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Tea with STE: How I stage and apply my war-chest in current volatile market.

Thursday, February 25, 2016

This is another guest blog from fellow early retiree, STE:

 
I guess everyone would have their own strategies or methods to use their war-chest in hoping to get the best return from the market.  Since our “war-chest “ is quite limited , sometime we may face the problems of using up the war-chest quickly and seeing the share price keep dropping from the last purchased . Here , I’m not trying to promote the “market timing “ in hoping to get the lowest price before market swing upwards. I always think that “time in the market “ is much more important that “timing the market “ as we may see the power of compounding if we stayed long enough in the market .

But remember ,trying to “timing the market “ in short time frame e.g days , weeks or even months … is speculative in nature rather than investment .  What I am trying to explain is more on ‘spotting the stage of market cycle “ in much more longer time frame to increase our “odds “ in winning the market .

Can we really catch the “bottom “ of market ? My answer is definitely NO .  As I mentioned before , nobody will be able to tell you where will be the market heading in coming months or when will be the “bottom “ of the market . Investing is about “probability not certainty “ , we can’t tell where the stock market will be performing in months ahead  but we may be able to use valuation base on “statistical terms “ in estimating the current market cycle and base on that to calculate the odds of winning the market in our bet .

In general , we may be using different types of methods in applying our war-chest ,, some may be using 52 weeks high-low or fundamental valuation of PE / Div Yield / PB value etc.

Each strategies having their own merit since there is “ 100 ways to skin a cat “ ..but sometimes , in such volatile and irrational market ,,, price can be lower than 52 weeks ( this is problem of “anchoring the price “ ) ,, and valuation base on Div Yield may appear if price dropped drastically e.g case of Noble or Semcorp Marine for low PE…

For me , I would look at “market valuation “ and then mowing to “stock selection “ ie from “macro to micro “ kind of analyses . I will be using the “trend analysis “ which shown the long term trend of index by plotting the chart using “linear regression “ concept . If you still remember , I have mentioned 2 very important concept in my previous post :

//quote//
My investment philosophy is simple. We only need to know two things:

1) Margin of safety
2) Mean Reversion

// unquote//

Market always move in cycle and reverting to mean , using “linear regression “ , we may plot a long term “trend line “ of any stock index and by using the trend line , we might be able to see the current stage of market in long term “market cycle “.

Please refer to these link to understand more about :

< Linear Regression >


< Mean Reversion>


 

Such trend analysis also being used by few prominent investors/ bloggers e.g Prof Chan Yan Chong in his so call “ Chan Channel “ .

 

Now , let’s look at the “ Linear Regression “  trend chart  base on data downloaded from Yahoo Finance : since 1987 .

 
Note :

Red line represent the long term regression line for STI index.

Green line represent the +/- 1 SD from the regression mean ( covering about 68% of the market price swing )

Yellow line represent the +/- 2 SD from the regression mean ( covering about 95% of the market price swing )

One may notice that , in the long run ,, the trend line will be in upward trend and this represent the market value increased due to increasing economic activities / company business expansion which eventually translated into profit and price .

Base on this chart and statistically speaking , I should be more “aggressive “ in applying my war-chest when index hit “green line “ or -1 SD at around 2500 level and be “very aggressive “ when it hit 2200 level at yellow line ( -2 SD ) .

Well , these two lines is not the “definite “ bottom … as quoted below :

 “Markets can remain irrational longer than you can remain solvent.”
By John Maynard Keynes

 

For sure , nobody know and Index can go below 2200 , but that will be the time where “value “ appear when market been beaten down a lot with “fears and panic” all over the news and TV .

Whether we’re talking about socks or stocks, I like buying quality merchandise when it is marked down.“ by Warren Buffet.

Easier said than done , we really need good discipline and patience in such volatile and uncertain market .

Investing has always been tied to emotions same as shopping, eating, and other areas of decision making. But if we can understand these impulses and use emotions to our advantage, we might be able to shorten our journey to achieve financial independence.

I am using my war-chest by applying the buying strategies base on above to increase my “odds “ in winning the market .. how about you ?

Remember, stock have always come out from the crisis, and again , quoted below from Warren Buffet and time will tell the story eventually ….

Over the long term, the stock market news will be good. In the 20th century, the United States endured two world wars and other traumatic and expensive military conflicts; the Depression; a dozen or so recessions and financial panics; oil shocks; a flu epidemic; and the resignation of a disgraced president. Yet the Dow rose from 66 to 11,497.”
- Warren Buffet

 

 

Disclaimer :

Any stock or strategies mentioned in this article is just meant for illustration purposes and not recommendation to buy or sell. Readers are advised to conduct their own independent research into individual stocks before making a purchase decision. In addition, readers are advised that past stock performance is not indicative of future price action.

You should be aware of the risks involved in stock investing, and you use the material contained herein at your own risk. 

An invitation to visit the MAS Gallery.

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

I received some information from the Monetary Authority of Singapore on the launch of the MAS Gallery and have been invited to tour the Gallery.

However, as I won't be able to go anytime soon, I am sharing the information here in my blog so that readers who have the time might want to visit the Gallery earlier:

The MAS Gallery (Insights@MAS) has just been launched on 16 February.

Information on the MAS Gallery
•       Located at MAS Building, the MAS Gallery(Insights@MAS) aims to educate visitors in an engaging way on the many roles MAS plays in the Singapore economy and financial sector.

•       Insights@MAS showcases how MAS conducts monetary policy, manages the official foreign reserves, issues currency notes and coins, supervises the financial sector and promotes Singapore as a financial centre. It also highlights MAS’ efforts in raising financial literacy among Singaporeans, and offers a glimpse into how technology and innovation might transform how financial services are delivered in the future.


•       Through interactive games and animations, visitors can play policymakers - adjusting monetary policy settings under different scenarios or conducting stress tests on the financial system. They could also try their hand at making financial choices or saving for retirement.

•       Admission to the MAS Gallery is free and self-guided

The Gallery is open on weekdays from 9.30am to 5.30pm and on Saturdays from 9.30am to 1.30pm (only for group visits). 

For more information on the MAS Gallery, please visit: www.mas.gov.sg/insights and http://www.mas.gov.sg/News-and-Publications/Media-Releases/2016/The-MAS-Gallery.aspx






This is a public service blog post by ASSI.

Reader complained to another blogger about me! (Reader is disappointed and AK tries to explain.)

Sunday, February 21, 2016

UPDATED (27 DEC 16):

Why you so like dat?!

OMG! Being a blogger is not easy lor. Who complained about me? Who? Who? Very cham like dat.
-------------------------
I thought about whether to share this but decided that it is probably a good idea to do so in case there are others who think the same way:

"AK,


"Straight to the point. I am very disappointed in you. 

"I have been following your blog for more than a year and followed some of your calls, most of them bad. Now you go MIA.

"You say you have other things to do but how can you forget your followers? I am sure I am not the only one who is suffering big losses. 


"I have a few friends who are also following your blog and one of them say not to waste time to write to you. He has stopped following your blog... He say you gone into hiding because of losses.

"AK, you are not just any blogger, you are influential and, so, must be more responsible."




It took me a while to think of how to respond to this email. Honestly, I still don't know if this is the best approach but:

1. I really do have other interests (and issues) in my life now and they have nothing to do with investments (and, hence, any related losses). I don't know how I can prove this since I am a rather private person and I don't meet up with people much, especially not recently. So, I cannot call on witnesses.

2. I haven't forgotten my readers. I still reply to emails, comments in my blog and I also share stuff on FB from time to time but not as regularly as before. Blogging was a routine in the past but it is more of a "when I have the time or inclination" kind of thing now.

3. I am sorry to hear about losses that some readers might have chalked up. I have some old blog posts on what to do in such instances. My investments might not all be good but my investment philosophy is timeless. Consider the philosophy, not the investments.

4. I have said before that from curiosity and boredom my blog was born on Christmas Eve in 2009. Then, I got hooked because it provided a way for me to interact with many people, fellow bloggers and readers. For AK, who is a very private person, it was a window to a whole new world. For sure, I am not blogging for fame or fortune.

If there are other people who have negative feelings about how I am less active in blogging or who are suspicious as to whether I am telling the truth about why I am not blogging as much, I hope this blog post helps.





Related post:
Get the most out of ASSI.

The CPF is really a national PONZI scheme!

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Has AK changed his tune about the CPF?

Pause.

Pause.

Pause.

What say you?









Till now, I still meet people who say that the CPF is a PONZI scheme and would look at me with utmost suspicion when I talk to them about maxing out our CPF benefits as Singaporeans.


Maxing out?

Yes, there is a maximum we can contribute to our CPF account each year.

The annual limit was $31,450.00 in 2015 and because AK is weak in mathematics, he over-contributed (again).







Ever heard of a PONZI scheme that rejects monetary contributions?

Related post:
The CPF is a national PONZI scheme.

Build Dividend Machines for a more secure retirement.

Monday, February 15, 2016

Recently, I have been blogging more about the CPF and how to make it a cornerstone in our retirement funding strategy. The operative word here is "cornerstone".


When we build a house, we need a strong foundation. A cornerstone is part of that foundation but alone, it is not enough for a house to stand on.

So, what did I do to ensure that I have enough financial muscles to retire and not at the age of 62 but much earlier too? 

Well, there is a cocktail of reasons but one very important ingredient has to be my preference for income investing.

What is income investing? Er, if you have to ask, you might want to sign up for Dividend Machines.




I have put my weight behind Dividend Machines twice in the past and I am doing it again this time.

If you want to invest for income and have no idea how, well, go sign up for Dividend Machines. It is the most value for money course you can find out there on the subject. Frankly, I think the course is undervalued.

Well, the good people at The Fifth Person want to make quality education affordable. 

Who am I to argue with that?

So, for those who are new to my blog or who have missed out on the first two rounds, this is a chance for you to learn how to invest for income in a structured manner without having to pay through your nose.

Don't take my word for it, find out for yourself just how well priced it is at: Dividend Machines.





If you believe like I do that regular dividends from investments are not just nice to have but are necessary to ensure a more secure financial future, build your own Dividend Machines

Remember, it is never too late and the best time to start is always now.

Closing date for application: 
7 March 2016 (Monday).

AK is showing off his CPF numbers graphically (Updated for 2017).

Friday, February 12, 2016

UPDATED for 2017.
-----------------------
Whether to pump more money into our CPF Special Account is something that some of us struggle with, especially younger CPF members because it could be a very long time before they see any of the money again.


Although I cannot say that what has worked for me would definitely work for them, I can say, if we believe in having some investment grade bonds in our portfolio, that it is something worth considering.





Hello AK,

I have been a follower of your blog and I have one question to ask.

I like to take the low risk style to invest, and that's why I have been investing in unit trusts and shares like Singapore Airlines and Singtel.

However, I realised that we can do self top ups to Special Account, which will earn a guranteed 4% per annum interest.

Considering that is risk-free, I think it is a worthy decision to transfer my investments to this special account.

Do you think I should transfer to the special account?

I do know that I can only withdraw from it at 55 years old, but I'm planning for the future :0

Kind Regards,J



Whose CPF statement is this? 
Whose? Whose?




UPDATED for 2017:

My reply:
Hi J,

OA to SA transfer was something I did consistently in my early years. ;)

It has turned out very well for me. :)

Best wishes,
AK

UPDATE (22 AUG 17):
See my blog on the 4 ways we can beef up our CPF account for a more complete picture HERE.






It is also worth reminding ourselves that the CPF is not only risk free, it is also volatility free which is good for my heart.



This isn't Quantum Physics. 

It is simple math.


Related posts:
1. AK's CPF SA outperformed in 2015.
2. AK is showing off his CPF OA and MA.
3. Building a cornerstone in retirement funding.
4. Some people say AK "how lian".
5. A note on the CPF and a break from blogging.

2 questions for investors losing sleep due to their losses.

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Sharing a recent conversation with a reader:


Good day to you AK,


- Long message ahead - 

I have been following your blog for some time since around 2 years ago, have not read all your posts, just most of what's on your sidebar. You blog about investing methods which are very relevant to Singaporeans, thank you very much for sharing your stories. I am 26 this year, and earn a very modest income ($3.4k gross) I have adopted a few you shared like transferring OA to SA and let compounding do its magic, as well as going into value investing. I am however, not knowledgeable about REITs and thus am not vested in them.

Shares investing started in 2015 for me, I set a method for myself, in which I only look at the STI components, or SGX mid/large-caps which I have at least seen/heard of/personally use (brands like ComfortDelgro, Raffles Medical etc). Once in a while when I sit down and open my spreadsheet, I will filter out stocks which are near their 52 week low (5-8% away). This filtered list will then consist around 8 stocks. Then I look at them individually and decide if the graph trend is going up/down. If the trend is going up, I will buy. I believed that I do not need to do detailed FA/TA as these stocks are well managed and my strategy is to buy and hold.

Alas, the correction/recession happened. Over the past weekend, I panicked and wondered if I should offload my portfolio. I talked to myself and began writing my thoughts down (realised that I should save these running thoughts somewhere or I will never find them back). I realised that I have bought some counters at a very high price, probably grossly overvalued. There is not much potential upside, and I would have to hold them for a very very long time. Please see below for my portfolio.

=====

-- Portfolio removed --










=====

Should I sell them? Or should I wait? I have always told myself, I am young, and time is on my side. But emotions play a big part. I actually entered selling positions on Sunday night and then cancelled them all on Monday morning, thinking that I should at least see how the market is moving in this new week. Not sure if I made the right decision :/ 

I have learnt some lessons:
  • The need to look beyond 52 weeks - Though I bought them near a 52 week low, they are actually at XXX week high. But then, no one knows if the trend will continue going up, or come crashing down like now. I thought the stock was cheap, but it is actually not :(
  • Read up more about market history - Recently realised that it has been a bull run since 2009, and with oil price not seeing any recovery for the whole of 2015, I should have been more cautious
  • Do not buy more than you can afford - My entire stock portfolio now consist of 50% of my net worth (excluding emergency funds), meaning I am holding another 50% in cash. If I have adopted a nibbling strategy like you at no more than a third of war chest, maybe my heart will not be so painful now. I know my portfolio size of 17k is peanuts compared to others, but for a 'poor' person like me, it is still very significant
  • Patience, patience, patience - I was looking for places to park my money, and as a young working adult, equities was the natural choice. But hunting for good value requires patience. Accumulate war chest, and wait!
  • Know the value of each stock - I guess investing is not as simple as I thought, the next immediate thing I would have to learn is to identify if a stock is over/undervalued
I am not sure if I am talking sense to myself, please advise me if there are more lessons I can learn from this! I am still thinking if I should sell some counters (especially those with little potential upside, meaning I have bought them too expensive) and reposition. But losses are certainly not easy to stomach. :/ 

Otherwise, the only thing I can do now is to stop looking at the markets, just concentrate on saving and come back when the market has bottomed. I remember feeling good when the dividends came in bit by bit, no matter how little they are. I hope holding will be the right strategy. 

Thank you for reading this far.. I did not expect to write this much. I hope to hear your thoughts if you have any. 

Regards,
W


Motivations and methods.


My reply:

Hi W,

I am going to be cautious and not give any specific advice. I will say:

1. IF we are disturbed by our investments in the market enough to lose sleep, then, chances are we are probably over invested.

2. IF we are clear as to what are our investment objectives, examine if what we are doing now gels with those objectives. If they don't we could also lose sleep. The tools and motivations should match.

I have blog posts on these two topics, probably. :)

Anyway, take some time to ponder over these two "ifs" and you should know what you should do. ;)

Best wishes,
AK


Related posts:
1. How to make recovering from losses easier?
2. Feeling depressed about paper losses?
3. What should I do? A letter from a retiree.
"Each time the market drop, my heart drop too.  At this age, I cannot effort to loss much of my hard earned money, as I do not have time to wait for the market to recover again."

AK has been brewing something good!

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Someone asked me why have I not blogged about stuff I eat and drink for so long? Has it been very long? Maybe so. 

I have been somewhat lazy when it comes to blogging but my habit of spending time on preparing many of my own meals has not changed.

Anyway, I am doing this blog post to share a recipe for something which I have been enjoying lately:


Hmmm...

Looks like green tea (which I enjoy too) but it is not. 

So, what is in the pot?


Hmmm (again) ...

Everytime I brew this, my tiny apartment smells so nice. In fact, I was told that the corridor on my floor smells nice because of my brew too! 

It is that powerful!

I am doing the entire floor a big favour because the aroma keeps the roaches away, I am sure.

The ingredients are inexpensive and will provide many, many days of drinking pleasure. 


Only 50c. From NTUC Fairprice.
4 or 5 pandan leaves for a pot (1 litre).

2 big pieces of ginger for $1.00 or so.
4 or 5 slices of ginger for a pot (1 litre).

Wolf berries and barley.
One tablespoon of each for a pot (1 litre).

Taking this brew has many benefits:

1. It has antioxidants like Selenium, Vitamins A and C. We know antioxidants are good for us in many ways.

2. It also has Calcium, Copper, Potassium, Magnesium and Manganese which are all essential for good health.

3. It has Vitamins B1, B2 and B3 which are essential for energy production in the body.

4. A ginger drink is also beneficial as it reduces stiffness and pain in joints because ginger as a food has an anti-inflammatory effect.

I drink this sugarless. You could add some sugar to your brew, if you like. 


I hope you like this healthy brew as much as I do. 


Related post:
My food bill grew in size but my weight reduced.

Good luck and good fortune in the Monkey year!

Friday, February 5, 2016

The Year of the Monkey is knocking on our doors.

Children and old folks usually like Chinese New Year. Children probably enjoy collecting red packets and old folks enjoy more time with family. 

Some people might prefer to go for a short holiday. Instead of 拜年, they do a 避年. They could be the singles or the married without kids.

Well, whatever the case may be, let us look forward to the new year and hope that it would be one of peace and progress for everyone. Less human conflict and fewer natural calamities would be nice.



OK, it has become a tradition for AK to churn out 4 numbers just before the Chinese New Year. 

Apparently, some readers won money last year buying the 4D which AK coughed up in a state of delirium.

I don't know if I am sufficiently delirious now but here goes:


3018





Remember, it is all for fun and a little excitement. Don't overdo it.

HUAT AH!

4 ideas related to the repayment of housing loans.

Wednesday, February 3, 2016

A conversation on housing loan and the CPF:

Hi AK,

First of all, Happy New Year to you and your family. I’m a 36 yr old engineer who has been following your ASSI Blog for few years already and like the rest, have benefited from your valuable advise through your posts.

I would like to seek your advise or opinion on an issue that have been bugging me lately. Both me and my wife are working (married with a child, X yrs old) and our combined income is $14k per month. We do not own car and our only major loan is our home loan.

We live in a condo that has an outstanding loan amount of $600k with remaining loan tenure of 28 years. In 3 months time, the mortgage loan lock-in period is coming to an end and the current interest rate is 2.5% (Interest rate may be revised upwards after the lock-in period).

Both me and my wife have a combined amount of $120k (approx. $60k each) in our CPF ordinary account that can be used for loan partial capital prepayment. My concern here is whether to use our money in our CPF OA for loan partial prepayment and refinance the mortgage loan or just transfer the entire money in our CPF OA to CPF SA so as to hit the minimum sum early. I’m really confused on which is the best option to choose from. 

1st option:
Use our CPF OA money to reduce loan principal amount and refinance with a better loan package

2nd option:
Transfer all our CPF OA money to our CPF SA and just refinance with current outstanding loan amount of $600k and pay off the instalment with our monthly CPF contribution

Both of us are working for a very stable company and holding on to a very stable job so there’s no issue of disruption to our employment. Our lifestyle is simple and we don’t chase after luxury but looking forward to a loan-free life and a comfortable retirement. 

I would greatly appreciate if you could lead me to choose the best option for me. Thank you.

Best regards,
C.





Hi C,

Idea 1:
Money in the CPF OA acts as a buffer for many people when it comes to home loan servicing (as not all have enough in emergency fund in their bank accounts). So, when people want to use the OA money to pay down their home loan, it makes sense to leave some money in the OA enough to continue servicing the loan for another 12 to 24 months in case they should be retrenched.


Idea 2:
As for whether you should transfer OA to SA or use the money to pay down the home loan, it depends on the opportunity cost. If your home loan attracts an interest rate of 2% and your SA gives you an interest of 4% to 5%, where should your money go? I believe that money should go to where it is treated best.

Idea 3:
If you are pretty sure that you have job security, you will be doing yourself a favour by giving your SA money more time to compound with a larger base now. Future monthly contributions to your CPF could be used for partial capital repayments on your home loan as interest rates go higher then.


Idea 4:
Finally, of course, if you are able to refinance your home loan to get a better deal with an eye on the future, you should consider seriously.

Best wishes,
AK


Related posts:
1. Aim to pay off home loan and hit MS.
2. Buy the biggest and most expensive home.
3. Buying an apartment: Considerations.

Unless we are rich, be pragmatic and not romantic.

Saturday, January 30, 2016

A conversation with a reader:

Dear AK,

Finally, my husband and I have set aside $10K as emergency fund and will be contributing to this fund on a monthly basis. T


o us, this is a "giant" step as we never have any such funds before we got married.

We enjoyed reading on the couple who could save $100K in 18 months and valued their beliefs. 


The post got us thinking, if we continue saving $2000 for 5 years, we would have at least $120K in cash.

I grew up in XXXXX and my matrimonial home is also in XXXXX. We like the convenience to town and the amenities the area provides. 


However, respectively to frugality, even if we buy a new HDB 4-room flat in XXXXX, it will cost at least $500K. We felt guilty even at the thought of it.

Sell our flat in XXXXX and move to Punggol/Sengkang, maybe? That is when we will see a profit from the sale of our flat. 


However, our hearts could not bear to leave XXXXX.

Have you had such dilemma before?






AK's reply:

Hi A,

I stayed in XXXXX for many years of my life. In my mid 30s, 
I bought a condo in XXXXX, stayed there for almost 5 years. 


Price shot up. I loved the place but I sold it. I am a pragmatist.

Singapore is a small place. Nowhere is really too far especially with so many new MRT lines now and in the future.

Having more money earlier is a winning combination for the financially savvy. Money needs time to grow. 


The earlier we have more money, the better.

Best wishes,
AK



I know this is an emotive topic and there will be people who will disagree with me. Feel free to disagree.

I believe that only the rich can afford to have romantic ideas about their possessions. The rest of us are better off being pragmatic and ensuring that possessions (or the lack of) afford us a better future.


Related post:
New money habits led to $100K in 18 months.


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