REGRETS

[THRESHOLD]

Who has become wedded to a stock and regrets it? Or, surely, who hasn't? ALAN GRAY and SAPPI, HARMONY . CLIVE ROFFEY and the GOLDIES. Personally - I have convinced myself to buy (and MOSTLY dispose of) HVL, SSK, SAN, IRA and others in the recent past. In every case - they were shares that I had to "sell" myself on. They didn't come naturally.

[#2]

Sounds to me like you are having problems with the passive 'buy and hold' strategy. This is a debate that will generate a tail as long as the old 'ALSI - where to today' threads.

[THRESHOLD]

Not so much that - more a matter of buying or keeping despite your better judgement. And then regretting it.

[#4]

you mean like my @%$#% pallinghursts?

[THRESHOLD]

BINGO! You look back and think "Why the hell did I buy these things. They are at odds with everything I believe." Followed by: "Why didn't I sell them - I knew they were carp." Usually due to greed.

[Blik]

Pick me, Pick me....Buildmax - what a Dog at the moment. Bought at 60 odd, 6 years ago, watched it up to 520, had a sell order in at 521, then watched it all the way back down to 12....whhaaaaaa! I keep it there as a sober reminder how not to do things. Anyway the miniscule amount I would get now, is not worth the sale. That flippin 1 cent!

[kwagga]

I'm in cash ;-)

[kwagga]

Skaaptjop - Sell your PGL's to me. I'm right there @363c offer.

[PaulC]

I generally have a handful of stocks I trade cause I get a "feel" for them. Sentiment + Tech anal often give happyness. ANG and GFI recently have not brought me happyness. So I went past falling in love. I attempted to look at the fundamentals. I wrote this last night out of sheer frustration http://paulfcannell.wordpress.com/2011/07/27/they-say-you-shouldnt-fall-in-love-with-your-investment... As a wise man once said. The market can remain irrational longer than you can remain solvant. And Stoploss :)

[THRESHOLD]

Here's a piece of advice that makes all kind of sense: ONLY TRADE SHARES THAT YOU WOULD INVEST IN! That keeps you in quality issues that always stage a comeback. This is traders version of Warren Buffets take: "If you aren't prepared to hold a stock forever - then don't consider owning it even for 1 day."

[#11]

Paul if one should use the rand gold price it paints a different picture, I do believe that Gold mining has become to expensive,cost to extract the gold ect and most gold co just s*****e through..There is probably some value in Gold shares, but think the underlying shows more value in the long run

[#12]

who is censoring my words?the s** is s-c-r-a-p-e

[conradl]

African Cellular Towers was a disaster for me, bought at 108c now 10c, rubbish I say. And my "gut" told me not to buy these shares...

[SimonPB]

no .. terribale advice .. suggests that than a bad trade would be allowed to become an investment .. and a bad investment at that ..

[THRESHOLD]

Nonsense - traders use a stop loss!. It is intended to protect the trader from the pschologically damaging: "Why did I buy that thing" syndrome. AND trading is very much about the psychological of the game.

[THRESHOLD]

...psychological effecst of the game / psychlogy of the game.

[THRESHOLD]

Perhaps the inverse applies to trading on the short side...? LoL

[#18]

Threshold, I agree with Simon on this one - the whole premise of trading is that fundamentals are irrelevant, price action is the driver. If you followed your strategy, you would probably stay away from half the momentum stocks out there - would you have traded Capitec, Naspers, Sacoil? But all these made fortunes for traders. Pick what is hot - leave the emotions out of it.

[PaulC]

I agree with simon on the trading comment. Plus ive traded things like the vix, gold silver ratio alsi .. I cant own those so what I cant trade em. Stupid. Frost, thier income statement shows they are profitable in rand terms. Remember that SA isnt their only group of mines. I think their ghana mines will be their next winners. But yes there is less value there than once was. Strikes dont help :)

[SimonPB]

as a trader you bought it because your system said buy .. nothing to do with being a good or bad company .. trading = chart .. investing = numbers ..