Thread: Mike's Account Talk

Good luck Mike! For the sake of this forum, pleaseuse your returns beginning today. Like some others have done, you can start with a ficticious balancelike $10,000 or $100,000 for simplicity sake. It might help us follow your progess.

Thanks for participating!
Tom

I just posted the "quarterlies" to demonstrate my limited track record. :P

But yes, feel free to track me with fictitious $10k (it's not that far from the truth!) split 4-0-32-32-32.

Small gains today - looks like there was some profit-taking on the early upward action.

Mike,

I was 26 once... also... I learn the market take and give... that when I paid more deeper attention and now I consider everything as possible... TRENT, CYCLES, SEASONALITIES, RANDOM NEWS... of course cycles and news includes the 11economics indicators more significants... etc...etc... I am feel very comfortable with my strategy... of course everyone has His/Her own that taylor to Him/Herself...

Wish you the best... Good Luck on Your investments...

Leon

Thanks, Leon. I might be the youngest investor on here. Maybe Tom should poll the online audience here and find out where we fall on age, etc.

Now that I *finally* have gotten home and have time to type this, here is why I lightened my load in the I fund:

I spotted a news article early this morning that mentioned rather uninspiring news on the European economy. So, to borrow on Tom's little spiel on the market conditions today, I "sold on the news". I'll use my strengthened holdings in the G fund to look for another buying opportunity - most likely after the inevitable pullback takes place.

Mike wrote:

So, to borrow on Tom's little spiel on the market conditions today, I "sold on the news".

lol. The key to that saying is to buy the rumor of good news, then sell when the good news come out. And sell the rumor of bad news and buy when the bad news comes out. That's because the market is smarter than us and has usually moved before the news comes out. Maybe not in your European market situation, but in general.

So if you hear a rumor thatcompany ABC is going to have a good earnings report, buy. But as soon as the good report comes out, sell!

I feel like I've been buying the bad news all year. :P

Here is some interesting data (or perhaps not so much)for everyone's consumption:

2004 highs: C $12.15 (3-5-04), S $13.51 (4-5-04), I $13.79 (10-8-04; prev high $13.70 on 4-12-04)... so the I-fund has made a new high (take that, bear market people :P)! C-fund came within $0.03 of its yearly high on the 6th (oh so close!). S-fund came within $0.20 of its high.

2004 lows: C $11.25 (8-12-04), S $11.87 (8-12-04), I $12.39 (5-17-04). For those that care, the I was still $0.41 above its low for the year when C and S hit theirs.

Current prices: C $11.91 - $0.66 above the bottom, $0.24 from the top;S $13.03 - $1.16 from bottom, $0.48 from the top; I $13.79 - at the top, $1.40 from bottom .

By the numbers, I fund is bullish while C and S are bearish - however, if seasonality means anything this year, C and S could both break through to new highs for the year after posting yearly lows just two months ago. Of course, people want to know which funds will do the best for the remainder of the year, and as far as that goes, I think C and S will outperform I (the dollar is incredibly weak and is bound to gain strength at some point). And just in case they don't, I'll continue holdingsome I fund shares. :P

Ha, how things change... I'm not holding anything in the I-fund at this time - waiting for the next buying opportunity. After moving that chunk of money to G, nothing much happened to the I fund price (except for yesterday's gain). C and S have both dropped back a bit - about $0.20 lower than my last post here. I view this is a nice time to buy - but I'm still hedging with a split between C and S.

I won't seriously consider buying back into the I-fund until I see at least a modest retreat off the high.

After a painful two weeks on the sideline in G, I'm back into the market. I will likely ride this move into January... 20 C 50 S 30 I... heh.

Hopefully I'll finish the year with a 10% gain or more. If I do that annually, I might need an accountant to keep track of the $$$.

Shares were bought at the following prices (for ease of tracking heh):

20% C at $12.44
50% S at $13.82
30% I at $14.63

Mike have you always had that much patience to waitout the market? Does that come from years of experience? In a Bull market, how were you able tostay the course and wait that long? I'm always learning, and would appreciate your comment. Thanks