In my younger years I tried my hand at picking stocks and timing the market.?ÿ Those lessons were only moderately expensive, but I learned them.?ÿ Nowadays I leave it to professional mutual fund managers.?ÿ If a major downturn happens we'll cut the travel budget, but we have no debt so not too worried.?ÿ If the world economy totally collapses, well, we'll be in good company.
Regarding investment returns, my son interviewed with a couple of hedge funds recently.?ÿ Both invest only their employees' money, no outside accounts.?ÿ One of them has been returning around 30% a year since the mid-1980s; it is said to comprise the best physics department in the world.?ÿ (They typically hire math and physics majors.)?ÿ My son bombed out on the 3rd interview with one, and the second interview with the other.?ÿ He didn't really want to work for either one, but wanted to see how far he could get.?ÿ (Don't feel sorry for him, though -- he's currently deciding which engineering PhD program he's going to enter next fall, with 3 acceptances so far.?ÿ Michigan currently tops his list, but Boulder did a good job of wooing him last week, so we'll see.)
I'm retired and 70 now so I'll trace the paper trail from when I was 20:
- 20-25 was living from paycheck to paycheck and spent any surplus on hookers nice cars and beer.
- 25-35 got much better jobs with pension plans and agressivly socked spare dough into high risk stock market plays.
- 35-45?ÿ stock market bounced around and I was always on the wrong end so lost nearly all my dough.
- 45-65 hooked up with an outfit with an amazing pension plan, hired an advisor who put 25% of my wages into an IRA, annuities and conservative bonds, no stocks.?ÿ Lost a sh*tpile as the market soared, but there was no risk if the market tanked.
- 65-present?ÿ Living off SS and the pension, with the annuities coming due in a staggered fashion over the next five years. I'll die before I can spend all my money.
I now have zero interest in what the stock market does, and even the bond market.?ÿ Inflation is not a concern because my major income streams are inflation adjusted.?ÿ I'm happy but sad I didn't figure it out as a younger man.
Did my undergrad at CU. Loved it! Michigan's just cold. Boulder's cold, but at least you can go skiing. ????
A family member got his PhD in math and went straight to Wall St and the world of hedge funds. He's done exceptionally well financially. But from what I hear it's not a nice world.
Some people I know with weighty portfolios have already liquidated everything even though it has tremendous tax consequences attached.
I had to laugh cause investment advice in Florida reminds me of this movie
I would guess that as long as the folks over at the FRBNY don't start sneezing, or calling in sick, you're gonna' be alright.
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mutual fund manager?ÿ ... the fact is that the next pick is just another flip of the coin.?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ
Lynch had some luck in noticing companies that grew rapidly, but a big part of his success was working at watching what was going on at the business operation and product level and not just looking at only graphs, earnings "guidance", and today's headline. In some ways his approach resembled Warren Buffett.
2. A large percentage of the money the investment banks/brokerages make are commissions on sales to "the little guy". Therefore, the salesman/brokers are encouraged to churn accounts.
That is true of a lot of money managers who get commissions. Avoid them and use a flat-percentage manager.
But there are several on-line brokerages an individual can use with very low trading fees, some even zero-cost trades. I wouldn't be trading individual stocks if I had to pay the traditional commissions.
It does bother me that I don't know how they are making money, other than on using any cash in that account.
Boulder's cold, but at least you can go skiing.
My son is into hiking and climbing, so the Boulder option is awfully attractive to him.?ÿ Michigan's program is more prestigious, but Boulder is a shorter plane flight for us, so I'm kind of hoping he opts for it.
It could be said that he is also locking in the loss of potential gains, an average of 8% - 10% per year in the medium to long term, as well.
Looks like I might have been wrong Sunday night. But it would definitely seem to be too late to sell now. I still think that it will recover within a few weeks.
Sit tight. It's a variety of the flu and not much more. It is fatal in ~2% of cases, and I suspect most of those are elderly and infants.
True.?ÿ The difference is the mortality rate is actually lower than most kinds of flu, but it is much more contagious due to a long incubation where people can pass it on before showing symptoms.
Seems I should have said SOME kinds.?ÿ Seasonal flu varieties are being quoted at 0.1% in the news versus 2 to 3% for this one and much higher for a few.
It is quite worrisome that the recent California case can't be traced to a contact. How many cases are incubating from contact with her source? How many contacts did she have before diagnosis?
But it would definitely seem to be too late to sell now
I sure hope so, 1190 in one day. I dumped what little medical stock I had on Sunday night with sell orders for Monday morning. Glad I did.
@flga Now is the time to buy!
Contrarians rule!!!
@flga?ÿ Now is the time to buy!
Lots better than a week ago, and I wouldn't blame anyone for getting in.?ÿ But I'm not sure we've seen the bottom yet.
@jim-frame take care. Your city seems to be the epicenter of the US virus developments.
The Covid-19 case is in Sacramento, which is about 15 miles from me -- the UC Davis Medical Center isn't on the main campus here in Davis. But things are certainly getting interesting!
If China which is where it all started has started to recover after just 2 months, I would say this is the time to buy what Warren Buffet said he missed out like Google & Facebook or Tesla.
But I'm not sure we've seen the bottom yet.
No one knows when the bottom will hit. If your broker tells you he knows when that will be then I would start looking for other brokers because he was not able to tell you when to sell but now he knows when the bottom will hit?
Just heard on the local NPR a patient is being test for the virus in Belleville, IL about 10 miles from where I sleep and the town where SWMBO teaches. Belleville is about 10 miles SW of downtown StL.
N10,000, E7,000, Z100.00
PLS - IL, MO, AR, KS, MN, KY
Bottom fishing is risky business but it can sure pay off big time. As soon as some pharmaceutical corp. pops in with an antidote announcement that WORKS the market will change. We will need Bill93's crystal ball to predict the timing, ????