With 190k Twitter followers (@DaveHContrarian) David Hunter is one of the best known “contrarian” investors, and is frequently interviewed by finance influencers decades younger than him. 

Hunter says his 50-year experience on Wall Street helps him see beyond current cycles and fashions. At the same time he is happy to make short term calls on the direction of the U.S. dollar, the price of gold, and Fed interest rates.

Born c.1951, Hunter studied finance at Valparaiso University, Indiana, from 1969 to 73. He then obtained an MBA in finance from Chicago’s DePaul University in 1973-74.

His first job out of college: investment officer at Northern Bank and Trust Company, where he helped manage the bank’s bond and equities portfolio. After four years he moved to Colonial Bank of Connecticut, managing portfolios for wealthy clients and pension funds.

Entering his 30s, Hunter’s career advanced with a position at Textron Investment Management. He ran its pension assets and his equity investments outperformed the S&P every year. He correctly called the market bottom in 1982 and called for a big increase in equity investment.

From the mid-1980s to early 1990s Hunter worked for Fidelity Investments and then ITT Hartford Insurance Group. At Fidelity he managed portfolios for British, Australian, and Japanese corporate pension funds and contributed to Fidelity’s global investment strategy.

He recommended getting out of Japanese equities in 1988/89 just before its market peaked, and switching funds to US equities including investment banks when they had very low valuations. 

At Hartford, Hunter shifted its portfolio towards capital goods stocks when they were at a 60-year low, and towards technology stocks just as they began their 90s bull run. 

After a two-year stint at Schaenen Wood & Associates, an investment firm, in 1996 Hunter went out on his own. He started Contrarian Value Advisors, catering to high net worth individuals and creating forecasts on the economy, equities, precious metals and commodities.

In 2002, Hunter began writing a paid newsletter, Contrarian Value Advisor, which is now in its 20th year of publication.