Peter Lynch: 8 Simple Investing Principles
Peter Lynch ran Fidelity’s Magellan Fund from 1977 to 1990, beating the S&P 500 in all but two of those years. He averaged annual returns of 29%. That’s a mind-blowing figure. It means that $1 grew to more than $27; if you invested as little as $37,000 with him in 1977, you were a millionaire in 1990.
Fortunately for us, he’s willing to share his secrets. To achieve his stunning track record, he clung to 8 simple principles. Here they are:
1. Know what you own
Seems elementary, right? But as someone who talks to lots of investors, I can report that you’d be shocked at how few investors actually do their research. Scroll down to No. 7 for a good first step in getting ahead of the game.
2. It’s futile to predict the economy and interest rates (so don’t waste time trying)
After 2008’s crash, I noticed a distinct increase in armchair economists. We financial types do enjoy water cooler talk about interest rates, trade deficits, debt levels, etc. But there’s a danger in converting thought into action.
The U.S. economy is an extraordinarily complex system, with 300 million people acting in their own self-interest and responding to each others’ actions, government incentives, and external shocks. And that’s before we factor in our increasingly frequent interactions with the rest of the world.
Trying to time the market is futile. Set up a financial plan that allocates your assets based on your risk tolerance, so that you can sleep well at night.
3. You have plenty of time to identify and recognize exceptional companies
Lynch mentions that Wal-Mart was a 10-bagger — i.e. its stock rose to 10 times its initial price — 10 years after it went public. Even if you had gotten in after waiting a decade, though, you’d be sitting on a 100-bagger.
Some would argue that it’s still not too late to get in on Wal-Mart, decades after going public. While the company’s no longer a monster growth story, it continues to crank out 20% returns on equity year after year. That type of consistent ROE is a huge positive indicator of management’s ability to effectively allocate capital.
A similar tale can be told about Microsoft’s early growth years, right on down to its still-impressive current return on equity (42%).
And Amazon.com, though only 13 years old as a public company, has seen its stock double since its 10th birthday. Of these three, it’s the only company still trading at growth-stock valuations. Bulls are hitching their wagon to Amazon.com’s ability to expand its role as the premier online retailer, and its upside in the cloud-computing space.
The lesson of Wal-Mart, Microsoft, and Amazon.com? You don’t need to immediately jump into the hot stock you just heard about. There’s plenty of time to do your research first. See No. 1.
4. Avoid long shots
Lynch claims he was 0-for-25 in investing in companies that had no revenue but a great story. Remember, the guy who averaged 29% returns went oh-fer on long shots. You and I are unlikely to do much better.
Use companies with proven track records as our baseline. ExxonMobil, IBM, and Procter & Gamble are selling for 9, 11, and 16 times forward earnings, respectively. This is what the market is charging for solid, low-to-moderate-growth companies that dominate (or at least co-dominate) their spaces. Expect to pay more for higher-growth prospects, but make sure the risk-reward trade-off on an unproven company is worth it.
5. Good management is very important; good businesses matter more
The pithier Lynchism is: “Go for a business that any idiot can run – because sooner or later, any idiot is probably going to run it.”
For a prototypical example of a so-easy-a-caveman-could-run-it company, think the aforementioned Procter & Gamble.
6. Be flexible and humble, and learn from mistakes
Lynch has said: “In this business, if you’re good, you’re right six times out of 10. You’re NEVER going to be right nine times out of 10.”
You’re going to be wrong. Diversification and the ability to honestly analyze your mistakes are your best tools to minimize the damage.
7. Before you make a purchase, you should be able to explain why you’re buying
Specifically, you should be able to explain your thesis in three sentences or less. And in terms an 11-year-old could understand. Once this simply stated thesis starts breaking down, it’s time to sell.
8. There’s always something to worry about.
Lynch noted that investors made a killing in the 1950s despite the very new threat of nuclear war. There are plenty of fears to choose from right now, but we’ve survived a Great Depression, two world wars, an oil crisis, and double-digit inflation.
Always remember, if our worst fears come true, there’ll be a heck of a lot more to worry about than some stock market losses. Lynch’s parting shot is that investing is more about stomach than brains.
Peter’s principles in action
So there you have it. These are the 8 principles Peter Lynch used to bring the market to its knees. They seem simple, but trust me, sticking to them is harder than it sounds.
Source: Motley Fool
Disclaimer: Please be informed that the above mentioned stocks/indexes/investment instruments are solely for the purpose of education; it is NOT a recommendation or an invitation to trade/invest. For trading/investment advice, please speak to your remisier, dealer representative or financial adviser. Please understand that there is risk in every trade/investment venture, know your risk first before you venture into any of them.
WARNING!! Is The 2nd Tsunami Wave Here Or Is This Just A Normal Correction?
The 1st Tsunami wave in the stock market happened in 2008. Prior to that, bubbles were observed in February 2007(Singapore stocks dropped by 11.6% because of the 15% decline in China market) and July 2007(further 19.7% slide when MM Lee warned us about the U.S. sub-prime problems and government’s anti-speculative measures to cool the red-hot property market). The final bubble burst in October 2007 and that signalled the start of the 62% decline in STI!!
Since March 2009, we have seen a tremendous bull run, driven more by stimulus plans and bailouts from central governments around the whole world, rather than a solid recovery in the real economy. This year 2010 alone, we have just seen a 9.6% correction in January and till to date a 8.6% decline in STI in 3weeks. I believe the damage has been done, we MAY have just seen the start of the 2nd wave of Tsunami or very strong signals that we are not too far away from it. Several reasons:
1) PIIGS(Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece and Spain) debts crisis,
2) U.S. total funded and unfunded debt amounting to about US$130 TRILLION, it may go into double dip recession in 2011
3) China economy maybe over-heating and possible property bubble there
4) Goldman Sach criminal fraud charges imposed by SEC
5) Dramatic increase in Option Adjustable Rate Mortgage(OARM), Agency and Alt-A Monthly Mortgage Resets in U.S. 2nd wave of mortgage resets are around the corner and they are peaking in 2011, thus causing more foreclosures in U.S.
6) Terrorism (a major terrorist activity occur around once every 8-9 years, based on the book “The Great Depression Ahead” by Harry S. Dent, Jr. The last major terrorist attack was on 11 September, 2001.
Fundamentally, Singapore is well prepared for this financial crisis :
1) Opening of 2 Integrated Resorts (IR)
2) Youth Olympic will be held on 14 – 26 August this year
3) Possibility of General Election happening in 2010 (based on history, Singapore stock market has normally performed well prior to the election)
But we have to understand that Singapore is just a little red dot which relies very much on export, we will be badly hit if huge economies like U.S., Europe, Japan, China…etc were to run into crisis again, like what had happened in 2007 and 2008.
Personally, I believe we MAY have just seen the start of the 2nd wave of Tsunami or very strong signals that we are not too far away from it, rather than just any normal correction. I am not saying that the stock market is going to straightaway collapse from here, it may rally along the way and people should be selling into rallies, rather than buying aggressively into the market. If the market slides further, it will be a good time to start doing short-selling to ride the downtrend. Precious metals, like gold and silver are also good instruments for us to protect our wealth and hedge against inflation, which is slowly showing its ugly face.
Above is just my personal view and I have to admit that I may be wrong! I would rather be cautious and defensive now than to be an aggressive buyer into the market. The downside risk is much much higher than the upside potential at this point of the time. Please be careful!
Disclaimer: Please be informed that the above mentioned stocks/indexes/investment instruments are solely for the purpose of education; it is NOT a recommendation or an invitation to trade/invest. For trading/investment advice, please speak to your remisier, dealer representative or financial adviser. Please understand that there is risk in every trade/investment venture, know your risk first before you venture into any of them.
Doing The Dead Cat Bounce? DOW 5,000 in 2010? – Robert Kiyosaki
Dow 5,000 in 2010?
In my last column I predicted a “dead cat bounce” in the stock market and a possible Dow plunge to 5,000 this year. Obviously, many readers mocked my prediction.
But the dead cat bounce is very important, especially in today’s market.
Simply put, ‘a dead cat bounce’ looks like Diagram 1 below:
The market crashes, rebounds, and runs out of steam, then crashes again…unfortunately, and possibly, to a lower low. When professional investors observe a ‘dead cat’ forming, many will begin to sell. If their selling leads to a panic, the stock market goes even lower.
Putting today’s numbers to the ‘dead cat’ diagram gives this topic more meaning.
In 2002, the Dow hit a low of 7,286.
In 2007, the Dow hit a high of 14,164
In 2009 the Dow fell and stopped at 6,547.
Dow 6,547 is where the market stopped falling and the dead cat bounce began. At 6,547 the market was oversold and buyers came rushing back in, looking for bargains. The Dow headed back up, and a bear market rally began.
On February 5, 2010 the Dow closed at 10,012.
What Does This Mean?
So the question is, “What do these numbers mean to me?” The answer to that question depends upon you. If you are a bullish person, you will be optimistic, reassured by these numbers, and looking forward to the Dow breaking 14,000 soon.
If you are bearish, you will be waiting for the dead cat to finally die and for a double dip recession to begin.
One of the theorists (and writers) I follow is Richard Russell, a wise sage who is in tune with markets and the madness of crowds. He has been in the business for about 50 years, so he has the wisdom and perspective of time. Lately, he has been writing about the ‘50% Rule’ of Dow Theory. I thought I would pass it on to you because it may assist you in seeing the future of the economy, even if –like me — you do not trade in stocks.
The following is my interpretation of the ‘50% Rule’ using real numbers.
In 2002 the low of the Dow was 7,286.
In 2007 the Dow hit a high of 14,164.
The ‘50% Rule ‘number is 10,725…the halfway point between 7,286 and 14,164.
In 2007, when the market headed down and broke 10,725, professional traders who follow the Dow Theory ‘50% Rule’ knew what was going to happen next. On March 9, 2009, the crash stopped at Dow 6,547.
On that day, what I believe is a ‘dead cat bounce’ began as the market moved up.
On January 19, 2010, the Dow stalled at 10,725 and headed down again. This is spooky. The 50% rule came true.
The next interesting point is 7,286, the low of 2002, when the rally began. According to Russell, if the Dow holds at 7,286 and begins a rally, this might be a good time to buy. But if it fails to hold at 7,286 and slides past 6,547, then look out for dead cats dropping from the sky. Russell predicts that Dow 1,000, the number at which the Dow began its rally in the 1970s, may not be out of the question. If that happens, there will be millions of baby boomers joining the dead cats falling from the sky as their 401(k)s and IRAs implode.
Other Markets
This ‘50% Rule’ may apply to other markets such as gold, the hot commodity of this era.
In 1971 gold was $35 an ounce. I began buying gold in 1972 when I was a pilot in Vietnam, watching the Vietnamese panic when they knew the U.S. was not going to win the war.
Gold hit a peak of $850 an ounce in January of 1980.
Gold dropped to a low of $252 in July of 1999. Obviously, I bought a lot of gold in 1999. Gold was at an all-time low because Central Banks, such as the Fed and the Bank of England, were dumping gold in an attempt to protect the value of their counterfeit currencies.
According to the ‘50% Rule’ of Dow Theory, when the price of gold was passing $600 an ounce(halfway between $850 and $252), a rally in gold was on. When gold passed $600, mainstream financial experts began warning of a crash in the price of gold… stating that gold was in a bubble.
Today gold fluctuates between $1,000 and $1,200 an ounce.
Is Gold in a Bubble?
When you factor in inflation and devaluation of the U.S. dollar, $850 gold in 1980 is $2,500 an ounce in today’s dollars. In other words, gold might be at 50% at $1,200, which is the highest of highs. Could there be a run to $2,500?
Your personal answer to that question will depend upon how confident you are in Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, President Obama, and Wall Street. If you have faith in our leaders of commerce, don’t buy gold. If you do not have faith in them, maybe you should buy gold or silver.
If the dead cat bounce dies and the Dow drops to 5,000 in 2010, as I predict, then the price of gold and silver may die with the dead cat of the Dow, as investors cling to cash. The next question you need to answer is, “If the Dow dies and the price of gold and silver drop, what should you invest in at the bottom…stocks, gold and silver, or cash?”
I know what I will do. I will buy more gold and silver. Why? The answer is because I trust gold and silver more than Central bankers, the Oval Office, and Wall Street. Gold and silver have been real money for thousands of years.
The Lost Decade
The people I am most concerned about are the average investors who have bought their financial planner’s advice of “Invest for the long term in a well-diversified portfolio of stocks, bonds, and mutual funds.”
Many investors are calling the past 10 years The Lost Decade. That means those who invested for the long term in stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and cash are long-term losers. Japan has been in a Lost Two Decades.
A ‘lost decade’ means:
1. Zero job creation.
2. Zero economic gains for the typical family. Home values are down and many families owe more on their home than the home is worth.
3. Zero gains in the stock market.
Over the next few months, it is important to watch both the Dow and gold. As I write, the Dow is around 10,000 and gold is at $1,000. If the Dow breaks 7,286, the 2002 low, and continues down below 6,547, the 2009 low, watch out below. If 6,547 is broken and gold passes $2,500 an ounce, you’ll have even more to worry about.
Source: Yahoo Finance
Disclaimer: Please be informed that the above mentioned stocks/indexes/investment instruments are solely for the purpose of education; it is NOT a recommendation or an invitation to trade/invest. For trading/investment advice, please speak to your remisier, dealer representative or financial adviser. Please understand that there is risk in every trade/investment venture, know your risk first before you venture into any of them.
Marc Faber Sees ‘No Huge Downside Risk For Gold’, More Sovereign Defaults
Marc Faber, the Swiss fund manager and Gloom Boom & Doom editor said the governments of every developed economy will eventually default on their sovereign debts, so the one thing he will never do in his life is ’sell my gold.’
Potential defaulter include the US, the UK and Western Europe.
Speaking to CNBC in a live interview via telephone, Faber said: “In the developed world we have huge debt to GDP, in terms of government debt to GDP and unfunded liabilities that will come due. These unfunded liabilities are so huge that eventually these governments will all have to print money before they default,” he added.
Speaking at Russia’s Troika Dialog Forum in Moscow last week, Faber said: “I’m convinced the US government will go bankrupt, but not tomorrow, and before they do they will print money and you’ll get a depression with very high inflation rates.”
“If you ask me about the correction in the gold market, sure, we already corrected 10% from the peak and it could last somewhat longer. But when I look at Mr.Obama, Mr.Bernanke, Mr. Tim Geithner and Mr. Larry Summers, the one thing I will never do in my life is sell my gold.”
In an interview with Bloomberg Television in Hong Kong on Thursday, Faber reiterated he doesn’t see a “huge downside risk” for gold. “I won’t rule out that gold will go down to US$950 or US$1,000, but I don’t expect more downside.” “I don’t see any scenario where gold will collapse,” he added.
The famed investor told Bloomberg the Euro may rebound to US$1.40 against the US dollar because the currency is currently “oversold” amid concerns over Greece’s deficit, the largest in the European Union. “The region, along with the European Central Bank, will probably “bail out” the country, in turn creating more deficits” he also said.
“When Greece is bailed out, it’s a further indication that paper money is losing its purchasing power because it’s diluted through larger and larger bailouts and more and more deficits,” Faber said. “Now it can rebound to around US$1.40 but more than that, you shouldn’t expect.”
Any other recommendations?
“Other commodities haven’t gone up yet, such as the grains,” he said. “It may take time until they start to go up substantially but if you have time, you should be long wheat, corn, soya beans or own a farm, which is one way to participate in future food price increases.”
The global stock markets, which have mostly fallen about 10%-20% from their peaks, have begun a correction phase that Faber expects to continue. He said he thinks the new resistance level for the S&P 500 will be 1,100, though an oversold market could cause a relief rally over the next ten days.
Faber has said in many interviews that he sees dips in gold as an opportunity to buy some more bullion. But how long can the gold bull market last? “The gold bull market will come to an end when sovereign wealth funds – sick and tired of their investments in financial stocks – will finally purchase gold,” wrote Faber back in January 2008 in his Gloom, Boom & Doom report.
Source: BI-ME (Posted: Thurs, February 11, 2010 6:38 pm)
Disclaimer: Please be informed that the above mentioned stocks/indexes/investment instruments are solely for the purpose of education; it is NOT a recommendation or an invitation to trade/invest. For trading/investment advice, please speak to your remisier, dealer representative or financial adviser. Please understand that there is risk in every trade/investment venture, know your risk first before you venture into any of them.
2010: The Best of Times or the Worst? – Robert Kiyosaki
“It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.” - Charles Dickens
Is the recession over? Are happy days really here again? Paraphrasing Dickens, my answer is, “For people who are prepared, 2010 will be the best of times. For many, 2010 will be the worst of times.”
The following are a few of my predictions and reasons behind them :
Prediction #1: The real estate market will crash again.
Pictured above is a graph of mortgage resets. In simple terms, a mortgage reset is when a mortgage comes due. In normal times, refinancing was a simple process…but these are not normal times. Some points of interest:
1. In September 2008, the mortgage resets hit $35 billion that month. That was the exact time the financial crisis hit. When people could not afford to refinance and began to default, the stock market and banking industry crashed.
2. The eye of the storm: In the summer of 2009 mortgage resets were low — around $15 billion a month. This is when optimists began to see “green shoots” in the economy. The green shoots were the eye of the storm. In 2010, as I see it, the second half of the financial hurricane hits. By late 2011, the resets climb to nearly $40 billion a month. The storm will not end until 2012.
3. The first half of the storm was primarily due to subprime defaults. The second half of the storm will hit more solid homeowners. The question is, can they weather the storm? Will Mac Mansion foreclosures be next?
4. In America, there are over 40 million people who own more than two homes. Can they afford to carry and refinance two or more mortgages?
5. Since home values have gone down, many homeowners will find they owe more than their home(s) are worth. Will the bank be kind to them?
6. The time for using your home as an ATM is over. This is crushing retailers and retail real estate. Shopping centers are in trouble. Strip malls are empyting as shopkeepers close — permanently. This will lead to the crash of the office, warehouse, and other commercial properties.
My prediction: Obviously these are the best of times if you are a buyer of distressed properties and the worst of times if you are a seller.
Other things I am watching for in 2010:
1. Will China crash? America’s crash has hit China in the gut. The Chinese are laying off millions of workers. Only massive government bailout is keeping the economy afloat. The Chinese boom will eventually go bust…but will it bust in 2010? Only time will tell.
2. When America stopped importing from China, China stopped importing from the rest of the world. This affects Asian countries as well as Australia, Brazil, and other suppliers of raw materials.
3. Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke is replacing toxic debt with new debt. By protecting his friends in the mega-banks, he is turning the U.S. into a zombie nation. The recession is over, but America is entering an era we will be calling The New Depression, a period when the rich become extremely rich but everyone else becomes poorer. Taxes will kill anyone working for a paycheck.
4. The U.S. dollar will grow weaker. If the dollar strengthens, we will have more unemployment because our goods become too expensive and we will export less.
5. The deficit will increase. The bailouts for the rich are killing the economy.
6. Israel may attack Iran. Israel will not tolerate Iran developing nuclear power, even if Iran claims it is for peaceful purposes. If there is an attack, oil prices will go through the roof.
7. Dead cat bounce. The current stock market rally will probably turn into a dead cat bounce. If the Dow drops below 6500, 5,000 may be the next stop.
The Best of Times
I know I sound painfully pessimistic. I know my predictions are bad news for most people. Yet, for others, bad news is good news.
The following are the bright spots for people who are prepared.
Prediction #2: Gold, silver, and oil will continue to be safe investments in 2010.
The following recaps the year-end prices of gold and silver:
YEAR GOLD SILVER
2000 $ 273 $ 4.57
2001 $ 279 $ 4.57
2002 $ 348 $ 4.78
2003 $ 416 $ 5.92
2004 $ 438 $ 6.79
2005 $ 518 $ 8.80
2006 $ 638 $12.78
2007 $ 838 $14.77
2008 $ 882 $11.33
2009 $1100 (approx) $17.50 (approx)
In 2009, the Dow rose approximately 18%. Gold rose approximately 25%. Silver rose approximately 50%.
By the end of 2010, I predict gold will be at $1,775 an ounce, silver at $24 an ounce, and oil at $85 a barrel. If Israel attacks Iran, these predictions will be blown away.
Prediction #3: The next market to crash will be commercial real estate.
Cash flow positive real estate will be even more affordable. 2010 through 2012 will be a real estate buffet for those with cash and access to credit.
My Personal Investments
As I stated in 2002, “You have up to the year 2010 to become prepared.”
The following are things I have done to prepare myself:
1. I started The Rich Dad Company in 1997 because I saw this crisis coming. For the past three years, I have tightened internal controls and prepared for global expansion via a franchise distribution system. The company is debt free with strong income.
2. 2009 was my best real estate year to date. With the Fed handing out large sums of money and pension funds looking for projects to invest in, my real estate holding company has acquired tens of millions of dollars for acquisition of bankrupt properties and development projects. Development projects are affordable again, as labor, material, and land costs are low and the government is generous with 40-year, low interest, non-recourse loans. People still need a roof over their heads.
3. My oil development projects have done well. We drilled three wells and hit oil on two of them. Government tax breaks for oil exploration remain generous, even for dry holes. Even if the economy crashes, we will still burn oil.
4. I took 90% of my money out of the stock market in 2007. If the Fed raises interest rates, the stock market and real estate market will collapse.
5. I loaded up on gold and silver between 1996 and 2004.
6. With the Fed printing trillions of dollars, cash is trash and savers are losers. As soon as I have excess cash I invest in oil, real estate, gold, and silver.
7. In a zero-interest-rate environment, debtors are winners…but only if you have good debt…debt that’s paid by tenants.
In Conclusion
A few years ago, Japan was ‘King of the Financial World.’ Japan’s economy was the world’s second largest economy — till the bubble burst in 1990. Japan’s budget went into deficit in 1993. Since then, the deficit has averaged 5.4 percent of GDP per year. As a result, Japanese government debt is now 200 percentof GDP today. The U.S. is following Japan, and China will follow the U.S.
We will not see much inflation because the Fed is not able to print enough money to replace the losses from the burst of the credit bubble. Also, factories have too much excess capacity due to lack of demand, which means prices for consumer goods will remain low and unemployment will remain high. Instead, we will see inflation in gold, silver, oil, some stocks, some real estate sectors, and food — not because values are going up but because the dollar is going down.
Welcome to The New Depression. And may these times be the best of times for you.
Source: Yahoo Finance
Disclaimer: Please be informed that the above mentioned stocks/indexes/investment instruments are solely for the purpose of education; it is NOT a recommendation or an invitation to trade/invest. For trading/investment advice, please speak to your remisier, dealer representative or financial adviser. Please understand that there is risk in every trade/investment venture, know your risk first before you venture into any of them.
Frank Holmes: Gold May Hit US$2,300 In the Long Term
Frank Holmes, CEO of U.S. Global Investors, said that Gold may go up to US$2,300 in the long term. We should always view Gold and Silver as a hedge against inflation and preservation of our wealth, rather than wanting to make big bucks out of them.
Disclaimer: Please be informed that the above mentioned stocks/indexes/investment instruments are solely for the purpose of education; it is NOT a recommendation or an invitation to trade/invest. For trading/investment advice, please speak to your remisier, dealer representative or financial adviser. Please understand that there is risk in every trade/investment venture, know your risk first before you venture into any of them.
Marc Faber: U.S. Dollar Will Eventually Go to “Value of Zero”
Marc Faber, publisher of the Gloom, Boom & Doom Report, appeared on Bloomberg, stating his view on the inflation/deflation, strong and weak US dollar debate. According to him, during inflationary periods, the losers will be cash and treasury bond; the winners will be foreign currency, commodities and equities have some power to hedge inflation.
Source: Bloomberg
Robert Kiyosaki: Silver is My Number 1 Investment
Robert Kiyosaki, author of the international bestseller “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” and the latest “Rich Dad’s Conspiracy of The Rich” sits down for an exclusive interview with Dan Mangru of Newsmax TV. He tells Mangru why he feels Silver is his Number 1 investment; why socialism will make the middle class poor; why he likes real estate because of debt; effects of inflation and taxes; what he feels about Obama, Federal Reserve, fiat currency…etc.
Even Though Bullish Today, Marc Faber Is “Highly Confident” the Future Will Be Very Bleak!!
“The future will be a total disaster, with a collapse of our capitalistic system as we know it today, wars, massive government debt defaults and the impoverishment of large segments of Western society,” Marc Faber, author of “The Gloom, Boom & Doom Report” and is famous for advising his clients to get out of the stock market 1 week before the October 1987 “Black Monday” crash.
Faber has been bullish — especially on commodities and emerging market stocks — for some time now and believes the current global recovery trade will last another two-to-three years, as discussed in more detail in below clip. But he has major long-term concerns about the dollar’s long-term viability given rising U.S. deficits, massive unfunded mandates and the fact “we have a money-printer at the Fed.”
This combination will eventually lead to runaway inflation, wholesale debasement of the dollar, and a major lowering of living standards for most Americans and many Europeans as well, says Faber, who is “highly confident” in this grim prediction.
Source: Yahoo
Global Market Outlook for Week Beginning 21st September 2009
Straits Times Index(STI) is currently facing a strong resistance at the 2700 level. If this ceiling can be broken, 2746 will be the next stubborn resistance. If 2746 can be penetrated successfully, STI may have a chance to hit 3000 before 2009 closes. I do not foresee STI can rise beyond 3000 level by the end of 2009 because the still sluggish real economy simply DOES NOT allow this scenario to play out. In fact, for STI to rally 86% since the March low of 1455, it has already run up too much and too fast ahead of the real economy.
3000 proves to be a very tough resistance level for Shanghai Stock Exchange(SSE) to crack. It may hover between the 2600 and 3000 consolidation range for some time before it resumes its uptrend to retest the early August high of 3748. The recent 23% correction for SSE is actually a good healthy correction, but it DOES NOT signal a reversal in the long term uptrend for the China stock market.
Since early March till now, HangSeng Index(HSI) has rebounded 93% and it has just broken its early August high of 21200. With this strong momentum, HSI should have a high chance to head further north towards the next 23300 and 26300 resistance levels before 2010 comes.
S&P 500 has just penetrated the 1060 barrier and the momentum should see it climbing higher towards the next resistance level of 1168. From the low of 666 in early March, it has only rallied 61% as compared to the impressive rally of 109% for SSE, 93% for HSI and 86% for STI.
NASDAQ is now approaching a strong ceiling at 2167. Since early March, it has staged a gain of 69% from its low of 1265, beating Dow Jones and S&P 500 in term of % increase.
Dow Jones is now moving feebly towards the critical 10,000 level. This will prove to be a very very DIFFICULT level for it to break. It has only rallied 52% from its low of 6469 and is the laggard among the 3 major US indexes.
As we can observe, the Asian markets have outperformed the US market since the start of the market rebound. I believe Asia, especially China and India, and emerging markets will lead the world’s recovery from the financial crisis, instead of the usual US and Europe. Just to quote what billionaire investor and commodity guru, Mr Jim Rogers, had mentioned: “19th century belonged to UK, 20th century belonged to US, 21st century belongs to Asia, especially China”. With US dollar weakening as each day goes by and possibly high inflation coming up, I will prefer to invest my money in Asia and commodities, eg. gold, silver, oil, precious metal, agricultural product…etc, rather than in US and Europe.
Disclaimer: Please be informed that the above mentioned stocks/indexes/investment instruments are solely for the purpose of education; it is NOT a recommendation or an invitation to trade/invest. For trading/investment advice, please speak to your remisier, dealer representative or financial adviser. Please understand that there is risk in every trade/investment venture, know your risk first before you venture into any of them.
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