The first quarter of 2015 is in the books, and that means it’s time to do something that you should be doing every quarter at the very least. That something is taking a critical look at your portfolio to make sure it’s serving your goals.
Are you generating enough income from your existing assets to fund your retirement? Are you producing the kind of growth you want so that you can build up that nest egg for when you need it years down the road? Are you overweight in one market sector while not having enough exposure — and enough diversification — to weather inevitable market storms?
These are the kinds of questions that you need to ask yourself at least every quarter and, preferably, on a monthly basis. In this market, knowing what to do is a must, as circumstances such as when the next Fed rate hike actually will happen; what global growth metrics will tell us; and how the strong U.S. dollar and weak oil prices may determine the fate of your money during the second quarter.
So, what should you do now that Q1 is over?
Here are a few tips on what every investor needs to do right now:
One good way to begin your research on new ideas is to take a look at our Q1 ETF Scorecard at ETFU.com. This is where you’ll find the Top 10 list for a number of market sectors, including equity, fixed income, international, commodity and many other segments.
The table below shows the Top 10 U.S. Equity ETFs during Q1:
Ticker | Name | Category | 2015 Q1 % |
---|---|---|---|
RZG | Rydex S&P Smallcap 600 Pure Gr | Small Cap Domestic | 9.79% |
FV | FIRST TRUST DW FOCUS 5 | Large Cap | 8.99% |
RFG | Rydex S&P Midcap 400 Pure Gro | Mid Cap Domestic | 8.84% |
DWAQ | PowerShares Dynamic OTC | Mid Cap Domestic | 7.75% |
VO | Vanguard Mid Cap ETF | Mid Cap Domestic | 7.42% |
IJK | iShares S&P MidCap 400 Growth | Mid Cap Domestic | 7.42% |
IVOG | VANGUARD S&P MID-CAP 400 | Mid Cap Domestic | 7.29% |
FPX | First Trust IPOX | Small Cap Domestic | 7.02% |
IPO | RENAISSANCE IPO ETF | Small Cap Domestic | 7.01% |
MDYG | SPDR S&P 400 MID CAPGROWTH E | Mid Cap | 6.75% |
If you are looking for domestic equity ETFs with strong track records, the Q1 ETF Scorecard at ETFU.com is a great place to begin your quest.
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