For the mutual funds buffs?

Question

I have Dreyfus S&P 500 mutual funds (PEOPX) and as of right now I think they have reached their highest price ever. Should I sell now and wait for it to go down in order to rebuy at a lower price, or should I just keep a hold on to what I've got right now. Can you make an educated guess and tell me why I should do what you propose?

Answer 1

Reginald Laing, Analyst at MorningStar, had this to say about your fund.

Investors should avoid the overpriced Dreyfus S&P 500 Index (PEOPX).

Dreyfus charges too much for this index fund. With a 0.50% expense ratio, it may be cheaper than most actively managed large-cap offerings, but it's a good deal pricier than some other funds that track the S&P 500 Index. For instance, the venerable Vanguard 500 Index VFINX charges 0.18%, and Fidelity has recently undercut Vanguard by capping the expense ratio of Fidelity Spartan 500 Index FSMKX at 0.10%. (The Vanguard and Fidelity funds require higher initial investments--$3,000 and $10,000, respectively, versus $2,500 for this Dreyfus fund.) You can also buy S&P-tracking exchange-traded funds with no minimums and lower expense ratios. The SPDR SPY levies 0.10%, while iShares S&P 500 IVV charges 0.09%. (You do, however, have to pay commissions on ETFs, which can add up if you make incremental investments.)

We can illustrate the importance of fees in the indexing world--where a manager is essentially promising an index's returns minus the expense ratio--by comparing this fund's returns with one of its lower-cost rival's. For the trailing three years through May 19, Dreyfus S&P 500 posted an annualized gain of 12.7%--versus 13.08% for the Vanguard 500 over the same period of time. The Vanguard fund's better showing stems mostly from its expense advantage and partly from its manager's skill at reducing tracking error by trading S&P 500 futures contracts and lending out the stock of index components in exchange for fees.

Dreyfus S&P 500's manager, Tom Durante, has also shown that he's a skilled indexer. But Durante can only do so much to overcome this fund's high fees and track the returns of the S&P closely. For that reason, this fund's expense ratio will have to come down considerably before we think of recommending it. Until then, investors will do better with one of this fund's lower-cost competitors.

Answer 2

Your fund is reaching a high because the index it tracks is reaching a high.

A fund that tracks the S&P500 is not the right vehicle if youy are interested in market timing (i.e. buying low and selling high).
An index fund is designed to be a diversified holding, The only time you should sell it is if you are going to move to cash, and getting out ofv the market entirely.

If you believe the markets are going down from here sell. If you want to take some profits, sell some of your position, and let the rest ride.

The long term trend is still up, and just because something is hitting new highs is no reason to sell.

The secret to making BIG money in the market is:
cut your losers short, let your winners ride.

Answer 3

Do not listen to nuts and to those in the trade, with an ax to grind. Repeated academic studies have shown that index tracking funds outperform 80% of the grossly overpaid active fund managers. Also it is impossible to time the market and buying and selling only enriches the brokers.

So hang on and watch your fund rising.If the prices fall, do not worry, buy some more. That is the beauty of index trackers, any fall is due to the market and not to the manager's incompetence.

Answer 4

it depends on your age and your time horizon. if you are investing long term for growth, you should sell and reinvest in a diverse portfolio including small and midcap stock funds as well as some real estate and international funds. historically, many funds outperform the index and some even carry less risk. take some time to educate yourself or enlist the services of a qualified investment advisor. good luck

Answer 5

If you listen to anyone here with advice on this you're destined to be a lousy investor.

Please learn investing. Read a couple of good books. "Timing" the market is a fools game. Even the "experts" (over long periods of time) can't do it. That's why S&P500 funds beat 80% of all managed Mutual Funds.

Answer 6

When I'm in a position like this, I sell half. This way, I have earned from the recent rally. Then use the capital and earning to reinvest when the price comes down.

Answer 7

Nobody can predict the future.

What is each stock in the fund going to do?

If it was me, I would wait to see if it has any distributions, if they are reinvested, the price will drop and get reinvested at the lower price.

End of quarter is near.

Answer 8

1

Answer 9

Depends on your goals and age i guess the way consumer confidence is going i would hold.