Stock Market

[ExPatriatePen]

Freaking Incompetent Idiots... sorry I just had to vent.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/100968086

[columbia]

I'm sure Bill Gross will use this as ammunition for just buying bonds.

[ExPatriatePen]

Freaking Incompetent Idiots... sorry I just had to vent.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/100968086

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/2 ... r=Business

Late Thursday Nasdaq identified the problem as a "connectivity issue between an exchange participant and the SIP," or Securities Information Processor - essentially the system that receives all traffic on quotes and orders for stocks on the exchange.

This problem "led to degradation in the ability of the SIP to disseminate consolidated quotes and trades," Nasdaq said in a statement. "The cause of the issue has been identified and addressed."

NO EXCUSE for this. NONE.

I'm personally aware of the tools and technologies that are in use down there and I'm both Shocked and Appalled that it could have happened.

[Pitt87]

Freaking Incompetent Idiots... sorry I just had to vent.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/100968086

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/2 ... r=Business

Late Thursday Nasdaq identified the problem as a "connectivity issue between an exchange participant and the SIP," or Securities Information Processor - essentially the system that receives all traffic on quotes and orders for stocks on the exchange.

This problem "led to degradation in the ability of the SIP to disseminate consolidated quotes and trades," Nasdaq said in a statement. "The cause of the issue has been identified and addressed."

NO EXCUSE for this. NONE.

I'm personally aware of the tools and technologies that are in use down there and I'm both Shocked and Appalled that it could have happened.

Do you happen to know how many redundancies they use for stuff like this? I work for a company that operates a network not unlike this one, and we're redundant like crazy to maintain availability.

[ExPatriatePen]

Redundancy doesn't matter if you "black hole" a route to that IP/Subnet. Think about it (sorry for the shoptalk to those who don't speak geek).

And yes, I have very specific knowledge of this particular network, but I can't share it. (I found out last night that they're one of our customers and that I could very easily be 'tapped' to help triage and fortify their environment).

[columbia]

Target-Date Funds Add Stamps to Their Passports
Morningstar research shows increased allocations to foreign markets in target-date funds.
http://news.morningstar.com/articlenet/ ... ?id=609789

I have 20% of my equities in an international fund.......hmmmm.

[KennyTheKangaroo]

any thoughts on emerging market bonds?

[columbia]

any thoughts on emerging market bonds?

Emerging or international in general?

The Vanguard portfolios now have 20% of their bond holdings in the Total International Bond Fund.

[columbia]

Some good - as usual - stay the course advice from Jack Bogle:
http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?play=1&video=3000198866

[Tomas]

Some good - as usual - stay the course advice from Jack Bogle:
http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?play=1&video=3000198866

Straight from LGP on my course website - thanks for posting it (or Muchas gracias, because it's a course for my Panama audience)!

[JeffDFD]

Anyone surprised at how easily the markets have shrugged off the shutdown so far? Looks like everyone is tired of the crap politicians pull. I wonder if things go a lot longer if anything will react...then there is the whole debt ceiling coming up as well.

[columbia]

Know-nothing investors outperform know-somethings

While the perception of most investors is that increased access to information leads to superior results, there is a whole body of research showing that well-informed, professional investors -- specifically, actively managed mutual funds and hedge funds -- underperform investors who accept the fact that they don't possess value-relevant information, and thus accept market returns by investing in index funds and other passively managed vehicles. The evidence shows that investors in actively managed funds are net losers because of the high costs (expense ratios, trading costs, and for taxable accounts, taxes).

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505123_162- ... omethings/


It's important to always remember the above, IMO.

[Troy Loney]

I work for a bank and have my mutual fund through their investment group. I don't have to pay any fees....if i didn't have that option i'm not sure what i'd do with my money. Probably look into some small time investment real estate.

[columbia]

Any of yinz using HSA's as a back door way to get more tax deferred investment space?

[ExPatriatePen]

Any of yinz using HSA's as a back door way to get more tax deferred investment space?

They're great if you know that you're going to have the expenses.

Remember, any unused amount is forfeited though.

I know a CPA/CFP who swears the way to work the HSA's is to sign up every other year and try to work major dental, eyecare and other routine maintenance on a 24 month rotation, if possible.

IMHO it makes less sense for singles than families, having said that I normally sign up for a nominal amount that I'm sure I'll use.

[columbia]

Any of yinz using HSA's as a back door way to get more tax deferred investment space?

Remember, any unused amount is forfeited though.

That's always been my understanding but this implies otherwise:
http://www.vanguard.com/us/whatweoffer/ ... lthsavings

The in year thing might be for flex accounts?

[King Sid the Great 87]

Flex spending laws were just changed to allow roll over of $500 into the next year. It is up to your employer to decide if they want to do that or stick with the three month extension.

Fun fact I learned when changing companies: if you have been reimbursed for more than you put in year-to-date and you quit your job, you don't have to pay it back. The rest of the tax paying world must foot the bill on that one.

[ExPatriatePen]

Flex spending laws were just changed to allow roll over of $500 into the next year. It is up to your employer to decide if they want to do that or stick with the three month extension.

Fun fact I learned when changing companies: if you have been reimbursed for more than you put in year-to-date and you quit your job, you don't have to pay it back. The rest of the tax paying world must foot the bill on that one.

I didn't know about the $500 dollar rollover. That's interesting.

[columbia]

Bait for Tomas to come out of the woodwork....

1970 - October 2013

Efficient Frontier:


Sharpe Ratio:



Comments?

Spoiler:

I'm at 70/30 US/International for stocks.

[mikey287]

Of negligible interest...

Going through an old box, I found that my father has a stock certificate of 4000 shares of a company called "Sequential Information Systems, Inc." from July 1984.

In the googlization of the situation, I found that the company defrauded a fair number of people: http://www.nj.gov/oag/newsreleases10/pr20100115a.html

Is there like a stock price history chart anywhere? I'd love to know what it was worth in its prime...just for poops and chuckles...

[KennyTheKangaroo]

call the carnegie business library @ 412-281-7141 they might be able to help you out, free of charge.

[columbia]

This somewhat sketchy source indicates that Sequential Information Systems, Inc. eventually morphed into Sagemark Companies, Ltd:
http://investorshangout.com/post/101941 ... Overview-S

It looks like the stock peaked at $35 in 1995:
http://www.morningstar.com/invest/stock ... s-ltd.html

[mikey287]

Certainly my lack of knowledge of stocks will show here...there's no chance that 4000 shares = $140,000, right? That's not how that works, right?

[columbia]

Assuming we're on the right trail (and that's somewhat questionable).....yes.

[mikey287]

Hmph...well...that's certainly, uh, interesting...excuse me, I have to throw up.