Rich Best Although investors and analysts continue to focus on the relentless climb of the stock market and proffering their two cents on its near term direction, the 800 pound gorilla in the room is starting to beat its chest and becoming more difficult to ignore. For the most part, the prospect of inflation has [...]
As the stock market continues its two year surge and long bonds prices slump in response, the PIMCO Total Return Fund (PTTRX), which grew nearly 100% over the last ten years, appears to be receding into the background as investors jump into equity funds. Although it has recovered a portion of its 5% decline in [...]
by Rich Best Emerging markets growth funds have turned in a stellar performance over the last two years and many analysts are forecasting continued growth albeit on a more selective basis. Across the board, emerging market economies have thrived as investment dollars searched for havens away from sagging western economies and they have taken every [...]
by Rich Best After a rather tumultuous decade in which the overall performance of mutual funds is best described as anemic, we may be entering a period of redemption that could have investors smiling again. But the recent financial storm has left the waters somewhat murky, so, before jumping back into the water, investors should [...]
Amidst the sound of roaring stocks over the last few months, large cap equity income funds have remained somewhat muted, but they may garnering a closer look by skittish investors who may long for quality and stability in their portfolios . The stock market may be ebbing higher but the swells are changing direction and [...]
by Rich Best While the current stock market boom has some people rejoicing, at least in muted tones, it doesn’t appear as though their level of anxiety has abated much. Investors sometimes have short memories, but a stock market rally of 22% in six months is not likely to make people forget the carnage left [...]
The recent drop in share prices of precious metal funds hasn’t yet muted the celebratory cheers of investors who rode the two-year rally to the top. But many are reevaluating their positions in the face of the increasing volatility of precious metals and some are joining in on the profit-taking that seems to be gaining [...]
All conventional wisdom points to a slow year for Apple’s growth and stock price. After delivering a staggering return of nearly 150% to investors in 2009, it rewarded them again in 2010 with a more earthly 50% rise. When Apple reached the unfathomable milestone, in 2010, of becoming the number two company based on market [...]
Equity mutual fund managers may have acquitted themselves with their performance in 2010, but only after a hung jury of investors deliberated until late in the year. It wasn’t until then that there was any meaningful evidence of outperformance of the indexes for which the managers could make their case that 2010 was a breakthrough [...]
