Writing samples for my presentation to Providence Society of Financial Analysts
Are you interested in writing good investment commentary?
Read on for links to samples of investment writing that I like. These are examples that I'm using in my November 3 presentation on "The Six Deadly Sins of Investment Commentary" to the Providence Society of Financial Analysts.
Writing about quarterly performance
Brinton Eaton Wealth Advisors does a nice job linking their quarterly market commentary to the performance of their clients' portfolios.
Here are some nice lines from their third quarter 2006 commentary (emphasis added):
Writing about strategy
PIMCO does a nice job laying out their investment strategy on page two of their third quarter 2005 Market Outlook . They bullet and bold each strategy, then add a brief description.
For example,
Layout makes a difference
The visual presentation of your text makes a difference.
Look at Perspective on Investments. Then imagine reading the same text without the use of white space, bullet points or indentation. It would be much less appealing.
Online resources referred to in my presentation
Read on for links to samples of investment writing that I like. These are examples that I'm using in my November 3 presentation on "The Six Deadly Sins of Investment Commentary" to the Providence Society of Financial Analysts.
Writing about quarterly performance
Brinton Eaton Wealth Advisors does a nice job linking their quarterly market commentary to the performance of their clients' portfolios.
Here are some nice lines from their third quarter 2006 commentary (emphasis added):
- The markets were quite mixed for the quarter, while your portfolio continued its relatively smooth upward ride....
- As expected, in quarters such as this when large-cap stocks are among the leading performers, your portfolio will not follow their increase step-for-step, for the same reason you didn't follow their decrease earlier this year.
- ... the most influential index for most investors is... the S&P 500 stock index. Unfortunately, these large-company stocks turned in another lackluster quarter...
- The good news ... is that every other asset class did better than the S&P 500 -- in some cases, substantially better....
Writing about strategy
PIMCO does a nice job laying out their investment strategy on page two of their third quarter 2005 Market Outlook . They bullet and bold each strategy, then add a brief description.
For example,
- Interest Rate Strategies - We plan to target duration near the index but retain tactical flexiblity, moving duration above the index as rates near the top of our forecasted range.... PIMCO plans to continue to emphasize shorter maturities in the U.S. ....
Layout makes a difference
The visual presentation of your text makes a difference.
Look at Perspective on Investments. Then imagine reading the same text without the use of white space, bullet points or indentation. It would be much less appealing.
Online resources referred to in my presentation
- Marcia Yudkin's free newsletter, Marketing Minute
- A Plain English Handbook: How to create clear SEC disclosure documents
- (with preface by Warren Buffett)
- "Writing Headlines That Get Results" by Copyblogger
- Ann Wylie's free newsletter
- Free Bullfighter software
- How can you report underperformance in your client letters?
Labels: investment, writing
posted by Susan Weiner, CFA at 12:39 PM
1 Comments:
By the way, my quote from PIMCO's Bill Gross came from his October commentary (http://www.pimco.com/LeftNav/Featured+Market+Commentary/IO/2006/IO+October+2006.htm)Read his quote below to see how some commentators can get away with a more folksy tone.
"My second principle of successful investing alludes to the importance of determining how much moolah to put on the table at any one time. Texas hold’em players are familiar with the gambit of “all in” but bond managers rarely come from Texas and never put it ALL on the table. Au contraire, actually. They hug indexes to the extreme and are generally content with minute amounts of positive alpha. "
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