Doug Fabians Etf Strategies

1) Surprise! Brits Vote Brexit   The markets got hammered Friday, as stocks sold off hard after the surprise vote by the U.K. to leave the European Union, a.k.a. to "Brexit." The Dow tumbled some 500 points midway through Friday trade, but even with that big decline the broad U.S. market isn't really down all that much on the week. The rally leading up to the Brexit vote helped temper Friday's losses. So, what does the Brexit mean going forward? And, how did the rest of the markets react to the news—including the bonds, the dollar, gold and other commodities? Find out all of the details in today's must-listen leadoff segment.  2) Brexit, Geopolitics and Your Money   The Brexit vote is more important for markets than simply today's big selloff. I think the vote to exit the EU has a lot to do with citizens being fed up with all of the regulations that come from the ivory tower in Brussels, where EU officials sit around and make up rules they think are in the best interest of individuals. The prob

1) A Brexit-Inspired Selloff   The markets have sold off over the past four trading sessions, as investors around the globe are worried about a so-called "Brexit," which is an exit of the U.K. from the European Union. The vote is in less than a week (June 23), and we're seeing polls indicate the "leave" vote is in the lead. If there is a leave vote, it will fuel fears of an EU collapse, and that will cause a lot more flight to safety of capital. Here at home we had the Fed meeting this week, and based on what Janet Yellen has signaled, we aren't likely to see another rate hike until after the presidential election. In fact, Yellen is sounding downright nervous about the state of the economy, and that's caused stocks to pullback. So, how did the rest of the markets perform this week? Find out all of the details in today's kickoff segment.  2) You Cannot Plan for Financial Armageddon Preparing for natural disasters such as earthquakes or storms makes sense, but does it really make sense to invest like

1) On the Cusp of All-Time Highs  The markets continue to grind higher, but over the past couple of weeks we've seen stocks fall short of breaking through their all-time highs. So, what are the really important levels to watch right now, and what will we need to happen to send the major averages higher? Or, what will send the market lower from here? And why are bond yields falling while stocks are near their all-time highs? Find out what this paradox means in today's leadoff segment. 2) Trump vs. Clinton: The Market Knows Who Will Win  The presidential battlefield now is set, and right now the polls indicate it's going to be a very close race. Yet what does the market have to say about this situation, and more importantly, can the market tell us who is going to win? One respected market watcher I read says yes, and his analysis is indeed persuasive. If you want to know who is going to win in November, then this segment is a must listen.  3) What Are Your Biggest Worries? Saving and planning for

1) A Market on Hold Near New Highs  The major averages were basically flat this week, and stocks now seem to be on hold now that the market trades just shy of its all-time highs. So, what's keeping stocks treading water here? Well, the biggest headwinds right now are political, not just here in the U.S. but also in Europe. Find out more about these headwinds, as well as how the rest of the markets did this week, in today's leadoff segment. Plus, what the heck is a "Brexit"?  2) ETFs and "Smart Beta"  Most exchange-traded funds (ETFs) follow the major indexes, and like the major indexes most ETF are market-cap weighted. Now, however, ETF providers have gotten "smart," meaning they have tweaked the weightings in their "smart beta" funds in order to deliver better performance for investors. So, which ETFs are smart beta, and how do they work? Find out how to get smart with smart beta funds in today's must-listen second segment.   3) Why You Should Stop Saving for Retirement   Stop s

1) The Fed's Hawkish Surprise The Federal Reserve surprised markets this week, as the minutes of the April FOMC meeting were seen as "hawkish," meaning there is a much greater likelihood of the Fed hiking interest rates again in June and/or July. That news put pressure on stocks, gold and oil, and it sent the value of the U.S. dollar higher. So, what does this mean for equities, bonds, commodities and currencies? Find out my take in today's leadoff podcast segment. 2) Mutual Funds Still Apply   I'm a huge fan of exchange-traded funds (ETFs), but the fact is that many 401(k) and 403(b) funds still do not offer access to ETFs. It is here that mutual funds are appropriate, but not all funds are created equal. In today's middle segment, I tell you about a few of the mutual funds that I like, and why I think they can still apply to your investment profile.  3) How to Give Your Money a Checkup  If your car is running poorly, you need to pop the hood and give it a checkup. Well, the same is true for y

1) Back to Basics This week, I want to get back to basics with our podcast, and that means telling you all about the mission of this show, and how I've designed it to help investors successfully navigate a choppy market. In today's first podcast segment, I take a look at what's happened in stocks over the past two years, and what the landscape looks like right now. Then we delve into the fixed income market, and examine the relatively low interest rates we have here in the U.S., especially compared to Europe and Japan. We also look at other market segments, e.g. real estate, hard assets such as gold, and even cash. Plus, find out why this market is a classic case of "tough sailing."  2) ETFs as Investment Vehicles In keep with this week's theme of getting back to basics, our second segment is all about my preferred investment vehicles, exchange-traded funds, or ETFs. Whether you want to invest in stocks, bonds, real estate, precious metals, currencies, specific sectors or specific countries, there's an E

1) A Range-Bound Market Stocks in the benchmark S&P 500 index have been mired in what's called a range-bound market for most of the past 16 months. This week was no exception, as the trading week bounced back and forth, with the S&P up just slightly. So, were there any sectors that markedly outperformed/underperformed this week? Of course, there always are. Find out where the real action was this week in today's leadoff segment. Plus, a few thoughts on 35 years of MoneyShow history.    2) Gundlach's Dire Prediction  Jeffrey Gundlach of DoubleLine Funds is one of the best in the business when it comes to bond portfolio management. He's also an astute observer of the stock market. Just this week, Gundlach made a rather dire prediction as to the fate of the S&P 500 and where it might be headed. In today's middle segment, I breakdown this prediction, and I show you how to monitor the markets to see if that prediction will come true. 3) Do You Have Enough Money for Retirement?  Will

1) Another Weak Week   It was another weak showing for stocks, and the headwinds seem to really be coming into the equity harbor. Meanwhile, central banks around the world are trying, but they haven't yet been able to really bump stocks higher. So, how did the markets play out this week? Find out all the details in today's leadoff segment. Plus, are we headed for a bull market trap?  2) MoneyShow ETF Talk  I'm about to give a couple of presentations at the annual Las Vegas MoneyShow, and one of the key themes running through my talks this year is which ETFs are best positioned for success in 2016. If you're a regular podcast listener, you'll be familiar with some of these themes, as you've been privy to many. Find out which ETFs, and which market segments, I'll be discussing, and find out why I think they have the potential to prosper in the second half of the year.  3) When Will the Debt Bubble Matter?  We're all worried about the incredible debt levels in the U.S. (some $19 trillion

1) Earnings, GDP and the Markets Stocks moved on mostly downbeat earnings reports and a lackluster Q1 GDP report. The major averages all turned south, led lower by a very poor earnings showing by Apple. So, how did the rest of the market finish out this week? What about bonds, oil, gold and other commodities? Find out how all the details laid out, and why having a diverse asset allocation is the key to stabilizing your portfolio. Plus, my brush with a Donald Trump rally. 2) 3 ETF Strategies Working in 2016 Is your portfolio performing well this year? If the answer is "no," then it's probably because you don't have exposure to one or more of three ETF strategies that are working in 2016. To discover which three strategies are kicking butt and taking names this year, then today's second segment is a must listen.  3) Lessons From A 'Prince'    The passing of pop music icon Prince is a teachable moment for us all, as the music great had no will, no trust and no estate plan in place. That means some

1) The Push Higher Continues  Stocks enjoyed a nice rebound once again, and though the gains this week weren’t spectacular, they do come on top of a big move over the past eight weeks. So, how did things shake out in the market this week? Find out in today’s kickoff segment. Plus, it’s time to talk all about bonds, interest rates and misplaced fear of rising bond yields.  2) Checking On the Emerging Market Surge  Emerging markets are in a bull market. We haven’t been able to say that for some time, but in 2016 many of the biggest emerging market equity funds have delivered big gains for investors. In today’s second segment, we take a look at some of the reasons why money is flowing to emerging markets, and why this trend could continue for some time. 3) More Lessons from Wealth Coaching    One of the things that’s great about our Fabian Wealth Coaching program is that I get to see what people are actually doing with their money. In today’s fin

1) Squeaking Into a New High Stocks were higher this week, as a return of buyers in bank and financial stocks helped the major indices push higher. While the gains were modest this week, we did manage to high new 52-week highs. So, where else were markets strong? Where were they weak? Find out about all of the week’s action in today’s leadoff segment. Plus, what you can do now to prepare for next year’s “April 15th.” 2) $20 Trillion in Debt Our country is quickly approaching the ominous $20 trillion debt level. Yet does this really matter? What does it even mean, and what does it mean for your money? In today’s second segment, we talk national debt, interest rates and what ETFs you can use to monitor conditions in the market. Plus, why global debt dangers will be worse in countries outside the U.S.  3) Lessons from FWS Wealth Coaching    If you want to learn about what investors are doing now, what they’re doing right and what they are doing very wrong,

1) A Bad Week for Banks and Financials Stocks were slightly lower this week in terms of the broad market, but two sectors—banks and financials—had a much tougher week than most. So, why were the banks hit so hard? What about other equity market sectors? How did oil, gold, bonds and other asset classes perform? Find out all of the details in today’s leadoff market segment. Plus, why headline uncertainties around the globe are persistent headwinds for stocks. 2) The Golden Alternative Alternative investments are usually those designed to be non-correlative with the general equity market. And while there are a lot of alternative investments out there, right now one of the best of the bunch is gold and gold mining stocks. So, why are gold and stocks related to gold mining doing so well right now? Find out all of the details in today’s must-listed podcast segment. Plus, why the golden landscape of ETFs is bigger and better than ever.  3) Why Investors Don’t Hit Their Objectives &

1) The Bull Remains Intact    Stocks added to their March gains in the final week of the month, and those gains now have pushed the S&P 500 and Dow back into the black for the year. So, which sectors of the market saw the biggest moves this week? How did gold, bonds and oil preform? Find out all of the latest action in today’s leadoff podcast segment. Plus, find out why the technical indicators tell us the bull market remains intact.  2) A Quarterly Roundup   A volatile Q1 now is in the books, but where were the real winners and losers in this wild quarter? The answers will likely surprise even the most ardent market watchers, as traditional market performers lagged while traditional safe-haven sectors soared. Find out how the first three months of 2016 sorted out in today’s must-listen middle segment.  3) What Do You Do with Cash?    If there’s one asset class that’s getting no rate of return in your portfolio, it’s cash. Sure, having some

1) A Holiday-Shortened Week of Selling   Stocks finally took a breather from their recent string of gains, as the major U.S. averages sold off, as did gold, oil and emerging markets. So, why did stocks slide, and where are we in the various markets since 2016? Find out all of the details in today’s leadoff “scoreboard” segment. Plus, why Fed confusion is now running rampant on Wall Street. 2) The Geopolitical Soup   The terror attacks this week in Brussels highlighted the exogenous risks in the market from outlier events. Right now, the geopolitical soup in Europe also is being complicated by a so-called “Brexit,” which would be an exit by Britain from the European Union. Then there’s the political situation here in the U.S., in the most-unusual election year, certainly in my lifetime. Finally, Asia is actually looking better, and in particular China has seen improvement economically. If you’re concerned about the current geopolitical soup, then today’

1) A Market Grinding Higher The Fed backed off from hiking interest rates this week, and the market liked that very much. Stocks enjoyed another big week of gains, their fifth straight. So, how well did the major averages perform this week? How about bonds, gold and other commodities? What about the key oil sector? Find out how all of the markets played out this week in today’s lead-off segment. Plus, why emerging markets keep on shining (hint, it’s all about the greenback).  2) How We View the Markets Today   There are a number of ways to view and approach the markets. There’s the technical picture of stocks, as well as the fundamentals. Both are important, but that’s not all there is to viewing the markets today. Find out all of the factors we take into account when determining where and how to put money to work in today’s must-listen segment. Plus, why investor sentiment is so important.  3) Beware of the Annuity Salesperson  Do you own an annuity? Are you

1) 3 Weeks in a Row Stocks enjoyed another week of gains, in fact, their third-consecutive week of wins for the major averages. And while stocks still are in the red year to date, the S&P 500 is quickly fighting its way back to the black. This week’s domestic gains were nice, but it was the international and global equity markets that enjoyed their best week of the year. So, how did global stocks perform this week? How about key sectors such as oil, commodities, and bonds? Find out in today’s lead-off segment. 2) Emerging Markets and Commodities Improve Earlier this year, I told you that I was watching emerging market equities and commodities to see if either could fight their way out of their respective bear markets. This week, we saw signs of hope that both are getting healthier, and that translates into nice opportunities for investors. If you’ve been watching and waiting for a turn in emerging markets and commodities, then today’s second segment is a must listen. 3) The Headwin

A second week of strong gains in the stock market. What does this mean for your portfolio going forward? I make the case that this rally is one that should be sold. This means that if you have excess risk exposure, now is the time to lower that risk. I believe we will eventually hit bear market losses in this market. Right now we are only 8% from the all-time highs. This means there could be another 12-20% downside in price action. Don’t be a seller at the market bottom.  ETF’s for the future. Today I highlights two ETFs that you should be aware of and from this day forward monitor. The case revolves around the emerging market consumer. There is a growing middle class in emerging markets and there will be a boom in consumption. Know where to invest ahead of time. Tuck these ETFs under the rug for when the emerging markets finally turn around.  Beware of Broker Dealers. You may not be aware of the HUGE difference between a registered investment advisor like myself and a broker dealer

1) Finally, a Big Week of Gains    Stocks enjoyed their best gains of the year, as a short-term bottom in equities appears to have been put in this week. While the markets were long overdue for a substantial oversold bounce, that doesn’t mean we are out of the woods yet when it comes to the wider downtrend in equities. So, how well did stocks do this week? What about oil, gold, bonds and other important benchmarks? Find out today in our leadoff podcast segment. Plus, why your equity and bond exposure really matters right now. 2) Highlights from the ETF Conference   My recent trip to Florida for the Inside ETFs conference gave me a lot of great ideas for long-term investors. In today’s second segment, I cover some of the biggest innovations I saw on the ETF front. I also tell you about specific ETF ideas I am monitoring right now that I really like, including several ETFs by one of the “sharks” from the hit TV show “Shark Tank.”  3) Tax Prepping Now for N

In today’s final installment or our 6-part series, it’s all about what I call “alternative investment strategies.”  These “alt-investments” are all about using tools that are generally non-correlated to the broader equity markets. They are also used to mitigate risk, and many times they move the inverse of what the broader stock market is doing. In recent years, alt-investments have gained popularity even when stocks have trended higher. Now that stocks are struggling, alt-investments are even more important to learn about than ever before. If you’ve been looking for alternative ways to beat this bear market, then the alt-investment strategies in Episode 6 are aimed right at you. Of course, a Fabian podcast wouldn’t be complete without a recap of all the action in the equity markets, and this week we saw more bearish trade in domestic stocks, international stocks, oil, commodities and just about every market save for gold and bonds. Fed Chair Janet Yellen d