JohnB

Gauging the Market’s Appetite for Risk in the Bond Market

So do high-yield bonds look attractive, then?

REITs: No Longer Over-Valued

nice trades

Bill Gross: 5 Picks for 2008 - Barron's

"corporate bonds now hold value, with spreads 5.5 points or more above Treasuries"

are you talking about High-Yield corporate bonds, specifically?

Where's the Logic Behind Sony BMG's Decision to Drop DRM?

Wow, didn't know the details behind the encouraging headlines. This is what they're actually planning? How dumb!

If this is all there is to it, it brings back memories of ATRAC, Minidisk, Memory Stick, virus-infected CDs, and other Sony missteps.

Six Calls for 2008

Great article and analysis. (despite the previous random comment :-)

The Incredible Lightness of Being (Employed)

Great advice, thanks.

International Bonding

From an investment theory viewpoint, I can see the argument for 50% of bond allocation to international. But I think now wouldn't be the best time to pile in, with the dollar having dropped quite a bit already. "Everyone knows" the dollar is in trouble, so I'm thinking contrarian.

Certainly some international allocation greater than 0% would be prudent. I'd love to see a chart of bond portfolio return vs. risk for various allocations of domestic/international... I've seen such studies for EQUITIES, and usually going from 0% to about 30% international, you are getting higher (historical) returns with less overall risk. That's a no-brainer! Beyond that, both return and risk increases, so the decision isn't so clear cut.

Subprime Crisis Claims California: Arnold to Declare Fiscal Emergency

Californians don't need to raise taxes OR cut spending! We'll raise fees on "the other guy" and issue more bonds! It's worked up to now.

The 2007 Superbowl Of Indexing

Thank you for sharing your "trip report". The conference sounds really interesting. I haven't heard of it before. Is it open to the general public? Do they post any proceedings online?

ETFs and the Little Guy: Viva la Revolución

Nice article. But, ...

You dismiss the argument that ETFs are just another way of owning mutual funds, but I think that's just what they are. You ended up comparing ER of ETFs, which are nearly all tracking indices, with average mutual funds, which are usually actively managed. So your argument is more for indexing vs. active management than ETFs vs. mutual funds.

A more apples-apples comparison would be average ERs of ETFs vs. INDEX Mutual Funds. Although on average the EFTs would still be cheaper, there is the question of brokerage commissions and then it becomes a horse race.

Junk Yield Premiums Highest in 4 Years

Thanks for the tip. Great advice!

ARM Resets to Hit the Fan in 2008 - WSJ

A definition for Ms. Bair:

Moral hazard is the prospect that a party insulated from risk may behave differently, for example, that an insured party's behaviour will be more risky than it would without the insurance. Moral hazard arises because an individual or institution does not bear the full consequences of its actions, and therefore has a tendency to act less carefully than it otherwise would, leaving another party to bear some responsibility for the consequences of those actions.

-- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

The Advantages of Asset Allocation

OK, I'll bite. :-) I'm not familiar with Managed Futures. What are some good web sites to learn about them?

Talking Turkey about Taxes for Commodities' ETFs

ETNs sound like a great way to defer tax. It's like a zero-coupon bond, but you don't have to pay tax on phantom income.

A Google Brain Drain?

looks like someone has an axe to grind!