With my 401k, I have stayed the course (no surprise, the performance there has done much better than anything else I have participated in), but with other brokerage accounts I've done the same as you... Some big hits and some big strikeouts. I'm in the same boat as you with how I handle all of my brokerage accounts moving forward - all ETF's, heavily diversified, hardly any stocks.So after several years of screwing around (gambling) with part of my ROTH, I've been pulling back lately and finally sold off the last of my individual stocks this week. I enjoyed some early success (luck) and it probably distorted my view to where I was buying and selling more than I should've been. I took a few different losses that turned out to be bigger than it turned out I was comfortable with. Made most of it back in recent months but have just decided I really don't want to do it anymore. The risk of owning individual stocks and the ups and downs for seemingly no reason just isn't for me. The vast majority of my retirement and my wife's has been in a few different Vanguard funds. I'm simply going to add the rest of this "play money" now and stop screwing around. Just too exhausting for me, especially when I don't know anything about anything and just sit and stare at tickers all day. So for me, while I'm sure it will be better financially for me too, it's more about cutting the stress out of my life.
Good luck to you guys going forward. Who knows, maybe the impending Trump Crash will draw me back in. Hopefully not.
What do you think the catalyst is? Something we see now, or something unforeseen like a massive Trump blunder TBD?Re: Cobalt - I work for a very unique firm. Once in a blue moon we stumble upon a great money making endeavor and load the damn boat on it. We are hired for our uniqueness and willingness to swing ####### hard at an idea we believe in. This is what we did in 2004-2007 with uranium so we have cache....Did it again with Amaya on the equity side 2014. We're at it again with cobalt and that's really our only focus right now. We've filled one warehouse in CT with material and are on to another warehouse down the road. So in my professional life, I often feel like the guy strapped to the missell in Dr. Strangelove....I'm thrilled and scared to death at the same time.
Personally, I allocate my portfolio to lever off what my team is doing while still not putting myself at great risk. I spent 8 years as a trader for a dedicated short seller who was all in on the neck of the housing collapse. So I'm conflicted. I am long long long cobalt and some other stocks I have good visibility to and very concentrated. And yet my experience tells me a HUGE ####### shoe is going to drop. And when it drops, that fall is coming from way up high and will be excruciating.
I might sell a few things and put out some 2x and 3x inverse ETFs. As Han Solo would say "I got a bad feeling about this".
But go cobalt go. We started buying material at $10.80. paying above $20 now. Twice it broke $50....In 1977 and 2008. That was without the EV revolution. This #### gonna get crazy.
Barring some type of panic related to an exogenous shock (terrorist attack/war/natural disaster), I think there is room to run for a few months yet. Not to be political in here, but I think the risk of that type of shock is being under-priced given Trump.fantasycurse42 said:Oh yea, this market is getting overheated, no? All it does is go up, I mean that is basically the theme 8 years running, how long can it last? At this point, it is basically an everyday occurrence, another 50-150 points for the Dow.
What scares me the most is A) how bullish EVERYONE is B) I haven't seen/read any talk lately of pullback, recession, etc...
Some volatility is healthy, I almost look at this behavior as highly unhealthy TBH.
Coupled with where the FFR is (.5-.75), kinda uncharted territory, right? Usually late cycle they should be much higher.Barring some type of panic related to an exogenous shock (terrorist attack/war/natural disaster), I think there is room to run for a few months yet. Not to be political in here, but I think the risk of that type of shock is being under-priced.
We are in late cycles of the expansion though. Leading indicators/yield curve need to be watched closely. 10 year is going to test the December 15th level soon, watch what happens.
We are getting to the tipping point. They have claimed the bears are throwing in the towel so that means we are close. The articles predicting a selloff have disappeared so that means we are close as well. Once we hear, 'you gotta be in this market', we will collapse soon after. I'm thinking the debt hitting 20T may be the tipping point and that will be in a couple months. There will be fake outrage about it and the world is ending talk. Trump may even cause it himself by ranting about considering defaulting on the debt.fantasycurse42 said:Oh yea, this market is getting overheated, no? All it does is go up, I mean that is basically the theme 8 years running, how long can it last? At this point, it is basically an everyday occurrence, another 50-150 points for the Dow.
What scares me the most is A) how bullish EVERYONE is B) I haven't seen/read any talk lately of pullback, recession, etc...
Some volatility is healthy, I almost look at this behavior as highly unhealthy TBH.
You can probably give better insight into this than I can but can rates afford to go much higher without crushing everyone holding debt from everyday people to our countries debt?I guess my simplest answer would be that we are overbought. That we are overdue for a correction. That's the "Down Theory" part of me talking.
My worries are rate increases, another housing correction, political uncertainty, global policy uncertainty or maybe China selling our paper/debt (although I'm not mentally equipped to defend that one)...Redmond Longhorn is pretty bright. We go way back. Think we both feel the complacency in the markets is a bad omen. He's much smarter than me, though. Even if he got married a second time.
I can see banks continuing as rates continue to hike up. I'm not a big fan of transportation,energy, or airlines though. Transportation in general is extremely competitive and energy is overpriced after a huge transfer of wealth when all these companies were on the verge of bankruptcy. I think Healthcare is the most undervalued sector right now. Even investing in safe generic funds like IBB or XBI could net you 25% this year. I expect many Pharma companies to shoot up several hundred percent from their current lows just like CHK and FCX did last year.Just spent about 45 minutes skimming articles everywhere, everything is bullish, everyone is bullish... ####### Marc Faber the biggest bear of all time likes China to go up 15% this year.
Buy airlines and all transportation, buy emerging markets, buy banks big, buy any laggards to the rally, buy buy buy.
Maybe these are the sell signals?
Not going deep into monetary policy here, but yeah. Fed would be better off forcibly creating NIM by selling off securities portfolio than raising the rate.Coupled with where the FFR is (.5-.75), kinda uncharted territory, right? Usually late cycle they should be much higher.
What do think about medical devices?I can see banks continuing as rates continue to hike up. I'm not a big fan of transportation,energy, or airlines though. Transportation in general is extremely competitive and energy is overpriced after a huge transfer of wealth when all these companies were on the verge of bankruptcy. I think Healthcare is the most undervalued sector right now. Even investing in safe generic funds like IBB or XBI could net you 25% this year. I expect many Pharma companies to shoot up several hundred percent from their current lows just like CHK and FCX did last year.
If the market poops they will poop with it. So buy more of it when the market poops.Bought some BRK-B today at about $166/shr.
Not a great entry point but I figure they are a relatively safe place to be if the market poops.
I have a tired old saying/rule about gold.Been keeping an eye on gold... Feels like some sneaky/smart money has been buying - based on projected hikes, a roaring market, strong dollar, etc - this should be much much lower. The only thing in gold's favor are inflation projections for those hedging, but even that shouldn't be holding it up like it is, IMO.
Right there with you. Overweight Pharma and Bio Technology. That sector can easily pop 20% this year. GILD, BMY, BIIB, AMGN, AGN...all looking very inexpensive (BMY not so much but when it drops below 50 I have been a buyer). GILD yield at this level is great, and they are flush with billions in clean cash on the balance sheet and can easily make some key acquisitions to boost their pipeline, and they will continue to raise that dividend. Huge value in this sector. In fact...the biggest value IMO of any sector since they started getting slaughtered last year after Hillary's tweeting.I can see banks continuing as rates continue to hike up. I'm not a big fan of transportation,energy, or airlines though. Transportation in general is extremely competitive and energy is overpriced after a huge transfer of wealth when all these companies were on the verge of bankruptcy. I think Healthcare is the most undervalued sector right now. Even investing in safe generic funds like IBB or XBI could net you 25% this year. I expect many Pharma companies to shoot up several hundred percent from their current lows just like CHK and FCX did last year.
I literally came to post about this...great timing. This thing consistently outperforms the S&P 500 over time. What % of your portfolio do you have in it?If the market poops they will poop with it. So buy more of it when the market poops.
I like BRK'B and have owned it for 2 decades. But it does not pay any dividend. It is a pure growth holding company. A wonderful stock to own though long term.
It’s sitting at 7% of my overall portfolio.Tiger Fan said:I literally came to post about this...great timing. This thing consistently outperforms the S&P 500 over time. What % of your portfolio do you have in it?
Perma Bears are right once every 8-10 years. What’s really hilarious is if you listened to him in 1996......your would have missed the last 20 years of gains in equites.http://www.newsmax.com/Finance/RobWilliams/Albert-Edwards-Federal-Reserve-Janet-Yellen-Alan-Greenspan/2017/02/16/id/774002/
Here is a bearish article... Take it FWIW, guy is a permabear.
He does mention late cycle and the Fed is too late, I tend to agree.
I like all Healthcare, including medical devices. Medical devices are the new sexy and popular sector big funds are pouring money into to avoid the whole drug pricing mess. I think Pharma/Bios will give better gains overall, but medical devices seem much safer right now.What do think about medical devices?
Good...I have a ####load of MZOR. Just had a great earnings call today.I like all Healthcare, including medical devices. Medical devices are the new sexy and popular sector big funds are pouring money into to avoid the whole drug pricing mess. I think Pharma/Bios will give better gains overall, but medical devices seem much safer right now.
Everything you just said is spot on. I have small positions in a couple of those you listed (just bought GILD after the ER miss) and a huge position in VRX.Todem said:Right there with you. Overweight Pharma and Bio Technology. That sector can easily pop 20% this year. GILD, BMY, BIIB, AMGN, AGN...all looking very inexpensive (BMY not so much but when it drops below 50 I have been a buyer). GILD yield at this level is great, and they are flush with billions in clean cash on the balance sheet and can easily make some key acquisitions to boost their pipeline, and they will continue to raise that dividend. Huge value in this sector. In fact...the biggest value IMO of any sector since they started getting slaughtered last year after Hillary's tweeting.
VRX... what the hell happened to that thing last year? Hope you bought in after April or later. Geez.Everything you just said is spot on. I have small positions in a couple of those you listed (just bought GILD after the ER miss) and a huge position in VRX.
Do you believe it?https://www.yahoo.com/finance/video/david-stockman-watch-coming-market-221120641.html
Stockman says a crash is coming within days.
I think what he says makes a lot of sense - Now, do I believe it? That is an entire different question... This guy isn't a moron, and if you watched the entire video, what he says sounds pretty smart. If the Fed hikes (and they absolutely 100000% have to IMO, they're so far behind) and these massive tax reforms don't start taking shape, then yes, I can see some aggressive selling. This is a guy who understands the legal side of everything and he seems to think it is impossible given the numbers that we can get away with these huge tax reforms. With that being said, this market has shrugged off any bad news for years now and kept buying no matter what. I also think a lot of the positive economic indicators we have been seeing lately are extremely priced in already. The market has been buying for years waiting for what we are seeing now, if you keep buying, you're of the ilk that these positive economic indicators are going to keep rolling in for years to come, I don't see that happening. Furthermore, outside risks that go beyond these points have been ignored and aren't close to priced in.Do you believe it?
Yup. I hear ya.Todem said:If the market poops they will poop with it. So buy more of it when the market poops.
I like BRK'B and have owned it for 2 decades. But it does not pay any dividend. It is a pure growth holding company. A wonderful stock to own though long term.
First of all, I stayed in Valeant even after St. Louis Bob told me to get out, should have listened.Mario Kart said:VRX... what the hell happened to that thing last year? Hope you bought in after April or later. Geez.
There has been a huge amount of money on the sidelines for a while, years. Not saying that that's where it's coming from, but it isn't like there isn't capital available to go in.Someone want to explain to me where all the liquidity is coming in from?
I've read a while back an article discussing the concerning trend of younger people investing less than any other point in time post world war era. If that's true and the market is doing good, it could be a lot of new fish getting into the sea. I'm talking people anywhere between 18 all the way up to their 40s. Also, from what I know it seems like the Chinese will be investing heavily in other countries and performing lots of M&A as their growth rate declines from its crazy rates. People might be moving back into stocks expecting a large tax cut in the future or offshore tax cut as well, which could give large dividends and instantly lower a companies P/E. That's some theories possibly.Someone want to explain to me where all the liquidity is coming in from? Please tell me it isn't all margin.
Are the zerohedge people choosing hanging or jumping out windows?
People still read Zerohedge? They still predicting hyperinflation is just around the corner?