As is customary, attached are the returns for the self-directed IRA portfolio, which consists primarily of high yield investments.

As noted, the speculative financial sector play AFN killed the prospect of outperforming for the month with a 24% loss. This is OK, given the prior month's return of 20%, plus the fact that it currently yields 37% and was up 5% today. Shipping was strong with Frontline (FRO) showing a gain of 12%. Overall, the portfolio is roughly a wash with the index if averaging the 13% annual yield across the month. While the month was rather uneventful on an aggregate basis, last month's performance was stellar, doubling the return of the S&P, plus dividends at 12.6% for the month vs. 6.2% for the S&P500 (Here).

I had also purchased CEDC as a play on the burgeoning Central European emerging market play as posted here, but I didn't include in the results since I purchased late in the month.