A reference in another (SOTU) thread brought this to mind. For those of you with investments (stocks, 401(k), mutual funds and the like), how have they been performing recently? I have a VERY small 401(k) that has been going great guns recently. Mix of large, mid and small caps and a smattering of bonds.

 

Just curious. And I honestly don't know enough about economics to know WHY they've done so well recently.

My Apple stock is down from the all-time high but I'm still long on it.

 

Had a lot of success with Amazon and Netflix. An oil drilling company has done well.

 

2013 was a great year for the stock market.

My 401(k) brought about a 23.49% return in 2013. Has had a very small loss thus far in 2014.

I'm not good on how to read my 401k yet, but between my statement in September 2013 and when I checked my balance last night, it had grown almost $2,000.

A reference in another (SOTU) thread brought this to mind. For those of you with investments (stocks, 401(k), mutual funds and the like), how have they been performing recently? I have a VERY small 401(k) that has been going great guns recently. Mix of large, mid and small caps and a smattering of bonds.

 

Just curious. And I honestly don't know enough about economics to know WHY they've done so well recently.

 

I don't know much about that type of thing either, but I do know that I have two friends who are both very successful financial advisers. They are both on opposite sides of the political spectrum from each other, but both told me (separate of one another) that they are selling as much of their stocks as possible because "it's overpriced" and they seem to think the bubble is getting ready to burst. They both are buying gold instead.

 

 

One of them emailed me these two links, as well. He said the web articles oversimplify things a good deal, but are still on point as far as their messages are concerned.

 

Fund Manager Market Opinions | Short Side of Long

 

Bubble Watch: Ridiculous Stock Values Edition

I'm not good on how to read my 401k yet, but between my statement in September 2013 and when I checked my balance last night, it had grown almost $2,000.

 

$2,000 increase is really good if the previous balance was $10k. Not as good if the previous balance was $200k. Good news is it didn't go down.

I was hearing yesterday that we are due for a correction. They mentioned the market had been rising for 2 and a half years and a ten percent correction would not be out of the norm. That would mean losing 1600 on the DOW. I pretty much watch my mix and re-set it as needed. Did very well last year and am ok so far this year.

My 401k had a return of 26.28% for 2013. However, year to date so far it is down just over 2%.

My stocks were up 33% for the year of 2013.

Trying to time it right as to when to sell a small portion of my stocks (non-401k related). Using a small amount to help cover costs of my wedding later this year, and am trying to maximize the money I'm getting, while minimizing the shares I sell. I hate trying to "play the game". :lol2:

In terms of stocks, mine increased slightly over 10% for 2013.

 

I believe that I recommended Starbucks to BGP in May 2013 (which is when I purchased it). It finished up 13.51% from my purchase date through 2013 & is currently up over 14% (despite a loss today).

I don't know much about that type of thing either, but I do know that I have two friends who are both very successful financial advisers. They are both on opposite sides of the political spectrum from each other, but both told me (separate of one another) that they are selling as much of their stocks as possible because "it's overpriced" and they seem to think the bubble is getting ready to burst. They both are buying gold instead.

 

 

I owned GLD several years ago & it performed VERY, VERY well. I sold it & made a nice profit. It has continued to rise.

I'm in it for the long haul, so when the market crashed several years ago, I made it a point of emphasis to focus on stocks with dividends & other "high quality" stocks, most notably Procter & Gamble.

I owned GLD several years ago & it performed VERY, VERY well. I sold it & made a nice profit. It has continued to rise.

 

The challenge with gold is guessing what interest rates are going to do. Gold got killed last year when interest rates rose as a result of a decrease in quantitative easing(govt buying long-term treasuries). As a rule I find other alternatives.

Roth IRA got about 27% in 2013.