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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.
  • Climate change funds
    "The good news is that if you believe that innovation in climate technology is set to take off, the investment industry has introduced a raft of new funds globally. The bad news is that many are unproven and much more volatile than diversified equity funds. Twelve of the 29 funds exhibited below were introduced in the last three years. Climate tech funds with at least a three-year track record have an average three-year standard deviation of 29.5 versus 18.4 for the Vanguard 500 fund."
    "In addition, investment funds must own publicly traded companies. But there are very few of these, relative to privately held companies, and they are concentrated in competitive industries such as solar-panel manufacturing and mining commodities such as lithium."

    Link
    I don't plan on putting more than 10% into these funds altogether.
    I excluded CNRG from my final list because of its youth, the nearly 5% stake in Tesla, and a nearly 8% weight in China. Its three year return has been superior to the funds I chose above. OTOH, I am specifically interested in a more diverse global lineup than CNRG provides.
  • Climate change funds
    "The good news is that if you believe that innovation in climate technology is set to take off, the investment industry has introduced a raft of new funds globally. The bad news is that many are unproven and much more volatile than diversified equity funds. Twelve of the 29 funds exhibited below were introduced in the last three years. Climate tech funds with at least a three-year track record have an average three-year standard deviation of 29.5 versus 18.4 for the Vanguard 500 fund."
    "In addition, investment funds must own publicly traded companies. But there are very few of these, relative to privately held companies, and they are concentrated in competitive industries such as solar-panel manufacturing and mining commodities such as lithium."

    Link
  • Climate change funds
    I have been looking into these for my wife's accounts. And Tesla can be an issue depending on the underlying index. Given the recent runup These are fund whose returns aren't so heavily influenced by Tesla.
    Descriptions are from etf.com. For various categories of energy I'm looking at:
    PBD
    passively managed to invest in a wide array of global renewable energy companies, including those involved in conservation, improving energy efficiency and advancing renewable energy. The index may invest in large cap firms and those that derives at least 10% of its market value from clean energy activities, but has bias on pure-play, small- and midcap companies. Importantly, PBD’s portfolio companies are selected based on the index provider’s opinion of their “potential for capital appreciation.” In that sense, PBD is more akin to an actively managed strategy than other funds in the segment. The index is rebalanced and reconstituted quarterly. For diversification, the fund caps its largest holdings at 5% and is required to invest half its assets internationally.
    ICLN
    ICLN invests in global clean energy companies, which is defined as those involved in the biofuels, ethanol, geothermal, hydroelectric, solar, and wind industries. Aside from holding companies that produce energy through these means, ICLN also includes companies that develop technology and equipment used in the process. Selected by the index committee, the fund is weighted by market-cap and exposure score — subject to several constraints — and reconstituted semi-annually. Prior to April 19, 2021, the index followed a more narrow methodology.
    Both are down this year. But that's a feature for me. Ten year returns seem reasonable compared to traditional utilities. There isn't much overlap in their top ten holdings anyway. They weight sectors differently. Neither has much exposure to China. Another feature as far as I am concerned.
    Then there is GRID.
    GRID is concentrated fund targeting global equities determined to be in the smart grid and electrical energy infrastructure sector as determined by Clean Edge. The fund includes companies that are either Pure Play — more than 50% revenues or Diversified — less than 50% revenues are derived from the smart grid and electrical energy infrastructure sector. The sector may include business in electric grid, electric meters and devices, networks, energy storage and management, and enabling software. GRID also screens for minimum liquidity and market cap. To enhance exposure to the smart grid market, the index provider uses a tiered weighting scheme. Securities are initially market cap weighted. Then a collective weight of 80% for Pure Play and 20% for Diversified are allocated. The Index is reconstituted semi-annually and rebalanced quarter.
    GRID is on the MFOpremium Honor Roll. Lipper/Refinitiv lists it as global infrastructure.
    I am also looking at three water funds:
    CGW
    The fund starts with all eligible securities from the S&P Global BMI Index that are classified in either water equipment & materials or water utilities & infrastructure cluster. To identify industry relevance, each company from both clusters will be assigned an exposure score based on its business description and most recent reported revenue. The 25 largest companies with an exposure score of 1 from each cluster will be selected for inclusion. However, if fewer than 25 companies have an exposure score of 1, the fund will select the largest companies with a 0.5 exposure score until the portfolio contains a total of 25 constituents for each cluster. Stocks are weighted by market-cap within each bucket and are constrained, such that securities with an exposure score of 1 are capped at 10% and those with 0.5 exposure score are capped at 5%. Index rebalancing occurs semi-annually.
    PIO
    The fund's (ironically appropriate) liquidity-weighting scheme produces a concentrated portfolio that only loosely resembles our market-cap-weighted benchmark. PIO is dominated by large- to midcap firms that create products that conserve and purify water for homes, businesses, and industries. Also, only companies participating in the “Green Economy” as determined by SustainableBusiness.com LLC are eligible for inclusion. The index currently limits weighting in both the country and issuer level, to ensure diversification between constituents. Lastly, it is important to note that the fund uses a “full replication” method to track the underlying index. Rebalancing is done quarterly while reconstitution is done annually.
    FIW
    FIW holds 36 of the largest US-listed water companies, ranked by market cap and weighted equally within five tiers. Companies of any market capitalization that derive revenue from the potable and wastewater industry are selected. In addition, its tiered equal-weighting scheme boosts the weight of small- and micro-cap companies, hence, reducing concentration. FIW changed its name from First Trust ISE Water Index Fund to First Trust Water ETF on December 14, 2016, which had no impact to FIW's investment strategy. The index is rebalanced and reconstituted semi-annually.
    Still not too much overlap for me.
    I check out holdings and weights using this link to the old M* data:format
    http://portfolios.morningstar.com/fund/holdings?t=fsmex&region=usa&culture=en-US
    Just replace the FSMEX with the code you want to look up.
  • OEFs and ETFs capturing Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
    @MikeM : You're a little late posting 2 linemen down as myself & 54 others bit the dusty in survival league !
    Go Pack, Minus Rodgers & management
  • OEFs and ETFs capturing Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
    Thanks for the reply @stillers. Most importantly, yes the Bills now have me very worried with NE starting to play consistently well. The Bills O-line was down 2 starters and they were the #1 reason for the loss against Jax. Allen was under siege on every play and when that happens he starts making bone-head plays. The 2 remaining games against the Patriots will be pivotal for who wins the division. Hence, my 2nd favorite team next weekend will be the Browns!
    Yes, I noticed the big opening spikes FDRV has had. Once bought (w/a limit order of course) the technology is obviously a long term holding, so buying at 28, 29 or even 30 probably won't matter much in 5 years.
  • Small Caps
    From a WSJ January 10, 2021 article, "The Top Stock Funds of 2020
    Morgan Stanley’s Inception Portfolio, under Dennis Lynch, won the stock-fund race with a gain of 150%," the fund's performance was due to investments in several stocks, but not limited to the following:
    Square, Tesla, Zoom Video, Spotify and Twillo during the pandemic.
  • REMIX - Standpoint Multi-Asset Fund (November Commentary)
    For those not familiar, and those who will soon wish they were not.
    That was NOT a serious question. Rather...
    FD1000 is a constant troll of mine who is Living in the Past (Thanks, Jethro!) , desperately trying to discredit me wherever he goes, with whatever vague, twisted memory he might still retain from years of our joint posting activity on several forums.
    He appears to have no life other than his inherently flawed and underperforming Yugo Racing Scheme, while trying to sell his wares on whatever forum allows his continued participation. Sadly he somehow still however finds the time for daily trolling of my posts. If he would have just done what he daily tells "Average Joe Investor" to do, buy and hold an S&P index fund, he'd likely have twice the net worth he currently has. A tall glass of FOMO juice would have served him well. It's truly sad.
    FWIW, I currently have a smallish 5-yr CD ladder yanking down 3.35% APY. All proceeds from maturing CDs over the past several years have been rolled into stocks. The ladder was started after early retirement at age 56 to bridge the Red Zone divide. It's done its job exactly as meticulously planned and has been being liquidated for several years.
    For 30+ years I was 99% stocks. That dropped to ~60/40 in the coupla years prior to retirement. Since retirement I have always maintained an acceptable % in stocks but increased that to a significant % since the 2020 crash. I've posted all that several times on several forums, but somehow selective memory and ill intent can get in the way of some posters.
  • OEFs and ETFs capturing Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
    I've been watching FDRV since you brought it up @stillers. I put in a buy at 29 and another at 28. Closed at 29.71 today. We'll see what happens.
    FDRV had one of its first rough days yesterday that I recall since buying it, in part driven by TSLA's slide.
    IMO, limit orders are a MUST on it despite its increasing avg daily volume. BEWARE of pre/post-market trades - seen some people apparently burned there.
    WAG: Your $29 order might fill, but pretty sure the $28 price is in its rear view mirror (yeah, pun intended) for the time-being at least. FWIW, my cost basis is a little under $27. Its UP ~15% since inception, while I'm UP ~10%.
    If I haven't posted this yet, note that Fido Community Forum thread Electric Vehicles - What's in Your Portfolio has a great discussion on EVs with several posts about FDRV. Lots of bright posters participating on it. I'm just along for the ride (yeah, 'nother pun).
    So are the Bills keeping you on the Edge of Wetness (Thanks, Carnac) this year? Crazy season!
  • World Stock Funds-Are they a viable alternative?
    Found this thread to be very informative to me when selecting Foreign / World funds for a portfolio. Returning to this thread after some time has passed. When looking at the performance this year - it appears that Foreign Large Growth has outperformed World LG. Note: I own MGGPX and MFAIX and PRGSX. Anyone own any of these funds? Thoughts on performance and future?
    Foreign LG:
    PWJZX +22.04
    MFAIX +20.00
    BUFIX +19.94
    WCMIX +19.11
    World LG:
    PRGSX +16.70
    BGAIX +15.73
    MGGPX +8.85 <-- Not a great YTD (at all).
    Edit Add: Since thread mentioned FSEAX ... that's one fund I'm hoping to exit soon. I also own ARTYX and may keep position there for a tad in EM.
  • Biden admin considering shutting down Michigan pipeline ...
    So rail cars will be used instead...that makes safety sense.
    shutting down the Line 5 pipeline would require 2,100 rail cars to deliver the oil from Superior, Wis., to the Imperial Oil refinery in Sarnia, Ontario, just across the U.S. border.
  • Biden admin considering shutting down Michigan pipeline ...
    He's damned if he does...
    "Word that the Biden administration was quietly studying the potential market impact of killing the Line 5 pipeline, first reported by POLITICO, set off a firestorm of criticism from Republicans saying the move would worsen the spike that has already driven propane prices up 50 percent from a year ago just as Michigan residents — the nation's biggest consumers of the fuel — stock up for cold weather."
    And damned if he doesn't...
    "But equal pressure is coming from from environmental groups and Native tribes to back Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in her fight to shut the pipeline down. The groups say a potential oil spill from the 70-year-old pipeline that crosses the Straits of Mackinac would devastate the Great Lakes and Michigan’s coastal economies — a concern that grew after the lines were damaged by an anchor strike in 2018."
    Link
  • TREMX & PRLAX - Snarled supply chains force manufacturing exodus to Balkans, LatAm
    TREMX has had a emerging year (+60%...oops 55%).
    Major clothing and shoe companies are moving production to countries closer to their U.S. and European stores, smarting from a resurgence in cases of the Delta variant of the coronavirus in Vietnam and China that slowed or shut down production for several weeks earlier this year.
    retailers-lose-love-asia-snarled-supply-chains-force-manufacturing-exodus
  • OEFs and ETFs capturing Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
    Also, a snippet from Barron's Review & Preview dated 11/05/21 follows.
    FWIW, our only specific play in the whole infrastructure/climate change/EV areas is Fido's recently incepted ETF FDRV. Up 11+% in less than a month. Nice bump in it Monday effectively explained in the last paragraph.
    YMMV. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Actual size may vary. Void where prohibited.
    Barron's Excerpt (Bold added):
    ...There was also a more concrete catalyst—quite literally—that boosted stocks today. Late on Friday evening, the House of Representatives passed a package of infrastructure legislation that includes some $550 billion in new spending. It’s part of a bill with a headline amount of roughly $1 trillion going toward investments in American roads, bridges, rail, waterways, electrical grid, high-speed internet, and other public works.
    Investors have had plenty of time to process the implications of the legislation, which passed the Senate months ago. Nonetheless, stocks of companies in affected sectors jumped today.
    Steel producers Cleveland-Cliffs and Nucor gained 5.5% and 3.6%, respectively. Vulcan Materials and Martin Marietta Materials, which make cement and asphalt, rose about 5% and 3%. Caterpillar stock added 4%.
    But it was electric-vehicle charging stocks that saw the biggest bump today. ChargePoint Holdings stock closed up 12%, Volta gained 19%, and EVgo added 35%.
  • OEFs and ETFs capturing Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
    Stocks per MarketWatch
    https://www.marketwatch.com/discover?stackid=d848c2a2876e40432768c273f5448e67&siteid=nwhpm#https://www.marketwatch.com/amp/story/5-infrastructure-stocks-to-buy-now-that-bidens-bill-has-been-passed-according-to-jefferies-11636386524?mod=dist_mw_email
    I DO NOT endorse these USN&WR rankings, but for
    MFs:
    https://money.usnews.com/funds/search?category=infrastructure&mutual-funds=true
    ETFs:
    https://money.usnews.com/funds/etfs/rankings/infrastructure
    Stock and Bond Infrastructure MFs per Fido
    Fund Name (63 matches)View a detailed profile of the fund.
    FNSTX Summary - Fidelity ® Infrastructure FundNo Transaction Fee
    AIAFX Summary - Aberdeen Global Infrastructure Fund Class ANo Transaction Fee
    AIFRX Summary - Aberdeen Global Infrastructure Fund Institutional Class
    BGLAX Summary - Brookfield Global Listed Infrastructure Fund Class A
    BGLCX Summary - Brookfield Global Listed Infrastructure Fund Class C
    MLXAX Summary - Catalyst Energy Infrastructure Fund Class A
    MLXCX Summary - Catalyst Energy Infrastructure Fund Class C
    MLXIX Summary - Catalyst Energy Infrastructure Fund Class I
    RGIVX Summary - ClearBridge Global Infrastructure Income Fund Class I
    DHINX Summary - Centre Global Infrastructure Fund Institutional Class
    DHIVX Summary - Centre Global Infrastructure Fund Investor ClassNo Transaction Fee
    CSUAX Summary - Cohen & Steers Global Infrastructure Fund, Inc. Class ANo Transaction Fee
    CSUIX Summary - Cohen & Steers Global Infrastructure Fund, Inc. Class I
    NXGAX Summary - Cushing ® NextGen Infrastructure Fund Class A Shares
    NXGNX Summary - Cushing ® NextGen Infrastructure Fund Class I Shares
    BILDX Summary - DoubleLine Infrastructure Income Fund Class I
    BILTX Summary - DoubleLine Infrastructure Income Fund Class NNo Transaction Fee
    TOLLX Summary - DWS RREEF Global Infrastructure Fund - Class ANo Transaction Fee
    TOLCX Summary - DWS RREEF Global Infrastructure Fund - Class C
    TOLIX Summary - DWS RREEF Global Infrastructure Fund - Class Inst
    ECOIX Summary - Ecofin Global Renewables Infrastructure Fund Institutional Class
    FMSSX Summary - Frontier MFG Select Infrastructure Fund Service Class
    FMGIX Summary - Frontier MFG Core Infrastructure Fund Institutional Class
    FCIVX Summary - Frontier MFG Core Infrastructure Fund Service Class
    GLEAX Summary - Goldman Sachs Energy Infrastructure Fund Class A SharesNo Transaction Fee
    GLPAX Summary - Goldman Sachs MLP Energy Infrastructure Fund Class ANo Transaction Fee
    GLPCX Summary - Goldman Sachs MLP Energy Infrastructure Fund Class C
    ICBMX Summary - ICON Natural Resources and Infrastructure Fund Institutional
    ICBAX Summary - ICON Natural Resources and Infrastructure Fund Investor ClassNo Transaction Fee
    GIZAX Summary - Invesco Global Infrastructure Fund Class ANo Transaction Fee
    GIZCX Summary - Invesco Global Infrastructure Fund Class C
    JEEBX Summary - JHancock Infrastructure Fund Class ANo Transaction Fee
    JEEIX Summary - JHancock Infrastructure Fund Class I
    KARIX Summary - Kayne Anderson Renewable Infrastructure Fund Class I
    KARRX Summary - Kayne Anderson Renewable Infrastructure Fund Class RetailNo Transaction Fee
    GLFOX Summary - Lazard Global Listed Infrastructure Portfolio Open SharesNo Transaction Fee
    GLIFX Summary - Lazard Global Listed Infrastructure Portfolio Institutional Shares
    VCRAX Summary - MainStay CBRE Global Infrastructure Fund Class ANo Transaction Fee
    VCRCX Summary - MainStay CBRE Global Infrastructure Fund Class C
    VCRIX Summary - MainStay CBRE Global Infrastructure Fund Class I
    MGVAX Summary - MainStay MacKay U.S. Infrastructure Bond Fund Class ANo Transaction Fee
    MCSGX Summary - MainStay MacKay U.S. Infrastructure Bond Fund Class B
    MGVCX Summary - MainStay MacKay U.S. Infrastructure Bond Fund Class C
    MGOIX Summary - MainStay MacKay U.S. Infrastructure Bond Fund Class I
    MTIPX Summary - Morgan Stanley Institutional Fund, Inc. Global Infrastructure Portfolio Class ANo Transaction Fee
    MTIIX Summary - Morgan Stanley Institutional Fund, Inc. Global Infrastructure Portfolio Class I
    NMFIX Summary - Northern Multi-Manager Global Listed Infrastructure Fund
    FGIAX Summary - Nuveen Global Infrastructure Fund Class ANo Transaction Fee
    FGNCX Summary - Nuveen Global Infrastructure Fund Class C
    PXDIX Summary - Pax Global Sustainable Infrastructure Fund Institutional Class
    PGJAX Summary - PGIM Jennison Global Infrastructure Fund- Class A
    PGJCX Summary - PGIM Jennison Global Infrastructure Fund- Class C
    PGJZX Summary - PGIM Jennison Global Infrastructure Fund- Class Z
    RMLPX Summary - Recurrent MLP & Infrastructure Fund Class I
    SMAPX Summary - Salient MLP & Energy Infrastructure Fund Class A
    SMFPX Summary - Salient MLP & Energy Infrastructure Fund Class C
    SMLPX Summary - Salient MLP & Energy Infrastructure Fund Class I
    TMLAX Summary - Transamerica Energy Infrastructure Class ANo Transaction Fee
    TMCLX Summary - Transamerica Energy Infrastructure Class C
    TMLPX Summary - Transamerica Energy Infrastructure Class I
    PGUAX Summary - Virtus Duff & Phelps Global Infrastructure Fund Class ANo Transaction Fee
    PGUCX Summary - Virtus Duff & Phelps Global Infrastructure Fund Class C
    PGIUX Summary - Virtus Duff & Phelps Global Infrastructure Fund Class I
  • Small Caps
    @JonGaltill: DMCRX is closed, but you can get the same managers in their SCG (DVSMX) and SMID (DSMDX) funds. The performance of the former has been superior to MSSMX.
    "Whoa! Nellie!" (Thanks Keith)
    DSMDX is a MCG fund so TR comparisons with MSSMX are not apples-to-apples. Either way, MSSMX has better TR over 1-yr (only period available other than YTD) 81% to 51%. How is that "superior"?
    DVSMX IS a SCG fund like MSSMX but MSSMX easily beats DVSMX over 1-yr, 81% to 61%, and over 3-yrs, 55% to 37%. How is that "superior"?
    You MUST be looking ONLY at YTD TRs in which DSMDX and DVSMX and are a bit better?
  • OEFs and ETFs capturing Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
    This is the one Congress passed Friday late evening. Are you aware of any funds that showed in their price movement today indicating their slant to constituents that might benefit from this new legislation?
    I checked the M* infrastructure category and none of the funds' price movement today suggest benefitting from this Act. It is possible the funds already captured the benefit when the Senate passed the bill a while ago or M* daily price updates are stale, as usual.
    Some clean energy ETFs are up nicely but they have been considerably off their 52 week high. Of the S&P sector funds, XLB performed the best today with a gain of 1.25%. XES - Oil & Gas services subsector fund happens to be up 1.79%.
    Thanks.
  • Small Caps
    So I sold out of MSSMX as it began its slide in early 2021 and just recently bought back 1/2 position in it.
    I don't follow/use MFO Ratings so can't help you there. You might want to check its M* SCG 1-yr rating which is still top 3%.
    And it's still best in class for 3-yr, 5-yr and 10-yr periods, and Dennis Lynch is still managing it.
    From afar: I think you bought this fund at/near its peak, suffered through its slide, and are about to sell it when it's (IMO, that's why I bought it back) likely to get back into its groove. VERY volatile fund as you know. Maybe too volatile for you?
    Good luck whatever you decide.