Please help narrow down these funds

ramagel

wombat42 wrote: »

Neptune Global Equity has been a consistent top performer over the last 5 years and currently top performing global fund.

Probably worth a place in a balanced portfolio then. I'm attracted by the manager's apparent willingness to ... what's the word ... change focus (that'll do) quite readily. I don''t have the courage to do that except for minor tinkering around the edges, but taking some profits from some other high risk funds (which I'm anxious to do) and putting (some of) them here might be an idea.

I shall do some serious reading (and charting! Oh how I love charting!) a bit later on - but does this seem a reasonable approach to get a bit of 'movement' in my portfolio that I'm too inexperienced to be able to put in myself?

wombat42_2

Aegis wrote: »

wombat42 seems to go throuhg phases of really liking certain funds. Until a couple of months ago he was raving about how great Gartmore's China Opportunities and Threadneedle's similar product were, to the point that he was essentially saying that people should ditch all other funds and invest exclusively in those.

He's now moved on to global funds. Nothing wrong with any of his funds during either of these fads that I can see, but he does seem to go after his current choices like a bull in a china shop (if you'll pardon the puns...). As such, it's no surprise to see him recommend ditching everything but those funds, but most savvy investors will realise that long term investing and diversity are the keys to avoiding disaster when the markets sour.

I didnt quite say that. The performance of Gartmore Chin Opp and Threadneedle China have been truely mind blowing with gains in a month that many funds would be happy with for a whole year. I jumped on the China gravy train as an opportunist ride. It was never a long term solution and constantly scanned the press for market comentary. Opinion is sharply divided about future prospects for Hong Kong/China. I sold up too soon as if i had stayed in another 20 days I would have got another 20% gain. But now Hong Kong/China prospects are increasingly uncertain so I am now out for good. It is the age old problem of trying to time the market which in the short term rarely works out. Most days the Hong Kong/China market is still up but there are a few bad negative days which can be scary. I did say there was some advantages with Hong Kong / China over the rest of the world - little or no credit crunch, stellar sustained double digit economic growth. China set to become biggest economic power in the world eventually.

I am now entirely in to Global funds as a sustainable long term strategy (10 years plus). By definition, global funds are intrinsically diversified. It is quite a lot of trouble to set up your own diversifiied blend of non-global funds. A global fund is also by its nature dynamic as the fund manger will be constantly modifying the portfolio spread to suit market conditions which you couldnt do very often for your own portfolio. The only downside to global fund is that different global funds have different investment philosophies so it makes sense to do what I have done which is to invest in two global funds with contrasting philosophies.

purch

The only downside to global fund is that different global funds have different investment philosophies

..personally I think that is the upside rather than the downside. Within the sector 'labelled' Global Growth there is a vast array of funds, most with totally different methods and strategies

Finding one or two to fit your needs and ideas shouldn't be impossible with a little research

In reality it is no different to all fund investing. Within each 'sector' the funds are often similar ONLY in that they are all totally different, so proper research as always is of paramount importance

P.S.

But now Hong Kong/China prospects are increasingly uncertain so I am now out for good

How much of your 'Global' funds assets are invested either directly or indirectly in HK or China ??

wombat42_2

ramagel wrote: »

Probably worth a place in a balanced portfolio then. I'm attracted by the manager's apparent willingness to ... what's the word ... change focus (that'll do) quite readily. I don''t have the courage to do that except for minor tinkering around the edges, but taking some profits from some other high risk funds (which I'm anxious to do) and putting (some of) them here might be an idea.

I shall do some serious reading (and charting! Oh how I love charting!) a bit later on - but does this seem a reasonable approach to get a bit of 'movement' in my portfolio that I'm too inexperienced to be able to put in myself?

Artemis Global Growth seems like a good combination with Neptune Global Equity. They seem to complement each other quite well. Artemis Global Growth is also a good performer.

[Deleted User]

Wombat wrt funds you should really be looking for at least a 3 year outlook not changing your mind every three mins, too much research can be as bad as not enough.

wombat42_2

purch wrote: »

..personally I think that is the upside rather than the downside. Within the sector 'labelled' Global Growth there is a vast array of funds, most with totally different methods and strategies

Finding one or two to fit your needs and ideas shouldn't be impossible with a little research

In reality it is no different to all fund investing. Within each 'sector' the funds are often similar ONLY in that they are all totally different, so proper research as always is of paramount importance

Yeah OK finding the right global fund for you still needs research and you can find one to suit your needs.

Having built in diversification and dynamic reallocation of portfolio are big plusses.

wombat42_2

Yant1 wrote: »

Wombat wrt funds you should really be looking for at least a 3 year outlook not changing your mind every three mins, too much research can be as bad as not enough.

Yeah I have managed to make opportunist gains in the last year or two by constantly chopping and changing. I hope to stick with Neptune Global Equity and Artemis Global Growth a s a long term solution - 10 years probably.

wombat42_2

[quote=purch;6736616How_much_of_your_'Global'_funds_assets_are_invested_either_directly_or_indirectly_in_HK_or_China_??[/quote]

Neptune Global is currently 19% China/HK. Artemis Global probably nothing. I feel comfortable with that level of exposure.

mr_fishbulb

egamar wrote: »

Mr_Fishbulb - your attitude to risk in your portfolio is appalling. Exactly the same as mine was when I started!

I was lucky, I started in 02/03 when things were on the floor and any fool could have made money (this fool did, as you hopefully have seen in my email).

Just ready your email - pretty impressive list of funds (and returns). I see what you mean about the ones you bought earlier giving better performance overall.

Did you buy them as lump-sum investments or as a regular payments?

ramagel

mr_fishbulb wrote: »

Just ready your email - pretty impressive list of funds (and returns). I see what you mean about the ones you bought earlier giving better performance overall.

Did you buy them as lump-sum investments or as a regular payments?

Unfortunately egamar is unable to participate further in this discussion Or indeed any other discussions. He says he has apparently upset folks who have friends in high places. I couldn't possibly comment).

However I have it on good authority that they were all bought as lumpsum investments on the dates noted with amounts varying from £540 to the whole £7k x 2 (the latter being after egamar had received advice from TQ on the need to rebalance his portfolio). There have been a few switches, he tells me which obscures the issue a little, but all in all he is a very happy bunny. Apparently.

He also tells me that the ones he bought earlier were the really aggressive 'punts' when he didn't know what he was doing and didn't know he was being aggressive: gold, natural resources, emerging markets: all based on what had suffered least in the previous crash.

He hopes the information is useful to you.