Seems that time has passed and I've been away for awhile,... what's changed?
Well, for me a lot it seems, or if not a lot, then at least enough major new things (tumultuous even!): a new addition to the family, the loss of the closest of relatives, and a new home in a new town. So it seems a lot!
You can probably add my perspective to that too!
As for markets and investing, not much it seems, as it still lurches from one familiar crisis to another: Brexit now replacing Grexit as the current media fear story. Although for political upheaval, this May have been Trumped by a new American President.
In markets, following another good feeling led boom into record levels, we now seem to be in the midst of another correction with people running for cover as the doomsayers and I told you so'ers bring out their dead. Well they were going to be right at some point!
And there's a new ponzi in town! Hopefully not to cryptic but,... new paradigm or not, it looks like a 'bit' of a bubble to 'coin' a phrase, and all manner of previously risk averse persons are being persuaded to part with savings rather than miss out!
But, with everything going on at home I managed to take a step back from managing my portfolio on a seemingly daily basis to an almost lost touch one.
Although seemingly still not back far enough given my being caught by the media and analysts on a couple of my holdings (losing sight of my own rules and aims), the most significant being my most significant holding, Rolls-Royce, which has now been jettisoned entirely!
That was a bad day, and certainly the wrong day to have checked the weekend papers and read the Analysts and media forecasts!
New funds did go into my portfolio and funds have subsequently come out to finance the purchase of my new home.
A period of comings and goings which has made my portfolio both familiar and different all at the same time.
Thankfully the recent cull to raise funds has also made things a little more manageable with 12 holdings now, down from a peak of around 20.
Dividends still feature strongly, perhaps even more so than previously. And the actual sums received continues to rise in a satisfactory manner. There is some corruption in the period from additional capital returns, coming from restructuring at National Grid and the buy out of BG Group by Royal Dutch Shell. A dividend is also classed as a capital return (hence you see its value come off the share price on xd day), but a dividend is seen as a yield and the other events an exception, as they can't be expected on an annual basis (at least not in my view anyway).
With this portfolio having been measured from a starting point of 1 January 2009, its now just celebrated its 9th anniversary and on its way to a 10th! Really doesn't seem that long in the scheme of things.
I've spent a few days catching up with all the changes, and the monthly swings (just need to make a few checks), but, thankfully, I'm able to report that it is still going in the right direction and I'm still wearing my shirt, and able to buy new shirts (diversification strategy!).
In summary:
1 January 2009: Index started at 1000.
2015: after peaking at 2332 in May, +11.56% year to date in May, my index ended the year at 2049.23, down by -1.96%. Still up by 104.92% over 7 years
2016: a steadier year, starting from small losses rising through the year to peak in December at 2289, +11.69% year to date, and 128.89% over 8 years.
2017: a steady rise to double digit year to date gains by May, then holding a range of high single to double digit gains through to December which was then propelled to finish the year at 2584.22, +12.9% in the year, and 158.42% over 9 years.
I will have to try and post these either in the monthly formats used previously or in an annual form to catch things back up.
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