ETF Bonds, Not Looking Too Bad in 2010....

     I have not been a fan of ETFs, which I refer to as a "Globalized Mutual Funds". And I've damn well highlite Mutuals in the core principles of my personal investment philosophy: "No Burgers, Not Too Trashy, No Mutual Funds".  My personality doesn't lend itself to Prostituting Principles , but I have discovered a loophole to appease my psyche: ETF Bonds.

     My Ex in San Diego gave me the lead and I liked what I saw (sorta).  It's research intensive, having to do the co backgrounds to avoid getting the "GM Investor Experience" and needed a general knowledge of foreign bankruptcy law. etc.  And I wanted a good return for the fees I'll be paying. High-yield issues are behaving like shares, though, as befits their higher risk profile.  Do some R&B and you may find them worthwhile.

Here's one to get started with:

     The iShares iBoxx High Yield Corporate Bond Fund (HYG), which tracks the iBoxx high-yield bond index, has moved more or less in lock step with the S&P 500.  This exchange-traded fund holds non-investment grade dollar-denominated bonds, debt issued by those organisations not able to obtain a BBB- rating or better from the main agencies.  Full details of this ETF and its holdings are available on the iShares website.  But its most eye-catching feature right now is the distribution yield of over 9%.

   

N/E

The Next CLWR...

     It took us months to figure out how to Play CLWR, the Rollercoaster Stock in our Ports.  Eventually, we put our heads together and came up with a Strategy to Ride the Coaster, Selling High and Buying Low.
     Just today we went IN on J.A. Solar Holding (JASO) which has a volatile history.  It is just familiar enough to us that we think we can call it.
     It WON'T be making up 20% of my ports, so win or lose...  And the co has been praised and put on "must have" lists, lately.  Though not always a tell, good mentions could indicate an upward trend.  That'd spoil our "fun", and kibosh our strat; but save on the aspirin!
N/E   

Very Happy...

...with MRO.

It's Monday - 3:09A. Do You Know Where Your Wall Street Journal Is?...

Add to Watchlist (Takeover Rumor)...

Cowen Group Inc. (COWN 4.57, +0.13, +2.93%) : The entire investment banking and asset management landscape has been altered by the implosion of Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers. As a result of the extinction of these players and the restrictions placed on the big financials, boutique investment banks like Cowen Group have been able to gain market share and pick up some of the best talent on the Street.
This investment bank has specialties in mergers and restructuring, as well as an asset management business focusing on "hedge fund of funds." Cowen's head is the famed and legendary dealmaker Peter Cohen. He certainly may not want to sell -- but, as the banks start circling offering premiums to this ridiculously undervalued entity (Cowen trades at less then 0.9 times book), then the temptation may be too great.
Obvious acquirers would be BlackRock Inc., Legg Mason Inc., Swiss-based UBS AG, Morgan Stanley and German-based Deutsche Bank AG.

Also:
You may have another chance to get IN on WFC.

No, Not Again...

Don't tell me Douglas has threatened to get out of the Blogging Biz, yet again.  Tale of Woe, et. al.

What the???  Got a quickstudy on my hands...D.

"Break Time" is Replacing "Play Time"...

     I like nothing better than Playing The Market.  Everybody knows that looking for the next 20% Gain is exhilarating to me.  Well, lately; not so much.  I got the Market Blues in May, but I think I'm making a mistake in This Market. 

     Not that we lost on Ports, but the gains are just too slow for "The Rush".  After [painful] analysis of YTD Gains, it was made clear to me that--- if we'd NOT taken profits and just Held, we'd have only have 3% Net less Port Value.  This, when I won't pick up the phone for a 5% Lead!  OUCH!  With the massive flux we've had in the past month, the results may be skewed (our intern is on the ball), but I don't think I'll put forth much of an effort in the next month, only to reamin on the Treadmill.
     It is true that I have Taken Profits at a pace not exceeded by "Sherman's March to the Sea".  Not to mention the thousands of docs I went through to Pick "Winners".  Tracking down "Big Gain" was much more Fun when there was alot more Gain to track. 
     Call it the Frustration of The Market mixed with Market Malaise, but I need a Stop Loss Break. 
    
     I will continue to give you guys information in this Blog.  Just because I'm going to be Managing, Shuffling and Culling Out Non-Productives in my [now] 72 Positions (gotta find a Parking Space) ; I will still be giving Bad Advice.  We'll see if it's still relevant.

"I may not be at the table,

but I haven't left the casino..." 

New Group “Member”…

     “We’ve” got an Intern for the Summer.  He’ll be doing the Edits for this Blog as I do not have time for the R&D.  He’s actually working in a member’s real estate firm for the Summer, and this is his grunge project. 

     (I give him a month…)

Today…

     I’m going out on a limb, today and telling everyone to GET IN with some Mattress Money.  Could be because “Misery Loves Company”.  Neah, I am optimistic about the next 2 or 3 months. 
     We’re taking a look at Resistance Levels in our Ports and reevaluating Profit Taking %’s.

Need Cash in the next week or so, take a look at TGIC.OB, NOW.

Not A Completely Dud Day...

      Cashed Out of DBTK @ 10.31, from Monday Buy @ 9.61. Satisfied with 2 Day Flip.  Too bad it couldn't be the break even on the VHC Position taken (that's wwhat I haste about the strategy of being in ALL Sectors!).  But I needed more of a CASH Position (not going to hold it long enough to Park) and just wasn't sure where DB would go from Monday's Alert. I needed the Cash and there's just not too much available to Devest for profit.