Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (VWO)

Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (VWO) is an international stock exchange traded fund. This index ETF uses its assets to purchase stocks of companies located in emerging markets around the world, such as China, Brazil, Taiwan, and South Africa. This equity fund is tracking the return of the FTSE Emerging Index.

This equity fund has high potential for growth, but also high risk; share value may swing up and down more than that of stock funds that invest in developed countries, including the United States. This Vanguard fund is previously known as Vanguard MSCI Emerging Markets ETF.

VWO Fund Profile

• Fund Inception Date: 03/04/2005
• Ticker Symbol: VWO
• CUSIP: 922042858
• Rank in category (YTD): 20%
• Category: Diversified Emerging Markets
• Yield: 2.27%
• Capital Gains: -
• Expense Ratio: 0.14%

Best Performing Retirement Income Mutual Funds 2014

Retirement Income mutual funds are popular among retiree or conservative investors. These funds provide income and growth opportunity.

These retirement income funds provide a mix of stocks, bonds and cash for those investors already in or entering retirement. These mutual funds tend to be more conservative than other target date mutual funds or other asset allocation strategy. These portfolios aim to provide investors with steady income throughout retirement.

Popular Mutual Funds

These retirement income funds are sorted based on its year to date performance. These bond funds may be ranked as the best funds in corporate bond category. I have provided the fund review information such as yield, management, objective, expense ratio fee, holdings, top sectors, etc.

Best performing retirement income mutual funds 2014 are:

1. Vanguard Managed Payout Fund (VPGDX)
2. Pimco Real Retirement Income And Distribution Fund (PTNAX)
3. Putnam Retirement Income Lifestyle Fund (PISFX)
4. American Century One Choice In Retirement Fund (ARTOX)
5. Voya Solution Income Fund (ISWAX)
6. Schwab Monthly Income Fund Moderate Payout Fund (SWJRX)

Vanguard Value Index Fund (VIVAX)

Vanguard Value Index Fund (VIVAX) is an index mutual fund with low cost expense fee. This Vanguard fund objective is to track the performance of a benchmark index that measures the investment return of large-capitalization value stocks.

This mutual fund invests mainly in value stocks of large U.S. companies. These stocks may be temporarily undervalued by investors. This stock fund may provide higher dividend yield of income for investors.

VIVAX Fund Profile

• Fund Inception Date: 11/02/1992
• Ticker Symbol: VIVAX
• CUSIP: 922908405
• Beta (3yr): 0.96
• Rank in category (YTD): 16%
• Category: Large Value
• Distribution Yield: 2.14%
• Capital Gains: -
• Expense Ratio: 0.24%
• Net Assets: $ 33.49 billion
• Number of Years Up: 17 years
• Number of Years Down: 4 years

Sector Rotation to Technology Stocks

Winter is almost here. Should you rotate your portfolio to technology stocks? Let check the top performing stocks for week 46, 2014.

Best Performing Stocks

This post will look into the top performing stocks, industry, and sector. The S&P 500 index has a weekly return of 0.44%. NASDAQ Composite has a weekly return of 1.21%. Dow Jones Industrials Average has a weekly return of 0.44%. The small cap (Russell 2000) has a return of 0.08%.

Best weekly performance of industry stocks of week 46, 2014 (November 10, 2014 – November 16, 2014) are:

1. Dairy Products 10.35%
2. Basic Materials Wholesale 8.81%
3. Catalog & Mail Order Houses 7.65%
4. Internet Service Providers 7.30%
5. Gaming Activities 7.22%
6. Silver 5.67%
7. Newspapers Publishing 5.66%
8. Drug Delivery 5.55%
9. Resorts & Casinos 4.90%
10. Toy & Hobby Stores 4.67%
11. Electronic Equipment 4.59%
12. Movie Production, Theaters 4.47%
13. Nonmetallic Mineral Mining 4.40%
14. Sporting Goods Stores 4.19%

Top Performing Large Blend ETFs 2014

Large blend ETFs invests mainly in companies with market values greater than $10 billion. These exchange traded funds invest in a combination of growth and value-oriented stocks. They may provide some yield for income.

Best Large Cap Funds

These top performers are sorted based on its 1 year total return performance (up to November 3, 2014). You can find this best ETF funds review from this article. Other fund information can be found below such as expense ratio, Morningstar rating, fund’s NAV, holdings, yield, etc.

Top performing large blend ETFs 2014 are:

1. ProShares Large Cap Core Plus ETF
2. iShares Morningstar Large-Cap ETF
3. iShares MSCI USA Minimum Volatility ETF
4. iShares MSCI USA Size Factor ETF
5. PowerShares S&P 500 High Quality ETF
6. ProShares S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats ETF
7. iShares Core S&P 500 ETF
8. Vanguard S&P 500 ETF

Tortoise Energy Infrastructure Fund (TYG)

Tortoise Energy Infrastructure Fund (TYG) is an actively managed closed end fund. This CEF utilizes its assets to purchase equity securities of publicly-traded Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs) and their affiliates in the energy infrastructure sector.

As of June 2014, Tortoise Energy Capital Corp. (TYY) and Tortoise North American Energy Corp. (TYN) were merged into TYG. TYY and TYN stockholders became stockholders of TYG, and TYY and TYN ceased their separate existence.

TYG Fund Details

• Fund Inception Date: 02/27/2004
• Ticker Symbol: TYG
• CUSIP: 89147L100
• Rank in category (YTD): 100%
• Category: US Equity-MLP
• Yield: 5.12%
• Effective Leverage: 29.29%
• Capital Gains: -
• Base Expense Ratio: 1.74%
• Net Assets: $ 4.50 billion
• Annual Turnover Rate: 13%

This MLP fund is managed by Kevin H. Birzer, Zachary A. Hamel, Kenneth P. Malvey, Terry Matlack, and David J. Schulte. It has a high dividend yield of 5.12%.

Another Leg Higher for Gold Stocks?

Is this another leg higher for gold stocks? Let check the top performing stocks for week 45, 2014.

Potential Runner Stocks

This post will look into the top performing stocks, industry, and sector. The S&P 500 index has a weekly return of 0.77%. NASDAQ Composite has a weekly return of 0.04%. Dow Jones Industrials Average has a weekly return of 1.17%. The small cap (Russell 2000) has a return of 0.01%.

Best weekly performance of industry stocks of week 45, 2014 (November 3, 2014 – November 9, 2014) are:

1. Specialty Retail, Other 10.29%
2. Silver 8.36%
3. Gold 6.44%
4. Regional Airlines 6.24%
5. Major Airlines 5.28%
6. Confectioners 5.21%
7. Toy & Hobby Stores 4.90%
8. Grocery Stores 4.76%
9. Auto Parts Wholesale 4.76%
10. Gaming Activities 4.62%
11. General Building Materials 4.55%
12. Drug Stores 3.89%
13. Business Software & Services 3.87%
14. Synthetics 3.72%
15. Department Stores 3.63%