No. of Recommendations: 5
S&P: up about .5%
My random collection of stuff: up about 4.91% when converted to USD
At this stage, probably pretty meaningless, but makes me feel better than if the numbers were reversed.
I'm in a similar position. And similar conclusions - it's only "real" if it lasts.
I was mostly in non-USD cash last year, and it made a huge tail wind. Beat the S&P measured in US dollars while averaging around 70% cash. But of course the good seeming result is money illusion. Investors everywhere should occasionally measure how they're doing in (say) euros or sterling. It's not often appreciated that the US dollar is one of the currencies with the biggest moves in value, while being so common as a yardstick for prices. For example, the EUR/CAD pair varied this century maybe half what USD/CAD or EUR/USD did.
Of course every portfolio looks good in yen lately - they yen has fallen a lot in the last few years. As a European, my October trip to Tokyo was full of very attractive prices! Except hotel rooms for some reason.
Jim
