Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Subscriber Newsletter Features and Portfolio Performance through August 2008

As promised, I will continue to use this space to summarize the recent content in the newsletter and update the performance of the model portfolios that I make available to newsletter subscribers. Since their March 30, 2008 launch, the (equities only, long only) portfolios have performed as follows:



*Note that the Focus Growth portfolio was retired on August 29th, largely because I was not satisfied with the recent bear market performance relative to the benchmark S&P 500 index. The new Focus Growth 2 portfolio uses an entirely different stock selection process that has consistently outperformed the S&P 500 in both bull and bear markets since I developed it approximately 3 ½ years ago.

In addition to the model portfolios, the subscriber newsletter continues to incorporate a number of regular weekly sections, including a market commentary, asset class outlook, market sentiment update, current investment thesis, and week in review. Features generally focus on subjects such as sector rotation, volatility, put to call ratios, market breadth, volume, and other sentiment-related issues. Some of the August features included:

  • A New Tool to Help Predict Bank Failures
  • Where Is the Safe Haven?
  • VIX and T-Bill Discount Rates
  • India VIX Reflects Elevated Anxiety
  • A Volatility-Based Long/Short Optionable ETF Trading System
  • What’s Working Right Now: the NASDAQ Arms Index
  • Current Thinking on Commodities vs. Equities Battle
  • Energy Sector and Commodity ETFs
  • Two Very Different Metals: Copper and Gold
  • Vulnerabilities Profile of Texas/Louisiana Oil and Gas Infrastructure
  • Thoughts on Energy Stocks for a Gulf of Mexico Hurricane
  • Tracking Hurricane Gustav
  • Bond VIX Indicates Relatively Low Turmoil
  • Bullish Readings from ISEE Equities Only Call to Put Ratio
  • The NASDAQ-100 and Resurgent Large Cap Technology
  • Strength at the Top of the NDX

Finally, I have also added a second subscriber service that I have made available only to newsletter subscribers: a volatility-based trading system that I use to identify both long and short trades on optionable ETFs. Additional information is available at the EVALS (ETF Volatility Analysis Long/Short) blog.

If anyone has any additional questions or comments about the subscriber newsletter, or is interested in a sample newsletter, please feel free to email me at bill.luby@gmail.com.

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