Clearly, Stephen

Asset class returns from 2003 - 2012

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 11:18:49 -0600

Asset class returns from 2003 - 2012:

Here are asset class investment returns for 2012 from the Big Picture blog.

Lazy Portfolio Tracker

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 21:22:14 -0600

Lazy Portfolio Tracker:

Here’s my yearly update of all the lazy portfolios I track.

The Amazing Story of Addictive Junk Food

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 21:20:53 -0600

The Amazing Story of Addictive Junk Food:

Here’s a pretty interesting article about how junk food is researched and created to appeal to us.

Various investment class returns in 2011

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 09:41:35 -0600

World Market Performance in 2011

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 09:38:49 -0600

World Market Performance in 2011:

The Economist lists the performances of major world stock markets by country.

6 not-really-ordinary portfolios from Kiplinger's

Mon, 02 Jan 2012 16:04:12 -0600

6 not-really-ordinary portfolios from Kiplinger's:

I enjoy checking out new portfolio ideas like this. Look at the wacky makeup of the Contrarian, Tofurkey, and Multi-asset portfolios. There are some unproven ETFs in these portfolios, but it’s worth remembing them to see how they do in the future. They might provide some diversity.

The Swedroe Portfolio

Mon, 02 Jan 2012 16:01:58 -0600

The Swedroe Portfolio:

This is a brief, not very detailed discussion of a Larry Swedroe portfolio idea I’ve seen discussed on the Bogleheads forum. Swedroe has said that he has not published a book about it because most people would not understand it.

The idea is that you can greatly decrease the volatility/risk of a portfolio by increasing the bonds portion to around 80%. BUT, you can still get good returns by putting the 30% equity into riskier stuff like small cap value stocks or emerging market stocks.

General ETF Portfolios from Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine

Mon, 02 Jan 2012 15:59:37 -0600

General ETF Portfolios from Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine:

Here are some general purpose ETF portfolios from a 2009 edition of Kiplinger’s.

Advisorshares ETF following Roger Nusbaum

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 14:24:22 -0500

Advisorshares ETF following Roger Nusbaum:

This is significant not because it’s a new ETF or because Roger has a well known blog, but because it will allow you to get active management at, in theory, a bargain price .

I like mutual funds, especially cheap ones, but for whatever reason mutual fund managers usually stick with their stocks during times of crisis like 2008. Now, to me, the idea of a professional money manager is that he can help you avoid some of the losses I’d normally incur in a year like 2008. ETFs like this one can help us amateurs access the expertise of financial advisors who saw 2008 coming and did something about it.

If you like ETFs and you believe in dividends.....

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 14:16:46 -0500

If you like ETFs and you believe in dividends.....:

This is a good high level analysis of many ETFs that produce significant dividends.

Grantham's thoughts on the current market

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 14:14:14 -0500

Grantham's thoughts on the current market:

Jeremy’s Grantham’s ideas are always worth listening to. He recommend saying away from long bonds, but likes dividend paying stocks in emerging markets and EAFE (including Japan).

Bogle predicts average annual 7% return for next decade

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 08:43:22 -0500

Bogle predicts average annual 7% return for next decade:

“Over the next decade, Mr. Bogle said stocks are likely to generate an average annual return, including dividends, of around 7%.”

Bogle has been relatively right about the 1990s and the 2000s, though he’s careful not to be too specific. He refers to the stock market as “spasmodic” and stresses asset allocation.

Morningstar: expense ratio a better indicator of success than star ratings

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 12:51:11 -0500

Morningstar: expense ratio a better indicator of success than star ratings:

A frank article from Morningstar showing that their star ratings are good, but lower expenses are better.

Always keep in mind that star ratings only indicate PAST success.

Joe Walsh's Unlikely Road to D.C. (from Chicago Tribune)

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 12:49:27 -0500

Joe Walsh's Unlikely Road to D.C. (from Chicago Tribune):

Decent article from the Trib giving a lot of new (to me) info about Joe Walsh. Aside from the “deadbeat dad” stuff the SunTimes covered, there are driving privelege and foreclosure issues.

Alternative investment ideas

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 08:50:22 -0500

Alternative investment ideas:

This article is interesting not because of paranoia about the possibility of U.S. debt default, but because it offers ideas on some relatively safe investments you might not think of - especially if you’re an index investor like me.

A few percentage points in an investment that is not in lockstep with the U.S. market could help a long term portfolio.

Interesting gold and stock investment idea

Fri, 22 Jul 2011 16:27:47 -0500

Interesting gold and stock investment idea:

Here’s an interesting idea. I don’t like it when writers count gold as a non-equity portion of a portfolio, BUT this idea is interesting because it’s not about asset allocation. It’s about playing 2 investments that should be strong at different times in the investment cycle against each other.

Tracking the Ivy Portfolio Signals

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 10:38:51 -0500

Tracking the Ivy Portfolio Signals:

Here’s a site for tracking moving averages associated with the ETFs used in Mebane Faber’s Ivy Portfolio. Right at the bottom of the first page, you can see the current Ivy Portfolio signals (be invested, or get out) if you don’t have time to check them for yourself each month.

Diversifying beyond your comfort zone

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 09:57:17 -0500

Diversifying beyond your comfort zone:

Interesting article about the idea that, if you want bigger returns (or better returns in an environment full of bad returns) you need to go beyond your comfort zone. I.e. take some risks.

Look at especially at table 2. It shows how you could take a standard 60/40 investment portfolio and move outside the box.

Ferri on Foreign Bond Funds

Thu, 26 May 2011 13:51:13 -0500

Ferri on Foreign Bond Funds:

Rick Ferri discusses how foreign bonds provide diversification - BUT they are expensive.

Note: Ferri is a big believer in keeping expenses as low as possible.

Great article on taxes and commodity ETFs/ETNs

Mon, 16 May 2011 14:02:00 -0500

Great article on taxes and commodity ETFs/ETNs:

Here’s a great article from Index Universe on the various tax implications of owning commodity ETFs and ETNs.