Why US Stocks Will Beat the World in 2025 (This 8.1% Payer Will Lead)

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Why US Stocks Will Beat the World in 2025 (This 8.1% Payer Will Lead)

It looks like 2024 will end with a big gain for investors in US stocks, with the S&P 500 up 28% year-to-date, even better than my (admittedly optimistic) expectations: I saw a roughly 15% gain for the S&P 500 going into the year.

If this gain holds, 2024 will go down as one of the best years in the last 20, with only 2013 and 2019 doing (just slightly) better.

However, unlike those years, the momentum isn’t coming mainly from tech, with the benchmark Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) actually trailing the market, with a 24.5% return year-to-date, as of this writing.… Read more

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This Unique China Play Gives Us 9.2%+ Dividends, Upside

We income investors don’t talk about international stocks nearly enough. That’s too bad, because there are ways we can use them to build a massive income stream and make our investments safer, too.

In fact, there’s one way, using high-yield closed-end funds (CEFs), we can “time” US and international stocks to get a 9.2% yield we can build over time by making simple moves to “rebalance” between US and overseas CEFs from time to time.

It all starts with China, because there’s a spark there that sets the stage for our 9.2%+ overseas payout strategy.

Chinese Stocks: 13% Yearly Gains Ahead?… Read more

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This Huge “Dividend Shift” Dropped May 3 (You Can Still Get In)

A couple weeks ago, on May 3, BlackRock, the world’s largest investment firm, did something that will send a shockwave through our favorite high-yield investments: closed-end funds (CEFs).

The result is likely to be higher prices for CEF investors in the future—and even steadier dividends, too. Most folks missed this change, but it’s only a matter of time until it makes itself known. We’re already seeing it kick in with some of these high-paying funds.

Before we go further, let’s be clear on what we’re talking about: The $400-billion universe of CEFs currently yields an eye-popping 8.2% on average.

How is that possible?… Read more

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Beat the Recession AND Inflation With This “3-D” Portfolio (Yields 8%)

When it comes to high-yield closed-end funds (CEFs), I’m a big fan of the “three Ds”: discounts, diversification and—of course—dividends!

These days, a “3-D” portfolio is a snap to put together, with CEF dividends at multi-year highs and oversold discounts everywhere across the asset class.

Below, we’ll look at a three-fund, bargain-priced “3-D” CEF portfolio you can buy today. It yields 8% now and gives you the diversification you need to reduce your volatility—and collect your payouts in peace.

I know that preaching diversification at a time when bonds, stocks and everything else is down might sound a bit outdated, but over time, this time-tested strategy always pays off.… Read more

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Yes, You Can Retire on Dividends Alone. Here’s How.

Do yourself a favor and shut out all the “experts” who say it’s impossible to retire on dividends alone. They’re just plain wrong! Because even today, with stocks soaring (and dividend yields in the tank), you absolutely can build a portfolio yielding a solid 7%+.

We’re going to do it now, and we’re going to do it easily—with just three funds. These funds—part of a unique asset class called closed-end funds (CEFs)— pay 7.6% between them, and the biggest yielder of the bunch throws off a huge 8.7% payout!

And they’re just the start.

A 7.6% dividend yield is enough to pay you $38,000 a year on just $500K invested, and you wouldn’t have to draw a single penny of your principal to get that cash stream.… Read more

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3 Ways to Know When It’s Time to Sell a CEF

With the whipsawing market we saw in early December—and now a snap back to near all-time highs—now is the perfect time to talk about one of the biggest questions you’ll face as a closed-end fund (CEF) investor: how do you know when to sell a fund?

Unfortunately, there’s no simple answer—and often investors who use conventional sell signals, like a falling market price, will end up selling at the worst time.

That leads me to my cardinal rule with CEFs: it’s easier to know when to buy than when to sell. If the fund is well managed, has a strong track record, is deeply discounted and has a relatively safe dividend, it’s generally a screaming buy.… Read more

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Buy and Hold Forever? Nope. I’d Sell if You See These 3 Signs

Members of our CEF Insider service often ask me when they should sell a closed-end fund.

The truth is, when it comes to CEFs, it’s easier to know when to buy than when to sell.

If the fund is well managed, has a strong track record, is deeply discounted in relation to net asset value, or NAV (another way of saying the underlying value of the fund’s portfolio) and has a relatively safe dividend, that CEF has already gone a significant distance toward being a buy.

Sell signs aren’t always as clear, but they’re still there. You just need to know what to look for.… Read more

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Revealed: My Personal 3-Point “When to Sell” Checklist for CEFs

Income investors are typically a conservative and prudent bunch. Focused on a sustainable income stream, they often look for a sign to avoid a big price drop.

So when it comes to one of the highest-yielding investments of all—closed-end funds (CEFs)—how can you know when the time has come to sell?

I’ll tackle that question with a 1-2-3 approach to CEFs that will help you avoid the kinds of value traps that promise big dividends but really deliver big losses.

Sell Signs Not Always Easy to Spot

First off, it’s easier to know when to buy than when to sell.… Read more

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Ignore the Market Crash: Here’s When It’s Really Time to Sell a CEF

With market volatility kicking into high gear, now is the perfect time to talk about one of the biggest questions CEF investors face: how do you know when it’s time to sell a closed-end fund (CEF)?

Unfortunately, there’s no simple answer to that question—and often investors who use conventional sell signals, like a falling market price, will end up selling at the worst time.

That leads me to my cardinal rule with CEFs: it’s easier to know when to buy than when to sell. If the fund is well managed, has a strong track record, is deeply discounted and has a relatively safe dividend, it’s generally a screaming buy.… Read more

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If Your CEF Is Doing This, Sell Yesterday

We’re always looking for reader feedback at my CEF Insider service, so we recently sent out a survey to our members (if you are one, you likely got it) asking for the topics they’d most like to see us cover.

One of the most common answers: how to know when it’s time to sell a closed-end fund (CEF).

So now I want to tackle that question (with more articles to come in the next few weeks answering other questions from our survey).

Sell Signs Not Always Easy to Spot

First off, it’s easier to know when to buy than when to sell.… Read more

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