#portfolio-diversification

#portfolio-diversification

Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund ETF Shares (NYSEARCA:VYM) generates income by holding a diversified portfolio of dividend-paying U.S. stocks and passing those dividends directly to shareholders. With $88.5 billion in assets and an ultra-low 0.06% expense ratio, VYM offers cost-efficient exposure to companies that consistently return cash to investors. The fund currently yields 2.45%, slightly above the S&P 500's typical yield, while maintaining a 19-year uninterrupted payment history since its November 10, 2006 inception.

The lack of appetite for UK smaller companies and an "on-again, off-again" approach to tax reform has been a toxic combination for AIM. Hargeave Hale, like most AIM VCTs, hasn't escaped the damage, losing investors 39.5% over five years. The big question for VCT investors though is not what's gone before, but what the future holds. The decline in AIM valuations has left the VCT with an exceptionally well diversified, and by VCT standards remarkably low risk, portfolio.

Most U.S. investors never look beyond domestic stocks for dividend income, and the reasoning, at least on the surface, seems logical. Given currency risk, unfamiliar names, differing accounting standards, and the perception that international markets are riskier and/or less transparent, this lack of consideration seems reasonable. However, as a result of this same consideration, this bias ultimately leaves money on the table, and while US dividend stocks infrequently reach 4-5% yields without serious risk, international markets offer established companies with sustainable business models

The S&P 500 has a concentration problem. At the start of 2026, the top seven stocks account for roughly a third of the market-cap weighted index, leaving investors heavily exposed to a handful of mega-cap technology companies. Invesco S&P 100 Equal Weight ETF ( NYSEARCA:EQWL) offers a different approach: it takes the 100 largest companies in the S&P 500 and gives each equal weight, capping even giants like Apple Inc. ( NASDAQ:AAPL) and Microsoft Corporation ( NASDAQ:MSFT) at roughly 1% of the portfolio.

Yahoo Finance Ai is positioned as a specialized online platform designed to simplify access to global financial markets through connected brokerage services. Rather than acting as a broker itself, the platform functions as a technological gateway, combining automation, analytics, and educational tools to help users navigate assets such as cryptocurrencies, Forex, CFDs, stocks, and commodities. At its core, Yahoo Finance Ai follows a broader industry trend: lowering the entry barrier to trading by using intelligent software and centralized dashboards.

If you haven't thought about diversifying your equity portfolio internationally, perhaps the performance of non-U.S. financial markets might have you looking beyond the S&P 500 for your next big investment. Undoubtedly, the S&P has done just fine, now up over 15%, with a potential move to the 7,000 level in sight if investors can shrug off recent concerns that have made for a rather rocky ride in this fourth and final quarter of 2025.

We see little reason for concern around Meta's stock given the company's exceptionally strong operating performance, robust financial health, and continued leadership in digital advertising. Meta's transformation into an AI-driven advertising powerhouse-anchored by Instagram's growing dominance and massive infrastructure investments-underpins our confidence. Overall, while the stock trades at a premium valuation, we view it as fairly priced given its strength and momentum.

When President Trump returned to the White House his intention was clear: Make America Great Again. But the United States's economic partners, and some of its rivals, are also benefitting from having the unorthodox showman back in the Oval Office. Investors are watching the U.S. stock market with both enthusiasm and trepidation: The S&P 500 is up 15% over the past year, Treasuries have remained relatively steady, and the Fed's monetary policy is expected to begin a downwards trajectory.

Diversifying your portfolio with luxury assets can add glamour and enhance overall value, but thorough research is essential to understand the risks involved.

The JPMorgan Equity Premium Income ETF (NYSEARCA:JEPI) has become a top choice for many investors. It is a covered call ETF that offers an attractive yield over 10%, much higher than the S&P 500's 1.5%. The ETF invests in low-volatility stocks and manages to pay a higher yield through the options call. It outperforms the traditional equity income approach and has a low expense ratio of 0.35%.