Sources & Methodology
This site is a public record created to share the knowledge, information, and experience gained through an individual investor’s study and practice with neighbors and the wider community. It is not institutional research or an investment advisory service; it is a place for sharing ideas and resources that may help each reader make better-informed decisions.
Editorial principles
- Verifiable facts are separated from personal interpretation whenever practical.
- Primary sources, or reliable secondary sources, are preferred for returns, market indicators, and regulatory claims.
- Backtests and simulations disclose their period, assumptions, and treatment of costs in the relevant article. They are not forecasts.
- Pages are corrected when better evidence or an error is found, and the “Last reviewed” date is updated.
Market Observatory data
| Item | Primary source | How it is used |
|---|---|---|
| Indices, FX and VIX | Yahoo Finance | Public quotes are collected periodically and may be delayed by holidays or the provider. |
| Fear & Greed Index | CNN Business | The published index value is displayed as provided. |
| U.S. Treasury yields | U.S. Department of the Treasury | Published daily Treasury rates are used. |
| Federal funds rate | Federal Reserve Bank of New York | The Effective Federal Funds Rate (EFFR) is used. |
“Last updated” is the time the site’s data file was generated. It can differ from current market time because of provider outages or publication delays. Market-state messages are consistent summaries of the displayed indicators, not trading signals.
Corrections and contact
If you find a factual error, broken source, or calculation issue, use the contact page and include the page URL and the passage that needs review. Always verify primary data and the latest fund prospectus before making an investment decision.
See the disclaimer for the full risk and responsibility statement.