In 1995 the first of 75 million baby boomers turned fifty. We know this much. What we don't know is, beginning in 2045, how many of them will turn 100. It remains difficult to realize how fast and how much everything is getting better. Accordingly, the need to successfully invest for the long-term becomes ever more important. Must read for clients.
Now in its eighth edition, this classic is one of the most influential investing guides to be published in the last quarter century. According to Malkiel, blindfolded monkeys and Wall Street pros are equally matched in stock picking. The essence of his message is: over time you'll never beat the averages, so don't try. The book offers advice on everything from investing in index funds to his now-famous "Life-Cycle Guide to Investing" program. A must read for all investors.
In summing up his approach to investing, Siegel writes, "Poor investment strategy, whether it is for lack of diversification, pursuing hot stocks, or attempting to time the market, often stems from the investor's belief that it is necessary to beat the market to do well in the market. Nothing is further from the truth. The principle of this book is that through time the after-inflation returns on a well-diversified portfolio of common stocks have not only exceeded that of fixed income assets but have actually done so with less risk. Which stocks you own is secondary to whether you own stocks, especially if you maintain a balanced portfolio."
