Although at the same time: US home sales in 2024 fell to the lowest level in nearly 30 years as prices, and mortgages, soar https://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-home-sales-2024-fell-150158468.html TAKE YOUR PICK.....as to this post and the prior post.
Talking about the SP500: Vanguard’s S&P 500 Fund Is About to Become World’s Largest ETF https://finance.yahoo.com/news/vanguard-p-500-fund-become-132929244.html "Nearly $18 billion has flowed into Vanguard’s S&P 500 ETF (ticker VOO) in the opening days of 2025 — more than five times the amount attracted by the closest runner-up — after breaking the record for annual inflows last year with a $116 billion haul, data compiled by Bloomberg show. Assets in the fund have ballooned to $626 billion, putting it on the cusp of eclipsing the $637 billion SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) — currently the world’s largest ETF."
We have now turned red in all the averages. BUt....this is the basic markets this week and today. S&P 500 touches new record, heads for second big weekly gain in a row https://www.cnbc.com/2025/01/23/stock-market-today-live-updates.html (BOLD is my opinion OR what I consider important content) "The S&P 500 reached new records on Friday as optimism around the start of President Donald Trump’s term continued. The benchmark traded around flat after hitting a fresh intraday record in the session. The Nasdaq Composite also flickered around its flatline. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 100 points, or 0.2%. Excitement toward Trump’s pro-business policies pushed risk assets higher this week with investors focused on his inauguration. Traders were also relieved that there have only been threats on the tariff front from Trump — instead of formal action — during his first few days in the White House. All three major averages are on track to post their second positive week, signaling the bull market is back in full force after December’s pullback. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq have each risen around 2% week to date, while the Dow climbed 2.2% Friday’s action comes after Trump said on Thursday that he would “demand that interest rates drop immediately” when addressing world leaders in Davos, Switzerland. The president also said he would ask Saudi Arabia and other OPEC nations to lower the price of oil. In addition to hitting an all-time intraday high, the S&P 500 also closed at a record on Thursday following those comments. That means the market has completely erased losses recorded during December’s slump. “So far, markets have reacted to every statement made by the President, even those that should not have any impact,” said Mark Malek, chief investment officer at Siebert. “This shows that traders have not yet settled into their pace.” Novo Nordisk rallied more than 7% following positive early-stage results for a weight-loss drug. Texas Instruments, on the other hand, slid more than 4% on weak earnings guidance. Investors are also gearing up for next week, where attention will turn to big technology earnings and the Federal Reserve meeting." MY COMMENT How quickly we recovered from the dismal markets of the past 3 weeks. I believe I was at a new ALL TIME HIGH yesterday. Celebrating the short term.....as a long term investor.
The markets have flipped....RED. And I can see from the ticker that I have also flipped red....since I now only have three stocks that are up. Lets hope it is just the mid morning weakness....that we often see after a big gain day....as profit takers swoop in. What it is.....it is. EVERYTHING in the short term....is just NOISE.
TireSmoke mentioned previously being in a Blackrock Target Date Fund. I was just looking at the Blackrock target date fund for 2060. For people that have about 35 years till retirement. In other words people that are about age....25 to 30. Equity in fund...about 84%. BUT......one year return....+20.84%. Five year return.....+9.96%. For comparison the SP500 five year return.....+85.57%. Return over the entire life of the fund...+11.77%. INSANE in my view. The fund holds......about 35%....in international stocks. CRAZY in my view. https://www.morningstar.com/funds/xnas/lizkx/performance Anyone on here own any Target Date Funds? What has your experience been like and are you still in the Fund? Positives? Negatives?
Hi everybody, Im sorry for this late reply, I was work travelling abroad and not much time to answer, I try to keep an eye here when I can late at night, but not much availability to type. In Portugal investing for common people is buying property, RE in fact, same way as Strathmore explained in Croatia. Very, very similar pattern! Plan B is holding money in bank accounts, but typically loosing money, because normal interest paid (180 days, 1 year etc) is lower than inflation. It is not surprising, financial literacy is very poor. People simply dont know, but salary packages are weak, savings not expressive so these themes are not on top of people priorities. Most people I know with some financial strenght simply dont invest in stock market. They dont know, they are afraid, they had bad experience so they keep beeing extremly conservative.
Thanks RG....I had no idea that Real Property was so big in Europe. It also sounds like few people there invest in the markets. I am surprised. This is why it is nice to be able to ask people that live in different countries. Anyone else in any other countries?
I ended with a medium size loss today....no hope for a gain. I also got beat by the SP500 by......1.02%. BUMMER.
BUT....in spite of the losses today it was still a very good week. I had a definite gain this week....(see below). Here is the week that was: DOW year to date +4.79% DOW five days +2.57% SP500 year to date +3.97% SP500 five days +1.77% NASDAQ 100 year to date +3.80% NASDAQ 100 five days +1.29% NASDAQ year to date +3.49% NASDAQ five days +1.52% RUSSELL year to date +3.41% RUSSELL five days +1.14% As for me.....I had a good gain in my year to date this week. last week my entire portfolio was at.....+1.46%....year to date. At the close today my entire portfolio was at a year to date gain of.....+3.84%. Starting to build up a bit of a cushion....if we can keep things rolling along.
