SPDR DB International Government Inflation-Protected Bond ETF (WIP)

All Comments on WIP

  • commenter
    bearishwhena
    ppropriate
    May 23 02:53 PM
    The White Elephant That Could Destroy Your Portfolio, Part I [view article]
    Is there no way for us citizens to effectively convey to Washington folks-in-charge that if they don't start measuring and reporting inflation accurately, and quit such baldfaced lying, they're risking a revolt, perhaps a modern reenactment of the Boston Tea Party? Reply
  • commenter
    TechWatch
    May 22 10:31 PM
    My Website
    Where Are India’s Innovative Companies, Products and Solutions? [view article]
    Very well analyzed. What the valley did for US, something like that in India will help. Access to funds (and rich people interested in investing), brains, and supportive (non intrusive) government policies. Bangalore was touted as the valley, and to an extent it did happen. Wait for the next wave! A lot of innovative ideas are there - it's just that the funds and ideas don't meet easily in India's business ecosystem.

    techwatch.reviewk.com/
     Reply
  • commenter
    Jimbo
    May 21 01:03 PM
    Inflation Protection Ideas [view article]
    I have a great deal of respect for Mr. Nusbaum and his astute judgments. However, I support the observation of Mr. Fredrickson(noted above) regarding the wisdom of investing in TIPS. My wife and I put a significant amount of our savings in Vanguard TIPS a few years ago. We have begun exiting our position because I believe the government is not keeping honest books on inflation. Our currency is being flown into the ground to bail out big money center banks who conducted themselves unethically and foolishly. Thus, the game is rigged against the little guy. Reply
  • commenter
    notsosmart
    May 21 09:15 AM
    My Website
    Inflation Protection Ideas [view article]
    as long as the govt. or anyone else with an agenda is in the numbers game there is very little you can do.fredrickson is so right. to the best of your ability you have to rely on yourself.the average u.s. citizen did not cause the '29 crash. the average hardworking employee @ enron,bear stern,etc did not cause the collapse.sadly,this will be the case more & more. Reply
  • commenter
    David Lentz
    May 20 06:14 PM
    Inflation Protection Ideas [view article]
    Roger, I think you should have put that last paragraph in all-caps.

    People often get so caught up in hedging, or positioning to take advantage of a recession or downturn (a difficult thing to do), that they forget that the goal in managing an investment portfolio is not merely to avoid shrinking it (although that is VERY important), but to grow it over time.

    Choosing the risks to take and positioning a portfolio for a brighter future has got to be the goal, and downside protection merely a strategy to avoid the avoidable losses. Downside protection never grew a portfolio to the sky.     Reply
  • commenter
    David Lentz
    May 20 06:07 PM
    Inflation Protection Ideas [view article]
    The Powershares downside dollar ETF (UDN) looks a lot better than either TIP or WIP when I throw them up in comparison to GLD.

    It is designed to replicate the performance of being short the US Dollar against the following currencies: Euro, Japanese Yen, British Pound, Canadian Dollar, Swedish Krona and Swiss Franc.

    That would seem to be a good way to avoid the effects of government fiddling with the CPI.     Reply
  • commenter
    J.
    Fredrickson
    May 20 02:50 PM
    Inflation Protection Ideas [view article]
    The problem with TIPS is the government provided inflation data has been manipulated to the point where it will always underestimate true inflation. So, if true inflation is at 8% and the government says it is at 3%, the TIPS really don't provide protection from the real inflation, the government doesn't have to pay out as much because of the bias number and the general public believes that inflation is tame while seeing their earnings taxed a second time. I am cautious of TIPS for this reason. Reply
  • commenter
    Ravindra
    Neriyanuri
    May 20 02:16 PM
    Where Are India’s Innovative Companies, Products and Solutions? [view article]
    Three things why innovation seems missing:
    1. We like doing what is being told (could be due to our culture). That's the reason we have great service companies (Infosys, Wipro, etc) and the customer should pay for us to think. Innovation should not be about volume or margins
    2. Inability to take risk.
    3. Innovation comes from within, not from market demand or competition. It comes from passion, a burning desire to be original, simple, useful and commitment to quality     Reply
  • commenter
    bjlchem
    May 20 11:58 AM
    Where Are India’s Innovative Companies, Products and Solutions? [view article]
    The idea of customer sservice needs to enter the Indian psyche. No matter where you go, banks, cell phone rentals,railways, Income tax dept., airlines etc the lack of decent customer service is missing. Even my chartered accountant shoows a total lack of customer service. Everybody is looking for a quick buck without any sense of obligation. In India there is a total lack of need to service the customer promptly with efficiency. A simple thing like an income tax refund is unheard of. Lets not get too sophisticated but look at simple things in daily life. Reply
  • commenter
    samiam
    May 17 11:06 AM
    Where Are India’s Innovative Companies, Products and Solutions? [view article]
    Mr.Fidelman hit the nail right on the head. Present day India is lacking infrastructure of every kind, not the innovators. In my opinion overall there are only two countries where innovations took place in this world, India in the east (where man truly became civilized) from ancient times till about 800 years ago, and Germany in the west, in modern times. Every one else copied from these two innovating countries, and interestingly neither country gets the credit. Since Muslims started invading India and then the British, it went downhill, from a wealthiest nation to the poorest one. British left the country with poverty and under development, they only cared about taking as much wealth from India to Britain as soon as possible.
    Hindu majority is ruling all of democratic India again, this has not happened since 800-1000 years. India is on the rise again. As soon as the infrastructure is in place, world will once again benefit from Indian inventions. World needs to solve energy and health problems; Cancer needs to be wiped out. Although Indian government is improving at the top ranks, there still exists a great amount of British left bureaucratic legacy thinking, it will take major shift in thinking to change this bad habit. Perhaps US or US companies could set up a prize fund in India, it will attract great minds and the world will benefit ultimately.
    Reply
  • commenter
    Mahi
    May 16 01:14 PM
    My Website
    Where Are India’s Innovative Companies, Products and Solutions? [view article]
    I agree to most of the analysis, but I skeptical about amount the role IP protection can play in this scenario. But one thing thats plays a major role is retaining the right talent. A innovative technology company in the making can never recover from the continuous exodus of talent for whatever reason it might happen. And I see this as bigger challenge than corruption. Reply
  • commenter
    Mukul.Singha
    l
    May 16 08:21 AM
    Where Are India’s Innovative Companies, Products and Solutions? [view article]
    Mark - I don't agree a lot of it and doesn't believe that number of patents is an indicator of Innovation. The term and concept "Innovation" can be different in different countries. "BlueLine Online" - an Innovation in United States might not be an innovation in India. Or might not be relevant in India at this point of time. I don't think it's lack of Venture Capital or Government Support. At lot of places market is not present in business models, which are proven in United States. Let me put some of the Innovation in India and some of these are almost irrelevant in US.

    1.) SKS Microfinance - Microfinance business to lend amount as small as $100 to Individuals. AND MAKING MONEY - lot of VC money has gone into such companies. No bank in United States can work at such low levels of credit.

    2.) Oxigen - It's a chain of kiosks and retail stores which are used to collect cash from individuals and deliver services like Bus Tickets, Train Tickets, Utility Bills etc - India is a cash economy and internet penetration is less. It's an innovation in Business Model and Microsoft has invested in it.

    3.) mChek/Paymate - You can pay your utility bills, transfer money, top up pre paid card using mobile on a SMS. India has low GPRS connectivity and people love SMS. Totally irrelevant for US

    And there are many more which can't be thought by western thinkers. Does it mean that West lacks innovation? I suppose not. My small message is that Innovation is depended on user needs. And there are challenges I agree. India is very young on Angel Investing/ Venture Capital etc etc. But definition of innovation is different in Indian contest.

    Regards,
    Mukul Singhal
    Canaan Partners
     Reply
  • commenter
    sinha
    May 15 11:42 PM
    My Website
    Where Are India’s Innovative Companies, Products and Solutions? [view article]
    Well, your stats regarding patents is slighly outdated - the number has grown by 8X (www.pluggd.in/2008/04/...)

    Interesting products are happening out of india (e.g. Zoho), just that they aren't big in number and don't have a global appeal (probably it's not even needed at this stage)     Reply
  • commenter
    Susan Sharma
    May 15 10:36 PM
    My Website
    Where Are India’s Innovative Companies, Products and Solutions? [view article]
    To make India grow in an inclusive fashion, we need more social entrepreneurs - firms engaged in sustainable social activity. These firms need not have a superlative growth pattern ( which is what VCs look for) but a balanced growth with more emphasis on the job satisfaction quotient.
    We need to develop a model where donations are not the way forward, as it seems to be globally, for any social activity. It will be great to hear the author's comment on this.     Reply
  • commenter
    Bhamy V
    Shenoy
    May 15 10:46 AM
    Where Are India’s Innovative Companies, Products and Solutions? [view article]
    Mark Fidelman has done an excellent job in terms of identifying the critical factors affecting India's development. However his recommendation based on western centric assumption of I Prize Innovation Foundation will not work. I am surprised that having stated at the beginning that India should have its own unique way of solving its problems, he goes to recommend western strategies.

    The biggest problem in my view is the non-functioing governance system because of indifference educated people who having been educated at the expense of the poor of India have either immigrated geographically like Jason whom Mark gives as an example as an innovator or those resdient Indians who have immigrated psychologically by being indifferent to Indians realities.

    Just look at number of patents of NRIs (about 45000) is more than by RIs which is about 35000. This can be used to explain the absence of innovation ecosystem and also to explain how India lost so much wealth beacsue of the brain drain.

    When robber barons like Rockefeller, Carnegie were alive, they werebusy in establishing and operating huge fchaitable oundations which contributed significantly. What have our IT sector rich enterpreurs quoted by Mark done for India? Yes they have established some charitable NGOs. But their contribtion is only at micro level and not attempted to bring about any significant policy changes which is badly required for the government to function.

    How was the revolution in communication in India which has connected millions of people? How did the cable TV net work develop in such a short time serving more than 60% of the market? How did airline industry flourish in India? How did we start getting several brands of cars (now the world famous Tata Nano) when we had to choose from just three in 80s? This was because of liberliaztion of economy brought about by policy changes. What we need is major policy changes for the invisible hand of the selfish interests of people to function for the needed innovations to take place to solve India's problems. Incidentally we should not aim for the "so called development of western countries" and we should have Indian development pardign based on our own culture of "simple living and high thinking". This is the point which has been either ignored or rejected by Mark. We should try to minimize the use of energy while meeting our minimum needs unlike the west who want to maximize the use of energy to meet the ever increasing demands based on higher GNP.

    Reply
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