Posted by MarkB_MI on January 01, 2015 at 04:46:41 from (70.194.10.67):
One year ago I compared how two investment strategies fared in the years since the 2008 financial crisis: "Guns 'n' Gold" versus the stock market. The stock market won hands down in the period from January 2009 through December 2013. So how did these investment strategies work in 2014?
Guns: I use the Bushmaster "Patrolman's Carbine", a CAR-15 clone as my benchmark. One year ago these were selling for 800 bucks at the local Dunham's sporting goods chain. Today you can get them for $700. Guns didn't do well as an investment in 2014.
Gold: The London price fix for gold on January 2, 2014 was $1225/oz. It closed December 30 at $1206. I expected it to be trading at less than $1000, so it did much better than I expected, but it sure didn't make money for anyone who held it all year. (A few speculators probably made money off its wild price swings, but volatility isn't really something you look for in a long-term investment.) Of course at least part of gold's decline was due to the strong dollar; had the Euro not lost ground to the greenback gold might have done a little better. So call it a wash.
Stocks: The benchmark S&P 500 started 2014 at $1832. It closed the year out at $2059. That's a 12 percent gain for the year. Not as big as the previous five years, but a respectable gain nonetheless. Once again the stock market wins.
We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]
Today's Featured Article - Hydraulics - Cylinder Anatomy - by Curtis von Fange. Let’s make one more addition to our series on hydraulics. I’ve noticed a few questions in the comment section that could pertain to hydraulic cylinders so I thought we could take a short look at this real workhorse of the circuit. Cylinders are the reason for the hydraulic circuit. They take the fluid power delivered from the pump and magically change it into mechanical power. There are many types of cylinders that one might run across on a farm scenario. Each one could take a chapter in
... [Read Article]
Latest Ad:
1964 I-H 140 tractor with cultivators and sidedresser. Starts and runs good. Asking 2650. CALL RON AT 502-319-1952
[More Ads]
All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy
TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.
