Risk-Free Rate of Return: the return on a risk-less asset, often proxied by the rate of return on Treasury securities. Students of business and economics are taught, invariably, that buyers of U.S. Treasury bills, notes or bonds can be certain of receiving the interest payments they are owed, as well as the face value of […]

Global equity markets have plummeted. The chart to the left tells the story. Now, more than ever, it is essential that investors avoid panic and remain committed to disciplined investing. • I will understand my own circumstances and formulate an investment plan based on my needs, not in anticipation of market trends.• I will remind

The threat of recession is all over the news, forcing many investors (those without a plan) to panic. Our readers should take heart; our recommended portfolios have been researched rigorously, and while no investment plan is perfect, we are highly confident that those who do not waiver from our approach will be rewarded for their

How many investors would be inclined to believe they had found the proverbial “sure thing” if they owned shares in the company described below? Following its initial public offering in late 1985, this NYSE-listed firm achieved steady growth in earnings and dividends, and the shares delivered an annualized return of 24.8% from January 1986 through

The first quarter of 2008 brought no respite for investors weary of the market volatility that began last year. The financial crisis that Alan Greenspan has called “the most wrenching since the end of the second world war” only deepened. Overall, however, our multi-asset class approach served investors well. Cash, short-term bonds and gold provided

Beginning this month, the Investment Guide will be printed in color. We hope that this change will make the Guide generally more readable and the details of our charts more distinguishable. In coming months we will be making further improvements. We have also added our corporate logo to the front page. Our clients have often

On June 26 the share prices for Citigroup and Bank of America, both of which were already testing multi-year lows, tumbled by more than 4 percent. Our high-yield Dow (HYD) model, which holds both stocks and declined sharply as a result, will buy more of these shares if they continue to provide a high relative

Sports are often said to be a metaphor for life, and every four years the Olympic Games provide us with an inspirational view of athletic prowess. Through endurance athletes, in particular, we are offered the chance to witness perseverance in the face of adversity. This year in particular investors may appreciate marathon runners who, at

Our long-time readers are well aware of our skepticism toward “active” money managers; those who seek to outperform the overall stock market by picking “mispriced” stocks or by attempting to time the market’s gyrations. Our recommendations are instead based on the tenets of Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT) and the notion of market efficiency. Active managers