Of course. I checked each fund's availability against that threshold. $1,000,000 will just get you in the door at CMFIX.
You don't think I'd go posting funds with a $100M min?

@msf- Isn't there a $1,000,000 "spare cash" threshold requirement to comment on this sort of thing?

The M* bank loan category lost money YTD.
By category return, M* means "simply the average of the returns for all the funds in a given category. The standard category average calculation is based on constituents of the category at the end of the period."
For bank loan funds YTD, I offer two figures:
Daily return through April 8, 2022: -0.23%
Quarterly return through March 31, 2022: -0.55%
Data source:
https://performance.morningstar.com/fund/performance-return.action?t=FDAAX
(See the category line in the Trailing Total Returns section; click on quarterly tab for quarterly data.)
Certainly there are some bank loan funds that made money YTD. The link above (FDAAX) is one such fund. There are also bond funds in several other categories that made money YTD, including:
High yield bond, e.g. RSIVX 0.50%/0.83% (daily/quarterly)
Inflation protected, e.g. EARRX 0.17%/0.36%
Multisector, e.g. ICMUX 0.05%/0.16%
Muni short, e.g. FHMIX 0.08%/0.07%
Nontraditional, e.g. RPIEX 3.98%/2.98%
Short term, i.e. CMFIX 0.10%/0.29%
Ultrashort, e.g. REPOX 0.08%/0.07%
World bond, e.g. TPINX 1.14%/1.14% [sic]

I was sure that there was a MFO piece on FMSDX but I couldn't find it on search. Then I realized that MFO Home is a different site than MFO Discussion, and there I found that piece by @lynnbolin2021 that I was looking for (LINK0). This piece compared 5 funds for 5 years then from 10/2017 using Fido charting. I have updated that for 3 funds, FMSDX, FSRRX, FADMX (FAYZX, FSRIX used for longer PV run) using PV charting (it allows 3 funds only) since 10/2017. LINK1
Looking for FMSDX piece in October 18, 2021 Barron's? Check Summary, Part 2 in LINK2.

SCHD is 1 of my favorites with the added benefit of an etf structure.

As an aside Fido lists , in their screener, only 10 utility funds available ntf. Vanguard has a tf, and T Rowe Price, Janus, Invesco, Putnam and Blackrock don't even offer funds. PRUZX seems comparable to FSUTX, but has a tf. I'll probably throw a few coins at FSUTX and add XLU as my secondary fund.

Per Fido - FMSDX:
Portfolio Data Portfolio Data Additional Information
30-Day Yield 4
2.62%
3/31/2022
Duration
4.20 Years
3/31/2022

Distribution Yield (Daily)
1.41%
4/7/2022

Thanks, stillers, I should have checked Fidelity first instead of taking M*'s stale data for granted. This changes my outlook significantly.
Much appreciated.
Fred

Per Fido - FMSDX:
Portfolio Data Portfolio Data Additional Information
30-Day Yield 4
2.62%
3/31/2022
Duration
4.20 Years
3/31/2022

Distribution Yield (Daily)
1.41%
4/7/2022

FMSDX is about 50th out of 512 NTF "Allocation" funds offered by Fido, DOWN ~3% YTD. Not bad for an allocation fund this year.
If you sell it, where do you re-deploy to?
US? We sold ALL of our dedicated bond funds earlier this year except a toe-hold in two closed funds. We also sold a few allocation funds but DID hold onto FMSDX due to its strategy and holdings. We however cut its allocation in half. We still think it's a LT keeper and would NOT want to be closed out of it down the road.
Proceeds were immediately used to replace the equivalent stock %'s using dedicated stock funds instead, and the remainder (bond portion proceeds) are being re-deployed throughout the year into 1-2 yr (the sweet spot) CDs and TNotes.
This is a really worthy strategy this year and has been paying off well now, and expected to continue until such time, if ever, that "bond" is no longer akin to a four-letter word for us.

Barron's ... https://www.barrons.com/articles/inflation-is-here-to-stay-how-to-adjust-your-portfolio-51649426800 suggests FLCSX in the stock section. It wasn't on my watch list. Let's see YTD performance / ER:
FLCSX -.45% / .48%
SCHD -1.04% / .06%
TRVLX -1.80% / .77%
FXAIX -5.46% / .015%
PARWX -6.24% / .88%
PRBLX -6.59% / .84%
Parnassus funds previously discussed lack of energy / ESG focus sure affects performance. SCHD has the lowest ER, followed by FXAIX and close behind FLCSX. Any other favorites?
Barron's: "The $3.2 billion Fidelity Large Cap Stock (FLCSX), which returned 13% a year over the past five years, beating 88% of peers, is another core fund with a value bent that has a higher allocation than peers to inflation beneficiaries such as energy. “If you think oil prices will stay high, energy stocks aren’t expensive versus history,” says manager Matthew Fruhan."

Check out 50-50 tax-managed balanced VTMFX (obviously no-fees at Vanguard, but with transaction fees at Schwab), higher ER TAIFX (F-1 class, no-fee/NTF at Fido and Schwab).
Fido doesn't have any tax-managed mutual funds of its own but does offer tax-managed advisory accounts. But I don't recommend those.
Combo of ETFs (stocks, bonds) and CDs is fine too.
It depends on what their past investing experience is.

Hi stillers,
I think this is the first time I've talked to you but have read your posts on M. Saying that to say this: FSELX I sold last year due to rising rates. This year my point is......are you not early in the buying of it along with FSUTX? I know the market factors in things and one does not want to be late to the party. But I still feel this market could still have a fall ahead of it as rates rise. As for full disclosure, I own FSENX and FARMX, which are inflation-lovers, so to speak. Just looking for your thoughts to help me with my thinking.
God bless
the Pudd

FSELX is DOWN ~22% YTD and FSUTX is UP ~9% YTD. So they are on two very different trajectories.
That said, not sure how an investor would be able think of being too early or too late to BOTH of them. Wouldn't it be one too early (FSELX) and one too late (FSUTX)?
Anyways, thought I explained my thinking previously but will give it another shot.
FSELX:
I posted previously...
(1) We have recently been DCA'ing into the iconic FSELX - Fido Semis, DOWN ~22% YTD. Expecting the eventual semis move UP to be parabolic when it happens, and we can easily wait for that move while DCA'ing into it. Yes, talking heads make a worthy case for NOT buying the whole sector and concentrating on the best names, but that just ain't our style or risk appetite.
Yeah, I KNOW I might be too early on this pup and maybe should try to be more selective than a broad-stroke play like FSELX. BUT I am not interested in a "Which semis?" guessing game (or volatility) and I can easily wait for what will inevitably, over time, be one of the better "explore" plays I can think of, especially given the large hole the sector has dug. Still DCA'ing into it, so any BIG DOWN days are BUYING opportunities under my current strategy for it.
FSUTX:
I posted previously...
(2) Thanks to regular reading of anything uncleharley posts anywhere, we finally "saw the light" (so to speak) and a while back bought utilities, choosing FSUTX - Fido Select Utilities, arguably the best utilities OEF on the planet. Note that uh meanwhile prefers ETFs UTG, MGU and MFD.
While many others I read think otherwise, uh thinks there is a lot of upside left to utes. So if anything, I'd be too late on it given what many others are saying. I've followed uh for a decade. He knows energy, metals, agr and utes FAR better than most, and light years better than me. I'm rolling with him on this one. Either way, utes are looking like a possible LT replacement for my long-since departed dedicated bond funds, and may eventually move to a "core" holding.

OK, we're very impressed. You can go away now.

As a trader, I'm out for weeks(only use short term trades) and looking to park my money somewhere until I find better opportunities. Let me know where can I park $100K now?
As expected, the only bond category that made money (only several funds) YTD was bank loans.

@Tarwheel. +1.
Just read the referenced link from Fidelity, above. Conclusion, from 31 December:
"...Within the equity subportfolio, we're especially interested in opportunities among value stocks, which tend to offer more downside protection and income than growth stocks. On December 31, the fund held sizable overweightings in energy, financials, materials (gold miners) and real estate. Elsewhere, we believe high-yield bonds and bank loans – which are not in the Composite index and together represent more than 20% of the fund's assets – offer attractive risk/reward. The fund ended the period with increased exposure to government debt (about 16% of assets) and convertibles (roughly 6% of assets) and a reduced weighting in emerging-markets debt (about 2% of assets)."

I wouldn't hold out high hopes that Vanguard will do anything.
I sent secure email to Vanguard on March 29, informing them that a Flagship Select pricing figure on their website was wrong. Two days later I get a response back saying that I had written about a fee for Flagship (not Flagship Select) customers, and that the note was being forwarded to their research team.
That was their April Fools (April 1) response to me. No correction, no correspondence in the ensuing 10 days.

It might make sense to see what the March 31 quarterly commentary will have to say about their recent thinking and positioning. The Outlook and Positioning section of the 12/31 commentary provides a review as of that date. But, the Trended Allocation section suggests changes sometimes occur fairly rapidly....
FMSDX Commentary

The Fed is now talking about significantly accelerating raising interest rates and unwinding its huge balance sheet of Treasuries and MBS.
Last week, for example, FMSDX, an allocation fund with 40% in bond holdings, lost 2.2%. M* still reports that as of 12/31/21 the fund has "extensive interest rate sensitivity" with a duration of 8.5 years.
In light of the Fed's release of the minutes of its March meeting, was last week's poor performance due primarily to the fund's bond holdings? Is it possibly a forerunner of things to come? Is it time to consider selling FMSDX?
Opinions/suggestions are appreciated.
Thanks,
Fred

Sunday, 04/10/22, 1:20 PM ET, I just got the same message when I tried to access TRP fund family from your link's drop-down list. Maybe contact customer support to let them know there is a problem.

Pg 16 (Better fit here): There are opportunities after an epic selloff in BONDS. Lot of rate hikes ahead may be in the market as the FED has been talking aggressively. Bonds may also be attractive for those who think that core inflation will come down later. But be careful as actual monetary tightening has barely started.
Munis: VWITX, BTT, NEA
Treasuries: SHY, TLT, TIP; Savings I-Bonds
Corporates: PRCIX, MDFIX (mostly CEFs), VCSH, AGG
HY: PRFRX, HYG, BXSL
Preferreds: PFF; individual JPM-M, Qrate-P
Convertibles: PACIX, CWB
LINK

Yes. Lots of recent pain in the bond market. And, yes, it makes sense to be on the lookout for upping my allotment to bonds (that will be welcome after several years of struggling to locate good options among bond investments). But, inflation is still raging and the Fed's tightening cycle is just beginning. There appears to be a good case to be made for the painfully high rate of inflation not coming to an end soon and for the bond market having further to fall. So, its too soon for me to increase my allocation to bonds.
Here is one short article from this morning's reading about some of the factors that are likely to influence the course of inflation for the balance of the year:
U.S. Inflation May Peak in March, But It’s a Slow Go to Fed’s 2%

@msf - First, thank you for your detailed response and for all the dedicated work you do at MFO. Folks are fortunate for your labors.
I believe that you and others are making lots of assumptions. Nothing wrong with that. So far, over the past 3 or more years the Fed has raised the overnight lending rate by 25 basis points. That’s the fact. The bond markets, however, have gone into hysteria.
If there was an easy way for me to reap that 7% reward on I Bonds (more like 5% if you cash out early) I’d do it. But I’m not willing to upset my “perfectly balanced” apple cart (forgive the exaggeration) by selling a long-term holding just because it’s off 6% this year and something else offers a short term guaranteed return.
I’d never argue that PRIHX is as safe as I-Bonds. Just that it already has a well thought out place in the portfolio. I’ve owned it for several years. It’s run very conservatively (reason it scores poorly by M* standards). I have so much confidence in it I recently took advantage of the (likely overdone) sell-off this year by tossing in a chunk of household cash that won’t be needed for six months or longer.
Frankly, to earn 5% on $10,000 isn’t going to move the needle very much for me. I’d rather dwell on the riskier portions of the portfolio. Those include 3 individual stocks, a gold mining fund, 2 nation specific funds (invested in Japan and Norway), both market neutral and long-short funds, a global bond fund, plus a half dozen broadly based equity funds. That’s where my “investment brain” is normally focused. Those are the investments that move the needle for me and, working together, achieve the balance I desire in the portfolio.
On a lighthearted “sour” note, I do believe the recent clamor by every Tom, Dick & Harry to “scoop up” those hot 7% (err ... 5%) I Bonds is one reason my own PRIHX and most other short - intermediate term bond funds have suffered this year. Yikes - hot money has been fleeing ... :)
Re: “Would you expect bonds of any sort (aside from Treasuries) to go up then, or aside from a possible flight to quality?”
@msf - I suspect your intended inference here is correct. But I don’t want to own only investments I “expect” to do well. I like it when some things rise while others fall. And get nervous when everything is rising all at once. The future is impossible to predict. But there certainly are a few experienced market observers predicting falling rates longer term. That’s not my belief - but it’s out there along with every other possibility.

Neighbor chat being, brief overview.......Married couple assured of having a net inheritance this year of about $500,000. Both age 70, one still employed, both have Medicare, one receiving SS, likely forthcoming sale of a business (that may or may not provide a sale profit), clear ownership of a 8 unit apartment with positive cash flow (don't know how much annually), both have T-IRA's (total less than $50,00) and clear ownership of their house.
A side note to them regarding taxation: The fact that many actively managed equity funds have been seeing redemptions has exacerbated capital gains tax bills for many investors, jacking up tax-cost ratios.
The obvious to me, is for them to invest in etf's, index funds or tax managed mutual funds,and perhaps some muni bond exposure. Their account will likely be with Fidelity, which would offer them many path choices. I will also suggest to them a 30% exposure to U.S. equity. I don't know at this time whether they may choose to place the balance in CD's or other similar. The wife has some knowledge about the investing markets; while the husband does not. My suggestion thoughts for equity would be: SP-500 (12 U.S. sectors), perhaps QQQ etf (more growth equity, although some overlap with SP-500) and perhaps a large cap blend for international exposure. I don't expect any "exotic" type of holdings for them.
The below link will be provided for them, to help have a better understanding for tax reduction, while still having exposure to equity investing.
M* write outlining keeping taxes to a minimum, in a taxable account; and possible choices.
Thank you for your thoughts, regarding this subject; as I've likely omitted something.
Remain curious,
Catch