Boomed!

[lukemg]

Reading 'a random walk down wall st' at the moment. Fairly readable if you have some knowledge of the markets etc. Makes some very convincing arguments about why its a waste of time trying to do it yourself or using technical analysis or trying to pick next years hot sector or trying to pick a fund manager who can do it for you.
He says these can all work over short time periods but not long term. He is saying buy the market, some overseas indexes too and regular savings is the only way to go for the amateur. Not read the whole lot yet but might be rethinking my whole strategy. Trouble is I have been enjoying having a go myself.....Think I might be chucking 80% into indexes and have a dabble with the rest.

[SimonMac]

And its finally hit 6000

Although I love the description given, its whats called a dead cat bounce, as when you drop a cat, even when dead it bounces just a little even though the news is still bad

[MarillionFan]

My AQP shares had hit 54 as of yesterday. I'd been underwater most of the year with an average price of 44p they'd been down to 33.

So at 260,000 of them I was taking a loss. Not at least up a couple of grand. Waiting for them to hit £1.50 though.

[SimonMac]

Correct but it's more than a yield of 0% when you are chasing capital gains ( and usually not getting them ) with riskier shares. I think if you look at funds that have done well long term, or listen to some of well known 'investors' you'll probably find they are relying on yields to make up a big chunk of their gains.

I have AV, BATS, GSK, RIO & VOD all giving me high yields (both RIO and AV are also giving me capital growth of 9% and 12% respectively), but I also have some more speculative buys, bought LLOY at 33p, now sitting at 49p, but alas the GENL are down 14% now

[rootsnall]

With inflation as it is these days a yield of 4% is basically nothing

Correct but it's more than a yield of 0% when you are chasing capital gains ( and usually not getting them ) with riskier shares. I think if you look at funds that have done well long term, or listen to some of well known 'investors' you'll probably find they are relying on yields to make up a big chunk of their gains.

[SimonMac]

I stick to FTSE100/250 shares with a decent yield ( 4%+ ), you are rarely going to make a killing but the 4-5% a year starts adding up over time. It's still not nailed on, have been drawn into some dodgier shares by some big yields, if a yield starts climbing over 7% its usually too good to be true and there is something about to go wrong.

With inflation as it is these days a yield of 4% is basically nothing

[rootsnall]

I stick to FTSE100/250 shares with a decent yield ( 4%+ ), you are rarely going to make a killing but the 4-5% a year starts adding up over time. It's still not nailed on, have been drawn into some dodgier shares by some big yields, if a yield starts climbing over 7% its usually too good to be true and there is something about to go wrong.

[Notascooby]

My oil based funds have tanked as has a couple of other big percentage bets...

ho-hum...next year it'll all change again.

[SimonMac]

Pah - I've got ups of 27% and downs of -23% but hey this is my SIPP - it's all long-term and today's valuation means nothing as I don't shift much...

As this is a boomed thread - 6 month extension for me until 14th June but still awaiting new version reversing my 10% reduction from last year so I'll wait until then before creating my own thread.

Mine is my SIPP so only having a long term view, just fascinated in the whole investments side of things now

[Dallas]

Pah - I've got ups of 27% and downs of -23% but hey this is my SIPP - it's all long-term and today's valuation means nothing as I don't shift much...

As this is a boomed thread - 6 month extension for me until 14th June but still awaiting new version reversing my 10% reduction from last year so I'll wait until then before creating my own thread.

I am down 2.1% just as well is fantasy, was up 6% 2 months ago.

Utilities taking biggest hit for me, that time of year?

[Notascooby]

FTSE enjoying a nice "Santa Rally", don't think it will quite hit 6,000 before end of the year but I am enjoying the rush as it brings my portfolio up 7% in the last 5 months, would be even better if some of the gambles I took paid off (Genel Energy down 13% since I bought it )

Who else plays the markets, either for fun or serious

Pah - I've got ups of 27% and downs of -23% but hey this is my SIPP - it's all long-term and today's valuation means nothing as I don't shift much...

As this is a boomed thread - 6 month extension for me until 14th June but still awaiting new version reversing my 10% reduction from last year so I'll wait until then before creating my own thread.

[SimonMac]

FTSE enjoying a nice "Santa Rally", don't think it will quite hit 6,000 before end of the year but I am enjoying the rush as it brings my portfolio up 7% in the last 5 months, would be even better if some of the gambles I took paid off (Genel Energy down 13% since I bought it )

Who else plays the markets, either for fun or serious