Over the last month, very few assets have provided any return. Many strategies that weathered the downturn well included some type of short selling program. I don’t sell assets short, so I’ve leaned on other methods for survival. But if short selling helps a portfolio during bear markets, why don’t I short? Well simply put,…
Portfolio on 4.3.20
Nearly a flat week, down a tenth of a percent. Still barely holding onto gains for the year. Volatility is falling. Correlations seem to be acting more normal, more negative again. The portfolio is moving back into “risky” assets. While asset volatility did fall, the portfolio reacted more to the assets beginning to show negative…
Portfolio on 3.27.20
Up just over three percent for the week. The strategy crossed back into positive territory for the year today. In September coming out the the August pullback, I wrote: If it [the market] does bottom, expect the strategy to under perform the S&P 500 for a few weeks. Historically it has always lagged a bit…
Viral Uncertainty
It has been a strange month in the markets. Not only is the S&P 500 off to it’s fastest collapse from an all time high ever, other assets are collapsing as well. Stocks, bonds, and gold sold off the most they ever have in unison on March 11th, only to fall more on March 18th.…
Portfolio on 3.20.20
A loss of one and two thirds percent for the week. The strategy is now down 2.8% for the year. It’s holding up to the selling onslaught well though as the S&P 500 is down 28%. Nearly every other asset in the world is down year to date as well, except for government debt. Below…
The Typhoon Returns: Portfolio on 3.13.20
After a nice reprieve the prior week, the losses returned with a vengeance this week, down 5.4%. Turns out the back side of the storm brings more damage than the front. The week of March 9th, 2020 will go down in the history books with the likes of 1929, 1987 and 2008. In some ways…
A Trip Around The Sun
One year ago today I published my first post, starting a journey outlining my unique views on investing. Ironically, one year later the S&P 500 index is nearly at the exact same place it was on that night. (2746.56 this morning vs 2743.07 a year ago). While the market has followed the earth, returning to…
Portfolio on 3.6.20
That’s more like it, up just over 3% for the week. The markets were still quite volatile, but the strategy stayed fairly stable. Compared to the prior week, it called for a similar ratio of assets the entire time. But as the volatility continued to climb, cash increased to limit the potential drawdown. This is…
Navigating the Pandemic Week: Portfolio on 2.28.20
The sea was angry this week my friends. Prices rose, crested and crashed violently for five straight days. Sadly, the waves spent the majority of the time cresting and crashing. The market threw portfolios around at its will, with no regard for historical expectations or precedents. I suspect few were spared from its wrath. Navigating…
Portfolio on 2.21.20
A good week again, up just under a percent, continuing a steady stream of small gains. I wanted to rebalance the portfolio on Friday, but couldn’t get away from work, so I didn’t. I’m going to have to rebalance on Monday. Normally, this wouldn’t make much of a difference. But the way the markets look…