Investments
Municipal bond default risk way overblown
March 2011 With debt levels of many governments around the world at high levels and several states and municipalities also struggling to contain their borrowing, the venerable 60 Minutes thought a discussion about fiscal stresses might make for notable TV. They were right. They brought a guest named Meredith Whitney on the December 19th broadcast…
Read MoreThe Power of Concentration
One of the most common causes of the outperformance – and underperformance – is concentrating the portfolio in just a few holdings. The pitch is that the money is invested in only a few “best ideas”. It is a nice idea with great appeal. Why would anyone buy securities they didn’t feel strongly about? Well, the markets don’t care how any individual feels. But what is often ignored are the greater risks inherent in such a strategy.
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