Powerfund Portfolios Performance Review
January 2020 Performance Review
As our portfolios are fairly well positioned for an environment where investors expect an economic slowdown, we beat all the benchmarks in January. ...read the rest of this article»
Stock Funds | 1mo % |
---|---|
PowerShares DB Crude Oil Dble Short (DTO) | 28.16% |
Proshares Ultrashort NASDAQ Biotech (BIS) | 12.35% |
Proshares Ultrashort Russel2000 (TWM) | 6.77% |
Vanguard Utilities (VPU) | 6.10% |
Gold Short (DZZ) | 0.94% |
Vanguard Telecom Services ETF (VOX) | 0.62% |
iShares Global Telecom ETF (IXP) | 0.29% |
[Benchmark] Vanguard 500 Index (VFINX) | -0.04% |
Homestead Value (HOVLX) | -2.06% |
iShares MSCI Italy Capped (EWI) | -2.44% |
Vanguard Value (VTV) | -2.50% |
[Benchmark] Vanguard Tax-Managed Intl Adm (VTMGX) | -2.76% |
Vanguard Europe Pacific ETF (VEA) | -3.00% |
Vanguard European ETF (VGK) | -3.09% |
[Benchmark] Vanguard Emerging Mkts Stock Idx (VEIEX) | -5.05% |
iShares MSCI BRIC Index (BKF) | -5.19% |
Bond Funds | 1mo % |
---|---|
Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury (EDV) | 10.32% |
Vanguard Long-Term Bond Index ETF (BLV) | 5.32% |
[Benchmark] Vanguard Total Bond Index (VBMFX) | 2.11% |
Dodge & Cox Global Bond Fund (DODLX) | 1.08% |
Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities (VMBS) | 0.66% |
SPDR Barclays Intl. Treasury (BWX) | 0.42% |
December 2019 Performance
What a difference a year makes! This time last year, a recession seemed imminent, and the stock market briefly saw a roughly 20% decline from the 2019 peak. ...read the rest of this article»
Stock Funds | 1mo % |
---|---|
iShares MSCI BRIC Index (BKF) | 8.02% |
[Benchmark] Vanguard Emerging Mkts Stock Idx (VEIEX) | 6.96% |
Vanguard European ETF (VGK) | 4.51% |
Vanguard Europe Pacific ETF (VEA) | 3.56% |
[Benchmark] Vanguard Tax-Managed Intl Adm (VTMGX) | 3.49% |
Homestead Value (HOVLX) | 3.39% |
Vanguard Utilities (VPU) | 3.10% |
[Benchmark] Vanguard 500 Index (VFINX) | 3.01% |
iShares MSCI Italy Capped (EWI) | 2.81% |
Vanguard Value (VTV) | 2.65% |
iShares Global Telecom ETF (IXP) | 2.49% |
Vanguard Telecom Services ETF (VOX) | 2.24% |
Proshares Ultrashort NASDAQ Biotech (BIS) | -2.26% |
Gold Short (DZZ) | -4.81% |
Proshares Ultrashort Russel2000 (TWM) | -5.65% |
PowerShares DB Crude Oil Dble Short (DTO) | -17.75% |
Bond Funds | 1mo % |
---|---|
Dodge & Cox Global Bond Fund (DODLX) | 1.59% |
SPDR Barclays Intl. Treasury (BWX) | 1.35% |
Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities (VMBS) | 0.24% |
[Benchmark] Vanguard Total Bond Index (VBMFX) | -0.15% |
Vanguard Long-Term Bond Index ETF (BLV) | -1.04% |
Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury (EDV) | -4.55% |
November 2019 Performance Review
This year is turning out to do much more for stocks than merely reversing the sharp declines of late 2018. ...read the rest of this article»
Stock Funds | 1mo % |
---|---|
Gold Short (DZZ) | 5.30% |
Homestead Value (HOVLX) | 3.68% |
[Benchmark] Vanguard 500 Index (VFINX) | 3.62% |
Vanguard Value (VTV) | 3.44% |
Vanguard Telecom Services ETF (VOX) | 3.19% |
iShares Global Telecom ETF (IXP) | 2.84% |
[Benchmark] Vanguard Tax-Managed Intl Adm (VTMGX) | 1.40% |
Vanguard Europe Pacific ETF (VEA) | 1.34% |
Vanguard European ETF (VGK) | 1.29% |
iShares MSCI BRIC Index (BKF) | 0.17% |
[Benchmark] Vanguard Emerging Mkts Stock Idx (VEIEX) | 0.15% |
iShares MSCI Italy Capped (EWI) | 0.07% |
Vanguard Utilities (VPU) | -1.98% |
PowerShares DB Crude Oil Dble Short (DTO) | -7.04% |
Proshares Ultrashort Russel2000 (TWM) | -7.71% |
Proshares Ultrashort NASDAQ Biotech (BIS) | -20.15% |
Bond Funds | 1mo % |
---|---|
Vanguard Long-Term Bond Index ETF (BLV) | 0.32% |
Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities (VMBS) | 0.08% |
[Benchmark] Vanguard Total Bond Index (VBMFX) | -0.06% |
Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury (EDV) | -0.08% |
Dodge & Cox Global Bond Fund (DODLX) | -0.09% |
SPDR Barclays Intl. Treasury (BWX) | -1.46% |
October 2019 Performance Review
Globally, stocks continued up, with only a slight drop in longer-term bonds. It is almost like the bond market is expecting a recession soon and "better safe than sorry" but the stock market wants to play musical chairs until the actual record stops on the economy. ...read the rest of this article»
Stock Funds | 1mo % |
---|---|
iShares MSCI Italy Capped (EWI) | 4.72% |
iShares MSCI BRIC Index (BKF) | 4.70% |
[Benchmark] Vanguard Emerging Mkts Stock Idx (VEIEX) | 3.87% |
Vanguard European ETF (VGK) | 3.84% |
Vanguard Telecom Services ETF (VOX) | 3.29% |
[Benchmark] Vanguard Tax-Managed Intl Adm (VTMGX) | 3.26% |
Vanguard Europe Pacific ETF (VEA) | 3.21% |
Homestead Value (HOVLX) | 2.86% |
iShares Global Telecom ETF (IXP) | 2.44% |
[Benchmark] Vanguard 500 Index (VFINX) | 2.15% |
Vanguard Value (VTV) | 1.90% |
PowerShares DB Crude Oil Dble Short (DTO) | 0.71% |
Vanguard Utilities (VPU) | -0.10% |
Proshares Ultrashort Russel2000 (TWM) | -4.91% |
Gold Short (DZZ) | -5.14% |
Proshares Ultrashort NASDAQ Biotech (BIS) | -13.90% |
Bond Funds | 1mo % |
---|---|
Dodge & Cox Global Bond Fund (DODLX) | 1.17% |
SPDR Barclays Intl. Treasury (BWX) | 0.89% |
Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities (VMBS) | 0.34% |
[Benchmark] Vanguard Total Bond Index (VBMFX) | 0.21% |
Vanguard Long-Term Bond Index ETF (BLV) | -0.30% |
Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury (EDV) | -1.42% |
September 2019 Performance Review
Even with the weak month for bonds, we had a decent month relative to benchmarks ...read the rest of this article»
Stock Funds | 1mo % |
---|---|
Gold Short (DZZ) | 7.31% |
Proshares Ultrashort NASDAQ Biotech (BIS) | 6.09% |
PowerShares DB Crude Oil Dble Short (DTO) | 4.42% |
Vanguard Value (VTV) | 3.46% |
Vanguard Utilities (VPU) | 3.30% |
Vanguard Europe Pacific ETF (VEA) | 3.16% |
[Benchmark] Vanguard Tax-Managed Intl Adm (VTMGX) | 3.09% |
Homestead Value (HOVLX) | 2.88% |
Vanguard European ETF (VGK) | 2.55% |
iShares MSCI Italy Capped (EWI) | 2.45% |
[Benchmark] Vanguard 500 Index (VFINX) | 1.86% |
[Benchmark] Vanguard Emerging Mkts Stock Idx (VEIEX) | 1.33% |
iShares MSCI BRIC Index (BKF) | 1.05% |
iShares Global Telecom ETF (IXP) | 0.25% |
Vanguard Telecom Services ETF (VOX) | -0.54% |
Proshares Ultrashort Russel2000 (TWM) | -4.53% |
Bond Funds | 1mo % |
---|---|
Dodge & Cox Global Bond Fund (DODLX) | 0.54% |
Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities (VMBS) | 0.13% |
[Benchmark] Vanguard Total Bond Index (VBMFX) | -0.60% |
SPDR Barclays Intl. Treasury (BWX) | -1.01% |
Vanguard Long-Term Bond Index ETF (BLV) | -1.94% |
Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury (EDV) | -4.07% |
August 2019 Performance Review
Stocks gave back some of the gains made in August as economic and trade fears kept bubbling up. In this environment the bond market remained red hot as interest rates plunged yet again. This boosted our portfolios relative to benchmarks as we have been taking more interest rate risk (but less stock risk) than most other portfolios for quite a few years now. ...read the rest of this article»
Stock Funds | 1mo % |
---|---|
Proshares Ultrashort Russel2000 (TWM) | 9.20% |
PowerShares DB Crude Oil Dble Short (DTO) | 8.02% |
Vanguard Utilities (VPU) | 4.83% |
Proshares Ultrashort NASDAQ Biotech (BIS) | 4.49% |
iShares MSCI Italy Capped (EWI) | -0.44% |
[Benchmark] Vanguard 500 Index (VFINX) | -1.59% |
Vanguard European ETF (VGK) | -1.65% |
Vanguard Europe Pacific ETF (VEA) | -1.88% |
[Benchmark] Vanguard Tax-Managed Intl Adm (VTMGX) | -1.91% |
iShares Global Telecom ETF (IXP) | -2.61% |
Vanguard Telecom Services ETF (VOX) | -2.78% |
Vanguard Value (VTV) | -2.97% |
Homestead Value (HOVLX) | -3.60% |
[Benchmark] Vanguard Emerging Mkts Stock Idx (VEIEX) | -3.76% |
iShares MSCI BRIC Index (BKF) | -4.00% |
Gold Short (DZZ) | -13.95% |
Bond Funds | 1mo % |
---|---|
Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury (EDV) | 15.47% |
Vanguard Long-Term Bond Index ETF (BLV) | 8.24% |
[Benchmark] Vanguard Total Bond Index (VBMFX) | 2.78% |
SPDR Barclays Intl. Treasury (BWX) | 1.85% |
Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities (VMBS) | 0.93% |
Dodge & Cox Global Bond Fund (DODLX) | -0.54% |
July 2019 Performance Review
With rising trade tensions as the catalyst and a backdrop of suspiciously low interest rates, August is looking to wipe out much of the recent gains with a roughly 800-point one-day drop in the Dow and interest rates plunging to levels last seen right before the last presidential election. ...read the rest of this article»
Stock Funds | 1mo % |
---|---|
Proshares Ultrashort NASDAQ Biotech (BIS) | 6.59% |
Vanguard Telecom Services ETF (VOX) | 3.43% |
iShares Global Telecom ETF (IXP) | 2.50% |
Homestead Value (HOVLX) | 2.17% |
Vanguard Value (VTV) | 1.46% |
[Benchmark] Vanguard 500 Index (VFINX) | 1.43% |
PowerShares DB Crude Oil Dble Short (DTO) | 0.64% |
Vanguard Utilities (VPU) | -0.21% |
Proshares Ultrashort Russel2000 (TWM) | -0.79% |
Gold Short (DZZ) | -0.80% |
[Benchmark] Vanguard Emerging Mkts Stock Idx (VEIEX) | -1.19% |
iShares MSCI BRIC Index (BKF) | -1.74% |
iShares MSCI Italy Capped (EWI) | -1.89% |
Vanguard Europe Pacific ETF (VEA) | -2.04% |
[Benchmark] Vanguard Tax-Managed Intl Adm (VTMGX) | -2.09% |
Vanguard European ETF (VGK) | -2.60% |
Bond Funds | 1mo % |
---|---|
Dodge & Cox Global Bond Fund (DODLX) | 1.09% |
Vanguard Long-Term Bond Index ETF (BLV) | 0.51% |
Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities (VMBS) | 0.44% |
Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury (EDV) | 0.44% |
[Benchmark] Vanguard Total Bond Index (VBMFX) | 0.23% |
SPDR Barclays Intl. Treasury (BWX) | -1.29% |
June 2019 Performance Review
The stock market continues to rebound from all the traumatic events of the past year or so. Strangely, this is not due to particularly strong expectations for growth globally; it appears to be mostly related to interest rates declining in anticipation of an economic slowdown. ...read the rest of this article»
Stock Funds | 1mo % |
---|---|
iShares MSCI Italy Capped (EWI) | 9.72% |
[Benchmark] Vanguard 500 Index (VFINX) | 7.03% |
Vanguard Value (VTV) | 6.44% |
Vanguard European ETF (VGK) | 6.31% |
iShares MSCI BRIC Index (BKF) | 6.03% |
[Benchmark] Vanguard Tax-Managed Intl Adm (VTMGX) | 5.93% |
Vanguard Europe Pacific ETF (VEA) | 5.83% |
Homestead Value (HOVLX) | 5.59% |
[Benchmark] Vanguard Emerging Mkts Stock Idx (VEIEX) | 5.42% |
iShares Global Telecom ETF (IXP) | 4.07% |
Vanguard Telecom Services ETF (VOX) | 3.94% |
Vanguard Utilities (VPU) | 3.35% |
Proshares Ultrashort Russel2000 (TWM) | -12.98% |
Gold Short (DZZ) | -15.04% |
PowerShares DB Crude Oil Dble Short (DTO) | -17.01% |
Proshares Ultrashort NASDAQ Biotech (BIS) | -17.04% |
Bond Funds | 1mo % |
---|---|
SPDR Barclays Intl. Treasury (BWX) | 3.43% |
Dodge & Cox Global Bond Fund (DODLX) | 2.79% |
Vanguard Long-Term Bond Index ETF (BLV) | 2.69% |
[Benchmark] Vanguard Total Bond Index (VBMFX) | 1.15% |
Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury (EDV) | 0.75% |
Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities (VMBS) | 0.68% |
May 2019 Performance Review
The sharp rebound in stocks in early 2019 ended just as rapidly in May, with a 6.36% drop in the Vanguard 500 index fund including dividends. In late April, just days after the U.S. stock market broke through the old highs from September 2018 and gained back all the losses from late last year, stocks started falling. At one point in early June, the Nasdaq was back down around 10% from the recent highs—a percentage drop considered a correction (a bear market is 20%). ...read the rest of this article»
Stock Funds | 1mo % |
---|---|
PowerShares DB Crude Oil Dble Short (DTO) | 32.16% |
Proshares Ultrashort Russel2000 (TWM) | 16.66% |
Proshares Ultrashort NASDAQ Biotech (BIS) | 12.18% |
Vanguard Utilities (VPU) | -0.87% |
Gold Short (DZZ) | -2.95% |
Vanguard Europe Pacific ETF (VEA) | -5.21% |
[Benchmark] Vanguard Tax-Managed Intl Adm (VTMGX) | -5.26% |
iShares Global Telecom ETF (IXP) | -5.64% |
Vanguard Telecom Services ETF (VOX) | -5.66% |
Vanguard European ETF (VGK) | -5.67% |
Homestead Value (HOVLX) | -6.15% |
Vanguard Value (VTV) | -6.33% |
[Benchmark] Vanguard 500 Index (VFINX) | -6.36% |
[Benchmark] Vanguard Emerging Mkts Stock Idx (VEIEX) | -6.45% |
iShares MSCI BRIC Index (BKF) | -7.70% |
iShares MSCI Italy Capped (EWI) | -8.31% |
Bond Funds | 1mo % |
---|---|
Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury (EDV) | 9.74% |
Vanguard Long-Term Bond Index ETF (BLV) | 4.16% |
[Benchmark] Vanguard Total Bond Index (VBMFX) | 1.83% |
SPDR Barclays Intl. Treasury (BWX) | 1.14% |
Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities (VMBS) | 1.11% |
Dodge & Cox Global Bond Fund (DODLX) | -0.46% |

February Performance Review
It is starting to look as if the next Black Swan for the economy and stocks is the new coronavirus making its way around the world. ...read the rest of this article»