Finally. As promised. Perfect 5 ETF Portfolio performance and rebalancing–up 8.6% since October

Finally. As promised. Perfect 5 ETF Portfolio performance and rebalancing–up 8.6% since October

Back in October 2017 I set up a very simple portfolio of 5 ETFs with the goal of beating the performance of a Standard & Poor’s 500 ETF (so that’s the benchmark) with less risk (because of the added diversification.) I said that I would rebalance this portfolio as needed–or on a six month schedule (which ever came first.) But that this would be a relatively passive portfolio of passive ETFs–but with some active management thrown in by way of those shifting allocations. Well, the portfolio certainly isn’t six months old, but we have flipped the calendar page into 2018 so I’m going to do the first performance report now and at the same time do an initial rebalancing of assets.

Notes You Need for December 29: GS, Uber, Japan stocks, rig count

Notes You Need for December 29: GS, Uber, Japan stocks, rig count

In my daily trawling through the market I come upon lots of tidbits of knowledge that I think are important to investors but that don’t justify a full post. I’ve decided to start compiling these notes here each day in a kind of running mini blog that I’m calling Notes You Need. Typical items resemble this post from today: “10:40 a.m.: Softbank Group along with Tencent Holdings, Sequoia Capital and Dragoneer Investment Group are buying existing shares in Uber from current shareholders. In addition Softbank will buy $1.25 billion in new preferred stock. The big advantage to the deal from Uber’s point of view is that the investment pretty much rules out any investment in rival Lyft from Softbank. Locking Lyft out of funding from Softbank came at a price, though, as the sale of existing shares values Uber at $48 billion, a haircut from the valuation of $69 billion in Uber’s last round of financing.”

Notes You Need for December 29: GS, Uber, Japan stocks, rig count

Notes You Need for December 22: Bitcoin, VR, QCOM, inflation, Nikkei, Shanghai, personal income, BLDP, rig count

In my daily trawling through the market I come upon lots of tidbits of knowledge that I think are important to investors but that don’t justify a full post. I’ve decided to start compiling these notes here each day in a kind of running mini blog that I’m calling Notes You Need. A typical post looks much like this entry from today: 11:20 a.m.: Continued weak inflation in November. The PCE (Personal Consumption Expenditures) index rose 0.2% in November from October. Economists surveyed by Briefing.com had expected a 0.3% month over month increase. The Core PCE was up just 0.1% month over month. “The PCE Index is the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation measure. Year over year the Core PCE Index is up 1.5%.”

Higher than expected ADP jobs numbers raise worries over Friday’s government jobs data–and a Fed taper decision on December 18

Higher than expected ADP jobs numbers raise worries over Friday’s government jobs data–and a Fed taper decision on December 18

Today’s private company jobs survey from ADP, showing a gain of 215,000 jobs in November, has raised worries that the official U.S. government jobs numbers due on Friday will be stronger than expected and lead the Federal Reserve to begin tapering off its $85 billion a month in asset purchases at its December 18 meeting