Quote:
Originally posted by pwd72s
No more than 4% of the equity side of a portfolio should be in a single stock...just my opinion. Here's another weird stat to consider. There are over 7,000 mutual finds out there...some load, some no load, some with high fees,some with low fees...all claiming they hold the key to success. Guess what? With all the MBA's doing analysis, with all the computer programs they have, with all their monitoring of all the world's markets, their reading of corporate quarterly reports...less than 5% of these funds beat the total market index. And the names of the 5% that do outperform the total market index change in any given year. I'm supposed to analyze a single stock among all the offerings? Nope...Everybody is looking for the next Microsoft, and I'm sure such a company is out there, along with countless thousands of others that will fail. As soon as you have a sure way to pick only the winners, let me know.
Until then, I'll rely on my home analyst Cindy...she spends spare time on financial posting boards. Then from time to time, she'll get naked, smear herself with wood ashes, go out back among the trees, and study chicken entrails. And damned if she doesn't beat most mutual fund managers...year after year.
BTW, I'll also add that we're nervous...partly age related, but other factors as well. we're 40% equities. The rest is cash or treasury issues. At least for the time being.
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Paul has given you some very good advice. Except for the chicken part
Some basic principles[list=1][*]keep costs low[*]diversify among asset classes[*]diversify among assest sizes[*]diversify among assset types, I prefer a vlaue bias[*]have a written asset allocation plan[*]rebalance at least annually, semi annually is better, to keep to your written asset allocation plan.[*]your appropriate asset allocation is dependant on your age and financial condition and goals(long and short term)[*]don't take unnecessary risk[*]learn as much as you can about Modern Portfolio Theory and risk management[/list=1]
A moderately aggressive asset allocation might go something like this
of your total portfolio
*US stock 50% split 25% large cap, 12.5% mid cap, 12.5% small cap all w/ a w/ a value bias. The US stock allocation by itself might look like
22 18 10 = 50% of US allocation
12 10 8 = 30% "
10 6 4 = 20% "
*Foreign Stock 15% split similarly to the US stock allocation
*Bond/short term 30%
*Real estate and other diversifiers 5%
This should certainly be modified to suit you particular situation