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Stocks advanced marginally and bonds slipped this week. Last week, I discussed how "sell in May and go away" is not really working out just yet. A Look at the Market The S&P 500 has returned 13.5% with dividends included, and the price is up 12.9% for SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) in 2026 so far. This leaves the market on track to post a return for the full year right at 20%. At the same time, iShares Core US Aggregate Bond ETF (AGG) has declined in price in 2026. With dividends inc

It's up today, but ProShares S&P MidCap 400 Dividend Aristocrats (REGL) has dropped a lot over thepast few weeks and I am adding to it. I am funding it with another reduction of Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index ETF (VTIP). The trades: Sell 50 VTIP at $48.69 Buy 30 REGL at $92.70 The updated model portfolio:

Buy the dip is not really my idea of the way to play, but I am adding to ProShares Russell 2000 Dividend Aristocrates ETF (SMDV) and trimming Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Index ETF (VTIP) to fund it. The trades: Sell 50 VTIP at $48.69 Buy 30 SMDV at $75.35 The updated model portfolio:

August was a positive month for stocks, which ended higher as measured by the S&P 500, and bonds, which rose modestly. Stocks are up in 2026, aiming for a 20% return for large-caps and better for smaller ones. During July, I decided to stop writing at Seeking Alpha, as I explained in writing. Not to worry! I am still writing a lot, and I am working on finding a new spot. The Market July was a rough month, and August was better. The S&P 500 has returned 13.1% with dividends in

Last week, I boosted equity exposure in my model portfolio, and I am doing it again today. The exposure is still very low. The sale this time will be some Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index ETF (VTIP), and I will boost the recently trimmed ProShares S&P 400 Mid-Cap 400 Dividend Aristocrats ETF (REGL), which did fill a gap today that was below the trading level. The trades: Sell 25 VTIP at $49.66 Buy 20 REGL at $93.01 The updated model portfolio:

Stocks and bonds advanced this week, though they both pulled back on Friday. Last week, I discussed the big rally in Bitcoin (and IBIT). A Look at the Market The S&P 500 has returned 13.4% with dividends included, and the price is up 12.8% for SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) in 2026 so far. This leaves the market on track to post a return for the full year right at 20%. At the same time, iShares Core US Aggregate Bond ETF (AGG) has declined in price in 2026. With dividends included, t

I reduced it yesterday, and I am trimming it again today at a higher price. I will still hold a very large position in ProShares S&P MidCap 400 Dividend Aristocrats ETF (REGL). I am boosting one that I trimmed, PIMCO 15+ Year US TIPS ETF (LTPZ). The trades: Sell 10 REGL at $94.59 Buy 25 LTPZ at $48.44 The updated model portfolio:

Year-to-date, ProShares Russell 2000 Dividend Growers ETF (SMDV) is ahead of the ProShares S&P 400 Mid-Cap 400 Dividend Aristocrates ETF (REGL), but small-caps are beating mid-caps by more. Here is a look at the action since late 2022: In Q3 so far, REGL has advanced 2.6%, while SMDV has declined by 0.3%. I am swapping some REGL for some SMDV. The trades: Sell 50 REGL at $93.91 Buy 75 SMDV at $76.81 The updated model portfolio:

I like TIPS a lot and fear equities are going lower, but I am trimming PIMCO 15+Year US TIPS Index ETF (LTPZ) and adding again to ProShares Russell 2000 Dividend Growers ETF (SMDV). The trades: Sell 25 LTPZ at $48.49 Buy 25 SMDV at $76.76 The updated model portfolio:

I have a lot of TIPS, but I am buying more as inflation concerns pick up. I am exiting Vanguard Short-Term Treasury Index ETF (VGSH) and boosting shorter-duration TIPS VTIP and also iShares TIPS Bond ETF (TIP). The trades: Sell all (150 shares) VGSH at $58.13 Buy 50 VTIP at $49.79 Buy 50 TIP at $107.36 The updated model portfolio:

The news was quite interesting this week, as Treasury Secretary Bessent boosted bond repurchases, sparking a rally for a day in Treasuries. The market fell this week for stocks. Last week, I discussed why I am not that interested in Fidelity ETFs. A Look at the Market The S&P 500 has returned 12.9% with dividends included, and the price is up 12.3% for SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) in 2026 so far. This leaves the market on track to post a return for the full year below 20%. At the s

I added it yesterday, and it is lower today and still up a lot year-to-date, but ProShares Russell 2000 Dividend Growers ETF (SMDV) is very attractive relative to the S&P 500 still in my view, and I am very underweight stocks in my model portfolio. I am reducing Vanguard Short-Term Treasury Index ETF (VGSH) a bit more too. The trades: Sell 50 VGSH at $58.14 Buy 50 SMDV at $77.11 The updated model portfolio:

While I remain extremely bearish on stocks, I am adding ProShares Russell 2000 Dividend Growers ETF (SMDV) back at a higher price than where I exited it on June 24th. I bought RSP then, which has gone up a lot more, but I turned that into ProShares S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats ETF (NOBL), which has done even better. Today, I am exiting NOBL and adding SMDV back, spending a little cash too. The trades: Sell all (100 shares) NOBL at $58.85 Buy 100 SMDV at $77.47 The updated mod

I hold a tremendous amount of the model portfolio in TIPS, and I am taking a profit on this one, the PIMCO 15+ Year TIPS ETF (LTPZ) that I added to recently. The trade: Sell 15 LTPZ at $48.40 The updated model portfolio:

I am very low in the model portfolio in equity ETFs, but I am trimming ProShares S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats (NOBL) at a profit. The trade: Sell 30 NOBL at $58.39 The updated model portfolio:

It's already quite large (my largest position in the model portfolio), but I am boosting PIMCO 15+ Year US TIPS ETF (LTPZ) before the auction this week. The yield of the 30-Year TIPS is over 3% now (and this is before inflation!). I am also boosting iShares TIPS (TIP) a bit too. The trades: Buy 20 LTPZ at $47.18 Buy 25 TIP at $106.78 The updated model portfolio:

The news was kind of bad this week again (retail sales slumped), but the market advanced again to a new all-time high for the S&P 500 and the Russell 2000. Interestingly, the NASDAQ-100 and the Technology sector did not. Last week, I discussed how AI investment management can make us all rich. A Look at the Market The S&P 500 has returned 14.5% with dividends included, and the price is up 13.9% for SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) in 2026 so far. This leaves the market on track to post

Perhaps rates are high and are coming down, but I have lots of exposure through TIPS. I am trimming Vanguard Short-Term Treasury Index ETF (VGSH). The trade: Sell 75 VGSH at $58.17 The updated model portfolio:

The news was kind of bad this week (economy not adding many jobs), but the market soared to a new all-time high for the S&P 500, the Russell 2000 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Interestingly, the NASDAQ-100 and the Technology sector did not. Last week, I shared a review of July for the 88 ETFs that I track. A Look at the Market The S&P 500 has returned 14.0% with dividends included, and the price is up 13.4% for SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) in 2026 so far. This leaves the ma

I raised cash exiting IBIT last week, and I have not invested the proceeds. Instead of adding to stocks, as I was intending, I am boosting iShares TIPS Bond ETF (TIP). The trade: Buy 25 TIP at $107.03 The updated model portfolio: