Your comfort level as an investor should be like your comfort level sharing the water with sharks: somewhere between scared to jump in for fear of “Jaws” or cool as a cucumber like Ocean Ramsey. Look, our mind plays terrible tricks on us, whether it’s fear of sharks or markets. According to AccuWeather, the odds of getting struck by lightning are 1 in 500,000 versus the odds of being attacked by a shark, which are 1 in 3,750,000. But when you see the movie “Jaws” your mind doesn’t care about odds. Emotions set in, and forget it. Also, if you’ve ever been on a boat during a lightning … [Read more...]
Don’t Let Your Investments Get Swept Away
Your Survival Guy has warned you to separate your banking from your investments at companies that do both, like Charles Schwab. Now, Justin Baer reports in The Wall Street Journal on some of Schwab's problems with trying to run both a brokerage and a bank, writing: Schwab launched its bank in 2003 as a way for customers to get debit cards, checks and sometimes mortgages from the same firm that oversaw their investments. Its banking ambitions appeared limited, at least at first. In 2008, Schwab held about $24 billion in deposits, to JPMorgan’s $1 trillion. The company gobbled up deposits in … [Read more...]
Is the ARK Innovation Fund Sinking?
The ARK Innovation Fund, an ETF focused on "disruptive" technology companies and run by Cathie Wood, experienced rapid growth during the early Pandemic period until about February of 2021. After a pullback and a period of stagnation from March to November 2021, the fund's price collapsed through the end of 2022. Now its price is rising modestly once again, but Jack Pitcher notes that despite the rising price, investors are pulling money out of the fund. He writes in The Wall Street Journal: Cathie Wood’s flagship exchange-traded fund has rallied more than 50% this year. Investors are using … [Read more...]
SHARKTIVITY: Can You Have Too Much Information?
With all the surveillance technology, I don’t know if we’re safer or just more scared. The phone app “Sharktivity” tells you the latest shark sightings. Its Terms of Service agreement explains: “You should not rely on this app to determine if sharks are present or where it is safe to swim. The only way to avoid sharks is to stay on shore.” Great, just what we need, more disclaimers. Now, I’m no fan of swimming with sharks, but with all the hoopla, is it any wonder beachgoers are freaked out? Yes, if you see a seal, it’s probably a good idea to get out of the water. Same for an open wound. … [Read more...]
More Bad News for Summer Rentals
You read earlier this summer that for summer rentals on Cape Cod, demand was down, but prices remained high. Now The Wall Street Journal's Jon Kamp reports that the scenario playing out in Cape Cod is happening in many vacation rental markets in America. He writes: Andrew Davis bought a two-bedroom condo on Cape Cod last winter, fixed it up and listed it for rent in mid-June. After a pandemic-fueled boom made rental housing a scarce commodity in the Massachusetts vacation spot, something unusual happened: The property sat empty until July. “It’s been a grind,” said Davis. Stories like his … [Read more...]
Jaws
Not too many years ago, You Survival Guy (and Gal), kids, sister, brother-in-law, niece, and nephew, jumped off “Jaws” bridge. Located on the road between Oak Bluffs and Edgartown on Martha’s Vineyard. Jumping off the bridge was a highlight of our annual boat trips. It’s where part of the movie Jaws was filmed. The kids hadn’t seen the movie yet. But the adults all had. And if you did too, you know how scary it was swimming after seeing it. The music running through your head, hesitating before jumping in, flailing like mad to get back onto the boat or raft. That was scary. Walking our … [Read more...]
START UP SHUT DOWN: Money with No Answers
Silicon Valley venture capital funds are reining in their operations in an attempt to reassess the market situation. Money is leaving the big funds as investors reel from recent turbulence. Chamath Palihapitiya of Social Capital explained pulling back during an episode of the "All-In" podcast, saying, “I could barely stand the idea of me putting money to work right now—of my own capital—without any answers." The Wall Street Journal's Berber Jin reports: Venture firms are scaling down the megafunds they raised during the technology bull market, showing how startup investors are pruning their … [Read more...]
I Like Fidelity’s Treasury Money Market, Should You?
Time for a mid-summer announcement. Don’t let your lazy cash get too comfortable. Yes, banks are doing their best to keep it around, but not quite enough. Plus, how safe is anything above FDIC coverage? All is calm for now, but I don’t think we’ve heard the last of it from banks. Get some of that lazy cash working this summer. Get it into my favored Fidelity Treasury Money Market yielding 4.75%. One of the reasons I like Fidelity’s Treasury Money Market (FZFXX) is because it’s not a cd. It’s not stuck in a CD for days, months, and/or years. It can’t be called away from you, either. If … [Read more...]
Investing Mistakes to Avoid: #4 Mr. Happy Yappy
Like in school, investors should get rapped on the knuckles for not keeping their eyes on their own portfolios. But investors are sensitive to the "other" guy. Investors hate missing the boat. Nothing irks them more. They're fine hearing that someone else is doing worse. But when someone else is smiling carefree and yappin' away about their good fortune, that makes investors' blood boil. Nothing makes the phone ring more than a down quarter. In my conversations with you, we spend time talking about how you, not anyone else, got to where you are. We talk about why you're looking for an … [Read more...]
You Aren’t Getting These Yields from Your Bank Account
UPDATE 7.21.23: Treasury yields are still at levels higher than they've been in years. But with inflation rates declining, who knows what the Federal Reserve will do next? Sink your teeth into these yields. Originally posted February 7, 2023. Look at these yields and see how far we’ve come over the past ten years, let alone twelve months. While banks pay you peanuts on your checking and savings, you can sink your teeth into treasuries (and investment-grade corporates). Remember, earning 4-5% on your lazy cash turns you into a compounding machine rather than an ATM for your bank’s lending … [Read more...]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 31
- 32
- 33
- 34
- 35
- …
- 100
- Next Page »