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.
It is usually assumed that humans have a 24-hour circadian rhythm. The findings cited above suggest that humans may have adapted or will adapt to a longer cycle.
https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/guide/circadian-rhythm-disorders-cause#2
I read…
@LewisBraham: "attacked?" I thought it was a pretty mild exchange compared to what sometimes passes for discourse on this board. With respect to a long-winded discussion the other day about "contrarian" funds, it seems TILDX might fit the definitio…
@Maurice: my statement came from Waggoner’s article that lead off this discussion. For my part, I don’t think I have been rewarded for the risk taken in foreign securities since EMs went nuts in 2007. 2017 was a decent year for international in gene…
@Puddnhead: FMIJX and whatever class of Euro Pacific Growth is in my TIAA have large European holdings and mediocre performance. BCSVX, on the other hand, has done really well in European SMIDs. MOTI, the wide-moat M* index international ETF, with 5…
I don’t know how a turbo charged 2 litre engine in something like a pickup or a massive SUV can last as long as a lower-revving 6 or 8. Engineering may have lapped me, however.
David provides an interesting profile of Centaur Total Return (TILDX). The returns, risk-adjusted, are enticing; for my part, I avoid funds with ruinous ER's (2.10%) and high turnover ratios (over 100%). This fund has saddled owners in taxable accou…
@Old_Skeet: My gain in DBC was precisely 8%. I dabble in ETF's, but this is my first venture into commodities. I would feel comfortable nibbling again in the fall. Thanks for your perspective.
My point about the difference between holding a successful global fund and a pure foreign fund may have been expressed with too much understatement. My point was that there are several large-cap growth global funds that have thrived recently; they h…
@Puddnhead: I got out of GLFOX several months ago. 3 of top 6 positions are Italian, and the bulk of the fund's holdings are in European equities with negative YTD performance.
I took profits in DBC last week as commodities seem to have paused, tho…
@Ted: We're both happy with the performance of Kristian Heugh's global and foreign large-cap growth funds; however, the majority of investors who have also chosen other foreign funds have seen disappointing returns, myself included.
@David: Do I detect a whiff of Iowa vs. Wisconsin disdain in your comment? I think you’re a transplant to the mid west, as am I, so the them vs. us (here it’s MSU vs. UM and Michigan vs. Ohio) is probably an acquired attitude. I’m a Yankee, so I ins…
Just three days ago I visited the American Military Cemetery in Normandy. This is one of many overseas cemeteries (24 IIRC) maintained to honor those who fell. I have never seen a more elegant or moving graveyard; a spanking new visitor center is th…
Two WWII recommendations: “Why? Explaining the Holocaust,” by Peter Hayes, who has devoted his career to understanding what happened during Hitler’s regime. Also “Munich,” an historical novel by the incomparable Robert Harris. The latter title migh…
@mcmarasco: I also had two dependent children when I started SS at FRA (65 and 10 months at the time). Their benefits stopped as soon as they graduated from HS. You will be asked each year by SS if you used all the kids' $ to support them; I answere…
@TheShadow: I was wondering about MECAX annual distributions. M* has no info at all and the AMG site seems to say there were none paid for 2017. Hard to square with a 98% turnover ratio. The same managers run the Cadence mid-cap fund which has paid …
@Hank: If you read two newspapers that don't have comics, it's hard to fit in The Economist. I had a gift subscription, renewed it for two years, and then found the magazines sitting unread. It's serious journalism, a bit weighty, and I had to concl…
Good grief! I tried reading the guy's article on QLACs with little success. Then I noticed the teaser at the top of the page. The guy's company will help me get Continuing Education credits for reading such stuff. Another career is within reach...
I got a kick out of the board discussion on IRAs for kids juxtaposed with this article on the Perkins, père et fils. They claim to have started their fund for children's IRAs and small portfolios.
@VintageFreak: The moral of your story is stay at home, eat lentils, and don't try to contravene your wife's good judgement. The AI stuff is scary, I agree.
I own Homestead Growth, HNASX, a clone of this TRP institutional strategy. There is a profile by David available. I have growth in my retirement portfolio, despite my age. If I outlive my parents, I still have a long glide path. Sounds like a good c…
Can't beat Schwab's service. I ordered above-referenced ATM cards late Saturday afternoon and today FedEx comes with separate express envelopes for madame et moi.
Thanks, @msf. I just ordered ATM cards from Schwab. Have had checking there for ages, but never had the card. I got ripped off with my BOA debit card in Spain last year. Will use on next trans-Atlantic trip later this month.
Unfortunately or not, David Rolfe's RWGFX, a fund previously excoriated on this board, did not make the $1B AUM cutoff used by M* for this article. Its poor performance might have given lie to the proposition that "investing like Buffett" pays off. …
@Puddnhead: It appears to me that most of GLFOX's holdings trade in Europe, so it would be hard to gauge their trading volume even if the stocks have a US listing. FWIIW, the fund has made a decent comeback from a really rocky start this year.
I took a quick look at the M* info on POPFX. One question that I have is how large a cash position did the fund have from inception in 2007 and through 2008, the period for which performance appears so good compared to peers? While it may be stating…
@Bee: Interesting concept. My spouse is a retired teacher in MI, but her pension payout has nothing to do with the state pension fund's performance. I suspect that in CT, the same is true. I realize you are not comparing income from your pension to …
Mr. Heugh's favorite stocks are Asian tech companies. If Chinese internet firms go south, it's likely that his MS funds will also. Heugh has also been given another fund, an Asia ex-Japan growth vehicle. As with the other two funds he manages, MS ha…
We are fortunate to be Prime members as family on our daughter's account. Not quite the same as full membership because it does not include video, music, or TV. In the same way that I'm tempted to tell the car wash guy here in MI, "If it weren't for…
I was hoping the manager of these two strategies, Mr. Heugh, hidden away in Hong Kong, would not attract too much attention. Unfortunately, Baron's profiled him and now this comment from M*. The last thing I want is for big bucks to pour into MGGIX …
To complicate matters, there is now ROBT, a competitor to ROBO and BOTZ. A cynic might ask if AI is involved in the creation of ETFs; they seem to materialize when a human starts thinking.
http://www.morningstar.com/news/benzinga/BenzBZW_11247696/d…
@LewisBraham: You present a good idea for me, and a dilemma. In my retirement account I could exchange the Vanguard Balanced Index (5*-Gold) for CREF Social Choice (3*). Such an exchange would probably cost me real $ for my gesture. I can't fault my…
I wish there was a concrete gesture that I could make to demonstrate my concern about gun violence. What I have in mind is what Dick's Sporting Goods has announced: they previously said they'd stop selling guns, then more recently said they'd destro…
To echo others, I have followed the recommendation to get into commodities. One advisor I subscribe to was way early on DBC, then Gundlach chimed in last fall (IIRC), and I bought a small slice of DBC in early February and, miracle of miracles, it h…
This is his name: "DeFred G. Folts III, Fritz" as it appears on 3EDGE's site. The asset manager runs strategies for private individuals and institutions, using ETFs.
Sent a check, although I was tempted to try the online payment. Got whacked by the AMT for the first time ever, woe is me. What I read the other day suggested that the AMT won't affect as many taxpayers next year.
As allocation positions, I own RPGAX and CCAPX, as well as BRUFX. I am reducing the latter in favor of the the other two as the Bruce boys seem to have lost their mojo. Because I don't try to maintain a diversified bond portfolio, I rely on the expe…
