“My Portfolio is Doing Well / Poor Compared to What?”
Merriam Webster defines a benchmark as “something that serves as a standard by which others may be measured or judged”. For investors, the question to ask is what should be my standard, my benchmark, in determining the success or failure of my overall investment portfolio?
Wrong Thinking on Election & Markets
Kent Kramer examines the effects of an election season on investors. Drawing on historical data and behavioral economics, he emphasizes the importance of recognizing cognitive biases and staying optimistic.
Chart of the Month – September 2024
Do you wonder why we invest in equities? Equities are an attractive investment for their growth characteristics, but they have also served as a hedge against inflation.
Chart of the Month – May 2024
While cash may offer stability and security in the short term, the DFA Returns Web chart from 1926 through February 2024 suggests that the growth potential in stocks offers a higher rewarding investment opportunity in the long run.
The Seesaw of Finance
There are parallels between concepts in finance and concepts in physics. Let's take a look.
Chart of the Month – Nov 2023
How Do Treasuries Lose Money? US Treasury bonds are generally regarded as safe. Sometimes they’re referred to as “risk-free” assets. This is a bit of a misnomer.
Chart of the Month – Aug 2023
Increasing interest rates have many effects, not only on the economy, but also on stocks. Given the recent rally, we wanted to highlight that rising rates do not always mean that stocks will go down. While the stock market is not making new all-time highs just yet, the market has been resilient to a regime thought to be a drag on the markets.
Fitch Downgrade – A Closer Look
Fitch, downgraded US government debt from its pristine AAA rating to one notch lower at AA+. The Fitch downgrade serves as a reminder of the necessity of diversification, as no investment is entirely risk-free.
“My Portfolio is Doing Well / Poor Compared to What?”
Merriam Webster defines a benchmark as “something that serves as a standard by which others may be measured or judged”. For investors, the question to ask is what should be my standard, my benchmark, in determining the success or failure of my overall investment portfolio?
Wrong Thinking on Election & Markets
Kent Kramer examines the effects of an election season on investors. Drawing on historical data and behavioral economics, he emphasizes the importance of recognizing cognitive biases and staying optimistic.
Chart of the Month – September 2024
Do you wonder why we invest in equities? Equities are an attractive investment for their growth characteristics, but they have also served as a hedge against inflation.
Chart of the Month – May 2024
While cash may offer stability and security in the short term, the DFA Returns Web chart from 1926 through February 2024 suggests that the growth potential in stocks offers a higher rewarding investment opportunity in the long run.
The Seesaw of Finance
There are parallels between concepts in finance and concepts in physics. Let's take a look.
Chart of the Month – Nov 2023
How Do Treasuries Lose Money? US Treasury bonds are generally regarded as safe. Sometimes they’re referred to as “risk-free” assets. This is a bit of a misnomer.
Chart of the Month – Aug 2023
Increasing interest rates have many effects, not only on the economy, but also on stocks. Given the recent rally, we wanted to highlight that rising rates do not always mean that stocks will go down. While the stock market is not making new all-time highs just yet, the market has been resilient to a regime thought to be a drag on the markets.
Fitch Downgrade – A Closer Look
Fitch, downgraded US government debt from its pristine AAA rating to one notch lower at AA+. The Fitch downgrade serves as a reminder of the necessity of diversification, as no investment is entirely risk-free.
Chart of the Month – May 2023
In investing, a key consideration is the time horizon. There is a general perception that investing is a risky proposition, but this risk can be mitigated by holding investments for longer periods.
Chart of the Month – Apr 2023
"Why would anyone buy a 5-year bond at 3.5% when you could get a 1-year bond at 4%?"
"Why don't I put all my money in a 4-month T-bill and make 4.9%?"
Chart of the Month – Jan 2023
It's natural to sit down at the end of the year and reflect on what happened. Here is a short recap of what happened in the markets and the world in 2022.