When it comes to evaluating investment performance, the Sharpe Ratio has become one of the most respected tools. Named after Nobel laureate William F. Sharpe, the Sharpe Ratio is more than just a statistical measure; it’s a powerful tool that helps investors understand the risk-adjusted return of an investment strategy. In this article, we’ll explore …
If you’re one of the roughly 75% of investors who are using a target-date fund in your retirement plan, you need to read this. We’ve written about why you should say no to target-date funds before, but new research provides the clearest evidence yet for why these funds must be avoided.
We all have a natural inclination to want the stock market to move higher. But counterintuitively, for the vast majority of investors, lower market prices will actually lead to higher account balances down the road. There are of course some exceptions, but more than likely you’re about to find out why you’ve been spending your whole life hoping for the wrong outcome in the stock market.
If you’ve ever worked with a financial planner or investment advisor, there’s a good chance you’re using an investment strategy known as strategic asset allocation. While you may not know it by that name, you’re probably familiar with how it works. What you may not be of aware of, however, are how recent changes in financial markets have made this approach to investing more dangerous than ever before.
In the quest to become a savvy investor, one of the most important concepts you must understand is that of the business cycle. This periodic ebb and flow of our economy exerts tremendous influence not just on asset prices, but on everything from interest rates to the availability of jobs. Since nearly every aspect of your financial life will be influenced in some way by the business cycle, it pays to have a basic conceptual understanding.
Every year, top Wall Street analysts put their thinking caps on and try to forecast the upcoming year’s market return. The result of their analysis usually comes in the form of “price targets” which indicate where major indexes such as the S&P 500 are likely to be at year end. While price targets have little value themselves, what is valuable to investors is having a framework in which to view future returns.
The age-old idea of not having all your eggs in one basket is considered timeless wisdom, but could it be working against you? In truth, diversification is a double edged sword. The benefit that it provides comes at a mighty cost. When it comes to investing, most individuals aren’t aware of the hidden price they pay for this so-called “free lunch.”
Due to the unique circumstances surrounding COVID-19, we feel the need to override the April 2020 recommendations for two of our investment models: the TSP Allocation Model and our 401(k) Allocation Model.
Amid the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic, and the tremendous volatility in the financial markets, we wanted to provide you with a market update and some suggestions on how to manage your portfolio through this crisis.
Anyone who’s been around for longer than a couple of decades knows that stocks can lose a lot of value quickly. These periods, when stock prices are falling, can be classified into two types of declines: corrections, and bear markets. Understanding the difference between these is critical, because the former represent minor speed bumps on the way to higher prices, while the latter can wreck your entire portfolio and set you back years from reaching your retirement goals.
Target-date funds have increased in popularity during recent years as a result of investors continually searching for easy, one-size-fits-all solutions to manage their money. But just how appropriate are these funds for the average investor? The answer may surprise you.
For most investors, the idea of “getting out at the top” is as illusive an idea as winning the lotto, or licking your elbow. The chances of picking that one magical day just seem too low to be probable. But is it really that tough? Or do most investors simply have a poor understanding of how stock market tops develop?
You shouldn’t invest in stocks simply because you’re young. Nor bonds just because you’re old. Your decision to be invested in either stocks or bonds should be entirely based on how those asset classes are likely to perform in the months and years ahead. And as conditions change, you need to remain nimble, ready to adjust your portfolio to accommodate new developments.
Tune in to the stock market on any given day, and you’ll likely find the major averages zooming in one direction or the other. Sometimes the moves are choppy, rising and falling while generally heading nowhere, while other times the market can seemingly run for weeks or months in one direction.
Jim Cramer’s Actions Alerts Plus is a subscription service offered through TheStreet.com. It allows investors to trade alongside Cramer as he makes investment decisions for his charitable trust stock portfolio. With over 70,000 paid subscribers, the service appears to be very successful. But just how well has the Action Alerts PLUS Portfolio performed over time? And how does Model Investing stack up?
During the last few decades, bonds have developed a reputation as being one of the safest asset classes to invest in. This is unfortunate because that false sense of security is going to take a large bite out of the retirement accounts and portfolios of many investors.
