Page 25 - ARUBA TODAY

BUSINESS Friday 29 June 2018
A25

2Q Fund : Better, but still not easy, for investors

By STAN CHOE versus 2.6 percent for the
Associated Press S&P 500.
NEW YORK (AP) — Invest- — Small was big.
ing in funds was still nerve- One of the darkest clouds
wracking in the second hanging over the market
quarter, but at least it was is the threat of a trade war
a bit more rewarding between the United States
As the quarter comes to and its global allies and ri-
a close, most stock funds vals alike. Investors found
are showing gains, making refuge in companies that
up for losses they incurred do most of their business
in the first three months of at home, which ostensibly
the year. Surprisingly strong would be hurt less by trade
profit reports from compa- restrictions than big multi-
nies and an accelerating national companies.
economy helped provide Enter small-cap stock funds.
support. Losses for bond All the interest in smaller
funds were milder, mean- companies drove the iS-
while, and many investors hares Russell 2000 ETF to its
with balanced portfolios best quarterly return since
came out of the spring with 2016, as of Wednesday.
better returns than they The average small-cap
had during the first quarter. growth stock fund returned
Fund investors had to en- In this April 5, 2018, file photo, a screen above the floor of the New York Stock Exchange shows 8.5 percent over the last
dure another topsy-turvy the closing number for the Dow Jones industrial average. Associated Press three months, easily top-
quarter; any gains they ping the 5.1 percent and
made didn't come eas- where it lost more than 1 share for the first quarter are getting the most at- 4.2 percent returns for its
ily. Worries about a pos- percent, as of Wednesday. that were roughly 20 per- tention from investors, and large- and mid-cap coun-
sible trade war weighed on That's one more than it had cent higher than a year stock funds that focus on terparts, respectively.
markets around the world, in all of last year. earlier. They gave credit to technology and other high- — Emerging-market funds
and the Federal Reserve Here's a look at some of lower tax rates and a strong growth areas had some of took a beating.
surprised much of the bond the trends that shaped the global economy, and ex- the quarter's best returns. Stocks from China, Bra-
market with a more aggres- quarter: pectations are high for simi- American Funds' Growth zil and other developing
sive plan for rate increases. — Growth was king. lar gains for the remainder Fund of America, one of countries are notorious for
How chaotic was it? Van- Profit growth exploded of the year. the largest growth stock having high highs and low
guard's Total Stock Mar- across the economy, with Companies that are deliv- funds, returned 4.8 percent lows. They've lived up to
ket Index fund, the largest companies in the S&P 500 ering even bigger growth for the quarter through that reputation so far this
fund by assets, had six days reporting earnings per than the rest of the market Wednesday, for example, year.q

Goodbye, Geoffrey: Toys R Us closing its last stores

By ANNE D'INNOCENZIO But many of the children after a leveraged buyout to fill the hole, while Party Will the Toys R Us name and
Associated Press who happily sang the "I that left it unable to invest City is opening 50 pop-up mascot disappear forever?
NEW YORK (AP) — Toys R Us don't wanna grow up, I'm a and keep up. toy shops this fall. An auction for the com-
is closing its last U.S. stores by Toys R Us kid" jingle grew into As the last of the U.S. stores Toys R Us filed for Chapter pany's name, baby shower
Friday, the end of a chain busy parents who found close, more than 30,000 11 reorganization last fall registry and various trade-
known to generations of shopping online more con- workers will be looking for and pledged to stay open, marks is set for late July. q
children and parents for venient. The company, work. Toys R Us' troubles but had poor sales during
its sprawling stores, brightly which also owned the Ba- have also shaken some big the critical holiday season
colored logo and Geoffrey bies R Us chain, was hob- toy makers like Mattel and as customers and vendors
the giraffe mascot. bled by $5 billion in debt Hasbro. shied away. In January, it
Customers who were still announced plans to close
devoted will be looking about 180 stores, but then
elsewhere to shop. Retailers in March it said it would liq-
like Walmart and Target are uidate the rest of the 700-
expanding their toy aisles plus stores.

This Jan. 24, 2018, file photo shows a person walking near the
entrance to a Toys R Us store, in Wayne, N.J.
Associated Press