December 2019 update ($575,086 +$25,311 or +%4.4)

↑ Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund is up by $6,867 or +5.2%

↑ Eurozone Stock Index Fund is up by $1,377 or +1.1%

↑ US 500 Stock Index Fund is up by $4.025 or +2.9%

↑ Global Small Cap Index is up by $4.096 or +3.3%

↑ Growth pension fund is up by $2,269 or +4.6%*

↑ EUR is up to USD by 2% or $4,664 for my portfolio

↑ GBP is to USD by 3.1% or $1,631cal for my portfolio

↑ Monthly pension plan investment $382

Grand total additions: $24,928

Note: the actual percentage is 5.4% as it includes the monthly contribution.

 Observations:

It was pleasing to see my personal independence portfolio leap up in the final month of 2019.  

Its coincided with general election in the UK where people overwhelming re-affirmed desire to exit the European Union.

The conservative party won 365 seats out of 650 (56%) in the parliament. Majority of the seats are allocated to England 533 out of 650 (82%). For the first time in long while I saw the local people in England smiling and notably in cheerful mood day after the election, while the immigrants were busy at their homes packing things (Poland – 14.8%, Romania – 6.8%, India – 5.8%, Ireland and Italy – 5% each, Portugal and Lithuania – 3.5% each of the total immigrants in the UK). Foreign born the UK citizens are is 14% of the UK population and further 7% are non-UK nationals.  If you think about it 1 in 5 is a foreigner in the UK.

This led to the UK index raise and the currency, which collectively added $3,899 to my net worth in last month.

Also US S&P500 and the Emerging markets  funds were  was up, hopeful on China – US trade deal (34% by weight are Chinese stocks, the remaining BRICS are Brasil - 7 %, Russia - 4%, India - 9%, South Africa - 4.7%).

I do not expect this to hold or continue. Even with any potential correction if my net worth remain above $500K it will do for me (a healthy increase of $60K).