Trading Indexes Newsletter 2006-1
January 18, 2006
FTI Staff

 

FTI System Trades and Returns for 2005


Actual Trades Using Guided Approach

The following are the lists of trades and results for 2005 for each of the portfolios in the FTI Guided Approach.  Included are trades for the Brokerage-Available portfolio, the trades for the fund company portfolios (Fidelity, T. Rowe Price, and Vanguard), and the trades for the annuities (Fidelity VIP/VALIC).  The trades can be verified from the FTI reports and/or TI lists available to members.

Each strategy is assumed to have started with $100,000 on 12/31/04.  We use Fidelity for the brokerage account.  Fidelity charges a short term trading fee of $75 each time you sell or exchange shares of No Transaction Fee (NTF) funds held less than 180 days (short-term trade).  When a trade is signaled for a mutual fund in a brokerage account, we assume that the sale is made on the Monday following the trade signal and the proceeds (minus the trading fee) used to buy the new fund on Tuesday.  For individual mutual fund accounts and annuities, the sale and subsequent purchase are both made on Monday. 

The year-to-date gains/losses are shown in percent at each transaction point to mark the progress of each portfolio. 

Brokerage-Available Portfolio:

12/31

 

Holding BARAX at $52.52

1904.037 shares

$100,000.00

 

 

1/24

 

Sell BARAX at $50.52

1904.037 shares

$96,191.93

 

 

1/25

 

Buy IEGCX at $15.83

6076.559 shares

$96,191.93

 

-3.81%

4/18

 

Sell IEGCX at $16.10

6076.559 shares

$97,757.60

 

 

4/19

 

Buy BRPIX at $32.46

3011.633 shares

$97,757.60

 

-2.24%

5/23

 

Sell BRPIX at $31.34

3011.633 shares

$94,309.57

 

 

5/24

 

Buy TGCNX at $18.28

5159.167 shares

$94,309.57

 

-5.69%

7/5

 

Sell TGCNX at $18.09

5159.167 shares

$93,254.33

 

 

7/6

 

Buy SSMGX at $28.28

3297.536 shares

$93,254.33

 

-6.75%

10/17

 

Sell SSMGX at $29.81

3297.536 shares

$98,224.56

 

 

10/18

 

Buy BEARX at $5.69

17262.664 shares

$98,224.56

 

-1.78%

11/7

 

Sell BEARX at $5.44

17262.664 shares

$92,894.80

 

1% redemption fee

11/8

 

Buy TGCNX at $19.67

4722.664 shares

$92,894.80

 

-7.11%

12/27

 

Sell TGCNX at $20.18

4722.664 shares

$94,275.33

 

1% redemption fee

12/28

 

Buy PGERX at $18.97

4969.706 shares

$94,275.33

 

-5.72%

12/30

 

Holding PGERX at $18.83

4969.706 shares

$93,579.57

 

-6.42%

 

Fidelity Funds:

12/31

 

Holding FIEUX at $34.15

2928.258 shares

$100,000.00

 

 

5/2

 

Sell FIEUX at $34.12

2928.258 shares

$99,912.15

 

 

5/2

 

Buy FDRXX at $1.00

99912.152 shares

$99,912.15

 

-0.09%

5/23

 

Sell FDRXX at $1.00

100065.750 shares

$100,065.75

 

shares increased by distribution

5/23

 

Buy FDGRX at $55.45

1804.612 shares

$100,065.75

 

0.07%

8/15

 

Sell FDGRX at $58.20

1804.612 shares

$105,028.43

 

 

8/15

 

Buy FOSFX at $37.91

2770.468 shares

$105,028.43

 

5.03%

10/24

 

Sell FOSFX at $37.16

2770.468 shares

$102,950.58

 

 

10/24

 

Buy FDRXX at $1.00

102950.583 shares

$102,950.58

 

2.95%

10/31

 

Sell FDRXX at $1.00

103020.074 shares

$103,020.07

 

shares increased by distribution

10/31

 

Buy FEXPX at $20.90

4929.190 shares

$103,020.07

 

3.02%

12/19

 

Sell FEXPX at $21.28

5100.979 shares

$108,548.83

 

shares increased by distribution

12/19

 

Buy FPBFX at $25.36

4366.405 shares

$108,548.83

 

8.55%

12/31

 

Holding FPBFX at $25.67

4366.405 shares

$112,085.62

 

12.09%

                                                                                         

T. Rowe Price Funds:

12/31

 

Holding PRESX at $19.90

5025.126 shares

$100,000.00

 

 

5/2

 

Sell PRESX at $19.48

5025.126 shares

$97,889.45

 

 

5/2

 

Buy PRULX at $12.09

8096.728 shares

$97,889.45

 

-2.11%

6/20

 

Sell PRULX at $12.22

8148.603 shares

$99,575.93

 

* shares increased by distribution

6/20

 

Buy PRDSX at $12.95

7689.261 shares

$97,730.51

 

-2.27%

9/6

 

Sell PRDSX at $13.53

7689.261 shares

$102,995.34

 

 

9/6

 

Buy PSILX at $11.11

9270.508 shares

$102,995.34

 

3.00%

10/24

 

Sell PSILX at $10.82

9270.508 shares

$98,300.76

 

2% redemption fee

10/24

 

Buy TSCXX at $1.00

98300.759 shares

$98,300.76

 

-1.70%

11/7

 

Sell TSCXX at $1.00

98434.267 shares

$98,434.27

 

shares increased by distribution

11/7

 

Buy PRGSX at $18.51

5317.897 shares

$98,434.27

 

-1.57%

12/31

 

Holding PRGSX at $19.37

5411.677 shares

$104,824.18

 

4.82%, shares increased by dist.

* Re-invested shares for dividends for PRULX from 6/1/05 to 6/20/05 were not recorded in our 6/18/05 FTI report.  The correction results in a year-end return about 0.2% higher than the 12/31/05 report indicates.  FTI Reports through 12/31/05 have not been updated to include this correction.

                                                      

Vanguard:

12/31

 

Holding VEIEX at $14.68

6811.989 shares

$100,000.00

 

 

4/18

 

Sell VEIEX at $14.31

6811.989 shares

$97,479.56

 

 

4/18

 

Buy VWESX at $9.65

10101.509 shares

$97,479.56

 

-2.52%

6/20

 

Sell VWESX at $9.82

10193.292 shares

$100,098.13

 

* shares increased by distribution

6/20

 

Buy VSEQX at $22.33

4482.67495 shares

$100,098.13

 

0.10%

8/8

 

Sell VSEQX at $22.84

4482.675 shares

$102,384.30

 

 

8/8

 

Buy VEIEX at $16.85

6076.21934 shares

$102,384.30

 

2.38%

10/17

 

Sell VEIEX at $17.02

6076.21934 shares

$102,900.17

 

0.5% redemption fee

10/17

 

Buy VPACX at $10.25

10039.04067 shares

$102,900.17

 

2.90%

12/31

 

Holding VPACX at $11.34

10180.063 shares

$115,441.92

 

15.44%

* Re-invested shares for dividends for VWESX from 6/1/05 to 6/20/05 were not recorded in our 6/18/05 FTI report.  The correction results in a year-end return about 0.3% higher than the 12/31/05 report indicates.  FTI Reports through 12/31/05 have not been updated to include this correction.

 

Fidelity VIP:

12/31

 

Holding FAMEE at 13.382093

7472.67262 shares

$100,000.00

 

 

4/18

 

Sell FAMEE at 13.162500

7472.67262 shares

$98,359.05

 

 

4/18

 

Buy FAVMM at 19.374693

5076.67675 shares

$98,359.05

 

-1.64%

5/9

 

Sell FAVMM at 19.371000

5076.67675 shares

$98,340.31

 

 

5/9

 

Buy FAMMT at 17.480000

5625.87559 shares

$98,340.31

 

-1.66%

7/11

 

Sell FAMMT at 18.180000

5625.87559 shares

$102,278.42

 

 

7/11

 

Buy FAWSC at 12.300000

8315.31855 shares

$102,278.42

 

2.28%

8/8

 

Sell FAWSC at 11.990000

8315.31855 shares

$99,700.67

 

 

8/8

 

Buy FAMEE at 15.420000

6465.67246 shares

$99,700.67

 

-0.30%

12/31

 

Holding FAMEE at 17.878676

6465.67246 shares

$115,597.66

 

15.60%

                                                                          

VALIC:

12/31

 

Holding Fund 67 at 0.5778

173070.5661 shares

$100,000.00

 

 

1/10

 

Sell Fund 67 at 0.56146

173070.5661 shares

$97,172.55

 

 

1/10

 

Buy Fund 33 at 1.32926

73102.6285 shares

$97,172.55

 

-2.83%

5/23

 

Sell Fund 33 at 1.39546

73102.6285 shares

$102,011.72

 

 

5/23

 

Buy Fund 46 at 0.44406

229725.0841 shares

$102,011.72

 

2.01%

6/27

 

Sell Fund 46 at 0.43161

229725.0841 shares

$99,150.72

 

 

6/27

 

Buy Fund 66 at 0.64218

154397.3326 shares

$99,150.72

 

-0.85%

12/19

 

Sell Fund 66 at 0.73966

154397.3326 shares

$114,201.53

 

 

12/19

 

Buy Fund 33 at 1.68344

67838.3159 shares

$114,201.53

 

14.20%

12/31

 

Holding Fund 67 at 0.577799

67838.3159 shares

$117,704.03

 

17.70%


Summary for 2002-2005:

 

 

 

 

 

2004-2005

2002-2005

Brokerage/Fund Company Returns

2005

2004

2003

2002

Avg. Returns

Avg. Returns

Brokerage

-6.42%

-16.80%

60.70%

17.10%

-11.61%

13.65%

Fidelity

12.09%

19.90%

N/A

N/A

16.00%

N/A

T. Rowe Price

4.82%

7.60%

N/A

N/A

6.21%

N/A

Vanguard

15.44%

7.60%

N/A

N/A

11.52%

N/A

Annuity Returns

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fidelity VIP

15.60%

3.00%

59.40%

3.90%

9.30%

22.10%

VALIC 403b

17.70%

8.30%

38.70%

13.40%

13.00%

20.10%

Average of 6 FTI Portfolios

9.87%

4.93%

 

 

7.40%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Market Indexes

 

 

 

 

 

 

DJIA

-0.61%

3.10%

25.30%

-16.80%

1.25%

2.75%

S&P 500

3.00%

9.00%

26.40%

-23.40%

6.00%

3.75%

NASDAQ

1.37%

8.60%

50.00%

-31.50%

4.99%

7.12%

Russell 2000

3.32%

17.00%

45.40%

-21.60%

10.16%

11.03%

Midcap 400

11.27%

15.16%

34.02%

-15.45%

13.22%

11.25%


Discussion:

For 2005, the average return of our 6 portfolios was 9.87%, which solidly beat all major market indexes except the Midcap 400, which edged our return by 1.4%.  The 4-year average return of the brokerage portfolio, which we have been tracking since 2002, exceeds that of all major market indexes.  The FTI System excels the most when there are strong trends in the market.  2005 was another sideways market to a large degree, yet we still were able to beat most market indexes.

 

Our brokerage return again lagged behind the fund company returns for 2005.   A major reason for this is availability and use of bear funds, which resulted in 8.78% in losses.  If we had instead put our money in a money market fund, our brokerage return would be +2.36%, with the 6-fund average return being 11.34%.  Although we don’t discourage the use of bear funds, they are not for the risk averse, since a quick turn in the market can result in a “double loss” against the market indexes.  These funds work very well when there are pronounced trends in the market, as we saw through much of the 90’s and through 2003, and tend to not work as well in a choppy sideways market, as we have seen more recently.  We will continue to track these funds and endorse their usage, but we don’t recommend using them exclusively for anyone who is the least bit risk averse.

 

 

Newsletters 2003-14 and 2003-15, on "Choices and the Time Value of Money" are good reading to see what a few percentage points difference in annual returns on investments can make in the long run.  Past newsletters are available at:

 

 

http://www.fundtradingindexes.com/historical.htm.



To subscribe to the Weekly Trading Indexes and/or buy the book, click on www.fundtradingindexes.com and follow the instructions.


FTI Staff

Fund Trading Indexes