WHAT ARE ASSET CLASSES AND WHY DO THEY MATTER TO YOU AS AN INVESTOR? Asset classes are categories (classes) by which we organize individual securities (assets) that share significant factors. There are broad classes for stocks (equities), bonds (fixed income), cash, and real estate. Within these broad classes, there are narrower classes focusing on the drivers of returns: For stocks, they may be based on: company size (small vs. large), relative price (value vs....

Businesses, Stock Markets & the Economy The Stock Market Is Smarter Than All of Us (Ben Carlson, CFA) “In The Wisdom of the Crowds, James Surowiecki writes: “The idea of the wisdom of crowds is not that a group will always give you the right answer but that on average it will consistently come up with a better answer than any individual could provide.” The same is true of the stock market. The stock market isn’t...

Businesses, Stock Markets & the Economy 12 Things I Remind Myself When Markets Go Crazy (Ben Carlson, CFA) Why Valuations Probably Won’t Matter For a While (Ben Carlson, CFA) Your Finances & other Wealth Management links Here’s What You Need To Know About Your RMDs (Abacus) Having an advisor help you manage your portfolio does not constitute 'giving up.' (retirementfieldguide.com) How to write your own 'legacy letter.' (humbledollar.com) Visualizing Net Worth by Age in America (Visual Capitalist) The Briefing The...

Businesses, Stock Markets & the Economy Think Investing Is a Game? Stop. (David Booth, Executive Chairman and Founder of Dimensional) “Indexing has turned out to be a good solution for many people. I was involved in the creation of one of the first index funds early in my career, and I’ve enjoyed watching the positive impact indexing has had on the industry. For those who want more customization and flexibility, there are...

Businesses, Stock Markets & the Economy America’s deeply unequal economic recovery, explained in 7 charts. “The pandemic has made employment disparities in America more evident than ever.” (Vox) Unfortunate Investing Traits (Morgan Housel) “An iron rule of investing is that almost nothing is certain and the best we can do is put the odds of success in our favor. Since we’re working with odds – not certainties – it’s possible to make good...

Businesses, Stock Markets & the Economy What Investors Should Know About Recent “Flash Mob” Trading (Schwab Center for Financial Research) “… much of the latest market activity has not been driven by traditional investors or based on traditional fundamentals. It’s been driven by trading activity in both the options market and small subsets of stocks, including those most heavily shorted by hedge funds, as well as low-priced “penny stocks,” weaker-balance-sheet companies, and...

COVID-19 & YOUR HEALTH Double-masking is the new masking. (nytimes.com) What we know, and importantly, don’t know about the variants. (statnews.com) Vaccines for children are coming, albeit slowly. And will be necessary for herd immunity. (theatlantic.com) The second generation Covid vaccines are coming. (scientificamerican.com) Side effects are a sign that the vaccines are working. (behavioralscientist.org) What does a more contagious virus mean for schools? (nytimes.com) “In a car these days with someone else? Open the windows.” (nytimes.com) YOUR...

DIMENSIONAL’S QUARTERLY MARKET REVIEW (Q4 2020 & TY 2020) It’s a wrap. 2020 market performance numbers are now available for the fourth quarter and the total year. Today, we share Dimensional Fund Advisor’s latest Quarterly Market Review, along with its 2020 Annual Market Review. “The year 2020 proved to be one of the most tumultuous in modern history, marked by a number of developments that were historically unprecedented. But the year also...

COVID-19 & YOUR HEALTH Reminder->Sign up here for a Daily Review of Covid-19 Research and Policy by Doctors on the Frontlines The best masks to prevent COVID-19. “We’ve come a long way with masks. You can now buy third-party tested Korean KN94s that nearly match the efficacy of N95s. They are far better than both surgical and cloth masks. This mechanical engineer on YouTube tests many of the available options and makes recommendations...

HAPPY NEW YEAR. LET US LOOK TO THE FUTURE WITH HOPE AND OPTIMISM FOR A BETTER TOMORROW. From Erin Ruberry’s “In Better News” COVID-19 & YOUR HEALTH Coronavirus links: a year of anguish (Abnormal Returns) Including Chart of the Day: To keep the public informed, the CDC has updated its page on all known coronavirus mutations and ongoing efforts to sequence and understand their implications. YOUR FINANCES & OTHER WEALTH MANAGEMENT LINKS Congress Passes $900 Billion Coronavirus...