Stock Markets
Mutual Fund Investment Basics
I spent last few days learning about mutual funds investments. I can sum up here what I have learned from different sources about the basics of these kind of investments. Mutual Funds are far better than investing in individual stocks. You should chose the later kind of investment only if you have time, energy and required level of understanding of stock markets and the underlying fundamentals.
What is a Mutual Fund?
A mutual fund is a pool of investments used to buy a large portfolio of securities that will be managed by a professional adviser. When you buy a share in a mutual fund, you effectively buy a bit of each security held in the fund’s portfolio. Mutual funds are sometimes referred to as “investment companies.” These investment companies should not be confused with investment banking companies, which raise capital for corporations and municipalities. Mutual funds, on the other hand, are “investment companies” whose shares are sold to the public and which invest the proceeds of these sales in other public companies.
Risk
Mutual funds are not risk free investments. Even investing in mutual funds whose portfolios consist only of guaranteed U.S. government bonds contains an element of risk. Before you invest in a mutual fund, be sure you completely understand the risk. When you invest in a fund, the risk of total loss is lessened due to the diversity in the portfolio, but anyone who tells you that there is no risk involved in this investment is lying.
Japan’s central bank cuts key interest rate to 0.1 percent
Is the world heading toward a zero rate policy? This question is being asked by hundreds of economists and businessmen. As evidence of deep recession is unfolding, bankers and economists are predicting that UK interest rates can hit zero any time now. The Bank of Japan’s decision to lower its key policy rate to 0.10 percent from 0.30 percent followed by US Federal Reserve Bank’s dramatic move is more proof to that fact that world is heading toward a global flat zero interest rate.
The Bank of Japan’s policy board voted 7-1 to cut the uncollateralized overnight call rate target from 0.3 percent. It was the second cut in less than two months. Japan’s interest rates have gone lower — they were effectively at zero from 2001 to 2006. TOMOKO A. HOSAKA of AFP reports
“The BOJ is in a similar situation to the Fed — the policy rate is down to a critical point, and policy conduct will inevitably shift to full-blooded quantitative easing,” said Tetsufumi Yamakawa, chief Japan economist for Goldman Sachs.
Fed Cuts Rates by 50 Basis Points: Can It Go Below One Percent
Moments Ago Fed Funds Rate was cut to down to 1.00% bringing it down 50 basis points. It was expected as 25 basis was too low and 75 basis points were thought as too high.
This new kind of pushed Fed into corner. It is running out of Monetary options. few fiscal tools are left. It is very unlikely that Fed will lower the rates below One Percent. but some sources says that this option is still on tables. we did an article on Zero interest rate a few days back.
We at FLR don’t think that Fed cutting rate will ease the credit market. The current problem is about stinking balance sheets. Govt Bail outs Or Easy Credit from Fed can not do any thing but to inflate them by putting either equity or credit on these balance sheets. It does not take away the stink from the balance sheet. The problem with liquidity of commercial paper will not be solved unless all those toxic assets like sub prime credit are removed from them.
DOW and S&P 500 took a dip after rate cut. and 10 year bond yields rallied upwards….. watch Bloomberg for more details.
New Economic Reality Changes Financial Language
New economic realities brings its own dictionary. Your Money Mogul listed new meanings of old financial terms. Forget the losses you made and enjoy yourself.
CEO — Chief Embezzlement Officer.
CFO — Corporate Fraud Officer.
BULL MARKET — A random market movement causing an investor to mistake himself for a financial genius.
BEAR MARKET — A 6 to 18 month period when the kids get no allowance, the wife gets no jewelry, and the husband gets no sex.
VALUE INVESTING — The art of buying low and selling lower.
P/E RATIO — The percentage of investors wetting their pants as the market keeps crashing.
BROKER — What my broker has made me.
STANDARD & POOR — Your life in a nutshell.
