Whats your share shopping list for this volatile market?

gadgetmind

Ark_Welder wrote: »

wild-eyed monkey-ride vehicles

There was a time that this was nearly all I bought. I did well enough for a few to more than make up for the rest, but I'm getting too old, and am now wanting to dial back the risk a little.

Ark_Welder

gadgetmind wrote: »

There was a time that this was nearly all I bought. I did well enough for a few to more than make up for the rest, but I'm getting too old, and am now wanting to dial back the risk a little.

I did the opposite. Relatively sensible to kick off with (Black Monday 1987 helped a lot in that respect!), now able to play a bit at the edges.

gadgetmind

Ark_Welder wrote: »

I did the opposite. Relatively sensible to kick off with (Black Monday 1987 helped a lot in that respect!), now able to play a bit at the edges.

I've now got my sensible "pipe and slippers" retirement head on. I still have the odd conviction flutter on tech stocks (as this is an area where I can understand the product and route to market) but the bulk is elsewhere.

I'm also selling down some of my tech stocks as fast as CGT will allow and diversifying. Of course, what happens is that the "low risk" stuff I diversify into drops while my tech stocks go up!

zildjian

I got gifted a nice sum SSE and got a enjoyable dividend payment just the other week. I would top it up, but would make my portfolio not very diversified.

I've got a fair chunk in stagecoach which im hoping to make a partial exit from to invest in some shares mentioned above. But im waiting to see the result of this capital re-issue thing going on.

SailorSam

While the FTSE seems to have dropped i've been thinking of putting some of my savings into shares, i was interested at what others are doing. 'gadgetmind' i followed the link that you've given above to the Motley Fool and see they offer a share dealing service at £10 per trade. This seems to be much better than others i've looked at, what do others think ?

gadgetmind

SailorSam wrote: »

I followed the link that you've given above to the Motley Fool and see they offer a share dealing service at £10 per trade. This seems to be much better than others i've looked at, what do others think ?

If you're not bothered about realtime trading, so with purchases being made on just a few set days per month, then you can get down to £1.50 a trade.

It depends on what size chunks of shares you're buying. For £2k and upwards, the trading costs are only about 0.5%, and you'll pay the same in stamp duty.

psychic_teabag

SailorSam wrote: »

Motley Fool ... offer a share dealing service at £10 per trade. This seems to be much better than others i've looked at, what do others think ?

I believe x-o.co.uk are £5.95 per trade and svssecurities.com are £5.75 per trade. I haven't tried them myself (but am considering it).

IIRC, the services offering £1.50 are only for share purchases : selling goes through at the normal rate. But I may be wrong.

SailorSam

gadgetmind wrote: »

If you're not bothered about realtime trading, so with purchases being made on just a few set days per month, then you can get down to £1.50 a trade.

It depends on what size chunks of shares you're buying. For £2k and upwards, the trading costs are only about 0.5%, and you'll pay the same in stamp duty.

I have Premium Bonds at the moment which i've been thinking of cashing-in. Most months i get a win but only £25, in all the years i've had them the most i've ever won is £100, so was thinking of a long term investment which hopefully may rise starting from todays lows.
So maybe 5 or 6 companies and invest about £5k in each.
What do you think i should be looking at ?

gadgetmind

SailorSam wrote: »

So maybe 5 or 6 companies and invest about £5k in each.
What do you think i should be looking at ?

You should consider maybe going for more companies unless you intend to continue investing. 5-6 is a wee bit risky.

I suggest you either read the fool's HYP board again as people often post what they have gone for and/or selection criteria, or maybe look at the investment trust board as these diversify for you but without the costs of funds. Go for the more "growthy" portfolio, which ISTR is the b8, and just ask there for recs regards a growth portfolio of ITs.

Either way, DYOR and make sure you're comfortable with your choices. Also beware that the real high yields are in insurers, and that banks of good growth prospects, but BOTH are risky right now. Fags, pharma, utilities, supermarkets, booze, food - these are all far more sleep-easy investing.

Oh, and don't do this unless you have the mental strength to not panic if/when prices fall. They will always bounce up and down, particularly lately, so maybe ignore the prices and instead come up with a plan for reinvesting the dividends.

BLB53

IIRC, the services offering £1.50 are only for share purchases : selling goes through at the normal rate. But I may be wrong.

You are correct, but if you are investing for the long term (as opposed to trading in and out for a quick buck), £1.50 per purchase is a very good deal. I am with Interactive Investor and they offer this with their 'porfolio builder' option.