight Financing Rate, or “SOFR,” and Treasury yields."

    "The trade counted on the spread to widen, but that hasn’t been playing out.
    Instead, the world got the biggest global trade fight in a century in the form of tariffs,
    and extreme volatility in bonds that has forced a sudden washout of some leveraged players."

    https://www.marketwatch.com/story/how-the-trade-of-the-year-became-a-nightmare-for-investors-after-trumps-tariffs-adead217
    Edit/Add: Previously, it was widely reported that hedge funds' bets on discrepencies between Treasury prices
    and futures contacts (known as the 'basis trade') were unwound which caused widespread selling in Treasuries.
    https://www.mutualfundobserver.com/discuss/discussion/comment/190558/#Comment_190558
  • Be Very Wary of Illiquid Asset Classes
    Excellent & comprehensive look at many different investments. Need to wade through considerable “small talk” early on. Substance later. Every moderator has his / her own style.
    Enjoyed his take on high yield spreads as both “predictive” and also “self-fulfilling.” I didn’t listen. Instead I clicked the ”transcript” link and did a quick 5-10 minute read. If his book, The Humble Investor, is on Audible I’ll buy it for late night listening. (Got it.)
  • GQEIX
    When I see your question @dily the first thing I take a look at (for better or worse) is the portfolio composition. The top 10 and sector composition at Fidelity and M* match pretty closely and didn't provide any pokes in the eye with a sharp stick BUT, BUT, BUT they differ from that shown on the GQG website for what that's worth. All 3 show an effective date of March 31, 2025.
    I did not read through the prospectus to see if they can short or not but there is this:
    "Portfolio holdings are subject to change without notice. Top ten holdings do not represent all securities purchased, sold, or recommended for inclusion in the Fund and no assumption should be made that such securities or future investments were or will be profitable in the future. Country allocations reflect the country of risk of the securities in the portfolio as assigned by Northern Trust, though GQG’s portfolios are constructed based upon GQG’s assessment of each issuer’s country of risk exposure, which may not be the same as Northern Trust’s country assignment. Sector, country, and holdings calculations include cash and may not sum precisely due to rounding. Unless otherwise indicated, data and calculations are sourced from GQG Partners, Northern Trust, MSCI, Standard and Poor's (S&P), Morningstar, and certain fund rating agencies." I added the bolding.)
    GQEPX Fact sheet
    GQG website
    (Edit to add: Given that it is an institutional fund maybe a large institution or 2-3-4-5 wanted out. Just a wild guess.)
  • GQEIX
    deleted
    If I understand SEC regs correctly, the fund is only required to report holdings quarterly. Possibly there’s some new position not yet reported.
    (Thanks for posting a new topic.)