The Conservative portfolio moved up 0.88% in May because of general strength in bonds and stocks. Our shorter-term bond focus and relatively small equity stake left us behind the market indexes.
Holding the portfolio back was a 3.15% drop in American Century International Bond, a stake recently reduced to 5%.
Vanguard Dividend Growth was up 1.68% as more conservative stocks lagged in May. Junk bonds performed well along with the rest of the bond market, Vanguard High Yield Corporate was up 1.9% in May.
Foreign stocks stopped leading the market as recently added SSgA International Growth Opportunities gained just 0.63%. The only strong foreign funds in May were those investing in emerging markets, which this fund doesn’t do much of.
This portfolio would not have performed as well had we kept our larger stake in foreign bonds.
The Aggressive Growth portfolio gained 2.66% in May because of general strength in bonds and stocks. Our shorter-term bond focus was a bit of a drag on performance.
Bridgeway Blue Chip 35 (BRLIX) moves in near lockstep with major market indexes, and was up a nice 3.56%. We’ve been waiting for ultra large-cap stocks to do well since we added this fund to the portfolio, but we’re beginning to worry a bit. The idea of smaller-cap stocks underperforming after years of outperformance is not novel right now, although fund investors aren’t yet banging down the doors of small-cap funds.
Foreign stocks stopped leading the market – our recently reduced stake in Artisan International Small Cap was flat in May (alternative Forward International Small Company wasn’t much better, up gaining just 0.3%). The weakness in foreign stocks hurt our T. Rowe Price Japan stake – the only down fund in this portfolio. The fund lost 0.36% last month. Foreign funds in our other portfolios were equally lackluster, including Vanguard International Value, SSgA International Growth Opportunities and SSgA MSCI EAFE Index. The only strong foreign funds in May were those investing in emerging markets. SSgA Emerging Markets was up 2.78%. Unfortunately, we reduced our SSgA stake recently, but we think this will prove to be a prudent decision in the long run.
Recent addition HealthCare Select SPDR (XLV) was relatively dull with a 1.05% return. We’re still waiting for investors’ mood towards large cap healthcare stocks to improve. The companies are out-of-favor (like Utilities a few years ago), but should beat the market going forward.
The other new ETF in the portfolio, Technology SPDR (XLK) was anything but – up 6.73%, the portfolios strongest showing.
FMI Stock has a strong month up 4.82% and a pretty good year. The fund has gained 13.75% over the last twelve months.
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The Conservative portfolio moved up 0.88% in May because of general strength in bonds and stocks. Our shorter-term bond focus and relatively small equity stake left us behind the market indexes.
Holding the portfolio back was a 3.15% drop in American Century International Bond, a stake recently reduced to 5%.
Vanguard Dividend Growth was up 1.68% as more conservative stocks lagged in May. Junk bonds performed well along with the rest of the bond market, Vanguard High Yield Corporate was up 1.9% in May.
Foreign stocks stopped leading the market as recently added SSgA International Growth Opportunities gained just 0.63%. The only strong foreign funds in May were those investing in emerging markets, which this fund doesn’t do much of.
This portfolio would not have performed as well had we kept our larger stake in foreign bonds.
The Aggressive Growth portfolio gained 2.66% in May because of general strength in bonds and stocks. Our shorter-term bond focus was a bit of a drag on performance.
Bridgeway Blue Chip 35 (BRLIX) moves in near lockstep with major market indexes, and was up a nice 3.56%. We’ve been waiting for ultra large-cap stocks to do well since we added this fund to the portfolio, but we’re beginning to worry a bit. The idea of smaller-cap stocks underperforming after years of outperformance is not novel right now, although fund investors aren’t yet banging down the doors of small-cap funds.
Foreign stocks stopped leading the market – our recently reduced stake in Artisan International Small Cap was flat in May (alternative Forward International Small Company wasn’t much better, up gaining just 0.3%). The weakness in foreign stocks hurt our T. Rowe Price Japan stake – the only down fund in this portfolio. The fund lost 0.36% last month. Foreign funds in our other portfolios were equally lackluster, including Vanguard International Value, SSgA International Growth Opportunities and SSgA MSCI EAFE Index. The only strong foreign funds in May were those investing in emerging markets. SSgA Emerging Markets was up 2.78%. Unfortunately, we reduced our SSgA stake recently, but we think this will prove to be a prudent decision in the long run.
Recent addition HealthCare Select SPDR (XLV) was relatively dull with a 1.05% return. We’re still waiting for investors’ mood towards large cap healthcare stocks to improve. The companies are out-of-favor (like Utilities a few years ago), but should beat the market going forward.
The other new ETF in the portfolio, Technology SPDR (XLK) was anything but – up 6.73%, the portfolios strongest showing.
FMI Stock has a strong month up 4.82% and a pretty good year. The fund has gained 13.75% over the last twelve months.