Phil LeBeau, from CNBC, recently published an article highlighting trends in car buying. One of the statistics mentioned in the article stood out to us. That is, nearly 25% of new auto loans have payment terms between six and seven years. Currently, auto loan terms have been extended to record highs due to increased vehicle … Continued
Discussing financial, health care and estate planning concerns with an aging parent or relative can be uncomfortable. However, failing to plan for future responsibilities may make a difficult situation even more challenging. Minimize last minute scrambling and avoid future family tensions and financial strain by planning now so the recipients of future care needs can … Continued
As a follow-up to our blog titled “Market Peaks”, we cannot emphasize enough the implicit assumption that stocks can provide very attractive returns over the long term but to achieve those returns, investors must be committed to owning stocks, and have the stomach to hold on to their positions during periods of market weakness. Through … Continued
The markets, as measured by the popular averages, are currently trading at, or near, record highs. Now what? Perhaps the markets will continue to gradually move up, not every day, but on most days, leading to new highs. Alternatively, we may see a modest correction, possibly on the order of 10%, followed by a resumption … Continued
Admittedly, the bond market is far less exciting than the stock market. Yet, we believe it is imperative for investors to understand basic fundamentals of fixed income investing and align their portfolios not only according to the current yield curve but given an expectation of where future rates may be headed. For perspective, the 10-year … Continued
I was having breakfast with a companion this past Saturday, when he asked me, “Would you invest right now if you had cash?” I chuckled and directed him to the blog my colleague wrote earlier in the week covering just that subject (https://sigmainvestments.com/invest-now-or-wait-for-a-correction/) with an answer in the affirmative. He then asked, “Where do you … Continued
The hardest time to make an investment decision is now. Currently, the issue confronting prospective investors is the extent of the market recovery since the 2008-09 lows and whether it would be smarter to wait for a correction. If the market does weaken, the new big question becomes, “how extensive will the correction be and … Continued
A great deal of the debate over the perceived limitations of the world’s natural resources appears to reflect a lack of understanding of the difference between shortage and scarce. A shortage is generally defined as not enough of something that is needed and scarce is defined as a small amount, not plentiful. Consider, Super Bowl … Continued
On May 15, 2014, the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1.6%. The decline was attributed to a bearish comment made by a well respected investment professional, David Tepper. “I’m not saying go short, I’m just saying don’t be too fricking long right now,” he said. Another successful investor, Jeremy Grantham, wrote recently in his investment … Continued
It seems that a lot of the debate over climate change/global warming is in part centered around definitions and in part about grants and agendas. The useful debate should be, is it better to try to slow the pace of climate change or prepare to live with the “inevitable”? In an effort to clear the … Continued
Investors should consider that there seems to be an increase in the belief that the markets are getting it wrong and official oversight is essential to the national well being. This can lead to problems for those who rely on the efficiency of markets in making investment decisions. Thomas Sowell, in his book “The Vision … Continued
There has been an increase in media coverage of, what many view as excessive, compensation packages for CEOs and senior management, highlighted by the recent media attention given to Coca Cola’s proposed compensation plan, some investor objections and Berkshire Hathaway’s somewhat mystifying responses. Clearly, this is a matter for investor consideration, but is not always … Continued
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