http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/wisconsin/aniwa/ Aniwa, WI News http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/wisconsin/aniwa/content/f255b8f7cc5289ad5eb3ae2fcad0f1ea.html With the economy growing shakier by the day Fox Valley churches that offer free Thanksgiving dinners are setting more plates at the table this year http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/wisconsin/aniwa/content/2a303c94e7af4d7978f1f7c36a90d8c8.html RIB MOUNTAIN Fourthgrader Sierra Wittenberg learned this week that starting a new life is easier said than done http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/wisconsin/aniwa/content/a371e959f6822b4c2dc027ba0eaf21bf.html With the economy growing shakier by the day Fox Valley churches that offer free Thanksgiving dinners are setting more plates at the table this year http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/wisconsin/aniwa/content/491d72b90492460e81c3adb6eab5c830.html NEENAH It wasnt heavy smoke billowing from the back of an apartment complex on Friday morning that necessarily worried Neenah police officer Stuart Zuehls http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/wisconsin/aniwa/content/7c0c48676a475026fd0ca2c8508d8a8e.html It wouldn't be honest to say Glenn Nelson lives in the past far from itBut it would be fair to say the past lives with the 85yearold World War II combat veteranAdvertisement: Dick's Fresh MarketThanksgiving fixins': Spuds yams amp; cranberriesRound out your Thanksgiving table with great deals on Idaho Russets at 1995 lb Eastern grown yams at 69 centslb and Ocean Spray cranberries at 14912 oz bag Dick's Fresh Market 1121 S Main St River Falls http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/wisconsin/aniwa/content/4c7fc3c826d15f762637342f1f1a3d1c.html Children around the world may feel a little Christmas cheer for the first time this year thanks to thousands of donations from local residents http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/wisconsin/aniwa/content/c3aec7c1cd67f656c9b697d22a00a96e.html The sagging economy is taking a toll on Christmas this year and the annual area Toys for Tots drive spearheaded by United States Marines and coordinated by the Fond du Lac Salvation Army needs a boost http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/wisconsin/aniwa/content/c0e9412af9cfcff8507027e33120e6e2.html The goal of every investment portfolio is to produce the most optimal outcome over a specific period of time However each investors preferences are differentIf we all desired the same balance of safety performance maintenance and cost we would all drive the same type of car Achieving investment goals requires knowledge of what outcome would define success determining whether that objective is realistic and how to construct an asset allocation designed to meet that objectiveRealistic goals are important to a successful investment plan Not even the most aggressive investor should expect consistent returns at or above the longterm stock market average annualized performance of 11 percent as measured by the SP 500 index nor should a conservative fixed income investor expect consistent returns much above the current bond yield of about 5 percent as measured by the Lehman Aggregate Bond indexAn investor who is focused solely on attempting to meet or beat a particular index with his or her portfolio is better suited to asset classspecific investing rather than asset allocation which is capable of delivering a far broader range of performance objectivesIt is important to note that in developing an asset allocation the goal is not to attempt to beat the market every year but also to take advantage of the many other opportunities offered by the investment universe In addition to the largecapitalization US stocks represented by the major market indexes a wide variety of investment instruments with unique features are available to investorsThe range of asset allocation models is infinite each one providing acarefully constructed and unique range of investment alternatives as different as a Volvo to a Chevrolet yet equally suited to each of their owners to ultimately seek unique performance objectives Because individual assets are often volatile but dont move in synch with all other assets different types of assets can be combined to effectively help manage risk enhancing the predictability of portfolio returns For example a 60 stock and 40 bond asset allocation has on average delivered 85 of the total return of the SP 500 index by capturing 75 of the upside of the stock market while only suffering about 35 of the downside measured over rolling 12 month periods of time since 1960The primary difference in return and risk is determined by the mix between stocks and bonds Since 1926 26 of stock market and 8 of bond market returns were negative on a 12month basis However only rarely about 1 of the time did both stocks and bonds post simultaneous yearoveryear negative returns Therefore managing the stockbond allocation can have a significant impact on the stability and predictability of portfolio performanceIn constructing asset allocations analyzing historical data and detailed financial models is useful but forwardthinking is also very important Relationships can change over time and future returns may differ from past returns for a variety of reasons The past is not a perfect guide to what will unfold in the future Asset class returns riskand interrelationships may structurally shift over timeFor the past 20 years total returns for bonds have been boosted by falling interest rates a trend that is unlikely to continue In the future total returns on bonds may lag the longterm historical averages achieved when yields were much higher Bond prices and interest rates have an inverse relationship As interest rates rise in the economy bond prices tend to decline subjecting you to the possibility for market lossThe structure of the universe of growth stocks has changed over time It was once a relatively defensive group of stocks dominated by Health Care and Consumer Staples sectors Now with the Technology sector a much larger portion of the growth stock universe its cyclicality has increased The volatility of growth stocks may exceed the longterm historical averageThe relationship or correlation between asset classes may differ from prior periods For example the correlation between stocks and bonds has changed over time It has recently become negative meaning the stock prices and bond prices move inversely to each other providing greater portfolio diversification This environment is similar to the one of the 1950s and 1960s and is in contrast to that of the 1980s and 1990s when stock and bond prices generally moved together This relationship key to managing portfolio risk has changed several times during the past 75 yearsThe best way to help manage risk in investing or anyother dynamic discipline is through analysis and modeling The extensive quantitative analysis of historical data and complex modeling of possible future outcomes form the basis of sound decision making However the process cannot stop there Because financial markets are ever changing it is critical that the output of analytical models be finetuned using experience expertise and judgment In short overreliance on the raw data produced by a model can be problematic if that which is being measured is evolving and changing Financial markets do evolve and are everchangingusing the total return of the S P 500 and the Ibbotson IntermediateTerm Bond Index