UK Stockmarket 2009 and beyond

tradetime

ricll wrote: »

I'm looking into some oil companies at the moment, I've already got HOIL which is doing really well today (+24%) thanks to a discovery in Iraq :beer: and may gamble my money on others like HAWK, NTOG, TLW, what do you guys think of oil exploration, when you get the timing right it's like winning the lottery. Also, what are your opinions on irish banks? BKIR +26% today, ALBK +16%.

Don't know about individual companies, as I never go after individuals, but I do like oil related companies, such as explorers and oil services, they have run a long way though I have PXJ and it is up nearly 60% from I bought it, and that wasn't the bottom, so I personally wouldn't chase here, but generally I like 'em.

Banks I dislike, Irish or otherwise, but that's me, plenty of others here like them, so I'll leave them to comment.

Jake'sGran

DFrancis wrote: »

Just invest in broad market index funds and stay the course. Keeping expense ratios low is more important than wondering what the market will do today. Just stay the course.

DF

Diana Wright, who answers readers problems in The Sunday Times and whom I greatly admire, said this a long time ago. Individual shares are not for us ordinarfolks; best to buy into funds. Despite this I am really keen to start buying just a few shares each month as money is my hobby. Unfortunately, I have found it impossible over the last week or two to get Hoodless Brennan to take money from my a/c and on the telephone they said "you are......6th in the queue". I'll have to buy via Share.com but meanwhile the one I am interested in has gone up every day since I decided on it!

Hatone

tradetime wrote: »

Don't know about individual companies, as I never go after individuals, but I do like oil related companies, such as explorers and oil services, they have run a long way though I have PXJ and it is up nearly 60% from I bought it, and that wasn't the bottom, so I personally wouldn't chase here, but generally I like 'em.

Banks I dislike, Irish or otherwise, but that's me, plenty of others here like them, so I'll leave them to comment.

That is in my opinion the wrong approach to take when investing. I don't believe successful investment is dependent on what you like or don't like. An open mind is essential.

I buy into stocks that I think are undervalued or have the potential to rise in value, whether I like 'em or not (listed under FTSE100 and 250) Whilst I do believe understanding companies you're investing is important, but assessing the company's position in the market is a good indicator of the sort of direction it is likely to take - this can be done through careful research and knowledge of stock market investment.

tradetime

Hatone wrote: »

That is in my opinion the wrong approach to take when investing. I don't believe successful investment is dependent on what you like or don't like. An open mind is essential.

I buy into stocks that I think are undervalued or have the potential to rise in value, whether I like 'em or not (listed under FTSE100 and 250) Whilst I do believe understanding companies you're investing is important, but assessing the company's position in the market is a good indicator of the sort of direction it is likely to take - this can be done through careful research and knowledge of stock market investment.

Successful investing, imho, would be investing in things you understand, and you are capable of valuing, there are many people paid a lot of money to analyze banks who will openly admit they are currently unable to value banks since there is no transparency, Nouriel Roubini will tell you most of the major banks are technically insolvent, my "I don't like banks" (it's a figure of speech btw) can be translated as "I cannot value banks, thus I have no ability to determine if they are undervalued or overvalued" Aside from that, I don't invest, I trade, that's how I make my living for the last 10 years now, whilst banks have been great trading vehicles for those willing to take the risk, they do not conform to my risk parameters, I primarily trade Index futures, and ETF's not individual companies and I can find plenty to trade and make money on without exposing my accounts to the risk associated with the banking sector. Those who wish to go there I wish them all the best, each to their own.

If you are wildly interested, look up an analyst by the name of Meredith Whitney, she is probably considered the foremost banking analyst in the US currently.

ricll

I guess nobody really know with 100% accuracy whether shares x, y or z are undervalued or overvalued at any given moment, be it banks, oil or any other sector...?

a7man

tradetime have you worked as trader or have you just learnt off your own back? Also - are you now just trading for your living instead of a job?

sabretoothtigger

I don't believe successful investment is dependent on what you like or don't like. An open mind is essential.

Sounds more like trading and speculation then investment then. Opinions cost money and I'd say investing is all about spending money for that.

I think a combination of both is needed because most people dont have the money to buy 10k of shares and leave them there for 10 years through thick and thin so often we are all speculators.

Some poster on another board said they had been invested in standard chartered since 1986 and despite recent halving of price was totally happy to leave it there because she had faith in the underlying investment and return via dividends.
Thats 100% investment I guess

tonygee_3

Surely gents Investing is about making as much as you can from your cash in as short a time as you can!
Anyhow big plunge this afternoon,just shows how fragile the markets are.In case its just a blip I picked up BRE which has underperformed with great Div also CTO which similar also small punt on TIG which could lose 50% or Double in a week,hopefully the latter;)

tradetime

a7man wrote: »

tradetime have you worked as trader or have you just learnt off your own back? Also - are you now just trading for your living instead of a job?

Hi a7man, no, I am not from a professional trading background, it is something I have learned myself. Trying to keep it short, I began investing in the markets back in the '90's though I was never keen on buy and hold so I split my money between that and part time trading, subscribed to various "trading sites" :rolleyes:. Initially the trading was a losing game, ( my "disliked" investments were doing well though, very tech centric, you can guess where that's going) dumped all the sites, stopped trading / attempting to trade and studied anything and everything I could find on technical analysis whilst just watching the markets. Began trading again cautiously, in late nineties and was profitable after the first year back, nothing big, but compared to losses, a years profit is a good landmark. Had one more year, better than the previous, then the dot com bust hit, I made a lot of money on that, (even though my investments got badly hammered) never really looked back since.

ricll

hey tonygee what about taylor wimpey?