The Feed

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:

July was a tough month for both stocks, which ended unchanged, and bonds, which fell, after a very strong Q2 for stocks. Stocks are up in 2026, though they are performing very differently than they have been over the past few years. During July, I decided to stop writing at Seeking Alpha, as I explained on Sunday. Not to worry! I am still writing a lot, and I am working on finding a new spot. Last week, I wrote about the challenges for bonds. The Market July was a rough month

Trading and investing are different, but they can overlap. I continue to view Bitcoin as a highly speculative investment that could work out, but it is not in my index. I am exiting the iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT) that I bought yesterday at a profit today. The trade: Sell all (100 shares) IBIT at $36.50 The updated model portfolio:

Driving this trade is the gap up in ProShares S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats ETF (NOBL) to a new all-time high. I am trimming it, and adding to iShares Bitcoin ETF (IBIT) again. The trades: Sell 20 NOBL at $58.50 Buy 25 IBIT at $35.80 The updated model portfolio:

I exited it last week, and it has dipped. I am adding a small amount of Bktcoin back through the iShares Bitcoin ETF (IBIT). The trade: Buy 75 IBIT at The updated model portfolio:

The third full week of July saw stocks pull back again with bonds lower too. This has been happening a lot recently, though the first full week in July had strong stocks. Last week, I cautioned on an Energy ETF, XLE. A Look at the Market The S&P 500 has returned 8.9% with dividends included, and the price is up 8.4% 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 same time, iShares Core US Aggrega

I still like it a lot, but I own a lot, even after this 10% reduction in the position size of ProShares S&P MidCap 400 Dividend Aristocrats ETF (REGL). The trade: Sell 25 REGL at $94.13 The updated model portfolio:

I still have some cash left over from the IBIT reduction earlier this week, and I am buying more PIMCO 15+ Year US TIPS Index ETF (LTPZ). The position, my largest, is below 25% (the maximum). The trade: Buy 20 LTPZ at $48.37 The updated model portfolio:

I exited IBIT yesterday and still have the cash. I like TIPS and own a lot, but I am boosting iShares TIPS Bond ETF (TIP). The trade: Buy 25 TIP at $107.85 The updated model portfolio:

I added it last week, and it is up. I am exiting iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT). Bitcoin is not in the index, and IBIT, which I have held in line with my concerns about inflation, which is well covered with my TIPS exposure, has gapped up today. The trade: Sell all (100 shares) IBIT at $37.53 The updated model portfolio:

The second full week of July saw stocks pull back with bonds roughly unchanged. This has been happening a lot recently, though the first full week in July had strong stocks. Last week, I discussed some ways to beat the S&P 500 index. A Look at the Market The S&P 500 has returned 9.6% with dividends included, and the price is up 9.0% 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 same time, iShare