Russell 3000 Weekly Stats (12/28/09-12/31/09)

Key Figures	Russell 3000	IWV
Total Active Components	2984	1
Total New Listings this period	0	0
Total Inactive this period	2	0
# All-time Closing Highs	116 (0.97%)	0 (0.00%)
# All-time Closing Lows	1 (0.01%)	0 (0.00%)
# Higher Closes	4748 (39.79%)	1 (25.00%)
# Lower Closes	6827 (57.21%)	3 (75.00%)
Total Gains/Losses	$-770.22 (-0.25%)	$-0.70 (-0.27%)
Average True Range	(2.82%)	(0.70%)

* Results are cumulative for the period.

Price verification found 0 errors

David Swenson Lecture

So long 2009, Hello 2010!

Let's start the new year right with a great video refresher on long term investing by Yale Endowment hall of famer, David Swenson. It's long but well worth the view. And be sure to watch the Q&A at the end. Some highlights from the lecture:

Swenson covered 3 areas in relation to portfolio returns:

1. Asset Allocation
2. Market Timing
3. Security Selection

Swenson believes Market Timing and Security Selection are actually a negative drag on returns. And Asset Allocation produce over 100% of the returns. Does a nice job explaining this.

Also covers how survivorship & backfill bias makes things seem better than they really are. I was really surprised at some of the numbers he shared on this topic. Based on Swenson's study...I would have thought survivorship bias would impact my long-term trading system's results more than they have.

The best tidbit mentioned in the video was Swenson's coverage of the differences 1st quartile managers generate versus 3rd quartile. In the bond market he found very little difference between the best managers returns and those in the 3rd quartile. But, as he drove down into the more inefficient markets...the differences between the best and the rest grew further apart. Swenson's take: spend time and energy persuing the most inefficiently priced asset classes cause great rewards in finding the top managers.

The final item I took away was from the Q&A session at the end. Swenson worries about the top down but invests from the bottom up. Identifies asset classes that are overpriced or underpriced. Extends his time horizon out 3 or 4 years. Bets big while keeping his asset allocation to the asset class at an annually reviewed level.

Well, that's it from the cold midwest where I plan to spend the first day of the new year: taking the kids to get doughnuts in the morning, hopefully watching snow fall during the day, and enjoying some great fajitas and cervezas for dinner.

Happy New Year,

MT

Russell 3000 Daily Stats (12/31/09)

Key Figures	Russell 3000	IWV
Total Active Components	2982	1
Total New Listings this period	0	0
Total Inactive this period	2	0
# All-time Closing Highs	9 (0.30%)	0 (0.00%)
# All-time Closing Lows	0 (0.00%)	0 (0.00%)
# Higher Closes	514 (17.24%)	0 (0.00%)
# Lower Closes	2421 (81.19%)	1 (100.00%)
Total Gains/Losses	$-824.73 (-1.09%)	$-0.66 (-1.00%)
Average True Range	(2.97%)	(1.23%)

* Results are cumulative for the period.

Price verification found 0 errors

Russell 3000 Daily Stats (12/30/09)

Key Figures	Russell 3000	IWV
Total Active Components	2984	1
Total New Listings this period	0	0
Total Inactive this period	0	0
# All-time Closing Highs	28 (0.94%)	0 (0.00%)
# All-time Closing Lows	0 (0.00%)	0 (0.00%)
# Higher Closes	1486 (49.80%)	0 (0.00%)
# Lower Closes	1385 (46.41%)	1 (100.00%)
Total Gains/Losses	$64.25 (0.08%)	$-0.03 (-0.05%)
Average True Range	(2.85%)	(0.45%)

* Results are cumulative for the period.

Price verification found 0 errors

Russell 3000 Daily Stats (12/29/09)

Key Figures	Russell 3000	IWV
Total Active Components	2984	1
Total New Listings this period	0	0
Total Inactive this period	0	0
# All-time Closing Highs	33 (1.11%)	0 (0.00%)
# All-time Closing Lows	0 (0.00%)	0 (0.00%)
# Higher Closes	1379 (46.21%)	0 (0.00%)
# Lower Closes	1501 (50.30%)	1 (100.00%)
Total Gains/Losses	$-16.83 (-0.02%)	$-0.07 (-0.11%)
Average True Range	(2.60%)	(0.42%)

* Results are cumulative for the period.

Price verification found 0 errors

Russell 3000 Daily Stats (12/28/09)

Key Figures	Russell 3000	IWV
Total Active Components	2984	1
Total New Listings this period	0	0
Total Inactive this period	2	0
# All-time Closing Highs	47 (1.58%)	0 (0.00%)
# All-time Closing Lows	1 (0.03%)	0 (0.00%)
# Higher Closes	1370 (45.91%)	1 (100.00%)
# Lower Closes	1521 (50.97%)	0 (0.00%)
Total Gains/Losses	$7.09 (0.01%)	$0.06 (0.09%)
Average True Range	(2.85%)	(0.68%)

* Results are cumulative for the period.

Price verification found 0 errors

Russell 3000 Weekly Stats (12/21/09-12/24/09)

Key Figures	Russell 3000	IWV
Total Active Components	2986	1
Total New Listings this period	0	0
Total Inactive this period	0	0
# All-time Closing Highs	199 (1.67%)	0 (0.00%)
# All-time Closing Lows	5 (0.04%)	0 (0.00%)
# Higher Closes	8324 (69.69%)	4 (100.00%)
# Lower Closes	3279 (27.45%)	0 (0.00%)
Total Gains/Losses	$2316.64 (0.78%)	$1.46 (0.56%)
Average True Range	(3.05%)	(0.76%)

* Results are cumulative for the period.

Price verification found 0 errors

Merry Christmas 2009

Russell 3000 Daily Stats (12/24/09)

Key Figures	Russell 3000	IWV
Total Active Components	2986	1
Total New Listings this period	0	0
Total Inactive this period	0	0
# All-time Closing Highs	60 (2.01%)	0 (0.00%)
# All-time Closing Lows	1 (0.03%)	0 (0.00%)
# Higher Closes	2039 (68.29%)	1 (100.00%)
# Lower Closes	838 (28.06%)	0 (0.00%)
Total Gains/Losses	$380.35 (0.50%)	$0.31 (0.47%)
Average True Range	(2.25%)	(0.53%)

* Results are cumulative for the period.

Price verification found 0 errors

Russell 3000 Daily Stats (12/22/09)

Key Figures	Russell 3000	IWV
Total Active Components	2986	1
Total New Listings this period	0	0
Total Inactive this period	0	0
# All-time Closing Highs	37 (1.24%)	0 (0.00%)
# All-time Closing Lows	3 (0.10%)	0 (0.00%)
# Higher Closes	1854 (62.09%)	1 (100.00%)
# Lower Closes	1047 (35.06%)	0 (0.00%)
Total Gains/Losses	$526.43 (0.71%)	$0.32 (0.49%)
Average True Range	(3.11%)	(0.64%)

* Results are cumulative for the period.

Price verification found 0 errors

Russell 3000 Daily Stats (12/21/09)

Key Figures	Russell 3000	IWV
Total Active Components	2986	1
Total New Listings this period	0	0
Total Inactive this period	0	0
# All-time Closing Highs	45 (1.51%)	0 (0.00%)
# All-time Closing Lows	2 (0.07%)	0 (0.00%)
# Higher Closes	2244 (75.15%)	1 (100.00%)
# Lower Closes	680 (22.77%)	0 (0.00%)
Total Gains/Losses	$798.05 (1.09%)	$0.60 (0.93%)
Average True Range	(3.73%)	(1.26%)

* Results are cumulative for the period.

Price verification found 0 errors

Russell 3000 Weekly Stats (12/14/09-12/18/09)

Key Figures	Russell 3000	IWV
Total Active Components	2958	1
Total New Listings this period	0	0
Total Inactive this period	1	0
# All-time Closing Highs	140 (0.95%)	0 (0.00%)
# All-time Closing Lows	21 (0.14%)	0 (0.00%)
# Higher Closes	7795 (52.70%)	3 (60.00%)
# Lower Closes	6684 (45.19%)	2 (40.00%)
Total Gains/Losses	$817.86 (0.23%)	$0.13 (0.04%)
Average True Range	(3.55%)	(0.94%)

* Results are cumulative for the period.

Price verification found 0 errors

Russell 3000 Daily Stats (12/18/09)

Key Figures	Russell 3000	IWV
Total Active Components	2958	1
Total New Listings this period	0	0
Total Inactive this period	0	0
# All-time Closing Highs	31 (1.05%)	0 (0.00%)
# All-time Closing Lows	4 (0.14%)	0 (0.00%)
# Higher Closes	1984 (67.07%)	1 (100.00%)
# Lower Closes	923 (31.20%)	0 (0.00%)
Total Gains/Losses	$489.32 (0.68%)	$0.44 (0.68%)
Average True Range	(4.07%)	(1.02%)

* Results are cumulative for the period.

Price verification found 0 errors

Russell 3000 Daily Stats (12/17/09)

Key Figures	Russell 3000	IWV
Total Active Components	2958	1
Total New Listings this period	0	0
Total Inactive this period	0	0
# All-time Closing Highs	16 (0.54%)	0 (0.00%)
# All-time Closing Lows	3 (0.10%)	0 (0.00%)
# Higher Closes	598 (20.22%)	0 (0.00%)
# Lower Closes	2300 (77.76%)	1 (100.00%)
Total Gains/Losses	$-681.92 (-0.94%)	$-0.71 (-1.09%)
Average True Range	(3.39%)	(1.27%)

* Results are cumulative for the period.

Price verification found 0 errors

Russell 3000 Daily Stats (12/16/09)

Key Figures	Russell 3000	IWV
Total Active Components	2958	1
Total New Listings this period	0	0
Total Inactive this period	0	0
# All-time Closing Highs	30 (1.01%)	0 (0.00%)
# All-time Closing Lows	4 (0.14%)	0 (0.00%)
# Higher Closes	1886 (63.76%)	1 (100.00%)
# Lower Closes	985 (33.30%)	0 (0.00%)
Total Gains/Losses	$461.43 (0.64%)	$0.14 (0.22%)
Average True Range	(3.38%)	(0.72%)

* Results are cumulative for the period.

Price verification found 0 errors

Russell 3000 Daily Stats (12/15/09)

Key Figures	Russell 3000	IWV
Total Active Components	2958	1
Total New Listings this period	0	0
Total Inactive this period	0	0
# All-time Closing Highs	24 (0.81%)	0 (0.00%)
# All-time Closing Lows	7 (0.24%)	0 (0.00%)
# Higher Closes	938 (31.71%)	0 (0.00%)
# Lower Closes	1968 (66.53%)	1 (100.00%)
Total Gains/Losses	$-355.75 (-0.49%)	$-0.32 (-0.49%)
Average True Range	(3.41%)	(0.77%)

* Results are cumulative for the period.

Price verification found 0 errors

Russell 3000 Daily Stats (12/14/09)

Key Figures	Russell 3000	IWV
Total Active Components	2958	1
Total New Listings this period	0	0
Total Inactive this period	1	0
# All-time Closing Highs	39 (1.32%)	0 (0.00%)
# All-time Closing Lows	3 (0.10%)	0 (0.00%)
# Higher Closes	2389 (80.76%)	1 (100.00%)
# Lower Closes	508 (17.17%)	0 (0.00%)
Total Gains/Losses	$905.82 (1.26%)	$0.58 (0.90%)
Average True Range	(3.48%)	(0.90%)

* Results are cumulative for the period.

Price verification found 0 errors

Russell 3000 Weekly Stats (12/07/09-12/11/09)

Key Figures	Russell 3000	IWV
Total Active Components	2960	1
Total New Listings this period	0	0
Total Inactive this period	1	0
# All-time Closing Highs	75 (0.51%)	0 (0.00%)
# All-time Closing Lows	25 (0.17%)	0 (0.00%)
# Higher Closes	6916 (46.74%)	3 (60.00%)
# Lower Closes	7515 (50.78%)	2 (40.00%)
Total Gains/Losses	$-55.50 (-0.02%)	$0.09 (0.03%)
Average True Range	(3.45%)	(0.99%)

* Results are cumulative for the period.

Price verification found 0 errors

Spanish Water Dog

Found out about Spanish Water Dogs about a year ago. Sounded like a perfect breed of dog for our family. But, they are very rare in the United States. Didn't think we'd be able to get one.

Thankfully, a year later...we found one. A great female from Nebraska.


The whole family is excited.

MT

Russell 3000 Daily Stats (12/10/09)

Key Figures	Russell 3000	IWV
Total Active Components	2959	1
Total New Listings this period	0	0
Total Inactive this period	1	0
# All-time Closing Highs	14 (0.47%)	0 (0.00%)
# All-time Closing Lows	6 (0.20%)	0 (0.00%)
# Higher Closes	1247 (42.14%)	1 (100.00%)
# Lower Closes	1654 (55.90%)	0 (0.00%)
Total Gains/Losses	$11.42 (0.02%)	$0.31 (0.48%)
Average True Range	(3.48%)	(0.92%)

* Results are cumulative for the period.

Price verification found 0 errors