Starting on Friday, February 2, and continuing on the following Monday, global equity markets sustained their largest correction in more than two years. While small in historical context, this correction was a rude awakening for many investors who had grown comfortable with the unusual stability in the stock market throughout 2017. Some investors did more than just grow comfortable, they started betting on this stability to continue, in the form of shorting volatility. These bets, which ... [Continue Reading]
Alternative Investments
Articles and resources related to Alternative Investments.
Bitcoin Mania
As an independent Registered Investment Advisor (RIA), Carlson Capital Management has the ability to include any investment product in client portfolios which we think will best serve our client’s needs. There are thousands of mutual funds, ETFs, stocks, bonds, etc. that we could select when constructing your portfolio. These choices extend to futures contracts, stock options, currencies, commodities and, yes, even Bitcoin. Bitcoin, a ‘cryptocurrency,’ is a form of electronic money that has ... [Continue Reading]
Fiduciary Rule Causes High Commission Investment Product Sales to Plummet
Posted on November 3, 2016As company-sponsored pension plans are replaced with self-managed 401(k) plans and IRA accounts, American families are increasingly becoming more responsible for the management of their retirement funds. While this shift has allowed for greater freedom and choice, it has also exposed investors to product salesmen who may not have the client’s best interest at heart. The Department of Labor fiduciary rule, announced earlier this year, aims to end this abuse, which the White House Council of ... [Continue Reading]
Hedge Fund Fees Allow Warren Buffett to Win his Big Bet
Posted on September 23, 2016Warren Buffett’s famous bet in 2007 that a low cost S&P 500 index fund would outperform a group of five prominent hedge fund managers is nearing its end. Without a sudden change in fortune, the low cost index fund is set to more than double the returns generated by the group of hedge fund managers. As noted by Money Talk News founder, Stacy Johnson, in Karla Bowsher's article “3 Lessons From Buffett’s Million-Dollar Wager,” this bet is simply another reminder of how difficult it is to beat ... [Continue Reading]
Catastrophe Bond Demand Continues to Grow
Posted on August 24, 2016The reinsurance business is rapidly growing in size and popularity as investors are attracted to the return potential and risk diversification that this asset class can deliver. Total issuance of catastrophe bonds has tripled over the past five years, which has some investors worried that the traditional 16% annual returns of the asset class may no longer be achievable. Berkshire Hathaway owns some of the largest companies in this industry and their chairman and CEO, Warren Buffet, has recently ... [Continue Reading]