February 2009 Report

I don't feel like writing my standard monthly report this month - too depressing. The market keeps going down with the MSCI down 9.73% and the SPX down 10.65%. We "only" lost 4.71% in USD terms (5.33% in AUD terms). Could be worse I guess. The last two months have been market beating:



This month this is due to a relatively strong (or less weak) performance by Australian equities. We did OK on non-US foreign equities too. Private equity sucked even more than US stocks... Maybe I'll report the breakdown at the end of this month when all hedge fund returns are available. Because of our relative outperformance alpha measures crept up this month to 3%.

Somehow we managed to spend almost $A6,500. Car costs totalled $A1,250 including $A777 for annual registration. My trip to Cairns cost more than $A500 of out of pocket expenses some of which will be refunded when I finally officially have a job. Snork Maiden spent $US527 on her parents visit in February. So that about explains the increased spending.

Our spending over the last 12 months is beginning to decline as we settle down from our move to Australia (all the humps in spending are international moves) and the Aussie Dollar declined. Comprehensive earnings over the last 12 months remain dire:



When the green line is above the red line net worth increased in the last 12 months and vice versa.