In a whirlwind week of market activity, The Numbers’ portfolio delivered a performance as varied as the sectors it touched. Over the last one week, the portfolio navigated through four trades with nuanced results. Let’s dive into the highlights of this week’s financial dance.
Our shining star in this roster was the Brazil iShares MSCI ETF, where our strategic long position translated to a remarkable return of 6.15%. Brazil’s economy, finely tuned for these times, has been riding a wave of optimism as inflows into emerging markets appear to have gained momentum, bolstered by higher commodity prices and favorable macroeconomic indicators. Our investment here kept the portfolio’s spirits high amidst a largely turbulent financial landscape.
Conversely, our long position in the Russell 2000 iShares ETF recorded a modest loss of 1.26%. Known for its exposure to smaller companies, the Russell 2000 grappled with the market’s broader malaise this week. Speculation over interest rate directions may have overshadowed the prospects for smaller caps, impacting this segment of our portfolio.
Turning to sectors of glitter and metallic allure, our long position in the Silver Trust iShares ETF and VanEck Gold Miners ETF didn’t quite catch the sparkle we had anticipated. The Silver Trust stumbled with a loss of 5.96%, while the VanEck Gold Miners ETF fell sharply, down 11.30%. This decline aligns with fluctuating sentiment inspired by mixed signals in the precious metals markets. With central banks continuing to play their hand in the economic orchestra, precious metals have been caught in a dance of volatility, affecting metals-driven ETFs severely as investors look for more stable ground or hold tight awaiting clearer future cues.
Overall, the total return was a barely-there dip of 0.14%, an outcome that may seem understated, but when measured against broader market currents, presented itself with nuanced positivity. Notably, our portfolio outpaced the S&P 500, which languished with a -1.81% drop, outperforming it by 1.67%. Despite the economic headwinds shaking more than just our investments, we managed a strategic lead against this market benchmark.