Invessential Blog
insightful articles on investing
Why I Bonds Are the Best Place to Park Cash Right Now
I bond interest rates have soared past 9% due to record inflation. Here, we argue why I bonds are the best place to park cash right now, specifically looking at a return estimate for I bonds, as well as their perks, downsides, and alternative investments.
by Vineel Bhat, 10/14/22
Buy at Open or Buy at Close: What History Tells Us
Aggregated, most investors end up buying and selling equities close to the open and close times of the US stock market. But for long-term oriented investors, does either buying at open or buying at close outperform the other strategy a long period of time?
by Vineel Bhat, 09/16/22
Why the NUSI ETF Underperformed in the First Half of 2022
Given NUSI’s outperformance during the COVID-19 market crash, the underperformance during the current downturn was unexpected. The secret to what happened, however, lies in the underlying options strategy used by the management team.
by Vineel Bhat, 08/19/22
Breaking Down How Covered Call Options Work
Differing from assets and traditional investments, covered call options are an intriguing tool that provide investors unique opportunities (and risks). Learn how call options – both buying, selling, as well as the covered call variation – work.
by Vineel Bhat, 08/05/22
Choosing Between Dollar-Cost Averaging and Lump-Sum Investing
2 of the most popular methods for investing are dollar-cost averaging and lump-sum investing. Here, we break down these methods, dive deep into their relative performance over the past 150 years, and come to a conclusion on which to choose.
by Vineel Bhat, 12/10/21
3 Steps to Analyzing a Company's Dividend
Income investors love dividend stocks, but not all are attractive or safe. Knowing the ins and outs of a company’s dividend before investing is crucial for any dividend stock – especially for established businesses who distribute a majority of profits.
by Vineel Bhat, 06/28/21
The Edge Individual Investors Have Over Institutions
92% of mutual funds underperformed the S&P 500 in 15 years. But this doesn’t mean picking individual stocks is a pointless endeavor: retail investors have numerous advantages over institutions, and may have a better chance of beating the market.