A Quick 2012 Wrap-up
I’m happy 2012 is over. Mostly because I was sick and tired of watching the Fiscal Cliff count down timer on CNBC…that was just awful.
The end of 2012 also means the Presidential campaign is over. Unfortunately, the dysfunctional U.S. government has turned our great country into a joke on the global stage and that will not end with the close of the 2012 calendar. I suspect 2013 will continue to be a year where that malfunctioning pain continues for everyone regardless of political affiliation.
However, no matter what your thoughts are on 2012, it’s important to reflect back and recognize that the market did pretty darn good, all things considered. Here are a few graphs from our friends at Bespoke Investment Group that showcase the Standard & Poor’s 500 (S&P 500) for 2012. With the S&P 500 up over 13% on the year, those investors who stuck to their long-term investment strategies were rewarded with a pretty nice return. I suspect those that sold out of their positions during downturns, especially those who played the “Sell in May and Go Away” game, are not quite as happy with their returns.
Here’s a cool chart (again from Bespoke) showing the up and down days of 2012.
As for how the specific sectors of the S&P 500 did, it was the Financial sector that took first place with a year-to-date return of over +25%. Hat’s off to those who had the gumption to have bought and held THAT sector for the full year. We certainly did not! I can hardly walk by a bank and not want to vomit on their steps… however I refrain because they probably charge a fee for that too. Coming in second place was a sector that we have loved for over 3 years and that was the Consumer Discretionary sector which booked a return of over +23% for the year. Coming in dead last was Utilities which logged just about a -3.5% return. It was also the only one of the 10 S&P sectors to have a negative return.
We will be out with a much more detailed report on how 2012 wrapped up over the next week or so, but given that I took a little time off over the holiday and have not updated the blog, I thought I should get something out today as a quick re-cap.
It was a busy and exciting year here at MWM and we appreciate everyone reading our missives and the emails of support. We are looking forward to a good 2013!
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The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. To determine which investment(s) may be appropriate for you, consult your financial advisor prior to investing. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and cannot be invested into directly. Stock investing involves risk including loss of principal. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Stock Index (S&P 500) is an unmanaged capitalization weighted index of 500 stocks designed to measure performance of the broad domestic economy through changes in the aggregate market value of 500 stocks representing all major industries.
David B. Armstrong, CFA
President & Co-Founder
Dave got into the industry when he discovered his passion for finance in his mid-20’s. He’s a combat veteran and served as an officer in the United States Marines Corps on both active duty and in the reserves, retiring at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. While serving on active duty, Dave was unable to spend money on deployments, so he became a self-taught investor. Along with a few bucks cash as a bouncer, his investing performance grew to be good....
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