Topic: How To Invest

What is Pat’s commentary for the week of July 3, 2013?

Article Excerpt

It pays to be skeptical of investment performance calculations that companies calculate for themselves. This includes calculations by brokers, money managers and newsletter publishers. There are just too many ways to manipulate or “fudge” the numbers. For instance, a number of brokerage firms publish the results of what they refer to as “model accounts”. These hypothetical accounts supposedly measure the results you might enjoy by following the broker’s research. In reality, the hypothetical account does much better than the broker’s clients, because it enjoys advantages that are unavailable in real life. For example, I recall one model account to which the broker could post new buys or sells after the close of trading, anytime up till the opening of trading in the morning. It based results of these late additions on the closing price of the night before. At times, of course, overnight news or trading in foreign markets ensures that a stock will open substantially higher or lower when…