Out of the 7,500 separate mutual funds available, and with 22,000 shares classes to choose from, only 1 fund - just ONE fund - actually managed to achieve a greater percentage return than gold bullion since the alarm bells rang out at the turn of 2007! [That being said, are you still one of the 99% of investors who, for whatever reason (are you foolishly listening to the "advice" provided by your stock broker/securities salesman going under the guise of a financial "advisor"), is still without any physical gold or silver?] Words: 395

Constructing a portfolio for the retirement years requires one to focus on portfolio risk or uncertainty while not neglecting return. If the portfolio asset allocation plan is too conservative, the return will not meet lifestyle expectations. Inflation is again on the rise and this needs to be taken into consideration when putting together a retirement oriented portfolio. Below is a combination of index ETFs that project respectable returns while holding down portfolio volatility. Words: 455

The average annual equity return for individual investors has been 60-65% less ( 6-7 percentage points less), over a twenty year period, than the performance of the indices that everyone assumes reflect investor returns! In spite of such a dramatic under-performance that fact is being ignored because it is not useful to academics or investment companies - but I would think it is of interest to YOU! Words: 729

There are many legitimate reasons to trade in gold and its derivatives. Gold has been proven time and time again to be an excellent “safe haven” investment, a holding that will appreciate in value during times of economic uncertainty. As such, gold may offer some valuable hedging and diversification benefits for a long-term portfolio. A number of exchange-traded products offering exposure to gold prices but not all gold ETFs are created equal. Here’s a quick rundown of factors to consider when making an investment in a gold ETF. Words: 1268

The most common misunderstandings regarding the primary gold ETF, SPDR Gold Trust (NYSE:GLD) is that it buys and sells gold. That is not the case. It is just a paper asset. It is not a way to buy gold and have someone else store your holdings for you. It is just an innovative way to “own gold.” [Below I outline more of just what GLD is and is not:] Words: 1470

I have always been leery of the two big exchange traded funds, SLV and GLD, because they lease the gold and silver that they sell you. I much prefer the ETFs SGOL, CEF, PSVL and PHYS which actually own the gold and silver they sell you and store it for you segregated vaults. Words: 717

We are in a "new normal" environment with a future of low returns and high volatility. The Fed is pledging to keep short-term interest rates near zero through mid-2013. [Nevertheless,] in this low-yield world, there are still plenty of large ETFs offering yields higher than the 10Year Treasuries. [Let me explain in detail below.] Words: 723