Illustrations by John S. Dykes
Like many investors, you might be managing your nest egg in do-it-yourself mode, despite never studying finance or economics like the Wall Street MBAs and PhDs who construct portfolios for a living. But you don’t have to feel like a C student when it comes to investing or unsure about running your own 401(k). Nearly half (46%) of U.S. adults say they’re “interested in learning more about investing,” according to a survey by AssetMark, a firm that provides technology services to financial advisers.
And what better way to boost your investing IQ than by learning from Wall Street’s best investors? Just as there’s nobody more qualified to teach you about cooking than Gordon Ramsay or how to compose a photo than Annie Leibovitz, a great way to master investing is to pick the brains of the financial gurus who have climbed to the top of the class in the financial world.
International equities continued to rise in 2021’s first quarter, though at a slower pace than in 2020’s final frame when optimism about coronavirus vaccine approvals fueled double-digit gains. As the global vaccination effort ramped up, The Morningstar Global Markets ex U.S. Index reached a record high in mid-February and finished the quarter up 3.8%. It lagged its domestic counterpart, the Morningstar U.S. Market Index, which gained 5.5%.
Energy and financials the hardest-hit sectors in 2020 led the way. The Morningstar Global Energy Index and Morningstar Global Financial Services Index posted the largest gains of 18.8% and 11.1%, respectively, as energy prices recovered from lockdown lows and the yield curve steepened. Gains in other sectors were more modest, with consumer staples and healthcare edging into the red. The once high-flying tech sector showed signs of coming back down to earth, with the Morningstar Global Technology Index gaining just 0.9% versus 16.9% in the pr
Editor s note: A version of this article was originally published on March 28, 2019. It is part of Morningstar s Tax and IRA Guide special report.
As of today, you have a little more than a month and a half to contribute to an IRA for the 2020 tax year.
Of course, the heaviest lift in funding an IRA is finding the money to invest: While your 401(k) contributions likely go into your account on autopilot, most of us don’t have an extra $6,000 or $7,000 (the 2020 IRA contribution limits for savers under/over 50, respectively) lying around. It’s no wonder so many people rush in their contributions at the last possible minute, just before their tax-filing deadlines. (Bear in mind that you can make smaller contributions than the full contribution amount.)
Pompano Beach withdraws Oakmark International investment
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Pompano Beach (Fla.) General Employees Retirement System liquidated its $5 million investment in the Oakmark International mutual fund.
The $193 million pension fund liquidated its investment in the active international equity fund managed by Harris Associates due to underperformance, said Madelene L. Klein, executive director.
Funds were reallocated to an existing active international growth equity mutual fund managed by Invesco. The plan had $5 million invested in that fund as of Sept. 30.
Harris Associates spokeswoman Anne O Reilly could not be immediately reached for comment.
Also as of Sept. 30, the actual allocation to international equities was 11.8%.