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March, 2025: 15
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| Investor's Journal is a diary focused strictly on investments and personal finance issues, primarily from a contrarian and retiree point of view. Follow along with an average guy's failures and successes as he learns, by trial and error, the fine art of value investing. |
3/15/25- Since the prior entry, the U.S. stock market has largely been down, and the S&P 500 Index as well as the Nasdaq were at least briefly in correction mode, off 10% or more from their highs. Given marked uncertainty as the new presidential administration shifts its tariff policies from one day to the next, treats allies and vital trading partners with distain, gives deference to Putin, and supports the DOGE team in acting as a proverbial bull in a federal government china shop, it seems likely stocks have further to fall. Concerns over U.S. economic growth under the current presidency have had effects too in the currency markets. The U.S. dollar, for instance, is down almost 6% relative to the Euro since January 20th and roughly 8% compared to the Japanese yen. It is estimated Trump tariff policies will add $2000 a year to a typical family's expenses. A lower relative value of the U.S. dollar also means our currency's buying power is diminished.
I generally do not think timing the stock market is a winning approach, but as even Warren Buffett has been selling securities and raising his short-term bond exposure to unprecedented levels, also recently commenting that tariffs are a form of warfare, I have increased our portfolio reserves and money market accounts to a third of total liquid assets while also increasing investments in dividend paying value assets with these tickers: BRY; CMCSA; EGY; FF; GSL; MTB; PBR; PFE; REPX; SCHD; SIRI; T; and USB.
Berkshire Hathaway (BRK/B) now represents 22% of our equities. Given the age of its CEO, 94, some may see this as a high risk holding. I believe, however, that he has assured there will be a continuation of his and Charlie Munger's long-time value perspective at Berkshire by the new managers once he has left the scene and that any drop in BRK/B's market price upon Buffett's death will be an excellent buying opportunity.
Other than very long-term holds in assets we have no intention of selling, approximately another 22% of our securities, assets, other than the dividend paying stocks referred to above, that we have been accumulating include the companies or ETFs with these tickers: AMR; CNR; FTEC; HCC; LEN; OXY; PBYI; TNK; TOL; VBR; VIOO; and VOE.
As of the close of trading on Friday, 3/14/25, our stocks, reserves, plus money market funds totaled $2,221,070. My wife's and my nest egg of all assets, including real estate, is now worth $2,781,453, a loss of $37,134, or 1.32%, since the end of 2024.
Disclaimer and Disclosure Statement
Neither I nor Investor's Journal will be responsible for losses by anyone who obtained ideas from this site.
This diary is intended for personal interest and general information only. You are advised to do your own research (as well as to consult highly compensated professionals) before spending money on anything.
I know of no reason anyone should take my financial musings seriously. At best I am a dedicated amateur providing a bit of investment-related insight and entertainment, at worst an amusing diversion.
My wife, Fran, and I may at times own shares of some of the assets mentioned here. But neither of us receive any benefit from reference to them, unless you count the mutual misery when we get it wrong, or the opportunity to gloat when we get it right.