Derek Smalls wrote:
Are you using time weighted returns?
Know that I'm continuing with you because to me your disbelief is hilarious.
I invest in Vanguard and Fidelity retirement accounts mostly along with a non-retirement mutual fund (which was FLAT in 2011) and a Money Market Account. The vast majority of my stuff is with Vanguard and Fidelity.
Knowing that I'm BIG on dividends and SOUR on precious metals and mining stocks, note the big trends for 2011 in those types of investments...
All for 2011
Dividends:
Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index - UP 6.05%
Vanguard Dividend Growth - UP 9.43%
Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index - UP 10.35%
Precious Metals:
Vanguard Precious Metals and Mining - DOWN 21.70%
Someone earlier (not sure if it was you or not) said 13% bond wouldn't do much. A look at Fidelity's bond funds shows several that were BIG producers in 2011, including one that I own.
I also have some stinkers in there that bring me down to just the 4.8% I earned in 2011, but man for someone with my strategy and preference of NOT liking precious metals and LIKING dividends, 2011 COULD have been a HUGE year; it's acuatlly surprising I ONLY make 4.8% in 2011. I don't put all my eggs in one basket though, so I even out a little bit more. In 2011 international stocks hurt me. In 2007 they helped me. I like to be well-diversified, except for the fact that I will never include precious metals; that HELPED me in 2011, but over the last 10 years, it has hurt me as Vanguard's Precious Metals and Mining fund has returned 17.75%. I don't pretend to be a great fund picker. I stay diversified with a few bonds, more dividend funds as I'm getting closer to retirement, and I NEVER buy precious metals because I don't believe in them long term, and I still won't buy them even though they had a good 10-year run.