My last Dogs of the FTSE experimental portfolio didn’t do too badly despite volatile markets during uncertain times.

Things got a bit hairy on occasion, with the markets all over the place, but I continue to follow the strategy as an experiment, documenting the bad times as well as the good.

As another reminder, here’s the Dogs of the FTSE strategy:

1. Choose the ten FTSE 100 shares with the highest yield (subject to my criteria*)
2. Invest equal amounts in all ten shares
3. Hold for a year (give or take a week)
4. At the end of the year, sell the ones no longer in the top ten, replace with new shares with highest yield
5. Repeat from step 3

[*criteria being that shares already in my portfolio are not included, nor any where a dividend cut has been announced, prior to purchase]

The Dogs of the FTSE strategy is based on the original Dogs of the Dow strategy.

Note that this is my ‘fun’ portfolio and represents less than 1.5% of my Future Fund.

New Pooches

Time to set up my new Dogs of the FTSE 2021/22 portfolio! [I set this up in June but only getting round to posting about it now]

After the previous portfolio’s abysmal performance, I wasn’t sure how this current Dogs of the FTSE experimental portfolio would do, particularly with the continued situation around the world.  This portfolio was created just after markets had crashed and had begun its recovery so timing was not favourable.

Long-Covid Dogs

So one year on and my 4th experimental portfolio hasn’t done too badly.

As a reminder, here’s the Dogs of the FTSE strategy:

1. Choose the ten FTSE 100 shares with the highest yield (subject to my criteria*)
2. Invest equal amounts in all ten shares
3. Hold for a year (give or take a week)
4. At the end of the year, sell the ones no longer in the top ten, replace with new shares with highest yield
5. Repeat from step 3

[*criteria being that shares already in my portfolio are not included, nor any where a dividend cut has been announced]

Here’s how the 2020/21 portfolio looked as at 8th June 2021:

A so-so gain of 14.98%, but a respectable 21.78% if you include dividends paid out.

Over the same period, the FTSE 100 Total Return was 18.68%.

Anglo American was the outstanding performer, showing a gain of 66%+ over the year.

What Next?

It’s always been my intention to run this as a (minimum) 5-year experiment so the Dogs will be back for their fifth (and possibly last) outing very soon. I’ve not decided yet what I want to do afterwards.

So, some mutts will be kicked out and new ones brought in.

I’ll get this new portfolio set up soon, so will do an update in a couple of weeks.

Random Shares

My Random Share Portfolio is made up of free shares awarded to me whenever someone signs up to Freetrade* via my affiliate link, bagging us both a random free share (worth between £3 and £200) in the process.

One of the freebies I received recently

Here’s the full portfolio – it’s gotten a bit too big to do a full copy and paste.

Thanks to all who have signed up via my link – hope you all got a decent free share!

I’ve been selling the odd one, whenever any showed >40% gains.

Until next time – keep calm and carry on investing!

[*affiliate link]

A belated and brief progress update on my latest Dogs of the FTSE experimental portfolio which was set up in June 2020, so only another couple of months to run.

I missed buying when everything hit rock bottom in March but bad timing or not, I continue to follow the strategy as an experiment and have been documenting the bad times as well as the good.

Here’s a reminder of the Dogs of the FTSE strategy (which is based on the US Dogs of the Dow strategy):

1. Choose the ten FTSE 100 shares with the highest yield (subject to my criteria*)
2. Invest equal amounts in all ten shares
3. Hold for a year (give or take a week)
4. At the end of the year, sell the ones no longer in the top ten, replace with new shares with highest yield
5. Repeat from step 3

[*criteria being that shares already in my portfolio are not included, nor any where a dividend cut has been announced]

Note that this is part of my ‘fun’ portfolio and represents less than 1.5% of my Future Fund – it is not what I do as a main investing strategy. All dividends received are reinvested.

Light at the end of the Tunnel

The mutts aren’t doing too badly, particularly the mining Dogs, which are showing significant gains.

Will be interesting to see if they continue to maintain their momentum.

Over the same period, the FTSE 100 Total Return was 15.70% so the Dogs are doing worse at 13.94%.

However, if I include dividends received, it’s a gain of 18.83%, so not bad really.

Let’s see what the next two months bring for the pooches and I’ll do my final update then.

Random Shares

My Random Share Portfolio is made up of free shares awarded to me whenever someone signs up to Freetrade* via my affiliate link, bagging us both a random free share (worth between £3 and £200) in the process.

Here’s the full portfolio.

I’ve kept most of the shares, occasionally selling when the odd one or two gain by >20% (quite a few did recently).

In a previous month, I was awarded a free share in Manchester United – perhaps I should have sold it when the share price went up on the back of the announcement of the European Super League.

However,  by the time I thought about it, the league had crashed and burned, with the ‘sinister six’ pulling out before it got going, so it wasn’t worth selling.  I’m not fast enough to be a trader!

Time for another progress update on my latest Dogs of the FTSE experimental portfolio which was set up in June.

Sadly, I wasn’t able to time it when everything hit rock bottom in March but who can time the market, in any case?

Bad timing or not, I continue to follow the strategy as an experiment and have been documenting the bad times as well as the good.

Here’s a reminder of the Dogs of the FTSE strategy (which is based on the US Dogs of the Dow strategy):

1. Choose the ten FTSE 100 shares with the highest yield (subject to my criteria*)
2. Invest equal amounts in all ten shares
3. Hold for a year (give or take a week)
4. At the end of the year, sell the ones no longer in the top ten, replace with new shares with highest yield
5. Repeat from step 3

[*criteria being that shares already in my portfolio are not included, nor any where a dividend cut has been announced]

Note that this is part of my ‘fun’ portfolio and represents less than 1.5% of my Future Fund – it is not what I do as a main investing strategy. All dividends received are reinvested.

Signs of Life

Finally, some good news to share – the mutts are showing some stirrings of life!

Big upticks in November had most of the Dogs showing some gains, although a few persist in wallowing in the red.

Who knows what a deal/no-deal Brexit will bring or whether mass vaccination will miraculously stop the virus in its tracks and kick-start world economy again, but it will be interesting to see:

Over the same period, the FTSE 100 Total Return was 8.07% so the Dogs are doing worse at 6.91%.

However, if I include dividends received, it’s a gain of 9.80%, so not bad really.

The pooches still have around 6 months to stay the course – I’ll do another update in a few months’ time.

Random Shares

My Random Share Portfolio is made up of free shares awarded to me whenever someone signs up to Freetrade* via my affiliate link, bagging us both a random free share (worth between £3 and £200) in the process.

Out of the Champions League but in my portfolio

Here’s the full portfolio.

I’ve kept most of the shares, occasionally selling when the odd one or two gain by >20% (quite a few did in November).

The money from sales of such shares have been invested into my Winter Rock Associates Fund 😉

Freetrade will imminently be offering SIPPs as well as ISAs (my current S&S ISA is with them).

For a flat fee of £9.99 per month, this seems quite competitive compared to other brokers’ SIPPs, especially when you factor in no trading fees for buying or selling. Comparison here if anyone is interested.

Anyway, thanks to all who have signed up via my link in the past – hope you all got a decent free share!

See you on the Other Side!

I haven’t got anything to write about between now and the end of the year – perhaps I’ll use this time to think about my goals for next year, although these will probably be similar to the ones I set for 2020, only not so ambitious!

So I may as well take this opportunity to say I hope that everyone has as safe and as happy a Christmas/festive holiday as they can under the circumstances and here’s to 2021 being a better year for all of us!