Investor questions
Questions individual investors often ask, answered with data: what to check before you decide, and where the answer stops. 8 articles.
Lump sum or spread it out at a record high? 95 years of data
From December 2000 to October 2025, investing a sum in MSCI World at once beat a 12-month spread in 69% of starts, and in 65% of starts at a record high.
Read articleWhich assets are uncorrelated with stocks? 20 years of euro data
In euros, 2006 to April 2026, trend following, cash and gold were least correlated with world equities. Only gold and trend rose in the 2008, 2020 and 2022 falls.
Read articleProtecting a French PEA from a stock market crash: what it allows and rules out
A PEA invested entirely in MSCI World lost 53% from June 2007 to March 2009. Without puts, gold or bonds, what can protect it, and what does idle cash cost?
Read articleWhich assets rose in stock market crashes? Bonds, gold, cash and trend, 1929-2022
In seven US stock crashes from 1929 to 2022, 10-year Treasuries rose in five but lost 15.1% in 2022, when trend following gained 34.9%. Which havens paid?
Read articleWhy do different investments fall at the same time? 20 years of falling months
In world equities' 24 worst months since 2006, emerging markets and European stocks fell every time and high yield 22 times. Gold fell 7 times, government bonds 8.
Read articleDoes an S&P 500 ETF diversify an MSCI World ETF? 25 years of data
From 2001 to 2026 in euros, the S&P 500 and MSCI World had a monthly correlation of 0.97. Adding it raised the US share and the drawdown, not the number of return engines.
Read articleDo factor ETFs diversify a World ETF? 25 years of MSCI factor indexes
Value, momentum, quality, minimum volatility and small-cap indexes had correlations of 0.83 to 0.98 with MSCI World from 2001 to 2026. Where their diversification lies, and where it does not.
Read articleIs my ETF portfolio diversified enough? Count independent bets, not funds
Four equity ETFs gave 1.2 independent bets from 2006 to 2026 in euros; a six-fund mix across asset classes gave 2.1. How to measure diversification by correlation, not by fund count.
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