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edited June 2013 in Off-Topic
Looking at Ambev (ABV), now almost -30% from the 52wk high (which was only around late Jan/early Feb - a delightful chart - http://stockcharts.com/h-sc/ui?s=ABV) as Brazil mkts continue to move lower. Looking at stronger Asian banks if China fears spread (such as DBS, United Overseas bank). Looking at Wal-Mart/P & G. Looking at telecoms both here and elsewhere. Looking at American Tower (AMT) and other REITs.

Would love to short GME if I could.
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Comments

  • edited June 2013
    Put a limit order on Ford, might hit today. Looking at Linclon Electric (LECO), been watching it for a while, I remember it well when I lived in Cleveland back in the 70s and 80s, always a well run company, but would like it to go a bit lower yet. A couple of my stops hit on my biotechs to protect profits, may go back in if they go 5-10% lower from here. Also added to position in Costco (COST)
  • edited June 2013
    Ha! I first need to catch my breath after current rout.
  • edited June 2013
    I wouldn't be throwing money at this thing yet - mainly because it's run up so fast over the past few years. Perhaps some with greater aptitude than me will find opportunity in specific stocks - don't know. Myself, if the carnage continues longer - I'd begin adding to TRIGX which I dollar averaged out of earlier this year. - Not the "hottest" pick I'm sure. But a fund I normally hold - but don't now. BTW - I find it always interesting how to large extent the internationals follow the lead of the U.S.
  • Yeah, the day is long past when international exposure gave you some diversity from the US. Our stuff yesterday:

    1.1% decline in our (primarily) US based funds, and a very close 0.98% decline in our world/EM funds. No significant difference in the reaction of the two groups. With respect to our remaining bond fund exposure, 0.25% decline for US stuff, and 0.29% for world/EM.
  • edited June 2013
    Reply to @Old_Joe: Thanks for the insights. FWIW - For much of this year I lagged TRRIX - a conservative fund I own and also use as a "benchmark" of sorts. (A dumb & short-lived foray into gold set me back early in the year.) Wow - has that turned around in recent weeks as bonds took it on the chin and, if memory's correct, its drop was about double yesterday what I experienced. You just never know. ... OJ - I know you are among the wise who have raised some cash recently:-)
  • One of the things that struck me about today is that there seems to be considerable disparity in today's trading volume (relative to average trading volume) across stocks. There are a number of stocks where the volume is relatively light or average whereas there are many others (e.g., some RE/EM stocks) where the volume is double or more of avg volume.

    Not sure of what to make of the selective selling. Does this mean that the "blood in the streets' moment is some distance away? Or does it indicate that this is a milder correction than some fear?

    BWG
  • Reply to @BWG: I've seen that as well and I think it's very interesting. The market is not down all that much on the surface, but there are whole sectors that are down very substantially and and where a number of names are not far off or at 52 wk lows. Perhaps an opportunity for those with long-term views.
  • Reply to @scott: I have some picks in mind in the RE/EM sector but I want to wait a little more. In the past, I have made the mistake of getting in too early. To the extent that the talk of tapering goes away if the market falls more, a correction could be contained. If the market decline is due to other factors (China/EMs), then what happens next is not so clear. The risk with EMs may snowball -- the appreciation of the $ relative to EM currencies creates problems for any EMs. This triggers a flight of capital from EMs to the US, worsening the problem but good for US treasuries.

    The above are my rambling thoughts. Feel free to poke holes in the arguments -- I am still trying to get a better handle on what is happening.

    On another note, nice to see PMHIX holding up well today -- has participated in the upside all year and barely dropped today.

    BWG
  • More among the cowards than among the wise. Interesting change on the spreads between US and EM/World, today. In case it helps at all, I'll list the funds in each group:

    -1.9% ... US Equity: ANCFX, ACMVX, GABAX, GASFX, MFLDX, ABALX, TWSMX

    -2.8% ... EM/World Equity: SMCWX, CWGIX, ANEFX, MAPIX, ARTGX, SFGIX, WAFMX

    -0.7% ... US Bonds: ABNDX, AIBAX, AHITX, ABHIX, RPHYX, PONDX

    -2.8% ... EM/World Bonds: MAINX

    (Since we currently hold only MAINX in that last category the percentage drop may not be representative of that category.)

    Of note:
    MFLDX more than held it's own today, down only 0.4% ... (Thank you, Scott!)
    GASFX didn't do well at all, down a bit over 3% ... (Why do I listen to you, Scott?)
    MAPIX bought the dust, down almost 4% ... "O bury me not, on the lone prairie..."
    SFGIX wasn't so hot either, down 3.2%

    I really do think that after a period of instability there will be a decent buying opportunity, perhaps within the next few months once they sort out who will be in charge at the Fed. I think that the market bias is towards about 1650-ish, and I wouldn't be surprised to see it at that by year's end.

    Disclaimer: Anyone who either listens to me or (God forbid!) acts on my suggestions is even screwier than I am, and that's going some.
  • Reply to @Old_Joe:


    Of note:
    MAPIX bought the dust, down almost 4% ... "O bury me not, on the lone prairie..."
    Didn't MAPIX declare a dividend today?

    Mona
  • Reply to @Mona: Brethern, let us pray! Didn't think to check.
  • Reply to @Old_Joe: MAPIX did go ex today - $.132 dividend.
  • TBT Up $2.46 or 3.5% Maybe it's time to put some cash to work ?!
  • Reply to @JoeNoEskimo: Thanks to both of you. Doughnuts on me!
  • edited June 2013
    Reply to @Old_Joe: Re - "... once they sort out who will be in charge at the Fed." -
    If I didn't know better, I'd say this whole #!*##* mess is Bernanke's answer to Obama. (Of course that couldn't be:-)
  • Reply to @BWG: I note from Schwab that PMHIX is shown as "institutional" class. I believe that because of that it isn't open to individual investors. If you don't mind my asking, did you get into this via a 401k or other plan? Would you happen to know if there is an equivalent PIMCO fund that is open to individuals?

    Thanks- OJ
  • edited June 2013
    Reply to @BWG: From past experience (thinking of mid-late 90s) seems to me tanking EMs are sometimes a precursor to worse things to come - both abroad and at home. Apparently the "hot" money flees the "toppiest" areas first. Sure hope I'm wrong on this one. We shall see.
  • Reply to @Old_Joe: You may be able to access PMHIX at Scottrade or TD Ameritrade as a transaction fee fund. Alternatively, the NTF class of shares (with a higher ER) is PMHDX.

    BWG
  • Reply to @BWG: Thanks!
  • edited June 2013
    Reply to @Old_Joe: Ameritrade has D shares of Pimco funds for no minimum/NTF. The institutional class (PMHIX) is available for no minimum, but that class does have a TF.

    Glad MFLDX did well today (it remains a large holding), although as for GASFX, I never owned it. I do like gas infrastructure (particularly Kinder Morgan, which I continue to add to and I'll continue to reinvest divs with the 6.25% or so yield), but have never focused on GASFX.

    In theory I like GASFX because I like energy infrastructure, but I prefer to stick with a few of the largest names in the industry rather than a broader fund. A number of these names haven't done well with rising rates, but I'd continue to add if there is further downside - but that's just me (others should do their own research, etc etc etc etc...)
  • Reply to @hank: Seems a little bit like 1997/1998?
  • Reply to @Derf: What happens if there is a flight to quality and the hot money in EMs and Japan comes back to treasuries, driving yields down?
  • Reply to @scott: I hope that you realize that I was kidding you... I'm quite happy with GASFX, and will continue to hold it.

    Schwab also has PHMIX as NTF, with their usual 2.5k minimum, which is fine.

    Scott, do you have a feel as to when might be a good time to consider an opening position in PHMIX? Thanks a lot- OJ
  • edited June 2013
    Reply to @Old_Joe: Oh I know you were kidding. I actually do remain very positive on that general sector and remain very long-term on what I own in that area and will continue to add here-and-there if there is a continued downturn. It becomes the question of, "What do I want to own for multi-year period?" Energy infrastructure is certainly one of the things.

    PHMIX is an interesting fund - it had a very so-so start but has taken off this year. Given that it's a very concentrated (not Fairholme concentrated, but concentrated) fund (and concentrated l/s), I expect it to remain somewhat inconsistent over the long-term. I do own it, though and have certainly been pleased at recent performance. Some hedge funds that have turned into mutual funds have become erratic after the transformation, but this one has done fine overall and not a lot has seemingly been lost in the translation. It continues to be heavy cash and takes the view that cash is in some ways a hedge.

    From the Pimco website: "We short stocks when we identify an opportunity to generate alpha as opposed to simply hedge risk. Companies we short tend to fall into two categories: Fundamental shorts, or companies in secular decline, and cyclical shorts, or businesses that will be impacted the most when the economy is weakening.

    When our outlook is bearish and our objective is to hedge, cash management usually is our first line of defense. In bear markets, the strategy can go 100% into cash and cash equivalents to avoid downside risk. To help preserve investors’ capital, in September 2008, for instance, the strategy was invested mostly in cash and cash equivalents. "

    http://www.pimco.com/EN/Solutions/Pages/Long-Short-Equity-Strategy.aspx

    It lost 4.9% in 2008 and did well (for a l/s fund) in 2009/2010, but had off 2011/2012 years before doing well this year (again, may do well over time, but with on/off years given that it's a concentrated l/s fund?)

    In terms of alternatives, I remain particularly interested in what the alternative portfolio of the T Rowe Global Allocation fund will look like, although that hasn't been revealed yet. Although their quant funds have gotten a mixed reception, AQR's new L/S fund (which will apparently be mostly net-long, from what the prospectus acts like) should be coming out any day now.

  • Reply to @BWG: What happens if rates continue to go up? Mr. Pimco said the bond market was a dead issue ( late April?) & then in the next breathe , buy treasuries? Your guess is good as mind.
  • Reply to @scott: Thanks much, young man.

    Regards- OJ
  • edited June 2013
    Reply to @BWG: That's a long time back - but do recall things crumbled in the EMs first and then spread to the U.S. Set us back couple years & served up some good buying opportunities. Similarities stop there however. World was much diffrent. Under the Greenspan Fed there had been for many years pretty rosy conditions in U.S. And rates were much higher. Probably in the 5-7% range on short term stuff.
  • Reply to @hank: "And rates were much higher. Probably in the 5-7% range on short term stuff. " ...that is the potentially scary part. The Fed was able to cut rates then to help the recovery. Less room for rate cuts now.
  • Reply to @Derf: Your guess is probably better than mine. I was thinking aloud/trying to play the devil's advocate.
  • Reply to @scott: Will the T Rowe Global Allocation fund be a fund of funds (like some of their other offerings) or will it pick specific stocks. My concern is that it may be like their other balanced/allocation funds with the primary difference being a 10% allocation to alternative assets.

    BWG
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