Quick update - July 18

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What have I been up to this month?

  • Opened an account (in USD) with SAXO and reading up on some US companies (finally). In the meantime, I am trying to find out more on the custodian fees involved before dipping my toes. I have pretty much given up hope to buy SIPs through DBS Vickers, although I have been highly interested in ETFs and Warrants. They are very strict about financial backgrounds and not even passing the online assessment at ABS-SAS can qualify for the account 'upgrade'. It is kind of silly how they are promoting investment in ETFs on the Vickers website, yet the only way to get our hands on ETFs is to open a unit trust account and buy Nikko AM STI /Singapore Bond ETFs (sorry there's no other choices for the noob-investors) via the DBS Regular Savings Plan. The pro for buying SGX-listed ETFs is that there is no custodian fee. However, the con I guess is on liquidity.

  • I opened a CPF-IA some time ago with DBS bank and happily thought that I can start buying shares with my CPF monies.

    In anticipation of a market decline, I decided not to take any action then. When I wanted to buy some shares lately using my CPF-IA, I came to realize that I do not have that settlement account available in the drop-down options. With some searching, I finally found out that I have to fill a "Client Update Form" and send it back to Vickers so that they can link my accounts up. They should have just given me the form that time or offered an auto-link service. Thanks DBS for the lack of advice...

  • Added more Singtel (still in the red). Initiated small positions in ThaiBev and Yangzijiang. Looking at a few REITs and to buy into Keppel again (price plunged after ex-div). Overall portfolio remained in green despite specks of red.

  • Borrowed new books "Why We Want You To Be Rich" by Donald Trump and Robert Kiyosaki but still untouched.

  • Busy with handovers as I am transferred to another workplace tomorrow. I anticipate that in the upcoming weeks will be busy settling issues there and getting acquainted with some new work flows.
That's all I have for now, nothing too exciting. 


Fun fact: Do you know that panda is omnivorous?

 Instead of koala, I'd rather be a panda. Here's why...


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Comments

  1. Singapore Man of Leisure30/07/2018, 08:20

    Rainbow girl,

    I am glad you did your own "trust but verify"!

    However, if your diet is 99% bamboo, calling yourself "omnivorous" is like having a portfolio consisting of 99% SGX stocks and with just one US stcock or ETF, go round telling others you are an "international" investor!?

    LOL!


    I see you are having fun with your "crash got sound" moments! Let's see once you have discovered the tastes of other foods, whether you would stick with "bamboo"!


    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rainbow30/07/2018, 21:53

      Hi SMOL,

      I wouldn't call myself an omnivore YET as I have only recently decided to stop limiting my boring diet. I am still deciding on what meat to bite cos I don't want to get indigestion. Lol.

      "Let's see once you have discovered the tastes of other foods, whether you would stick with "bamboo"!" - I will keep you posted. :)

      Delete
    2. Rainbow30/07/2018, 22:12

      Erm 1% meat is still omnivorous what! Haha... What about buying VWRD? Would that make one a true "international" investor then?

      If I am looking at growth investing, the probability of big capital gain from a US startup company is definitely higher than a homegrown. If I look at 'passive' investing, retrospectively S&P's return in a bull run is already more than 2-fold higher than STI's. I guess market size really matters.

      Delete
    3. Singapore Man of Leisure31/07/2018, 12:31

      This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    4. Singapore Man of Leisure31/07/2018, 12:33

      Rainbow girl,

      Hey! Do whatever makes you happy!

      I looked into the mirror and feel like puking; yet I always call myself handome :)


      I'll give you a little nudge. It does not matter what we call it - be it value, growth, passive, or what not.

      The trick is to SYNCHRONISE your investing style/method with the market cycle.

      For eg, value works better in a bear market. Growth is a disaster if you think the current bull market is long in the tooth...

      So when I see bei kambings swearing value in a bull market, I know they are underperforming big time ;)

      The worst is when they capitulate and switch to growth right at the peak of the bull market :(


      Wink.

      Delete
    5. Rainbow01/08/2018, 20:44

      Hi SMOL,
      There are always value and growth to pick in whichever market conditions but it takes alot of research homework and patience. Of course, in a bear market you get deeper 'discount' for them and huat more when the market turns around.

      Maybe you could enlighten the part about 'synchronise'?

      Delete
    6. Singapore Man of Leisure01/08/2018, 23:09

      Rainbow girl,

      I am macro top down.

      I see you prefer bottom-up stock picking ;)


      You should be the one enlightening me!

      You can spot value stocks in bull market, and growth stocks in bear markets ;)

      My experience with Nasdaq 2000 and Lehman 2008 is that all stocks went down :(



      Delete

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