Rebalance And Diversify

The stock market has not been very kind to your investments lately. Your broker knows this so you may have received a call from him suggesting it is time to 'rebalance and diversify' your portfolio.

What does this really mean? He wants you to sell some of your holdings and buy something else. Probably sell stocks and buy bonds "because of market uncertainty". Sounds good, but it really means he needs some commission and you are "it". Yes, I agree it may be time to sell all your stocks and mutual funds and put everything in a money market account until this bear market is over. Your broker doesn't like money market funds because he doesn't make any commission. That may be why he never recommends them.

Rebalance doesn't have any true stock market meaning. It is one of those Wall Street words they use to confuse you. It sounds good, but that's all.

Diversify is another broker and financial planner favorite. Have part of your money in stocks, some in mutual funds, bonds and maybe 5% in a money market so you can take advantage of an initial public offering when a new one comes along. Yeah! Now let's try the true meaning of diversify: put some here, put some there and a little there (and all of this does generate commission, of course) because I really don't know what to do so we will spread it around and hope for the best.

No, I don't hate your broker or financial planner. It is just that I know they have not been trained to protect your capital or how to make money. How do I know that? I used to own a brokerage company and I know how these guys consistently lose their customers and their own money. Yes, they even do it to themselves. That's how dumb they are.

If you have lost money this year in your nice "safe" mutual fund you are not alone. Did you know that 99% of all stock mutual funds have a loss? Scary isn't it. Is there any thing you could have done to have protected your capital from a major loss? Yes there is.

For example, in 1998 you could have bought Janus 20 mutual fund for about $40/share. You and several hundred thousand others did. All of you watched as it went up to $94/share. Wonderful! Uh oh, it is now selling for $35. If you had been told by your broker (and you weren't) that it is a good policy to protect your profits with a mental stop-loss order of about 10% you could have sold out at about $80/share, but you are in for the long haul and you are a conservative investor so you won't sell.

The term conservative investor is an oxymoron. There is no such thing when you have your money on the line. You are a speculator. It happens to be that you are a long-term speculator. And they get just as burned as the day traders. It just takes longer.

Don't fall for the nonsense of rebalancing and diversifying. When one of your holdings starts down more than 10% just sell out. You want to diversify and rebalance into cash until this bear market is over.

Al Thomas' book, "If It Doesn't Go Up, Don't Buy It!" has helped thousands of people make money and keep their profits with his simple 2-step method. Read the first chapter at http://www.mutualfundmagic.com and discover why he's the man that Wall Street does not want you to know.

cleaning service near Bannockburn ..

In The News:

Phishing scammers use rnicrosoft.com domain to impersonate Microsoft by replacing "m" with "rn" in typosquatting attacks that steal login credentials.

OpenAI announces new teen safety rules for ChatGPT users under 18, blocking romantic roleplay and requiring extra caution on body image topics.

A 2025 data breach at fintech company 700Credit exposes personal information of more than 5.8 million people through compromised third-party integration partner.

Retailers lose $76.5 billion annually to return fraud as nearly 10% of U.S. retail returns involve fraudulent activity, with $850 billion in returns expected in 2025.

ShinyHunters claims responsibility for stealing 94GB of Pornhub user data affecting over 200 million records and demands Bitcoin ransom.

ChatGPT 2025 now connects to Apple Music, Canva, Expedia, TripAdvisor and OpenTable through built-in apps that help users create playlists, design graphics and more.

Apple releases emergency patches for two zero-day vulnerabilities actively exploited in attacks. iPhone and iPad users urged to update immediately.

DoorDash launches Zesty, an AI-powered social app that recommends restaurants through conversational search, now testing in San Francisco and New York.

Cybersecurity firm Infoblox reveals that over 90 percent of parked domains now redirect visitors to scams and malware, making simple typos extremely dangerous.

The Fox News AI Newsletter covers the latest artificial intelligence technology advancements, including the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

GPT-5.2 is now live for all ChatGPT users with improved coding, writing and image interpretation, with Kurt Knutsson offering his review.

New iPhone replacement scam uses pressure tactics and fake carrier calls to steal devices from buyers. Criminals claim shipping errors and demand urgent returns.

Amazon Ring's new facial recognition feature sparks privacy controversy as Electronic Frontier Foundation critics argue the AI upgrade expands surveillance risks.

New Android banking trojan Sturnus steals credentials, reads encrypted messages and controls devices.

Denmark's 3D-printed student village proves automation builds 36 apartments faster than traditional methods. Skovsporet project shows housing future.

Discover Android's new Sound Notifications feature that alerts you to smoke alarms, doorbells, and baby cries even when wearing headphones.

New SantaStealer malware reportedly threatens holiday shoppers with password theft. This Christmas-themed info-stealer targets browsers and crypto wallets.

The Christmas season brings a surge in Netflix phishing scams targeting shoppers with fake emails. Stacey P received convincing scam but verified account first.

San Francisco Giants invite Jamie Grohsong to throw ceremonial first pitch at Oracle Park after he learned to play baseball with a bionic hand following an injury.

FBI warns cybercriminals are stealing family photos from social media to create fake proof of life images in virtual kidnapping scams targeting victims.

Instagram's new 'Your Algorithm' tool lets you control your Reels feed in real time. The app now gives you power to customize what videos you see.

Major Marquis fintech breach exposes 400,000-plus Americans' data through unpatched SonicWall vulnerability, with Texas hardest hit at 354,000 affected.

Free up iPhone storage fast by clearing large photos and videos from Messages app. Simple steps for iOS users to delete attachments without losing chats.

Scammers are flooding inboxes with fake tracking alerts that mimic real carriers, exploiting the holiday rush to steal logins and personal data.

The Fox News AI Newsletter brings you the latest news on AI technology advancements and the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Rebalance And Diversify

Stocks & Mutual Fund