One Year High and Low

High 3,305.20 (June 9 2014)

Low 2,960.09 (February 5 2014)

Date                          STI                                Volume           STI ETF         Nikko STI ETF

September 26 2014 3,292.05  1.22 154 million shares traded      3.32                 3.38
Listless trading leaves ST Index little moved.  Volumes also weak as punters hold back to await fresh US data.

September 19 2014 3,305.05 +7.76 240 million shares traded      3.33                3.40
Optimism fuels 3rd straight day of gains for S'pore market.  The Fed's assurances of low interest rates add to market's feel-good factor.

Have a read on Successful Investing Requires Skill And Strength Of Character - Warren Buffett.

September 12 2014 3,345.55 -1.73 163 million shares traded      3.37                 3.44
STI closes flat amid mixed Asian market.  Investors await Chinese economic data, Scottish independence poll.

September 5 2014 3,341.73 -4.61 182 million shares traded      3.37                 3.42
STI dips slightly amid modest trading.  Market ignores interest rate cuts in Europe to await key US job data.

August 29 2014   3,327.09 -3.13   235 million shares traded      3.36                 3.42
Ukraine crises takes its toll on Singapore market.  Investors sold off stocks despite encouraging numbers from the US.

Investment thoughts:

Once you have developed your own investment plan, it is important, if not critical that you stick with it.

A good stock investment plan is just like preparing dinner:

• Figuring out what you want
• Stocks, ETFs or funds
• Checking the ingredients
• Which group of stocks or funds or ETFs
• Doing research for the best recipe
• Method of Analysis
• Back test to find the best strategies
• Preparation time
• How much time do you have to develop your strategies
• Cooking time
• How much time and how often to manage your investments
• Minutes or hours a day or a week or even just monthly

August 15 2014   3,314.77 +19.94  237 million shares traded      3.33                 3.39
Property counters hopes for ECB stimulus lift STI.

Bought SIA Engineering using CPF money @ 4.58 and it drops to a low of 4.55 before closing for the week at 4.57.  I must declared that I am a bad market timer so will just stick to a buy and hold for dividend strategy.

August 8 2014    3,288.89 -25.33  220 million shares traded      3.38                 3.41
STI ends in red as Iraq Ukraine tensions mount.  Investors spooked by worrying data; commodity plays mostly fare lower.

Bought SIA Engineering again @ 4.62 and it drop to a low of 4.55 before closing at 4.58 for the week. 

August 1 2014    3,344.142 -29.64  204 million shares traded      3.38                 3.41
Asian stocks falter on Wall Street losses.  S'pore market bruised as losers dominate and recent listing bleed.

This week, bought SIA Engineering @ 4.72 and it drop to a low of 4.62 and then close at 4.67 by the end of week.  Seem like a bad timing on my part but still feel it is a great company for long-term investing.

Investment thoughts:

The factor that really made me stick through my strategy through thick and thin was the reinforcing power of cash dividends which I receive. When you get a dividend check from the company you invested in, it further solidified the idea that you are investing in real businesses, and not in some lottery tickets. The first dividend checks were a small drop in the bucket initially. This stream has been increasing in size, frequency and intensity. The goal is that this stream will cover my expenses in a few years or so. When you receive a stream of income which grows faster than raises at your job, it is pretty easy to ignore the opinion of the stock market and keep at your plan.

There is always something to worry about. The way to be successful is to buy shares in good companies and buy them at attractive prices. If you have a diversified portfolio of solid blue chips, purchased at attractive prices, with long histories of dividend growth, which have catalysts for further growth in earnings, you can’t go wrong if you are patient and have a long-term time frame. And by long-term, I don’t mean next week, I mean that you should be fine collecting dividends, even if they closed the stock market for 10 years.

In fact, the dividend haters often claim that dividend investors will get scared from a 20% decrease in stock prices. I am really hopeful that they are right and we do get a 20% drop. I promise to act scared, as long as I can get that 20% drop. Inside, I would be ecstatic, since I would be able to buy more future dividend income with less dollars. As someone in the accumulation phase, a bear market would definitely make it easier to achieve my goals faster.

July 25 2014      3,350.17 -3.72    134 million shares traded      3.38                 3.40
STI dips after eight sessions of gains.  Index falls 0.11 percent following bland Wall Street lead from Thursday.

July 18 2014      3,310.53 +3.64    117 million shares traded      3.35                 3.37
STI rises to 14 month high.  This comes as global share markets are hit by geopolitical uncertainty.

This week bought TIH @ 1.28.

TIH Limited a Singapore-based investment holding company is formerly known Transpac Industrial Holdings Limited. 

The company main activity is to invest, for capital appreciation in securities of growing private companies located in Asia, including principally China/Hong Kong SAR, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. 

Its top five investments include:

• Fortune Code Limited, which is engaged in property development; 
• ACE International (BVI) Ltd, which offers industrial services, 
• Hansen Limited, which offers consumer services; 
• Transpac Capital 1996 Investment Trust, and 
• Transpac Venture Partnership II, which offer financial services. 

July 4 2014         3,272.25 -0.90   131 million shares traded      3.31                  3.38
S'pore market continues to drift, dips 0.03%.  Investors here indifferent, Shanghai and Hong Kong see more action.

An Annuity Plan for Singapore Donations:

Sympathy for victim of scam for the Singapore old lady Madam Goh Kah Keow who was cheated of her life savings of $400,000 by China con-artists.

I found this reader, Sit Meng Chue idea is good and it should be implemented for people who knows little about Financial Planing for future Singaporean donations.  Maybe someone should arrange with a good insurance company to implement this plan for any future donations.  Also, an annuity plan give them perpetual income and they can never get cheated with a large sum of money on hand.

"I'm thinking...if 40,000 people each donate $10 to Madam Goh, she will have her $400,000 back.  Let's buy her an annuity right away so that she'll secure a stream of income and not get cheated again.  If we can donate $1 million to a Malaysian who then spends all the money in one year, we can do something for Madam Goh, who is one of our own.  The poor woman is 74 years old.  It took her 60 years to accumulate the money.  She doesn't have another 60 years.  She deserves our sympathy."

"If you’re keen to help Madam Goh with a small donation, you can write a cheque in her name (Goh Kah Keow), and put it under:
c/o Bryna Singh, The Straits Times Life! and SundayLife!
SPH News Centre, 1000 Toa Payoh North, S318994
Ms Singh, the reporter, will consolidate the cheques and personally pass it to Madam Goh."

Lesson learned:

Personally, I will be taking up the CPF Life Standard or Basic Plan when I reached the required age.  Income for life should be part of our overall retirement plan.   Do remember, when we are old, our mind will not be that agile to deal with those con-artists as they might be someone closed to you whom you least suspected.