NewsLetter - December 2018

NOT LOOKIN’ GOOD

For active managers. From the S&P DOW Jones SPIVA Scorecard:

Overall performance of active equity funds relative to their respective benchmarks over the medium term also improved, although the majority still underperformed their benchmarks. Over the five-year period, 76.49% of large-cap managers, 81.74% of mid-cap managers, and 92.90% of small-cap managers lagged their respective benchmarks. Similarly, over the 15-year investment horizon, 92.43% of large-cap managers, 95.13% of mid-cap managers, and 97.70% of small-cap managers failed to outperform on a relative basis.

https://us.spindices.com/documents/spiva/spiva-us-mid-year-2018.pdf

WHERE’S THE BENJAMINS ($100 BILLS)?

In billions of notes, how much cash was in circulation in 2017?

$1 12.1

$2 1.2

$5 3.0

$10 2.0

$20 9.1

$50 1.7

$100 12.5

$100 bills as a percentage of total cash: 78%

There are 36 $100 bills in circulation for every man, woman, and child in the United States.

Where are the $100 bills?

  • $80 billion in domestic depository institutions
  • $453 billion with domestic businesses and individuals
  • $1.07 trillion held abroad!

www.wealthmanagement.com

GREAT MINDS

From Deena’s office:

Great Minds Discuss Ideas

Average Minds Discuss Events

Small Minds Discuss People

SOUND ADVICE

Some basic but wise advice from The Bogleheads’ Guide to the Three-Fund Portfolio: How a Simple Portfolio of Three Total Market Index Funds Outperforms Most Investors with Less Risk, by Taylor Larimore, via my friend Alex:

  1. A 100% stock portfolio can be dangerous.
  2. Believing a broker is your friend can be dangerous.
  3. Avoid the lure of individual stocks.
  4. Past performance does not forecast future performance.
  5. Investment newsletters are a waste of money, and market-timing doesn’t work.
  6. Past performance does not forecast future performance (some advice requires repeating).
  7. Avoid expensive stockbrokers and their hidden fees.
  8. Buying high and selling low is a losing strategy.

The Boglehead Philosophy

  1. Develop a workable plan.
  2. Invest early and often.
  3. Never bear too much or too little risk.
  4. Diversify.
  5. Never try to time the market.
  6. Use index funds when possible.
  7. Keep costs low.
  8. Minimize taxes.
  9. Invest with simplicity.
  10. Stay the course.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1119487331