What exactly makes an exchange-traded fund in a given economic segment “cheap?” I am beginning to think that the concept is as arbitrary and as disobliging as the automatic spending cuts in Washington D.C. For example, Russ Koesterich is the Chief Investment Strategist for Blackrock. I genuinely enjoy reading his perspectives on “everything iShares.” Indeed, every [...] Continue Reading...
Daily sentiment can change on a “Susan B. Anthony.” For instance, in the time that Prime Minister Mario Monti has held the reins of control in Italy, global markets have felt better about the prospect of the European Union holding itself together. At the start of Monday’s trading, in fact, stock assets around the world [...] Continue Reading...
Investing in stock assets when the S&P 500 is hitting fresh highs can be as dangerous as driving on a yet-to-be-plowed stretch of highway. You may get to your destination without a hitch. Then again, you might spin out of control and crash. At present, both the Eurozone’s ongoing recession and “Snowmageddon” on the East Coast [...] Continue Reading...
What are the alternatives for an investor when a large majority of assets are fundamentally overvalued and technically overbought? One can wait to participate, of course. Even if there are no obvious reasons for sellers to enter the marketplace, they always do. On the other hand, stock fund managers are being flooded with cash that they [...] Continue Reading...
There’s a tendency in the financial media to wrap-up calendar years with a focus on the “winners” and “losers.” Inevitably, a large number of unsophisticated investors will allocate money to the so-called best performers, while avoiding any commitment to the underachievers. Herein lies one of the biggest mistakes that ETF enthusiasts make. Specifically, they view success [...] Continue Reading...
The S&P 500 traded in a 20-point range on Thursday, 12/27. And most of that activity was consistent with risk-off, “sell-it-all” fretfulness. What have investors been fretting? What else… the fiscal stand-off. Early on Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid sent broader indexes 1% lower on statements suggesting that a budget deal could not be reached before year-end. Later [...] Continue Reading...
Over the last 20+ years, my opinions have aroused emotional reactions from readers and listeners alike. And the forum — national talk radio, podcast, newspaper, magazine, digital ink — has been far less critical than the topics themselves. For example, I was one of a handful of original ETF advocates in the mid-90s when few people [...] Continue Reading...
The S&P 500 is down -3.5% since its early September highs. And many fear that a “fiscal cliff” stalemate will send stocks significantly lower in the weeks ahead. However, there are a variety of ETF categories that have not only remained resilient in the wake of U.S. legislative uncertainty, but they’ve been exceptionally profitable. In fact, [...] Continue Reading...
Since the summertime lows, a number of themes have gained enormous traction. U.S. real estate is benefiting from ultra-low mortgage rates, limited supply and remarkable demand from overseas buyers. Chinese leadership continues to provide just enough government support to maintain economic targets. And the European Central Bank (ECB) is having success at containing its sovereign [...] Continue Reading...
Why are investors still buying treasuries and short-term investment grade bonds? Many have grown accustomed to the exceptional total returns. As I look out across the 2013 landscape, however, I see less opportunity for investors to score big with a capital appreciation component on taxable U.S. debt or quality (e.g., AAA, AA, etc.) corporate debt. Depending on [...] Continue Reading...
