[collie1228]

Gene, thanks for following this and keeping the books. You didn't get a lot of comments, but I noted there are 558 views of this thread, so someone was following your reports. Good job - I hope you do as well next year, and get an even bigger return!

[glgene]

Originally Posted by collie1228

Gene, thanks for following this and keeping the books. You didn't get a lot of comments, but I noted there are 558 views of this thread, so someone was following your reports. Good job - I hope you do as well next year, and get an even bigger return!

What's the big deal of making 1.9% over 7 mkt. trading days? Big deal, some would say (sarcastically). But do the math:

1.9% over 7 mkt. days, on a continuous basis,
= 5.7% over 21 days (there are 21 trading days per month).

5.7% per month x 12 months = 68.4% annualized. Wow!
Now you realize the importance of +1.9% per every 7 days.

Is this doable on a continuous 7-day rollover basis? Highly unlikely, if not impossible (unless you're a real sharpie, and lucky!)

From the stock market peak on Oct. 9, 2007 thru the market low on March 9, 2009, the S&P lost 56%. Ouch! During the entire year of 2011, the S&P lost -0.003% (excl. a 2% dividend). Ouch!

So, to my main point of making 1.9% over 7 days -- during the Santa Claus Rally period -- is worth toasting. Pass the eggnog!

Gene

Note: The 7-day list of daily mkt. results (shown in an earlier msg. in this thread) is merely an exercise that stems from an original idea shown in the Stock Trader's Almanac. I didn't coin the idea; I'm just reporting this year's results. Anybody with a simple computer could have done the same study. I just wish some stock market sharpie, who is lucky, could show me how to really make 68.4% a year. Just for one year! <g>

[Schaumburger]

Gene,

Thank you for posting this information. I have been with my employer for almost 24 yrs. Long story short, the company I work for been through 4 changes in ownership since 1988. After the last change in ownership in 2001, I was able to open a rollover IRA when the 401K money I accumulated from 1988 through 2001. In 2001 I started in the new company's 401K with a zero balance as if I was a brand new employee. My 401K account has done has done pretty well these past 10+ years. In 2011, my rate of return on my 401K was +27%, which was a pleasant surprise. The rate of return on my rollover IRA was -2% which I wasn't too happy about. I expressed my unhappiness about being down 2% in my IRA to the adviser at the company holding my rollover IRA. He took me out of international funds as he blamed my less than great rate of return in 2011 on the economic situation in Europe.

I must admit I don't watch my 401K and my IRA as closely as I should, but when I'm working 50+ hours a week as I did this week I want to use my computer for fun things like reading TOTV. Watching my IRA and 401K performance in 2012 more closely would be a good New Years resolution for me!