Powerfund Portfolios Performance Review

Powerfund Portfolios Commentary

July 2019 Performance Review

August 6, 2019
Category: 
Powerfund Portfolios

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 Funds1mo %
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 Funds1mo %
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

July 4, 2019
Category: 
Powerfund Portfolios

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 Funds1mo %
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 Funds1mo %
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

June 5, 2019
Category: 
Powerfund Portfolios

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 Funds1mo %
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 Funds1mo %
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%

April 2019 Performance Review

May 3, 2019
Category: 
Powerfund Portfolios

The stock market has recovered all of the losses since the previous peak in late September 2018. This quick reversal was largely because interest rates are now lower than last year, and the Federal Reserve will not spark the next recession by raising rates, as inflation is mild at best. ...read the rest of this article»

Stock Funds1mo %
Proshares Ultrashort NASDAQ Biotech (BIS)9.71%
Vanguard Telecom Services ETF (VOX)6.06%
iShares Global Telecom ETF (IXP)5.17%
Vanguard Value (VTV)4.06%
[Benchmark] Vanguard 500 Index (VFINX)4.04%
Vanguard European ETF (VGK)3.92%
Vanguard Europe Pacific ETF (VEA)3.27%
Homestead Value (HOVLX)2.99%
[Benchmark] Vanguard Tax-Managed Intl Adm (VTMGX)2.90%
[Benchmark] Vanguard Emerging Mkts Stock Idx (VEIEX)2.08%
Gold Short (DZZ)1.98%
iShares MSCI Italy Capped (EWI)1.80%
iShares MSCI BRIC Index (BKF)1.16%
Vanguard Utilities (VPU)0.86%
Proshares Ultrashort Russel2000 (TWM)-6.26%
PowerShares DB Crude Oil Dble Short (DTO)-11.54%
Bond Funds1mo %
Dodge & Cox Global Bond Fund (DODLX)0.93%
[Benchmark] Vanguard Total Bond Index (VBMFX)0.04%
Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities (VMBS)-0.10%
SPDR Barclays Intl. Treasury (BWX)-0.55%
Vanguard Long-Term Bond Index ETF (BLV)-0.60%
Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury (EDV)-3.00%

March 2019 Performance Update

April 5, 2019
Category: 
Powerfund Portfolios

With the Federal Reserve now more worried about the global economy than inflation, investors continued to jump back into stocks — causing U.S. markets to almost completely erase the sharp slide late last year. ...read the rest of this article»

Stock Funds1mo %
Proshares Ultrashort Russel2000 (TWM)3.85%
Gold Short (DZZ)3.75%
Vanguard Utilities (VPU)2.83%
iShares MSCI BRIC Index (BKF)2.72%
iShares Global Telecom ETF (IXP)2.51%
iShares MSCI Italy Capped (EWI)2.36%
[Benchmark] Vanguard 500 Index (VFINX)1.94%
[Benchmark] Vanguard Emerging Mkts Stock Idx (VEIEX)1.90%
Vanguard Telecom Services ETF (VOX)1.80%
Homestead Value (HOVLX)0.91%
Vanguard European ETF (VGK)0.76%
Proshares Ultrashort NASDAQ Biotech (BIS)0.73%
[Benchmark] Vanguard Tax-Managed Intl Adm (VTMGX)0.42%
Vanguard Europe Pacific ETF (VEA)0.17%
Vanguard Value (VTV)-0.12%
PowerShares DB Crude Oil Dble Short (DTO)-8.89%
Bond Funds1mo %
Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury (EDV)7.47%
Vanguard Long-Term Bond Index ETF (BLV)4.87%
[Benchmark] Vanguard Total Bond Index (VBMFX)1.96%
Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities (VMBS)1.41%
Dodge & Cox Global Bond Fund (DODLX)1.23%
SPDR Barclays Intl. Treasury (BWX)0.89%

Febuary 2019 Performance Review

March 7, 2019
Category: 
Powerfund Portfolios

With foreign markets, value stocks, and lower credit risk bonds weak in February and our relatively low allocation to the hotter areas of the market (like tech and small cap), our model portfolios lagged the U.S. market. ...read the rest of this article»

Stock Funds1mo %
Homestead Value (HOVLX)4.73%
Vanguard Utilities (VPU)3.88%
iShares MSCI Italy Capped (EWI)3.74%
[Benchmark] Vanguard 500 Index (VFINX)3.20%
Vanguard European ETF (VGK)3.16%
Vanguard Value (VTV)2.86%
Vanguard Europe Pacific ETF (VEA)2.33%
[Benchmark] Vanguard Tax-Managed Intl Adm (VTMGX)2.18%
Gold Short (DZZ)1.63%
[Benchmark] Vanguard Emerging Mkts Stock Idx (VEIEX)0.65%
Vanguard Telecom Services ETF (VOX)0.37%
iShares Global Telecom ETF (IXP)0.31%
iShares MSCI BRIC Index (BKF)0.26%
Proshares Ultrashort NASDAQ Biotech (BIS)-5.78%
Proshares Ultrashort Russel2000 (TWM)-9.50%
PowerShares DB Crude Oil Dble Short (DTO)-10.01%
Bond Funds1mo %
Dodge & Cox Global Bond Fund (DODLX)0.86%
[Benchmark] Vanguard Total Bond Index (VBMFX)-0.06%
Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities (VMBS)-0.07%
Vanguard Long-Term Bond Index ETF (BLV)-0.79%
SPDR Barclays Intl. Treasury (BWX)-1.08%
Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury (EDV)-1.77%

January 2019 Performance Review

February 6, 2019
Category: 
Powerfund Portfolios

What December took away January gave back. With the sharp rebound that started right after Christmas, the stock market has recovered a little over half the losses from the 20%+ drop that started in late September.  ...read the rest of this article»

Stock Funds1mo %
iShares MSCI BRIC Index (BKF)11.60%
Vanguard Telecom Services ETF (VOX)10.56%
iShares Global Telecom ETF (IXP)9.07%
[Benchmark] Vanguard Emerging Mkts Stock Idx (VEIEX)8.52%
iShares MSCI Italy Capped (EWI)8.10%
[Benchmark] Vanguard 500 Index (VFINX)8.00%
Vanguard Europe Pacific ETF (VEA)7.47%
[Benchmark] Vanguard Tax-Managed Intl Adm (VTMGX)7.36%
Vanguard Value (VTV)6.95%
Vanguard European ETF (VGK)6.68%
Homestead Value (HOVLX)5.98%
Vanguard Utilities (VPU)3.72%
Gold Short (DZZ)-5.00%
Proshares Ultrashort Russel2000 (TWM)-19.60%
Proshares Ultrashort NASDAQ Biotech (BIS)-23.35%
PowerShares DB Crude Oil Dble Short (DTO)-34.61%
Bond Funds1mo %
Dodge & Cox Global Bond Fund (DODLX)2.54%
Vanguard Long-Term Bond Index ETF (BLV)1.86%
SPDR Barclays Intl. Treasury (BWX)1.41%
[Benchmark] Vanguard Total Bond Index (VBMFX)1.01%
Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities (VMBS)0.83%
Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury (EDV)0.18%

December 2018 Performance Review

January 10, 2019
Category: 
Powerfund Portfolios

Any way you slice it, December was the sort of month where the benefit of not taking on too much risk and avoiding popular strategies worked, basically the opposite tack from the previous months. ...read the rest of this article»

Stock Funds1mo %
Proshares Ultrashort Russel2000 (TWM)26.35%
Proshares Ultrashort NASDAQ Biotech (BIS)23.40%
PowerShares DB Crude Oil Dble Short (DTO)18.59%
[Benchmark] Vanguard Emerging Mkts Stock Idx (VEIEX)-2.97%
iShares MSCI Italy Capped (EWI)-3.36%
Vanguard Utilities (VPU)-4.12%
Vanguard European ETF (VGK)-4.86%
iShares MSCI BRIC Index (BKF)-5.18%
[Benchmark] Vanguard Tax-Managed Intl Adm (VTMGX)-5.37%
Vanguard Europe Pacific ETF (VEA)-5.70%
iShares Global Telecom ETF (IXP)-6.45%
Homestead Value (HOVLX)-7.94%
Vanguard Telecom Services ETF (VOX)-8.27%
[Benchmark] Vanguard 500 Index (VFINX)-9.04%
Gold Short (DZZ)-9.08%
Vanguard Value (VTV)-9.16%
Bond Funds1mo %
Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury (EDV)8.06%
Vanguard Long-Term Bond Index ETF (BLV)4.36%
SPDR Barclays Intl. Treasury (BWX)2.09%
[Benchmark] Vanguard Total Bond Index (VBMFX)1.80%
Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities (VMBS)1.66%
Dodge & Cox Global Bond Fund (DODLX)0.89%

November 2018 Performance Review

December 6, 2018
Category: 
Powerfund Portfolios

November was a rocky month for stocks and bonds, but it ultimately ended on a positive note. Our portfolios did well compared to the Vanguard STAR fund, which has recently had more downside than our portfolios and potentially less upside as investors shift their portfolio strategies. ...read the rest of this article»

Stock Funds1mo %
PowerShares DB Crude Oil Dble Short (DTO)45.61%
iShares MSCI BRIC Index (BKF)6.48%
[Benchmark] Vanguard Emerging Mkts Stock Idx (VEIEX)4.45%
Homestead Value (HOVLX)4.42%
Vanguard Utilities (VPU)3.92%
Vanguard Value (VTV)3.27%
[Benchmark] Vanguard 500 Index (VFINX)2.03%
iShares MSCI Italy Capped (EWI)1.36%
iShares Global Telecom ETF (IXP)1.22%
Vanguard Europe Pacific ETF (VEA)0.51%
[Benchmark] Vanguard Tax-Managed Intl Adm (VTMGX)0.39%
Gold Short (DZZ)-0.33%
Vanguard European ETF (VGK)-0.68%
Vanguard Telecom Services ETF (VOX)-0.74%
Proshares Ultrashort Russel2000 (TWM)-3.77%
Proshares Ultrashort NASDAQ Biotech (BIS)-10.13%
Bond Funds1mo %
Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury (EDV)2.18%
Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities (VMBS)0.90%
SPDR Barclays Intl. Treasury (BWX)0.85%
[Benchmark] Vanguard Total Bond Index (VBMFX)0.53%
Vanguard Long-Term Bond Index ETF (BLV)0.40%
Dodge & Cox Global Bond Fund (DODLX)0.19%

October 2018 Performance Review

November 4, 2018
Category: 
Powerfund Portfolios

Ouch. The good times ended in October and rather suddenly at that. There are many straws out there, and it's impossible to know which one broke the market's back but break it did.  ...read the rest of this article»

Stock Funds1mo %
Proshares Ultrashort NASDAQ Biotech (BIS)33.42%
Proshares Ultrashort Russel2000 (TWM)24.56%
PowerShares DB Crude Oil Dble Short (DTO)18.60%
Vanguard Utilities (VPU)1.17%
Gold Short (DZZ)-3.47%
Vanguard Value (VTV)-4.35%
Vanguard Telecom Services ETF (VOX)-6.20%
iShares MSCI BRIC Index (BKF)-6.32%
iShares Global Telecom ETF (IXP)-6.79%
[Benchmark] Vanguard 500 Index (VFINX)-6.85%
Vanguard European ETF (VGK)-7.53%
[Benchmark] Vanguard Emerging Mkts Stock Idx (VEIEX)-7.58%
Vanguard Europe Pacific ETF (VEA)-8.26%
[Benchmark] Vanguard Tax-Managed Intl Adm (VTMGX)-8.49%
Homestead Value (HOVLX)-9.03%
iShares MSCI Italy Capped (EWI)-9.44%
Bond Funds1mo %
Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities (VMBS)-0.57%
[Benchmark] Vanguard Total Bond Index (VBMFX)-0.73%
SPDR Barclays Intl. Treasury (BWX)-1.65%
Dodge & Cox Global Bond Fund (DODLX)-1.77%
Vanguard Long-Term Bond Index ETF (BLV)-3.22%
Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury (EDV)-4.61%
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