2017 – Dollar Cost Averaging into an Index

If you had invested $1000 in an index ETF every Friday (or last trading day of the week) at the closing price in 2016, how would you have done? Listed at the bottom is a list of the same ETFs with a single investement at the closing price on the last trading day of 2016.

Excludes dividends and trading costs.

A lump sum early would have easily outperformed dollar cost averaging in 2017! 2017 was a year where we really didn't see any market corrections, so trying to buy periodically failed the lump sum at the beginning of the year.

Fox Business Block Gurus 2017 Final

Here’s how the Fox Business Block gurus performed in 2017 compared to the indices (excluding dividends). This return is based on investing $1000 per weekly stock pick at the closing price Friday night. The stock picks started 12/31/2016 through the 12/23/2017 picks, versus dollar cost averaging into the index ETFs during the same time period.

The stock market had a good 2017, so you think that everyone would look like a great stock picker in a rising market. There is some saying about a monkey throwing darts at the stock page could pick winning stocks when the market is in an uptrend!

Five of the index ETFs were in the top 7, with Charles Payne and Gary B. Smith in the 3 and 4 position, respectively.

Semiconductors had a great 2017, as the SOXX led all in the list. Overall, the large market index ETF, SPY and VTI, finished in the middle in 2017.

Most stock picks are made without any future guidance. Once you buy, there is no advice to sell or buy more. The shows do have an occasional “follow up” show that goes over the best and worst picks for each guru, and what they’d do with that one or two picks going forward.

The Fox Business Block is ending as of this weekend and being replaced by a 2-hour long "Cavuto Live" show. It is truly the end of an era! 18 years!