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.
Remember her well. All the more reasons why some of us old timers need to start spending and enjoying what we have accumulated over the years. Life is short!
I have never bought into this thinking about using commodities as a diversifier etc. Terrible long term record. It never ceases to amaze me how little some commodities have risen in price since I was a commodity broker in the early 70s. That was…
Being bond centric at this stage in my life - PHYTX. I am working on a strategy that is either 100% cash - 100% junk corporates - 100% junk munis - 100% bank loan/floating rate.
I just looked at RPHYX's chart on M*. It's performing exactly as advertised: a very gentle but nearly straight line up, delivering a bit more than 3% better than MMFs, which are delivering just about zero. The only time it ever had a negative quarte…
http://www.cheatsheet.com/personal-finance/retirement-reality-5-charts-you-need-to-see.html/?a=viewall
I've always been intrigued how much annually we spend in retirement. Obviously where we live and if married or single among other factors has an…
@Junkster
Is any of your portfolio or at least enough to generate some cash flow when you would have to have RMD (required minimum distribution)? Would this amount combined with SS be enough? 'Course, I am sure you could always draw as needed from t…
Anyone have an annuity? I realize they are a bad deal and their onefold purpose is peace of mind. But when I turn 70 in 2 years if I put 17.5% of my portfolio in an immediate annuity it (plus my Social Security) would cover all my annual expenses …
Anyone have an annuity? I realize they are a bad deal and their onefold purpose is peace of mind. But when I turn 70 in 2 years if I put 17.5% of my portfolio in an immediate annuity it (plus my Social Security) would cover all my annual expenses …
Not a medical expert. Just a concerned 70 year old with some of the typically associated ailements who has looked intently at this "Right BP" question.
A major goal of lowering BP is to reduce wear and tear on the inner linings of blood vessels an…
This article should be dedicated to MJG. In the article " The average investor in stock mutual funds made 3.8% a year over the past 30 years..." I am skeptical on the methodology used to determine that tidbit.
And why some aging investor with a…
Balancing wealth accumulation to infinity vs spending in old age to reap/enjoy the fruits of our labor is a topic I would like to see addressed here more.
Hi @Junkster- What a great idea for a topic.Not to be a smartalec (for a change) but why don'…
I follow about 50 open end bond funds of all stripes and colors and the only green today were PONDX and ANGLX - the latter having a banner year and with almost half in Non agency MBS.
Thanks and good luck in retirement. Again, wasn't trying to be combative. It seems lately I've seen too many people in my Mayberry type town pass away and with way too much money in the seven figures. Another lady I know well is 82 and her 1.8 mi…
>>>>it really makes no difference how much money you've accumulated to fund retirement, the key is how much annual income this accumulated money can generate.
Today seems to be a shift away from US-centric investments.
Japan holding up very well YTD as well as today. Any J-apan-unkster interest @Junkster?
I never was much into international/foreign albeit this sure has been the year for them. Being in…
@Junkster
Yes, as to the utilities, too. The broad index is -2% at 11am EST. 30 year Treasury about -3%.
Ya think we are only seeing some head fakes from the big money?
Regards,
Catch
Maybe in equities but it looks ominous for bonds. Went to 33…
The Utilities sure did ring the bell. The low in yields already looked like it had been in for Treasury yields and today the last brick in the wall.
@Junkster Why are you worrying about bank loans? Don't you have more pressing concerns, like puttin…
The late 90s it was much more than 20% per annum if your thing was tech funds. But as you said, not many expectations now for anything like that. .
sure there are: health care and biotech. everyone says the same thing: they'll only go up, t…
Thanks Junkster for Dr. Yardeni doc.
Hard to tell at by just looking at the charts the basis for his bull/bear metrics. But it certainly indicates bullish.
Quick search on internet shows he does like to be in the news. I noticed that last year he …
too many bulls
Maybe that is the buying action, but everyday I glance at the financial pages and find 9 bears and maybe 1 bull. Everybody thinks we are headed for a big retraction, seems like.
too much complacency
Now that I do see. I think Ted …
Now 21% in cash. Junk bonds' 33 consecutive day winning streak came to an end this week. May sell more tomorrow depending on market action. Some sentiment readings were at/near historic highs recently meaning too many bulls and too much complacen…
>>>FYI: For many years, I’ve been asking people what money means to them. Typical responses have been words like “freedom,” “security,” “survival” and “happiness,” the kind of words that pack a real emotional punch. My take is that money is…
Scott, a person's methodology sometimes is a by product of their financial circumstances. When I was your age I had but $2200, a negative net worth and a part time job. So being long term and reinvesting dividends and the like was not an option w…
Junkster
Interesting to read your past moves.....however
what are you planning to do in the future is the
most important issue today.
No offense to you, sir, but I tire of posters who
provide us their "wisdom" of PAST maneuvers....
most of it I wo…
IMO, the S&P 500 is fully valued, but earnings forecasts are currently
being revised downward.........so I am thinking the S&P 500 is ready
for its usual 3 to 5 % re-tracement back to its 100 day moving average....
Seems like the S&P …
It would be a completely different story if the graphic were of sector funds and dated back beyond 15 years. Sector funds exhibit more trend persistency from one year to the next and extended periods of outperformance. Technology funds in the 80s …
>>>Asked on Thursday if he had any thoughts on Mr. Kahn, Warren Buffett —who also studied under Mr. Graham—joked, “I’d rather have Irving’s thoughts on longevity.”
PONDX a great fund for the conservative investor. As a not so conservative investor this fund lost its allure in the spring of 2013 and have never ventured back. Without checking I assume AUM have soared the past many years making it not as nimble.
Lumber/Timber, I have been hearing about some future acute shortage for decades. Just checked lumber prices in 1980. Looks like a double. Pretty miserly when compared to equities.
Edit: Correction: not even a double in price since 1980.
https://www.creditwritedowns.com/2009/10/jeremy-grantham-the-market-is-25-overvalued-15-correction-coming.html
These debates never have a winner as we are colored by our biases, me included. I have never been a fan of Jeremy Grantham of GMO. Whi…
@MFO Members: If you believe in GMO's 7-Year Real Return Forecast, I have a bridge for sale.
Regards,
Ted
Not just that but if you listen to *anyone's* forecast, 7 years or whatever. There are no "experts" in the forecasting or prediction business…
M* agrees with Junkster regarding potential upside for HY Junk this year though it seems to disagrees with Junkster's holding periods.
"No matter which vehicle investors choose for high-yield exposure, it's crucial that they have a long holding pe…
The corporate junk bond win streak continues. Merrill's H0A0 has been up for 24 consecutive days!
Hopefully we can make it to 25 as in pre market trading it is looking ugly for oil today.
@scott I'm just curious, if you will indulge me. How many individual stocks do you own at one time? You seem to have a good handle on why you invest in them, so I am not questioning your rationale or ability to track them.
Deleted my post - …
@Junkster - I hope we're both around in 20 years to compare the results. Pick your equities. You must be specific. For example, you can't say the S&P 500 because that changes over time. Unless the paper bill deteriorates both it and the gold bar…
I think the answer depends on one's definition of investment. For me, gold is a collectible just like any other perceived treasure. Let's say I put a $100 bar of gold and a $100 US paper bill in a can and bury it out in the back yard for 20 years. W…
If you're willing to go back thousands of years, the rate of return must be minuscule -- way, way under 1% annualized.
You must be looking at Jeremy Siegel's Stocks For The Long Run. There he shows inflation adjusted Total Real Return Indexes 1802-…