Top Core Funds Closed End Funds 2014

Core funds or large blend funds are investing mainly in large companies stocks. These funds may provide instant diversification for investors. Some of these core funds may provide income for investors. The funds objective is to provide total return including capital growth & income.

Large Blend Funds

Closed end funds (CEFs) are popular among retiree or value investors. Investors may get better income and return from these funds due to its unique features. The closed end funds are traded like stocks or exchange traded funds (ETFs).

These best performing core funds closed end funds are sorted based on its 1 year total return up to November 23, 3014. You may find other fund review information: expense ratio, fund’s NAV, management, objective, yield, top holdings, etc.

Top core funds closed end funds 2014 are:

1. Guggenheim Equal Weight Enhanced Equity Income Fund (GEQ)
2. Adams Express Company (ADX)
3. Denali Fund (DNY)
4. Cohen & Steers Closed-End Opportunity Fund (FOF)
5. Tri-Continental Corp (TY)
6. Zweig Fund (ZF)
7. Boulder Total Return Fund (BTF)

ClearBridge Energy MLP Fund (CEM)

ClearBridge Energy MLP (CEM) is another popular closed end fund. This CEF invests mainly in companies of Master Limited Partnerships issued in the energy sector. This equity fund objective is to provide high level of total return. It also has a high yield for income.

CEM Fund Details

• Fund Inception Date: 06/25/2010
• Ticker Symbol: CEM
• CUSIP: 184692101
• Rank in category (YTD): 77%
• Category: US Equity-MLP
• Distribution: 5.90%
• Effective Leverage: 20.29%
• Capital Gains: -
• Base Expense Ratio: 1.42%
• Net Assets: $ 2.75 billion
• Annual Turnover Rate: 21%
• Exchange: NYSE

This MLP closed end fund is managed Michael Clarfeld , Chris Eades , Richard Freeman, and Peter Vanderlee. It has a high dividend yield of 5.90%. The total expense fee is 2.20% per year. This leveraged fund was introduced to investors in June 2010.

Value Stocks Strike Back

Near year end might put some value stocks in play for big gain in 2015. Which stocks will perform better during year 2015? Top sectors of week 47 are utilities, banks, oil & gas refining & marketing, etc.

Top Dividend Stocks

This post will look into the top performing stocks, industry, and sector. The S&P 500 index has a weekly return of 1.21%. NASDAQ Composite has a weekly return of 0.51%. Dow Jones Industrials Average has a weekly return of 1.06%. The small cap (Russell 2000) has a return of -0.10%.

Best weekly performance of industry stocks of week 47, 2014 (November 17, 2014 – November 23, 2014) are:

1. Foreign Utilities 10.24%
2. Drug Delivery 8.26%
3. Synthetics 6.93%
4. Foreign Regional Banks 6.76%
5. Hospitals 6.75%
6. Appliances 5.93%
7. Oil & Gas Refining & Marketing 5.60%
8. Oil & Gas Drilling & Exploration 5.59%
9. Long-Term Care Facilities 5.16%
10. Silver 4.75%
11. Semiconductor- Memory Chips 4.67%
12. Meat Products 4.57%

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%