March 2014 update ($274,320 -$30,940 or -10%)

↑ Vanguard ETF gained 1,500 USD

↑ Vanguard VOO gained 900 USD

↑ Company shares gained 110 USD

↑ Accumulated $8,000 USD as part of my annual savings goal.

↑ Gold gained $530 USD

Grand total additions: $11,040

↓ Gazprom shares lost 39,650 USD

↓ Rosneft shares lost 1,930 USD

↓ GBP lost towards USD and EUR. My loss is 400 USD.

↓ Grand total losses: $41,980

  

Observations:

-         Vanguard ETF & 500 Index continue to appreciate, while the dividends remain extremely low.  Its getting very unattractive to invest in them now.

-         Gazprom shares at the current prices will provide 5% annual just in  dividends, even going by the last year estimates (the dividends last year were 30% lower than previously). Fundamentally the company is very very cheap.

-         Gold is going up as investors are worrying and keep putting more money in to hedge against inflation.

-         Recent market volatility set me almost a year back in terms of size of the nest egg, while dividends remain the same.