There are plenty of reasons that show how very bad mutual funds are for investors: weak performance, high fees, closet indexing, you name it. But mutual funds can serve a purpose and, yes, there are some good ones out there. Such funds can still be a good place to start investing, as minimums can be low and diversification can be instantly achieved. Instead of highlighting some top funds (which will…
Too much of a good thing can end up being bad. That includes using a benchmark index as the basis for an investing apparently. In the July 2010 paper (download here from SSRN; acknowledgement to Stingy Investor where I found the link) On the Economic Costs of Index-Linked Investing, NYU prof and NBER research associate Jeffrey Wurgler reviews some research results that are disquieting for investors who follow a passive…
My transition from being an active stock-picker to investing in low-cost index ETFs is mostly complete, and I’d have to say that it has been a relief. While I enjoy thinking about investing topics, having to track a basket of stocks can be a chore when I’d rather be doing something else. I used to own between 10 and 20 individual stocks at any one time, and it takes time…
Does this sound familiar? The stock market has been going up significantly since the beginning of the year but your portfolio is down. That is one clear warning sign that it is time to do some work on your portfolio before things get even worse. There are a number of additional warnings signs that an investor should look for when analysing their portfolio. Each one of these warnings signs signal…
The Shrinking TSX Another ones bites the dust. As I noted last year, the TSX Composite Index has been shrinking for years. That seems to be continuing, though at a slower pace. When Enerflex Systems Income Fund (EFX.UN) leaves the index next week as the result of a buyout (see Standard & Poors press release) the TSX Composite will be down to 210 companies, a third fewer than a mere…