I have to agree on IPunter on this though many seem to be "bashing" the person. When you learn not to lose your money, you are actually learning to protect your capital. When you learn not to lose your money, the profit will come.

A common mistake I see is people get stuck in many other stocks. So what they do is trade on other stocks. In reality, it is always the net effect that really counts i.e from the day you started on stock market are you in net profit or net loss and by how much and not how much  you have making in trading lately. If you made $5k  profit lately but your net position is still a net loss of $40k, it is still a net loss.

What people should do in being stuck with so many stocks is pull in the money together and focus on fewer ones that really count.

JJ... :)

You should go ahead and write the book...

but the book must tell people how not to lose money, not just how to make profits...

Only then will it be worthwhile for me to recommend your book to deserving people... hehehe...

well, what can I say, it is easy to say history, you can say you buy cosco at 20 cents, and sold at 8.00..

but right now, i can tell you guys, no points to long now... because the worst is not over... even so, you want to long for a position.. that's fine, 50% long, and 50% hit and run.. why? it is because, if you don't do so, you will back to square, yeah, of course, you will say after 5 years, blar blar blar.. but right now, if u don't sell at good profits, u will back to square, it happens many times to my counters, or all the counters , be it keppel corp, sembmarine, DBS, .. therefore, i learn to take profits... a very clear example, last Friday, I took profit at citibank at USD 8, now USD 6.40... it will come down again..

i will definitely recommend for long if the situation turn better, but it is just the beginning of bad year... singapore didn't even feel the US impact "yet"..

I am getting to understand why cashiertan thinks u will always be just a book sales man.

Because u keep looking at things on hindsight.

I supposed successful ppl,learn their mistakes and move on....there are many things we shd have done or shd have not done on hindsight. 

Say if one had sold (shorted) DBS, or  any other blue bluechip on the first promptings of the Fannie Mae trouble,

and held the position till today, the profit would have been enormous!...  

short is not my "talents"... I would prefer to catch some good bargain stocks and hit and run...

heeee...... somemore, I don't even know the shorting rules in the US....

Why go short hit and run?

Why not let your profits run? This bear is strong!...   

what happened ? DOW dropped 680 points, and now Citigroup dropped 22% !! lowest hit 6.34 ....

Heng ar ! I sold mine last Friday at USD 8... In current stock market, just hit and run, there is no points to keep for long term, because you know next year is going to be worse... so, whenever there is a crash, buy and hold for 1-2 weeks, you will huat... that's what I am doing and it works, heeeeeee....

Keep profit and enjoy the gain.. today, it might be good time to buy Sembmarine, I hope it crash to $1.30 , and TatHong to 40 cents, Swiber 30 cents... let's wait and see...... Cheeeerrsss...

It is good to have $350K cash on hand while you are only 30s. I wish my 6 years working job paid me that amount of money...

I am not sure if you are staying with your parents, or rent a place or own a place.. but my sincere advice is this..

As you mentioned, you have another 5 years to wait, you can buy US stocks, such as JP Morgan, ING, Merrill Lynch, for long term, almost all the US bank share will be in good shape. 3 years will be more than enough actually, but I would advise you to grasp the next correction cycle (like last Friday crash)... now almost recovering 50-110% in just 1 week.

second Singapore stocks.. you can buy Parkway Holding, Raffles Education, SembMarine, SPH, and even Yanlord, I think by 5 years, oh no... can't imagine 7 times more than the current price?

Last but not least, do not miss the property play next year. You are considered cash rich, remember now, bank willing to give 80% private housing loan, therefore, you need to have at least 140K cash on hands to eye on some really good property. I just read classified today, 2 propeties catch my eyes today... Metropolitan condo at Redhill, 1774 square feet, (4 bedrooms) selling at only $750 p.s.f. very cheap... and one The SeaView Freehold near Parkway parade, good view, freehold, 3 bedrooms selling also $750.p.s.f. I am not sure how much more they can drop next year, I cannot imagine if they sell only $600 p.s.f next year, possible? I don't know... can wait for sure.

I only started working in year 2004 after my studies, so, I miss the property downturn buying opportunitites, such as Carribean, and The Sail, they all flip more than 100% in just less than 3 years time... my advise is to a study at property in singapore, go to the site and feel yourself the location, and the government plans surrounds, you will find many good bargain next year.. hold it, and sell when it flip 100%... if lakepoint condo can flip 100% if you purchase in year 2006, i don't see why others can't.... and this gain I think you have to contra Singtel 500 times, and everytime must earn $1,000 each time... 

heee... retire in NZ? well, i prefer to retire at my hometown at Sarawak, heee.....