Go-To Sources for DIY Investors
This month I will share some sources I either read regularly or reference as needed. Having knowledgeable, impartial, and truthful sources of information has always been important for DIY investors. Now, with the Executive branch of the U.S. government threatening the integrity of public institutions that previously produced unbiased, apolitical economic statistics and monetary policy it is more important than ever.
Ironically, several of my sources are sponsored by government agencies. This underscores the fact that in markets with reputations for integrity, investors have confidence in government produced statistics and policies. Such confidence is earned over decades. Let us all hope the current impulse towards politicization of every governmental sphere is limited in scope and duration. We all have a vested interest in the integrity of U.S. markets. That said, if the U.S. continues to veer toward experimentation with Executive overreach, I expect the private sector sources listed here to speak truth for as long as they are able.
Here are my go-to sources, categorized by their general areas of focus:
Market analysis and investing:
John Auther’s Points of Return daily Bloomberg newsletter
A free source filled with timely, insightful, and unbiased market analysis. Enough said.
Subscribe at https://www.bloomberg.com/account/newsletters/points-of-return
Jason Zweig’s Intelligent Investor column in the Wall Street Journal
You need a WSJ subscription, but Mr. Zweig’s column is one of the best reasons to get one if you do not already have it. The serial editor of Ben Graham’s classic eponymous book writes cogently and regularly on a range of practical investing topics affecting the majority of individual investors.
Financial Planning:
Alan Roth’s Wealth Logic monthly email newsletter
A pioneering leader in the Advice-Only financial planning movement, Mr. Roth writes a ton of helpful and practical articles in his straightforward, truthful analytical style.
Subscribe at https://daretobedull.com/
Mike Piper’s Oblivious Investor blog and email newsletter
A straight shooter if ever there was one, Mr. Piper tells it like it is including sharing when there is uncertainty around critical aspects of decision making.
Follow and subscribe at https://obliviousinvestor.com/
Michael Kitces’ Kitces.com website
A go-to source for independent financial planners, “advicers” as Mr. Kitces calls us, there is a lot of beneficial and free content on his website for consumers and investors.
Find at https://www.kitces.com/
Investment Research:
David Enna’s TipsWatch blog
The best all-in-one source I have found for how and why to invest in inflation-protected securities, as well as ongoing coverage of rates, TIPS auctions, and various inflation metrics.
Follow at https://tipswatch.com/
The FRED Database
A fabulously convenient and free resource to find a huge range of economic statistics in a highly usable and flexible format. Administered by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis and sourced with high quality data.
Find at https://fred.stlouisfed.org/
U.S. Rates
The U.S. Treasury website for a range of interest rate data.
Find at https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financing-the-government/interest-rate-statistics
CME’s FedWatch
Forward-looking market expectations of monetary policy using Fed Funds futures contracts.
Find at https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html
The FOMC Calendar
The Federal Open Market Committee’s meeting schedule with links to FOMC meeting minutes, announcements and Fed Chair press conferences.
Find at https://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/fomccalendars.htm
FRB of NY’s Economic Calendar
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s calendar of significant upcoming economic releases and events.
Find at https://www.newyorkfed.org/research/calendars/nationalecon_cal
Robert Shiller’s website
The chief proponent of the Cyclically Adjusted Price Earnings (CAPE) Ratio, based on the much earlier ideas of Ben Graham and David Dodd, and formalized by John Campbell and Robert Shiller in their academic work.
Find S&P 500® CAPE data and other data series at http://www.econ.yale.edu/~shiller/
Barclays Indices’ website
CAPE Ratios for global stock markets.
Find at https://indices.cib.barclays/IM/21/en/indices/static/historic-cape.app
Elm Wealth’s website, research, and newsletter
The authors of Missing Billionaires provide a range of interesting, helpful tools and research.
Find and subscribe at https://elmwealth.com/
There are many other great sources, but I trust the ones highlighted here will prove to be valuable. Enjoy the long Labor Day weekend, a fitting way to celebrate and appreciate that our individual efforts contribute to our collective well-being!
© 2025 Philip Murphy. All rights reserved. The information presented is the opinion of the author and does not reflect the views of any other person or entity unless specified. The information provided is believed to be reliable and obtained from reliable sources, but no liability is accepted for inaccuracies. The information provided is for informational purposes and should not be construed as advice. Advisory services offered through IndiePlan™ LLC, an investment adviser registered with the state of New York.