SPDN: An Inexpensive Way To Profit When The S&P 500 Falls

Summary
SPDN is not the largest or oldest way to short the S&P 500, but it’s a solid choice.
This ETF uses a variety of financial instruments to target a return opposite that of the S&P 500 Index.
SPDN’s 0.49% Expense Ratio is nearly half that of the larger, longer-tenured -1x Inverse S&P 500 ETF.
Details aside, the potential continuation of the equity bear market makes single-inverse ETFs an investment segment investor should be familiar with.
We rate SPDN a Strong Buy because we believe the risks of a continued bear market greatly outweigh the possibility of a quick return to a bull market.
Put a gear stick into R position, (Reverse).
Birdlkportfolio

By Rob Isbitts

Summary
The S&P 500 is in a bear market, and we don’t see a quick-fix. Many investors assume the only way to navigate a potentially long-term bear market is to hide in cash, day-trade or “just hang in there” while the bear takes their retirement nest egg.

The Direxion Daily S&P 500® Bear 1X ETF (NYSEARCA:SPDN) is one of a class of single-inverse ETFs that allow investors to profit from down moves in the stock market.

SPDN is an unleveraged, liquid, low-cost way to either try to hedge an equity portfolio, profit from a decline in the S&P 500, or both. We rate it a Strong Buy, given our concern about the intermediate-term outlook for the global equity market.

Strategy
SPDN keeps it simple. If the S&P 500 goes up by X%, it should go down by X%. The opposite is also expected.

Proprietary ETF Grades
Offense/Defense: Defense

Segment: Inverse Equity

Sub-Segment: Inverse S&P 500

Correlation (vs. S&P 500): Very High (inverse)

Expected Volatility (vs. S&P 500): Similar (but opposite)

Holding Analysis
SPDN does not rely on shorting individual stocks in the S&P 500. Instead, the managers typically use a combination of futures, swaps and other derivative instruments to create a portfolio that consistently aims to deliver the opposite of what the S&P 500 does.

Strengths
SPDN is a fairly “no-frills” way to do what many investors probably wished they could do during the first 9 months of 2022 and in past bear markets: find something that goes up when the “market” goes down. After all, bonds are not the answer they used to be, commodities like gold have, shall we say, lost their luster. And moving to cash creates the issue of making two correct timing decisions, when to get in and when to get out. SPDN and its single-inverse ETF brethren offer a liquid tool to use in a variety of ways, depending on what a particular investor wants to achieve.

Weaknesses
The weakness of any inverse ETF is that it does the opposite of what the market does, when the market goes up. So, even in bear markets when the broader market trend is down, sharp bear market rallies (or any rallies for that matter) in the S&P 500 will cause SPDN to drop as much as the market goes up.

Opportunities
While inverse ETFs have a reputation in some circles as nothing more than day-trading vehicles, our own experience with them is, pardon the pun, exactly the opposite! We encourage investors to try to better-understand single inverse ETFs like SPDN. While traders tend to gravitate to leveraged inverse ETFs (which actually are day-trading tools), we believe that in an extended bear market, SPDN and its ilk could be a game-saver for many portfolios.

Threats
SPDN and most other single inverse ETFs are vulnerable to a sustained rise in the price of the index it aims to deliver the inverse of. But that threat of loss in a rising market means that when an investor considers SPDN, they should also have a game plan for how and when they will deploy this unique portfolio weapon.

Proprietary Technical Ratings
Short-Term Rating (next 3 months): Strong Buy

Long-Term Rating (next 12 months): Buy

Conclusions
ETF Quality Opinion
SPDN does what it aims to do, and has done so for over 6 years now. For a while, it was largely-ignored, given the existence of a similar ETF that has been around much longer. But the more tenured SPDN has become, the more attractive it looks as an alternative.

ETF Investment Opinion

SPDN is rated Strong Buy because the S&P 500 continues to look as vulnerable to further decline. And, while the market bottomed in mid-June, rallied, then waffled since that time, our proprietary macro market indicators all point to much greater risk of a major decline from this level than a fast return to bull market glory. Thus, SPDN is at best a way to exploit and attack the bear, and at worst a hedge on an otherwise equity-laden portfolio.

What Kinds of Investment Options Available in India

However the last few decades witnessed a complete change in the nature of functioning of the financial market. An array of new products was introduced by both financial institutes and banks that simply lured the many investors to invest in them because of the numerous advantages that each product offered. Be it life insurance policies, Exchange Traded Funds infrastructure bonds, fixed deposits, mutual funds etc each product or scheme is unique and meets the needs of either your long term or short term goals.Below is a list of the different investment options offered in India.Bank Fixed Deposits, [Term Deposit]Bank fixed deposits are one of the most popular investment options in India. This type of investment is one of the oldest and safest in the country. Usually in the case of a bank Fixed Deposit Scheme a certain amount of money is deposited in a particular bank for a specific duration on which the depositor receives a fixed rate of interest. Fixed deposits are ideal for long term investments. Mostly young people deposit in such schemes till the age of retirement so that they are eligible for a regular income when they need it most. The best thing about this investment option is that it is extremely safe, liquid and also yields high returns.Recurring Bank Deposit Saving SchemeRecurring Bank Deposit Schemes are also another good investment option in India. In order to invest in a Recurring Bank Deposit Saving Scheme you will have to invest a specific sum of money in a bank on a monthly basis. On this investment you will be receiving a fixed rate of interest from the bank every month. These types of investments have a fixed tenure and at the end of the tenure you receive the principle amount plus the interest earned.ETFs (Exchange Traded Fund)Among the latest investment options in the country Exchange Traded Fund or ETFs are known for their high returns yielding nature. Since the product is relatively new people are still a little apprehensive about investing in these types of funds however investing in Exchange Traded Funds are extremely beneficial in the long run.ELSS (Equity Linked Savings Scheme) Over the years Equity Linked Savings Schemes have gained immense popularity in the Indian financial market. Equity Linked Savings Scheme is a mutual fund investment option that invests in stocks and equity related stocks. Most Equity Linked Savings Schemes have a lock in period of three years which only benefits investors from yielding benefits and also getting tax exemptions.Life Insurance PlansInvesting in life insurance policies is one of the major investment options in India. LIC in India has almost synonymous with life insurance for its many life insurance policies. There are different types of life insurance plans like whole-life insurance, joint-life-insurance, pension-life-insurance etc that you can select from. It is believed that life insurance policies are best suited for people with families. The returns yielded from a life insurance policy depending on the type of plan can be used for numerous reasons like child’s education, business expansion or children’s’ marriage. Some of the companies offering life insurance plans include; Life Insurance Corporation of India, Kotak Life Insurance Reliance Life Insurance Company, Tata AIG Life Insurance etc.Post Office SavingsOne of the most important investment options in India is investing in the numerous products introduced by the post office. The many different post offices in India offer a gamut of investment products that meet the needs and requirements of one and all. Even the lower income groups can invest in the many post office schemes. Some of the popular post office savings options include;
Post Office Recurring Deposits
National Savings Scheme [NSS]
Public Provident Funds [PPF ]
Post Office Monthly Income Scheme [Post office MIS ]
National Savings Certificates [NSC ]
Post Office Time Deposits
Kisan Vikas Patra – [KVP ]
Investing in Gold Investing gold is nothing new to India. People in this part of the sub continent have been investing in gold since decades now. Gold is one of the safest investments options and can really prove beneficial in times of economic crisis. Gold can be considered to be a long term investment. Investing in gold can be used for several purposes like your child’s marriage etc. The price of gold from the last few years has been rising continuously even during recession the price seemed to have increased at a rate of 19.30 percent.Mutual FundsMutual Funds are another popular investment option that have gained immense foothold in the Indian financial market over the last few years. ‘You can invest on both short and long term mutual funds. The one thing that is really good about investing in mutual funds is that you can invest small sums at a time. Mutual funds do not necessarily require lump sum investments. Most of the financial companies and banks today offer a diversified portfolio of mutual fund investment products. Investing in mutual funds is also less risky as compared to investing in stocks. This kind of investment option also has the tendency of fetching extremely high returns. However the amount that the investor will get as returns is unpredictable and depends totally on the situation of the market.StocksInvesting in stocks is one of the most beneficial Investment options in India. According to market trends it is seen that investing in equity shares fetch as much as 26.5 percent higher returns in a period of 5 years when compared to fixed deposits of the same tenure. Even when the investment is made for the longer period it still reaps higher returns. Investing in stocks is also a better option as compared to investing in real estate or gold.The Indian financial market is flooded with a host of investment options that not only fetch returns but also save you from paying huge amounts as taxes.

Skin Care Specific For Men Who Want to Look Well-Groomed With Little Fuss

Men’s interest in taking care of their skin is steadily increasing. They are also aware of the importance of using safe natural ingredient products. It is not new for men to want to look well groomed. Now they are seeking healthy products to feed their skin in order to maintain a fresh attractive appeal.Men want a no-fuss, straight forward approach to skin care. They don’t need the pretty bottles or sweet aroma of fragrant lotions and cleansers-men want the basics. Skin care can be tailored specifically to a man’s needs without added synthetic ingredients that are found in many products. Using the purity of nature to enhance the skin’s surface a can makes a healthier skin care routine simple.Men’s skin care needs are specific partly as a result of shaving, which not only irritates the skin, it can leave pores open to invite clogging or blackheads. Therefore methods of cleansing are especially important to a man’s skin care regime.Whether your skin tends to be oily or dry and sensitive it requires care that will encourage it toward balance. Working with natural ingredient products that are formulated to assist the skin to find its proper balance will bring the desired results of smooth, fresh attractive looking skin.Simple Steps to healthy looking attractive skin:Step 1: CleansingCleansing for men needs to be gentle, even soothing, yet cleanse deep. This can be accomplished with a clay or cream cleanser that caters to Men’s skin care needs – irritation, large pores, oily or dry-sensitive skin. Synthetic chemicals are harsh on the skin. They can strip and irritate your skin or cause clogged pores.Scrubs can be cleansers that gently exfoliate. A scrub removes dry dead skin cells encouraging the development of new healthy skin cells. This also minimizes fine lines. The result is a smooth healthy looking skin surface. Be careful of rough scrubs as they can irritate and damage the skin’s surface. (recommended use is 2 times per week)Mud Masks are effective for deep cleansing and toning of skin’s surface and pores. A quality Dead Sea Mud Mask will replenish valuable mineral nutrients to the skin while removing impurities. It can help prevent ingrown hairs and blackheads from forming. (recommended use is 1- 2 times per week, depending on your individual skin)
The harsh effect of shaving can leave the skin with a dull appearance. A facial scrub or mask used as a gentle exfoliating product will bring a smooth toned healthy appearance to your skin.Step 2: ShaveShaving Cream Shaving can irritate the skin, cause bumps and enlarged pores which can lead to clogged pores or black heads. Always cleanse your face well with steamy water before you shave, and go with the grain. Shaving creams that are made with nature’s ingredients can be formulated to sooth and condition the skin while you shave. They should be made without toxic foaming agents and other harsh synthetic chemicals that can cause irritation.
After Shave – Toner – After shaving it is good to apply an After Shave Toner to soothe irritations from shaving. This is a final aspect of cleansing as well as a primary aspect of hydrating and toning the pores. Note: avoid alcohol- based aftershaves, they will irritate your skin.Step 3: MoisturizeMoisturizers for Men – A quality moisturizer cream should be light on the skin yet rich with replenishing skin care ingredients that also hydrate and protect the skin. Properly selected botanical extracts and essential oils will provide excellent healthy skin care benefits. These ingredients do not have overpowering scents that linger. They are gentle to the skin and subtle to the nose. Moisturizer creams that are made with plant extracts only, will have no scent for those who prefer products that have no aroma.Eye Cream – The area around the eyes tends to show signs of aging, appearing dry, devitalized and wrinkled sooner than the rest of the face. Therefore caring for the area around the eyes can make the most significant improvement in appearance, keeping you looking fresh, healthy and attractive. The eye area has the most sensitive skin. It is essential to use a quality eye cream that is free of harmful synthetic ingredients.Specific concerns:dark circles – under the eyes can make you look tired, devitalized or older. Although this is more likely related to nutrition, digestion or stress, there are safe plant ingredients that can blended in eye creams to help dissipate the dark circles.aging skin – may appear dry with fine or deep wrinkles and lacking good tone and elasticity. The key to restoring your skin’s appearance is care with products that will replenish and revitalize your skin. The 3 simple steps that have been outlined above are designed for this purpose.dry- sensitive – often feels tight and can flake. Should not be treated with harsh cleansers, harsh exfoliates or astringent products, as frequent use of such products will interfere with the skin’s natural oils that are essential to healthy skin. Basic care with soothing, replenishing and balancing (1) cleanser, (2) after shave toner and (3) moisturizer will restore your skin to its proper health and balance.oily skin – typically shiny, greasy, may have visible pores and be acne-prone. It is important to use a mild yet effective facial cleanser. Many cleansers are harsh and strip your skin of its natural oils. This dries the skin which in turn causes increased oil production.combination skin – characterized by an oily T-zone, forehead, nose and chin while other areas are normal or dry. Balancing and conditioning the skin is the essential focus for this skin type. Basic care with soothing replenishing and balancing (1) cleanser, (2) after shave toner and (2) moisturizer will restore your skin to its proper health and balance.breakout prone – Besides keeping oil production in check it is important to keep your pores toned (tight) to prevent trapping oil and dirt. A quality Dead Sea Mud mask can be effective for toning enlarged pores. It will also cleanse deep, it is without drying, and condition the skin leaving it smooth and revitalized.blackheads – Ask Eve to send you her blackhead removal process. Follow this up with regular dead sea mud masks to keep your pores toned to help prevent new blackheads from forming.The beauty of working with nature’s plants is that when chosen properly specific plants have an extensive range of benefits. It is as likely for one plant to assist dry skin as it is to assist oily skin to find its proper balance while at the same time be beneficial for normal skin. Additionally, a plant that is known for its sebum balancing properties may also specialize in toning, softening or improving the circulation of the skin. As unusual as this may seem, this is just one of the many advantages of working with plant ingredients.