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April 17, 2018 in Dimensional, Evidence-Based Investing, Investing
An Exercise in Confusion: “Tuning Out the Noise” First, take a moment to view this powerful video, just released by Dimensional Fund Advisors.  The new millennium’s biggest financial headlines Now, before you consider the substance, how did the onslaught make you feel? Nervous? Anxious? Annoyed? Confused? Maybe all of the above! This exercise captures exactly how most investors felt as the new millennium’s biggest financial headlines were playing out in real time. As...

April 9, 2018 in Dimensional, Evidence-Based Investing, Investing
A Quarterly Tale of Risks and Returns in Real Time For the first time in a long time, U.S. and international developed stock markets alike bled off some steam this quarter. You’ll see that expressed by the bright red arrows in Dimensional Fund Advisors’ first quarter Quarterly Market Review Market Summary (page 3). While we fully expect markets will continue delivering positive long-term returns, who knows what the rest of the year...

March 26, 2018 in Dimensional, Evidence-Based Investing, Investing
March 2018 Sailing with the Tides Embarking on a financial plan is like sailing around the world. The voyage won’t always go to plan, and there’ll be rough seas. But the odds of reaching your destination increase greatly if you are prepared, flexible, patient, and well-advised. Here is this week’s article from Dimensional's Jim Parker: Sailing with the Tides. SAGE Serendipity: You want to watch TV but deciding what to watch is taking more time...

February 13, 2018 in Dimensional, Evidence-Based Investing, Investing
Recent Market Volatility February 2018 "While it may be difficult to remain calm during a substantial market decline, it is important to remember that volatility is a normal part of investing" After a period of relative calm in the markets, in recent days the increase in volatility in the stock market has resulted in renewed anxiety for many investors. From February 1–5, the US market (as measured by the Russell 3000 Index) fell...

February 6, 2018 in Dimensional, Evidence-Based Investing, Investing
February 2018 New Year, New Market Highs Every day stocks have a positive expected return regardless of whether markets are at an all‑time high or not. Throughout 2017, the S&P 500 Index recorded 62 new closing highs in 251 days of trading. In the first three weeks of January 2018 alone, the index crossed 10 new record closing highs in 13 days of trading. With stock indices continuing to set new highs, does...

January 30, 2018 in Dimensional, Evidence-Based Investing, Investing
January 2018 Nine Experts, Four Surprises, and One Million Dollar Bet In 2017, we were again reminded of the importance of following an investment approach based on discipline and diversification vs. prediction and timing. As we gear up for the new year, we can look at several examples during 2017 that provide perspective on what guidance investors may want to follow, or not follow, in order to achieve the long-term return the...

January 16, 2018 in Dimensional, Evidence-Based Investing, Investing, Year In Review
One Last Look at the 2017 Bond & Stock Markets Before we proceed full tilt into 2018, let’s take one last look at last year’s heady, mostly double-digit 2017 stock market returns, as shared in Dimensional Fund Advisor’s 2017 Market Review. How best to view the largely fair-weather market performances of late? Your investment experience is like a cross-continental trek. You get to define your desired destination – although, as in real...

January 10, 2018 in Dimensional, Evidence-Based Investing, Investing, Year In Review
Hunches, Headlines and Indicators - 2017 Market Performance It’s a wrap! 2017 market performance numbers are now available for the fourth quarter and the year. And, wow, what a year it was. The Wall Street Journal called it “The Year Everything Went Up.” In a Bloomberg column, Barry Ritholtz declared it “A Very Weird Year in Markets.” The New York Times reflected on how wrong most expert predictions were – as...