Not Buying - Not Selling - Waiting

[Gretsch]

So this is my first post.
I'm going to say I'm kicking myself, I should have sold all of my stocks last September when I saw my portfolio was at it's highest it had ever been. The thought crossed my mind, but I didn't act. Am I alone?

 

[StockyGuy]

So this is my first post.
I'm going to say I'm kicking myself, I should have sold all of my stocks last September when I saw my portfolio was at it's highest it had ever been. The thought crossed my mind, but I didn't act. Am I alone?

Waiting is your forte, maybe. Eight years for a first post, on a thread about waiting!

 

[againsthegrain]

Waiting is your forte, maybe. Eight years for a first post, on a thread about waiting!

you shall get a reply in 4204800 minutes

 

[frugal.rock]

you shall get a reply in 4204800 minutes

I'm wondering why?
A reply in 7 years, 51 weeks and 5 days is a very odd time frame....??
Better make it 4207680 minutes ?

 

[againsthegrain]

I'm wondering why?
A reply in 7 years, 51 weeks and 5 days is a very odd time frame....??
Better make it 4207680 minutes ?

I guess it depends if your counting by days weeks months or years, some mysteries are better left random ☺

 

[eskys]

I'll ditch the market, go out and buy a metal detector to find gg's buried gold

 

[wayneL]

I'll ditch the market, go out and buy a metal detector to find gg's buried gold

Thumb screws may be more successful

 

[Mohammed Hazabig'un]

Good call by GG. Looks like the War maybe going on long term. Ukraine rejecting cease Fire, Russia digging in. Inflation QT and possible China problems to take their toll. Global economies not contracting yet, but the trend isn't up.

 

[Gretsch]

Waiting is your forte, maybe. Eight years for a first post, on a thread about waiting!

Yeah odd isn’t it? it’s taken me this long to question my ability to time the market, so now it’s going to be a matter of time IN the market.

 

[divs4ever]

So this is my first post.
I'm going to say I'm kicking myself, I should have sold all of my stocks last September when I saw my portfolio was at it's highest it had ever been. The thought crossed my mind, but I didn't act. Am I alone?

not me , i made the decision to stay in the market ( but maybe not 100% ) back when deciding the strategy late 2010

now sure i got lucky by having cash to park in 2011 , but time will tell if i made the correct decision when the market finally has a meltdown

 

[Garpal Gumnut]

I'll ditch the market, go out and buy a metal detector to find gg's buried gold

I would recommend those metal detectors made by CDA, my pick in the May Comp.

gg

 

[wayneL]

I would recommend those metal detectors made by CDA, my pick in the May Comp.

gg

Well that's one way to ramp the price GG

 

[finicky]

My positioning is similar to @Garpal Gumnut although I am nowhere near 50% cash. Not by choice - my best shares for cashing up with are not at good prices. My cash goal would be about 30%; well short but currently at enough to fund a couple of years without forced selling into a crashed market plus something to throw at depressed value stocks. Hold some p.ms at my dealer.
I am not disciplined enough to refrain from buying an occasional gold speccie though and did so last week. Some stocks are significantly cheaper but of course won't withstand a crash: discretionary retail (e.g NCK, AX1, TPW), Tech (e.g XRO, PME, CDA), Biotech (CHM, NYR, RAD,1AD) - just a casual list of some I look at. Even some gold producers look cheap, if a believer in future higher gold prices - but again, they'll also still take a hit in a crash, which is why a goldbug should also hold some cash imo.
I have not got around to taking a bet against the market via inverse etfs: BBOZ, BBUS, BEAR, SNAS, probably won't.

 

[Belli]

All of my personal available funds are already in the market. I'm not inclined to place funds I have set aside to cover my next 12 month's of expenses which includes some just in case money such as the refrigerator blowing up although that is unlikely. That part is my "sleep well at night" money.

Nor have I checked what has been happening in any share market.

 

[eskys]

I'll wait for an opportunity to get into EVN and NST again( got out this morning)

 

[Gretsch]

Thinking is it a good idea to put some sell triggers in place when what stocks I have are still in the black.

 

[Garpal Gumnut]

Thinking is it a good idea to put some sell triggers in place when what stocks I have are still in the black.

In a proper crash your stops will be bypassed and you may be sold out at the bottom to the market makers.

It's not a bad idea though, if it's not a complete rout to have your cash.

Then again your stop may be triggered just as the market decides not to crash.

gg

 

[divs4ever]

Thinking is it a good idea to put some sell triggers in place when what stocks I have are still in the black.

do you want to sell those stocks before a major fall ( pick the answer that fits YOU best )

i have several holdings that are massively in profit , do i sell them and hope to get a good price when i re-buy ( not very often for me , i may as well add some more if i can get a 'fair price ' )

i prefer to sell SOME of the holding to recover that investment cash and let the 'profits' run

 

[Craton]

I am quite sure that all members of ASF are familiar with that absurdist play by Samuel Beckett named "Waiting for Godot". The two tramps await something that will feed and clothe them but which never arrives.

I feel much like them, and have stopped buying and selling and the Gumnut fortune as insignificant as it is in the larger scheme of things sits at 50/50 Aussie Shares and Cash or "safe" cash like investments/accounts.

There is too much whataboutery and where to from here and it makes me tired but not irritable and we are having beautiful days here in Townsville.

I prefer peace and the good things in life so await for a definite crash or a move onwards and upwards with the markets.

Neither would it be the end of the world should either happen but at this point in time I see poor pickings if not actual losses in committing any more cash in to the ASX.

Up a bit, down, down a bit up. I couldn't be bothered really.

I could change on the spin of a coin though.

This must be what ennui feels like.

Does anyone else feel the same way?

gg

Talking dividends.

Thanks to the Covid downturn I did my usual contrarian play and nibbled away aka topped up the historically bigger divvy payers and kept most of the DRP's in play. Ha, when a divvy was actually paid!

As I'm an investor not a trader per se and not that I've a lot of holdings (or even in $$$ value) but as my holdings have grown one thing I've changed of late, especially when a SP is IMHO too high or overvalued (e.g. AMP), is to revert a divvy paying stock out of the DRP and back into a cash divvy.

That cash is rarely used to buy more of that stock later on. The intention is to reinstate that DRP at a time where I think I'm getting value for money (e.g. WBC). The cash is either added to the rainy day/sleep well at night dry powder, to top up or buy other holdings or to treat myself.

In the case of BHP's recent record divvy and that live music had opened up again hence back to gigging again, I took the divvy in cash and splurged on purchasing a brand new Gibson guitar, this el cheapo guitar and other equipment including this Looper, this 3 way guitar stand and other essentials like strings, plectrums and straps.

It may not be a perfect system but is one that gives me a sense of control and alleviates that feeling of ennui, especially more so now with the new toys.

 

[Garpal Gumnut]

Talking dividends.

Thanks to the Covid downturn I did my usual contrarian play and nibbled away aka topped up the historically bigger divvy payers and kept most of the DRP's in play. Ha, when a divvy was actually paid!

As I'm an investor not a trader per se and not that I've a lot of holdings (or even in $$$ value) but as my holdings have grown one thing I've changed of late, especially when a SP is IMHO too high or overvalued (e.g. AMP), is to revert a divvy paying stock out of the DRP and back into a cash divvy.

That cash is rarely used to buy more of that stock later on. The intention is to reinstate that DRP at a time where I think I'm getting value for money (e.g. WBC). The cash is either added to the rainy day/sleep well at night dry powder, to top up or buy other holdings or to treat myself.

In the case of BHP's recent record divvy and that live music had opened up again hence back to gigging again, I took the divvy in cash and splurged on purchasing a brand new Gibson guitar, this el cheapo guitar and other equipment including this Looper, this 3 way guitar stand and other essentials like strings, plectrums and straps.

It may not be a perfect system but is one that gives me a sense of control and alleviates that feeling of ennui, especially more so now with the new toys.

I must admit I never use DRP.

In the pre-franking days, when I first started out, a mate of mine did my tax. He said if you want to buy a stock, buy it, don't do a DRP as it is more complicated in the tax return and made him more money in accounting fees.

And as you point out the whole idea is to either enjoy the moolah while alive or give it away before you die.

So I would completely agree with your strategy.

gg