Many investors are trying to game the fickle markets here and abroad. My guess is that most trying to do so are losing money. Sure, money "pros" have eclectic strategies that in most cases are far too complex for the average investor to implement (let alone keep track of). If only these investment gurus would alert investors when it was time to jettison their previously recommended portfolio potpourri and scurry to the next brilliant get rich plan. Alas, investors find that just when the best laid investment plan is implemented, something goes wrong to spoil it.
I admit to gaming the market myself, but I have learned over thirty-five years to temper my ego and speculative inclinations by going in the direction of reasonably safe higher yield investments that will pay you to wait for a better investment climate, receive excellent cash flow with the likelihood of modest capital gains and avoid paying to see a psychiatrist for depression and anxiety disorders.
This article is too brief to give the reader a comprehensive roster of good higher yield investments. Here are a few that you can investigate that make sense at this juncture.
I like Master Limited Partnerships such as Kinder Morgen Energy Partners(KMP)6.06%, Enbridge Energy Partners (EEM)7.60% and Teppco(TPP)7.36%.
Two CEF's are in my portfolio. Calamos Global Total Return Fund (CGO) 8.34% and the Alpine Global Dynamic Dividend Fund (AGD) 10.59%.
For the speculator, short maturity GMAC Smart Notes are worth exploring. There are so many, I find that several are regularly priced overcompensating risk. Recently, issues of note for the speculator were the 3/15/09 at 8/09%, the 7/15/09 at 8.12% and the 1/15/2010 at 10.05%. Watch the spread. Plan to held these notes to maturity and do not buy more than three years out.
ETF's will play a role for the dividend oriented investor. I admit to a bias for financials in the belief that they will most certainly bounce back and give the investor a nice capital gain in addition to their current higher yield. Investors may want to consider PowerShares Sovereign Debt ETF(PCY) 5.91%, PowerShares Financial Preferred Portfolio ETF (PGF) 6.68%,IShares S&P Global Financial Sector ETF (IXG)3.97% and IShares Mortgage REIT (REM) 9.54%.
One commercial REIT I like for yield is Monmouth Realty Investment Company (MNRTA) 8.61%.
The Standard and Poors' High Yield roster usually displays approximately fifty stocks for yield. However, I generally do not place much faith in them to continue their payouts. Buyer beware.
As a seasoned investor, you may take issue with one or more of my investment ideas. I accept your thoughts gracefully. The intent of this piece is to encourage investors not to chase securities in a world market jarred by whipsawed action, and to be satisfied with hitting singles in the investment game when at present swinging wildly at high fast balls gets the lion's share of hype. Doing your homework to uncover worthwhile high yield securities is worth the effort.
