End of Month Summary – April 2008

I had another strong month in April.  I’m still unwinding some of the trouble I got in back in January (and earlier).  Although I’m taking some realized losses for those mistakes occasionally, I’m moving forward which is the entire point.  I stopped letting emotions play a roll in my investing again and accepted some losses on NYX and ADBE to end the month with a higher total account balance. 

I’m still not convinced we won’t have another pull back before we take off again, but hope the Fed has finished with rate cuts for a while.  That can only be the case if they see an improvement in the economy, which apparently they haven’t seen enough of yet.

My account summary for April 2008: 

My current account value according to Ameritrade is $85,140.39 and according to Quicken is $85,388.20.  Here’s how the returns break down:

• 12 month return: -2.18%
• Since my blog’s beginning (4/8/07): -0.01%
• I deposited $2,000 on 4/2/08

According to Morningstar, here’s how I compare to the major indices:

• 12 month S&P 500 Return: -5.06%
• 12 month DJIA Return: +0.11%
• 12 month NASDAQ Return: -5.13%
• 12 month Russell 2000 Return: -12.25%
• 12 month S&P Midcap 400 Return: -4.05%

I continue to enjoy comparing my results to the major indices.  It helps me keep my eye on the end goal of total portfolio gains.  Every month I’m reminded that each individual stock or option gain or loss does not matter as much as my overall growth is still positive.  I still have the DJIA to catch, but I’m gaining ground again.  My goal is one month closer to becoming a reality.