Like everyone else, only the bond funds held up with flat to <0.1% loss; PONDX, PFIDX, MAINX, PRSNX. Don't own any alt funds. Not my cup of tea, but they would be the interesting ones to watch.
But in reality a pull back now, whatever the catalyst, isn't a bad thing. If it wasn't the Korean conflict it would be something else.

Hi msf,
Thanks for your detailed review of my earlier postings. I surely do not remember them. I do like the DALBAR summaries. They do useful work.

You have completely missed the point and are on autopilot in generic self-defense mode:
See, e.g. Prof. Snowball's comments in the 2015 link, or this 2017 analysis by Wade Pfau: "Investors may behave badly. But the DALBAR study does not demonstrate this empirically. Its calculations are wrong and the financial services profession should stop using it as a way to market the value of financial advice."

Past year's performance on some notable foreign funds ...

Yes, it's just one day (10 August, 2017.) But on a day like today, funds NOT in free-fall may just have some built-in positive characteristics that would make them a worthy consideration for other investors. MY int'l bond fund, PRSNX, was FLAT on the day. Other than that, PREMX (EM bonds) was down by -.32% and next in line were my balanced funds--- MAPOX (-.7%) and PRWCX (-.73%.) Although I don't own it, I see DODIX was UP by a penny.

Here is a Link that discusses " a dirty little secret " about investment advisors that is not very secret whatsoever:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertberger/2016/12/19/the-dirty-little-secret-investment-advisors-dont-want-you-to-know/#afaf3bc6f966

Each year you post conclusions from Dalbar's QAIB study, e.g.: 2011, 2012 (where you acknowledged that "perhaps hiring a financial advisor would provide some needed relief"), 2013, 2015 (okay, Ted posted this one), 2016 (where you wrote that "Given the huge disparity between market Indices and individual investor actual performance, a case can be made for consulting a financial planner.")
I'm no enthusiast of the Dalbar reports. See, e.g. Prof. Snowball's comments in the 2015 link, or this 2017 analysis by Wade Pfau: "Investors may behave badly. But the DALBAR study does not demonstrate this empirically. Its calculations are wrong and the financial services profession should stop using it as a way to market the value of financial advice."
But Dalbar is where you've chosen to hang your hat. In doing so, you have you acknowledged that a 1% advisor fee can generate net positive results for average investors (directly contradicting Forbes' "dirty little secret").
Regardless of your comments about the Dalbar conclusions, that conclusion easy to extract directly from the Dalbar data (to the extent that one trusts Dalbar's methodology). The 2016 version (the latest version that seems to be available "for free") states that "Voluntary investor behavior underperformance" amounts to 1.50%. That is more than enough to overcome a 1.00% fee paid to an advisor who helps an investor correct this bad behavior.
Even Vanguard has published a series of papers stating that "Paying a fee for advice and guidance to a professional who uses the framework described here can add meaningful value compared to the average investor experience." That's from the 2016 version of Vanguard Advisor’s Alpha®
If the whole paper's too long to read, here's a Marketwatch column ("Vanguard: When advisers add value") from 2013 discussing the Vanguard report.

Edelman's wrap account (EMAP - Edelman Managed Asset Program®) starts off charging 2% for the first $150K in retail accounts, gradually reducing fees on additional moneys until they reach 1% on amounts in excess of $750K up to $1M. It then charges 0.75% on the next $2M.

Talk about a scam. F***in 2%... Really!?

BobC said:

Unfortunately, this will limit the search considerably, since most fee-only advisors/planners choose not to belong to NAPFA, above.

That may be true Bob, but if I type in the Columbus Ohio area, there are almost 25 advisers to choose from within a 20 mile radius. If I type in Pittsburgh there are are 31 within 30 mile radius. That is a pretty good starting point.

Hi Guys,
Thank you all for this informative exchange.
Here is a Link that discusses " a dirty little secret " about investment advisors that is not very secret whatsoever:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertberger/2016/12/19/the-dirty-little-secret-investment-advisors-dont-want-you-to-know/#afaf3bc6f966
I hope this Forbes article adds to the various points already presented.
Best Wishes

@hank My Fidelity link, as I remember, was about six or seven links below your duplicate link ...

That might explain what happened. I first read the story on my Kindle reader. Than scanned 3-4 pages of the board to see if story had already been posted. Thirdly, I searched the web for the same story, considering several different sources. Took 15-20 minutes to do all this before putting it up on the board. Possibly during that time you posted your link.
Anyway, congrats on another worm @Ted

I've known good and bad. One of the best is in my small rural town of 14,000. Not a popular opinion but being a big believer in transparency I think investment advisers' personal accounts should be part of the equation. If they cant manage their own money why have them manage yours. Were I an investment adviser my 1040s/brokerage statements would be an open book.

I just finished the GP Annual Report and June quarterly letter.
Three highlights:
1. all of their strategies, except EM Opportunities (GPEOX/GPEIX), are substantially outperforming their benchmarks, YTD (through 6/30/17). In general, the lead is between 400 - 500 bps.
The EM lag reflects the fund's small cap orientation (it trails the EM Small benchmark by much less than the EM All benchmark, reflecting the generally softer performance of small caps), valuation concerns that led to an outsized cash position early in the year, and a few individual-issue problems. It remains a five star fund and a Great Owl.
2. over the past six years, stock prices in their universe have roughly doubled with earnings have flat-lined (their word). In consequence, "Our focus is increasingly on companies with great moats and defensive characteristics."
3. Rondure is traveling with and exchanging research with the GP teams. They're happy with the level of integration between the teams. Ms. Geritz is now managing about $65 million, a very quick start.
Grandeur Peak's AUM is, they say, essentially unchanged with all of their strategies - except the Stalwarts - closed to new investors.
David

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/beneath-the-glow-of-stock-market-records-darkly-bearish-trends-are-lurking-2017-08-04
From a few days ago. The last paragraph is particularly ominous.
Edit: Complacency is rampant. I would love to see something akin to late 2015/early 2016 (or worse) But tops form/unfold much differently than bottoms.

Edelman's wrap account (EMAP - Edelman Managed Asset Program®) starts off charging 2% for the first $150K in retail accounts, gradually reducing fees on additional moneys until they reach 1% on amounts in excess of $750K up to $1M. It then charges 0.75% on the next $2M. To achieve a blended rate of 1%, you'd have to have $2.6M invested with them.
The lead guy may be good and prudent, but for that kind of money for a wrap account I'd expect them all to walk on water. In a firm this size (around $18B AUM, 300 advisers, 32K clients [nearly all individuals], 77K total accounts), it seems one would still need to do research on the potential individual adviser within the firm.
Spending a little time on research to save thousands of dollars in fees looks like time well spent. As always, YMMV.

As I see SPY from mid-July through the close on 8/9:
- Closing daily prices have been in a trading range.
- Almost all of the Elder Impulse System price bars have been blue, neither a decisive green or red.
- The 10-day EMA has been in a weak uptrend and is flattening.
SPY's Stock Charts Technical Rank is 64.4. I'm more interested in the few ETFs with SCTRs between 97 and 99.9.

Hello,
Yep, summer is here.
I am no technical expert. However, since the middle of July I am seeing in my charting of SPY the MFI (money flow index) has been in decline along with thinning volume since May. It also appears, that earnings are catching up with valuation as there has been a lot of consolidation taking place since mid July within the 500 Index along with it's breath being in decline as the number of stocks trading above their 200 day moving average has been moving down since April's peak of about 80% to currently 72%.
With this ... Perhaps, "Sell in May and come back after Labor Day" might to be the story. Anway, Labor day is now only weeks away. Also, I plan to buy a good dip as earnings and sales are improving along with expectations for 3Q17 & 4Q17 according to S&P. Thus far, the bark coming from North Korea is just that. And, there is alway going to be global conflict somewhere. Perhaps we should start shooting down a few of their missles as our government tells us they have this capacity should they launch towards the US or it's territories and/or allies. I'm thinking that the best course of action still remains through the UN and its security council. After all China and Russia voted along with us and many others for tougher scantions against North Korea. With this they want to derail the recovery of the Global economy and the best way to do this is to start and maintain hostilities with us and others.
Back at the first of the year my call was that the S&P 500 Index would reach 2475 (or thereabouts) sometime in 2017. Recently, it made 2480+. So, perhaps it is a little ahead of itself at this point in time. In addition, August historically is a down month for stocks. Old_Skeet's market barometer closed August 4th with a reading of 146 which is up 3 points from its July close putiing it just barely in fairvaue territory on the barometer's scale. Generally, a higher barometer reading indicates there is more investment value in the 500 Index over a lower barometer reading. I'm wanting to see a reading of close to 160 before I get excited about doing any equity buying. Perhaps, @Tony will provide us his take for the Index via the Elder Impluse System?
One might want to read what Jeffrey Saut of Raymond James is thinking. To read, Google ... Jeffrey Saut Commentary.
Skeet

So a friend wants to put his money with a financial advisor who wants to charge 1% for the privilege.
First, let me make it clear, and it shouldn't be so hard to believe, I'm not asking for myself saying "a friend...". I am actually trying to help out a friend in spite of himself.
So is there some place I can go and plugin the name of the advisor company and then advisor and figure out if these guys are legit? I'm thinking there must be some website like that.

There are an interesting article in the WSJ today reporting that on Monday SPY, the SPDR S&P 500 ETF, had its lowest trading volume in 11 years. 32 million shares changed hands, down from an average of about 80 million shares a day. Of necessity, that means that "sophisticated" investors sat out.
A second story noted that during 2017 the Dow has seen its lowest intraday price volatility in six years.
At one level, the lack of volatility kills value investors, who rely on volatility to offer up occasional irrational prices. At another, it raises the prospect that something is happening under the surface - the Big Money is moving toward the door? - that might cause a bit of turmoil in our portfolios.
David

FYI: U.S. stocks were lower on Wednesday as investors rushed to safe-haven assets after President Donald Trump's "fire and fury" warning to North Korea escalated tensions with the nuclear-armed nation
Regards,
Ted
Bloomberg:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-08-08/japan-stocks-to-follow-u-s-drop-on-trump-threat-markets-wrap
Reuters:
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-stocks-idUSKBN1AP1AB
MarketWatch:
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/us-stock-futures-pull-back-as-north-korea-threatens-guam-2017-08-09/print
IBD:
http://www.investors.com/market-trend/stock-market-today/stocks-recover-to-thin-losses-retail-names-hit-hard/
CNBC:
https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/09/us-stocks-north-korea-disney-earnings.html
AP:
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/F/FINANCIAL_MARKETS_ASOL-?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
Bloomberg Evening Briefing:
https://www.bloomberg.com//news/articles/2017-08-09/your-evening-briefing
WSJ: Markets At A Glance:
http://markets.wsj.com/us
SPDR's Sector Tracker:
http://www.sectorspdr.com/sectorspdr/tools/sector-tracker
SPDR's Bloomberg Sector Performance Pie Chart:
https://www.bloomberg.com/markets/sectors
Current Futures: Mixed
http://finviz.com/futures.ashx

Thank you @Ted. A bang-up job as usual. You are so appreciated. You have 11 links here which is great. However, for some who have only limited time, 11 may be more links than they wish to click on and read. I respectfully submit that there's room on this great board both for your awesome posts and those of others. Of course, care needs to be taken to avoid stepping on someone else's remarks. But, a bit of forgiveness needs to be exercised as well. We're all human here (last time I checked).

FYI: U.S. stocks were lower on Wednesday as investors rushed to safe-haven assets after President Donald Trump's "fire and fury" warning to North Korea escalated tensions with the nuclear-armed nation
Regards,
Ted
Bloomberg:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-08-08/japan-stocks-to-follow-u-s-drop-on-trump-threat-markets-wrap
Reuters:
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-stocks-idUSKBN1AP1AB
MarketWatch:
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/us-stock-futures-pull-back-as-north-korea-threatens-guam-2017-08-09/print
IBD:
http://www.investors.com/market-trend/stock-market-today/stocks-recover-to-thin-losses-retail-names-hit-hard/
CNBC:
https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/09/us-stocks-north-korea-disney-earnings.html
AP:
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/F/FINANCIAL_MARKETS_ASOL-?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
Bloomberg Evening Briefing:
https://www.bloomberg.com//news/articles/2017-08-09/your-evening-briefing
WSJ: Markets At A Glance:
http://markets.wsj.com/us
SPDR's Sector Tracker:
http://www.sectorspdr.com/sectorspdr/tools/sector-tracker
SPDR's Bloomberg Sector Performance Pie Chart:
https://www.bloomberg.com/markets/sectors
Current Futures: Mixed
http://finviz.com/futures.ashx

Agree completely with msf. Currently getting 1.20% on cash at Synchrony bank. Even better I recently bought at Ally bank ,no penalty 11 month cd's paying 1.50% (25k minimum. Lower % for less). Transfer to brokerage takes 3 days by ACH. Both are insured, so no possibility of loss. This is a much better way to hold cash.