Showing posts with label VOYA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label VOYA. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 19, 2019

Observations and Sample of Recent Trades: DXPRB, REET, SCM


Gundlach estimates that there is a 40% to 45% chance of a recession within the next six months and 65% within one year. Bond king Jeffrey Gundlach: 'I am certainly long gold' The Stock Jocks assign a zero percent possibility to a recession within 18 months IMO based on current stock market levels.

Empire State Manufacturing Index just saw its biggest drop in 18 years The reference is to the New York Fed's Empire Manufacturing Index which fell to -8.6% from +17.8 last month. A reading below zero indicates contraction. New orders collapsed by 22 points to -12. 


Stock investors are convinced that a .5% to 1% cut in the FF rate over the  next 12 months or so will be the magic elixir, when mixed with the tax cuts, that drives the U.S. economy to 3+% real GDP growth with less than 2% inflation until the end of days. We shall see in the fullness of time.  


In my opinion, the current problem with the U.S. economy has nothing to do with interest rates. 


Nonetheless, the Stock Jocks believe that the FED can alter the current economic course by cutting the federal funds rate. 


In addition to the decline in interest rates yesterday, the Stock Jocks were encouraged by Donald's tweet that he would be having an extended discussion with China's President at the G-20 meeting. U.S., China rekindle trade talks ahead of Trump-Xi G20 meeting - Reuters There was an immediate leap of faith that something positive and concrete will happen at this meeting.  

Trump Tariffs Are Short-Term Pain Without Long-Term Gain, Economists Say

China prepared for long trade fight with the U.S.: party journal - Reuters


Trump 'perfectly happy' to slap further tariffs on China: Wilbur Ross


India to impose retaliatory tariff on 28 U.S. goods from Sunday: government statement - Reuters


China is not sounding like it will take a knee anytime soon: US-China trade: Beijing wants world to think Washington will back down Their current approach may be simply to wait for the Duck to fold first. 


U.S. firms say China tariffs will raise costs, see few sourcing alternatives - Reuters


The Rate Cut the Economy Doesn’t Need — but the Markets Do - Barron's (subscription publication). The Stock Jocks really do not "need" a rate cut since the economy does not need one now. 

What is the reason when the economy has a 3.6% unemployment rate, 2%+ real GDP growth and CPI hovering around 2%. 


The current FF range is 2.25% to 2.5% with the FED clearly indicating that no increase is in sight. That is not a problem for the real economy. Lowering the rate to 1.5% is not going to help either. Interest rates are already ridiculously low by any historical standard. 


E.G.  

Chart 10-Year US Treasury Note Yield Since 1790 Through 2014- Business Insider  
10 Year Treasury Rate - 54 Year Historical Chart | MacroTrends
30 Year Treasury Rate - 39 Year Historical Chart | MacroTrends

I would note that the 10 year treasury yield was higher during the Great Depression than now. 


The 10 year did sink below where it is now during another period of Fed manipulation that started after WWII and ended in 1950 with inflation numbers running hot. Before the Accord: U.S. Monetary-Financial Policy, 1945-51

Yields are cratering 


Rates & Bonds - Bloomberg

If the FED does not give the Stock Jocks at least a .5% cut this year, they will surely throw a temper tantrum (hissy fit may be a better phrase). Making stocks the only game in town for investors is the main objective.  

Don the Authoritarian is considering demoting (or possibly firing) Chairman Powell unless the FED gives into his demands for lower rates. 


Trump on demoting Fed Chair Jerome Powell: 'Let's see what he does'

White House Explored Legality of Demoting Fed Chairman Powell - Bloomberg

On eve of critical Fed meeting, Trump suggests he might remove Chair Jerome H. Powell - The Washington Post

+++++

Markets and Market Commentary

The German 10 year bond closed at a -.32% yield yesterday. Germany 10 Year Government Bond Overview The U.S. 10 year looks juicy in comparison at a 2.06% yield. 


The yield curve remains inverted starting at the 3 month treasury bill through the 10 year treasury note, notwithstanding the decline in short term rates. 



The 3 month treasury bill has the highest yield through the 10 year treasury note.  

The ‘Buffett Yardstick’ may be signaling the worst risk-reward setup ever - MarketWatch The valuation yardstick discussed is the value of the U.S. stock market to GDP. Using that valuation measure, the analyst predicts that stocks will have a zero rate of return over the next 10 years with dividends reinvested: ' “In all, long-term investors are risking roughly a 60% decline to try to capture a 0% rate of return over the coming decade in the stock market, one of the worst risk-to-reward setups in history,” This Is One Of The Worst Risk/Reward Setups In History – The Felder Report

Buffett Indicator: The percent of total market cap relative to Gross National Product? (As of 6/12/19, "the Total Market Index is at $ 29698.7 billion, which is about 141.1% of the last reported GDP." Using this valuation measure, the "US stock market is positioned for an average annualized return of -1.9%, estimated from the historical valuations of the stock market", which includes dividends." Fair value is a ratio between 75%-90%). 

I would emphasize that most traditional valuation measures, including the "Buffett Indicator" and the Shiller CAPE P/E ratio, have been flashing danger signals for years. 


The proponents of those valuation measures may crow during the next market meltdown but they have been eating crow for years. 


Those valuation measures may be more valuable in timing an entry point during a catastrophic market decline. 


However, the primary reason for a bull market remaining "overvalued" for extended periods, using those valuation indicators, may also be the reason that causes or contributes significantly to a Catastrophic Event and/or onset of a long term bear market. 

The seeds for a long term bear market are generally planted during the bull cycles. That was the case in the 1982-2000 long term secular stock bull market when GDP and earnings growth were fueled in significant part by spending borrowed money. 


The First Age of Leverage in the U.S. started in the early 1980s. Spending increasing amounts of borrowed money energized the long expansion cycles and kept them going. It took about 22 years for the U.S. consumer debt expansion to implode.    

The culprit for a new long term bear market would most likely be excess spending fueled by exponential growth in debt which was the cause of the last one as well.  

The U.S. government is fueling GDP growth now by spending close to $1 trillion per year more than its revenues, roughly the amount of the federal government's total debt in 1979. 

Growth funded by increasing amount of government and/or consumer debt will juice GDP growth and corporate earnings and that may continue  for an extended period. 

The traditional valuation measures have not been working IMO due in large part to the unparalleled growth in spending fueled by parabolic increases in debt coupled with extended periods of extremely abnormal central bank monetary policies that keep interest rates far below normal historical levels. 

It is certainly possible, even likely, that market historians will look back in 20 or so years and conclude that the traditional valuation measures did not give the right signal, until it was too late, due to the economic distortions created by excessive deficit spending as well as extremely abnormal central bank policies maintained for well over a decade.  

When an economy becomes as large as the U.S., even a trillion dollars of deficit spending per year will only move the growth needle up some. Even more debt will have to be added to have the same GDP impact.  

And, in a final note, the debt rubber band could be pulled a long way starting in the early 1980s since government and consumer debt were both at reasonable levels. 


The U.S. consumer total debt to disposable income ratio was within the long term range of about 60% to 65% in 1985. The bubble burst when the ratio crossed 130% which took a very long time. The ratio now is near 100% or about where it was in 2001.  




100*Households and nonprofit organizations; debt securities and loans; liability, Level/Disposable Personal Income | FRED | St. Louis Fed And, the decline in interest rates, particularly on mortgage debt, have lowered debt service costs. Household Debt Service and Financial Obligations Ratios


In short, the traditional valuation measures can not be relied upon to time the market and may remain at elevated levels for as long as interest rates remain well below historical norms and spending increasing amounts of borrowed central bank created "funny money" has only positive economic consequences. 


Shiller P/E Ratio: Where Are We with Market Valuations? (historical mean at 16.1); Shiller PE Ratio and CAPE Calculator on the S&P 500, Plus History - DQYDJ

Trump’s trade war has cost the market trillions; we’ll get half back, says JPMorgan-MarketWatch 
The JPM analyst argues that it would be "rational" for Donald to settle the China trade conflict before the 2020 election. If the disputes are not settled and a recession occurs before the election, too many voters will call it the Trump recession precipitated by his tariff wars. Therefore, it would be "rational" to settle the conflict before that actually happens. The JPM analyst believes that a settlement would translate into a quick 5% or so rally in the stock market and a 10% to 20% rally in "value and high beta" names.   


Broadcom slaps down hopes for a second-half rebound in chips - MarketWatch


++++

Trump

President Trump has made 10,796 false or misleading claims over 869 days - The Washington Post 

Demagogue Don is well on his way to making more false statements during his first term than all prior Presidents combined multiplied by at least 10. 


Since honesty is a conservative value, is the modern day GOP a conservative party? In answering that question, ask yourself first why Donald, who is clearly and obviously a lying authoritarian demagogue who manipulates voters through engendering fear and hate, enjoys a 90% approval rating among republicans.  

According to most republicans, the Bond Spur Bloviator is both honest and a role model for their children. (question # 2, 66% of republicans view Donald as honest; question #11, 54% believe the Duck is a good role model for their children: National (US) Poll - March 5, 2019 - 64 Percent Of U.S. Voters Say | Quinnipiac University Connecticut) 97% of Democrats and 75% of independents say no to the role model question. Donald is of course the antithesis of a good role model.  


Trump Warns of Epic Stock Market Crash If He's Not Re-Elected I think that he is predicting a repeat of what happened in Bush's 8th year as President. 


Trump says supporters might ‘demand’ that he serve more than two terms as president 


++++

1. Bought 50 of the BDC SCM at $13.6 ($1 IB commission):




Quote: Stellus Capital Investment Corp. (SCM)


Closing Price Yesterday: SCM $14.05 -$0.03 -0.21% 


2018 Annual Report risk factor summary starts at page 31 and ends at page 59)


Last EliminationItem # 1.B. Sold 32+ SCM at $14.22-Used Commission Free Trade  (2/2/19 Post)(profit snapshot = $78.09) 


SCM Trading Profits to Date = $540.24 (all small lots)


Last Substantive Buy DiscussionItem # 1.C. (11/25/18 Post)


Last Sell DiscussionsItem # 1.A. Sold Highest Cost Lot-50 Shares at $12.63 (5/3/18 Post)(profit snapshot = $34.24); Item 2.B. Sold 100 SCM at $14.23 (2/27/17 Post)(profit snapshot=$285.96); Item # 2 Sold 100 SCM at $13.02 (1/12/17 Post)(profit snapshot= $141.96)


The goal is simply to earn a total return in excess of the dividend yield. 


Dividend: Monthly at $.1133 ($1.36 annually rounded)


SCM is not currently covering this dividend with interest income and does not expect to do so this year. However, realized capital gains on investments will be sufficient, according to the company, to cover the dividend payment this year:


"we will likely not fully cover the dividend from net investment income over the next few quarters as we work to invest additional capital raise during the quarter. This would be consistent with our previous equity offering in April 2017. We do expect, however, to more than cover the dividend for the year from the realized . . . long-term capital gains"(Emphasis added; Page 2 Stellus Capital Investment Corporation (SCM) CEO Robert Ladd on Q1 2019 Results - Earnings Call Transcript | Seeking Alpha)


Dividend Yield at $13.6 = 10%


Last Common Stock Offering: Last March, SCM sold 2,750,000 shares to underwriters at $14.43 per share with the standard greenshoe option. The external management company paid the underwriters' discount of $935,000 or $.34 per share. Prospectus The greenshoe allotment was partially exercised resulting in another  202,149 shares of common stock being sold. 


Historical Net Asset Values Per Share (relatively stable for a BDC):  


 3/31/19:   $14.32

12/31/18:  $14.09
12/31/17:  $13.81
12/31/16   $13.69
12/31/15:  $13.19
12/31/14:  $13.94
12/31/13:  $14.54
November 2012: IPO at $15 ($14.46 after underwriters discount)

Five Year Historical Results Through 2018



Page 61 2018 Annual Report 

Last Earnings ReportStellus Capital Investment Corporation Reports Results for Its First Fiscal Quarter Ended March 31, 2019


Net investment income was reported at $.34 per share. However, this number does not include a $1.2M accrued incentive fee which reduces the per share income GAAP NII number to $.27 per share. SCM generated $10.2 million in long term capital gains ($.63 per share) from equity investments during the quarter, and had realized $2+M in realized gains during the second quarter up to the date of the conference call. Pages 1-2- Earnings Call Transcript | Seeking Alpha


"As of March 31, 2019, our portfolio included approximately 61% of first lien debt, 28% of second lien debt, 5% of unsecured debt and 6% of equity investments at fair value.  Our debt portfolio consisted of 91% floating rate investments (subject to interest rate floors) and 9% fixed rate investments."  (emphasis added) 


The problem with coupons that pay a spread over 1 or 3 month Libor rates now is that those short term rates are coming down and may fall further, which is a negative for BDCs that have a preponderance of floating rate loans. 


3 Month Libor January 2015 to 6/18/19
3-Month London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR), based on U.S. Dollar | FRED | St. Louis Fed (already starting to roll over after topping out last December)

Libor floors, which are generally around 1%, provide some downside protection from falling short term Libor rates. 

Three loans were on non-accrual as of 3/31/19. Those loans were to Refac, Grupo, and Wise. The loan to Wise had almost been completely written down as of 3/31/19: 


Wise:



Refac: 



Grupo: 




Pages 7, 10 and 10: 10-Q for the Q/E 3/31/19 


Asset Quality According to Management:




10-Q for the Q/E 3/31/19


2. Intermediate Term Bond Ladder Basket Strategy

A. Sold 2 Voya 3.125% SU Maturing on 7/15/24


Profit Snapshot: +$8



This was a less than optimal buy. On the purchase date, the ten year treasury yield closed at a 2.26% yield. Daily Treasury Yield Curve Rates I will look for an opportunity to buy this bond back at less than 96 which is not going to happen anytime soon.  

FINRA Page: Bond Detail


Sold at 100
YTM at 100 = 3.125%

3. Short Term Bond/CD Ladder Basket Strategy:

$10K in an add


A. Bought 10 Citizens Bank 2.45% CDs Maturing on 12/12/19 (6 month CD)-A Roth IRA Account:




Issuer: Operating bank for  Citizens Financial Group (CFG) 

CFG | Citizens Financial Group Inc. Analyst Estimates 
Citizens Financial Group, Inc. Reports First Quarter Net Income of $439 million and EPS of $0.92 

4. Eliminated DXPRB-Sold 50 at $24.67 (used commission free trade)



Profit Snapshot: +$44.98




Item # 4 Bought 50 DXPRB at $23.77-Used Commission Free Trade (2/2/19 Post)


Quote: Dynex Capital Inc. 7.625% Cumulative Preferred Series B Stock


Security Description


Prospectus

Par Value: $25
Issuer: Dynex Capital Inc. (DX 
Issuer SEC Filings
Coupon: 7.625%
Dividends: Quarterly, Non-Qualified and Cumulative 
Last Ex Dividend Date: 3/29/19 
Yield at Total Cost = 8.02
Optional Call Date: At anytime now 
Dividend Stopper: Yes (company must eliminate a cash dividend to common shareholders before deferring the preferred stock dividends)

I generally discuss the risks of MREIT preferred stocks in Item # 2 (4/11/17 Post)


I view MREIT preferred stocks with disfavor. 


Given the leverage of mortgage REITs and their business models, I view their equity preferred stocks to be among the most dangerous in the preferred stock universe. 


I would expect the recovery to be zero in a bankruptcy which would be the same result for bank holding company preferred stocks when their operating bank is seized by the FDIC.  


I will consequently flip MREIT preferred stocks for total returns in excess of the dividend yields. 


I have already substituted two equity REIT preferred stocks for the MREIT preferred stocks that I have sold recently. I will be discussing those purchases in the next two posts. 


5. Small Ball ETF "Buying Program" Strategy-Bought 10 REET at $27.16 (commission free for Fidelity brokerage customers)




Quote: REET | iShares Global REIT ETF Overview


Sponsor's Website: iShares Global REIT ETF | REET


Expense Ratio: .14%


This is my first purchase. 


Last Ex Dividend Date: 6/17/19 (after purchase)


Recent REET Dividend History: Quarterly at a variable rate



Current Position: 10 Shares

Purchase Restriction: Small Ball Rule


Maximum Position: 100 shares. 


Top 10 Holdings as of 6/13/19: 




Number of Holdings: 301 as of 6/13/19 


DisclaimerI am not a financial advisor but simply an individual investor who has been managing my own money since I was a teenager. In this post, I am acting solely as a financial journalist focusing on my own investments. The information contained in this post is not intended to be a complete description or summary of all available data relevant to making an investment decision. Instead, I am merely expressing some of the reasons underlying the purchase or sell of securities. Nothing in this post is intended to constitute investment or legal advice or a recommendation to buy or to sell. All investors need to perform their own due diligence before making any financial decision which requires at a minimum reading original source material available at the SEC and elsewhere. A failure to perform due diligence only increases what I call "error creep". Stocks, Bonds & Politics: ERROR CREEP and the INVESTING PROCESS Each investor needs to assess a potential investment taking into account their personal risk tolerances, goals and situational risks. I can only make that kind of assessment for myself and family members. 

Wednesday, August 16, 2017

Observations and Sample of Recent Trades: MAPTX

U.S. Default? Unlikely, But Bond Traders Are Taking No Chances - Bloomberg

I have started to reduce somewhat my weighted average bond duration by selling longer duration securities and buying short term bonds and CDs. The short term ladder has several maturing securities each month. I will consequently have a constant flow of redemption proceeds over the next three years that can be redeployed into whatever appears reasonable at the time. I view current stock prices and long duration bond yields to have considerable downside risk.

Cramer breaks down your bond exposure by age — how to protect yourself from market volatility: CNBC

Retirement Portfolio Allocation | Charles Schwab

Flaws With the 100 Minus Age Allocation Rule

The most important problems going forward in making asset allocations is that bonds are in the 35th year of a long term secular bull market with historically low yields and stocks are richly valued based on future predictions that may turn out to be way off.

B. Stocks:


‘Just say no’ to the S&P 500 and buy these stocks instead, say GMO’s strategists - MarketWatch; GMO White Paper link: the-s-p-500-just-say-no.pdf (buy emerging market and international high quality stocks and own as little as you can of U.S. equities)


I would not agree with that assessment. Most U.S. based investors need to concentrate on what they know best and gain international exposure through U.S. based multinationals. The currency risks associated with foreign securities can be profound and did in fact contribute to poor performance of foreign stock ETFs over the past few years.


Annual Average Five Year Returns Through 8/16/17:

SPDR® S&P 500 ETF (SPY) Total Returns = 14.15%
Vanguard FTSE Europe Index Fund ETF Shares (VGK) Total Returns = 8.76% (2.14% over 10 yrs)
Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Index Fund ETF Shares (VEU) Total Returns = 7.31% (2.15% over 10 years)
Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets Index Fund ETF Shares (VWO) Total Returns = 3.65% (2.88% over ten years)

Performance of foreign stock funds priced in USDs has been much better this year as the USD started to decline in value against most major foreign currencies and prices rose in local currencies.

Investors waiting for the promised land in those funds over the past ten years have instead experienced total returns barely above the inflation rate. There is certainly a possibility of mean reversion where  U.S. stocks stagnant for several years while international stocks go up meaningfully.

I do own several foreign quality stocks including Nestle and Novartis.

C. Foreign Economies

Japan’s Economy Grows Again, in Longest Streak in 11 Years - The New York Times ("Japanese gross domestic product increased by 4 percent in annualized terms in the three months through June. . The economy has now expanded for six consecutive quarters, the first time it has gone that long without a contraction since the 2005-6 period.")


China's Economic Growth Dials Back - Bloomberg (some slowing from higher growth numbers-nothing to worry about yet IMO)


Eurostat reported today that its GDP flash estimate for the second quarter showed .6% growth in both the euro area and the EU28 and +2.2% and +2.3 % respectively Y-O-Y. Eurostat  However, industrial production did decline -.6% in June compared to May in the Euro area and -.5% in the EU28. Eurostat



++++++++

Economic Reports


Retail Sales


The government reported on  that retail sales rose last month at a greater than expected .6% on a seasonally adjusted basis. Retail Sales July 2017.pdf


However, I would note that Amazon's Prime Day promotion occurred last Month. Nonstore retailers experienced a 1.3% gain in sales. 


It is also important to note that the savings rate fell to 3.8% last quarter from 6.2% during the 2015 second quarter while wage growth is relatively stagnant at 2.5% or slightly highly than the inflation rate.  


Strong U.S. retail sales bolster third quarter growth outlook: Reuters 


I would also note that the unadjusted number for July 2017 showed a decline from June 2017 (see Table 1). 


The better than expected number caused the Bond Ghouls to increase the odds of a .25% rate increase on or before the FED's December meeting. The probability assigned for a .25% hike has  jumped to 54.7%  from 37.4% last Friday.  CME FedWatch Tool


B. Household Debt:


The NY FED reported that household debt hit a record in the 2017 second quarter. Total Household Debt Increases, Driven by Mortgage, Auto and Credit Card Debt - FEDERAL RESERVE BANK of NEW YORK ("Of note, credit card balance flows into both early and serious delinquencies increased from a year ago – a persistent upward movement not seen since 2009. Meanwhile, delinquency flows for other non-housing debt increased modestly, and in particular, the upward trend for auto loans in recent years continued.")HHDC_2017Q2.pdf

++++++++++


Trump Finally Manages To Criticize White Supremacists And Then Walks it Back:


Trump has repeatedly failed to even criticize White Nationalists.


It took a murder in Charlottesville committed by one, and widespread public criticism for his refusal to condemn these belligerent racists by name, for him to publicly rebuke them last Monday (8/14/17).  
Trump calls KKK, white supremacists 'repugnant' (8/14/17)- CNN


Reagan never had that trouble: 




Letter to the Chairman of the Commission on Civil Rights Concerning the President's Views on the Ku Klux Klan


The White Nationalists are after all a critical part of the GOP's base now. I am using the term "White Nationalists" to include more than just the Nazis, KKK and other organized white supremacist groups.


On the same day day (8/14/17), however, Trump blasted Merck's CEO, Kenneth Frazier, who criticized racists and praised what use to be fundamental and traditional American values:





Trump's Reply:





It took Donald about 1 hour to respond to Frazier's tweet. Kenneth Frazier quits Trump manufacturing council; Trump lashes out - Aug. 14, 2017 


Is he  primarily engaged during the workday in  reading and writing tweets and watching TV? 


Infowars' Alex Jones falsely says George Soros, Hillary Clinton instigated Charlottesville violence | PunditFact 


Alex Jones: A lot of KKK protesters are “Jewish actors” who look like the “cast of Seinfeld” with their hoods off


How the Liberal Media Created Charlottesville - Townhall (Townhall and its owner  Salem Media Group refer to themselves as conservative. Using the warped definition of conservatism that has gained dominance in the GOP, that publication and its owner are conservative.)


A Guide To Donald Trump’s Relationship With Alex Jones (Trump has praised Alex Jones)


All the Charlottesville conspiracy theories from Trump's Friends in the lunatic fringe: Slate


Stephen Colbert Attempts To List Everything Trump Has Attacked Harder Than Nazis


Controversial Trump Aide Katharine Gorka Helped End Funding For Group That Fights White SupremacyThe husband-and-wife team Sebastian and Katharine Gorka driving Trump's national security policy-POLITICO


Trump did not really believe in his criticism of White Nationalism that he read from a teleprompter on Monday. 


Trump waited just one day after his Monday remarks to reveal what he really believes.  


The following statements made by Trump are of course welcomed by the White Nationalists, particularly the part about comparing Robert E. Lee and other confederate generals to George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Statues of confederate generals and politicians are merely symbols of White Nationalism now. And, unless we forget, the confederates were traitors to the United States (all of my ancestors that participated in the Civil War did so on the Confederate side, primarily in the Army of Tennessee)  


Trump is unable to see a difference between a George Washington statue and one of a confederate general: 


You had people in that group who were protesting the taking down of what to them is a very, very important statue. Many of those people were there to protest the taking down of the statue of Robert E. Lee. This week, it is Robert E. Lee and this week, Stonewall Jackson. Is it George Washington next? You have to ask yourself, where does it stop? You're changing history and culture ”  



He also concluded without evidence that not "all of those people were neo-Nazis, believe me. Not all of those people were white supremacists by any stretch.” 

Perhaps he needed to listen to their chants during their night Tiki Torch march.  


GOP lawmakers react to Trump: “very fine people” don’t participate in rallies with racist chants 

This was the chant:  “Blood and soil!” “You will not replace us!” “Jews will not replace us!”

Trump probably knows and should know what those chants mean. 

Blood and Soil is of course a Nazi slogan. What does "blood and soil" mean? White nationalists in Charlottesville chanted a Nazi slogan — Quartz'Blood and soil': Protesters chant Nazi slogan in Charlottesville - CNN The chant "Jews will not replace us" is self-explanatory.  


White House Watch: Trump and the 'Very Fine People' Who March with Neo-Nazis | The Weekly Standard


Another favorite technique used by Trump is to constantly refer to the Lying Press, a phrase which gained prominence during the Hitler's regime. The Nazi term for the Fake News Media, meaning anyone who did not support the Nazis, was Lügenpresse'. He demonizes the press constantly and did so during this news conference calling them bad people. Full transcript: Donald Trump’s press conference defending the Charlottesville rally - Vox

The President's comments last Tuesday were what the KKK wanted to hear from the President: 



Trump also blamed the "Alt-Left" for the violence in their counter-protests to the KKK and Nazis. He claimed they were "very, very violent". 

This is what actually happened according to the police:  

"Charlottesville Police Chief Al S. Thomas Jr. said the rallygoers went back on a plan that would have kept them separated from the counterprotesters. Instead of coming in at one entrance, he said, they came in from all sides. Headlong into the counterprotesters. A few minutes before 11 a.m., a swelling group of white nationalists carrying large shields and long wooden clubs approached the park on Market Street. About two dozen counterprotesters formed a line across the street, blocking their path. With a roar, the marchers charged through the line, swinging sticks, punching and spraying chemicals. Counterprotesters fought back, also swinging sticks, punching and spraying chemicals. . ." Charlottesville timeline - How white supremacist protests turned deadly over 24 hours - Washington Post

 


Trump says he is only interested in making decisions after acquiring all of the facts. Here are some comments on that point made during the news conference: 


"When I make a statement, I like to be correct. I want the facts. This event just happened. A lot of the event didn't happen yet as we were speaking. This event just happened. Before I make a statement, I need the facts. I don't want to rush into a statement. So making the statement when I made it was excellent."


"Honestly, if the press were not fake and if it was honest, the press would have said what I said was very nice. Unlike you (referring to a reporter) and unlike the media, before I make a statement, I like to know the facts."


"I would do it the same way, because I want to make sure when I make a statement that the statement is correct. There was no way of making a correct statement that early. I had to see the facts, unlike a lot of reporters."


"What about the alt left that came charging at, as you say, at the alt right? Do they have any assemblage of guilt? What about the fact that they came charging with clubs in their hands swinging clubs?Wait a minute. I'm not finished. I'm not finished, fake news" 


Trump seemed earnest when claiming repeatedly that he wants to know the facts. If that is the case, it is profoundly delusional. He rarely makes accurate factual statements.  

It may have been better for the protesters to allow those Trump supporters to beat them with clubs and spray chemicals at them without any response. 

That Martin Luther King approach is hard to do when you are being attacked by those filled with rage and hate armed with clubs and chemical spray. Sure, I believe that some of those counter-protesters knew that they would be attacked by the Trump followers, probably have been in the past, and were ready and more than willing to defend themselves once attacked.  

Trump puts a fine point on it: He sides with the alt-right in Charlottesville - The Washington Post The Alt-Right, which now dominates the GOP, elected him.  

Trump Gives White Supremacists an Unequivocal Boost - The New York Times


He 'Went Rogue': President Trump's Staff Stunned After Latest Charlottesville Remarks - NBC News (really just showing his soul which should surprise no one)

"Of at least 372 murders that were committed by domestic extremists between 2007 and 2016, according to a study by the Anti-Defamation League, 74 percent were committed by right-wing extremists. Muslim extremists were responsible for 24 percent of those killings, and the small remainder were committed by left-wing extremists, the study concluded." One Theory Over Meaning of Trump’s ‘Many Sides’ Remark - The New York Times

++++++


CBO: Trump threat to scrap cost-sharing payments would increase federal deficits, premiums - MarketWatch
Premiums and deficit would rise if Trump ends Obamacare payments, CBO says - CBS News (Trump never mentions the consequences from withholding those cost sharing payments)



Trump retweets cartoon appearing to show train hitting CNN reporter (just more juvenile behavior from the U.S. President).


+++++

1. Short Term Bond/CD Ladder Basket Strategy:  

A. Bought 3 Northpointe 1.2% CDs (monthly interest payments) Maturing on 12/18/17 (4 month CDs)

This bank has a five star rating from Bankrate: NORTHPOINTE BANK Review 

B. Bought 2 Bank of the West 1.35% CDs Maturing on 2/13/18: 



This bank has a 4 star rating from Bankrate: BANK OF THE WEST Review

C. Bought 2 People's United Bank 1.2% CDs Maturing on 11/16/2017 (3 month CDs)




Bank Holding Company: People's United Financial Inc. (PBCT)

PBCT Analyst Estimates

This operating subsidiary, People's United Bank, has a 4 star rating from Bankrate:  PEOPLE'S UNITED BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION Review


D. Bought 3 Bank of India 1% CDs Maturing on 9/27/17 (one month):





E. Bought 2 Bank of the West 1.45% CDs Maturing on 5/14/18 (9 month CDs):




This bank has a four star rating from Bankrate: BANK OF THE WEST Review


$12K
Inflow Short Term Bond/CD Ladder Basket


2. Intermediate Bond/CD Ladder Basket Strategy

A. Bought 2 Voya 3.15% SU Bonds Maturing on 7/15/24: This is a new bond that was offered in late June 2017



FINRA Page: Bond Detail (Prospectus is not linked)
Credit Ratings: 
Moody's at Baa2
S & P at BBB

YTM at Total Cost (99.5) = 3.206%
Current Yield at 3.141%

2016 Annual Report 

B. SOLD 1 Public Service of Colorado 2.25% First Mortgage Bond Maturing on 9/15/22




Profit Snapshot: $12.15





Finra Page: Bond Detail (prospectus linked)

Credit Ratings: 
Moody's at A1
S & P at A

Sold at 99.818

YTM Then at 2.288%
Current Yield at 2.25%

Bought at a Total Cost of 98.503

Stocks, Bonds & Politics: Item # 2.A. 
YTM Then at 2.537%
Current Yield at 2.28%

C. Bought 2 Sovran Acquisition Partner 3.5% SU Note Maturing on 7/1/26





Issuer: Operating Subsidiary of Life Storage Inc. (LSI)- A Self-Storage REIT (fully and unconditionally guaranteed by Sovran Self Storage, now known as Life Storage

Sovran rebranded as Life Storage after acquiring Life Storage in 2016: Sovran Self Storage, Inc. Acquires LifeStorageSovran Self Storage, Inc. to Rebrand as Life Storage

FINRA Page: Bond Detail (prospectus is linked)


Credit Ratings:

Moody's at Baa2
S & P at BBB

YTM at Total Cost (96.985) = 3.917%

Current Yield at 3.61%

$3K Inflow into Intermediate Term Bond/CD Ladder Basket


3. Long Term Bond Basket: Trimming Exposure to Potentially Long Duration Exchange Traded Corporate Bonds After Building a Significant Allocation to Tennessee Municipal Bonds (mostly rated AA to AAA):


I built up earlier this year a material allocation to long term Tennessee municipal bonds, with maturities ranging from 2027 to 2045.


As a consequence of that allocation, I am trimming my long term corporate bond exposure. My potentially longest duration corporate bonds are exchange traded baby bonds.


For First Mortgage Bonds issued by Entergy subsidiaries, I am selling the long duration exchange traded bonds and buying $1K par value intermediate term maturities that have make whole protections unlike the exchange traded bonds.


I have been trading first mortgage bonds issued by Entergy subsidiaries since October 2008.


Since the issuers reserve the right to call on or after a call date, generally five years after the IPO or thereabouts, all of the ones that I bought between 2008 through 2015 have been called at par value, as the issuers were able to refinance at lower coupons and to extend the maturities further into the future.


A. Sold 50 EAI at $24.84-ROTH IRA ACCOUNT:



Profit Snapshot: +$34.57



Quote: Entergy Arkansas 1st Mortgage Bonds 4.875% due 2066 (EAI)


Prospectus 


Stocks, Bonds & Politics: Exchange Traded Baby Bonds


I will consider buying back at a lower price than my last entry point which was $23.85: Stocks, Bonds & Politics: Item # 2.B.


EAI is a Baby Bond that is traded like a stock on the stock exchange rather than in the bond market, which explains why this security is called an Exchange Traded Bond. Par value is $25 rather than the $1K par value for bonds traded in the bond market which is why these $25 par value bonds are called baby bonds. 


This Entergy Arkansas first mortgage bond was sold to the public at $25 last August. The shares declined to $20.85 shortly after issuance, bottoming around 12/12/2016: EAI Stock Charts 


Interest payments are made quarterly. The issuer has the option to redeem at par on or after 9/1/21. If the issuer does not exercise its optional redemption right, the bond matures on 9/1/66.


I currently one a $1K par value Entergy Arkansas First Mortgage bond maturing in 2023: Item # 1.E. Bought 2 Entergy Arkansas 3.05% First Mortgage Bonds Maturing on 6/1/23: 


B. Sold 50 ELC at $24.77 (used commission free trades round-trip):



Profit Snapshot: +$94.54




Quote: Entergy Louisiana LLC First Mortgage Bonds 4.875% due 2066 (ELC)


Prospectus


Stocks, Bonds & Politics: Item # 2.B. Bought 50 ELC at $22.88 (4/13/17 Trade) 


South Gent's Comment Blog # 6: Bought 30 ELC at $21.12 (11/26/16 Comment) 


ELC was sold to the public at $25 per share in mid-August 2016. So the price had declined about 15% when I bought that 30 share lot at $21.12 last December.  I still own that 30 share lot bought in my IB account.  


I own 3 Entergy Louisiana 2.6% First Mortgage Bonds maturing in 2026:  Stocks, Bonds & Politics: Item # 1.B.


4. CONTINUED to Pare Stock Allocation:


A. Sold 218+ Shares of MAPTX at $28.29:


Eliminated Position in my Fidelity Account


Trade Snapshot:





Profit Snapshot: +$2,573.82




This position originated from a small purchase made in 2004. I pared the position in 2007 as I substantially downsized my stock fund portfolio. Stocks, Bonds & Politics: 2007 STOCK FUND DISPOSITIONS 


All of the distributions were taken in cash.


E.G. 2015




Dividends are paid annually:




It is not unusual to see large capital gain distributions that are connected with abnormally large shareholder redemptions which will occur in major market downdrafts. 



I still own 234+ shares in my Schwab account that were bought starting in October 2013. I have been reinvesting the dividends in that account. It is not unusable for me to own the same stock fund in two or more accounts, where I reinvest the dividends in one account while taking cash payments in another. 


Currently, this fund is rated four stars by Morningstar.


Through 8/11/17, the YTD total return was 21.2% which was worth harvesting by paring some shares given my prime directive of capital preservation objective. 


I many add to the shares currently held in my Schwab account after a meaningful decline in price.  


DISCLAIMER: I am not a financial advisor but simply an individual investor who has been managing my own money since I was a teenager. In this post, I am acting solely as a financial journalist focusing on my own investments. The information contained in this post is not intended to be a complete description or summary of all available data relevant to making an investment decision. Instead, I am merely expressing some of the reasons underlying the purchase or sell of securities. Nothing in this post is intended to constitute investment or legal advice or a recommendation to buy or to sell. All investors need to perform their own due diligence before making any financial decision which requires at a minimum reading original source material available at the SEC and elsewhere. A failure to perform due diligence only increases what I call "error creep". Stocks, Bonds & Politics: ERROR CREEP and the INVESTING PROCESS Each investor needs to assess a potential investment taking into account their personal risk tolerances, goals and situational risks. I can only make that kind of assessment for myself and family members.