I'll happily put money in to a company who has no debt, cash flow with the potential to increase, a good board of directors and its something I have a little knowledge about.

TBH it does go against the things I read. People always say to stay away from AIM, but there are some genuinely good companies out there. I wouldn't put money in to an exploration company who have are on the look for oil or gold, but I will put money in to an exploration company who have found a some, and have proven through tests that its feasible over a long period of time. There are of course other things, like current cash position, and all the other things I mentioned.

As a last note, I do understand the risks of AIM, I've even seen some companies on my watch list go bust, companies who looked good on paper but couldn't get any contracts...which means no cash!! These are the kind of companies you need to stay away from.

I'll hopefully have some decent rises in the next couple of years.

Whilst i'm not disagreeing or agreeing with what you've just said Cookie, you have also just stated that Forex is the biggest waste of time; when they are the most traded instrument by some distance. Money isn't made on long, exponential (or just high ROI) positions, its made more with trading with volume and making consistent. Just like it grinding smaller poker pots vs having the swings of bigger pots can definitely be a viable strategy, so can Forex. And tbh, understanding leverage and risk exposure greatly reduces any over-exposure in said markets too. Definitely agree that movements aren't as big, but they most certainly aren't a waste of time.

Didn't say it is a waste of time. I said investing in a currency for a decade is a waste of time. It is the most traded comodity he's, and it is something I looked into. But what returns can you make in a year? 150%? If you are good. So if you start with $5k and you have studied a lot to start off with, then you make 50% in year 1. Up to 7.5k. Then you make say 80% year two. 13.5k. Then you make 100% in hear three 27k. In year four you could turn "pro" but by this stage you can't last your account grow much as you have to make withdrawals, so really you have to wait to hear 5 or 6. That is also assuming you can start with $5k andddd that you don't lose it all like the vast vast majority of traders do at some point.

If you don't look at it as trying to become pro then it's a nice side earner, but you still need to invest $15k to really make anything that is worth it on the side, most don't have $15k to invest.

There are other trading options where you can double your account in a few weeks and then a few k into 10's of ks in a few months.

In terms of risk, yeah I know that understanding leverage etc. Improve your risk but in harvies Cass if he wants to make any serious money he will need to use 1:100 leverage. If you have a long term trade you have to also take a small position, aim for a lot of pips and have a long stop loss. The chances of him hitting his stop loss at some point in 10 years is so high that he is 100% wasting his time. If he doesn't set a stop then he opens himself up to a huge ammount of risk given the leverage.

Trading can be hugely +EV but what Harv is talking about isn't, and what barra started this thread with most likely isn't either

I'm not in it to make any 'serious money' in a short amount of time.

My goal is simply to invest my savings as best as I can to yield a 5-12% yearly returns or at the very least beat inflation.

I don't plan to double my investment in a year (I'd love to don't get me wrong) but I want to go with low risk options for the most part (80% of my investments on low risk stuff like bonds, funds etc).

The other 20% I don't mind playing around with.

I don't know the first thing about forex so was just throwing stuff out about wether it would be a smart idea to buy currency that is the lowest its been for over 5 years. Guess not .

Here is a nice wee interesting fact. If you start with £10k and get an average of 15% return each year, You'll have £1m in 20 years!
Getting an average 15% return is harder than it sounds tho, as shares go down as well as up, even ones that look under-valued. They can sometimes be over-looked by buyers and go under the radar. But patience plays a big part (unless they start under performing and start making losses).

Good to see oil break the $50 mark today. Shame it went back under, but its still a good sign. This is not only good for my shares, but for my job as I work offshore and we need higher oil prices for job security!

You can check out share pickers website where they have started a million pound penny stock experiment. They start with £1k, and sell once its goes up 100%. IF they do this 10 times, it will be £1m. Fsr fetched of course, but a bit of fun. He's up over 50% on his first choice.

@BarraBod that's what I'm trying to do except I have a bigger starting capital and want to do it over 20-40 years at a more realistic 5-7% yield. Not in it for the short-term because I don't have the time currently do look at shares in-depth, more of a long-term plan as I won't be getting a worthwhile pension.

Can I ask if you have shares in Crude Oil or just in the business you listed already?

My cousin invested a lot of money in a penny oil stock company AG or something like that (will ask him for the name next time) and it went up from 5p to 18p over the last 6 months.

I'm also in the long term also, I may sell my shares in ALBA on the next rise as they are taking too long with everything, and money is tight with them. Its looking like 2 years before they go in to production. They can get the funds easily, but its the shareholders who have to pay.

I've only got shares in the companies I've listed, and not in oil its self. Only 1 of the companies is producing oil at the moment tho.
Thats a very nice return in 6 months!! It would be great to find the next big thing like that.

I've topped up my shares in the gold mining company KRS. They have just received money for their first haulage before it was completed, which gives us confidence, and gives them money to expand. They only take up 12.5% of my total investments. I may shift some around so its more even.

Anyone forex traders on here touching the GBP before the brexit vote? It's looking likely that the IN vote will win, which should send the pound up. Of course it could be an out vote and back fire...which is why I don't do forex.

I've hedged all the shares now so they all have roughly 33% of my capital. Will update if any news drops. I also have some other companies I've researched that I'll give my breakdown on later.

No thoughts on buying the GBP do think I'm going to buy AUD if it hits below $0.68 against the USD as I expect it to pop up at some point.

Been two weeks and they still ain't transferred my ISA into my stocks and shares ISA, annoying!

I think GBP has became a bit of a gamble now. I did read an article on AUD but can't seem to find it.

Are you trying to transfer your ISA from a bank to HL? I've no idea how long that would take, but 2 weeks seems a bit long.

I was checking all the new RNS which were released this morning at 7am and 1 caught my eye (and a few other peoples). A company called Pennant International Group (PEN) had released news (found here) that they had just secured a new contracts worth £13m! I checked the company out and they had a Mcap of £9m, they had a little over £1m in cash in the bank with no debt. These are the kind of things you want to find in the morning.

I had to sell shares in EOG to try and buy in here at 8am. By the time I got it all sorted I was quoted 59p to buy PEN (60% above the starting share price). So I feel I missed the boat on that 1. I've added them to my watch list. They are still technically cheap at this price, but I'll wait for a drop before jumping on.

@BarraBod Yes mate, they said 2-6 weeks, it's been two weeks now. I could do it manually then I'll lose my tax free interest which sucks, but of a waiting game now.

How many hours per week do you do on research, I think that is my next logical step here, just wondering how long you spend so I know where I can fit it in.

I always get up just before 7am to check out the new RNS. I'll then write some down for checking later if they catch me eye, or I'll have a quick look at them there and then. I usually check and couple of things and forget about them if they don't meet what I'm looking for. I only do this for half an hour or so. I'll still check through out the day, but only skimming through them.

If I find a company I like, I will spend a few hours checking out all their latest and old news. I do this in stages as it can get boring. But its just a case of finding their financial position, and checking the pervious years to see how they are improving and if they have anything happening in the future. Its not often I find a company where I really look in to. But when I do, I want to find out as much as possible about them.

So to put it simply. Most days I don't spend much time on it, but when I find something I like, then it will be a few hours of research.

So you are trying to do what analysts do? Analysts are wrong 60% + with their evaluations and they are people who live the market and do it 24/7.

You have no edge doing that just like the 90%+ of traders who do the same. If it was profitable to do that then everyone in the stock market would be making money. They aren't so trying to take on a strategy that the most intelligent people are doing. And loosing money at, would be like jumping straight into a 5/10 game and assuming you will crush.

@BarraBod thanks mate, noted.

@CrazyCookie no one is saying they are a pro, this is just a forum where we are talking about investing with our limited ability. We are all fully aware of the risks and losses. Nobody is assuming they will crush or be rich. I could be reading your posts wrong but they seem to be coming from a very negative place, if they are not then I apologize. If you're simply trying to warn of us the dangers of investing then thanks, but I think most who do invest large sums are someone competent to realize this fact, or at least I am .

Not about the risk, you can do whatever you like with your money and I hope you make loads

I'm learning about trading myself, so by no means a pro either but borra is giving advise which is not profitable. I hate that. It's like going to a loosig 5nl player and taking their advise!

I get this is about learning, but what adge do you expect to have conpeteting against professional analysts who do this as their job? You can't have an edge so it will just be gambling.

If you want to go into trading or investing it's all about studying and not just looking at a company and their news. Companies come out with positive blown up need all the time so that when they release their bad earnings their stock doesn't crash. That means they are a ticking time bomb and when they go bust you lose everything.

A huge hate of mine is when people share infonarion/strategies when they are not making money. Borra: how much have you made grading? What strategies are showing you profit?

If the answer to these is "I haven't yet" and "not sure yet" then, no offense, but everything on here is probably -EV...

I don't think @BarraBod is saying "Hey look at what I am doing, you all should get out there and do it too" - He is simply sharing his journey and what is working for him etc, nothing wrong with that.

I am with @Harvie on this one. Think your comments are bringing a negative tone to this thread. On the flip side, what you are saying is like a 5nl player who is sharing his experience and a pro coming in and saying don't bother you are not making any money yet.

I am sure all will have different opinions on this thread, but lets keep it positive please

@CrazyCookie 80% of my capital will be placed in bonds and funds, I've said this quite a few times. Low risk, low rewards with my goal to beat inflation and use the power of compound interest to have a retirement fund for when I'm 60+. I don't think you can categorise this as 'trading' in the context that you're stating.



Now, I'm lucky enough to be in a position where I can allocate 20% of my salary per month in high-risk investments such as shares, trading, poker or a roulette wheel spin. If I lose out, it's not the end of the world and I fully understand the risk.

What do I know about shares? I know less than nothing.

I don't know the first thing about trading and @BarraBod has confessed he's no expert or even an intermediate. This thread is simply a journey which I and other newbs can follow because the level of discussion is easy to understand. For one, it saves me time researching as @BarraBod has linked some resources and books to read.

This thread alone has really made me think more about my money and what I should be doing with it. Thanks to @BarraBod I've sought consultation and been advised very well on how I spend be investing my money for retirement (my objective is long-term). Until this thread it was sitting in an account losing to inflation.

I'm still in the teething stages of getting of understanding money and investments, but this thread has been great aid for me to take action. Anything I ask about trading are just questions to help me understand it better. Just because I say "is it good to buy the AUD" doesn't mean I am, but a method to keep this thread going and communication flowing.

You should stop viewing this thread as a bunch of people who think they know what they are doing and trying to make huge amounts of money. Asking questions like "how much money have you made" or "What strategies are showing you profit?" is a little inappropriate given the thread is only a few weeks old and both I and @BarraBod have confessed we don't know much.

I'm not sure if you see it like this, but your comments come across as very belittling, and it's not hard to belittle us as I don't know anything. Ask me any complex question and I could not give you a single answer, but you don't achieve anything positive by asking them either.

I do thank you for warning us about the danger of investing which I'm fully aware of, but it's always nice to be reminded from time to time as it often gets overlooked when one expects they can increase they capital by 200% in a few days buying shares. ( I must admit, I think like this often ).

Try viewing this thread for people who don't know very much about trading, are just getting their feet wet and documenting their progress.

Not bothering to read any of this, I'm not being negative, and Keri no offense but I clearly said I'm studying not making trading and I'm not a pro.

All I'm saying is this: so far harvie has been asking borra for advise which would be the same as someone who wants to play poker asking someone who is losing money at poker how to play. What do you think will happen?

Honestly GL to all of you, I love the idea that people are looking to make money and it's great to see it

Hello all...pretty lively in here

I should mention that the strategy I am using, I'm trying to mimic that of Robbie Burns, author of The Naked Trader. He has a very laid back approach, not sitting in front of his computer all day, studying charts and fundamentals. He sits at his computer from 7am-8am checking all the new RNS, before heading out for the rest of the morning, he checks on his phone before and after lunch, before sitting back down at his computer before the trading day ends to decide if he wants to do anything with his current holdings. If any companies caught his eye throughout the day, he them checks them out in the evening, going through as much of the fundamentals as he can.

Other things he does - if his kids beg him for a new toy that "everyone wants", he then finds the manufacturer and buy shares in them.
He looks for companies who are nearly in the FTSE100 or FTSE250 and buy shares if they look to be growing, because once they go on to the FTSE 100 or 200, they are open to FUND accounts, which shoots the price up.

Its small things like that which can make a difference. I don't want to be sitting at my laptop all day studying charts or reading fundamentals to try and get an advantage over someone. I'm just trying to find an undervalued company who will grow, and take my money up with it

I of course do see where you're coming from CC. I'm not really in a position to be giving advice, but when the question is "how much research do you do per week" then I'll answer him with what I do, he doesn't have to copy me, but it gives him an idea of what other people do.

Funnily enough my account is up and running now. Going to be buying the equity fund "Fundsmith" every month, has shown great average rate of returns over the last 5 years. It's pretty varied so a crash in one place shouldn't affect it too much. Been given lots of good recs about this one.

I have a large lump sum to invest but have divided that amount into 12 and buying 1/12th each month and playing with the rest on the side.