| |
| |
|
Investing Information |
|
|
|
Just Say NO to Your Stock Broker
We have all heard that slogan that started back when Nancy Reagan was in Washington. It was all about drugs. Now I want to remind you this can be your slogan when you get one of those telephone solicitations from a strange broker or even your own stockbroker who is acting a little strange. By that I mean he wants you to buy something. Currently we are in an advancing stock market and we all hope it is going to go higher and higher. None of us, definitely including me, knows for sure where it will end up this year. Barron's, the weekly financial publication, has declared on their front page that "THE BULL IS BACK". They are also guessing. But it makes you feel good. It makes me wonder when I study the fundamentals of the economy how they have come to this conclusion. Unemployment just had an uptick, most companies have yet to declare a dividend, the American dollar is losing value against many foreign currencies, manufacturing capacity utilization is still low and shows no signs of increasing, balance of trade is way out of whack and on and on. Yes, there is some good news. Many companies are "beating the estimates". That means they are showing greater sales and profits than the brokers on Wall Street thought they would have. This is good press and usually has the effect of pushing stock prices higher. Many of these better profits are at the cost saving of laying off hundreds if not thousands of workers. And worst of all we don't know if these profits are true. Many are profoma meaning management is guessing. If you are one of those people who hopes the market will go back up so you can get out "even" you are going to find that hope is the most expensive word in the dictionary. But what can you do about it? You are now being given the opportunity to save what is left of your retirement account. On any stock or mutual funds you have it would be a guess to say this is the place to sell. The smart thing is to listen to the market and do what it tells you. When any equity is advancing you want to set up a trailing stop-loss order and move it up each week as your stock advances. Suppose you bought a stock at $100/share and watched it drop to $15. Pretty disheartening! It has now risen back up to $30 and your broker has assured you it will continue to rise. Maybe. But what if it doesn't? Tell your broker to put in a stop-loss order about 10% below its current price. He will say you don't need to. This is where you just say 'NO'. Brokers don't watch any but their biggest and most active accounts. He must do as you ask according to regulations. Put in a stop-loss order today. Protect your retirement account with a simple 'NO'. INVESTMENT LETTER 3 months free at http://www.mutualfundmagic.comCopyright Albert W. Thomas All rights reserved. Author of "If It Doesn't Go Up, Don't Buy It!" Former 17-year exchange member, floor trader and brokerage company owner. Copyright 2002
MORE RESOURCES:
Investing - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? I am sure you have probably read about the power of compound interest. And how if you invested $10,000 at 10% return and let it compound for 50 years you would have a little over 1 million dollars. How to Buy to Let Find out everything you need to know about buy to let. Learn what to buy, where to buy and what not to buy. Creating a Financial Future - Putting Your Plan Into Action Part 1 This column has previously discussed "picturing the future that we desire", and outlining a plan to achieve it. We mentioned that the plan must include goal-setting, measurement, and implementation. Beginning Investor - Investment Terms Over the course of the past two months, readers have brought to my attention that there is a steep learning curve for investment terminology. That's why the focus of this month's Beginning Investor column will be investment terminology. Trading Expert Discovers Ways To Beat Stock Market Odds With Money Management The first point to mastering money management is that you have to understand when you're trading on the stock market is that you are playing the odds - but unlike many forms of gambling, you can make money. The key to making this money is to respect the risk that is part of the market, and manage it. Almost Anyone Can Open A Roth IRA! The Roth is kind of weird until you get used to it in terms of how much you can put in (contribute) each year depending on how much you earn (compensation). Because of this you really have two limits, one dealing with your compensation and the other dealing with your contribution. Success Trading: Yet More Basic Terminology for New Traders In this day and age of online brokers for virtually every market out there, there are some very useful tools that will help protect your account and lock in profits when you have them. It is our recommendation that you use a good online broker and take advantage of not only the low commissions they offer, but also the automated tools that are available. A Safe Port For Mutual Funds But Not You! Soft dollars, a form of legal kickback, is a sly way you can get ripped off by mutual fund managers. Full service brokers give these kickbacks to non-indexed mutual funds in the form of a "rebate" to purchase research, software, and even computer equipment. Investing In or Owning Drug Lab Properties Clean Up (includes the insides and the outside of a building)Air out the buildingRemoval of contaminated materials: Carpets, carpet pads, Linoleum, drapes and blinds, air-filters, refrigerators, range, water heater, all tenant clothing and their furniture.Removal needs to be to a site that accepts contaminated product. The Benefits of Laddering Your CD Investments If you've decided to stock some money away in a certificate of deposit, why not reap the highest benefit over time by laddering your CD investments? What's a CD latter? I'm glad you asked.A CD ladder is made up by purchasing several CD's at one time with different maturity dates. Emotions: A Traders Worst Enemy; Get Rid of Fear and Greed - Youll be Glad You Did You hear it over and over and over in books, forums, and chatrooms. Fear and greed, fear and greed, fear and greed. Better Investing Made Easy If there were one piece of advice that an investor could ask for, the question would probably be something like "What do I need to do to invest better?" Better investing choices are sought by investors every day. Some find them and succeed, others do not. Investing and the Fear of Regret and Greed People tend to feel sorrow and grief after having made an error in judgement.Investors deciding whether to sell or buy a security are typically emotionally affected by whether the security was bought or sold for more or less than the current price. Which IRA Is Best For You? An Ira is one of the greatest ways to save on taxes currently and accumulate money for the future.For individuals three types of IRA's will normally come under consideration. The Differences Betweeen the Wealthy and Everyone Else I recently received an e-mail from a young lady who had doubts about the principles of wealth found in "Rich Dad, Poor Dad". She mentioned a couple of past failed investments, and wanted to know what I thought about investing and financial freedom - whether it was just a myth, or whether it could be acquired. How to Analyze the Veracity of Investment Newsletters When trying to analyze whether a promotional ad for an investment newsletter or a market timing investment trading system is worthy of investigation, the following questions should be asked:Does the strategy have a track record? Without this you are really allowing your emotions to be in play. All of us want to believe that if someone says something it must be true. Asset Allocation Lessons: The 70% Inflation Solution For investors only.. Use of a Franchise Business as a Family Tax Planning Strategy Suggesting the use of a franchise business as a vehicle for family estate and tax planning. Specifically using as an example, The Car Wash Guys, a portable car wash franchise, where you will be purchasing a completely designed and outfitted car wash truck and the right to develop a specific city or regional area with out of pocket start-up costs between $25-50,000. Stocks, Oil, and Bonds A barrel of oil bounced to over $60 Thu, which triggered a steep sell-off in the stock market Thu and Fri, although oil pulled-back to around $59 a barrel, and closed at $59.84 a barrel Fri. A Secret Revealed: Why Most (Day) Traders Fail The following perspective on (day) trading comes from my many years of experience of active day trading or being the moderator of one of the largest day trading chat rooms on the Internet.One of the biggest problems I see with new traders (and even some old ones) has nothing to do with the software or the broker they are using.
|
Sponsors: Chicago Paving Contractor | Remanufactured VTL | Religious Statues | Search Engine Specialist
