POCKETBOOK Week Ending April 12, 2019

(From Bespoke….I did not include the “Non-Dogs Performance” chart because I was just Dow Dogs hunting.)

• The good Dogs of the Dow

Good news for fans of the Dogs of the Down investment strategy: Their total return is up 13.56% this year. Let’s hear a big “Good girl!” for that.

According to Bespoke, the two tech stocks that have performed the best are IBM, up over 28%, and Cisco, up over 32%. Matching that set, two of the 10 dogs were down as well: Pfizer, down -3.28% and Coca-Cola, off a hair at -0.18%.

 

• Sage advice

From author and wise personal writerJonathan Clements’ recent Humble Dollar newsletter comes this: “But even with the risk of a large short-term market drop, I think stocks remain the best bet for long-term investors. U.S. shares may be richly priced. But those who diversify globally will also have cheaper markets in their portfolio. And let’s face it: With 10-year Treasury notes yielding less than 2.6%, is there any alternative to biting the bullet and buying stocks?”

 

• Market Quick Glance

The performance gods appear to continue smiling on Wall Street as the three indices followed here were up double-digits when last week came to a close.

Below are the weekly and 1-year index performance results for the three 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, April 12, 2019.

–DJIA 13.22% YTD off a hair from the previous week’s 13.28%.

• 1 yr. Rtn 7.88% up a hair from the previous week 7.83%

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   15.39% YTD up again from the previous week’s 13.07%

• 1 yr. Rtn 8.63% up from the previous week’s 7.33%.

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 20.33% YTD up from last week’s 19.64%%

• 1yr Rtn 11.82% down from last week’s 12.18%

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

At the close of business on Thursday, April 11, 2017, the year-to-date cumulative total reinvested performance of U.S. Diversified Equity Fund was 15.73%, according to Lipper. That’s up from the previous week’s close of 15.05%.

Those Equity Leverage Funds are still tearing it up as, on average, they have returned 30.99%. In fact, of all the dozens of types of mutual funds that Lipper tracks weekly, this group has rewarded shareholders the most so far this year.

Commodities Energy Funds also continue their upward performance with an average return of 24.63%.

And looking around the world China Region Funds have returned about the same at 23.15% while the average World Equity Funds return stood at 13.57% last Thursday.

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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POCKETBOOK Week Ending Feb.22, 2019

 

The cost of stuff.

 

 

• Sage advice

When asked about a 10-year investment horizon, Warren Buffett was asked where he’d plop his money—stocks or bonds?

Buffett’s answer, according to CNBC.com was this: “If I had a choice today for a 10-year purchase of a 10-year bond at whatever it is…or buying the S&P 500 and holding it for 10 years, I’d buy the S&P.”

What do you think?

 

• Fidelity’s 401(k) balances

Having $100,000, or any six-figure sized 401(k), is a common goal for many who are saving for their retirement. And while it’s noble, truth is many of us are going to a seven-figure coffer to cover us for the 20, 30 or more years of retirement.

Fidelity is home to more than 16.2 million 401(k) accounts. I’m guessing, no two of them with the same account balances.

That said and if you’re curious, at the end of September 2018 the average balance in those accounts was $106,500.

But wait there’s more: We all aren’t average and a better look at the numbers is represented by the median size of those retirement accounts. (The median represents the middle between the high and the low balance.)

In that case, the figure changes precipitously resulting in a median figure amounting to tens of thousands of dollars less than the average figure: The median amount at that time was $24,800.

Feeling better?

 

• Market Quick Glance

Indices up last week….

Below are the weekly and 1-year index performance results for the three 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, Feb.22, 2019.

–DJIA 11.59% YTD up from the previous week’s 10.96%.

• 1 yr. Rtn 4.28% up from the previous week 2.71%

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.

 

-NASDAQ 13.45% YTD up from last week’s 12.62%

• 1yr Rtn 4.40% up from last week’s 2.98%

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

Funds have enjoyed a big jump up from their  January 10 performance figures.

At the close of business on Thursday, Feb. 21, 2019, the year-to-date total return for the average stock fund under the broad U.S. Diversified Equity Fund heading was 12.62%. That’s nearly 3x higher than the average return of 4.70% registered on Jan. 10, 2019, according to Lipper.

Looking at the fund types with the highest year-to-date gains under the various equity headings shows the following:

-The highest total return under the U.S. Diversified Equity Funds umbrella was Equity Leveraged Funds, 23,76%; the lowest, Dedicated Short Bias Funds, -17.8%.

-The Sector Equity Funds group averaged 11.37%; the highest fund type under that category was Commodity Energy Funds, 17.21%; the lowest Alternative Managed Funds, -1.65%.

-World Equity Funds average 9.51%; the fund type with the highest ytd return was Global Small/Mid-Cap Funds, 12.97%; the lowest India Region Funds, -5.07%.

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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