Category: Investing
390 posts categorized as "Investing"
Markets Act Much Like Nebraska Weather
April 29, 2014
Content provided by Nate Wattier, CLS Client Services Manager Spring is in the air. After a bleak and cold Omaha winter it’s a relief to turn off the furnace and open the windows to get some fresh air flowing through the house. It’s also nice to break out the gardening tools and clean up the…
A Well-Tailored Portfolio
April 25, 2014
Content provided by Case Eichenberger, CLS Internal Wholesaler How do you shop for a suit? Do you go to your local Macy’s, Barney’s, Niemann Marcus, or maybe Men’s Wearhouse? Do you like to get in, get personal help from your sales individual, and purchase everything at once, such as the pants, coat, tie, shirt, shoes,…
As Dad Always Said: “The Customer Always Comes First”
April 24, 2014
Content provided by Rusty Vanneman, CFA, CLS Chief Investment Officer My parents were successful small-business owners. Just months ago, they sold their last business and started traveling in their new Airstream trailer, and later this year, they’ll head to Alaska. They’re having a blast. They definitely earned their leisure time, having worked hard and smart…
Back Pain and Investing
April 23, 2014
Content provided by Steve Donahoe, CFA, CLS Senior Portfolio Manager As I write this, I am struggling with significant back pain. I could tell I tweaked it recently when I had to move two very heavy pieces of furniture from the garage into my daughter’s new room on the second floor. Now that she is…
What’s for Breakfast?
April 9, 2014
Content provided by Grant Engelbart, CLS Portfolio Manager One of the most followed indices in all of finance is the Breakfast Index, created by Hard Assets Investor (HAI). I’m kidding of course, but yes, that is a real index. The breakfast index is an equally-weighted basket of the commodities listed below. Some are actively traded,…
Update on Long Term Return Expectations
April 3, 2014
Content provided by Rusty Vanneman, CLS Chief Investment Officer Having been on the road for most of this past month (hey, it wasn’t all work and no play, I did have an awesome family vacation in there), and in preparation for a lot of travel coming in the next six weeks, I’ve been contemplating what…
Preparing for Higher Interest Rates
March 28, 2014
Content provided by Marc Pfeffer, CLS Senior Portfolio Manager On March 19, Janet Yellen gave her first press conference as head of the Federal Reserve. What ensued was an awkward speech conveying to the markets that short-term interest rates may actually go up sooner than the markets had anticipated. Stating that rates could go up…
Advisor’s Alpha
March 27, 2014
Content provided by Kostya Etus, CLS Investment Research Analyst Vanguard has written a revolutionary whitepaper on quantifying the value of an Advisor on portfolio performance. The original, “Vanguard Advisor’s Alpha” introduced in 2001 (a pivotal time for the industry), had outlined how advisors could add value through relationship-oriented services. One of the value-adds was providing…
Behold the Power of Credit Cards
March 25, 2014
Content provided by Michele Prell, CLS New Business Manager How many of you remember going off to college and receiving your first credit card application in the mail? Opening it, filling it out, and getting that first powerful piece of plastic. It was one of the most liberating feelings, for me at least. That is…