i only read ARs (annual reports) for FA. i don't trust analysts reports: ARs are what give you the full figures and theoretically, the full disclosure. whereas analysts' reports will give you their interpretation of it: so trusting an analyst's report is like 2nd degree interpretation from the fact.

Have never seen the numbers from poems/etc, so am not sure? Sometimes it may be old numbers, is my guess. Alternatively, the analysts may have deducted off main sums etc to show 'actual holdings'.

best example of trusting only ARs and not tabulated financials/analysts reports: Ferrochina. Their Aug AR actually gave the debt figure already--which astute investors should have realised would drive the company into negative equity immediately.

hope this helps.

Pardon me if I sound far out...

In a dynamic place like the stock market, the less you bother and burden yourself with fundamentals, the better you can operate...

Stick to doing what that market is saying rather than bury your head in 'fundamentals'... hehehe...

Hi Elfin,

is there a difference between cross and married trades?

i thought married trades were also broker intiated. eg broker A has client B and client C who happens to want to buy/sell the same stock/volume. they then perform a cross trade for simplicity. bids/ask quotes are not put to the market, it is a private deal

pls correct me if i'm wrong tks .

hi elf, 

i guess u misread my meaning. I said DCA on the way up never DCA on the way down.. nevertheless, i never encourage DCA down to anyone. it is the fastest way to lose money.

in this kind of market, the easiest way to make money will be the forex market where liquidity is not as affected. however i sense that even it may be affected somehow. well still can trust the good old TA rather than news. also, if TA dun works due to turmoil, i can also stop trading till norm are back. afterall no trading is also taking a position as a trader

elfinchilde      ( Date: 04-Nov-2008 13:55) Posted: hi richtan, DCA = dollar cost average/averaging. it's a method of putting in your funds in separate portions into the market, so you can average up or down your buy price. a lot of insurance planners and financial advisors will tell you to do this: put aside a fixed sum of money monthly, and go in no matter what the market is, so that over the years, your cost price is low. To me, that's right principle, wrong application. eg, imagine if you DCA cosco from its peak monthly from 8.2 to now. the only thing you'd be facing is a certain scenario known as *moths fly out of wallet*.   For one thing, DCA is mainly for longterm investors (think 5 year horizon or more). For another, you really need to choose your counters well. For a third, it isn't just blindly putting in your money every month: the proper way to DCA is via technicals. Those wanting to apply it on CD/XD plays need to be careful too: i have to stress here that not all counters will go back up to their CD levels. Some just fade away. cheers!