When it comes to IRA discussions, there are two good solutions for those that qualify. The traditional IRA and the relatively new and frequently under-utilized Roth IRA are both available for most families. Though each is intended to be retirement savings, there are some big differences in how both account types will work. Tax Deductible [...]
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 [...]
One of Apple’s most popular products has been losing steam and the general fear among equity mutual fund investors is that the iPad’s loss of market share could result in a weaker returns for their funds. Without question, an investment in Apple stock has resulted in tremendous gains for the equity funds that hold this [...]
As a staple among energy shares held by equity mutual funds, ExxonMobil Corporation came through with spectacular results for its fourth quarter as well as 2010 as a whole. In a press release filed by the company, earnings excluding special items increased 57% for the year to $30.5 billion from $19.4 billion the year before. [...]
Earlier in the week, there was talk about the Dow Jones Industrial average hitting 12,000. Although the intraday average might have hit that magic number, the it failed to end the trading day above 12,000. For many, this meant flat day-to-day performance for their domestic equity funds throughout the week. And then Friday happened. Despite [...]
One of the world’s leading integrated energy companies, ConocoPhillips announced earnings today, pushing its share price up by 2.09% or $1.41 to $68.89 at 11:01AM Tuesday. The company saw an increase to its adjusted earnings to the tune of 79.6%, an increase in earnings to $8.8 billion compared to adjusted earnings in 2009 of $4.9 [...]
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 [...]
Still wondering where to invest? If our top mutual fund pick for 2011 (the Franklin Growth Fund) was not enough to get you started, consider that stocks and the equity funds that buy them remain extremely attractive. One of the most compelling reasons to start investing in equity funds is that investors face a very [...]
Financial mutual funds and other equity funds that invest heavily in financial instutions could endure the volatility that comes with increased investor anxiety in the weeks to come. It makes sense for investors to worry since the FDIC just announced on Friday January 7, 2011 the closure of the first two banks of 2011. Whenever [...]
In our recent post about the views of Phil Maisano, of Dreyfus Investments (an “average” mutual fund company that ranks in the low 30′s for market share among other investment fund companies based on assets under management), the third item on the “Dreyfus test” spoke to the large amount of cash that corporations seem to [...]
Okay, so it has only been a couple of days since the new year began. Equity mutual funds, for the most part, have fared well, particularly Large Cap Value funds that have remained in the green all day today (January 4, 2011). But a two-day approach is insufficient for most investors… even short-term investors. What [...]
With the Christmas Holiday just behind us and this final stretch of the year promising to be fairly uneventful, the Mutual Fund Site would like to thank all of our readers and visitors for their tremendous support throughout 2010, our first full year of operation. With the support you have shown, we are pleased to [...]
Taking cues from equity mutual funds is nothing new; independent investors have done this for years. And while it may seem like a tedious “read-between-the-lines” process reserved solely for straight equity investors, regular folks who invest in mutual funds should also take note of what some of the biggest and best funds around are doing… [...]
Although nearly one month remains before the end of the year, the verdict is in as to which mutual funds have continued to do well and which will have left investors a little disappointed as we head into the new year. We can see quite clearly in many cases that the winners we look at [...]
In our expository look at the holding similarities in top performing equity funds, we saw that a few funds actually shared some overlapping top security holdings as well as the obvious overlaps in sectors (remember, many funds hold Financial Services as a top holding with Industrial Materials being a favorite “second” or “third” top holding). [...]
