Stock market

[RotBaron]

Just wanted to see how this community feels about the market lately.

Please lets not get into politics or things about the economy that will lead down that road. How about just things you like to do in the market, signs you look for, your performance recently, are you a perma-bull or bear...etc.

I start this thread because the market is always kind of a side hobby of mine. I don't do a lot of risk and I do a lot of homework before I buy. I also don't have a lot of coin in the market or period as I'm a student atm.

However, as of Friday's close I have an almost on the dot 10% return after adjustments, fees, taxes etc in the past 1.5yrs. I certainly wish I had done better, but it's better than a poke in the eye; no doubt.

I'm entirely in mutuals and I don't pay commissions, but some of the management fees make up for that...I have a large, mid, small, micro cap & a health care sector (hospital heavy), a biotech and a science and tech fund.

This is my ranch fund and untouchable; I have to remind myself of that sometimes, especially on down days...

How about you, how have you fared, or what say you?

[RotBaron]

You know I see a common criticism of the average investor over and over; that is, they chase performance and sell too late if that is what. Basically doing all the things contrary to buy low sell high. Read it in the WSJ again yesterday.

These are not millenials they are talking about, they are speaking about 30-50 somethings who have been through many different economies and markets. I wonder why when this is such a well covered topic, that it remains the one theme that the majority of investors get wrong.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not immune to temptation. A month ago I had almost a 20% return and I was hearing all the noise...Gary Kaltbaum keeps me sane when I think it'd be nice to get out and sit on the side lines. The problem with that of course is that as my ranch (retirement) fund. That is contrary with wealth growing strategies.

Anyhow, I know some of you play a stock market game sometimes on here and I'd like some outside perspective versus the talking heads on foxbusiness/cnbc and radio...

Happy investing.

[Lusche]

I'm simply not rich enough for that stuff 

[RotBaron]

Scottrade and some other probably (it's just who I use) will let you choose from a huge array of mutual funds with no transaction fee (all mutual funds have management fees which are subtracted at some point over the year). I've started several of the funds I'm in there with a little $100 or $150 investment.

Yah, 10% isn't much, but that why you reinvest allocations and periodically add to the nest every now and then...

[Traveler]

your odds are actually better to go to a casino once a year put a years worth of savings and bet it all on black or red and either leave with the winnings or walk out a loser.  My late wife  took control of our financials and aside from the losses we took in the market in 2008 , saved up enough to allow me to retire in 2013. I still get a steady residual from the sale of my business and will  through 2050 as taxable income and a weekly annuity from two insurance policies that that together produce $1000.00 a week tax free income as a direct deposit.
Kathy was a very smart lady.  In November of 2007 through 2011 after some 30 years of investing some in the market and some in insurance and most in banks.  We watch 360,000 in investments in the market  become $59,000, thank you Pane Weber.  If you must invest, go for the long term  and good company.  Don't play the market, you can't win.
   

[Zimme83]

Stock markets are prob more psychology than economy, its based on expectations. If people expect the market to fall, they sell and thus cause the market to fall...
And I agree, go for established and traditional companies.

[zack1234]

If you give me $45k i will double your investment.

Please remember your investment may go up or down.

Bit dull?

Buy rare Soul records its more interesting and you are gaurenteed a 400% return over 5 years.

Then again what do i know?

Oh yes i dont need to work

[RotBaron]

Have to disagree completely Traveler. To each their own perspective, but it's about timing.

However, if your timing requires that you withdraw money during a down market, then perhaps the casino may have left you with either much more or ZERO.

Do you know how much Warren Buffet lost during the recession? There's two answers to that: at least $600 million or nothing at all. How could that be possible? How could it be both? Because he didn't sell any of his stocks and that $600 million is worth much more than that today.

Now that's just a story I heard on the radio, but I've heard the same stories from others (my family is in Estate Planning) and most of us know of Dave Ramsey. Dave says more or less the same thing about his securities investments during the recession and now.

Once upon a time I had some skin in the tech market during the bubble. I did what the avg investor does, sold during the collapse, I needed the money and I really shouldn't have been in the market. However, if I had not sold, those 3 mutual funds I was in would have yielded me enough to buy very nice house today...lesson learned.

Investing is about goals, goals should not be whimsical nor very flexible. If you need the money now or possibly before a  target date, that is not money that anyone should be investing with...

my $.02

[Traveler]

Have to disagree completely Traveler. To each their own perspective, but it's about timing.

However, if your timing requires that you withdraw money during a down market, then perhaps the casino may have left you with either much more or ZERO.

Do you know how much Warren Buffet lost during the recession? There's two answers to that: at least $600 million or nothing at all. How could that be possible? How could it be both? Because he didn't sell any of his stocks and that $600 million is worth much more than that today.

Now that's just a story I heard on the radio, but I've heard the same stories from others (my family is in Estate Planning) and most of us know of Dave Ramsey. Dave says more or less the same thing about his securities investments during the recession and now.

Once upon a time I had some skin in the tech market during the bubble. I did what the avg investor does, sold during the collapse, I needed the money and I really shouldn't have been in the market. However, if I had not sold, those 3 mutual funds I was in would have yielded me enough to buy very nice house today...lesson learned.

Investing is about goals, goals should not be whimsical nor very flexible. If you need the money now or possibly before a  target date, that is not money that anyone should be investing with...

my $.02

Some times things just happen, things that you can't control, my wife became terminally ill, in just over 56 week and 1.3 million out of pocket, the health insurance company dropped her in the third month.  The rest became my obligation.  No choice except to open the vaults.  If I'd been very heavy into the market, I perhaps would have lost everything.  As it turned out my market holdings contained the least of my assets.  I didn't have an option of waiting for the market to recover. 

[RotBaron]

Some times things just happen, things that you can't control, my wife became terminally ill, in just over 56 week and 1.3 million out of pocket, the health insurance company dropped her in the third month.  The rest became my obligation.  No choice except to open the vaults.  If I'd been very heavy into the market, I perhaps would have lost everything.  As it turned out my market holdings contained the least of my assets.  I didn't have an option of waiting for the market to recover.

First, I'm sorry for the loss of your wife. I can't imagine.

Second, you had to make some really tough choices. I admit naivete in consideration that you had such dire circumstances. Nobody can blame anyone for spending everything in order to do the best they can to save they're loved ones.

In regarding the average investor who doesn't encounter tragic things like that until well past retirement age, I have to stand by all I have said.

I guess if I hope only one thing comes out of this thread is that for ppl who invest without much knowledge and hand their dealings to other ppl or half-arse diy'rs; please do one thing: remember the average investor makes poor choices that render their returns at less than 5%; in many cases it's 3% to negative. WHY: because they buy high and sell in down markets; i.e. they chase performance and panic with the news...

[DmonSlyr]

Just wanted to see how this community feels about the market lately.

Please lets not get into politics or things about the economy that will lead down that road. How about just things you like to do in the market, signs you look for, your performance recently, are you a perma-bull or bear...etc.

I start this thread because the market is always kind of a side hobby of mine. I don't do a lot of risk and I do a lot of homework before I buy. I also don't have a lot of coin in the market or period as I'm a student atm.

However, as of Friday's close I have an almost on the dot 10% return after adjustments, fees, taxes etc in the past 1.5yrs. I certainly wish I had done better, but it's better than a poke in the eye; no doubt.

I'm entirely in mutuals and I don't pay commissions, but some of the management fees make up for that...I have a large, mid, small, micro cap & a health care sector (hospital heavy), a biotech and a science and tech fund.

This is my ranch fund and untouchable; I have to remind myself of that sometimes, especially on down days...

How about you, how have you fared, or what say you?

I am age of 24 and have just started investing in the SM this year after watching it for a long time.

I'm simply not rich enough for that stuff 

Snailman, I started with $150 on February and have grown it by putting in $100> a month. I'm already up to $1000 in 4 months. Haven't sold any investments. Had a chance to sell  one stock, but I'm hanging on till I get a better result.

The stock market is not like gambling, and is very physiological and you have to understand business financials. The key is to pick a company that A. Is about to make a positive advancement to society (tech, healthcare, energy) B. Pick a company that has a good track record of positive gains such as 4 straight quarters of higher Net Profits. C. Understand the products/services a company sells and how the customers perceive that Product/service- If nancy and her girlfriends absolutely love this one store, it might be a good time to invest, given the chart of the stock, These are just a few things that let you know you have a good company.

For example. IF you had invested $10,000 in Subaru instead of buying a Subaru car in 1986, Three years later you could have bought 12 Subaru's instead.

Timing is the biggest factor. Even if a company is doing well, you don't want to buy a company at it's highest point. Like everything else in life, stocks move in cycles. Even if the company is really great, it will have low point and high points. IF you get in on the low point you will make some money, get in at the wrong point and you will lose.. So as Rotbaron said, Timing is also very important.



Rotbaron, The market has come to a stand still recently. Many of the companies I have been watching have kind of leveled out, THRM, WETF, CSIQ, DDAIF, to name a few.

Today is a good day, finally!

I only have minimal amounts of money invested right now, since I don't have a lot.

Right now I have 9 shares of CSIQ (very volatile Co.) Fundamentals are excellent, best ER in solar industry, and will capitalize by the end of the year. I was up $70 with only 9 shares at one point.

Also, I own 117 shares of SLTD, a smaller USA Solar Company with a great CEO, they are about to freaking kill the next ER release. Still growing and has a patent pending! Hope to see good things from them.

I got 133 shares of ISR. They are the only producers of Cesium 131 and came out with a five year study that Cesium 131 has been curing lung cancer, FDA approved, may cure other cancers, is a ONE TIME treatment against multiple visits of radiation treaments, and has a %100 success rate, and a fantastic BS with no LT debt. I am hoping this will be the next new cancer treatment that all doctors use.

I can't wait to play the Stock Market for a long time. I am an Accountant so it kind of falls in my line of work. I look forward to making thousands in the future.

[Lusche]

Snailman, I started with $150 on February and have grown it by putting in $100> a month.

My statement  was perphaps not so much tungue-in-cheek as it may have appeared. Even that ^^^^ amount would be incredibly difficult for me to bring up. We save up a little each month and have some reserves, but all that is needed in case stuff like the washing machine or my bicycle breaks or there are unexpected or extraordinary expenses for my lil one.

Or in case we have to suddenly move out of this tenement. I spotted some new cracks in the outer walls today, which are raising an eyebrow with me (grammar?). Going to call the facility 'management' tomorrow... 

bottom line: There's simply no money left for stock market gambling. 

[Lusche]

Apart from this, I don't have the right personality for this. I'm not very attentive in the long run, and I'm very cautious (=coward) in financial matters as well (even back when I did have money). Not a good combination in this case 

[homersipes]

I dont keep up with stocks, but I AM watching oil prices, hoping it gets to $70 a bbl so my arse can get back to work

[RotBaron]

At 24, Violator you're doing well if you understand that first, money you put into the market is $ that you must not need. If you may need that money before a target date or a target valuation, then it belongs in something else; savings, money market etc...

Second, as I already said, timing makes one man rich another a poor investor. If the market starts declining and you are in the red, might as well wait it out until you are back in black; otherwise you're just doing what the avg investor does: chase and panic...Btw that waiting period, has been about '08 to '14 to get back into the black.

Learn from others mistakes, you are young enough where it won't hurt too much, but why make mistakes you could have avoided...You want sound advice, for free? Call up Clark Howard on his show, tell him your age and how much you are saving & putting into the market; maybe he'll be impressed enough to take your call, live on radio maybe, and the advice he'll offer usually is golden. If you call Howard be respectful and don't argue, even if you disagree, listen...