My Virtual Portfolio...

vectistim

If the daily fluctuations are a concern consider drip feeding money in (even if they aren't). I chuck the same amount of money in each month, if the price happens to be up one month I don't get as many units, but if it falls back I get a few more next time, etc. so over the long term it should average out and I don't need to try and second guess the right entry point into the market.

Gromitt

Some providers allow you to do phased funding. So for example you can say deposit 5K split over the next 6 months.

Or you can just set-up a monthly payment plan.

Personally I prefer to login each month to see how my fund are doing. Any which are currently under a threshold I throw more money into, upto my budget for that fund.

I'd never throw the entire allowance on a fund at the beginning of a new tax year.

bowlhead99

Jegersmart wrote: »

Take a look at my post above, citing possible equity weakness and some price levels to look out for. Buy heavily when there is panic and fear and take profits when discussion boards like this are full of posts with people wanting to invest "because markets are doing well". A bit harsh, but it tends to happen far more often than not.....

This is very true.

Baron Rothschild made a fortune out of, and after, the battle of Waterloo - "buy when there's blood on the streets, even if the blood is your own".

Warren Buffet suggested, "you pay a very high price in the stock market for a cheery consensus".

When a guy in the pub who has previously shown no interest in investment tells you he just bought into something that's been going up in value 10-20% every six months, remember he has bought it from someone who actually held it when it was going up in value at that rate and is now selling it.

Someone said to me recently - "look at these naff interest rates compared to 'the stock markets', I am not going to be able to go from now to retirement plus 20-30 years on these cash savings, I suppose I should invest". It is correct that you should invest, but this is not some new phenomenon. Whether cash rates are now 1.5-2.5% against inflation of 2-3%, or cash rates used to be 5% against inflation of 3-5%, keeping everything in cash is never really suitable for the long long term. Historically people might have just had basic plain vanilla cash savings to retire on, but supplemented by pension income (whether final salary or money purchase) which came from, you guesssed it, investments.

So for someone who is just now waking up, smelling the coffee and realising that they should be putting something away in investments - well done, you're on the right track (as a general rule). BUT, consider keeping back something for the sales.

Jegersmart

and this is why I am starting to build smaller initial positions in gold mining equities and starting to look at natural resources. Some of these sectors are down 40-50% over the past couple of years and I like to start buying when few others "dare" to. As per other posts it is generally done in tranches though, if for example I would like to have a 25% allocationtowards these sectors overall (so pretty aggressive) I may do this in 3-5 tranches over time (and the time could be weeks or months).

All imho ofc

J

bowlhead99

Jegersmart wrote: »

and this is why I am starting to build smaller initial positions in gold mining equities and starting to look at natural resources. Some of these sectors are down 40-50% over the past couple of years and I like to start buying when few others "dare" to.

Me too. So here is an example of 'buy when there's blood on the streets' - I'm quite proud of my email below. For context, this was the Tuesday after the Tohoko earthquake/tsunami and Fukushima nuclear meltdown on the Friday:




Sold half for 10% profit within a week (on top of a great spreadbet return), sold much of the remainder in last few days to use CGT allowance, keeping a smaller portion. The Nikkei is up about 50% in the two years since I wrote the email although a yen buys 12.5% fewer pounds.


Of course a chunk of that return has arisen in just the last few months and would have happened whether or not I'd found a particularly good time to buy in. And the problem with buying everything you see on sale is that some of the stuff is cheap because it's just crap and nobody wants it.

grizzly1911

A_Flock_Of_Sheep wrote: »

Thanks guys for your feedback. I am actually a lady!



I am looking to gain some income from the portfolio of investments

I am also looking for some growth of the capital invested.

Maybe I am asking too much and maybe the ones I am monitoring do not provide this. But by the name Invesco Perpetual High INCOME I would hope it provides some form of income!

All I can say is I would be happy that in 1 year if my portfolio made 8% on the amount invested I would be over the moon compared to the likes of 2% in the bank - maybe 4 at a push. If it loses I would probably keep it there.

A_Flock_Of_Sheep wrote: »

Well my little Virtual Portfolio isn't doing so well! It is already down circa £80 and it's only been running a couple of days.

What's happened to the FTSE? It was going up now it seems to know I am wanting to come in and is dropping.

I still have taken no plunge with investments yet and this has proven very interesting tracking the funds like this.

£80 down on what?

There is nothing wrong with being middling, if it is relatively stable, 8/9% is not a bad long run average.

There are many mavericks that play for big bucks doesn't mean they win any more in the long game.

No point looking at them daily if they are going to make you feel sick, although I tend to look at the overall portfolio figure because I am sad.


Perhaps three IP HI equivalent performers and something like M&G Optimal Income/Fidelity Money builder income (reinvested) for "stability" and something more volatile like UK Fidelity Small Companies. Would allow you to dip your toes and see how different ones pan out without gambling all.


My main capital portfolio peaked +10% on the year to date but has dropped back to around 9% in April thus far. 80%/20% split EQ/Others. I would consider it mildly aggressive and unsustainable, hopefully double digit though for the year.

I have two others split 60/40 1 - 2 % up on the month which are capital preservation .

I then have 2 more virtual ones, just, set up for items I know I have rolling over soon based more 40/60, capital preservation, that are doing diddly squat but haven't lost either. If I made 8% on them I would be more than happy.

They are all either Acc or reinvestment I am not taking any income at present.

sabretoothtigger

The Nikkei is up about 50% in the two years since I wrote the email although a yen buys 12.5% fewer pounds.

A tracker will fall with Yen but the Neptune Japan fund is short the Yen I think so they have gained especially from this last week and in general since Xmas
2 or 3% gain last couple days is better then its often been. Ive sold it now but I hope to buy a little on any global fall we often get during a year.
Maybe it wont go down, it was 100k and its still only 12k Japan has alot of failure covered up, I just liked that they were ignored on so many good inventions it was getting silly.

I bought Aberdeen Asia pacific & Japan fund as they ticked along well over the years

Some providers allow you to do phased funding. So for example you can say deposit 5K split over the next 6 months.

Fidelty do that but I thought screw sitting in cash and I just countered ftse tracker by selling Invesco perp.
How would a ftse fund deal with me buying 1 week before they go ex div, I think it accounts for time held but Im not sure