Do you regularly monitor your investment performance ?

[Jon39]

I concentrate on overall performance. The constituent parts being of less importance.
If a hoped for result is achieved, it doesn't matter how we did it.
I also place great importance on simplicity. Over complication with investments can result in confusion.
It is of course helpful, to always know how things are progressing.
Trailing a benchmark for more than an occasional year, indicates a rethink is needed.

This might be the right time to start this topic, because my own performance is not going very well this year.
The market is well ahead of me.
Did you notice that the regular annual topic, ‘How did you do last year?’, failed to appear this time?
Human nature I suppose, not to talk during difficult times.

My philosophy about performance monitoring is to use a chart that provides clarity and keep everything simple.
There are only three numbers that I need to follow, Fund, Market and Dividends.

Some kind of benchmark is essential for comparison. I mainly invest in the UK market, so use the FTSE All-Share Index (adjusted at each year end, for Total Return ie. include dividends). Many prefer the FTSE 100 Index, but there is often not much significant difference.
Have you noticed how the fund industry, sometimes use most obscure benchmarks. I think I even saw one, where a fund compared itself to other similar funds. If something is not completely open, clear and conventional, it does make us wonder.

There is no need to spend much time on this. I just allocate 10 minutes each week, after the stock market closes each Friday.
The traces on the chart reveal all that I need to know. A teacher would probably mark my work this year, ‘Could do better'.
However, as we know, one month means nothing in this businesss, so I keep faith in the selected investments and remain calm.





Please tell us how you follow your own overall investment progress.

Edited by Jon39 on Tuesday 28th February 12:31