We can still vividly recall the pointed questions in the late 1990s regarding diversified approaches: "Why do foreign stocks make sense?", "Why are alternative asset classes worth the trouble?" and "Why should endowment funds hold bonds?" were among the most common inquiries. These were not easy questions to answer as the incredible success of large capitalization growth stocks during just a few short years appeared to undo decades of history in support of the notion that better returns with less risk could be earned by pursuing a diversified approach.
Moving beyond returns themselves, the fact is that it doesn't take long for investors to fall prey to the overconfidence that pushes risks of any form quickly to the back seat. The quintessential expression of this attitude appeared in a major business magazine article back in 2000 that effectively referred to those who pursue diversified approaches as incompetent and foolish (the article actually used harsher language than......
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