Here is some good weekend reading on the topics of Asset Allocation, Expense Ratios, Compounding Interest and much more:
Motley Fool: “100 Startling Facts About the Economy”
My favorites from the list:
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11. Start with a dollar. Double it every day. In 48 days you’ll own every financial asset that exists on the planet — about $200 trillion.
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32. Fortune magazine published an article titled “10 Stocks To Last the Decade” in August, 2000. By December 2012, the portfolio had lost 74.3% of its value, according to analyst Barry Ritholtz.
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89. According to Vanguard founder John Bogle, the average equity mutual fund gained 173% from 1997 to 2011, but the average equity mutual fund investor earned only 110%, thanks to the tendency to buy high and sell low.
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94. According to The Economist, “Over the past ten years, hedge-fund managers have underperformed not just the stock market, but inflation as well.”
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95. According to Bloomberg, “Americans have missed out on almost $200 billion of stock gains as they drained money from the market in the past four years, haunted by the financial crisis.
Vanguard: Principals for Success
Some great, in-depth information from Vanguard on the affects of trying to time the market and paying high expense ratios:
- Great examples of how investors and mutual funds tend to “Buy High, Sell Low”.
- Effects of cost (Expense Ratios) on a portfolio.
- The importance of Asset Allocation and Portfolio Balance
JP Morgan: Guide to the Markets.
This one is a from almost 2 months ago, but some great statistics on nearly every aspect of the economy, examples on why you need a diversified portfolio and much much more..
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
