FYI: Many investors are searching for a refuge in the latest stock-market storm.
Ever since the financial crisis of 2008-2009, fund companies have been pushing “smart-beta” funds. These are bundles of companies that have tended to be less risky and more lucrative than the market as a whole, because of cheaper stock prices, higher dividends or other factors.
Regards,
Ted
http://blogs.wsj.com/moneybeat/2016/02/12/chasing-hot-returns-in-smart-beta-funds-is-a-dumb-idea/tab/print/

FYI: Bill McNabb, CEO of Vanguard Group, gave a keynote speech at the 2016 Inside ETFs conference in Florida declaring the importance of advisers in delivering alpha to clients. But a bit more interesting to me was the incredible growth the firm is experiencing in its centralized advice offering.
Regards,
Ted
http://www.investmentnews.com/article/20160212/BLOG16/160219961/why-vanguard-is-about-to-engulf-the-financial-planning-industry

I wonder if any of these other guys have "hedge Fund" ideas before the Securities and Exchange Commission
Top fund managers can't catch a break
Some formerly hot hands like Legg Mason's Bill Miller have gone cold
Feb 10, 2016 @ 4:23 pm
By John Waggoner
Mr. Miller clawed his way back with Legg Mason Opportunity, driving the fund to a 40% gain in 2012 and a 68% gain in 2013. But the current market correction has clobbered the fund, sending it down 27.9% this year through Monday,
Another big name with big losses: G. Kenneth Heebner, manager of CGM Focus fund (CGMFX), which is down 25.10%. Mr. Heebner, one of the top managers of the 1990s, has had a rotten decade
Baron Partners fund (BPTRX), the eponymous $1.6 billion fund run by Ron Baron since 1992, has shed 23.47% this year.
Federated Kaufman Small Cap (FKASX), overseen by legendary small-cap investor Hans Utsch, has fallen 24.80% this year
Jacob Small Cap Growth Fund (JSCGX), run by former dot-com investing star Ryan Jacob, has plunged 26.79% this year and 40.87% over the past 12 months, according to Morningstar. (Jacob Internet, in contrast, has fallen 22.55% in 2016 and 14.71% the past 12 months).
It's been a rough ride for Jacob. The fund has not risen above the 99th percentile for the past one, three and five years
Messrs Miller, Heebner, Baron, Jacob and Levine could not be immediately reached for comment.
http://www.investmentnews.com/article/20160210/FREE/160219987?template=printart

Hi @Derf,
Thanks for the question.
I am sorry I missed your page yesterday. I was just now reading through the threads and found it.
Yes, when the S&P 500 Index dropped into the 1820's yesterday I put a buy order in and added to to my position in FDSAX. With this, I have bought, in various funds, at 1922, 1880 and 1829 which averages to 1877 on the Index's scale. My next buy step on the downside is scheduled to be around 1770 should the Index pull back to this level in the near term.
Currently, I have no spiff positions. All my recent buys noted above are in buy and hold positions.
Old_Skeet

My father subscribed to Bob Brinker for awhile in 2000's. Brinker held onto a position in MSFT and a bond fund ( I think) for quite a long while . He also had an "out of character" trade, sending out a special bulletin recommendation for QQQQ in 2000 ( which lost 50+% ) and , I believe, never was "sold" and was never recorded on the trades list.
I think one can just use a simple 10 mo moving average cross strategy applied to the S&P 500 and long bonds, do better than 99% of these people, and save a lot of time by not having to read their rhetoric ...

Here is another something to consider in rebalancing away from equities:
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/06/your-money/why-your-portfolio-needs-plenty-of-stocks-whatever-your-age.html

For what it's worth, Bob Brinker sent out a stock market Buy Alert ("market attractive for purchase") two days ago on Wednesday evening to his Market Timer newsletter subscribers. I don't subscribe, but I know somebody who does. Brinker rarely gives a buy or a sell signal, sometimes going years between signals.
I remember his signal to buy the Nasdaq 100 in 2000 during a pause in the tech stock debacle. The markets resumed plunging and those who bought on his signal and held on had to wait 15 years to break even.

He was bullish in 2008 and kept expecting all time highs by the end of the year. He knows about as much as you, me, and the man in the moon. While it helps to be articulate and knowledgeable in many fields of complex endeavors, the stock market is not one of them. Maybe because the stock market is not as complex as it is made out to be.

For what it's worth, Bob Brinker sent out a stock market Buy Alert ("market attractive for purchase") two days ago on Wednesday evening to his Market Timer newsletter subscribers. I don't subscribe, but I know somebody who does. Brinker rarely gives a buy or a sell signal, sometimes going years between signals.
I remember his signal to buy the Nasdaq 100 in 2000 during a pause in the tech stock debacle. The markets resumed plunging and those who bought on his signal and held on had to wait 15 years to break even.

When did he send out a sell alert?

For what it's worth, Bob Brinker sent out a stock market Buy Alert ("market attractive for purchase") two days ago on Wednesday evening to his Market Timer newsletter subscribers. I don't subscribe, but I know somebody who does. Brinker rarely gives a buy or a sell signal, sometimes going years between signals.
I remember his signal to buy the Nasdaq 100 in 2000 during a pause in the tech stock debacle. The markets resumed plunging and those who bought on his signal and held on had to wait 15 years to break even.

10 Year Treasuries hit 1.55% intraday now trading over 1.70%. 30 year bond futures hit all time historic lows. Oil up over 10% off its lows of yesterday, Dow up over 300 points from yesterday's lows. The gold bugs out in force. I will be real interested in how the remainder of this day unfolds.

FYI: Wall Street was poised to bounce back Friday from multiyear closing lows, as investors get the chance to go bargain hunting for shares beaten down in the market carnage.
Regards,
Ted
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/dow-futures-up-100-points-as-wall-street-shapes-up-for-a-rebound-2016-02-12/print
Current Futures:
http://finviz.com/futures.ashx

I would worry some of these less friendly business candidates would change the exemptions for municipal bonds. The munis have done well in 2016 albeit not like the Treasuries. The junk munis not as well. HYD, the ETF for junk munis is having one of its worst days in many a moon. If that continues throughout the day will sell a very large slug of my open end junk muni fund

NHMAX up .04 and HYD down .03 today - munis still looking good.

HYD down .11. Had the HYMB junk muni ETF confirmed the weakness in HYD (and on heavy volume too) would have sold more of my open end.

I would worry some of these less friendly business candidates would change the exemptions for municipal bonds. The munis have done well in 2016 albeit not like the Treasuries. The junk munis not as well. HYD, the ETF for junk munis is having one of its worst days in many a moon. If that continues throughout the day will sell a very large slug of my open end junk muni fund

NHMAX up .04 and HYD down .03 today - munis still looking good.

I would worry some of these less friendly business candidates would change the exemptions for municipal bonds. The munis have done well in 2016 albeit not like the Treasuries. The junk munis not as well. HYD, the ETF for junk munis is having one of its worst days in many a moon. If that continues throughout the day will sell a very large slug of my open end junk muni fund

...Just came upon this: I LIKE it.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/obama-budget-taxpayers-stadiums_us_56ba3d4ee4b0c3c5504f0dc7

I would worry some of these less friendly business candidates would change the exemptions for municipal bonds. The munis have done well in 2016 albeit not like the Treasuries. The junk munis not as well. HYD, the ETF for junk munis is having one of its worst days in many a moon. If that continues throughout the day will sell a very large slug of my open end junk muni fund

I think NHMAX might be a better indicator as to the direction of HY munis.

This can't be another 2008 - right?

You meant to ask "This can't be another 1929 - right?"

FYI: When pitching investors, you normally don’t want “hedge fund" and “earthquake” in the same sentence. But Bill Miller, already known for quirky investing methods, is starting a hedge fund that will make bets based in part on a computer model designed to predict natural disasters.
Called Seismic Value Partners 1, the hedge fund marks Miller’s first foray in that business after decades managing mutual funds at Legg Mason. He won approval last month from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to open Miller Value Partners, a money management firm that will oversee his hedge funds.
Regards,
Ted
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-02-11/bill-miller-s-a-hedge-fund-guy-now-with-a-funky-model-to-try-out

I would worry some of these less friendly business candidates would change the exemptions for municipal bonds. The munis have done well in 2016 albeit not like the Treasuries. The junk munis not as well. HYD, the ETF for junk munis is having one of its worst days in many a moon. If that continues throughout the day will sell a very large slug of my open end junk muni fund