The dividend yield on the S&P 500 was 2.01% at the end of July. The yield has stayed around the 2% for many years now. This yield rate is low relative to other developed markets. In the US, investors and companies alike have a preference for share buybacks than dividends due to multitude of reasons. For …
Continue reading ‘The Top 10 Developed Countries by Dividend Yield’ »
Patience is one of the key factors that determines success in equity investing. Patience is especially important when markets are in a downward spiral due to any number of reasons. During bear markets it is extremely tempting for most investors to cut down the losses and sell out everything and move to cash. However it …
Continue reading ‘Why it is Important to Stay Invested During Adverse Market Conditions’ »
U.S. stocks have soared since the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) of 2008-09. The benchmark S&P 500 has more than doubled from the lows reached during the dark days of 2009 when it seemed like world was coming to end. However none of the markets in developed Europe have had a strong recovery since the GFC like …
Continue reading ‘S&P 500 vs. FTSE 100 Returns Since Global Financial Crisis: Chart’ »
The average stock holding period for developed markets has been on the decline for many years now. For example, by one estimate the average holding for stocks listed on the NYSE is just 7 months or less than 2 years by another estimate. In emerging markets(EM) also, the average holding periods are very low. EM investors …
Continue reading ‘Average Stock Holding Period in Asian Emerging Markets’ »
The US equity market leads the world in terms of market capitalization. At the end of 2016, listed US firms accounted for more than half of the global stock market value as shown in the graphic below. At the end of 1899 the US accounted for only 15% of global stock market value. Click to …
Continue reading ‘Comparing World Equity Market Sizes 1899 vs. 2016’ »