Investment Articles

There are a lot of different investment products available for people with different investment needs. Fund managers and firms offering financial services offer a diverse array of investment options that would suit each individual’s investment needs. These products range from the more conservative, fixed-earnings investments to the more aggressive ventures such as stocks and everything else in between. Choosing from the different investment options can be overwhelming for first time investors, but luckily, there are ways to determine which of the many investment products can be a suitable choice.

Be Aware of Your Financial Status

When choosing investment products, there are a lot of things that you have to consider. One of them is how much money you have to invest and how long you intend to invest for. Some investment options allow you make regular contributions, while others require you to put in the lump sum. As for the duration of your investments, a lot of investment portfolios tie your money up for a specific period of time. Some of them allow you to terminate your investment early, but a penalty or termination fee is charged. If you feel that you would need to access your money in the near future, you should choose one that allows you to withdraw your funds anytime you want without having to pay a fee.

Know Your Risk Profile

An investor’s risk profile is also important. A person’s risk profile measures how much of a risk an individual is willing to take with his money. Fund managers often ask their clients to answer a questionnaire to determine their risk profile before recommending anything. This way, they would know whether the investor is willing to go along with the ups and downs of the stock market or whether a low-risk, fixed income investment is a better choice. It’s not advisable to jump into an investment without first assessing your risk profile because this could leave you with the unnecessary stress of worrying about the risks of your investment. Knowing your limitations before placing your money in an investment portfolio would help you sleep better at night while your money is working for you.

Investment portfolios aren’t one-size-fits-all. Some investments may be good for certain people, but yield disastrous results for others. It is important that we are well-informed about our options to be able to make sound financial decisions. If you’re still unsure about where and how much to invest, it is best to consult a financial adviser for advice and information about the different investment products available.

If the Federal Reserve has its way, the U.S. will experience rapid inflation in the coming months/years. The Fed believes it’s easier to tame inflation rather than try and control the consequences of deflation. Historically low interest rates, quantitative easing 1 and 2, and a firm commitment to keep interest rates low for an extended period are all fuel for inflation, and a subsequent debasing of the U.S. dollar. While a weak U.S. dollar helps manage America’s burgeoning trade deficit and benefits American exporters, it makes foreign goods more expensive. Although inflation is perceived as negative, investors should know that moderate inflation is actually healthy for the economy. The alternative is deflation – prices decline and consumers put off buying goods in anticipation of lower prices. Japan experienced a devastating bout of deflation in the 1990s.

So,

1. Include commodities in your investment portfolio.

Most people think of commodities as just gold and oil; in fact, commodities encompass two broad categories: hard and soft. Hard commodities are those that are mined and include gold, silver, platinum, etc.; while soft commodities are those that are grown and include wheat, sugar, coffee, etc. Commodities are good inflation hedges because their prices do not move in tandem with the market (low correlation) and because commodities are consumed items; as the general cost of living increases – inflation, so does the price of soft commodities. Commodities are more volatile than traditional equities and have a higher expected return, but their low correlation with other assets make them an excellent diversifier in an overall portfolio.

2. Invest in foreign denominated fixed income (bonds).

Fixed income has long been used to minimize portfolio risk, especially when equities sharply decline in value. Investors who held a portion of their investments in U.S. Treasuries during the Great Recession saw their wealth decline less than those who were invested entirely in equities. However, with U.S. Treasury yields at historical lows and the risk of inflation eroding fixed income, investors would be well served looking overseas, especially emerging markets, for fixed income opportunities. By investing in foreign denominated debt, investors can not only benefit from a higher coupon, but they can also benefit from a weakening U.S. dollar. If the U.S. dollar declines, the interest earned on a foreign bond is translated from the foreign currency back to the U.S. dollar at a more favorable rate.

3. Invest in Treasury Inflation Protection Securities (TIPS) issued by the U.S. Treasury.

TIPS offer inflation protection because their interest payments are indexed to inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index, and pay more interest when inflation increases and less when there is deflation. TIPS can be purchased directly through Treasury Direct or through mutual funds and Exchange Traded Funds. Although TIPS protect investors from inflation, investors should not allocate their entire fixed income portfolio to TIPS because if inflation is benign, TIPS will actually underperform traditional fixed income investments. This incongruent movement in price is actually what makes TIPS an appealing addition to any portfolio.

There are many more ways to protect against a falling US dollar such as buying foreign currency, trading currency futures contracts, and/or opening a foreign denominated bank account. However, while still effective, such tactics are much riskier and costly. If the Fed is successful, the above-mentioned strategies will help hedge a portfolio from inflation.

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Individuals seeking to invest may learn a great deal of the basics from discount brokers. More advanced traders should probably consult experts for help. However, educational portals on discount broker websites will provide a wealth of information regarding investing. Through online centers, beginning investors may find a wealth of information regarding mutual funds, exchange traded funds, bonds, CDs and other investment options.

While the information is not in depth, some discount trading brokers will not only teach you about investing, but also how to use the online tools to make educated decisions about investing. These tools allow individuals to invest based upon research rather than feelings. We will explore some of the basics that may be taught through an online discount broker in this article.

Mutual Funds

A mutual fund consists of a diverse group of top performing investments that include stocks, bonds and other securities. Each investor will purchase shares of the mutual funds based upon its past performance. This is typically a safe investment. As long as the gains outweigh the losses, investors will receive a profit. These types of funds are desirable for investors who lack the time to develop a diverse portfolio as is recommended when investing. Individuals who invest in mutual funds will all receive a portion of the capital gains from the fund. Therefore, the investor will not be alone in the chosen investment. The fees associated with acquiring mutual funds are usually higher than stocks.

Exchange Traded Funds

Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) may be traded like a stock. However, they are more akin to an index fund. They may be purchased or sold at any time of the day. Their prices fluctuate throughout the day similar to stock prices. A broker’s assistance is typically a requirement for the purchase of an ETF. Investors prefer these types of investments because of their tax benefits. Since no capital gains will be acquired from the fund, individuals are not responsible for capital gains taxes.

Many of the ETFs span the entire S&P 500 index. Therefore, investors receive optimal portfolio diversification. Investors prefer ETFs because they have lower maintenance fees than other investments. There are also no minimum investments required to purchase an ETF.

Stocks

Stocks are one of the most volatile investments and will yield the most return on investment over time. When stocks rise in value, investors profit from the rise of the price. Investors are paid a portion of the company’s earnings when they buy shares of the stock and the company earns. Some investors tend to invest in stocks that have performed well historically. Other individuals invest in stocks that have the potential to perform well. These stocks often will exhibit the largest gains over time.

Bonds

Fixed income securities, such as bonds, are designed to generate a steady payment throughout the investment. Investors will receive a fixed periodic payment from a bond or a Certificate of Deposit (CD). Bonds are ways to raise capital through government issues IOUs. Bonds promise the investor a particular payment of interest on a particular date. At the maturation date of the bond, the investor will receive the specified amount of interest on the amount invested.

For instance, if an investor invests $3000 at an interest rate of 10%, he or she can expect to receive $300 per year annually until the bond reaches maturation. Bonds are among the safest investments of any of the options. Individuals can invest in U.S. Treasuries, municipal bonds, agency bonds or corporate bonds if they are seeking a fixed income investment.

Summary

These investment options are just a few of the strategies that discount brokers will discuss. In addition, investors will learn about charts, graphs and other tools that are available to determine entry points into the market and exit points out of the market. Investors may learn about Candlestick Charts, Bar Graphs, Fibonacci indicators and other predictors of security behaviors within the market. Investors will also learn the essentials of using these charts to predict when the price of the security will change in either direction. Mathematical calculations, as well as, algorithms are incorporated into these tools to give precise predictions of the performance of securities. Some companies will offer simulations to try several techniques before using them in an actual scenario.

Gracie Hyde writes out of New York about different personal finance tips, including how to find the best discount brokers online. Always looking for the most favorable investing options, she tends to end up planning her finances at http://www.firstrade.com/public/en_us/pricing/ more often than not.

Fixed income investing is a great way to protect your principal while making a steady income from your money. Most fixed income investments consists of an agreement for money to be held by the issuer for a period of time, during which regular interest payments are made to the holder until the time of maturity. The following are 3 of the most common types of fixed income investments.

First, the safest form of fixed income investment is a Certificate of Deposit (CD). These are the safest because they are insured by the FDIC, and are essentially risk-free. Due to their risk-free nature, the return isn’t quite as high as other forms of investments, but at least you know your income is protected. When you purchase a CD an interest rate, and time period are agreed upon. Rather than paying interest payments regularly, you generally wait until a CD has fully matured before withdrawing your initial principal along with any interest accrued.

Another type of fixed investment are Bonds. With a bond, the holder is essentially loaning the issuer money, where the issuer is a government or a company. Bonds assume a range of risk, depending on who is backing the bond. Obviously, U.S. Treasury Bonds are the considered safest, while company backed bonds can vary depending upon the financial health of the company. This additional risk means a potentially greater reward. These investments pay out regularly, and the interval, as well as interest rate are determined at the time the bond is purchased. At maturity, the principal is returned to the holder.

Finally, a Bond Fund is a type of fund that invests in the bond market. The funds can either be exchange traded funds, or mutual funds. These funds seek to squeeze as much out of the low risk/low reward bond market as possible by diversifying their assets into multiple types of bonds. As an individual investor, you could attempt to do this, but the expense of doing so generally outweighs the resulting rewards. Bond funds are a great way to diversify without taking on the additional expenses.

If you are nearing retirement, or simply wish to retire early, fixed income investments are a great way to preserve your nest egg while maintaining a certain level of income. If you are averse to risk, then you might want to stick your money into CDs, but Bonds are reasonably safe as well. There are also other forms of fixed investments, and you should consult a financial advisor to fully explore all of your options.

The government has created record in spending which include $108 trillion in unfunded liabilities for social security, Medicare and new universal healthcare benefits. This has put the nation at risk. With the interest rates close to zero, the Federal Reserve cannot take one conventional step – reducing short-term rates – to restore the weakened economy.

In this difficult economic slump or double-dip recession, politicians – with the reluctant assistance of the Fed – could opt to spend even more massively to try to jump-start the economy. The result could be stagflation: slow growth with higher inflation.

Inflation is the curse to the debt holders. But it is a blessing to the debtors – and Uncle Sam is the biggest of them – as they can pay the fixed obligations with increasingly worthless currency.

Are you scared of rising inflation? And want to make sure better returns over inflation from your investments at minimum risk? Then Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS) may be the best investment option for you.

Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS) are also known as Treasury Inflation Index Securities and Real Return Bonds (RRB). TIPS are ’safest of the safe’. There is minimum downside risk on investing. TIPS are long-term fixed income investments protected against fluctuations in the rate of inflation.

But why use TIPS as your hedge against inflation, rather than a traditional hedge, such as precious metals? You can use both as your hedge against inflation. But always remember, precious metals like gold and silver are less than perfect hedges.

Gold and silver have performed extremely well over the last 10 years. Gold has more than quadrupled. Silver has done even better. But 20 years before that were a total disasters.

But no matter whether inflation is low or high, TIPS will protect you from the risk on your investment. How?

Here are the advantages of buying Inflation-Protected Treasuries:

Regular Interest Payments: Just like a regular Treasury bond, TIPS pay interest regularly once in six months. But unlike traditional bonds, your principal grows every year by the amount of inflation, as measured by the consumer price index (CPI). That is when inflation rate is up; value of TIPS is also increased automatically. In other words, inflation protection is available on both capital and investment. The interest paid once in every six months also increase by the amount of inflation.

Tax Benefits: The interest you receive from TIPS investments are exempted from state and local income taxes (but not federal).

TIPS are also less volatile when compared to the traditional bonds. The yield on these TIPS funds is currently about 2.5% (plus whatever inflation is going forward).

Another important reason to consider adding TIPS to your portfolio is the great portfolio diversification benefits they bring. This reduces the overall risk and / or volatility of your portfolio over time. TIPS bond yields are low or negative correlation with the performance of many other traditional investments such as stocks and regular bonds.

Rising inflation chances are good for TIPS returns, but in the short term are negative for the returns of stocks and bonds and vice versa.

TIPS can be bought in three ways:

1. Directly: You can buy TIPS directly from the U.S. Treasury or through a bank, broker, or dealer. Click on the following link to learn more about buying TIPS directly http://www.treasurydirect.gov/indiv/research/indepth/tips/res_tips_buy.htm

2. Through the Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities Fund (VIPSX).

3. Through its ETF equivalent – the iShares Barclays TIPS Bond Fund (NYSE: TIP)

Purchasing TIPS through mutual funds offer more flexibility.

There are several advantages of buying TIPS

1. TIPS are very good for long-term investments.

2. TIPS are excellent ways to diversity your portfolio which reduces total portfolio risk.

3. TIPS are government guaranteed.

4. TIPS are less volatile than traditional bonds.

5. TIPS are useful when inflation rates are expected to move up and when economy slows down.

6. Investment on TIPS requires less active investment management thus favor both beginners and experienced investors.

Some investors complain that TIPS hasn’t done anything exciting recently. This is not true. We’ve been in the control of disinflationary forces, not inflationary ones. That will not change next week or next month.

But as the deficit keeps increasing which makes people unhappy, pressure will increase on the government to “do something.” That “something” could be a decision to inflate our way out of this mess, rather than risk the kind of deflationary spiral that Japan has suffered over the past two decades.

Keep in mind that:

The Fed has already taken interest rates near to zero.
Congress has already tried a huge fiscal stimulus
The Federal Reserve has already created trillions out of thin air to mop up worthless securities.

There are chances of rise in inflation if the economy stumbles again which forces to the government to take further action, it could be even more reckless.

Some libertarians and laissez-faire capitalists will refuse to buy TIPS. But other inflation hedges sometimes don’t work. So there is no small risk taking another approach.

In total, TIPS is the only investment that guarantees a return that exceeds inflation in the years ahead. And it is in fact an essential element of your portfolio.

Hedging against inflation can be risky sometimes. Subscribe to the FREE Weekly Wealth Letter to learn strategies about Hedging against Inflation to reduce risk on your investment.

Weekly Wealth Letter is loaded with unique insights and powerful resources for wealth building through smart investing. Click on the following link to download the latest issue of the Weekly Wealth Letter and 7 amazing bonuses absolutely free: http://www.weeklywealthletter.com

The government has created record in spending which include $108 trillion in unfunded liabilities for social security, Medicare and new universal healthcare benefits. This has put the nation at risk. With the interest rates close to zero, the Federal Reserve cannot take one conventional step – reducing short-term rates – to restore the weakened economy.

In this difficult economic slump or double-dip recession, politicians – with the reluctant assistance of the Fed – could opt to spend even more massively to try to jump-start the economy. The result could be stagflation: slow growth with higher inflation.

Inflation is the curse to the debt holders. But it is a blessing to the debtors – and Uncle Sam is the biggest of them – as they can pay the fixed obligations with increasingly worthless currency.

Are you scared of rising inflation? And want to make sure better returns over inflation from your investments at minimum risk? Then Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS) may be the best investment option for you.

Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS) are also known as Treasury Inflation Index Securities and Real Return Bonds (RRB). TIPS are ’safest of the safe’. There is minimum downside risk on investing. TIPS are long-term fixed income investments protected against fluctuations in the rate of inflation.

But why use TIPS as your hedge against inflation, rather than a traditional hedge, such as precious metals? You can use both as your hedge against inflation. But always remember, precious metals like gold and silver are less than perfect hedges.

Gold and silver have performed extremely well over the last 10 years. Gold has more than quadrupled. Silver has done even better. But 20 years before that were a total disasters.

But no matter whether inflation is low or high, TIPS will protect you from the risk on your investment. How?

Here are the advantages of buying Inflation-Protected Treasuries:

Regular Interest Payments: Just like a regular Treasury bond, TIPS pay interest regularly once in six months. But unlike traditional bonds, your principal grows every year by the amount of inflation, as measured by the consumer price index (CPI). That is when inflation rate is up; value of TIPS is also increased automatically. In other words, inflation protection is available on both capital and investment. The interest paid once in every six months also increase by the amount of inflation.

Tax Benefits: The interest you receive from TIPS investments are exempted from state and local income taxes (but not federal).

TIPS are also less volatile when compared to the traditional bonds. The yield on these TIPS funds is currently about 2.5% (plus whatever inflation is going forward).

Another important reason to consider adding TIPS to your portfolio is the great portfolio diversification benefits they bring. This reduces the overall risk and / or volatility of your portfolio over time. TIPS bond yields are low or negative correlation with the performance of many other traditional investments such as stocks and regular bonds.

Rising inflation chances are good for TIPS returns, but in the short term are negative for the returns of stocks and bonds and vice versa.

TIPS can be bought in three ways:

1. Directly: You can buy TIPS directly from the U.S. Treasury or through a bank, broker, or dealer. Click on the following link to learn more about buying TIPS directly http://www.treasurydirect.gov/indiv/research/indepth/tips/res_tips_buy.htm

2. Through the Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities Fund (VIPSX).

3. Through its ETF equivalent – the iShares Barclays TIPS Bond Fund (NYSE: TIP)

Purchasing TIPS through mutual funds offer more flexibility.

There are several advantages of buying TIPS

1. TIPS are very good for long-term investments.

2. TIPS are excellent ways to diversity your portfolio which reduces total portfolio risk.

3. TIPS are government guaranteed.

4. TIPS are less volatile than traditional bonds.

5. TIPS are useful when inflation rates are expected to move up and when economy slows down.

6. Investment on TIPS requires less active investment management thus favor both beginners and experienced investors.

Some investors complain that TIPS hasn’t done anything exciting recently. This is not true. We’ve been in the control of disinflationary forces, not inflationary ones. That will not change next week or next month.

But as the deficit keeps increasing which makes people unhappy, pressure will increase on the government to “do something.” That “something” could be a decision to inflate our way out of this mess, rather than risk the kind of deflationary spiral that Japan has suffered over the past two decades.

Keep in mind that:

The Fed has already taken interest rates near to zero.
Congress has already tried a huge fiscal stimulus
The Federal Reserve has already created trillions out of thin air to mop up worthless securities.

There are chances of rise in inflation if the economy stumbles again which forces to the government to take further action, it could be even more reckless.

Some libertarians and laissez-faire capitalists will refuse to buy TIPS. But other inflation hedges sometimes don’t work. So there is no small risk taking another approach.

In total, TIPS is the only investment that guarantees a return that exceeds inflation in the years ahead. And it is in fact an essential element of your portfolio.

Hedging against inflation can be risky sometimes. Subscribe to the FREE Weekly Wealth Letter to learn strategies about Hedging against Inflation to reduce risk on your investment.

Weekly Wealth Letter is loaded with unique insights and powerful resources for wealth building through smart investing. Click on the following link to download the latest issue of the Weekly Wealth Letter and 7 amazing bonuses absolutely free: http://www.weeklywealthletter.com

If you have money that you want to optimize your rate of return or have the most gain while maintaining some diversification, where should you invest it? These are funds that you do NOT anticipate needing in the next five years or more. They may be in your IRA, your retirement account, brokerage, or other type of savings account.

In general you might invest in commodities, real estate, fixed income, or stocks.

Stocks or equities still offer tremendous upside and will probably provide higher returns than commodities, real estate, or fixed income over the next 5 years.

Fixed income is any investment where the terms of what an investor receives is fixed by a legal contract. Examples of fixed income include government bonds, bank certificates of deposit, corporate bonds, annuities, and guaranteed insurance contracts. Mutual funds that invest in fixed income instruments are NOT fixed income. They are equity shares in a managed pool of fixed income investments. There are NO guarantees of return of principal or interest payments in a bond fund. A bond fund is NOT a fixed income investment.

Does anyone think interest rates will go lower? Can the Federal Reserve set a rate lower than zero? Do you want to invest in a bull market that has been going on since 1982 which is 28 years old?

If interest rates go up, the market value of bonds will go down. If you answered no to the previous 3 questions then you probably believe at best interest rates will stay at current levels. Actually in the last year the rates on the 30, 20, 10, and 5 year bonds have all increased. It’s more likely that interest will continue to rise. The questions are for how long and how high they will go up.

As interest rates rise the market value of fixed income investments will drop. While an investor who holds their fixed income investment until maturity will receive their principal and interest under the terms of their purchase, they will suffer opportunity costs. Do you want to own a 3 year Certificate of Deposit yielding 3% when you could earn 4% on a two year Certificate of Deposit?

Fixed income is not the place to make money over the next few years. It is a great place to keep your funds for a short time because you are going to spend the money within the next 5 years or less.

Buy guarantees from qualified guarantors. I like the U.S. Government. Do not place money you expected returned to you in a specific time in a bond fund. Bond funds should be used only in rare special circumstances.

Real estate has improved in some markets. Real estate is less liquid. It is difficult to liquidate only 4% of a real estate investment. Currently there is an abundance of housing, commercial space, and raw land. Until these conditions change in the specific geographic area you are investing in real estate appreciation will be capped around the rate of inflation. I am referring to investing in real estate which is different than deciding whether to buy a home or rent a home. Buying or renting is different than investing in real estate.0

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecasts commodity prices to rise at 5.8% this year and 1.6% next year. While some traders will make good returns, they could probably do better trading futures on the equity markets.

The IMF projects World Output to grow by 3.9% in 2010 and 4.3% in 2011. The growth in World Output should drive an increase in earnings of the S&P Global 1200. The increase in earnings should drive price appreciation of at least 10% per year for the next two years. Price appreciation may be greater than 10% because the current price of the S&P Global 1200 is undervalued relative to the future net profits of its constituents.

Therefore a rational probability of attaining better than 10% per year gain in the market value of the S&P Global 1200 without any leverage exists. A greater than 10% return in equities is a better return than 2 year treasuries offered at.99% per year, commodity prices rising at 5.8% this year and 1.6% next year, or the real estate market in the United States. The real estate market is still confronted with too much supply and is likely to appreciate at less than 3% per year.

There is still a large amount of cash on the sidelines waiting for a retreat in stock prices.

In 2009 bond funds were positive on cash flows into them. In stock funds, more money was withdrawn than contributed. Money markets are paying.81% per year. These are NOT the conditions for an equity market top. These are the conditions of a bond market top!!

As the lagging mob reacts to the declining returns in their bond funds and the pain of missing the rise in equity prices, funds will move from bonds to equities. This will fuel a further rise in equity prices.

While the global stock market has made significant strides in the last 12 months up over 50% in the last 12 months, it needs to go up another 40% just to approach it’s fair value.

For investors with funds they do NOT plan on consuming over the next 5 years, I’m recommending an allocation of 98% equity and 2% cash.

For which equity investments, feel free to contact me.
Have a wonderful Day!
Dave

http://davesfavs.com/aboutus.html

In late 1981, the yield on 1-year treasury bills reached 17% and the yield on 10-year treasury bonds reached 15% – both yields proved to be the highest ever recorded in US history, and marked the beginning of a decline in market interest rates that lasted almost 3 decades. By 2009, 1-year and 10-year treasury yields bottomed at 0.3% and 2.5%, respectively. By any measure, the past 28 years represent the greatest bull market in history for fixed income securities. The magnitude of the decline in interest rates that commenced in 1982 and ended in 2009 may never be repeated in the lifetimes of anyone reading this article.

As we sit here, in early 2010, with bond yields near the lowest levels possible, it begs the question of whether or not the next 10-20 years could witness the worst bear market in bonds we’ve seen in decades…perhaps an environment reminiscent of the 1970’s. Everyone knows that rates are eventually heading higher, perhaps much higher, and interest rate risk for fixed income portfolios is equally high. Similar to an earthquake forecast in California – it’s not a question of if, it’s merely of a question of when? And much like a resident of California, any investor who owns fixed income securities needs to be aware of the attendant risk. Fixed income investors need to be mindful of the strategies that may be employed to protect a portfolio against the threat of rising interest rates.

The basic goal for most bond investors in any market environment is to construct a portfolio that satisfies certain characteristics of yield and liquidity, while having no more risk than is necessary. While there are many ways to evaluate the interest rate risk in any particular fixed income portfolio, the single most important metric that all investors must understand is duration. Although there are many different ways to measure duration, in its simplest form duration is a single number that measures time, in years, and represents the weighted-average time of receipt of all cash flows from a particular fixed income security. A long-term bond will have a higher duration than a short-term bond, and will therefore be more sensitive to changes in interest rates and have greater interest rate risk. The duration of a portfolio of bonds is simply the weighted-average duration of all its constituent holdings.

There are 4 general factors and related fixed income strategies that portfolio managers and individual investors can control to reduce the duration, and hence interest rate risk, of a bond portfolio:

1. Maturity: stated maturity of the bond

2. Coupon rate: premium or discount to market rates

3. Coupon type: fixed rate or floating rate

4. Embedded optionality

Maturity: Most investors control duration through a simple concept know as laddering. Laddering is nothing more than building a portfolio of fixed income securities with varying maturity out to some maximum point in the future, such as 10 years. For example, a $1 million laddered bond portfolio may have $100,000 worth of bonds maturing each year for the next 10 years. After one year has passed and the nearest bond has matured, the proceeds are used to repurchase a new 10-year bond, such that the overall portfolio always has 10 bonds with maturities spanning from 1 to 10 years. Assuming average credit quality and coupon rates, such a portfolio might likely have a mathematical duration of 4 years or so. Laddering isn’t a fixed income strategy, per se, but is actually a portfolio management technique: investors with laddered bond portfolios buy bonds of all maturities, from short-term to long-term, and simply accept market yields that are available at any given point in time. Nonetheless, the composite duration of the laddered portfolio may be adjusted to suit an investor’s beliefs about future bond market yields. For example, by constructing a bond ladder of shorter duration, such as from 1 to 7 years, instead of 1 to 10, investors can reduce the duration of their portfolios, and reduce their interest rate risk accordingly.

Coupon Rate: The second strategy for reducing interest rate risk in a bond portfolio focuses on bonds with high coupon rates. Bonds having coupon rates that are higher than prevailing market yields for the same credit quality are called premium coupon bonds – such coupons are at a premium to the otherwise available market yield. Premium coupon bonds have lower interest rate risk because the investor in the bond is receiving higher coupon cash flows, which reduces the duration of the bond. Said another way, if you have two otherwise identical bonds, but one pays a higher coupon rate than the other, this higher coupon bond will have a lower duration, and hence lower interest rate risk.

High yield bonds (which are higher coupon due to their lower credit quality) present an opportunity for investors to increase yield and reduce interest rate risk at the same time. Because high yield bonds have above-market coupon rates and yields to begin with, they are automatically lower in duration than otherwise equivalent-maturity investment grade bonds. Furthermore, owners of high yield bonds are likely to have an added benefit as credit spreads typically contract during an economic recovery, so owning such bonds offers the potential for both higher return and lower interest rate risk. A variation of this strategy might focus on bonds from issuers of economically-sensitive industries, such as financials, transports, natural resources, or other sector that is positioned to benefit from future economic growth.

Coupon Type: The third fixed income strategy for reducing interest rate risk in a bond portfolio focuses on the type of coupon: fixed rate versus floating rate. The entire reason why fixed income securities lose value in a rising interest rate environment is because their coupons are “fixed”. However, investors in bond markets can also invest in floating rate securities – securities that have their interest payments mathematically linked to a variable market reference rate, such as LIBOR. When short-term rates rise, the payments to investors in the floating rate securities will rise as well, providing levels of income that keep up with increases in market rates. As a result of this interest rate adjustment feature, floating rate securities have very low effective duration and consequently very little interest rate risk. Investors must be careful, however, because most floating rate debt securities are issued by non-investment grade entities, typically with significant total leverage, and thus most floating rate securities tend to have significant credit risk, similar to the high yield bond market.

Optionality: The fourth fixed income strategy for reducing the interest rate risk in a bond portfolio relies upon the existence of embedded options within a bond indenture, and specifically bonds having embedded call options (a structure that is especially common in the municipal bond market). The call option feature of a bond is the most significant characteristic that may reduce interest rate risk because it is the only feature that can actually accelerate the maturity date of a given bond. Callable bonds that have coupon rates that are higher than current market rates and trade at premiums to par value are known as “cushion bonds” – the name being derived from the fact that these bonds are not particularly sensitive to changes in interest rates; they do not appreciate very much when interest rates fall, nor do they depreciate very much when interest rates rise. Thus, these bonds can cushion, or buffer, a fixed income portfolio against the affects of changing interest rates.

In conclusion, for the investor or financial advisor concerned with the damaging consequences of rising interest rates, there are a variety of fixed income strategies that may be employed to construct defensively-positioned bond portfolios having reduced interest rate risk, while still maintaining adequate cash flow characteristics. A portfolio of relatively low maturity, premium coupon, callable bonds, along with floating-rate securities and having issuers of diverse credit quality would likely do well to provide meaningful levels of coupon payments while offering enhanced principle protection in an era of volatile and rising interest rates.

Ian McAbeer is the President of Blackhaw Wealth Management, an independent Financial Advisor providing portfolio management and investment advisory services to individuals and families, including the development and implementation of fixed income investment strategies. More information can be found at the firm’s website: http://www.blackhawwealth.com

Today, treasury bonds do not have high yields and corporate bonds are risky. There is, however, a middle tier of fixed income investments. These securities have higher yields than treasuries, but aren’t as risky as corporate bonds.

These investments fall in four categories:

1. Ginnie Mae – This government agency creates securities out of mortgages originated by federal agencies – including the Federal Housing Administration and Department of Veteran Affairs. Like treasuries, these securities are fully backed by the U.S. government. However, Ginnie Mae securities have two disadvantages over treasuries: call risk (the principal may be paid off early) and no state tax exemption. Each of these slice about a quarter point from the expected return. As a result, you should only look at Ginnie Mae securities that yield at least half a point over comparable treasury bonds.

2. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac – These quasi-federal agencies buy mortgages and package them into securities. They also can issue debt. These securities are “implicitly” backed by the U.S. government, which makes them slightly more risky than fully backed securities (like treasuries). However, it is very unlikely that the government would not bail them out.

3. FDIC Backed Bank Bonds – These are bonds that are issued by commercial banks and fully backed by the government’s Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

4. Debt Issued By The Federal Home Loan Bank or Tennessee Valley Authority – Like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Securities, these fixed income investments are implicitly (rather than fully) backed by the U.S. government. Like treasuries, they are exempt from state income tax, but they do have call risk.

These four types of securities can help you create a well-diversified and high-performing portfolio.

Over the years, Praveen Puri, a trading and financial veteran, developed a passion for simplicity, minimalism, and Eastern philosophy. He developed a pure Zen trading system. It uses no news reports, indicators, charts, or parameters to distract you from Now. They are nothing but crutches that keep you hobbling around, instead of surfing in flow with the market.

After such a tumultuous year for investors it can be helpful to come back to some basic principles.

Here are five do’s along with five don’ts that we believe are good advice at any time, but especially in the aftermath of the global financial crisis.

Let’s start with the Do’s.

1. Be cautious. Having a conservative bias makes mathematical sense. If you lose 50 percent of your capital you need to earn 100% to get back to square one. This most basic mathematical fact is justification enough for a cautious bias when investing. It is better to miss out on some upside in order to protect your capital against downside.

2. Have realistic return expectations. Over the long haul fixed income investments like deposits and bonds will return between 4% and 7%, while property and shares have averaged returns of 7% to 10% a year.

A balanced portfolio, depending on the mix of assets, might therefore be expected to deliver a return of 6% to 8% a year. After tax and inflation are deducted this return may translate into a real net return of 2% to 3% a year. Not only do returns tend to be lower than people expect, they also often end up being more volatile. Expect returns to be up and down, sometimes dramatically so. Market volatility is an unavoidable part of investing.

3. Diversify. The best way to avoid financial disaster is diversification. A wide spread of high quality investments across sectors, markets and assets is the most effective way of reducing risk. Diversify across time as well. Investing in instalments is a great way of protecting against mis-timing and buying just before a market fall.

4. Invest for income. Owning investments that pay you to own them makes sense. Bond, property and shares all produce income. Capital growth is important, but it usually follows income growth. Buy for income and growth should follow.

5. Take a disciplined approach. Setting some rules around how you will invest your portfolio, such as how much you will invest in riskier options like shares and property and how many you will look to own, is worth the effort. It gives you a roadmap on how to invest your portfolio.

And five don’ts.

1. Don’t ignore inflation. Even if inflation stays at around 2%, it still takes 10% off the spending power of your capital every 5 years. Inflation is every investor’s enemy number one. Over the long term real assets such as property and shares have proven the best protection against inflation.

2. Don’t rely on market forecasts. Humans cannot predict markets with any consistent degree of accuracy. Don’t put too much faith in them. We should spend more time ensuring our portfolios are well diversified than on trying to predict market movements.

3. Don’t buy and hold. Invest for the long term and with the intention of holding your investments for many years but, if things change, be prepared to review and alter your portfolio accordingly.

4. Don’t fall for options that appear too good to be true. At present, the return on a New Zealand government bond, the safest investment of them all, is around 5%. If you want no risk, this is the return you have to accept. Achieving any return above this level will involve taking a degree of risk. And the higher the return you aim for, the more risk you have to take. No exceptions.

5. Don’t invest in anything you don’t understand. If you find yourself struggling to understand an investment it can pay to give it a wide berth. Or at least, invest only a small amount until you learn more and get more comfortable with it.

Craigs Investment Partners Limited (formerly ABN Amro Craigs.) is an NZX Firm that was established in 1984. It is one of New Zealand’s largest and most established investment advisory firms.

Craigs Investment Partners is 100% owned by certain staff and close business associates. Services offered include: Sharebroking, Portfolio Strategy and Management, Retirement Planning and Superannuation, Investment Advisory, Custodial Services, Foreign Exchange, Asset Allocation, Cash Management, Portfolio Lending, Research and such other services as introduced from time to time by Craigs. http://www.craigsip.com/