William Baldwin

3 weeks ago | forbes.com | William Baldwin

Some short-term Treasury ETFs beat money-market funds. Here’s a sortable list. Brokerage firms are short-changing customers with their money-market funds, says one angry commentator. Gosh. These brokers deliver a lot of terrific service for free (custody, trading, research). How are they supposed to pay for it all? Instead of grousing, do this: Accept the fact that the brokerage has to cover its costs, but arrange your affairs so that some other customer picks them up.

1 month ago | forbes.com | William Baldwin

A diversified commodity fund might suit your needs. But watch those fees—and the wacky tax treatment. Budget deficits are going to be insane. Moody’s belatedly admits that the U.S. Treasury is a questionable debtor. God knows what new surprises are coming from Washington. What about having a commodity as an inflation hedge? Gold is hot, oil is not. You could own a bullion fund (up 79% over the past three years), or you might feel safer diversifying your risks with a commodity futures fund.

1 month ago | forbes.com | William Baldwin

Tariffs. Inflation. Economic chaos. Bring it on, says Miles Lewis, manager of a portfolio of quirky stocks that, he says, are better equipped than the average stock to weather a tumultuous time in the U.S. economy. Recession? That should send shoppers for sporting goods out of high-class vendors to the down-market chain he favors. Rising interest rates? A steeper yield curve would benefit the venerable savings bank in which Lewis has a stake. Economic uncertainty?

1 month ago | forbesindia.com | William Baldwin

No one can accuse this guy of being shy about his opinions. At the beginning of the pandemic five years ago he was saying, loudly and impolitically, that the virus was a man-made Chinese concoction. Now he splutters about Moderna. Its mRNA vaccine can cause havoc with the immune system, he says, and might have to be withdrawn from the market. He may be wrong about that, but he has been right to avoid the stock, which is in the SPDR index fund. It’s down from a high of $484 to a recent $35.

2 months ago | forbes.com | William Baldwin

Tax-exempt bond funds offer handsome yields these days. This survey takes you quickly to the 40 Best Buys. Good news for savers in fairly high tax brackets: Yields on municipal bonds are good, comfortably ahead of what you can clear from Treasury bonds. Bad news: This is a treacherous field. It is easy to be gouged buying either individual bonds or high-fee funds. Municipal bonds are worth considering for any fixed-income money you have in taxable accounts.