• The bull in the bull
Every investor knows, or at least has been told, that bull markets don’t go on forever. That said, they can, however, last a pretty long while.
How long? Thousands of days, according to data from FINRA.
Setting the current bull market aside, the longest bull market in US history lasted 4,494 days (October 1987 to March 2000). During that time period stocks gained 582%, and 308 hit all-time highs.
The shortest bull? Only 1,839 days. The market gained 152% during its 5-year run from August 1982 to August 1897. And, 152 stocks hit their all-time highs during it.
Bull market durations aside, according to SchaefferResearch.com, when you look at the really big market performance picture —that includes both bull, bear and flat markets— the annualized return of the DJIA since 1920 is around 5.5%.
Bet you thought it was going to be higher, didn’t you.
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Market Quick Glance
Up for the week. Down for the year.
That’s how the major indices closed on March 31, 2017, according to CNBC.com.
What’s to come? It depends upon whose info you read: Some say this bull has room to roam; others, a sit down is coming.
Personally, I’d prepare for some upcoming buying opportunities.
Below are the weekly and 52-week performance results— including the dates each has reached its high according to data from CNBC.com. Data is based on prices at the close of business for the week ending March 31, 2017.
-Indices:
-Dow Jones +4.56% YTD, up from last week’s 4.22%
•1yr Rtn +16.84% down from last week’s 17.59%
The DJIA reached an all-time high of 21,169.11 on March 1, 2017.
-S&P 500 +5.53% YTD up from last week’s 4.70%
- 1yr Rtn +14.71% down from last week’s +15.13%
The S&P 500 reached an all-time high of 2,400.98 on March 1, 2017.
-NASDAQ +9.82% YTD up from last week’s +8.28%
- 1yr Rtn +21.39% down from last week’s 22.11%
The Nasdaq reached its all-time high of 5,928.06 on March 21, 2017.
–Russell 2000 +2.12% YTD up from last week’s -0.18%%
- 1yr Rtn +24.41% down from last week’s +25.28%
The Russell 2000 reached its all time high of 1, 414.82 on March 1, 2017.
-Mutual funds
At the close of business on Thursday, March 30, 2017, the average total return for U.S. Diversified Equity Funds was 4.82%, according to Lipper. That’s up from the previous week’s close of 3.49%.
Under the broad Sector Equity Fund heading, three categories have shown double-digit returns at the close of the third-quarter while the average fund under this heading was up 3.51%.
Looking at those top performers, the average YTD returns were found in Global Science/Technology Funds, up 13.85%, Science & Technology Funds, up on average 12, 20% and Health/Biotechnology Funds, up 11.07%.
It is still hard to top the performance of the average World Equity Fund. The 4,522 funds that Lipper tracks under that heading were up on average 8.97%.
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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Baby Boomers Big Bomb
According to CWR & Partners, LLP, a public relations firm, 41% of Baby Boomers (ages 55 to 64) have no retirement savings at all; Social Security’s average payment is $1,360.00 per month resulting in a SS poverty level annual income of $16,320 ; and 1 out of every 65 year old will live past the age of 90.
Hum.
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