Research & Notes
The InvestLab Blog
Research, strategy deep dives and market notes — written by the person who runs the strategies, with the live numbers embedded.
Research & deep dives
Lean Aggressive
Lean equity-heavy: 70% global stocks with bond, gold, and commodity ballast — rebalanced once a year.
Lean Balanced
Global stocks, long Treasuries, gold, and broad commodities — rebalanced once a year.
Relative Momentum Top5
Nine asset-class ETFs, three rules. Each month it holds the five that are trending strongest — and *always* holds five, with no cash brake — so the portfolio is permanently invested in whatever is leading.
Balanced Trend-Filtered
A fixed, equal-weight balanced portfolio of six asset-class ETFs — with one overlay: each month it switches any sleeve whose own trend has turned down into cash, and switches it back on when the trend recovers. The point isn't to beat stocks — it's closer to insurance: you ride…
How InvestLab's Strategies Performed in July — and How They're Positioned for August
Tech cracked, bonds failed to protect — but both our core portfolio and tactical asset allocation strategies finished in the green.
The Levered All-Weather Portfolio, Rebuilt for DIY Investors
A simple four-ETF (or futures) strategy that uses moderate leverage to target stock-like returns - while working in far more environments than stocks alone.
Choosing Your Strategic Asset Allocation — Part 1: What Are Your Options?
Your strategic asset allocation is the keel of the boat — the single decision that drives most of your investing experience. Here's the menu, from 100% equities to a full all-weather mix, and what each one really signs you up for.
Dual Momentum Pivot5: the deep dive
The full guide to InvestLab’s tactical momentum strategy. Each month it ranks nine asset-class ETFs by trend, holds the five strongest, and steps into cash when trends turn down. Why a tactical layer, how it’s built, 35 years of evidence, why it works, when it fails, and whether it’s right for you.
Building Your Investment Policy Statement (IPS)
There's no universally "best" portfolio — only the one most likely to get you to your goals. Before picking a single investment, you need an Investment Policy Statement: five decisions that anchor everything that follows. Here's the one-page version I use myself.
InvestLab's Process
Risk isn't volatility — it's the chance you don't meet your investment goals. Everything in InvestLab exists to shrink that probability. Here's the three-layer process I landed on after fifteen years working the same question.