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It’s a Global World of Worry
As money continues to be the value that rules the world, it ought to come as no surprise that when our equity markets are in the tank, so are many of those around the globe. Or visa versa.
“The market tensions we saw during this quarter were not an isolated event,” said Claudio Borio, head of the monetary and economic department at the Bank of International Settlements (BIS). BIS is an umbrella group for the world’s central banks.
Combine the fear of our Fed increasing interest rates, our soaring debt, trade tensions at home and abroad, political worries at home and abroad and it’s no wonder that stocks aren’t performing so hap-hap-happly this holiday season.
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Market Quick Glance
If the total value of your portfolio is positive so far this year, stand up and cheer. Then call your financial advisor, broker or whomever it is that’s managing your money and say thanks.
Below are the weekly and 1-year index performance results for the four major indices—DJIA, S&P 500 and NASDAQ — including the dates each reached new highs. Data is according to CNBC.com and based on prices at the close of business on Friday, Dec. 14, 2018.
–DJIA -2.50% YTD down more from the previous week’s -1.34%.
- 1 yr. Rtn -1.67% way down from the previous week 0.73%
Most recent DJIA a new ALL-TIME CLOSING HIGH was reached on Oct.3, 2018 of 26,951.81. The previous high was reached on Sept. 21, 2018 of 26,796.16.
-S&P 500 -2.76% YTD down more from last week’s -1.52%
- 1 yr. Rtn -1.96%
The S&P 500 reached a BRAND NEW CLOSING ALL-TIME HIGH on Sept. 21, 2018 of 2,940.91. The previous closing high was reached on August 29, 2018 of 2,916.50.
-NASDAQ 0.11% YTD down from last week’s 0.95%
- 1yr Rtn 0.79% way down from last week’s 2.30%
Nasdaq reached a BRAND NEW 52-week CLOSING HIGH on August 30, 2018 of 8,1333.30. The previous high was reached on August 24, 2018 of 7,949.71.
-Mutual funds
And things keep getting ugly.
The average year-to-date total return for funds that fall under the heading of U.S. Diversified Equity Funds stood at -3.12% at the close of business on Thursday, December 13, 2018, according to Lipper. That’s down considerably from the previous week’s figure of -0.94%.
Of the 25 largest equity funds that Lipper tracks, total returns aren’t much sweeter. Even three of Vanguard’s funds have total returns deep in minus territory.
They include: Vanguard Tot I S: Investors, -12.15%; Vanguard Tot I S: Ins,-12.08; and Vanguard To IS :Adm, -12-13%.
The top two performing funds, y-t-d, among that list of 25 were the Fidelity Contrafund, 2.85% and American Funds Growth: A, 2.08%.
Visit www.allaboutfunds.com for more information about how various equity and fixed-income funds have rewarded investors over the short-and long-term, based upon Lipper data. Short-term meaning weekly and monthly performance returns; longer-term includes quarterly, year-to-date, 1-yr, 2-yr, 3-yr and 5-yr returns.
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Salt in a Wound
So you say you missed a chance to invest in Elon Musk’s Tesla?
Oh well, so did I.
But if either of us had plopped down $1000 in TSLA eight years ago, in 2010, and had neither of us sold any portion of that investment, on December 12, 2018, that 1000 bucks would have turned into $21,000, according to CNBC.
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