Ed Hynes http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/sound_investor.html This series explores basic investment ideas and concepts. Topics ranging from asset allocation to the current state of the bond market are covered. This series explores basic investment ideas and concepts. Topics ranging from asset allocation to the current state of the bond market are covered. http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss en-us © 2006 Farm Creek Securities, LLC Ed Hynes ed@farmcreeksecurities.com Ed Hynes, Farm Creek Securities, LLC info@gallantrywebdesign.com (Gallantry Web Design) 13 Feb 2006 12:00:00 EST 23 Feb 2006 12:00:00 EST Hand-coded Podcast http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/images/logo.gif http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/sound_investor.html 63 227 no 60 Ed Hynes #36 Bonds & the Yield Curve Podcast http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/podcasts/Sound_Investor-36_2-13-06.mp3 http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/podcasts/Sound_Investor-36_2-13-06.mp3 The bond market is the center of attention these days. For starters, we have a new Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, Ben Bernanke. He took over last week from the venerable Alan Greenspan, who held the post for over 18 years. Mr. Bernanke is respected and well known, so no one expects major changes. Nevertheless, Ben is not Alan - he has his own views and personality and it will take time for the market to get to know him. HTML]]> ed@farmcreeksecurities.com Mon, 13 Feb 2006 12:00:00 EST 24:05:00 Investing Bonds Yield Curve no Ed Hynes #37 Equity Indexes – In Even More Detail Podcast http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/podcasts/Sound_Investor-37_2-16-06.mp3 http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/podcasts/Sound_Investor-37_2-16-06.mp3 A reader sent me an e-mail expressing some thoughts about equity indexes, so let's discuss them further. What should an investor look for when buying an index fund? A few years ago, this was very simple but today, there is a growing multitude of indexes, each promising better results. HTML]]> ed@farmcreeksecurities.com Thursday, 16 Feb 2006 12:00:00 EST 24:05:00 Investing Bonds Equity no Ed Hynes #38 It's Time for Your Portfolio's Annual Tune-up Podcast http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/podcasts/Sound_Investor-38_2-22-06.mp3 http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/podcasts/Sound_Investor-38_2-22-06.mp3 Just as cars benefit from a timely tune up, an annual financial check-up helps your portfolio's performance. For a number of reasons this is the best time of year for such a check-up. Financial information is readily available with your tax and year-end statements spread out on your desk awaiting attention. The April 15 deadline for making 2005 contributions to your IRA is also looming. HTML]]> ed@farmcreeksecurities.com Thursday, 22 Feb 2006 12:00:00 EST 24:05:00 Investing Bonds Equity no Ed Hynes #40 How Many Stars Does Your ETF Have? Podcast http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/podcasts/Sound_Investor-40_3-10-06.mp3 http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/podcasts/Sound_Investor-40_3-10-06.mp3 How many Morningstar stars does your ETF have? Maybe a better question is - Does it really matter? I asked myself these questions last week when Morningstar announced a new service ranking Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs). As ETFs continue to proliferate, let's look more closely at how they operate and if Morningstar's new ranking service will help investors. HTML]]> ed@farmcreeksecurities.com Thursday, 8 March 2006 12:00:00 EST 24:05:00 Investing Bonds Equity ETF no Ed Hynes #41 Understanding Debt Podcast http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/podcasts/Sound_Investor-41_3-15-06.mp3 http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/podcasts/Sound_Investor-41_3-15-06.mp3 Asset allocation is one of the most important tools of successful financial management. One aspect of asset allocation that is often overlooked is debt management. When we consider how to allocate savings into stock and bond investments, we should also consider paying down debt. HTML]]> ed@farmcreeksecurities.com Wednesday, 15 March 2006 12:00:00 EST 24:05:00 Investing Bonds Equity asset allocation debt no Ed Hynes #42 ETFs for the Internationally Inclined Podcast http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/podcasts/Sound_Investor-42_3-22-06.mp3 http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/podcasts/Sound_Investor-42_3-22-06.mp3 A reader wrote asking what Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) I recommend for international investing. While I'm not as enamored with international investing as many financial professionals are, here are my two cents. HTML]]> ed@farmcreeksecurities.com Wednesday, 22 March 2006 12:00:00 EST 24:05:00 Investing Bonds Equity Exchange-Traded Funds ETF no Ed Hynes #43 It's Time to Get the Cash Out of the Mattress! Podcast http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/podcasts/Sound_Investor-43_3-30-06.mp3 http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/podcasts/Sound_Investor-43_3-30-06.mp3 Two days ago, the Federal Reserve raised short-term interest rates again. For the 15th meeting in a row, the Fed Funds target rate was increased 0.25 of a percentage point and now stands at 4.75%. The Fed's next meeting is May 10 and we are likely to see a 16th increase. HTML]]> ed@farmcreeksecurities.com Thursday, 29 March 2006 12:00:00 EST 24:05:00 Investing Bonds interest rates no Ed Hynes #43 Understanding March’s “Unemployment” Report Podcast http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/podcasts/Sound_Investor-44_4-6-06.mp3 http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/podcasts/Sound_Investor-44_4-6-06.mp3 Friday morning at 8:30, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) will release “The Employment Situation” for March. Bond traders around the world will be glued to their seats to catch the report’s headlines flashing on their screens. Within seconds, billions of dollars of bonds will be traded as investors react to the news. HTML]]> ed@farmcreeksecurities.com Thursday, 6 April 2006 12:00:00 EST 24:05:00 Investing Bonds interest rates unemployment employment no Ed Hynes #47 The Myth of Who Runs our Corporations and Mutual Funds Podcast http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/podcasts/Sound_Investor-47_5-3-06.mp3 http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/podcasts/Sound_Investor-47_5-3-06.mp3 Does anyone believe shareholders are in charge of companies they own? Do investors really control the mutual funds they buy? On paper, this might be true, but in reality, these are myths. HTML]]> ed@farmcreeksecurities.com Wednesday, 3 May 2006 12:00:00 EST 24:05:00 Investing Bonds interest rates mutual funds no Ed Hynes #49 Is Your Portfolio Ready for a Market Correction? Podcast http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/podcasts/Sound_Investor-49_5-17-06.mp3 http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/podcasts/Sound_Investor-49_5-17-06.mp3 What will you do if the Dow Jones Industrial Average falls 10% or 20% in the next few months? Will you hang tight and monitor the situation or will you run for the hills? HTML]]> ed@farmcreeksecurities.com Wednesday, 20 May 2006 12:00:00 EST 24:05:00 Investing Bonds interest rates mutual funds no Ed Hynes #50 Will More of Us Be Working Forever? Podcast http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/podcasts/Sound_Investor-50_5-22-06.mp3 http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/podcasts/Sound_Investor-50_5-22-06.mp3 Will more of us be working forever? That is the catchy title of a new report detailing the results of the 2006 Retirement Confidence Survey published by the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI). HTML]]> ed@farmcreeksecurities.com Thursday, 24 May 2006 12:00:00 EST 24:05:00 social security investing bonds interest rates mutual funds no Ed Hynes #50 Fed Watching in Real Time Podcast http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/podcasts/Sound_Investor-53_6-14-06.mp3 http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/podcasts/Sound_Investor-53_6-14-06.mp3 How's that for a market correction? No fun, eh? In the last month we have seen sharp pull-backs in everything from stocks and bonds to metals such as gold, silver and copper. Investors have been shedding their best returning investments, which are in many cases are their riskiest assets. HTML]]> ed@farmcreeksecurities.com Wednesday, 14 June 2006 12:00:00 EST 24:05:00 investing bonds interest rates mutual funds no Ed Hynes #62 To Be or Not To Be Average Podcast http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/podcasts/Sound_Investor-62_8-16-06.mp3 http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/podcasts/Sound_Investor-62_8-16-06.mp3 Do you want to be average - of course not!...[but] Investing is not a game and there is no silver lining for losers. Keep character building exercises to lost Little League games and failed business ventures - not falling behind on your investments. HTML]]> ed@farmcreeksecurities.com Thursday, 16 August 2006 12:00:00 EST 24:05:00 investing bonds interest rates mutual funds no Ed Hynes #69 So You Want to Retire Early - Not on My Dime, Thank You! Podcast http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/podcasts/Sound_Investor-69_10-11-06.mp3 http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/podcasts/Sound_Investor-69_10-11-06.mp3 It's election time and candidates are staking out positions on issues ranging from Iraq to education to taxes - very important topics and the more debate, the better. But there are critical issues no one is discussing. One ticking time bomb is our aging population combined with unrealistic notions of retirement. HTML]]> ed@farmcreeksecurities.com Thursday, 11 October 2006 12:00:00 EST 24:05:00 retirement investing bonds interest rates mutual funds no Ed Hynes #72 Yes, They Are Stealing Your Money Podcast http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/podcasts/Sound_Investor-72_11-2-06.mp3 http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/podcasts/Sound_Investor-72_11-2-06.mp3 Sometimes when I read the business press I want to scream. The other day The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) carried a story on the resignation of yet another corporate executive caught in the burgeoning options scandal. But what really got my blood boiling was a story headlined Cheney Echoes Recent Concerns On Sarbanes-Oxley detailing a growing chorus of Bush administration officials proclaiming we are too hard on corporate executives. HTML]]> ed@farmcreeksecurities.com Wednesday, 1 November 2006 12:00:00 EST 24:05:00 retirement investing bonds interest rates mutual funds no Ed Hynes #76 Private Equity Funds Pillage the Public Markets Podcast http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/podcasts/Sound_Investor-76_11-29-06.mp3 http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/podcasts/Sound_Investor-76_11-29-06.mp3 I suspect that until recently many investors had never heard of a Private Equity Fund. These funds have been around for years but are starting to gain more attention as they grow in size and market impact. HTML]]> ed@farmcreeksecurities.com Wednesday, 29 November 2006 12:00:00 EST 24:05:00 equity investing bonds interest rates mutual funds no Ed Hynes #80 Tackling 529 Plans Podcast http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/podcasts/Sound_Investor-80_1-3-07.mp3 http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/podcasts/Sound_Investor-80_1-3-07.mp3 The beginning of the year is always a good time to tackle tasks you have been putting off, and setting up a college savings plan might just be one of those tasks. One of the best plans is called Qualified Tuition Programs and commonly referred to as 529 Plans for the section of the IRS code that governs them. HTML]]> ed@farmcreeksecurities.com Wednesday, 3 January 2007 12:00:00 EST 24:05:00 equity investing bonds interest rates mutual funds no Ed Hynes #81 Buy and Hold Investing – Is It Always Right? Podcast http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/podcasts/Sound_Investor-81_1-11-07.mp3 http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/podcasts/Sound_Investor-81_1-11-07.mp3 Buy and Hold. That's what professionals recommend investors do to get the best performance out of their portfolios. I agree, and tell anyone who will listen that they should steadily purchase stocks over the course of their lives and slowly sell them during retirement. Let's carry this buy and hold concept to the extreme and ask - Should investors always stay the course, no matter what? Truthfully, I think the answer is no and unfortunately this makes investing much more difficult. HTML]]> ed@farmcreeksecurities.com Wednesday, 11 January 2007 12:00:00 EST 24:05:00 equity investing bonds interest rates mutual funds no Ed Hynes #84 Fed Watching Podcast http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/podcasts/Sound_Investor-84_2-1-07.mp3 http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/podcasts/Sound_Investor-84_2-1-07.mp3 Which way will the Federal Reserve Board move interest rates next? Yesterday, it decided to hold short-term interest rates steady and in a statement explaining its stable approach, the Fed cited the strength of the economy and the progress made in lowering inflation. Before we discuss yesterday's decision, let's briefly take a look at the Fed. HTML]]> ed@farmcreeksecurities.com Wednesday, 01 February 2007 12:00:00 EST 24:05:00 equity investing bonds interest rates mutual funds no Ed Hynes #85 Is It All Just Greek? Podcast http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/podcasts/Sound_Investor-85_2-7-07.mp3 http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/podcasts/Sound_Investor-85_2-7-07.mp3 Financial people often use terms or phases that others may not understand. Occasionally these confusing terms are necessary, but sometimes they seem to be used just to show-off and baffle investors. When it comes to using the terms alpha and beta, it probably is a little bit of both. HTML]]> ed@farmcreeksecurities.com Thursday, 9 February 2007 12:00:00 EST 24:05:00 equity investing bonds interest rates mutual funds no Ed Hynes #86. The Valentine's Day Gift That Keeps Giving! Podcast http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/podcasts/Sound_Investor-86_2-15-07.mp3 http://www.farmcreeksecurities.com/podcasts/Sound_Investor-86_2-15-07.mp3 Hopefully everyone enjoyed St. Valentine's Day yesterday and expressed affection for their partner with a special gift or a nice dinner. Now would also be a good time to show your everlasting love and respect by sharing your family's financial information with one another. HTML]]> ed@farmcreeksecurities.com Thursday, 15 February 2007 12:00:00 EST 24:05:00 equity investing bonds interest rates mutual funds no